KPIs Orientation

1.SDCCH Blocking Rate

2.TCH Blocking Rate
3.Handover Success Rate
4.Call Setup Success Rate
5.Drop Call Rate

SDCCH Blocking Rate (Siemens)

This indicator will give you the SDCCH Traffic Loss Rate by meaning the rate where new SDCCH
Seizure Attempts could not be handled, because all SDCCH were occupied / blocked

NATTSDPE: Number of Attempted SDCCH Seizures in a Period

Trigger events
1.
2.
3.
4.

Receipt of a valid CHANNEL REQUIRED (BTS --> BSC) (immediate assignment procedure, SDCCH assignment request
only)
Receipt of a valid ASSIGNMENT REQUEST (MSC --> BSC) (assignment procedure, SDCCH assignment request only)
Receipt of an INTERCELL HANDOVER CONDITION INDICATION (BTS --> BSC) during the SDCCH phase (SDCCHSDCCH handover, intra-BSC)
Receipt of a HANDOVER REQUEST (MSC --> BSC) containing the channel type SDCCH (incoming SDCCH-SDCCH
handover, Inter-BSC)

ATSDCMBS: Attempted SDCCH Seizures Meeting an SDCCH Blocked State

Factors Affecting SDCCH Blocking Rate

Increase in Location Updates

LAC Boundary Cells

Wrong Timer Settings in Core/BSS

Increase in Supplementary Services

Increase in MOC/MTC
Core Network Overload cause high number of reattempts
Abis on Satellite
Faulty TRXs

Dimensioning
Tolerable Values: 0.1 to 0.5 %
Max SDCCHs per TRX: 2 in Nokia & 4 in Siemens
Dynamic Channel Configuration

TCH Blocking Rate (Nokia)

(tch_call_req -tch_norm_seiz) (msc_o_sdcch_tch + bsc_o_sdcch_tch + cell_sdcch_tch); DR calls+
tch_succ_seiz_for_dir_acc)
- (tch_rej_due_req_ch_a_if_crc ; Aif type mismatch or congestion
-(bsc_i_unsucc_a_int_circ_type ; Aif circuit pool handover failures+ msc_controlled_in_ho+
ho_unsucc_a_int_circ_type))
-------------------------------------------------------------------------(tch_call_req)
-(tch_rej_due_req_ch_a_if_crc ; Aif type mismatch or congestion
-(bsc_i_unsucc_a_int_circ_type ; Aif circuit pool handover failures+ msc_controlled_in_ho+
ho_unsucc_a_int_circ_type))

TCH Call Request is number of TCH requests for a normal assignment (both successful and
unsuccessful). Its updated When the RRM receives a TCH request in a call attempt
TCH Norm Seiz is number of successful TCH requests for a normal assignment. Its updated when the
Radio Resource Manager allocates a TCH as a response to a TCH request in a call attempt

Compensation Factor
msc_o_sdcch_tch: MSC Controlled Successful Outgoing Directed Retries
. bsc_o_sdcch_tch: BSC Controlled Successful Outgoing Directed Retries
cell_sdcch_tch: Internal Directed Retries when Super Reuse TRX/Intelligent Underlay Overlay feature is deployed

tch_succ_seiz_for_dir_acc: Number of successful TCH seizures in direct accesses toa super-reuse

TRX during the call set-up phase
tch_rej_due_req_ch_a_if_crc:
Number of rejected TCH requests due to mismatch between the requested channel type and the
A-interface circuit type, whether queuing occurred or not

bsc_i_unsucc_a_int_circ_type:
Counter is incremented when the internal inter-cell handover attempt has been interrupted because
BSC wishes to change the A-interface circuit pool before TCH allocation
ho_unsucc_a_int_circ_type:
Counter is incremented when the internal intra-cell handover attempt has been interrupted because
BSC wishes to change the A-interface circuit pool before TCH allocation
msc_controlled_in_ho:
Counter is incremented when the handover attempt has been failed due to unsuccessful TCH allocation
attempt because of the mismatch between the requested TCH channel type and A-interface circuit type.
The cause Switch circuit pool will be sent in the HANDOVER FAILURE message to
the A-interface

Factors Affecting TCH Blocking Rate

High Traffic
Faulty TRXs
Fluctuations
Neighboring sites down
Big Coverage Area Sites
1800 Propagation Losses causing underutilized 1800 band in coverage sites
Imbalance Traffic Distribution between 900/1800

Dimensioning
Tolerable value: 2%
Half Rate (Trade Off between Quality & Capacity)
Traffic Balancing between 900 & 1800 layers

Handover Success Rate (Nokia)

There are three main types of Handovers
Intra Cell Handover:

An intra-cell handover occurs when an MS is transferred from one channel to another within a cell. This
usually includes Full Rate-Half Rate & Half Rate-Full Rate Handovers.
BSC Controlled Handover:

This type of handover involves an MS being transferred from one cell to another, when both cells are being
controlled by the same BSC. This type of handover is generally controlled by the BSC. This can be both
incoming & outgoing
MSC Controlled Handover:

This type of handover involves an MS being transferred from one cell to another, when the target cell is
controlled by a different BSC to that of the source cell. This type of handover is always controlled by the
MSC. This can be both incoming & outgoing

Mentioned below is Nokias HOSR Formula:

HOSR =

HOSR =

Successful HOs
---------------------------HO Attempts

MSC Controlled Successful HOs + BSC Controlled Successful HOs + Intra Cell
Successful HOs
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------MSC Controlled HO Attempts+ BSC Controlled HO attempts + Intra Cell HO Attempts

HO are of three types in all the above categories

tch_tch_at = handover attempt from one TCH to another TCH (Normal HO)
sdcch_tch_at= handover attempt from TCH to SDCCH (Directed Retry HO)
sdcch_sdcch_at= handover attempt from one SDCCH to another SDCCH (Disabled in Our Network)

Factors Affecting Handover Success Rate

Things that affect HOSR are:
TCH Blocking:
TCH blocking can be the major reason for low HOSR. It usually affect Incoming (BSC & MSC
Controlled) & intra Cell Hanover. When a MS comes from a source cell to a destination cell
and there are no resources available in destination cell (No free TCHs) handover is failed.
Same is the case with Intra Cell HO. In case MS is trying to Handover From Half Rate to Full
Rate & there are no resources available
Handover Drops:
Handover drops represent the category of failed handover when MS is in the process of
Hanover and the call is dropped. Cause of Handover drops can be the same as normal TCH
Drops (RF Failures, Abis Failures, Transcoder Failures & A-If Failures etc.)
Neighbor & LAC Definitions:
Improper neighbor and LAC definition can be another reason for handover failures. In case of
MSC Controlled handover the LACs of MSC boundary Cells should be defined as external
LACs in the neighboring MSCs.
Wrong BCCH/BSIC Plan:
This is the most common and basic reason for handover failures
Weak Neighbors:
Handover attempts on weak neighbors also cause low HOSR due to high chances of failures.
Parameter Optimization carried out in such scenarios

Call Setup Success Rate (Siemens)

Factor-1:
Factor-2:
Factor-3:
Factor-4:
Factor-5:

ImmAssSuccRate
ImmAssAGCHSuccRate
ImmAssSeizRate
AssSuccRate
SDCCHSuccRate

Factor-1: Immediate Assignment Success Rate

Im mAssSuccRate

SUIMASCA
ATIMASCA

ATIMASCA: Attempted Immediate Assignment Procedures

SUIMASCA: Successful Immediate Assignment Procedures

Factors Affecting Immediate Assignment Success Rate

1. SDCCH Blocking
2.

TCH Blocking in case of Direct Assignment

3.

BTS Channel Activation Failures

4.

Phantom RACHs: These are channel required messages not foreseen for the
observed cell. The Immediate Assignment procedure to allocate an SDCCH/TCH
is then started, but will not be successful, because no MS will reply with a SABM
message and therefore a BTS Timer will expire. These unforeseen messages will
also be counted.

The RACH attempt for Immediate Assignment has to be evaluated by the procedures as below:
RSSI
SOVA( BSS Soft Decision Criterion )
SNR
Convolution Code
Training sequence
Additional criteria to discard Phantom RACH
CRC check
Received signal level
( Discard the RACH that the signal level < RACHBT)
MS - BTS distance check
Increase the RACHBT will cause more weak RACH to be discarded. This will cause
the increase of NINVRACH sub counter 1.

Factor-2: Immediate Assignment AGCH Success Rate

Im mAssAGCHSuccRate

NACSUCPR _ AGCH
TACCBPRO _ AGCH

TACCBPRO: Total No. of Accesses by

Procedure (AGCH)
The accesses to the AGCH are counted with transmission of an IMMEDIATE
ASSIGNMENT command (BSC --> BTS), incl. those IMMEDIATE ASSIGNMENT
commands that contain an IMMEDIATE ASSIGNMENT REJECT

NACSUCPR: Number of Accesses with a Successful

Result by Procedure (AGCH)
The successful accesses to the AGCH are determined by taking the
difference between the number of transmitted IMMEDIATE
ASSIGNMENT command messages
(BSC --> BTS) and the number of received DELETE INDICATION
messages (BTS --> BSC)

Factors Affecting Immediate Assignment AGCH Success Rate

These indicators will give you the number AGCH losses by meaning of not transmitted
Immediate Assignment Command messages over the AGCH on the Air Interface. Reason
for AGCH failures are mainly AGCH overload. This formula is related to MS point of view,
by meaning each MS related immediate assignment procedure should be stepped once.

Factor-3: Immediate Assignment Seizure Rate

Im mAssSeizRate

NSUCCHPC

SUIMASCA (TACCBPRO _ AGCH NACSUCPR _ AGCH )

NSUCCHPC: Successful Immediate Assignments of

Signalling Channels
This measurement gives the total number of successful assignments of
a signalling channel throughout the immediate assignment procedure.
Different counters distinguish between the causes for the assignment
and the kind of channel assigned: TCH/F, TCH/H or SDCCH.

Factors Affecting Immediate Assignment Seizure Rate

Phantom RACHs
L2 SABM not received due to Air Interface Problems

Factor-4: Assignment Success Rate

AssSuccRate

TASSSUCC _ F TASSSUCC _ H SINTHINT _ DR SUINBHDO _ DR

TASSATT _ F TASSATT _ H

TASSSUCC: Total Number of Successful Assignments(FR/HR)

SINTHINT: Successful Outgoing Internal Inter Cell-DR
SUINBHDO: Successful Outgoing Inter-BSC DR
TASSATT: Total Number of Assignment Attempts (FR/HR)

Factors Affecting Assignment Success Rate

No Radio Resource Available (TCH Blocking)
Unsuccessful Directed Retries
Radio Interface Message Failures
Other Causes
Sub Counters for Assignment Failures are

Factor-5: SDCCH Success Rate

SDCCHSetupSuccRate 1

NRFLSDCC
NSUCCHPC{ APSD CRSD ECSD LUSD OCSD OPSD}

NRFLSDCC: Number of Lost Radio Links while using an SDCCH

Drop Call Rate Rate (Nokia)

Drops after TCH assignment TCH Re-Assignments
DCR =--------------------------------------------------------------------- %
TCH assignments for new calls

Note:
Calls that are dropped during Handover on the old (source) channel are also pegged
as dropped calls in source cell
This formula includes the drops that occur between ASSIGNMENT_COMPLETE and
DISCONNECT commands
We are not using the Re-Assignments feature in our network.

TCH Drop Call Rate basically represents any call which is dropped possibly due to any failure. The main
reasons for these failures can be
Radio Failures
Abis Failures
Transcoder Failures
A-Interface Failures

Radio Failures
ass_fail_msg_c

ASSIGNMENT FAILURE message is received from the MS during a Basic Call.

conn_fail_c

CONNECTION FAILURE message is received from the MS

conn_fail_rad_inf_fail_c

CONNECTION FAILURE message is received from the MS and its cause is radio interface failure .

conn_fail_rad_link_fail_c

CONNECTION FAILURE message and its cause is radio link failure .

err_ind_c

Error Indication Message is received

ass_fail_c

Timer expires while waiting for the ASSIGNMENT COMPLETE message.

error_report_c

An ERROR REPORT message is received from the BTS.

timing_advance_c

Distance between the MS and the BTS has reached the maximum value allowed

ms_is_lost_c

An ASSIGNMENT COMPLETE or HANDOVER COMPLETE message has not been received

source_fail_c

Failure in the source channel.

Main

Reason for Radio Failures are

low RX Quality (Uplink/downlink),
low RX level (Uplink/downlink), Interference
(Uplink/downlink), Distance (High Timing Advance).
Any malfunctioning RF Hardware (TRXs, Combiners etc) will also cause increase in Radio Failure

ABIS Failure:
Number of TCH transaction failures due to an Abis interface failure during normal call &
during Handover on old channel
The failure reasons may include missing acknowledgement of channel activation, missing
indication of call establishment, receipt of an error indication, corrupted messages,
missing measurement results from the BTS, excessive timing advance or some internal
reasons. The fluctuations of Abis links (between BSC & BTS) can also be the main
reason for these failures.

Transcoder Failure:
Number of radio TCH transactions ended due to a transcoder failure during normal call &
during Handover on old channel. This counter is updated when
conn_fail_rem_trans_fail_c is updated which is when CONNECTION FAILURE
message is received and its cause is remote transcoder failure. The main reason for
these drops can be the fluctuation of Aters (Between BSC & Transcoder).

A-Interface Failure:
Number of TCH transaction failures due to an A interface failure normal call & during
Handover on old channel. The main reason for these failures are related to MSC which
may include SCCP connection establishment failure, erroneous & invalid BSSMAP
messages, unsupported speech coder version & TCH type, fault in the 2-Mbit PCM
connection etc.

TCH Failures Other Reasons:

BTS Failures (When a TCH transaction ends because of a TRX blocked by a BTS)
BCSU resets (When a TCH transaction ends because of a TRX blocked by a BCSU restart)
LAPD Failures (When a TCH transaction ends because of a TRX blocked by an LAPD failure
Failure due to user Actions (When the user disconnects a busy TCH by blocking the TSL/TRX
with an MML command)