Guide to GSM MS Signal Fluctuation Confidentiality Level: 1

Guide to GSM MS Signal Fluctuation 1 Overview

1.1 Definition
The signal fluctuation means that the signal strength indicator on the MS varies. It is also called signal drift, swinging of signal or signal jitter. The signals may fluctuate when 1) The Mobile Station (MS) is in the idle state ; 2) The MS is switched from the idle state to the active state (i.e., when a call is originated) 3) The MS is in the conversation state

1.2 Signal Strength Indicator on MS

1) Each cell occupies one BCCH frequency. Each timeslot of this frequency must continuously transmit signals at a constant power, without any power control. 2) When MS is idle (i.e., the mobile subscriber makes no call), the MS will measure the BCCH level in the serving cell as well as those in 6 adjacent cells.. 3) The MS reselects a cell according to the signal strength of BCCH so as to guarantee the MS stays within the "best cell. 4) The signal strength indicator on the MS in the idle state is the receiving level of the BCCH in the serving cell. 5) When the MS is in conversation, it will measure the receiving level of TCH in the serving cell and BCCH levels of adjacent cells. Then it reports to BSS the measurement result as a basis for BSS to perform the cell handover. The signal strength indicator on the MS in conversation is the receiving level of the TCH. 6) There are no unified standards for the signal strength indicator on the MS. The manufacturers of mobile phones may have their own standards.
Type of mobile phone 5 bars 4 bars 3 bars 2 bars 1 bar NOKIA 8210, 3210 Not applicable >-85dBm -85 ~ 90dBm -90dBm ~ -95dBm -95dBm ~ -100dBm Samsung anycall-600 >-85dBm -85~-90dBm -90~-95dBm -95~-100dBm -100~-105dBm Motorola-L2000 >-80dBm -80~-90dBm -90~-95dBm -95~-100dBm -100~-105dBm Guide to GSM MS Signal Fluctuation Confidentiality Level: 2 Type of mobile phone 5 bars 4 bars 3 bars 2 bars 1 bar Motorola-7689 >-80dBm -80~-90dBm -90~-95dBm -95~-100dBm -100~-105dBm Motorola-CD928 >-85dBm -85~-90dBm -90~-100dBm -100~-105dBm -100~-105dBm Siemens 3581i Not applicable >-70dBm -70~-80dBm -80~-90dBm -90~-100dBm PHILIPS-Xenium969 Not applicable >-80dBm -80~-90dBm -90~-100dBm -100~-110dBm Ericsson T28SC >-75dBm -75~-85dBm -85~-90dBm -90~-95dBm -95~-105dBm Ericsson T18SC 6 bars: >-70dBm -70~-75dBm -75~-85dBm -85~-95dBm -95~-100dBm -100~-105dBm SAGEM >-80dBm -80~-90dBm -90~-95dBm -95~-105dBm -110~-105dBm

2 Cause Analysis of Signal Fluctuation

2.1 Signal Fluctuation of MS in Idle State
2.1.1 Signal Fluctuation Resulting from Propagation
The radio waves travel in three ways: direct transmission, diffraction and scattering (reflection). The received signal strength is the amplitude of the vector sum of different propagation paths. The received signal strength is a random variable. The propagation environment is time-varying, so is the signal fading of radio channels. Even if the MS is still, the received signal strength is time-varying, too.

Conclusions: 1) The complaints of subscribers are mostly dealt with the signal fluctuation resulting from propagation. It is necessary to learn the real reasons for their complaints. 2) When the received medium level of the MS is very high, the signal fluctuation resulting from propagation will not change the signal strength indicator on the MS. The change of signal strength can be observed with a special-purpose test MS. This phenomenon should be explained to subscribers in a proper way. 3) When the received medium level of MS is very low, the signal strength indicator on the MS will change. If the signal is so weak that the call quality is affected, the coverage should be improved.

2.1.2 Effect of Antenna Type on Signal Fluctuation

The antenna orientation pattern includes the ma in lobe and side lobe.
Guide to GSM MS Signal Fluctuation Confidentiality Level: 3

There are many interlaced zero points and peak points in the side lobe area The vertical lobe of the omni high gain antenna is very narrow (usually less than 7 degrees). The shake of the antenna just results in the change of the antenna gain, viewed from a fixed point in the minor lobe coverage area. In the extreme case, the alternative irradiation of zero points and peak points upon the test point will cause the signal fluctuation.

2.1.3 Effect of Cell Reselection on Signal Fluctuation

The conditions of cell reselection are defined in the protocol as follows: 1) The duration when C1 of the service cell is less than 0 exceeds 5 seconds. 2) The duration when C2 of other cells is greater than C2 of the service cell exceeds 5 seconds, too. 3) DSC (Downlink Signalling failure Counter) = 0 Paging message decoding success DSC = DSC + 1 Paging message decoding failure DSC = DSC - 4 Maximum of DSC = 90 /BS_PA_MFRMS (BS_PA_MFRMS: Multi-frames between the paging groups) 4) The channel request with a maximum number of resent times is not responded to. Usually, C2 = C1 + CRO. CRO is the cell reselection offset and is released by the system broadcast message. For OT35 and OT75 mobile phones, their CROs can be obtained through the calculation of C2- C1. For an OT76 mobile phone, the CRO can be obtained directly. Cell reselection resulting from network fault: When the location of MS is updated or the MS responds to a paging message, the MS will reselect a cell if there is network fault. In this case, the signal will fluctuate. Case study 1, Signal fluctuation resulting from absent adjacent cells and unlocked 13M clock: As shown in the figure below, Cell A and Cell B are adjacent cells, and Cell C is a high BTS cell far away from Cell A. There is a BCCH whose value equals 90 in the adjacent cell table in the system message of Cell A, while there is no cell A BCCH in the adjacent cell table of Cell C. When the MS is on the border between Cell A and Cell C, signals in Cell C will be stronger than those in Cell A in a short period. So, the MS will reselect Cell C. After the MS stays in Cell C, the MS will only receive signals in Cell C even if the signal level in Cell C is lower than the minimum receiving level, because the MS in Cell C does not consider Cell A as its adjacent cell. The MS will reselect a cell
Guide to GSM MS Signal Fluctuation Confidentiality Level: 4

after it is dropped out of the network. In this case, the subscriber may see that the signal strength indicator will gradually disappear and then gradually increase.

Cell C Cell A Cell B

Location of MS
A great difference of 13M clock between adjacent cells will disable the MS from reading the BCCH information of the adjacent cell. In accordance with the protocol, the MS cannot select the cell even if the downlink level of the cell is very high. The unlocking is mainly responsible for the great difference of 13M clock between adjacent cells, while the great offset of the clock coming from Abis interface is responsible for the unlocking. Signal fluctuation resulting from cell reselection due to too large a CRO: The larger the CRO of a cell is, the more likely the MS will select the cell. At the same time, the difference between the actual received levels of the MS in these two cells will become larger, once the cell reselection happens, the signals will fluctuate sharply. Cell reselection resulting from interference: The interference includes three types: co-frequency interference, adjacent frequency interference and external interference. The interference will decrease the DSC. Once DSC is 0, the cell reselection will happen.

2.1.4 Inconsistency of SDCCH Assigned Frequency with Main BCCH Frequency when Location is Updated
If there are many SDCCHs in a cell, they are configured on non-BCCH TRXs. If the SDCCH is assigned on a non-BCCH TRX when the location is updated, the power control is available to the SDCCH. In this case, the signal strength indicator may vary. It is a normal phenomenon.
Guide to GSM MS Signal Fluctuation Confidentiality Level: 5

2.2 Signal Fluctuation when MS is Switched from Idle State to Conversation State
2.2.1 Hardware Failure when a Call is Originated
When the MS originates a call, it will request a channel to the network. If the receiver of the BCCH TRX is faulty, there will be no response to the repeated request from the MS and the MS will reselect a cell. If the MS select a far end cell, the signal level indicator on the MS will drop. If the MS measures the downlink signal of the original cell is stronger than that in the selected far end cell, it will reselect back the original cell. Then signal fluctuation appears.

2.2.2 Signal Fluctuation Resulting from Load Handover due to Congestion Control
When the traffic in the service cell is so heavy that the channel congestion happens, the system will hand the MS over to another cell. So the signal level will change. It is a normal signal change. Example: 1) After a MS originates a call, the system will assign SDCCH and the signal levels of uplink and downlink are both -70dBm or so. 2) When TCH is assigned, the network will send a handover command to the MS so that the MS is handed over to a TRX in another cell, because the TCH in the service cell is congested. The signal strength becomes -95dBm. 3) After the subscriber hangs up, the MS is in the idle state and receives the BCCH signal in the original cell. The received signal strength indicator on the MS rises again. Solution: Expand the capacity in the traffic congestion area.

2.2.3 TCH assigned on non-BCCH TRXs

The assigned TCH and BCCH may belong to different TRXs, and the power control is available to the TCH TRX. Therefore the level in conversation may be different from that in the idle state.

2.2.4 Inconsistency of Assigned SDCCH Frequency with Main BCCH Frequency when a Call is Originated
If

there are many SDCCHs in a cell, they are configured on non-BCCH TRXs.

Guide to GSM MS Signal Fluctuation Confidentiality Level: 6

If

the SDCCH is assigned on a non- BCCH TRX when a call is originated, the power control is available to the SDCCH. In this case, the signal strength indicator may vary. It is a normal phenomenon.

2.3 Signal Fluctuation in Conversation

2.3.1 Cell Handover in Conversation
The cell handover is to maintain the conversation when the MS moves from one cell to another so as to meet the network management requirement. There are many reasons for the cell handover. If the target cell involved in the handover is very far, the signal may fluctuate.

2.3.2 Interference in Conversation

The interference in conversation often brings high uplink and downlink levels, but the signal quality is very poor. As a result, a quality-triggered (high bit error rate) handover happens. If there is a great difference between the signal strengths in the target and source cells involved in the handover, the signal may fluctuate. When the call quality of TRX is very poor, but the hardware failure has been ruled out, it shows the sampling frequency is subject to interference. Try to remove the interference.

2.3.3 Improper Parameter Settings in Conversation

The parameters that may cause signal fluctuation in conversation include: uplink power control threshold and frequency hopping related parameters. Example: The uplink power control threshold is set too low. When the uplink is subject to interference, the receiving quality is very poor. So a rescuing quality-triggered handover will take place. If there is a great difference between the signal strengths in the target and source cells involved in the handover, the signal may fluctuate. When the network adopts the frequency hopping, HSN and MAIO are used to characterize the traffic channel. When HSNs and MAIOs of different channels within the frequency reuse cluster are set the same, the interference in the cell or between cells with the same hopping groups will be intensified. So a rescuing quality-triggered handover will take place. If there is a great difference between the signal strengths in the target and source cells involved in the handover, the signal may fluctuate.
Guide to GSM MS Signal Fluctuation Confidentiality Level: 7

3 Case Study
3.1 Signal Fluctuation Resulting from Improper Antenna Type
Signal fluctuation in the coverage area of a common 11dBi omni antenna Signal fluctuation where omni antennas with a downtilt cover the same place

3.2 Cell Reselection Resulting from Adjacent Frequency Interference and Improper Parameter Setting
The BCCH of Frequency 106 covers the test point, where the signal of BCCH of Frequency 105 far away can be received. The CRO of Frequency 105 is 12dB.
Guide to GSM MS Signal Fluctuation Confidentiality Level: 8

The signal fluctuation process goes as follows: (1) The level of Frequency 106 is less than the sum of that of Frequency 105 and CRO (12dB). (2) When the MS reselects Frequency 105, the signal level is weak and the signal strength indicator on the MS is 1 bar. (3) Frequency 105 is subject to the interference of Frequency 106 (The adjacent frequency interference should be no more than 9dB as stipulated in GSM protocols). Errors are inevitable when the MS decodes the paging messages, and thus the counter will read 0 by error. This process will last about 20 seconds. (4) When the MS moves away from Frequency 105 and reselects Frequency 106, the signal level is high and the signal strength indicator on the MS is 3 bars. (5) The signals of Frequency 106 and Frequency 105 change, but they satisfy the condition in (1). (6) Turn to Step (2). Unreasonable frequency planning and parameter configuration Signal fluctuation graph in the example: * represents the received signal level of the MS. Pingpong reselection in the case of unreasonable CRO and adjacent cell interference

3.3 Signal Fluctuation Resulting from Poor Coverage

Description: Subscribers complains that they can hardly succeed in making a call in a bridge restaurant within the coverage of the BTS, even though the call is connected, the call quality is very poor. The on-site test shows that the signals are strong enough to make a call, but the signals fluctuate significantly. The signal strength indicator on an ordinary MS is 1 bar ~ 2 bars.
Guide to GSM MS Signal Fluctuation Confidentiality Level: 9

Measures: Replace CDU with EDU and then perform the test. The test shows the signal strength indicator on the MS in the restaurant basically keeps at a level of 3 bars. Siemens 3508, Nokia 5110, Nokia 6210 and Samsung 600C are used for the test. Their signal strength indicators sometimes will drop to 2 bars or rise to 4 bars, but the level is basically within -82dBm ~ -85dBm. Now subscribers can succeed in making calls in the restaurant.

3.4 Signal Fluctuation Resulting from Exceptional Handover

Description: In a cell (Cell 1), the received signal level indicator on the MS in the idle state is full. During the conversation, the subscriber suddenly fails to hear the opposite party. It is found that the signal level indicator on the MS changes to 1 bar or none. In this case, the call drop will happen or the call quality will recover a few seconds later. It is found the uplink power control threshold in this cell (Cell 1) is -90dBm. For the reason of the uplink power control, the BTS in the original cell receives the uplink signals whose levels are above this threshold, but the receiving quality (Rxquality) is very poor. So the MS is handed over to an adjacent cell (Cell 2).But the antenna in Cell 2 does not face the point where the problem exists, and furthermore, Cell 2 is far away, so the downlink level is low and the call quality is poor. After the handover, the signal level indicator on the MS displays the downlink level in the new cell and it drops to 1 bar or none. The MS reports to the BSS the downlink signal strength and call quality in the serving cell (Cell 2) and the downlink levels in the adjacent cells (including Cell 1) via the measurement report. When the BSS finds the downlink signal level reported by the MS is low while the signal level in the original serving cell is high, it will decide to hand the MS over to the channel in Cell 1. Then the BSS issues a command to hand the MS back to Cell 1.After the MS is handed back to the original cell, the downlink level will become high, the downlink call quality will be normal, and the signal level indicator rises. (For the reason of the power control of TCH, the downlink level indicator of TCH may be different from that of BCCH and may be unnecessarily full.)Since the condition in Cell 1 does not change, the BSS will hand the MS back to Cell 2. During the repeated handover, the call drop will readily happen. When the uplink power control threshold is changed from the original -90dBm to -80dBm, exceptional handovers or call drops will not happen in the original point. The

root cause in this case may not be the parameter setting, but the poor call quality in Cell 1 when the uplink level is -90dBm.This problem may be caused by the interference (co-frequency interference), or the TRX performance in Cell 1.
Guide to GSM MS Signal Fluctuation Confidentiality Level: 10

3.5 Signal Fluctuation Resulting from Load Handover

The received signal level of the MS in City A fluctuates. When the MS originates a call in the urban area, the received signal level of the MS often changes from 3 ~ 4 bars to 1 ~ 2 bars. And worse, the MS may be dropped out of the network. After the MS returns to the idle state, the MS can access the network again and the received signal level will rise to 3 ~ 4 bars. The signalling message analysis shows that when the MS originates a call in Cell 1 and the BSS system immediately assigns the SDCCH, the signal levels of uplink and downlink are both -70dBm or so. In accordance with the common call procedures, the BSC should assign the TCH in Cell 1 to the MS. But the channel is busy, so the network sends a command to SDCCH to hand the MS over to a non-BCCH TRX in another cell (Cell 2). The BCCH signal strength in Cell 2 reported by the MS is -95dBm, so the received signal level drops by 25dBm The signals in Cell 2 are not strong enough, so the MS may be dropped out of the network. After the subscriber hangs up, it will select the original cell (Cell 1) again, so the signal strength indicator on the MS rises again.

3.6 Signal Fluctuation Resulting from 13M Clock Offset

In the case of an isolated BTS, when the frequency offset is greater than 7Hz, it is very difficult for the MS to reselect the original cell, so the signals will fluctuate. In the case of an isolated BTS, when the frequency offset of the13M clock is 20 ~ 30Hz, the signals of the MS will not fluctuate. Relationship of signal fluctuation to 13MHz clock Relationship of CDU coupled power output to time Power
Relationship between frequency offset and time Time (minutes) Frequency offset