Optimization of EGPRS Link Adaptation

Thesis work presentation

2007-01-16

Author: Jussi Nervola

Supervisor: Professor Riku Jntti
Instructor: M.Sc. Petri Grnberg

1 2007 Nokia 2007-01-16 jussi.nervola@nokia.com

Contents

Objectives of the thesis

Introduction
Basics of EDGE and EGPRS
EGPRS link adaptation
Starting point for the thesis - performance with original link adaptation
Methods
Link adaptation optimization work
Results of the optimization
Laboratory measurement results
Live network measurement results
Conclusions

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Objectives of the Thesis

Problem:
Current EGPRS link adaptation (LA) algorithm is not behaving ideally in all radio
conditions. LA is not using the most suitable Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS)
in every radio condition. That reduces the performance of the system.

Objective:
To adjust the operation of the EGPRS link adaptation so that its performance it at the
ideal level (i.e. LA chooses the best MCS in every radio condition)
If ideal performance level can be achieved the quality of the service will be improved:
Increased throughput
Smaller latency
Improved coverage for EGPRS service

3 2007 Nokia 2007-01-16 jussi.nervola@nokia.com

EDGE and EGPRS

AuC Authentication Centre

BSC Base Station Controller
Air A-bis A-ter A BTS Base Transceiver Station
PSTN
EIR Equipment Identity Register
HLR GGSN Gateway GPRS Support Node
MS BTS BSC+PCU TC MSC/VLR
AuC HLR Home Location Register
Gs
Gr EIR
Gb MS Mobile Station
MSC Mobile Switching Center
Gn
Internet PCU Packet Control Unit
BTS SGSN GGSN SGSN Serving GPRS Support Node
TC Transcoder
Base Station Subsystem Network Switching Subsystem VLR Visitor Location Register

EGDE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) offers both packet switched and
circuit switched data services for the users of GSM network:
Packet switched EGPRS (Enhanced General Packet Radio Service)
Circuit switched ECSD (Enhanced Circuit Switched Data)
EGPRS has been more popular among the manufacturers than ECSD

Link adaptation is working on the Air-interface between MS and BTS and is controlled
by the PCU in BSC

4 2007 Nokia 2007-01-16 jussi.nervola@nokia.com

EGPRS Link Adaptation

In wireless networks the quality of the connection can change

from very good to very poor in short time 8.8 kbps
MCS-1
RLC/MAC block
22 (radio block)

EGPRS has nine different Modulation and Coding Schemes MCS-2

11.2 kbps
(MCS-1 MCS-9) in order to optimize the performance in different 28

radio conditions. All coding schemes have different amount of 14.8 kbps
MCS-3
37
redundancy from
channel coding

robustness and error correction. MCS-4

RLC data block,
number of bytes
17.6 kbps
When user bit rate is low, robustness is high (e.g. MCS-1) 44

MCS-5
When user bit rate is high, robustness is low (e.g. MCS-9) 22.4 kbps 56

Two modulations are used: 29.6 kbps

MCS-6
74

GMSK (Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying) for MCS-1 MCS-4 MCS-7

44.8 kbps 56 56
8-PSK (8-Phase Shift Keying) for MCS-5 MCS-9
MCS-8
54.4 kbps 68 68

MCS that offers the best performance in current radio

MCS-9
59.6 kbps 74 74

environment should be selected

Automatic selection of most suitable MCS is called link
adaptation. The selection is based on link quality measurements

5 2007 Nokia 2007-01-16 jussi.nervola@nokia.com

Starting Point for the Thesis
Performance with Original Link Adaptation
LA is unable to change LA uses MCS-9 although MCS-8
to GMSK modulation w ould offer higher throughput

Throughput performance of link adaptation is DL FTP Throughput, variable RX-Level, 4 TSLs

compared to the performance of all MCSs MCS=1

MCS=2
1.00

0.90

MCS=3 0.80

Throughput is measured with FTP application in

FTP Th ro u g h p u t ( relat ive)

MCS=4
0.70
MCS=5
MCS=6 0.60

variable RX-level environment MCS=7

MCS=8
0.50

0.40
MCS=9

Ideal LA would follow the envelope of the

LA on 0.30

0.20

throughput of different MCSs 0.10

0.00
-110 -105 -100 -95 -90 -85 -80 -75 -70
RX- Level ( d Bm)

Problem: LA is unable to change

to GMSK modulation
Original link adaptation was not always choosing UL FTP Throughput, variable RX-Level, 2 TSL

most suitable MCS 1.20

MCS=1
MCS=2
1.00
MCS=3

FTP Throughput (relative)

MCS=4
MCS=5 0.80

Solution: MCS=6
MCS=7 0.60
MCS=8

Change to GMSK modulation has to be done

MCS=9
0.40
LA on

earlier (when link quality decreases) 0.20

0.00

MCS-8 should be used more -110 -105 -100 -95 -90

RX-Level (dBm )
-85 -80 -75 -70

6 2007 Nokia 2007-01-16 jussi.nervola@nokia.com

Operation of EGPRS Link Adaptation
In EGPRS link quality is measured in terms of Bit Error Probability (BEP).
BEP values are received in measurement reports from MS and BTS
Mean 8-PSK BEP and coefficient of variation of 8-PSK BEP
Mean GMSK BEP and coefficient of variation of GMSK BEP
MCS is selected according to BEP values by using look-up tables
1. Selection of modulation
2. Selection of MCS
from GMSK MCS-selection table or
from 8-PSK MCS-selection table (below, from 3GPP specification)

7 2007 Nokia 2007-01-16 jussi.nervola@nokia.com

Optimization Work

Methods:
Measure the performance of the current link adaptation (LA)
Specify new parameter / table values for LA
Measure the performance of the optimized LA and adjust values further

The measurements were executed in laboratory using real network elements:

MS BTS BSC SGSN GGSN Server

Three different laboratory scenarios:

Variable RX-level, Variable C/I and Fading with variable RX-level
Measured quantities:
Downlink and Uplink throughput (with FTP and HTTP)
RTT (with ping)

8 2007 Nokia 2007-01-16 jussi.nervola@nokia.com

Results of the Optimization Summary
Laboratory Throughput Coverage Throughput Coverage
measurements improvement improvement improvement improvement

RX-level DL +7% +4 dB UL +17% +5 dB

C/I DL +15% +1 dB UL +3% +6 dB

Live Throughput Coverage Throughput Coverage

Measurements improvement improvement improvement improvement
drive <not <not
route DL +11% measured> UL +31% measured>

After the best version of optimized link adaptation was chosen, the performance
improvement was verified with several MSs in laboratory and live network
Good results achieved through the optimization work:
System performance was improved in all cases
Throughput performance was improved in whole cell area in average by +11%
Coverage of EGPRS service was improved by 1 6 dB depending on the conditions

On the following slides some of the measurement results are explained briefly

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Results of the Optimization Laboratory Measurements
Variable RX-level Scenario UL Throughput, variable RX-Level, 2 TSL

100%

Throughput performance was compared:

Original LA
Optimized LA11
80%
Optimal LA

Throughput (relative)
Original LA
60%

Optimized LA
40%

Optimal LA
20%

0%

Uplink throughput performance of -110 -105 -100 -95 -90

RX-Level (dBm )
-85 -80 -75 -70

optimized LA is at the ideal level with all

DL Throughput, variable RX-Level, 4 TSLs
MSs
100%
Original LA
Optimized LA11 6280
80%
Downlink throughput performance of Optimized LA11 7270

Throughput (relative)
Optimal LA
60%
optimized LA is at the ideal level with new
MSs 40%

With some older MSs there is 1 2 dB 20%

wide area where throughput is not -110 -105 -100 -95 -90 -85 -80 -75
0%
-70

optimal. This is not a problem in fading RX-Level (dBm )

environment.
10 2007 Nokia 2007-01-16 jussi.nervola@nokia.com
Results of the Optimization Live Network Measurements

Drive tests executed in

Ruoholahti with Nokia UltraSite
FTP throughput was measured
on uplink and downlink
separately

Improvement in average
Downlink FTP throughput
+11%

Improvement in average Uplink

FTP throughput +31%

11 2007 Nokia 2007-01-16 jussi.nervola@nokia.com

Uplink Throughput Performance
RLC uplink throughput figures along
different parts of the route:

RX-level during this part of the route: -85 -105 dBm RX-level during this part of the route: -70 -88 dBm

Original link adaptation Original link adaptation

RX-level
RX-level

Optimized link adaptation Optimized link adaptation

RX-level
RX-level

-> Reason for improvement: -> Reason for improvement:

Earlier change to GMSK modulation Using more MCS-8 instead of MCS-9

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Conclusions
The results achieved in the thesis are well in accordance with the original
objectives
Performance improvement of optimized link adaptation was clearly seen in
laboratory and live network
The optimized link adaptation version created in this thesis is available for the
customers in newest BSC software update in 1/2007

Further Study Items

Measurements with various MSs from different vendors
Effect of certain GSM features (such as frequency hopping) on Link Adaptation
Analysis in commercial operators networks by using BSC KPI (Key Performance
Indicator) data
Link adaptation algorithm enhancement by introducing new algorithm inputs
This would optimize modulation change with all MSs also on static conditions

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 Thank You!

Questions / Comments ?

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