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VELIZY MOBILE COMMUNICATION DIVISION

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Originator(s)
HANDOVER ALGORITHMS IMPROVEMENTS
F.Colin
MULTIBAND HANDOVER

Domain : ALCATEL 900/BSS

Division : PRODUCT DEFINITION
Rubric : SYS-TLA
Type : TECHNICAL FEATURE DESCRIPTION
Distribution Codes Internal : External :

PREDISTRIBUTION:
MCD - Velizy MCD - Colombes MCD - Berlin
L. CRUCHANT O. BESSET V. ROYER L. CARRE
P. DUPUY PJ. PIETRI P. PELOUAS
C. CHERPANTIER A. BARNEL
E. DESORBAY D. BERTHOUMIEUX MCD - Kontich SSD - Velizy
JY. AMAUDRUT J.F. MAILLARD M. BOLSENS (fpo)
F. D’ARGENCE B. VIREZ (fpo) K. VAN DEN BOSSCHE
JJ. ROY B. LANDAIS G. VAN DIJCK
M. ROBERTS L. DARTOIS (fpo)
S. SAADA R. BIALOBRODA
S. BAUDET M. DELPRAT
P. FOUILLAND O. ROLLINGER
J. ACHARD M. DROBOSIELSKI
M. WU

PREDISTRIBUTION: DOC. CENTRES

MCD COLOMBES MCD ANTWERP MCD STUTTGART
B. Marliac L. Van Eyck I. Lentzsch

ABSTRACT
This TFD describes the "Multiband handover algorithms" feature.

Approvals
Name D. BERTHOUMIEUX M. TUCHENDLER P. PERUSET
AM DPM PM
App.

Name

App.

HANDOVER ALGORITHMS IMPROVEMENTS - MULTIBAND HANDOVER

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 REVIEW

Not applicable
not permitted without written authorization from Alcatel
All rights reserved. Passing on and copying of this
document, use and communication of its contents

HISTORY

Version Date Author Details

Ed 01 15/09/95 C. Cherpantier First draft
Ed 02 16/10/95 C. Cherpantier TFD 0196 has been spiltted into 3 parts. Now
0196 deals only with multiband handover
(11.22a).
Ed 03 27/10/95 C. Cherpantier after review TLA R5#6
Ed 04 01/12/97 F. Colin Updating of the TFD according to the
specifications.

INTERNAL REFERENCED DOCUMENTS

Not applicable

FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY

Not applicable

END OF DOCUMENT

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 TECHNICAL FEATURE DESCRIPTION
not permitted without written authorization from Alcatel
All rights reserved. Passing on and copying of this
document, use and communication of its contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

0. HISTORY .......................................................................................................................................2
1. TYPE..............................................................................................................................................2
2. REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................2
2.1. DOCUMENTATION REFERENCES: ...................................................................................2
2.2. DEFINITIONS ......................................................................................................................2
3. TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION..........................................................................................................3
3.1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................3
3.2. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND REMARKS...................................................................3
3.2.1. Compliance to the Marketing Feature Description .....................................................3
3.2.2. Requirements:...........................................................................................................3
3.2.3. Remarks: ..................................................................................................................3
3.3. PRESENTATION OF THE TECHNICAL FEATURE ............................................................3
3.3.1. Definition of the preferred band .................................................................................3
3.3.2. New handover cause.................................................................................................4
3.3.3. General rules ............................................................................................................4
3.3.4. Emergency handovers: .............................................................................................4
3.3.5. Scenarios..................................................................................................................5
4. OPEN POINTS: ..............................................................................................................................9
5. HW/FW/SW IMPACTS: ..................................................................................................................9
5.1. OMC IMPACTS ...................................................................................................................9
5.2. BSC IMPACTS ....................................................................................................................9
5.3. BTS IMPACTS ....................................................................................................................9
5.4. TOOLS IMPACTS ...............................................................................................................9
6. SPECIFICATION IMPACTS ...........................................................................................................9
7. GLOSSARY: ..................................................................................................................................9

04 01/12/97 MCD/TD MCD/TD/SAS

ED DATE CHANGE NOTE APPRAISAL AUTHORITY ORIGINATOR

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 0. HISTORY

Version Date Author Details

not permitted without written authorization from Alcatel
All rights reserved. Passing on and copying of this
document, use and communication of its contents

Ed 01 15/09/95 C. Cherpantier First draft

Ed 02 16/10/95 C. Cherpantier TFD 0196 has been spiltted into 3 parts. Now
0196 deals only with multiband handover
(11.22a).
Ed 03 27/10/95 C. Cherpantier after review TLA R5#6
Ed 04 01/12/97 F. Colin Updating of the TFD according to the
specifications.

1. TYPE

Linked to a Marketing Feature Description 3.13

Technical improvement without Marketing
impact

2. REFERENCES

2.1. DOCUMENTATION REFERENCES:

[1] 3BK 10204 0286 DTZZA Ed 04 TFD Multiband Operation (feature: 3.13)

2.2. DEFINITIONS

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 3. TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION

3.1. INTRODUCTION
not permitted without written authorization from Alcatel
All rights reserved. Passing on and copying of this
document, use and communication of its contents

It is considered that an operator has a first licence in one band and then an extension in another
band. The second band will be used to carry traffic when it is not anymore possible in the first band.
When a mobile has the dual band capability, it is sent preferably to the second band to free resource
in the first band. Thus this second band is called "preferred band".

Two cases seem to be the most significant ones :

• 1 classical layer + addition of preferred band BTS equipment on the same sites (locations)

It is likely that operators will try to install the preferred band BTS on the same sites as the classical
BTS.
• 1 classical layer + addition of preferred band microcells

Preferred band microcells are added to catch traffic in a classical network.

3.2. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND REMARKS

3.2.1. Compliance to the Marketing Feature Description

The marketing requirements in therms of multiband handover algorithm s are totally fulfilled.

3.2.2. Requirements:

3.2.3. Remarks:

3.3. PRESENTATION OF THE TECHNICAL FEATURE

3.3.1. Definition of the preferred band

At the network level it is necessary to define which band is the classical band and which band is the
preferred one.
A new parameter "Preferred_band" has to be added :
Preferred_band = either GSM900 or DCS1800 or none. (BSS basis, modifiable by the operator).
The band of one cell will be computed according to the ARFCN of its BCCH.

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 3.3.2. New handover cause
A handover preferring the new band is added. It is linked to load evaluation in the serving cell.
not permitted without written authorization from Alcatel

Cause 21 : preferred_band handover

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AV_LOAD(0) > Multiband_Load_Level

and ∃ neighbour cell n in the preferred band,
AV_RXLEV_NCELL(n) > L_RXLEV_CPT_HO(n) + max(0,[MS_TXPWR_MAX(n)-P])
and EN_PREFERRED_BAND_HO = ENABLE
Note : MS_TXPWR_MAX(n) and P are the powers in the preferred band.
EN_PREFERRED_BAND_HO = DISABLE in preferred band cells. This rule will appear at the OMC
and will not be verified by the BSC.
The evaluation should be realised only in the set of cells verifying the cause 21.

Note :The PBGT HO is forbidden between cells of different bands because the value of PBGT has no
sense.
Note : the load of the target cell is not taken into account, as it is considered that a handover is
required, even if the target cell has a high load.

3.3.3. General rules

As much as possible a call is maintained in the preferred band. In case of microcell, an emergency
handover will send the mobile preferably in an upper layer. This can be seen in the table of priorities
in case of emergency handovers (§3.3.4)
When microcells of the preferred band are introduced, the handovers causes for hierarchical
networks (Cause 14) will be used. In this case the Cause 21 will not be used.
When umbrella cells of the preferred band are introduced above microcells of classical band, the
preferred band handover (cause 21) cause will be used. In this case, the Cause 14 will not be used.
These are general rules given for information which are not verified by the BSC.

3.3.4. Emergency handovers:

Priorities:

1 st priority same band- non micro cell

2 nd priority other band - non micro cell
3 rd priority same band - micro cell
4 th priority other band - microcell
The cell dimension type has a higher priority than the cell band.

Adjacency between cells of different bands :

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 So as to be sure that during emergency handovers, mobile can go from a cell n1 of one band to a
cell n2 of a different band, it is mandatory (a warning in the OMC-R will be sufficient) :
HO_Margin(n1,n2) = - 127 dB
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LINKfactor(n1,n2) = 24 dB

3.3.5. Scenarios
This paragraph explains how handovers will be realised in the scenarios which have been defined
previously.
In the following description we suppose the first band is the GSM band and the preferred band is the
DCS band (for the sake of simplicity).

3.3.5.1. First situation : same sites for DCS & GSM BTS

Multi-band mobiles have to be handled by the DCS cells. The handover Cause 21 steers these
mobiles to the DCS band if they have made a first attempt to the GSM band. Then PBGT or other
causes should keep the mobile in the DCS band.
In case of emergency handover, the evaluation should be realised first in the cells of the preferred
band (DCS) and then in the cell of the GSM band if there is no available cell in the preferred list.

GSM cells DCS cells

PBGT PBGT
Emergency Emergency

Cause 21 :multiband HO
Handover when the preferred cells are available

emergency & no DCS cell available

GSM cells DCS cells

PBGT PBGT
Emergency Emergency
Cause 21 :multiband HO

emergency & no GSM cell available

Handovers

3.3.5.2. Second situation : DCS microcells below GSM umbrella cells.

Multi-band mobiles should be handled by the microcells if possible. The cause 14 (umbrella to
microcell handover) should steer these mobiles to the DCS microcells if they are not too fast.
In case of emergency handover, it is safer to send them back to the umbrella cells.

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 In this situation it is not necessary to use the specific multi-band handover cause, but only the
hierarchical handover causes.

PBGT
not permitted without written authorization from Alcatel
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Emergency

GSM cells

Cause 14 Emergency HO

DCS cells

PBGT

Handover when the preferred cells are available

3.3.5.3. Third situation : DCS & GSM microcells below GSM umbrellas

PBGT
Emergency

GSM cells

Emergency HO
Cause 14 Cause 14
Emergency HO

GSM µcells DCS µcells

PBGT Cause 21 HO PBGT

Note : to send mobiles from the umbrella cell preferably to the DCS microcell the linkfactor to the
DCS cells could be higher.

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 3.3.5.4. Fourth situation : mini DCS cells below GSM normal cells
not permitted without written authorization from Alcatel

GSM cells DCS cells

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PBGT PBGT
Emergency Emergency

Cause 21 :multiband HO
Preferred cells available
The same criteria can be used as in the case of collocated GSM & DCS BTS.

3.3.5.5. Fifth situation : GSM umbrella cells + GSM microcells + DCS minicells

PBGT
Emergency

GSM cells Cause 21 HO

Cause 14 DCS minicells

PBGT
Emergency HO Emergency HO

GSM µcells Cause 21 HO

PBGT
Preferred cells available

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 PBGT
Emergency Emergency HO
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GSM cells
Emergency HO Cause 21 HO

Emergency HO
Cause 14 DCS minicells PBGT
Emergency HO

Emergency HO

GSM µcells Cause 21 HO

emergency Emergency HO

PBGT
Emergency HO

Handovers diagram

3.3.5.6. Sixth scenario

An other possible scenario is the case of an operator covering cities with DCS cells and rural areas
(large cells) with GSM cells (very few GSM frequencies). In this case the classical handover causes
can be used.

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 4. OPEN POINTS:
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5. HW/FW/SW IMPACTS:

OMC BSC BTS TSC TRANS equipments TOOLS

OMU others Alcatel NCS Alcatel NCS

SW SW

5.1. OMC IMPACTS

Addition of :
• Multiband_Load_Level per cell basis , type C,
EN_PREFERRED_BAND_HO per cell basis, type C,
Preferred_band per BSS basis, type C.
Note :
The introduction of multi-band cells will have an impact on the definition of cell profiles and on the
associated templates.

5.2. BSC IMPACTS

New algorithms to be implemented in the context of handover detection and candidate cell
evaluation.

5.3. BTS IMPACTS

5.4. TOOLS IMPACTS

6. SPECIFICATION IMPACTS

Telecom system specifications:

PCHO,
BSS Telecom Parameters,

O&M specifications:
- O&M coding rules,
- MIB.

7. GLOSSARY:
HANDOVER ALGORITHMS IMPROVEMENTS - MULTIBAND HANDOVER
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 BSC Base Station Controller
BSS Base Station System
not permitted without written authorization from Alcatel
All rights reserved. Passing on and copying of this

BTS Base Transceiver Station

document, use and communication of its contents

MFD Marketing Feature Description

MS Mobile Station
OMC Operation and Maintenance Center
PC Power Control
TFD Technical Feature Description

END OF DOCUMENT

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