Introductions of UMTS Architecture,Call Flow

Procedures
and 3G EVENTS

UMTS Architecture

UMTS Network
Architecture

UE

UTRAN (UMTS
Terrestrial Radio
Access Network)

CN (Core
Network)

User
Equipment (UE)
- It allows the user to access the to network .For the purpose the
interface between the UE and the network is the radio interface. The UE
consist of 1.Mobile Equipment(ME) 2.U-SIM)
UTRAN (UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access
Network)
- is a collective term for the network and equipment that connects
mobile handsets to the public telephone network or the Internet. It
contains the base stations, which are called Node Bs and Radio
Network Controllers (RNC) which make up the UMTS radio access
network.

With UTRAN we had Four Interfaces:

- Iu
- Iub
- Iur
- Uu

Core Network
(CN)
- a telecommunication network's core part, which offers numerous
services to the customers who are interconnected by the access
network. Its key function is to direct telephone calls over the publicswitched telephone network. Sometimes other called the Backbone
of the network. And it is contains important elements which Circuit
Switched CS and Packet Switched PS (i.e. GPRS) domain.
The Core Network Contains important
Elements:
-Mobile Service Switching Center (MSC)
-Gateway Mobile Service Switching Center
(GMSC)
-Visitor Location Register (VLR)
-Home Location Register (HLR)
-Authentication Center (AuC)
-Equipment Identity Register(EIR)

RRC,RB Procedures
RRC Modes
Mapping of UE State

RRC Tasks and Functions

The RRC Protocol is the application part of the UMTS radio access
technology .The RRC has following functions:
-broadcasting of system information for NAS stratum
-Establishment, maintenance and release of RRC signaling between UE
and the UTRAN connections
-RRC connections mobility functions
-Quality of service (QoS) Control
-UE measurements reports
-outer loop power control
-security control
-paging
-initial cell selection and reselection
-transport of NAS control messages.

Usage of Radio Bearer by the RRC protocol

-It means the RRC protocol uses the radio bearer service by the
Layer 1 and Layer 2 of the UMTS radio interface. And we had the
RB numbered to 0 to 31 .

RRC Idle Mode

-When a UE is switched On ,it enters the RRC Idle mode .In the RRC
mode ,threes no connection on the access stratum level between
the UE and the UTRAN.The UTRAN has no information about UEs in
the RRC idle mode .if the UTRAN wants to address the UE ,it must
use
stratum
RRCnon-access
Connected
Mode (NAS) identifier .
-Can be further decomposed into four different states, on which
level the UE is known by UTRAN and which resources are allocated
by the UE ,UTRAN can know any UE either on cell level or on URA
Level. On the other hand any UE can determine DCH or FACH /non
transport channel for control message exchange.

In DCH state UE perform following action :

-read system in information broadcast on FACH
-perform measurements process according to measurement control information
In FACH state UE perform following action : (if in Service area)
-DCCH and DTCH are available
-perform cell reselection
-perform measurements process according to measurements control information
-run timer T305 (periodical cell update)
-listen to all FACH transport channels mapped
In FACH state UE perform following action : (if in Out of Service area)
-perform cell reselection
-Run timers T305 & T317( cell update when re-entering in service area )
/T307(transition to idle mode)
In PCH State UE perform following action: (if in Service area)
-maintain up to date system information as broadcast by the serving cell
-perform cell reselection
-Perform a periodic search for higher priority
-Monitor the paging occasion according to the DRX cycle and receive paging
information on the PCH
In PCH State UE perform following action: (if in Out of Service area)
-perform cell reselection process
-Run timer T316
-Run timer T305

RRC Procedures
-Between the UE and the RNC ,the RRC protocol is used to exchange
signaling and control data to establish ,maintain, and release connections.
The UE gets informed about the radio bearer characteristics to the transport
channel configurations and the physical layer settings. With that the UE
knows how to receive and transmit data via WCDMA radio interface.

RRC Connection Establishment

-The purpose of the RRC Connection Establishment
procedure is to create a RRC connection between the UE
and
the UTRAN
RC
Connection
Request Message

s initiated by the UE and transmitted via uplink

2.RRC Connection Setup Message.

-if the RNC accepts the UE RRC Connection Establishment request .It Starts an
interaction with
the Node B to establish radio link connection over the interface Iub, this used to
inform the Node B
about the radio link configurations for uplink and downlink interface. it means the
Node b prepared
to serve mode between the UE and the RNC.

3.RRC Connection Setup Complete Message.

-The UE received the RRC Connection Setup Message and returns the RRC
Connection Setup Complete Messaged the RNC This message is transmitted via the
logical channel DCCH on the radio signaling bearer.

Radio Bearer (RB) Procedures

-The RB control procedures are used to establish additional radio bearers ,modify
them, or release them.

Radio Bearer is established ,modified and released with

following RRC messages:

-Radio Bearer Setup

-Radio Bearer Reconfiguration
-Radio Bearer Release
-Transport Channel Reconfiguration
-Physical Channel Reconfiguration

Call Flow

Call Flow Chart Procedure

(MTC,MOC,HSDPA,HSUPA)
MO
C

MTC

Microsoft Office
Excel Worksheet

EVENTS

DROp due to poor RF conditions

There is a short
MOC drop due to
poor RF
conditions.
SNJNPRU0751
doesnt have a
3rd carrier. The
coverage on 850
band is good but
it cannot make
an IFHO because
it is band locked
to 1900MHz
band.
Also, the
handover type
for PRSJU3143 is
2(none).

Drop due to poor rf conditions

Drop is due to
poor RF
conditions.
Call drop due
to challenging
terrain (see
next slide).

Terrain for HSDPA drop

Call Drop

drop due to 25 secs of missing messages

25 seconds of
missing
messages.
Call dropped
due to missing
neighbor.
Neighbor
Recommendatio
n:
GAATU61399
(SC383,UARFCN=4
12) ->
GAATU61402
(SC399,UARFCN=1
087).

Loss of synchronization
There is a Loss
of
synchronization
between the
base station and
the UE.
UE is
continuously
trying to add
PRSJU32019 (SC
337) in its active
set (It is verified
that it is defined
as the neighbor
of
PRSJU32018( SC
312)).

7 seconds of missing messages

There are 7
seconds of
missing
messages.

Due to missing neighbour

Cells in detected
neighbor list have
better EcNo and
RSCP than cells in
AS.
Event e1a is
continuously
triggered to add
SC391 but it is
not a defined
neighbor.
UE is entering a
new cell(SC391)
and causing UL
interference to
the other UEs
connected to this
cell. Thus, Call is
released in the
downlink.
Neighbor
recommendation
(Intra frequency):
SNJNPRU07717
(SC217)->
SNJNPRU02458
(SC391).

Due to missing neighbour

The drop is due
to poor RF
conditions in
UARFCN=412
(1900 band) and
missing neighbor.
Neighbor
recommendation:
GAATU23599
(SC=263,
UARFCN=412)
->
GAATU23501
(SC=483,
UARFCN=1087).

Due to too many servers

EUL drop is due
to too many
servers with no
dominant server
available.
Recommendatio
n:
Electrical uptilt
of GAATU23503
by 2 degree.

Pilot Pollution

Measurement control failure

EUL drop occurs
due to
measurement
control failure.
In downlink, UE
is asked to
measure
UARFCN=412,
but it fails to
perform it.
As UARFCN
412 is the 4th
carrier which
corresponds to
femto cells, but
UE has the
limitation of
measuring only
3 frequencies.

Normal release (rrc req. for registration)

The RRC
request is for
the purpose of
registration.
Normal release
is being pegged
as an access
failure in Actix.

App drop due to winsock error

HSDPA
application
drop is due to
Winsock error
as no route is
found from
server to client.
The
application
drop is
occurring when
the UE is
latched to
UARFCN=437.

app. download time ERROR

Application
download time
exceeds 120
seconds
because of a
continuous low
throughput.
UE is in GSM
mode for most
of the time
because
GAATU6140 is a
border site and
it is GSM
preferred.

Tech Mode
App. DL
Throughpu
t

moc access failure

Normal
release is being
pegged as an
access failure by
Actix.

MOC Protocol stack browser

MTC Protocol stack browser

MTC Tech Mode

MOC RSCP

It took place due

to a change from
UMTS to GSM
mode at MT end
due to high
qRxlevmin.
At the MT end,
location update
of GSM mode
was not yet
completed, thats
why it couldnt
respond to any
incoming MO
call.

Mtc Access failure

Normal release
is being pegged
as an access
failure by Actix.
Call terminated
at the end of
the log file.

MTC AF # 2
Core network releases
access failure as a
normal event.
In paging, IMSI is
paged instead of TMSI.

CS Long access failure

Normal release
is being pegged
as an access
failure by Actix.
This access
failure occurs
due to
unavailability of
resources.

Cs long call drop

Call drop occurs
on UARFCN=437.
Poor RSCP and
EcNo.
Multiple events
1a are triggered
but can not be
executed.

HSDPA drop *
Multiple cell
update
messages sent
in uplink but
there is no cell
update confirm
message in
downlink.
Timers t314
and t315 expire
during Cell
update (uplink)
in the cell_FACH
state, hence
goes to idle
state.

HSDPA DROP (Physical channel reconfiguration

failure)
After active set update
is complete, in DL
Measurement control
message, it asks for
Intra frequency
measurement ,but in
physical channel
reconfiguration
message the RNC is
giving freq. info
corresponding to
UARFCN=4384.
As UE is locked to
1900 band, it can not
measure
UARFCN=4384
resulting in physical
channel reconfiguration
failure.

HSDPA drop
HSDPA drop
occurred due to
temporary UE
issue.
There were
many RRC
Connection
setups in the DL
in between an
ongoing call.
It was in FACH
state for a long
time, so RRC
connection was
released.

EUL Drop
The EUL drop
is occurring in
good RF
conditions.
Validation of
drive is
required.

EUL DROP
Event is falsely
pegged by actix
as a EUL drop.
Here, a new
RRC connection
request is
detected as a
drop by Actix as
previous RRC
connection was
not released.
RRC
connection
request is for
an interactive
call to continue
the FTP file
transfer session
of the previous
EUL call.

Eul drop
Analysis:
Temporary network
issue.
There is a paging type
2 message for
terminating the
background call during
the current ongoing call
which was responded to
by UE.

Eul APP. UPLOAD TIME error

Application
upload exceeds
120 seconds due
to poor uplink
throughput.
Poor uplink
throughput is
due to missing
neighbor.
Neighbor
recommendation
: GAATU23599
App. UL
Throughpu
t

(SC=263,
UARFCN=412)
->
GAATU23501
(SC=483,
UARFCN=1087).

Eul irat ho fail

IRAT HO failed
due to physical
channel failure.
Missing
neighbor.
Neighbor
recommendatio
n: GAATU23662
(SC 327,
UARFCN=1087)
->
GA6139A
(ARFCN=246),
GAATU61397
(SC 367,
UARFCN=1087)
->
GA6139A
(ARFCN=246).

Example Voice Call Flow (MOC) in Actix

Call Setup Phase

Total Call
Time

KPIs:
Call Setup Success Rate
Call Setup Time

KPIs:
Dropped
Call

RRC Connection
is released after
the Call Release.

CS Drop Call Example of UE Exceptions Actix View

Connection released due to SP processing failure on
Rrc Rb while ILU15998 (346) was the only cell in the
AS.

Drop Call Example of No Dominant Server Actix View

Lack of dominant server around W Irving Park Rd. ILU13119 (211), ILU13118 (203),
ILU15937 (314), ILU15407 (266) and ILU36139 (402) signals measured similarly
within the area. ILU01819 (90) doesn't pollute the area after recommended tilt
change was executed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Recommended are upgrade of interim micro RBS solution to macro for ILU15937,
and change of ILU36139 (402) and ILU15407 (266) electrical tilt.

Drop Call Example of T-ASU Timer expiry Actix View

RSCP and Ec/No deteriorated instantly at W Lawrence

Ave after sudden drop in ILU16128 (395) RSCP and
Ec/No which remained the only cell in the AS. UE sent
number of e1a measurement reports for adding
ILU13128 (227) to the AS but couldn't receive ASU due
to bad Ec/No in downlink.

Continue To Next
Slide

Setup Failure Example due to T_RABEST_1 Timer Expiry

Lack of dominant server around Central Rd south of ILU1339.

Large area missing UMTS sites. ILU14059 (357), ILU02249
(116), ILU13398 (204), ILU14057 (341), ILU04637 (125),
ILU00368 (12) and ILU14077 (389) signals measured similarly
within the area. After started call setup on ILU00368 (12) UE
sent number of e1a measurement reports but couldn't get ASU
due to bad Ec/No in downlink so finally UTRAN released
connection after T_RABEST_1 timer expiry.

Setup Failure Example of N300 Timer Expiry Actix View

Example PS R99 Call Flow

UE

RRC: RRC Connection Request (CCCH)

RNC

RRC: RRC Connection Setup (CCCH)

RRC: RRC Connection Setup Complete (DCCH)
RRC: Initial Direct Transfer - CM Service Request (DCCH)
RRC: Downlink Direct Transfer Auth & Ciph Request (DCCH)
RRC: Uplink Direct Transfer - Auth & Ciph Response (DCCH)
RRC: Security Mode Command (DCCH)
RRC: Security Mode Complete (DCCH)

Total Call
Time
KPIs:
Dropped Call

RRC: Uplink Direct Transfer SM ACTIVATE PDP CONTEXT

REQUEST (DCCH)
RRC: Radio Bearer Setup (DCCH)
RRC: Radio Bearer Setup Complete (DCCH)

Call Setup Phase

KPIs:
Call Setup
Success Rate
Call Setup Time

RRC: Downlink Direct Transfer SM ACTIVATE PDP CONTEXT

ACCEPT (DCCH)
RRC: Transport Channel Reconfiguration (DCCH)
RRC: Transport Channel Reconfiguration Complete (DCCH)
RRC: Measurement Control (DCCH)
RRC: Measurement Report (DCCH)
RRC: Uplink Direct Transfer SM Deactivate PDP Context
Request (DCCH)
RRC: Direct Transfer SM Deactivate PDP Context Accept
(DCCH)
RRC: RRC Connection Release (DCCH)

Channel Switching

Example PS R99 Call Flow in Actix

Total Call Time

KPIs:
Dropped Call

Call Setup
Phase
KPIs:
Call Setup
Success Rate
Call Setup
Time

PS R99 Drops-1

UE reselected cell from different RA after Radio bearer was reconfigured to

Cell_FACH. Connection was released with directed signalling connection re_establishment cause.

RRC Connection Rejection because of Congestion

Example PS R99 Call Flow in Actix

Total Call Time

Call Setup
Phase
KPIs:
Call Setup
Success Rate
Call Setup
Time

KPIs:
Dropped Call

Channel Switching

Channel Switching

Example PS R99 (Channel Switching-1) in Actix

RNC sent Transport channel

Reconfiguration message
To upswitch from 64k to 128k.

HSDPA Call Flow

UE

RRC: RRC Connection Request (CCCH)

RNC

RRC: RRC Connection Setup (CCCH)

KPI
Call Setup
Success Rate
Call Setup
Time

RRC: RRC Connection Setup Complete (DCCH)

RRC: Uplink Direct Transfer SM ACTIVATE PDP CONTEXT

REQUEST (DCCH)
RRC: Downlink Direct Transfer SM ACTIVATE PDP CONTEXT
ACCEPT (DCCH)
RRC: Measurement Report (e1a) (DCCH)
RRC: Active Set Update (DCCH)

E1A:
Radio Link
Addition
Not a HS Cell
Change. Here
the procedure is
to realign the
parameters.

RRC: Active Set Update Complete (DCCH)

RRC: Physical Channel Reconfiguration (DCCH)
RRC: Physical Channel Reconfiguration Complete (DCCH)
RRC: Measurement Report (e1d) (DCCH)
RRC: Active Set Update (DCCH)
KPI
HS Cell
Change
Success Rate
HS Cell
Change time

RRC: Active Set Update Complete (DCCH)

RRC: Physical Channel Reconfiguration (DCCH)
RRC: Physical Channel Reconfiguration Complete (DCCH)

E1D:
Change of Best
Server
HS Cell Change

Example HSDPA Layer 3 Messages

KPI
Call Setup
Success Rate
Call Setup
Time

KPI
HS Cell Change
Success Rate
HS Cell Change
time

E1A:
Radio Link
Addition
Not a HS Cell
Change. Here
the procedure is
to realign the
parameters.
E1D:
Change of Best
Server
HS Cell Change

Example HSDPA in Actix

IRAT-CS Handover Passed Actix View with explanation

IRAT-PS Handover Passed Actix View with explanation

IRAT-PS Handover Passed Actix View

IRAT-HSDPA handover failed.

IRAT-HSDPA handover failed.

Pilot Pollution analysis

Recommendatio
n:
Increase
Electrical tilt of
TXV40066(SC18
4) and
TXV40715(SC00
0) from 0 to 3.

4
6.

Verify the
azimuth of
TXU60426.

5.6
mi
ar
ng n ul
ro tio ic
St d i a n d
ra rpe am
pe be tion
to rec
di

Pointers
Pointers:
Always mark your own site for which analysis is being performed.
Legends for RSCP & EcIo are common for all markets. Please do a small check if your legends
match the usual scale & colors.
Individual RSCP Plot for tilt recommendations is compulsory. And circle the SC which needs
the tilt in the plot.
Issues in cellref will always be present since it relies on RNDCIQ. But please be prepared to
correct the CellRef according to
1.Previous market report.
2. Scanner SC plot requirements.
3. Showing different SC sectors.
4. Multiple carriers with different SC.
Arrange drops of all the UEs (especially MOC & MTC) in similar fashion ( clockwise or
counterclockwise) so that it easy to correspond the location of the drops.
EUL(Enhanced Uplink) Throughput (as has been mentioned multiple times ) should be
RLC_AM_Thput_3 and for TEMS log files - HSUPA Throughput.
If there are several sites off-air in your UARFCN, show a slide just after summary slide
showing the same.
Google Earth view should have line of sight, terrain height of site location, terrain height of
drop location.
Missing messages need not be mentioned unless that is the only observation in your event.
IN poor RF cases, you might not receive messages due to high path loss on the DL. So the
problem is poor RF, not missing messages (IN short, dont overuse it).

Pointers
Analysis of MOC & MTC events :
As much as possible, try to analyze in parallel, having both MOC & MTC stack browsers.
(TEMS logfiles might have time offset between MOC & MTC) .
With CC Disconnect messages show the Cause in your snapshot.
While giving tilts observe the impact of your recommendation Which is the most suitable of many candidates to tilt?
Is this Pollution because of main lobe, side lobe or reflection ? Will tilt recommendation
remove reflection ? For side lobe, should I recommend E or Mech tilt ? Where should I get the
tilt information from?
If tilts won't help, are there other options (HOtype ,e2d changes, CPICH power etc)
Inferring from Plots/ GnG Report:
This REALLY can save you lot of time , to identify & focus on major issue-areas and for better
grouping. This is the area where you need to improve for growing into RF engineers and not
just SSV engineers.
ALWAYS send the GnG report to the core as soon as you create the repository. They might
catch stuff that needs analysis that you may miss.
Grouping events:
Group wisely and precisely. If the reasons are similar especially Poor RF cases) but if they fall
in different locations, then you might have different recommendations, so group accordingly.
But use this for the remaining devices. Identify the number of UNIQUE events (events that
cannot be reused from a previous device analysis) and plan you time accordingly.

THANK YOU