Edge 4 V1-5e

EDGE Basics, Version 1.5 T.O.
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4 Evolution to GERAN

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4 Evolution to GERAN...................................................... 1
4.1 EDGE Network Architecture (1/3) .............................................3
4.2 Impact on BTS Equipment ........................................................6
4.3 Impact on Cell Size (1/5) ............................................................7
4.4 GSM / EDGE Co-Sitting............................................................12
4.5 Impact on the Transmission System......................................13
4.6 Impact on BSC Equipment ......................................................14
4.7 Impact on NSS / GPRS Core Elements...................................15
4.8 Impact on OSS Equipment ......................................................16
4.9 EDGE Terminals (1/4)...............................................................17


4.1 EDGE Network Architecture (1/3)

EDGE uses the existing GSM-GPRS infrastructure. There are no new network
elements to be added: EDGE uses the existing components although some hardware
may need modification. Most of the EDGE features however can be downloaded as
software.



BSS upgrade with EDGE provides true 3G access capabilities. This is expressed by
the term GERAN (GSM-EDGE Radio Access Network) which is similar to UTRAN
(UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) as a GERAN has a comparable
performance.
Defined interfaces will be available between GSM / EDGE systems and UMTS to
ensure the co-operation of both access network types, e.g., handover. In Phase 1
this will be at a Core network level, later on between GERAN and UTRAN.



The most significant modification is required at the BTS. New EDGE-capable TRXs
have to replace the current ones. Transmission capacity has to be checked to find
out whether it still supports the increased data rate per user. In the BSC, processing
capacity might have to be upgraded, as a higher data rate per user has to be
processed. NSS and GPRS core network elements will need new software. And,
finally, the Operation Support System (OSS) must be modified in order to manage
the new features and to collect alarms from the new TRXs. Of course, all
modifications to network elements are subject to supplier-specific procedures. We will
have a closer look at the overall changes independent of supplier.


4.2 Impact on BTS Equipment

BTSs suffer the biggest changes. Existing BTS generations do not support 8-PSK
modulation on the air interface. Existing TRXs must be replaced by EDGE-capable
TRXs according to the expected data traffic in the particular cell. All other features,
can usually be downloaded locally or by OMC:
The nine modulation and coding schemes
Link adaptation function based on air interface interference measurement and
prediction algorithms
The incremental redundancy procedure
Dynamic A-bis allocation functionality and, finally,
The EDGE-specific signaling as the means of communication between BTS
and BSC.


4.3 Impact on Cell Size (1/5)

EDGE brings with it one significant problem:

Some of the high-bit-rate MCSs only provide a low level of protection against air
interface interference.

epending on the service level a network wants to provide, the effective resulting
coverage might appear smaller than the GMSK-modulated coverage.

This smaller coverage with 8-PSK modulation is due to the 7..10 dB higher C/I ratio
needed for the same Block Error Rate, e.g., 10e-6.



Only MCS-4 and 5 provide the same coverage area as GMSK-modulated signals. In
contrast to that, MCS-1 to 3 provide a greater coverage. For MCS-7 to 9 it is less, so
additional measures have to be taken, e.g., incremental redundancy.



If IR is applied to the lower MCSs, i.e., MCS-1 - 5, the resulting coverage will be even
better than the existing GSM-GPRS coverage.



But what about the higher level MCSs? How can the coverage be made the same as
GSM coverage? Various solutions, depending on supplier-specific implementation,
can improve the performance. E.g., some of the existing TRX capacity can be used
dynamically as an additional downlink diversity transmission method. They are no
longer used in the same way as with GPRS as the user bit rate per air interface time
slot is much higher now.
An auxiliary TRX can be tuned to the same frequency as the master TRX, emitting
the same traffic on the same frequency burst with a small time delay of 1 to 1.5 bit
periods in combination with cross-polarized antennas. This can be done on a per-
timeslot basis according to the interference measurement results of the air interface.



The result is two-fold:
1. an identical coverage of high-level MCSs, i.e., MCS 6 - 9, with standard GPRS
and
2. a further increased coverage for lower-level MCSs


4.4 GSM / EDGE Co-Sitting

For older generation BTSs EDGE-capability can be added by co-site BTS equipment
housing the EDGE TRXs. Dual-mode operation is achieved, with speech traffic left to
the existing resources and data services provided by EDGE TRXs within the new
BTS. E.g., 3-sectored configuration is available with 2+2+2 GSM-TRXs and an
additional cabinet with 2+2+2 EDGE-TRXs thus providing a total of 4 TRXs per
sector. Combined synchronization, RF distribution and O and M is assured by special
cabling kits.


4.5 Impact on the Transmission System

EDGE upgrade for existing GSM systems has no impact on existing transmission
system types. BTS-BSC connections as well as BSC-TCU/MSC or BSC-SGSN
connections are mostly implemented as PDH or SDH microwave systems. As data
rates are increased to nearly ISDN B-channel capacity on the air interface the
correspondent terrestrial interfaces A-bis, A-ter and Gb have to be checked for
capacity and enhanced if necessary.
Leased lines from fixed network operators might lead to some severe cost problems
as the capacity increase needed is not easy to achieve.


4.6 Impact on BSC Equipment

For the BSC, the EDGE upgrade is minor. Installed PCUs have to be checked to see
if they are able to handle the increased traffic load per user. If needed, additional
PCUs must be installed physically. In order to support link adaptation and additional
IR processing using more careful air interface measurements and interference
predictions, more processing capacity might be needed as additional hardware.
All other EDGE features, e.g., Dynamic A-Bis Allocation, signaling or O and M
procedures can be implemented as local or remote software download.


4.7 Impact on NSS / GPRS Core Elements

EGPRS has no impact on NSS elements as they are not involved in packet-oriented
traffic handling. If new services are available with EGPRS which did not exist with
GPRS, a subscriber data base update must be performed in the HLR.
GPRS core network elements have to handle more traffic per user. This requires a
check of their processing possibilities including transmission capacity of the G-type
interfaces between them.


4.8 Impact on OSS Equipment

Existing OSSs have to be upgraded for EDGE feature support as well. New logical
objects, e.g., EDGE TRXs, EDAP and the CS / PS territory border have to be defined
and dedicated alarms have to be monitored. The optimized use of EDGE-specific
resources has to be monitored within the existing Performance Management
procedures.
And, finally, radio network, transmission and IP backbone capacity aspects have to
be defined and checked as mentioned before. If the OSS also supports customer
service creation environments, i.e., integration of any IN platform, EDGE service
definition and customization must be implemented. Normally, this requires major
software upgrades of the existing O and M platform.


4.9 EDGE Terminals (1/4)

EDGE terminals will be available as multi-band handsets for 800, 900, 1800, and
1900 MHz ranges. Of course, they must be downwardly compatible with GSM
systems including CSD and HSCSD as well as GPRS.



EDGE terminals are planned to deliver a challenging variety of services, such as:
Voice, e-mail, imaging, video, location services and web browsing, WAP, MMS, and
Java.
The average supported user data rate should be between 40 and 120 kbps at least.
And of course they will need large color displays.



As EDGE has been defined to co-exist with WCDMA it has good chances of
becoming a standard feature for all future 2G / 3G terminals.
The more bands and modes that can be supported, the greater the chance that
EDGE phones will become true world phones.



EDGE terminal classification combines GPRS capabilities with 8-PSK modulation
possibilities. From the previous sections we know that GPRS defines three classes of
terminals:
Class A, Class B and Class C, depending on whether they support simultaneous or
manually selected circuit-switched and packet-switched traffic. EDGE class 1
terminals support so-called asymmetric EDGE as they may be a class A, B or C type
but with 8-PSK downlink capability only. Class 2 shows symmetric EDGE with 8-PSK
modulation used in both directions.

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EDGE Basics, Version 1.5 T.O.

P BusinessInteractive GmbH Page 1 of 20

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