TD-SCDMA & WCDMA network optimization analysis and comparison

1.Introduction

With the development of 3G, network planning and optimization have become more and more
important. For future WCDMA/TD-SCDMA carriers, what they care most is how to establish a
WCDMA network economically and keep the high performance-cost ratio in the construction.
Generally speaking, they want to get high network capacity and satisfy wireless coverage demand
under the condition that supports multi-service with given Qos requirements. Moreover, they want
to offer optimal service by balancing the relation among capacity, coverage and quality. To obtain
high performance, WCDMA/TD-SCDMA system must apply many advanced technologies.
Therefore, the network planning and optimization methods used in the second generation
communication system cannot meet the requirements of 3G. New network planning and
optimization methods and tools are needed.

2. WCDMA/TD-SCDMA network optimization process

For network carriers, making profit is their main aim. So they must care about the performance
and investment of the network. Unfortunately, they are contradictory. The feasibility of the
investment can be obtained easily through certain estimation methods and tools. But increasing
network performance is a complex process, because the network must not only meet the need of
existing subscribers but can also introduce new competitive services on the base of continuously
increasing capacity in the future development. As a result, network optimization is a repeated
long-term process.
Network optimization should offer an automatic or manual method to optimize network
performance to satisfy carriers with coverage, capacity, Qos, and cost. Generally speaking,
network optimization contains 3 levels.
(1) Executing real-time arithmetic between base station and UE, such as fast power control, fast
congestion control, link adaptive, channel allocation, etc.
（2）Executing real-time operation that can response relatively slow, such as load control.
(3) Based on experience or long-term statistic results, adjusting network performance by pre-
operation or off-line planning and optimization tools. The first two processes are executed
automatically, while the third one need people participate in, which is the network optimization
often mentioned by us.

Normally, network optimization can be divided into several steps. First, quality targets should be
specified, which include point-to-point quality target, performance targets of different types of
service and relative KPI (Key Performance Indicators) value. Then performance datum can be
collected by network management system, foreground gather equipment, protocol analysis
equipment or even subscriber complaint. Network report tool will then deliver quality statistics
and pre-analysis data According to network configuration; we can analyze the method in detail,
which is applied to increase network quality. Single parameter is corrected at first, and the whole
parameters set is corrected by multi-iteration. At last, total solution is obtained when expected
quality target is achieved. A new quality continuous increase loop begins, after overall adjusting to
the network according to the total solution.
Generally, the tasks of network optimization include: optimal system coverage, minimum call
drop and failure access rate, proper handoff (hard/soft/softer/baton handoff), even and proper base
station load, optimal pilot frequency distribution. The parameters of optimization include:
transmission power of each sector, antenna location (azimuth, depression angle and height),
neighboring lists and priority order of pilot frequency, size of neighboring pilot frequency
searching window, handoff threshold, etc.
In the process of network optimization, different tools may be adopted, and each plays different
roles:

(1) Planning tools

As mentioned above, in the stage of detailed planning, we input the sites information obtained
from preliminary planning to electronic map. By repeated simulation and analysis, we can judge
whether the system has achieved expected coverage, capacity, and quality requirements under
certain restrains (such as requirement of sites and configuration of BS). In this stage, some
network optimization can be implemented, such as site location, antenna type, antenna elevation
angle, etc. Especially, when expanding system, if we input the existed system measurement data
(subscriber distribution, flow distribution, etc) into network planning tool, we can conclude
whether network capacity can achieve expected aim with the analysis of emulator.

(2) Network management system

The function of network management is to monitor the system and collect data. It should show
services distribution and quality situation so as to locate problems quickly when Qos is lower than
the threshold. And Qos threshold is defined flexibly according to KPI value or cost function. Qos
contains hard congestion (hardware lack), soft congestion (interference limited), call drop rate,
failure calling rate, successful communication rate, successful hard handoff rate, uplink/downlink
load, retransmission/delay of data service, rate of data service and circuit service, etc. So network
management system should have 3 functions at least: ① supervising network flow and
performance, ② detecting and finding out problems quickly to increase service quality, ③ the
automation in network planning and development process.

(3) Foreground gather tools and software

After preliminary network operation, we can analyze the performance of certain area and the
whole network by cluster test and full test of the network. With the help of foreground gather
analysis software, network optimization people can take measures to increase network
performance. Foreground gather tools should capture various wireless signals in air interface and
restore and replay gathered data. Quality analysis result can be obtained by foreground gather
analysis software. One of these data is various dynamic data, such as strength indication of
received signal, transmission/receiving power of mobile phone, etc. The other is statistical data,
such as handoff times, successful handoff rate, etc. These data can help us to get network
performance merit and instruct relative optimization measures.

In general, network planning and optimization is a multi-iteration process with theory and
experience coexisting. With various network planning/optimization tools, through judgment and
deduction, we can configure network properly, optimize network performance. So the investment
and profit are satisfied, and the carriers will get maximum profits at reasonable cost.

3. Network optimization difference analysis between TD-SCDMA and WCDMA

The purpose of network optimization is to improve service quality, increase utilization ratio of
network resource. Generally speaking, hardware configuration need be optimized as well as
parameter setting (especially for wireless resource arithmetic). For hardware configuration, it
mainly refers to antenna location and direction adjusting, etc. For short, we won’t say more than
needed. Wireless resource management contains handoff control, power control, admission
control, and load control, etc. Service mode, channel mode, and system mode will have decisive
influence on wireless resource arithmetic design. Because service mode and channel mode are the
same for all 3G technologies, PHY technologies determine the different RRM in each system.
Compared with other 3G mobile communication system, smart antenna, joint detection,
uplink/downlink synchronization, and special frame architecture are adopted in TD-SCDMA PHY
technology. Resulting from these, RRM design is relatively flexible. Baton handoff and DCA
technology are applied in RRM arithmetic, which are highlights in TD-SCDMA system.
Moreover, smart antenna influences all arithmetics very much.
Usually, optimization contains: optimal system coverage, minimum call drop and failure access
rate, proper handoff (hard/soft/softer/baton handoff), even and proper base station load, optimal
pilot frequency distribution. While in TD-SCDMA system, optimization contains: proper channel
allocation and smart antenna application. Next, we will analyze the difference between TD-
SCDMA and WCDMA in optimization operations.

1.Handoff
The optimization of handoff is very vital for any cell system. From the view of network
efficiency, when user equipment is located in improper service cell, its service quality will be
influenced. The load of whole network will increase as well. More seriously, interference to other
user will increase. Mobile user should adopt the optimal communication link to connect with
corresponding base station.
In WCDMA, soft handoff is used between the same frequencies. However, in TD-SCDMA, baton
handoff is used, which is between hard handoff and soft handoff. As a result, we need to analyze
the difference of baton handoff from other handoff methods in optimization process.
(1) The scope of handoff measurement is different. For traditional handoff methods, the exact
location of UE isn’t known. Therefore, we have to measure all neighboring cells. While in baton
handoff, handoff measurement is based on accurate location of UE that has been known. So it is
unnecessary to measure all neighboring cells except a few cells that near UE and with the same
moving direction as UE It is important to have proper measurement range in optimization. If the
range is too large, baton handoff tends towards ordinary soft handoff. The measure time becomes
longer, and network load is heavier. The delay also becomes longer. On the other way, if the range
is too small, the possible candidate cells will be missed.
(2) The delay of signal strength of target handoff cell is larger. Baton handoff aims to establish
communication link with target cell and at the same time disconnect communication with former
base station. As a result, its judgment is stricter than soft handoff to reduce handoff times. Users
care about measurement results of current cell. If the service quality of current cell is good
enough, it will not measure the other cells. Otherwise, it will do so. Therefore, in baton handoff,
the cell with strongest pilot frequency strength is not always the service cell. But in WCDMA, the
cell with concentrated activation definitely has strongest pilot frequency strength (the cell with
strongest pilot frequency strength in delay stage isn’t taken into account.)

2. Channel allocation
The channel allocation in WCDMA is simpler. In the same carrier frequency system, it only need
allocate channel properly. But in TD-SCDMA, even in the same carrier frequency system, DCA
algorithmic is adopted to help allocating channel in the multi-dimension space constructed by
codes, time slots (spatial field of smart antenna isn’t taken into account.) DCA algorithmic
contains fast DCA and slow DCA. Slow DCA allocates resources to cells while fast DCA allocates
resources to service. In actual situation, RNC manages some available resources in cells, and
allocating these channels to users dynamically according to network performance target of each
cell, system load and service Qos parameters. There are many DCA algorithmics. DCA
algorithmic based on interference is researched and applied widely, which adjusts channel orders
according to measurement results of real-time interference to UE and network. Proper application
of DCA algorithmic can allocate channel resources flexibly, increase frequency band utilization
ratio without channel pre-layout and is adaptive to the change of load and interference in network.
But, if DCA is applied improperly, system interference will increase and capacity will be reduced.

3 Utilization of smart antenna

Smart antenna influences TD-SCDMA much. It adds spatial field process in DCA algorithmic. It
changes power control procedure, reduces control requirements and influences power control
algorithmic. It makes the handoff criteria become indefinite and handoff area uncertain. Smart
antenna has complex influence on wireless resources algorithmic and it correlates with specific
algorithmic. So it is necessary to research and explore it in theory and practice fields.

4 indoor coverage
In WCDMA, for hot spot coverage, especially for large building indoor coverage problem, indoor
distribution system is widely used to increase service quality. It takes micro cell or repeater as
signal resource, and installs omni antenna or beam antenna in ceiling or wall according to output
of antenna. Therefore, user can receive /transmit signal when he is moving indoors. And the signal
is transported to base station via feeder. Base station regards the signals received from different
antennae as multi-path signal of one user signal.

In TD-SCDMA system, there are some problems for indoor distribution system. (1) TD-SCDMA
can estimate DOA of user signal by Smart antenna, but with indoor antenna it can’t estimate DOA.
(2) TD-SCDMA adopts uplink and downlink synchronization. The establishment and maintenance
of TD-SCDMA uplink synchronization are based on user transmitted power estimation. According
to user transmitted power estimation, it calculates the user location and indicates user forward or
delay time. The gains of indoor antennae are different. If the user is moving among different
antennae coverage all the time, base station can not judge user distance according to transmission
power. So uplink synchronization can not be maintained. Even if the user does not move, different
user signals via different antennae to base station have different time delay. For synchronization,
base station must compensate the time delay. However, it is not practical. Indoor coverage
problems need further research.

Conclusion

Network optimization is a process to improve whole network quality and guarantee effective
utilization of resource. The main aims of network optimization are to guarantee and increase
network quality, enhance company’s competition advantages and make customer more satisfied. It
is the backbone of service development, so it is very vital. It contains network analysis and
improvement of network configuration and performance. Network performance includes access
success ratio, reliability, service performance and service distribution statistical information, etc,
which can be obtained from network management system, foreground gather system, protocol
analysis and customer complaint. By analyzing the information, we adjust and improve the
network performance. Because there is no any existing extensive network for TD-SCDMA and
WCDMA, network planning and optimization can only be analyzed from theory. It needs future
research and summary in practice.