DC-HSDPA Implementation Guide

Huawei UTRAN

Table of Contents
1

Synopsis............................................................................................................... 3

Implementation Checks & Strategy......................................................................4

2.1

Hardware constraints:.................................................................................... 4

2.2

Cell definitions:.............................................................................................. 4

2.3

RNC and NodeB licenses /features:................................................................5

2.4

UE categories:................................................................................................ 7

2.5

Neighbor Definitions:..................................................................................... 8

Implementation and verification..........................................................................8

Drive/Walk Test and Statistical Analysis:..............................................................9

4.1

Drive Test/Walk Test:...................................................................................... 9

4.2

Statistical Data:........................................................................................... 10

DC-HSDPA Implementation Guide

Huawei UTRAN

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Document History
Edition
Date
01
5th Nov 2014

Author
Sajid Saleem

Remarks
First Edition

Huawei UTRAN dual carrier/DCHSPA implementation guide.

DC-HSDPA Implementation Guide

Huawei UTRAN

1 SYNOPSIS
A single cell transmitting and receiving on two different frequency duplexes of 5
MHz each (adjacent to each other) is called a dual carrier cell in WCDMA UTRAN
systems.
DC-HSDPA allows a UE to set up HSDPA connections with two inter-frequency timesynchronous cells that have the same coverage. In the two cells, the UE can be
scheduled at the same time; it can also receive different data through the two
carriers at the same time. In the uplink, however, the UE sends data only through its
anchor carrier.

HSPA was introduced in Release 5/6 of 3GPP (TS's) Technical Specifications and is a part of Huawei software
releases since RAN 10.0.
HSPA+ was introduced in Release 7 of 3GPP (TS's) and is a part of Huawei software releases since RAN 11.0
DC-HSPA was introduced in Release 8 of 3GPP (TS's) and is a part of Huawei software releases since RAN 12.0

This brute force method of doubling bandwidth can greatly improve connection
quality in weaker signal areas in addition to simply providing faster data speeds.
Without use of MIMO technology, theoretically, DC-HSDPA with 64QAM can provide
a peak rate of 42 Mbit/s in the downlink. This rate is double of the peak rate
obtained when only 64QAM is used on one carrier i.e. 21 Mbps (no MIMO).

DC-HSDPA Implementation Guide

Huawei UTRAN

The scope of this document is to provide detailed explanation on implementation of

dual carrier and DC-HSPA cells in the network. A number of pre-requisites such as
license configuration on RNC and NodeB, Features that should be activated for DCHSPA & HSPA, transmission BW, Parameters that should be tweaked for optimized
performance, load balancing between two adjacent carriers of same cell,
Significance/importance of correct definition of intra and inter-frequency neighbors,
verification and analysis via walk test results and statistical data.

2 IMPLEMENTATION CHECKS & STRATEGY

Following configuration checks will define the S.O.P when dual carrier cell
implementation will be launched. A number of pre-requisites include cell/site
definitions, Hardware constraints, license and feature activation, RAN limitations
such as transmission bandwidth should be in between 25 MB to 50 MB, CN needs to
support the downlink peak rate of 42 Mbit/s provided by downlink DC-HSDPA with
64QAM and UE that supports DC-HSDPA.

2.1 HARDWARE

CONSTRAINTS:
Dependencies on BTS Hardware/Software:
Two cells must belong to the same sector of the site.
One cell can belong to only one DC group (Primary or secondary cell)1
For distributed cells, two local cells of the same DC group should be served by the
same RRU or by two cascaded RRUs respectively.
For 3900 series base station, BBU3900 needs to be configured with the WBBPb or
WBBPd.

2.2 CELL

DEFINITIONS:
The two cells operate on adjacent carriers with a frequency spacing of 5 MHz or
smaller in the same frequency band. The two carriers are specified by frequency
channel numbers (DLFREQ/ ULFREQ). The UL and DL UARFCN should be verified.
They are configured as a DC-HSDPA group (ADD DUALCELLGRP). The two cells are
specified by the parameters (FIRSTLOCELL, SECONDLOCELL)

The two cells specified during the DC group configuration implement joint scheduling. The UE is allowed to
establish the connections with the two inter-frequency and same-coverage cells at the same time in the DL.
FIRSTLOCALCELL
SECONDLOCALCELL

DC-HSDPA Implementation Guide

Huawei UTRAN

Cell level parameters for secondary cell are configured in the same way as primary
cell. However there are some fundamental differences that should be
configured/checks to avoid degradation or service interruptions. Following are some
of the important parameters for DC-HSDPA and HSPA+ working that should be
checked by planners when creating the database for dual carrier cell.

MO

parameter

CELLHSDPA
CELLHSUPA
CELLHSDPA

ACTSTATUS
ACTSTATUS
ALLOCCODEMODE
CODEADJFORHSDPASWITC
H

CELLHSDPA
CELLLDR
CELLALGOSWI
TCH
CELLALGOSWI
TCH
CELLHSDPA
CELL
CELLDRD
CELLCAC
CELLCAC

CODECONGSELINTERFREQ
HOIND
HSPAENHSWITCH
HSPAPLUSSWITCH
HSPDSCHMINCODENUM
LAC
LDBDRDSWITCHHSDPA
MAXHSDPAUSERNUM
MAXHSUPAUSERNUM

2nd
carrier
Cell

1st
carrier
Cell

ACTIVATED
ACTIVATED
Automatic

ACTIVATED
ACTIVATED
Automatic

ON

ON

TRUE
E_F_DPCH_O
N
1000010010
000
5
1001
ON
64
20

TRUE
E_F_DPCH_O
N
1000010010
000
5
1001
ON
64
10

Meaning
HSDPA activation status
HSUPA activation status
HSDPA code allocation mode
Code adjustment towards HSDPA from
R99.
When the value is TRUE, users can be
selected for inter-frequency handover
during code resource congestion
Enhanced UL switch

HSPA plus switch

minimum HSPDSCH channels for a cell
Location Area code
Directed Retry
Max HSDPA Number
Max HSUPA Number
timing of a cell, both carriers should have
same timing inorder to behave as
CELL
TCELL
CHIP0
CHIP0
synchronous cells
CELL
UARFCNDOWNLINK
10687
10662
DL UARFCN
CELL
UARFCNUPLINK
9737
9712
UL UARFCN
InterFreqLDH InterFreqLDH Channels are reconfigured for the BE
CELLLDR
ULLDRFIRSTACTION
O
O
service
The above mentioned values are exemplary and real value should be configured by the network planners based on
system needs and constraints.

TCELL timing of both cells in DC group should be same in order for them to be
synchronous for scheduling by MAC Layer. UARFCNDOWNLINK and UARFCNUPLINK
should depict two adjacent FDD bands of 5 MHz each. HSPA+ and enhanced UL
should be enables on both cells. NodeB level switches DLLDRFIRSTACTION and
ULLDRFIRSTACTION are optionally set to BERateRed to reconfigure channels for best
effort services. Aside from above mention definitions more details cell level
parameter list is attached below.

Cell Important
Defintions.xlsx

DC-HSDPA Implementation Guide

Huawei UTRAN

It is important to manually check the Primary and Secondary cell and NodeB level
important definitions after they are configured.

2.3 RNC

AND NODEB LICENSES /FEATURES:

A list of features & licenses must be active to support DC-HSPA functionality.
Radio Network Controller RNC

CfgSwitch: RNC level Switch used to change the connection orientated algorithms
1. CFG_HSDPA_DC_SWITCH: Switch to enable DC-HSPA
2. CFG_HSDPA_64QAM_SWITCH: Switch to enable DL 64 QAM modulation
scheme (6 bits/symbol)
3. CFG_HSUPA_16QAM_SWITCH: Switch to enable UL 16 QAM modulation
scheme (4 bits/symbol)
MAPSWITCH: Service mapping strategy switch (OPTIONAL)
1. MAP_PS_STREAM_ON_HSDPA_SWITCH: When the switch is on, a PS streaming service is
mapped on the HS-DSCH if the DL maximum rate of the service is greater than or equal to the
HSDPA threshold for streaming services.
UFRCCHLTYPEPARA: parameters related to the channel type of services or signaling.

1. DlStrThsOnHsdpa: switching of service in between HSDSCH and DCH based

on the value of this parameter.
2. DlBeTraffDecThs: The service will be set up on DCH only when DL/UL service
rate is higher or equal to this threshold. This parameter can only be set to 16
kbit/s or 8 kbit/s.
RNC Supporting Features & Licenses (OPTIONAL):
1. The following licenses can be used for optimized performance
Parameter Name

New
Value

DR_RRC_DRD_SWITCH

DR_RAB_SING_DRD_SWI
TCH

LdbDRDchoice
LdbDRDOffsetHSDPA
LdbDRDLoadRemainThd
HSDPA
NODEB_CREDIT_LDR_SW
ITCH
LCG_CREDIT_LDR_SWITC
H
LC_CREDIT_LDR_SWITCH
CARRIERTYPEPRIORIND
NODEB_CREDIT_CAC_SW
ITCH

Cell and NobeB level

UserNum
ber
5
100

Meaning
When the switch is on, DRD and redirection is
performed for RRC connection if retry is required.
When the switch is on, DRD is performed for single
service if retry is required
DRD is based on Power or HSDPA users
HSDPA load balancing DRD offset algorithm
HSDPA DL load balancing loading threshold

Open NODEB_CREDIT_LDR algorithm

Open Local group_CREDIT_LDR algorithm

Open local cell_CREDIT_LDR algorithm

DCH

Open carrier business priority reference

Open NodeB credit access control algorithm

DC-HSDPA Implementation Guide

Huawei UTRAN

UCELLALGOSWITCH: Add the algorithm switch to a cell.

HspaPlusSwitch:

1. DC_HSDPA
2. DL_L2ENHANCED
The cell and NodeB level licenses that must be enable are mentioned below:
Downlink and Uplink Channel elements must be configured w.r.t. operator license,
HSDPA scheduler NodeB function, 15 HSDPA codes per cell, downlink and uplink
64QAM license, DC-HSDPA NodeB level license, UL L2 enhanced function.

License
Allocate
Identifier
License Item
d
LQW9ULCE01
UL CE Num
384
LQW9DLCE01
DL CE Num
384
LQW9HSDPA01
HSDPA Function(per NodeB)
1
LQW9HDPCK01
HSDPA RRM Package 1(per NodeB)
1
LQW9HDCODE0
1
HSDPA Code Number
60
LQW9HSUPA01
HSUPA Function(per NodeB)
1
LQW9PASHR01
Power Sharing Function(per NodeB)
0
LQW9HU2MS01
HSUPA 2ms TTI Function(per NodeB)
1
LQW9DYNCCE01
Dynamic CE Function(per NodeB)
1
LQW964QAM01
DL 64QAM Function(per Cell)
4
LQW9U16Q01
UL 16QAM Function(per Cell)
4
LQW9UL201
UL L2 Enhanced Function(per Cell)
2
LQW9DDC01
DC-HSDPA Function(per Cell)
4
LQW9PA460
Local Cell Number in 460(0.1dBm)
4
The above mentioned values are exemplary and real value should be configured by the network
planners based on system needs and constraints.

Aside from above mention definitions more details cell level parameter list
is attached below.

NodeB_Licenses.xlsx

DC-HSDPA Implementation Guide

Huawei UTRAN

2.4 UE

CATEGORIES:

The UE can monitor a maximum of six HS-SCCHs in the two cells of DC-HSDPA. In
each cell, the UE can monitor a maximum of three HS-SCCHs at the same time.
In 3GPP Release 8, HS-DSCH UE categories 21, 22, 23, and 24 are added to
support DC-HSDPA. In 3GPP Release 9 or later, more HS-DSCH UE categories
support DC-HSDPA.
The following UE categories can be used to test the throughput of DCHSDPA cells.
3GPP
Release

Categor
y

Max. number
of HS-DSCH
codes (per
cell)

Modulation

MIMO, Multi-Cell

Code Rate
at max data
rate

Max.
data
rate
[Mbit/s]

Release 8

21

15

16-QAM

Dual-Cell

0.81

23.4

Release 8

22

15

16-QAM

Dual-Cell

0.97

28

Release 8

23

15

64-QAM

Dual-Cell

0.82

35.3

Release 8

24

15

64-QAM

Dual-Cell

0.98

42.2

The above mentioned UE categories can be used to test the throughput of a cells on which DC-HSDPA is
configured.

2.5 NEIGHBOR DEFINITIONS:

Aside from Intra-frequency neighbors new inter-frequency neighbors must be
defined both ways among tier1 and tier2 facing sites/cells. Inter-RAT neighbor also
must be defined constraint here needs to kept in mind is the IRAT strategy set in the
network F2->F1=> IRAT and F2=>IRAT or F1=> IRAT.

BlindHOFlag must be enabled between Primary and Secondary cell in bothway

direction to avoid call drop.

To perform the blind handover DRDEcN0Threshold must be set to an adequate value. The DRD is
permitted if Ec/No of the current cell is greater than the DRD Ec/No threshold of an inter-RAT/interfrequency neighboring cell.

3 IMPLEMENTATION AND VERIFICATION

Before toggling the DC-HSDPA switch at RNC or NodeB level all the above
mentioned Pre-Requisites must be checked.

DC-HSDPA Implementation Guide

Huawei UTRAN

Both cells of the same site are under the same RRU and are of same sector
=> by check the logical cell definitions via M2000 Topology and LMT this can be
verified.
Cell Definitions => Cell Parameters and activated cell features like TCELL,
ACTSTATUS, HSPAPLUSSWITCH etc can be checked by taking the parametric export
from M2000 or LST UCELL command on M2000 MML interface.
NodeB & RNC Licenses and Features => by checking the DSP LICENSE
command on NodeB and taking RNC license export from M2000 shows different
essential licenses activation status.

Neighbor Definitions => Inter-frequency, Intra-frequency and IRAT neighbors can

be checked by taking the 3G and 2G RNP export from M2000 or by the following
commands on M2000s MML interface:
1. LST U2GNCELL:CELLID=10581; 2G neighbors of 3G cell ID
2. LST UINTERFREQNCELL:CELLID=10581; 3G inter-frequency neighbors
of 3G cell ID
3. LST UINTRAFREQNCELL:CELLID=10585; 3G intra-frequency neighbors
of 3G cell ID

3G Adjacency Parameter => BlindHOFLAG status between primary and

secondary cells can be checked via RNP export from M2000 or by checking the
result of LST UINTERFREQNCELL on M2000s MML interface.

Cell/NodeB health and Scope Check => DSP

UCELLCHK:CHECKSCOPE=NODEBNAME,NODEBNAME= and DSP
UCELLCHK:CHECKSCOPE=CELLID,CELLID= on RNC level both of these commands
present compendium information regarding different feature and license activation.
The following should be checked out of the complete attached list below.

Cell is activated or not, Cell is unblocked or not, RTWP measure state,

Whether HSDPA is configured and active, Whether HSDPA is supported by
NodeB, Whether 64QAM is supported by cell, Whether downlilnk L2
enhanced is supported by cell, Whether uplink 16QAM is supported by cell,
Whether DC-HSDPA is supported by local cell

DSP UCELL
CHECKSCOPE.xlsx

DC-HSDPA Implementation Guide

Huawei UTRAN

4 DRIVE/WALK TEST AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS:

4.1 DRIVE TEST/WALK TEST:
Further premises should be traversed to check the performance of HSDPA and DCHSDPA on primary and secondary cell.
The Category of UE, Load on Primary cell and Radio Condition (depicted by CQI and
reported by UE to controller) limit the theoretical possible throughput i.e. 42 Mbps.

(a)

(b)

(a) HS Session will show current access technique, CQI will depict link adaptation and accordingly channel
coding and modulation scheme will be selected which will translate into relevant throughput.
(b) DU Meter can be used to check the Max and Average user throughput.

4.2 STATISTICAL DATA:

In equivalent deployment of primary and secondary cells, the RNC selects the
primary cell for UEs based on the load and radio bearer scheme. Both cells can work
independently for non-DC-HSDPA UEs or legacy HSDPA UEs.
In this case both cells can behave independently and relevant counters in RNC will
report PDU throughput on different layers.

DC-HSDPA Implementation Guide

Huawei UTRAN

Cell ID

Maximu
m Mbps

Averag
e Mbps

10581

36

25

10584

33.5

25.2

10582

31.6

26.4

10585

27.7

25.7

Alternatively, the primary cell is configured with all channels whereas the secondary
cell is configured with only HS-DSCH and P-CPICH. The secondary cell cannot work
independently. This is called non-equivalent deployment. Non-equivalent
deployment is not supported.
To Specifically check the performance of DC-HSDPA Huawei RAN13.0 provides the
following counters.
Counter Name
VS.HSDPA.RAB.DC.AttEstab
VS.HSDPA.RAB.DC.SuccEstab
VS.HSDPA.RAB.AbnormRel.DC
VS.HSDPA.RAB.NormRel.DC

Counter Description
Number of DC-HSDPA RAB Setup Requests in the primary carrier of DC-HSDPA
counted for cell
Number of DC-HSDPA RABs Setup Successfully in the primary carrier of DC-HSDPA
counted for cell
Number of DC-HSDPA RABs Abnormal Released in the primary carrier of DC
counted for Cell(including RF Cause)
Number of DC-HSDPA RABs Normal Released in the primary carrier of DC counted
for Cell

VS.HSDPA.DC.PRIM.UE.Mean.Cell

Average number of DC-HSDPA UEs in anchor carrier in a Cell

VS.HSDPA.DC.SEC.UE.Mean.Cell

Average number of DC-HSDPA UEs in supplementary carrier in a Cell