Session 7

Handover from LTE to and

from 3GPP and 3GPP2
Technologies
ITU ASP COE Training on “Technology,
Standardization and Deployment of Long
Term Evolution (IMT)”

Sami TABBANE

9-11 December 2013 – Islamic Republic of Iran

1
Agenda

1. Handover Process

2. Handover Measurements

3. Handover Signaling

4. Mobility between 2G/3G and E-UTRAN

2
Control plane protocols

1. Handover Process

3
Connection Reconfiguration and HO

RRC Connection Reconfiguration

procedure

• RRC connection reconfiguration is used to:

Modify measurement process,
Trigger handovers

4
 Connection Reconfiguration and HO

SRB reconfiguration

The SRBs (Signaling Radio Bearers) cannot be

released by RRC connection reconfiguration
The 'RRC Connection Reconfiguration' message
specifies the configuration of the Radio Bearer
• When a RRC connection reconfiguration message
is used to establish a new Data Radio Bearer
(DRB: Data Radio Bearer), a target NAS message
is included in the message

5
Connection Reconfiguration and HO

• 'RRC Connection Reconfiguration’ message allows to

configure the terminal measurements:
– Measurements within the LTE
– Measurements on other RAT
• Measuring period is UE implementation-specific,
typical values 40, 50, 66 msec
• Measurements done over at least 6 resource blocks
• The configuration steps include:
– 1-Measured Objects - The E-UTRAN configures a single
object for each measured frequency:
(a) Intra-and inter-frequencies
(b) Inter-RAT UTRA measures set of cells on a single carrier
frequency

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Connection Reconfiguration and HO

(c) Inter-RAT GERAN measures set of carrier

frequencies
(d) Inter-RAT cdma2000 measures set of cells on a
single carrier frequency
– 2- Reporting Configuration - Criteria and reporting
formats:
• Reporting Criteria: Used by the terminal to trigger a
measurement report (Periodic or triggered by events)
• Reporting formats: Quantities to be included in
measurement reports (number of cells to report, ...)

7
Connection Reconfiguration and HO

• The eNodeB triggers handover based on the measurement results

received from the terminal
• A handover can be achieved:
– Inside the E-UTRAN
– From another RAT to the E-UTRAN
– E-UTRAN to another RAT
• A handover can be classified as:
– Intra-frequency intra-LTE
– Inter-frequency intra-LTE
– Inter-RAT to/from LTE, UTRAN, GERAN, cdma2000

8
Connection Reconfiguration and HO

• Intra-LTE Handover:
– Source and target in the LTE system
– The RRC Connection Reconfiguration message with
mobility control information (parameters required for
handover) is used as a command handover
– Can be either:
• Between eNB’s without EPC intervention (packets routed
through source eNB until HO is completed). The only
signalling to MME is the “Path switch request/ACK”
• Via MME control if a change of MME/SGW is required

9
Connection Reconfiguration and HO

– When X2 interface exists between the eNodeB

source and target eNodeB:
• The eNodeB source sends a X2 Handover Request
message to the target eNodeB Preparing the target
eNodeB
• The target eNodeB prepares a RRC Connection
Reconfiguration message and sends to the source
eNodeB a message in X2: Handover Request
Acknowledge

10
Connection Reconfiguration and HO

Inter-eNodeB Handover procedure

11
Connection Reconfiguration and HO

• Inter-RAT handover to other access

technologies
– To perform inter-RAT handover:
• A handover command message is built by the target
RAT and sent back to the source eNodeB
• The source eNodeB includes the handover command in
the message 'from E-UTRA Mobility Command' and
sends it to terminal

12
Connection Reconfiguration and HO

• Inter-RAT handover to other radio access

technologies:
– When the target BS receives the eNodeB message ‘S1:
Handover Request' from eNB:
• Allocates resources
• Constructs a message 'RRC Connection Reconfiguration'
(Handover Request) and sends a message 'S1 Handover
Request Acknowledge’ to the MME
• The RRC Connection Reconfiguration message is transferred
to the terminal through the RAT source

13
Control plane protocols

2. Handover Measurements

14
HO measurements metrics

E-UTRA metrics
• Reference signal received power (RSRP)
• Reference signal received quality (RSRQ)
UTRA metrics
• UTRA FDD CPICH RSCP
• UTRA FDD carrier RSSI
• UTRA FDD CPICH Ec/No
GSM metrics
• GSM carrier RSSI: RXLEV
CDMA2000 metrics
• CDMA2000 1xRTT pilot strength
• CDMA2000 HRPD pilot strength
15
Measurement Report

• CQI is reported:
– Periodically on the PUCCH.
– Aperiodically on the PUSCH.

16
 Measurement Configuration

When and what

should I report?
What should
I measure?
Frequency

LTE carrier frequency 1 Serving Neighboring

Intra-freq measurement cell cell
Serving cell
LTE carrier frequency 2
Inter-freq measurement

UMTS cell 1
UMTS cell 2 Event
occurs
Inter-RAT measurement

Measurement Object Measurement Reporting Configuration

Measurement Object Identities Reporting Configuration
Measurement Object Reporting Configuration

Measurement Configuration in RRC Connection Reconfiguration Message

17
Measurement Configuration

Measurement object #0 ID 0 Reporting Configuration #0

Measurement object #1 Reporting Configuration #1

Measurement object #2 ID 2 Reporting Configuration #2

Applicable Reporting
cells Criteria

I am on
This cell is part I found Serving Measurement
this cell Evaluation
of measurement this cell cell result
of Reporting Report
objects
Neighboring Criteria (meas ID,
cell result meas Results)
E-UTRAN Intra-LTE events
A1 A2 A3 A4 A5
UTRAN
CDMA2000 Threshold2 Offset

GERAN Threshold1

Serving Listed Detected

Cell Cells Cells
B1 B2
Inter-RAT events
18
Connection Reconfiguration and HO

• The reports triggered by events are:

– A1: Serving cell becomes better than absolute threshold
– A2: Serving cell becomes worse than absolute threshold
– A3: Neighbor cell becomes better than an offset relative to
the serving cell
– A4: Neighbor cell becomes better than absolute threshold
– A5: Serving cell becomes worse than an absolute threshold
and neighbor cell becomes better than another absolute
threshold
• For inter-RAT mobility, the following event-triggered
reporting criteria are specified:
– B1 (Inter-RAT): Neighbor cell becomes better than an absolute
threshold
– B2 (Inter-RAT): Serving cell becomes worse than an absolute
threshold and neighbor cell becomes better than another
absolute threshold
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Connection Reconfiguration and HO

– 3- Identity measures: identity linked with a measurement

object for a Reporting Configuration Used as reference
numbers in the measurement reports
– 4- Configurations quantities:
• A configuration of quantity by RAT (E-UTRAN, UTRAN, GERAN and
cdma2000) containing the filter coefficients for the type of
measures
– 5- Gaps measures: Periods that the terminal can use for
measurement (Inter-frequency and inter-RAT)
Transmission Transmission Gap
Gap Pattern Id Gap Length Repetition Period Measurement Purpose
(TGL, ms) (TGRP, ms)
0 6 40 Inter-Frequency E-UTRAN
FDD and TDD, UTRAN FDD,
GERAN, LCR TDD, HRPD,
1 6 80
CDMA2000 1x
20
 Connection Reconfiguration and HO

Example measurement configuration

Report
Object Object Measur. Report Report config.
Measurement object ID ID ID ID ID ID
LTE carrier frequency 1 1 1 1 1 1 Event A1
LTE carrier frequency 2 2 2 2 2 2 Event A3
UMTS carrier frequency 1 3 3 3 3
3 Event B1
UMTS carrier frequency 2 4 4 4 3 4 Event B2
GERAN set of carrier frequencies 5 5 5 4

21
 Periodic reporting periods

Reporting trigger is configured for Periodic

measurements and can have the following values:
120 ms, 240 ms, 480 ms, 640 ms, 1024 ms,

2048 ms, 5120 ms, 10240ms, 1 min=60000 ms,

6 min=360000 ms, 12 min=720000 ms,

30 min=1800000 ms, 60 min=3600000 ms.

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 Connection Reconfiguration and HO

HO Measurements
• Reported measurement result after layer 1 filtering shall be an estimate of the
average value of the measured quantity over the measurement period:
• Intra-frequency and Inter-frequency RSRP (Reference Signal Received Power).
Measurement period for Intra frequency RSRP measurements is 200 ms.
• Measuring period is UE implementation-specific, typical values 40, 50, 66 ms.
• Measurements done over at least 6 resource blocks (RBs).
• Intra-frequency and Inter-frequency RSRQ (Reference Signal Received Quality).
• The measurement period for UTRA FDD measurements and for the GSM carrier
RSSI is 480 ms.
• Power Headroom (difference between the nominal UE maximum transmit
power and the estimated power for PUSCH transmission).

23
Connection Reconfiguration and HO

24
Control plane protocols

3. Handover (Signaling)

25
Principles

• Transferring an ongoing call or data session from one cell connected to another
• Transparent for the end user
• Network controlled and UE assisted
• 3GPP defines:
– Intra e-UTRAN HO
– Inter RAT with 3GPP technologies (GSM, WCDMA) HO
– Inter RAT with non-3GPP technologies (CDMA2000, HRPD) HO

26
Intra E-UTRAN mobility with X2 support (1/4)

Intra--E-UTRAN Mobility with X2 Interface Support

Intra

27
Intra E-UTRAN mobility with X2 support (2/4)

• Handover procedure benefits from source X2 interface

Minimum involvement of the MME and Serving GW
• X2 interface reduces packet loss rate by transferring packets
from the source node to the target node
• EPC core network nodes update signaling and user planes
connectivity:
– Establish a connection between the new S1 target node and the MS
– Establish a tunnel with Serving GW
– Release resources and connections to the S1 interface of the former
node
• Handover completely transparent to the PDN GW

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Intra E-UTRAN mobility with X2 support (3/4)

Handover preparation phase

29
Intra E-UTRAN mobility with X2 support (4/4)

Handover execution phase

30
Intra E-UTRAN mobility without X2 support (1/4)

• Absence of X2 interface may be due to:

– A network problem (transmission link, routing, …),
– Operator’s choice
• Handover process is more complicated than
with the X2 interface support
• The MME acts as a relay between the two
eNodeB

31
Intra E-UTRAN mobility without X2 support (2/4)

Handover preparation phase

32
Intra E-UTRAN mobility without X2 support (3/4)

Handover execution phase

33
Intra E-UTRAN mobility without X2 support (4/4)

• Packet loss effect on the user experience

depends on the application and protocol
stack:
– Non-real time applications (Web Browsing, ...):
• Secure end-to-end transport layer (TCP, ...),
• HO increases the delay (latency,…),
• No data loss at the transport layer
– Real-time applications (streaming, Voice):
• Unsecured transport layers (UDP, ...),
• Handover Data loss for the user.

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Intra-E-UTRAN Mobility with EPC Node Relocation (1/5)

Intra--mobility with E-UTRAN EPC Node Relocation

Intra

35
Intra-E-UTRAN Mobility with EPC Node Relocation (2/5)

Handover preparation phase

36
Intra-E-UTRAN Mobility with EPC Node Relocation (3/5)

Handover preparation phase

37
Intra-E-UTRAN Mobility with EPC Node Relocation (4/5)

• Target eNodeB has no connectivity with the MME and Serving GW

relocation current node in the EPC (Evolved Packet Core),
• Communication context user (IMSI, subscription information,
authentication vectors, allocated bearers) be transferred from
current to target MME,
• New user plane bearer created between the PDN GW and the new
Serving GW,
• If X2 packet transfer between source and target eNodeB reduces
packet loss,
• New MME informs old MME of the handover success Release
old radio resources and the old bearer path

38
Intra-E-UTRAN Mobility with EPC Node Relocation (5/5)

• Target eNodeB has no connectivity with the MME and Serving GW

relocation User communication context (IMSI, subscription information,
authentication vectors, bearers allocated) should be transferred from the
current MME to the target MME,
• A new user plane bearer is created between the PDN GW and the new
Serving GW,
• If there exist an X2 connectivity, packet transfer between source and
target eNodeB may limit the packet loss
• The new MME informs the old MME of the handover success across the E-
UTRAN Release of old radio resources and old bearer path
• If the new cell belongs to a Tracking Area (TA) where the terminal is not
located, a TA Update (TAU) is achieved with the new MME HSS update
• Serving GW and MME are in separated nodes Easier mobility cases:
– Source and target eNodeB within the same Serving GW only MME is
changed
– Source and target eNodeB in the same MME only Serving GW is changed

39
S1 based HO

40
Control plane protocols

4. Mobility between 2G/3G and E-UTRAN

41
Mobility between 2G/3G and E-UTRAN (1/7)

Packet mobility between 3G and E

E--UTRAN
42
Mobility between 2G/3G and E-UTRAN (2/7)

Handover preparation phase

43
Mobility between 2G/3G and E-UTRAN (3/7)

Handover execution phase

44
Mobility between 2G/3G and E-UTRAN (4/7)

• A tunnel is established between the Serving GW and the

SGSN to ensure packet transmission continuity (S4
interface):
The Serving GW acts as an anchor for the user plane,
The PDN GW is not involved in the mobility procedure.
• Signaling Control plane (NAS establishment and session
control) is moved from MME to SGSN (S3 Interface):
– The session context is moved from the MME source to the target
SGSN ('Forward Relocation Request / Response‘ message)
– The MME translates EPS QoS attributes equivalent to 2G/3G, as
PDP Context attributes.

45
Mobility between 2G/3G and E-UTRAN (5/7)

• The Serving GW may inform the PDN GW of the

handover for billing purposes flexibility of the
billing system based on the RAT,
• E-UTRAN 2G/3G mobility can include eNodeB
to target SGSN data transfer (Data forwarding) to
avoid packet loss,
• Data transfer is always requested by the eNodeB
('Handover Required‘ message)

46
Mobility between 2G/3G and E-UTRAN (6/7)

• Two types of data transfer:

– Direct Transfer (Direct Forwarding): Data stored in
the eNodeB directly transferred to the SGSN (IP
address and tunnel identifier in 'Forward
Relocation Response' sent by the SGSN),
– Indirect transfer (Indirect Forwarding): Data
stored in the Serving GW transmitted to the target
SGSN.
• Handover Command the type of transfer.

47
Mobility between 2G/3G and E-UTRAN (7/7)

• After HO completion (at target BS and

network access levels):
– 'Forward Relocation Complete'
Release of the resources in E-UTRAN nodes
and MME,
– 'Update Bearer Request / Response‘
SGSN updates the bearer path to the S-GW

48
Thank you

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