GSM-GPRS Operation

Signalling Dimensioning
Module 4

Outline
Channel

Configuration
SDCCH Capacity
Paging Capacity
LA Size

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GSM-GPRS Operation

Channel Configuration

Hierarchy Of Channel

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MS Mode
off state

Search for Frequency Correction Burst

Search for Synchronisation sequence
Read System Informations

FCCH
SCH
BCCH

listen for Paging

send Access burst
wait for signalling channel allocation
Call setup
traffic channel is assigned
Conversation
Call release

PCH
RACH
AGCH
SDCCH
FACCH
TCH
FACCH

idle mode

dedicated
mode

idle mode

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Configuration of Signalling Channels

0
Combined Configuration
Time slot 0 contains 1 BCCH, 3 CCCH and 4
SDCCH

ts0=bch/sdcch/4/pch/agch

Non-Combined Configuration
Time slot 0 contains 1 BCCH, 9 CCCH
Time Slot x (<>0 of BCCH TRX) contains 8
SDCCH

ts0=bcch/pch/agch
ts1=sdcch/8
0
Hybrid Configuration
Time slot 0 contains 1 BCCH, 3 CCCH, and 4
SDCCH
Time Slot x (<>0 of BCCH TRX) contains
additional 8 SDCCH

ts1=sdcch/8

ts0=bcch/pch/agch/sdcch/4
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Configuration Of Signalling Channels CCH Downlink

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Configuration Of Signalling Channels CCH Downlink

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Configuration Of Traffic Channel - TCH

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Non-Combined Configuration
BCCH/CCCH Multiframe

Time Slot 0
Downlink

51 TDMA frames = 235ms

f
f sbb bbc c c c f scf cc c c c c c f scf cc c c c c c f scccc
c c c c f s cf c cc c c c c
Uplink

r r r r r r r r r r r r rf r r r r r r r r r rf r r r r r r r r r rf r r r r r r r r r rf r r r r r r r r

CHANNELS

f = FCCH
b = BCCH
r=
s = SCH/SACCH
c = CCCH
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Non-Combined SDCCH/8 Multiframe

Time Slot 1
Downlink

51 TDMA frames = 235 ms

t t t t t t t t t t t t tf t t t t t t t t t tf t t t t t t t t t sf s s s s s s ss s sf s ss s s
1.

2.

Uplink

3.

ss s ss ss s s s s s f

CHANNELS

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

t t t t t t t tf t t t t t t t t t tf t t t t t t t t t tf t t t t t t t t

t = SDCCH/8

s = SACCH/8
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Channel Combination

The following combinations of logical channel types are

allowed for the radio timeslots and specified by GSM
(Rec. 05.02):

TCH/F + FACCH/F + SACCH/TF

TCH/H + FACCH/H + SACCH/TH
SDCCH/8 + SACCH/C8
FCCH + SCH + BCCH + CCCH (TS 0)
FCCH + SCH + BCCH + CCCH + SDCCH/4 + SACCH/C4 (TS 0)
BCCH + CCCH
SDCCH/8 + SACCH/8 + CBCH
FCCH + SCH + BCCH + CCCH + SDCCH/4 + SACCH/C4 + CBCH (TS
0)

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Channel Configuration - Combined

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Channel Configuration - Separated

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Channel Configuration - Hybrid

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SDCCH Dimensioning
SDCCH

used for:

Call setup signalling

Short message service (SMS)
Location update (LU)
IMSI attached/detached

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SDCCH Dimensioning (2)

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SDCCH Dimensoning (2)

TCH load per subscriber = [ # of call attempts per sub per hour*
%MOC
+ # of call attempts per sub per call*%MTC*(1-%no response)*(1-%
no answer)*%MTC success] * mean call duration / 3600
= [ 1.1 * 60% + 1.1 * 40% * (1-32.5%) * (1-13.5%) * 54%] * 115/3600
= 0.026 Erlang

SDCCH load per subscriber = [number of call attempts*setup

signalling + #LU per sub per hour*duration for loc update] / 3600
= [1.1 * 3 + 2.2 * 5] / 3600
= 0.004 Erlang

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SDCCH Dimensioning (3)

A cell with 2 TRXs

Combined SDCCH
1 comb. CCCH/SDCCH 4 SDCCH
15 TCH

Offered SDCCH load at 1% blocking

Offered TCH load at 2% blocking

9.01 Erlangs 9.01/0.026=346 subscribers
4 SDCCH blocks for combined configuration
Thus from Erlang B table, lookup 4 channels at 1%
blocking
0.87 Erlangs 0.87/0.004=217 subs

SDCCH limited: 217 subscribers

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SDCCH Dimensioning (4)

Non-combined SDCCH
1 SDCCH/8 8 SDCCH
14 TCH

Offered SDCCH load at 1% blocking

Offered TCH load at 2% blocking

8.20 Erlangs 8.20/0.026=315 subscribers
8 SDCCH blocks for non-combined configuration
Thus from Erlang B table, lookup 8 channels at 1%
blocking
3.13 Erlangs 3.13/0.004=782 subs
TCH limited: 315 subscribers

This configuration is preferred as it is TCH limited

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GSM-GPRS Operation

Parameters Related To Channel

Common Control Channel Load

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Common Control Channel Load (2)

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Common Control Channel Load (3)

CCCH Capacity

Calculation (non-combined):
Uplink : 51*3600/(51*0.004615) = 780000 RACH slots per
hour
downlink : 36*3600/(51*0.004615) = 137658 CCH blocks per
hour

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Common Control Channel Load (4)

CCCH Capacity

Calculation (combined):
Uplink : 27*3600/(51*0.004615) = 413000 RACH slots per
hour
downlink : 12*3600/(51*0.004615) = 45886 CCH blocks per
hour

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Common Control Channel Load (5)

CCCH

Capacity

1 RACH slot : a channel message for 1

subscriber

1 CCCH block (4 slots): 1 paging message for 1..4

subscribers* or
1 access grant message for 1..2 subscribers

* Depends on IMSI(2) or TMSI(4) paging

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Common Control Channel Load (6) - RACH

Used by MS to request a dedicated channel

(SDCCH)
The causes for the channel request can be:

A paging response in MTC

An emergency call
A MOC
LU or
IMSI attach/detach

Parameters related to RACH

maxNumberOfRetransmission (1, 2, 4 or 7)
numberOfSlotsSpreadTrans (3 ... 12, 14, 16, 20, 25, 32,
50)
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Common Control Channel Load (7) - RACH

The combination of maxNumberOfRetransmission and

numberOfSlotsSpreadTrans values determine the time period
between sending of two channels requests.
This period is measured in RACH slots and is the sum of a
deterministic part S and a random part tr. (refer to GSM 04.08)
RACH can be configured in combined and non-combined case
Combined: all 27 timeslot0 out of 51 timeslots
Non-combined: all timeslot0,2,4,6

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Common Control Channel Load (8) - RACH

values

for 50000 RACH activities per hour

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Common Control Channel Load (9) - RACH

The minimum blocking is achieved by the following

setting of parameters: maxNumberOfRetransmission =
7, numberOfSlotsSpreadTrans = 50
The configuration of CCCH is mainly determined by the
capacity needed by the downlink channels, the RACH
configuration is uncritical

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Common Control Channel Load (10) - PCH

PCH may be used as AGCH but not vice-versa

MOC requires AGCH and MTC requires PCH
Typical network will have MOC higher than MTC
Strategy: to dimension the AGCH to a smaller value
and let the system organise the use of channels
Parameter related to PCH:

noOfMultiframesBetweenPaging (2 ... 9)
It indicates the number of TDMA multiframes between
transmission of paging message to the same paging subgroup
It impacts on the MS battery life and MTC setup time
Higher value will save battery life but longer call setup time
and vice versa
Recommended value is 5
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Common Control Channel Load (11) - AGCH

Parameter

related to AGCH:

NumberOfBlocksForAccessGrant (0 ... 7)
It defines the number of blocks reserved for
access grant messages from the CCCH during
the 51 TDMA frame (a multiframe)
Recommended value is 1 for combined and 2 for
non-combined configuration
Note that if the AGCH is insufficient, PCH can be
used as AGCH

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Common Control Channel Load (12) - Example

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Common Control Channel Load (12)

Example Cont..

For MOC, response to paging in MTC, LU and IMSI attached/detached, thus 4

RACH
activities per sub per hour

Analysis:
DL CCCH (PCH and AGCH) is the limiting factor
The usage for PCH and AGCH is almost equal
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Common Control Channel Load (12) Paging

Capacity
Paging demand is a function of:
Number of MTC
Number of subscribers in the LAC
Paging repetition
PCH can be configured as combined or non-combined :
Combined: both BCCH and SDCCH occupy the TS0
12 out of 51 slots per multiframe form 3 PCH/AGCH,
each block consists of 4 slots

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Common Control Channel Load (12) Paging

Capacity

PCH can be configured as combined or non-combined:

Non-combined: BCCH occupies TS0 and SDCCH occupies TS1
36 out of 51 slots per multiframe form 9 PCH/AGCH, each block
consists of 4 slots

Split of blocks between PCH and AGCH: the available blocks in 51

multiframe is splitted between PCH and AGCH and it is set by
parameter NumberOfBlocksForAccessGrant

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Common Control Channel Load (13) Paging

Capacity
IMSI/TMSI

IMSI: 2 mobiles can be paged with each page

message occupying 4 slots
TMSI: 4 mobiles can be paged with each page
message occupying 4 slots

Paging

paging:

capacity calculation:

PCH per second

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Common Control Channel Load (14) Paging

Capacity

What does the table mean?

CCCH can be used for both AGCH and PCH
Example for combined configuration, 3 CCCH blocks are
available
If u reserve 0 blocks for AGCH, all 3 CCCH blocks will be used
for PCH
If u reserve 2 blocks for AGCH, only 1 CCCH blocks will be used
for PCH
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Common Control Channel Load (15) Paging

Capacity
For

combined BCCH:

Making

sense out of the table:

Number of MS that can be paged in a
second:

Depends on IMSI or TMSI paging and

Number of blocks reserved for AG
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Common Control Channel Load (16) Paging

Capacity
For

Combined BCCH

Example: if u reserved 1 block for AG, then u

have 2 blocks for PCH
If u decide TMSI paging, I.e. 4 MS can be paged
with 1 block of PCH
Thus; (number of PCH blocks*number of pages
per block)/(51*one TDMA frame period);
=(2*4) / (51*0.004615) = 34
34 MS can be paged in a second (using TMSI
paging)
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Common Control Channel Load (17) Paging

Capacity
For Combined BCCH

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Common Control Channel Load (18) Paging

Capacity

For Non Combined BCCH

Making sense out of the table:

3 blocks reserved for AG, remaining 6 blocks used for PCH

Number of MS can be paged in a second (TMSI paging)
= (6*3)/(51*0.004615) = 76 MS/second

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Common Control Channel Load (19) Paging

Capacity
For

Non Combined BCCH

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GSM-GPRS Operation

Location Area Design

Location Area Design

What

A location area is an area in which MSs may roam

without updating the location registers
A location area consists of one or more cells

What

is Location Area?

information you need?

Traffic model

What is next?
Calculate SDCCH traffic
Determine paging capacity
Calculate LA size (in term of number of cells)
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LA Size SDCCH Traffic calculation

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LA Size SDCCH Traffic calculation (2)

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LA Size Paging Capacity

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LA Size Paging And AG Traffic Demand

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GSM-GPRS Operation

End of Section 4
Signalling Dimensioning