LTE1534: Multiple

Frequency Band
Indicator

Introducation
MFBI indicates the support of multiple bands in one radio frequency cell
A cell is broacasting on a frequency that may belong to several overlapping bands of one
technology.
A Multiple Frequency Band Indicator feature of some newer (2015 and on) networks and
phones that enables interoperability between phones and networks that are designed for
overlapping frequency band definitions.
Before MFBI, a cellular base station (a "tower") operating at a given radio frequency could
only "advertise" to phones that it supported one band definition, even if its frequency fell
within two overlapping band definitions. This relatively small technical issue was a large
barrier to phone/network compatibility.

We are using Band 3 and band 20.

Example
LTE overlapping bands : 2 / 25

benefits
End-user benefits
This feature allows the users to access the network using
handsets, which support certain frequency bands, and which
would otherwise be not able to access the network.
Operator benefits
This feature allows the operator to handle UEs with
overlapping bands in one network.

Requirements

Functional description
Thenative bandand themapped bandhave the following meanings:
Thenative band- is the operating band of the cell. The physical frequency of the cell
is located within the defined boarders. The frequency band indicator of thenative
bandis included in the broadcast of the SIB1.
Themapped band- is a different band than thenative band. Themapped bandis (at
least partly) overlapping thenative band. The frequency indicator of themapped
bandis included in heMultibandInfoListbroadcast of the SIB1.
The Flexi Multiradio BTS supports Multiple Frequency Band Indicators (MFBIs) for UEs in
RRC IDLE and UEs in RRC CONNECTED mode.

3GPP:
SIB1 is extended to signal a list of (up to 8) additional frequency band indicators
SIB2 is extended to signal the additionalSpectrumEmission corresponding to the list of additional frequency
band indicators.
SIB5 is extended to indicate additional frequency band indicators that the list of neighbour cells belongs to.
SIB6 is extended with additional frequency band indicators applicable for (all) neighbouring cells on a UTRA
frequency.
It is clarified that the UE needs to check the frequency band indicators signaled in the extension field
multiFreqBandIndicator in addition to freqBandIndicator with the UE capability before considering whether the
cell is barred or not.
The order of appearance of the supported frequency bands in the list indicates their priority i.e from higher to
lower. If there are multiple bands supported by the UE, the UE shall choose the band with the highest priority.

The UE indicates the support of MFBI in theFGI bit 31

The UE can connect to the cell using the arfcn of any of
the bands listed in SIB1

SIB5/SIB6 is extended to signal a list of up to 8 additional frequency band indicators

and it is clarified that the UE needs to check its band capabilities against the
frequency bands signaled in the new IE "Multiple Frequency Band indicatorList" in
addition to the frequency bands signaled in the legacy extensions before deciding to
bar the cell.
SIB11/SIB11bis/SIB12 is extended to signal upto 8 additional frequencys bands
supported by the inter-frequency neighbouring cells and its clarified that the UE
needs to check the new IE "Multiple Frequency Info List FDD" in addition to the
"Frequency Info" IE signalled per inter-frequency cell to determine if the UE can be a
canditate for inter-frequency cell selection.
The new IE "Multiple Frequency Info List FDD" in SIB11/SIB11bis/SIB12
contains only frequency band indicators rather than uplink and downlink ARFCNs.
This is done to keep impact to the NCL size minimal. The UE is required to compute
the uplink and downlink ARFCNs from the band indicators.
SIB19 is extended to signal upto 8 additional frequencys bands supported by the EUTRA neighbouring cells and its clarified that the UE needs to check the new IE
"Multiple E-UTRA Frequency Info List" in addition to the E-UTRA Frequency and
Priority Info List IE signalled per E-UTRA cell to determine if the UE can be a

TheLTE1534: Multiple Frequency Band Indicatorfeature allows the eNB to

serve the UE not supporting the native band in which the eNB is operating,
but supporting the same physical frequency via another band called mapped
band.
For every LTE frequency within the network, identified by native E-UTRA
absolute radio frequency channel number (EARFCN), the operator can define
an additional mapped band.
To serve the UE not supporting the native bands, the eNB functionality is
enhanced to:
broadcast MultiBandInfoList in System Information Block (SIB) 1, SIB2 and SIB5
accept mapped bands when checking UE Capabilities
use mapped EARFCN instead of native EARFCN in any communication with the UE or peer eNB

Functionalities in MFBI support

For the support of Idle mode mobility, the content of the SIB1, 2, and 5 is extended to support the UE for intraLTE, intra- and inter-frequency cell reselection. The UEs are informed which mapped bands are supported by
broadcasting cell, as well as intra- and inter-frequency LTE neighbor cells.
For the support of RRC-connected UE, the eNB's functionality is extended to serve also the UEs, which do not
support the native EARFCN of the eNB's cells. The eNB accepts UEs also if they do not support the native band,
but support a mapped band, and indicate that they support MFBI (provided they support the Feature Group
Indicator (FGI) bit 31, as indicated in theRequirementssection). Such UEs are treated as the UEs supporting the
native band. The eNB translates the native EARFCN to a mapped EARFCN while communicating with the UE. Also
a UE-associated signaling between peer eNB applies mapped EARFCN.
Multiple Frequency Band Indicator Profile (MFBIPR)
The MFBIPR managed object class (MOC) is introduced to define the combinations of the native EARFCN and
mapped band, which enables the eNB to derive mapped band and mapped EARFCN, when needed for external
communication or UE capability check.
Each instance of the MOC defines a mapping between a downlink(DL)-EARFCN and an additional frequency
band, whose physical frequencies overlap with the band theDL-EARFCN belongs to. The mapping information

Parameters
Abbreviate MO Full Name
Description
d Name
Class
actMFBI
LNBTS Activate
This parameter activates/deactivates the feature
MFBI
"Multiple Frequency Band Indicator" (LTE1534)
support

addFreqBan MFBIP
dInd
R

addSpectrE MFBIP
missReq
R

eutraCarrier MFBIP
Freq
R

mfbiPrId

MFBIP

Range and step

Related Parameters

0 (false), 1 (true) intFrBCList of IRFIM - allowed number of intFrBNCList list

items depend on actMFBI (please refer to IRFIM-intFrBCList
for details)
intFrNCList of IRFIM - allowed number of intFrNCList list items
depend on actMFBI (please refer to IRFIM-intFrNCList for
details)
Additional Indicator of the additional E-UTRA frequency band
1...64, step 1
dlChBw of LNCEL - all frequencies within dlChBw must be
E-UTRA
An additional E-UTRA frequency band must overlap with
fully within addFreqBandInd (please refer to addFreqBandInd)
frequency the native E-UTRA frequency band.
earfcnDL of LNCEL - earfcnDL must be within the
band
The native frequency band is either
addFreqBandInd (please refer to addFreqBandInd)
indicator
- the operating band which is broadcasted in SIB1 with
eutraCarrierFreq of MFBIPR - eutraCarrierFreq must be within
IE freqBandIndicator or
the addFreqBandInd (please refer to addFreqBandInd)
- the frequency band which is related to the target
EARFCN in case of interfrequency mobility.
Additional Additional spectrum emission requirement for the
1...32, step 1
earfcnDL of LNCEL - if in at least LNCEL instance the earfcnDL
spectrum additional frequency band.
is identical to the specified eutraCarrierFreq in the MFBIPR
emission
The UE requirements related to IE
instance, addSpectrEmissReq must be configured
AdditionalSpectrumEmission are defined in TS 36.101
eutraCarrierFreq of MFBIPR - if eutraCarrierFreq in the MFBIPR
[42, table 6.2.4.1].
instance is identical to at least one earfcnDL in an LNCEL
instance, addSpectrEmissReq must be configured
E-UTRA
EARFCN value of the carrier frequency for which the
0...65535, step 1 addFreqBandInd of MFBIPR - eutraCarrierFreq must be within
carrier
MFBI profile applies.
the addFreqBandInd (please refer to addFreqBandInd)
frequency A MFBI profile defines an additional frequency band in
eutraCarrierFreq of MFBIPR - configured eutraCarrierFreq
order to serve UEs which support the physical cell
must be unique within all MFBIPR instances
frequency but indicate another, overlapping frequency
addSpectrEmissReq of MFBIPR - addSpectrEmissReq must be
band.
configured if at least one LNCEL instance exist with earfcnDL
The profile applies to eNB cells and inter-frequency
set identical to the configured eutraCarrierFreq in the MFBIPR
neighbour cells with a frequency value matching
instance
eutraCarrierFreq.
MFBI profile This parameter uniquely identifies a MFBIPR instance.
0...31, step 1