What is KPI?

| what are key performance

indicators?
This page describes KPI(key performance indicators) basics and mentions
LTE KPIs.
As mentioned KPI is the short form of Key Performance Indicator. KPIs can be
used for the following tasks:

To monitor and optimize the radio network performance in order to provide

better subscriber quality or to achieve better use of installed network resources

To detect unacceptable performance related issues in the cellular network

immediately. This will enable the operator to take rapid actions in order to
preserve the quality of the existing network services.

To Provide radio frequency planners with the detailed information. This will help
them configure the network parameters for optimum use.

Typically KPI can be categorized into following subcategories:

Accessibility
Retainability
Integrity
Availability
Mobility
LTE KPIs
Following table summarizes KPIs for LTE RAN(Radio Access Network). This is
used to measure contribution to subscriber perceived quality and system
performance.
RAN performance monitoring and control is a very important task for O&M team
as well as network engineers.

LTE KPI Test Case

RRC Connection Establishment

Random Access
Initial E-RAB Establishment Success Rate
RRC Connection Establishment Counters
Initial E-RAB Establishment Success Rate Counters
Added E-RAB Establishment Success Rate Counters
Added E-RAB Establishment Success Rate
Accessibility S1 Signaling Connection Establishment

MME Initiated E-RAB & UE Context Release with counters Description

UE Session Time
RBS Initiated E-RAB & UE Context Release with counters Description
MME & RBS Initiated UE Context Release Flow Chart
Retainability MME & RBS Initiated E-RAB Release Flow Chart

EUTRAN Throughput KPIs

EUTRAN Latency KPIs
Integrity EUTRAN Packet Loss KPIs

X2 Based Handover Preparation & Execution

Intra RBS Handover Preparation & Execution
Intra Frequency Handover Preparation & Execution Counters
S1 Based Handover Preparation & Execution
Intra-frequency intra-LTE S1 & X2 Handover Flowchart
Inter Frequency Handover Preparation & Execution Counters
Mobility Inter-frequency intra-LTE S1 & X2 Handover Flowchart

Availability Partial cell availability (node restarts excluded)

eRAN Performance KPI Overview (Accesibility)

Accessibility KPI
1. RRC Setup Success Rate
2. E-RAB Setup Success Rate
3. Call Setup Success Rate

RRC Setup Success Rate

The RRC connection setup procedure is triggered by various different causes as identified by the
establishmentCause field in RRCConnectionRequest message:
emergency,highPriorityAccess, mt (Mobile terminating)-Access, mo (Mobile Originating)-Signaling, and
mo-Data. The UE sets the establishmentCause in accordance with the information received from upper
layers. Causes except mo-signaling are categorized as service-related ones. The mo-signaling cause is a
signaling-related cause

This KPI evaluates the RRC setup success rate in a cell or cluster involved.
According to Reference, the RRC connection setup procedure is triggered by various different causes as
identified by the establishmentCause field in RRCConnectionRequest message:
emergency, highPriorityAccess, mt-Access (Mobile terminating), mo-Signaling (Mobile Originating),
and mo-Data. The UE sets the establishmentCause in accordance with the information received from upper
layers. Causes except mo-signaling are categorized as service-related ones. The mo-signaling cause is a
signaling-related cause.
Assosiate Counter

The counters measure the number of RRC connection setup requests for different causes in a cell. The RRC
Connection Request message is the first RRC signaling message sent from the UE to the eNodeB. The
corresponding counter are incremented by 1 each time the eNodeB receives an RRC Connection Request
message from the UE. Note: The L.RRC.ConnReq.Att counter is incremented by 1 when the eNodeB
receives the message for the first time. The counter will not be incremented repeatedly, if the eNodeB
receives the message for multiple times.

RRC Setup Failure Reason

Possible reason:
Resource allocation failure (admission failure)
No response from UE ( Poor coverage or terminal problem)

E-RAB Success Rate (Radio Access Bearer)

Type of bearers

Default bear: With default QCI which is specified in HSS

Dedicate bear: With dedicated QCI which is negotiated by PDN-GW and PCRF

An E-RAB is the access layer bearer for carrying service data of users. The E-RAB setup success rate in a
cell directly represents the capability of the cell to provide E-RAB connection setups for users

E-RAB Setup Success Rate (VoIP)

VoIP is related with QCI 1 bearer

This KPI is used to evaluate the E-RAB setup success rate of the VoIP service in a cell or a cluster.
LTE-SAE QoS Class Identifier

E-RAB Setup Success Rate (All Service)

This KPI is used to evaluate the E-RAB setup success rate of all services (including VoIP) in a cell or a
cluster.

Associated Counters Initial E-RAB Setup

Associated Counters Dedicated E-RAB Setup

Call Setup Success Rate

Call Setup Success Rate

Counters For S1 Dedicated Signaling Setup

As shown at point A,the L.S1Sig.ConnEst.Att counter is incremented by one each time

the eNodeB sends an INITIAL UE MESSAGE to the MME.
As shown at point B, the L.S1Sig.ConnEst.Succ counter is incremented by one each time
the eNodeB receives the first S1 interface message from the MME after sending an INITIAL UE
MESSAGE to the MME.