Idle Mode and Common Channel Behavior

Functions

PLMN Selection

Cell Selection / Reselection

LA / RA Update

Paging

System Information
 Automatic PLMN Selection

1. Last registered PLMN If Not

Available

2. Home PLMN
If Not
Available
3. PLMN priority List from user controlled USIM
If Not
Available
4. PLMN priority List from operator controlled USIM
If Not
Available
5. Other PLMN where RSCP > -95 dBm in random order
If Not
Available
6. Other PLMN where RSCP <= -95 dBm in descending order

*In case HPLMN was not available for selection, it will be tried again in 30min. during national roaming (default)
Cell Search

P-CCPCH

(PSC + SSC + BCH)

Initiate Cell Synchronization

UE monitors Primary SCH code, detects peak in matched filter output

Slot Synchronization Determined ------>

UE monitors Secondary SCH code, detects SCG and frame start time offset
Frame Synchronization and Code Group Determined ------>
UE determines Scrambling Code by correlating all possible codes in group
Scrambling Code Determined ------>
UE monitors and decodes BCH data
BCH data, Super-frame synchronization determined ------>
UE adjusts transmit timing to match timing of BS + 1.5 Chips

Cell Synchronization complete

Cell Selection

These 2 parameters allow the carrier to reserve or limit access to the

cells in the network;

CellReserved Reserved ; Not Reserved (If

Reserved, there will be no service to UEs)

AccessClassNBarred [0-65535] (Each bit corresponds to

an Access Class)
Cell Selection
Cell selection criteria:
IF
Squal > 0
AND
Srxlev > 0

then cell selection criteria are met

CPICH Ec/No [dB] measured by UE

Sent on SIB3
Squal = Qqualmeas qQualMin
Srxlev = Qrxlevmeas qRxLevMin - Pcompesation
CPICH RSCP [dBm] measured by UE max(maxTxPowerUl - P, 0)
 Cell Reselection
Cell Reselection happens;
When the UE is camped normally has found a better neighbouring cell than the cell on which it is
camping

When the cell on which it is camping is no longer suitable

The cells to camp on are ranked based on R criteria;

R (serving) = Qmeas(s) + qHyst(s)

R (neighbour) = Qmeas(n) - qOffset(s,n)

qHyst1 CPICH RSCP qOffset1sn CPICH RSCP

qHyst2 CPICH Ec/No qOffset2sn CPICH Ec/No

QMeas can be either RSCP or Ec/No depending on the value of

parameter QualMeasQuantity. For GSM cells it always is RSCP.
For WCDMA it is Ec/No by default
Cell Reselection WCDMA

Measurement ranking ranking ranking Camp on

Quantity QHyst1 Neigbour1

1
Serving cell 1

2
Neighbour 1 1
2
Qoffset1sn
Neighbour 2
3 3

treSelection

Same idea as in GSM, serving cells are favored while neighbors are penalized
Measurements in Idle Mode

UE starts Intra-frequency measurements if :

Squal<=sIntraSearch [2 dB]

UE starts Inter-Frequency measurements if :

Squal<=sInterSearch [2 dB]

UE starts GSM measurements if :

Squal<=sRATSearch [2 dB]
And/or
Srxlev<=sHcsRat [2 dB]
Cell Reselection IRAT

treSelection (2 sec.)
IeF & IRAT Measurements in Cell_FACH mode

Measurements are controlled by 2 parameters in Cell_FACH mode;

interFreqFddMeasIndicator: TRUE or FALSE depending on presence of IeF

neighbors
TRUE UE will perform measurements and evaluate cell reselection
criteria on IeF cells
FALSE UE will not perform measurements and will not evaluate cell
reselection criteria on IeF cells

fachMeasOccaCycLenCoeff = 4 with this setting the UE will leave the

FACH channel every 16th frame to perform measurements on IeF or IRAT
neighbors
(2fachMeasOccaCycLenCoeff = 24 = 16 (IeF or IRAT) or 23=8 (IeF and IRAT) )
Mobility Management Registrations

Location / Routing Area Update

A new cell w/ different LAC/RAC

Periodic Registration
LU is controlled by T3212 sent on BCCH
RU is controlled by T3312 (CN parameter)

IMSI attach/detach
During Switch on & off
 Paging

UEs can be paged on;

Idle Mode (Type I) via PICH & PCH [S-CCPCH]

Cell_FACH Mode (Type II) via DCH
Cell_DCH Mode (Type II) via DCH

Idle Mode Paging

PCH is only decoded when PICH indicates that there is a paging for UEs paging group
DRX (Discontinuous Reception) is used to limit battery consumption in idle mode

tPICH

PICH Frame with

PI Indicator

S-CCPCH Associated
S-CCPCH frame

Master / System Information Blocks
The UE reads the system information on the BCCH when the following events occur:

UE is powered up
UE changes cell in Idle mode or in state CELL_FACH
UE is informed of a change of System Information, when the UE is in Idle mode or state
CELL_FACH
UE moves from dedicated mode to common mode
Timer expires for SIBs

Master The SIBs contain all information

Information necessary for UEs to work properly in
both Idle and Connected mode
Block
Each SIB contains different kinds of
information

System System System Each SIB has its own repetition period
Information Information Information (sibxRepPeriod)
Block 1 Block 3 Block n
The MIB has a fixed, predefined
repetition rate equal to 80 ms
Mapping of System Information onto MIB and SIBs

Contents MIB SIB1 SIB3 SIB5 SIB7 SIB11 SIB12

PLMN Identity x
Cell selection and
reselection parameters x x
Paging parameters x
Measurement
management x x
Cell and common
channel configuration x
Timers and counters in
Idle mode x
Power Control on
common channel x
Location and routing
updating X
SIB Scheduling
Information X