NSN White paper

November 2013

Nokia Solutions and Networks

TD-LTE Frame Configuration
Primer

CONTENTS

1. Introduction

2.

Configurations

3.

Usage Translation

4.

Configurations 1 and 2

5.

Insights into other configurations

6. Summary

7. Appendix

7.1 C
 overage comparison between
configuration 1 and 2

7.2 C
 onfiguration 1 and 2 coverage
example for different topologies

10

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1. Introduction
TD-LTE is carrying unprecedented momentum with operators busily
deploying the technology, large city trials being run and the first office
applications appearing. Operators around the globe have deployed
thousands of TD-LTE base stations, with Nokia Solutions and Networks
(NSN) being at the forefront of developments.
Mobile broadband use is typically asymmetrical and hence 3GPP has
specified seven different LTE frame configurations to match given
download and upload ratios. Our studies suggest that globally there
are three key download and upload ratios that we have found are
matched by 3GPP-specified LTE configurations 1 and 2.
This paper provides an overview of 3GPP-specified LTE Configurations;
LTE configurations 1 and 2 use cases; the advantages of LTE
configurations 1 and 2 over other configurations in most use cases;
and a comparison between configurations 1 and 2.

2. Configurations
3GPP1 specifies seven different LTE configurations with either 5ms or
10ms switching periodicity. The seven LTE configurations are listed in
Table 1.
The uplink-downlink configuration number in the first column is the
common way of identifying the LTE configuration. For example, LTE
configuration 1 is the Uplink-downlink configuration number 1.
The second column shows the switch-point periodicity for a given
configuration.
The third column is the sub-frame number, with sub-columns showing
frame reservation for uplink or downlink. Symbol U represents uplink
and D represents downlink.
Table. 1.
Uplink-downlink Downlink-to-Uplink
configuration
Switch-point periodicity

1.

Subframe number
2
3
4
5

5 ms

5 ms

5 ms

10 ms

10 ms

10 ms

5 ms

Please see 3GPP TS 36.211 for more information

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3. Usage Translation
Daily Bandwidth Share,
Upstream

Daily Bandwidth Share,

Downstream
17.11%
Web

43.26%
Web

61.08%
P2P

22.31%
P2P

7.37%
Tunneling

15.70%
Tunneling

5.38%
VoIP

4.40%
VoIP

9.06%
All Others

14.33%
All Others

Fig. 1. Source Sandvine

6

Daily
Peak-hours

5
4
3
2
1
0

Global
Average

Europe,
Middle East,
and Africa

North
America

Central and
Latin America

Fig. 2. Uplink to Downlink usage ratios; Source Sandvine and NSN

Figure 1 above shows various upstream and downstream traffic uses.
These translate into uplink to downlink ratios around the globe as
shown in Figure 2. This shows that:
G
 lobally, with given traffic usage, the uplink to downlink ratio is
1:3.29
In EMEA, the uplink to downlink ratio is 1:4.37
In North America, the uplink to downlink ratio is 1:2.37
A careful study of the above uplink to downlink ratio with 3GPPspecified LTE frame configuration, leads to table 2.
This shows that LTE configurations 1 and 2 are best suited for
most TD-LTE deployments. We strongly support selection of either

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Table. 2.
Frame structure selection;
Region

1st possible Frame

2nd possible Frame

configuration

configuration

Global:

Conf1

Conf3

EMEA:

Conf1

Conf2

North America:

Conf1

Conf3

configuration 1 or 2 in a given region because it matches the most

mass market mobile broadband deployment use cases. By using one
configuration, TD-LTE operators will avoid very costly RF filters. Our
interference analysis shows that if operator 1 uses configuration 1 and
operator 2 uses configuration 2, then operator 1 will have more base
station to base station interference, while operator 2 will have more
user equipment to user equipment interference.

4. Configurations 1 and 2
NSN has extensive research and deployment experience of LTE
configurations and Table 3 shows a performance comparison for
configurations 1 and 2.
The configuration 1 and 2 performance comparison shows that:
C
 onfiguration 2 offers around 36% higher downlink throughput
compared to configuration 1
C
 onfiguration 1 offers around 100% higher uplink throughput
compared to configuration 2.
This is because configuration 1 has around 3dB stronger link budget
compared to configuration 2 in the uplink. See Appendix A for more
information.
In addition, our average throughput analysis for 20MHz channel
bandwidth shows:
C
 onfiguration 2 offers 30% higher average downlink throughput
compared to configuration 1
C
 onfiguration 1 offers 100% higher average uplink throughput
compared to configuration 2
So even though configurations 1 and 2 both are very close to most
traffic usage patterns around the globe, configuration 1 offers
greater advantages if the business case assumes coverage based
sites because of the higher uplink link budget. See Appendix 7.2 for
coverage examples of different topologies. Configuration 2 offers
greater advantage if the business case assumes more downlink

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Table. 3.
Downlink

Uplink

Frame configuration

Configuration 1 Configuration 2

Frame configuration

Configuration 1

Modulation

64 QAM

Modulation

16 QAM 64 QAM 16 QAM 64 QAM

MCS Index

28 28

MCS Index

20 28 20 28

Mod. Order 6 6

Mod. Order

4 6 4 6

TBS Index

26 26

TBS Index

19

26

19

26

1.4 MHz rate [Mbps]

4.7

6.5

1.4 MHz rate [Mbps]

1.04

1.8

0.5

0.9

64 QAM

Configuration 2

3 MHz

rate [Mbps] 12.2

16.6

3 MHz

rate [Mbps] 2.6 4.4 1.3 2.2

5 MHz

rate [Mbps] 20.1

27.4

5 MHz

rate [Mbps] 4.3 7.3 2.1 3.7

10 MHz rate [Mbps] 40.3

55.0

10 MHz rate [Mbps] 8.6 14.7 4.3 7.3

15 MHz rate [Mbps]

82.3

15 MHz rate [Mbps]

112.5

20 MHz rate [Mbps] 17.5 30.2 8.8 15.1

60.3

20 MHz rate [Mbps] 82.3

13.1

22

6.6

11

capacity sites and applications like eMBMS, YouTube and News channel
video streaming.
A similar study on latency shows that configuration 2 has up to 2ms
higher latency compared to configuration 1.
The study on power consumption suggests that a TD-LTE eNodeB
with configuration 2 will have up to 25% higher power consumption
compared to configuration 1 because of the high duty cycle.

5. Insights into other configurations

All LTE configurations are important given that each configuration has
unique usage based on the business case.
For example, configuration 0 and 6 are highly uplink-driven and most
suitable for machine type communications, public safety applications
like security cameras, sports vertical applications like race track
reporting, or media applications like news channel reporting. However
this removes the asymmetric flexibility compared to configurations 1
and 2 that also provide a good downlink. Therefore, we recommend
that TD-LTE operators undertake more careful RF design and business
case analysis before deploying configurations 0 or 6.
A further configuration analysis shows in most cases, configurations 1
and 2 offer:
35% savings in delay compared to configuration 3
50% savings in delay compared to configuration 4
65% savings in delay compared to configuration 5

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 Lower latencies compared to all other configurations

B
 etter co-existence solution with other TDD technologies like
WiMAX compared to all other configurations
Further analysis shows that configurations 3, 4 and 5 can lead to 8 to
20% throughput drop because of estimation error during deployment.
The above results reinforce that unless there is strong business case
for a specific application like a security camera, a TD-LTE operator
should use either configuration 1 or 2.
Currently, TD-LTE devices from most industry vendors are available in
configuration 1 and configuration 2, which makes the case for
configuration 1 and 2 deployment even stronger. The devices for
other configurations are expected to be ready in the near future.

6. Summary
Typically mobile broadband use is asymmetrical and hence 3GPP has
specified seven different LTE frame configurations to match given
download and upload ratios.
Globally, there are three key download and upload ratios and we have
found that 3GPP-specified LTE configurations 1 and 2 match these
three key ratios.
Frame configurations 1 and 2 are suitable for most TD-LTE
deployments with better savings in delay, latencies and co-existence
with other TDD technologies like WiMAX.
Configuration 1 offers greater advantage if the business case assumes
coverage based sites. This is because of the higher uplink link budget.
Configuration 2 offers greater advantage if the business case assumes
more downlink capacity sites.
TD-LTE deployment requires a study of various interference scenarios,
traffic patterns and LTE configurations. Please contact NSN for
recommendations and solutions that will help to increase capacity and
coverage for a given requirement.

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7. Appendix
7.1 Coverage comparison between
configuration 1 and 2
Configuration 2 (3:1)
General Parameters Operating Band (MHz)

2300

Channel Bandwidth (MHz)

20

Transmitting End

Tx Power per Antenna (dBm)

40.0

23.0

Antenna Gain (dBi)

18.0

0.0

Feeder Loss (dB)

3.0

Receiving End

Feeder Loss (dB)

3.0

Antenna Gain (dBi)

0.0

18.0

Noise Figure (dB)

8.0

3.0

System Overhead

Total Number of PRBs per TTI

Cyclic Prefix

Normal

DL-to-UL configuration

Number of PDCCH Symbols per Subframe

3 PDCCH symbols

Capacity

Service Type

Cell Edge User Throughput (kbps)

1024

512

Channel

Antenna Configuration

2Tx - 2Rx

1Tx - 2Rx

Thermal Noise Density (dBm/Hz)

Receiver Sensitivity (dBm)

-99.72

-104.21

Maximum Allowable Path Loss (dB)

(clutter not considered)

157.19

139.90*

100
Normal
DL-to-UL Conf 2
-

Data

-174

*Configuration1 has around 3 dB stronger link budget than configuration 2 in UL

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Configuration 1 (2:2)
General Parameters Operating Band (MHz)

2300

Channel Bandwidth (MHz) 20

20

Transmitting End

Tx Power per Antenna (dBm)

40.0

23.0

Antenna Gain (dBi)

18.0

0.0

Feeder Loss (dB)

3.0

Receiving End

Feeder Loss (dB)

3.0

Antenna Gain (dBi)

0.0

18.0

Noise Figure (dB)

8.0

3.0

System Overhead

Total Number of PRBs per TTI

Cyclic Prefix

Normal

DL-to-UL configuration

Number of PDCCH Symbols per Subframe

3 PDCCH symbols

Capacity

Service Type

Cell Edge User Throughput (kbps)

1024

512

Channel

Antenna Configuration

2Tx - 2Rx

1Tx - 2Rx

Thermal Noise Density (dBm/Hz)

Receiver Sensitivity (dBm)

-99.04

-107.30

Maximum Allowable Path Loss (dB)

(clutter not considered)

156.41

142.99*

100
Normal
DL-to-UL Conf 1
-

Data

-174

*Configuration1 has around 3 dB stronger link budget than configuration 2 in UL

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7.2 Configuration 1 and 2 coverage example

for different topologies
Urban
360m
Conguration 2
430m
Conguration 1

Suburban
680m
Conguration 2
820m
Conguration 1

Rural
2170m
Conguration 2
2670m
Conguration 1

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Okamura-Hata parameters

Urban

Suburban

Rural

BS antenna height (m)

25

25

50

MS antenna height (m)

1.5

1.5

1.5

Standard Deviation (dB)

8.0

8.0

8.0

Location Probability

95%

95%

90%

Slow Fading Margin (dB)

8.8

8.8

5.6

Correction factor (dB)

-5

-10

Indoor loss (dB)

20

15

10

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