Enhanced AMR Coverage

&
Enhanced HOSR
(Repeated Downlink FACCH & Re-establishement)

Hyderabad
Enhanced AMR Coverage :-

Enhanced AMR Coverage increases the robustness of the SACCH signaling

channel in order to avoid dropped calls in areas with poor coverage or high
interference. The feature provides the repeated SACCH function
standardized for 3GPP Rel-6. Repeated SACCH means that the same message is
sent twice over the SACCH. Significantly improved receiver performance in
the terminal and the BTS is achieved by combining the two identical
messages. This new transmission method for SACCH is valid for both up and
downlink.

The enhanced robustness of SACCH signaling is especially valuable when

using full rate AMR, since it matches the traffic channel robustness. A
reduction in the drop call rate is expected for all speech codec's, however is
should be greater for FR AMR Simulations made during the standardization
process indicate a SACCH robustness improvement in the range of ~5 dB. For
calls using full rate AMR this corresponds to a cell coverage increase of up
to 70%. Similar gains are expected in interference handling.

ENHANVED AMR COVERAGE & E. HOSR | Sundar T | 2013-05-10 | Page 2

Enhanced HOSR (Repeated Downlink FACCH & Re-establishement) :-

Enhanced HOSR Feature aims to enhance the Handover procedure and

reduce the number of lost calls.
The Feature consists of 2 parts:

1. Repeated Downlink FACCH

Repeated Downlink FACCH sends the Layer 3 messages in pairs. The MS then
have two opportunities to decode the Layer 3 message instead of just one,
which may improve the Handover Success Rate and the Assignment
Success Rate. Usually when sending a Layer 3 downlink FACCH message the
message is repeated until it is decoded. When Repeated Downlink FACCH is
used the repetitions of a Layer 3 downlink FACCH message are sent in pairs
with a time distance of 40ms within the pair.
2. Re-establishment of Layer 2
Re-establishment of Layer 2 is triggered if the Layer 2 signaling is lost in
the originating cell and applies to all MS. If a Handover Command or
Assignment Command is sent to the MS and there is no response from the
MS an Error Indication is received in the BSC. Usually the call is
disconnected when the Error Indication is received, but when Re-
establishment of Layer 2 is activated the system tries to re-establish the
call on the originating channel again.

ENHANVED AMR COVERAGE & E. HOSR | Sundar T | 2013-05-10 | Page 3

 Enhanced Handover Success Rate:-

The feature Enhanced Handover Success Rate is activated per

BSC. The feature consists of two functional parts:

Repeated Downlink FACCH

Re-establishment of Layer 2

Repeated Downlink FACCH and Re-establishment of Layer 2 can be

activated independently. To assist Enhanced Handover Success Rate an
improved FACCH decoder in the BTS was introduced in 06B, this decoder
contributes to enhancing the feature.
The feature improves all networks to some extent, but shows
the largest improvement on networks with high spectrum utilization or
low signal strengths. MSs capable of soft combining (i.e. 3GPP Release 6
MSs) benefit the most from this feature. There is no impact on legacy MSs.
There are no drawbacks with using this feature regardless of the
network configuration. If the MS faces a bad radio environment and a
Layer 3 downlink FACCH message (Reference [5]) is sent to the MS, the MS
may have difficulties to decode the message. This feature is used to
increase the probability that the MS successfully decodes the message
by sending the repeated messages in pairs. If the MS still has not been
able to decode the message despite the repetitions and the message is a
Handover Command or Assignment Command, the BSS tries to re-establish
the Layer 2 signaling in the originating cell in order to maintain the call.

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Enhanced HOSR Parameter:-

Axe Commands:-
DBTSC:TAB=AXEPARS, SETNAME=CME20BSCF, NAME=ENHOSUCCRATE, value=1;

The Parameter are MSC Timers must be bigger than the sum T8
(BSS(BSSMAP))+T_EST GUARD+T_REESTABLISH+T_REESTGUARD in order not to time out while
Enhanced Handover Success Rate is used.

BSC Commands:-

RFEHI Initiate Enhanced Handover Success Rate.

RFEHE End Enhanced Handover Success Rate.
RFEHP Print the status of Enhanced Handover Success Rate.
REEST Activate/deactivate Re-establish of Layer 2.
REPFACCH Activate/deactivate Repeated downlink FACCH.

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Enhanced AMR COVERAGE Feature Parameter:-

Axe Commands:-
DBTSC:TAB=AXEPARS, SETNAME=CME20BSCF, NAME=ENHAMRCOV, value=1;

The threshold values introduced by Enhanced AMR Coverage are SACCHDLTHR

and SACCHULTHR used are below

BSC Commands:-

RFEAI Initiate Enhanced AMR Coverage in the BSC.

RFEAE Deactivate Enhanced AMR Coverage in the BSC.
RFEAC Change Enhanced AMR Coverage threshold values for UL and
DL respectively.

SACCHULTHR to set the uplink threshold.

SACCHDLTHR to set the downlink threshold.

RFEAP Print the status of Enhanced AMR Coverage.

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ENHANCED AMR COVERAGE Activation on BSC
/ CELL LEVEL
Enhanced AMR Coverage Activation Enhanced AMR Coverage Activation on a Cell
on BSC Level Level

To determine if IRC is active on the Switch on Enhanced AMR Coverage on a

cell level via RFEAI command i.e.
BSC use RFEAP;
ENHANCED AMR SIGNALING DATA
DBTSP:TAB=AXEPARS,NAME=ENHAMRCOV; ENHAMRSIGN SACCHDLTHR
The VALUE parameter will be 1 if SACCHULTHR
ENHAMRCOV is active. INACTIVE 8 8
END
If ENHAMRCOV is not active, set
ENHAMRCOV to ON in AXEPARS RFEAI;
RFEAI;
Exchange Properties table using EXECUTED
the following commands
RFEAP;
SYPAC:ACCESS=ENABLED, PSW=*****; ENHANCED AMR SIGNALING DATA
(Password required for Feature ENHAMRSIGN SACCHDLTHR
activation) SACCHULTHR
DBTRI; ACTIVE 8 8
DBTSC:TAB=AXEPARS, END
SETNAME=CME20BSCF, Enhanced AMR Coverage De-activation on a
NAME=ENHAMRCOV, VALUE=1; Cell Level
DBTRE:COM; Use RFEAE to switch off Enhanced AMR
SYPAC:ACCESS=DISABLED; Coverage in the BSC
DBTSP:TAB=AXEPARS,
NAME=ENHAMRCOV; The values of SACCHDLTHR and SACCHULTHR can
be altered using the RFEAC command
To deactivate Enhanced AMR
Coverage on the BSC, follow the same
process above but set VALUE=0 in the
DBTSC command
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Enhanced AMR Coverage & HOSR

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CONCLUSION

Enhanced AMR & HOSR implemented on 7-May-13, shows good results

reduced TCH Drop Rate.
TCH drop >1.5% got approx. 5% improvement.

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