LTE CS fallback options in Release 8 and 9

 Release UTRAN RRC Connection Release with Redirection without Sys

Info Release 8
 RRC Connection Release with Redirection with Sys Info Release 9
 PS handover with DRB(s) Release 8
 GSM RRC Connection Release with Redirection without Sys Info Release 8
 RRC Connection Release with Redirection with Sys Info Release 9
 Cell change order without NACC Release 8
 Cell change order with NACC Release 8
 PS handover Release 8
 cdma2000 (1xRTT) RRC Connection Release with Redirection Release 8
 enhanced 1xCSFB Release 9
 enhanced 1xCSFB with concurrent HRPD handover Release 9
 dual receiver 1xCSFB (RRC Connection Release without Release 9
Redirection)

CS Fallback to UMTS

CS Fallback to UMTS is quite often done with RRC Connection Release with
redirection info. In this case RRC Connection release
message contains the target UTRAN frequency information. Then the UE moves
to the target RAT and searches for an acceptable cell by utilizing the frequency
information within the RRC Connection Release. Once target cell is located it
starts from IDLE and obtains required system information blocks to access the
cell. This solution was recommended in 3GPP Release 8.

CS Fallback to GSM

Like CS fallback to UMTS, RRC Connection Release with redirection information

is the least-effort solution for CS fallback to GSM. In this solution, the UE RRC
Connection in the LTE system is released and the UE is redirected to the GSM
system to set up the CS service like CS fallback to UMTS. In this redirection
information, the eNodeB can indicate a target frequency. Then the UE moves to
the target RAT and searches for a suitable cell by using the frequency information
in the RRC Connection Release. Once the UE finds a suitable cell, it starts from
IDLE and acquires the necessary system information blocks to access the cell.

I have written another analysis on LTE Circuit Switched Fallback

(CSFB) Performance which provides complete picture of CSFB real world results.

Reducing CSFB Timing with RRC R9 Optimizations

While in the initial testing CSFB timing used to be between 6-8 seconds, most
Rel-8 phones can complete the CSFB procedure between 4-4.5 seconds.
Unfortunately this is still a lot in terms of signaling. To reduce this in Rel-9 there
is a simple optimization that has been done.
In the RRC Connection Release message, there is a possibility to add
UTRAN/GERAN System Information messages. In the picture above, I have only
shown UTRA System Information but a similar picture can be drawn for GERAN.

Once all the Mandatory SIB's are sent to the UE then it can immediately camp on
without the need to read any other additional system info. This will reduce the
CSFB time between 1-2 seconds.

The lesser the CSFB time, the better the Quality of end user experience.
LTE CSFB KPIs

Are there any KPIs for CSFB apart from Call set up time, HO success rate (for PS
Handover), Call set up success rate and Time to return to LTE?

Apparently the operators are still in the process of deploying CSFB and the
question of KPIs and their benchmarking is expected to come up. In my view, the
following are the key KPIs that may be considered for evaluating the CSFB
performance.

(a) Service Request delay

Time elapsed FROM the UE sending the NAS: Extended Service Request TO
receiving the RRC:MobilIty from EUTRA Command (with CSFB indicator).

(b) Redirection Delay from LTE to UTRAN

Time elapsed FROM the UE receiving the RRC:Mobility from EUTRA (in
EUTRAN) TO sending the HANDOVER COMPLETE to RNS (in UTRAN).

(c) CS call set up time (in UTRAN)

Time elapsedFROM the UE sending the HANDOVER COMPLETE TO receiving

RADIO BEARER SET UP/ sending RADIO BEARER SET UP COMPLETE
from/to RNS (excluding the alert time).

Total CSFB Call Setup time = (a) + (b) + (c)

(d) CSFB Call success rate

= (# HO COMPLETE in UTRAN) / (# NAS EXTENDED SERVICE REQUEST in

EUTRAN) x100 %
How do you ensure for the point mentioned in "d". Agreed it is a good indicator
but pegging the counters and measuring the same from two different access
network is a challenge.

Overall Call Setup Time:

(a) For PS Handover based CSFB

Service request Time for CSFB in LTE + IRAT Measurement Time in LTE + HO
Time from LTE to UTRAN + CS Call Setup Time in UTRAN

(b) For Redirection based CSFB (RRC Connection Release with Redirection)

Service Request Time for CSFB in LTE + Redirection Time from LTE to UTRAN
+ CS Call Setup Time in UTRAN

Overall CSFB Call Success Rate

(a) For PS Handover based CSFB

PS HO Success Rate (from LTE to UTRAN) x CS Call Setup Success Rate (in
UTRAN)

(b) For Redirection based CSFB (RRC Connection Release with Redirection)

Redirection Success Rate (from LTE to UTRAN) x CS Call Setup Success Rate (in
UTRAN)