Radio Link Time-Out: TCH Drop Analysis

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TCH Drop Analysis

1. Radio Link Time-Out

Every time a SACCH message can not be decoded the radio link time-
out counter is decreased by 1. If the message can be decoded the counter
is incremented by 2. However, the value can not exceed the initial value.
The initial value is set by the parameter RLINKT for radio link time-out
in the mobile station and by RLINKUP for timeout in the BSC. If the
mobile moves out of coverage and no measurement reports are received
in the BSC, there will be a radio link time-out and the message Channel
Release (cause: abnormal release, unspecified) is sent to the mobile
station and the SACCH is deactivated in the BTS. A Clear Request
message is sent to the MSC. To be sure that the mobile has stopped
transmitting, the BSC now waits RLINKT SACCH periods before the
timeslot is released and a new call can be established on the channel.

2. Layer 2 Time-Out

If the BTS never get an acknowledge on a Layer 2 message after the time
T200XN200, the BTS will send Error Indication (cause: T200 expired)
to the BSC, which will send Channel Release (cause: abnormal release,
timer expired) to the mobile station and a Clear Request to the MSC.
The SACCH is deactivated and the BSC waits RLINKT SACCH periods
before the timeslot is released and a new call can use the channel. This is
only valid if the call is in steady state, i.e. not during handover or
assignment.
3. Release Indication

When the BTS received a layer 2 DISC frame from the mobile it replies
with a Layer 2 UA frame to the mobile station and a Release Indication
to the BSC. The system does only react on Release Indication if it is
received during a normal disconnection situation. If such a message is
received unexpectedly this will usually cause radio link time-out or
timer T200 expiration as the mobile station stops the transmitting of
measurement reports. It is also possible that the release will be normal
depending on when the Release Indication is received.

4. MSC Time-Out
Normal Release:

If the MSC never received a response on a message (e.g. Identity


Request) and there is no radio link time-out or layer 2 time-out, the
MSC will send a Clear Command to the BSC. The time-out is depending
on the message. When receiving Clear Command, the BSC will send a
Channel Release (cause: normal release) and then deactivates the
SACCH.

Reject (only SDCCH):

If the MSC never receives a response on the first message after Establish
Indication, the MSC will send a reject message. If the connection was a
Location Update it will be a Location Update Reject (cause: network
failure) and if the connection was a mobile originating call (CM Service
Request) a CM Service Reject (cause: network failure) will be sent. The
MSC will then send a Clear Command to the BSC and the call is cleared
by Channel Release (cause: normal release).

5. Assignment to TCH

Before sending an Assignment Command from the BSC at TCH


assignment, the following two criterion have to be fulfilled:

a. There must be a TCH channel available, i.e. no congestion


b. The locating algorithm must have received at least one valid
measurement report.

If either of the criterion is not fulfilled, Assignment Command will not


be sent and a Channel Release (cause: abnormal release, unspecified)
will be sent to the mobile station and a Clear Request to the MSC.

TCH Drop reason (1)


The classification of TCH Drop Reasons are arranged in the order of
priority:
1.ExcessiveTiming Advance
2.Low Signal Strength
3.Bad Quality
4.Sudden Loss of Connection
5.Other Reasons

Excessive Timing Advance

The TCH Drop counters due to Excessive Timing Advance will pegged
when the during the time of disconnection, the last Timing Advance
value recorded was higher than the TALIM Parameter. This drop reason
is commonly apparent to isolated or island sites with a wide coverage
area.

Action:
Check if the cell parameter TALIM is < "63" Solution:
Set TALIM to a value close to 63.
Tilt antenna/reduce antenna height/output power, etc. for co-channel
cells.

TCH Drop Reasons (2)


Low Signal Strength on Down or Uplink or Both Links
The drops counters due to Low Signal Strength will be pegged when the
Signal Strength during the last Measurement Report before the call
dropped is below the LOWSSDL and/or LOWSSUL Thresholds.
LOWSSDL and LOWSSUL are BSC Exchange Property parameters
which is used only for statistics purposes and does not affect the
behavior of calls. If both UL and DL Signal Strength are below the
thresholds, only Drop due to Low SS BL will pegged. Normally a call is
dropped at the border of large rural cell with insufficient coverage. Bad
tunnel coverage cause many dropped calls as well as so called coverage
holes. Bad indoor coverage will result in dropped calls. Building
shadowing could be another reason.

Action:
Check coverage plots.
Check output power.
Check power balance and link budget.
Check if Omni site.
Check antenna configuration & type.
Check antenna installation.
Perform drive tests & site survey.
Check TRX/TS with high CONERRCNT.

Solution:
Add a repeater to increase coverage in for example a tunnel.
Change to a better antenna (with higher gain) for the base station.
Add a new base station if there are large coverage holes.
Block/Deblock TRX

TCH Drop Reasons (3)


Poor Quality on Down or Uplink or Both Links

The drops counters due to Bad Quality will be pegged when the Signal
Strength during the last Measurement Report before the call dropped is
above the BADQDL and/or BADQUL Thresholds. BADQDL and
BADQUL (expressed in DTQU) are BSC Exchange Property parameters
which is used only for statistics purposes and does not affect the
behavior of calls. If both UL and DL Quality are above the thresholds,
only Drop due to BAD Quality BL will pegged.
Problem on Bad Quality is usually associated with Co-channel
Interference on BCCH or TCH. Faulty MAIO assignment can cause
frequency collisions on co-sited cells especially on 1x1 Reuse. External
interference is also one possible cause of problem on quality.

Action:
Check C/I and C/A plots.
Check Frequency Plan (Co-BCCH or Co-BSIC Problem).
Check MAIO, HOP, HSN parameters.
Check FHOP if correctly configured (BB or SY).
Check for External Interference.
Perform drive tests.

Solution:
Change BCCH frequency.
Change BSIC.
Change MAIO, HOP, HSN.
Change FHOP.
Record RIR or on-site Frequency Scanning to identify source of
interference.
Use available radio features.

TCH Drop Reasons (4)


Sudden Loss of Connection

Drops due to Sudden Loss are drops that have not been registered as low
signal strength, excessive timing advance, bad quality or hardware
(other) reasons, and the locating procedure indicates missing
measurement results from the MS.

There are some common scenarios that could lead to Sudden Loss of
connections such as very sudden and severe drops in signal strength,
such as when subscribers enter into buildings, elevators, parking
garages, etc., very sudden and severe occurrence of interference, MS
runs out of battery during conversation, Handover Lost, BTS HW
faults, Synchronization or A-bis link fault (transmission faults), and

MS Faults.

Action:
Check BTS Error Logs, Alarms and Fault Codes.
Check CONERRCNT per TRX and TS.
Check Transmission Link (A-bis).
Check for DIP Slips.
Check LAPD Congestion.
Correlate Handover Lost to Drops due to Sudden Loss

Solution:
Fix Hardware Faults and Alarms.
Reset TRX with high CONERRCNT.
Ensure that Synchronization and A-bis Link are stable.
Change RBLT with high DIP Slips.
Change CONFACT or increase Transmission Capacity
Investigate HO Lost Problem

TCH Drop Reasons (5)


TCH Drops due to Other Reasons
TCH drops due to Other Reasons are computed by subtracting the sum
of drops due to Excessive TA, Low SS, Bad Quality and Sudden Loss
from the Total TCH Drop Counts. Drops due to Other Reasons are
generally associated with hardware problems, transmission link
problems on A-bis, Ater or Ainterfaces, and sometimes Handover Lost.

Action:
Check BTS Error Logs.
Check Alarms and Fault Codes.
Check CONERRCNT per TRX and TS.
Check Transmission Link (A-bis).
Check for DIP Slips.
Correlate Handover Lost to Drops due to Other Reasons

Solution:
Fix Hardware Faults and Alarms.
Reset TRX with high CONERRCNT.
Ensure that Synchronization and A-bis Link are stable.
Change RBLT with high DIP Slips.
Investigate HO Lost Problem
Other reason drop is mostly due to media related issues. Some are given
below.

• Transcoder synchronization fault  When TRA sync fault is reported on any


TS of a TG  Check the counter TRASYNCCOUNT. Correlate the
TRASYNCCOUNT with TxNDROP.
• Faulty TRA devices.

• Congestion in the vocoders  use TxNRELCONG to check this.

• Blocked RALT and RBLT devices  Check Alarms on the RALT and RBLT.

• LAPD problems  usual high BER  LAPD problems can normally be picked
up during DT as T200 (N200) expiry, then give reset to the DXU on TG that is
showing LAPD problems.

• High external interference leading to issues in the DIP. Check alarms on dip,
check slip, and BER.

• Inappropriate power control settings leading to high CP load.

• Inappropriate ACLC settings.

• Very high LAC update load in the BSC  The “other reasons” drop than
would be on multiple cells in the BSC or may be entire region will be affected
by it.

Problem reason of drop in SDCCH

Low Signal Strength on Down or Uplink


The reason for poor coverage could be too few sites, wrong output
power, shadowing, no indoor coverage or network equipment failure.
Action: Check coverage plots.Check output power. Perform drive tests.
Check BTS error log
Solution: Add new sites. Increase output power. Repair faulty
equipment.

Poor Quality on Down or Uplink


Action: Check C/I and C/A plots. Check frequency plan. Perform drive
tests.
Solution: Change frequency. Use available radio features.

Too High Timing Advance


Action: Check if the cell parameter TALIM is < style="font-weight:
bold;">Solution: Set TALIM to a value close to 63. Tilt antenna/reduce
antenna height/output power, etc. for cochannel cells.
Mobile Error
Some old mobiles may cause dropped calls if certain radio network
features are used. Another reason is that the MS is damaged and not
working properly.
Action: Check MS fleet.
Solution: Inform operator.

Subscriber Behavior
Poorly educated subscribers could use their handsets incorrectly by not
raising antennas, choosing illadvised locations to attempt calls, etc.
Action: Check customer complaints and their MS.

Battery Flaw
When a subscriber runs out of battery during a conversation, the call
will be registered as dropped call due to low signal strength or others.
Action: Check if MS power regulation is used. Check if DTX uplink is
used.

Congestion on TCH
The SDCCH is dropped when congestion on TCH.
Action: Check TCH congestion
Solution: Increase capacity on TCH or using features like Assignment
to another cell, Cell Load Sharing, HCS, Dynamic Half-Rate Allocation
and FR-HR Mode Adaptation etc

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