strategies for 2nd carrier - examples from mtn nigeria and mtn south africa _v1.0_22042012

2nd Carrier Strategies

Examples from MTN Nigeria and MTN South

Africa 22th April , 2012

MTN Ghana

Strategies for 2nd Carrier - Examples from MTN Nigeria and MTN South Africa – MTN Ghana | 2012-0422 |

Introduction

As a 2nd carrier strategy is carried out for MTN Ghana, we are reviewing strategies implemented in other networks in order not to reinvent the wheel and to learn on how 2nd carrier has been implemented in other networks.

In this report , we are going to review the 2nd carrier strategy used in MTN Nigeria and MTN South Africa.


MTN Nigeria - Strategy

R99+HSR99+HS

2G 2G2G

F2

F1R99+HS

R99+HS

The strategy used by MTN Nigeria is to have R99+HS/EUL on both carriers and to strive to distribute traffic evenly between the two carriers.

Both carriers are thus handling R99 and HS/EUL traffic.

Idle mode parameters are set in such a way to make the UEs camp on either carrier and to balance traffic on both carriers in idle mode.


MTN Nigeria – Idle Mode – Cell Selection/Reselection

UEs to camp on either F1 or F2 on Idle Mode.

R99+HSR99+HS

UEs are allowed to camp on either F1 or F2 and reselect any cell (F1, F2 or 2G).

Strive to balance traffic on idle mode by tuning idle mode parameters.

2G 2G2G

F2

F1R99+HS

R99+HS

Cell Selection/Reselection


MTN Nigeria – Idle Mode - Parameters

UEs are allowed to camp on either F1 or F2 and reselect any cell (F1, F2 or 2G).

Strive to balance traffic on idle mode by tuning idle mode parameters (qRxLevMin , qQualMin and qOffset2sn ).

Idle/FACH

F1 F2

parameter value parameter value comment

qRxLevMin -118 qRxLevMin -115Want only UE with good RSCP to

camp

qQualMin -18 qQualMin -15Want only UE with good EcNo to

camp

qualMeasQuantity 2(EcNo) qualMeasQuantity 2(EcNo)EcNo is better to measure network

quality than RSCP

qOffset1sn 0 qOffset1sn 0


sInterSearch same as F1 sInterSearch same as F1

sIntraSearch same as F1 sIntraSearch same as F1

sRatSearch same as F1 sRatSearch same as F1

qHyst2 same as F1 qHyst2 same as F1

interFreqFddMeasIndicator 1(TRUE)



R99+HSR99+HS

2G 2G 2G

F1-2G Relation

F1-F1 Relation

F2-F1 Relation

One Way Neighbor relation F2->F1 except on collocated where it is both ways .

F1

F2

One Way Neighbor relation F2->2G on a case by case basis.

MTN Nigeria – Neighbor Strategy

R99+HS

R99+HS

Gsm_Preferred

ifho_Preferred

Gsm_Preferred Gsm_Preferred


MTN Nigeria – IFHO - Parameters

Utrancell RNC

parameter value parameter value

HoType F1(gsm_Preferred), F2(ifho_Preferred) FddIfHoSupp

usedFreqThresh2dEcno F1(-13), F2(-10) IFHOAllowed

usedFreqThresh2dRscp F1(-100), F2(-95) usedFreqRelThresh2fEcNo

usedFreqRelThresh2fRscp

nonUsedFreqThresh4_2bEcno

nonUsedFreqThresh4_2bRscp

nonUsedFreqRelThresh4_2bEcno

nonUsedFreqRelThresh4_2bRscp

hyst4_2b


MTN Nigeria – Conclusion

The 2nd carrier strategy adopted by MTN Nigeria is to have R99+HS/EUL on both carriers.

Traffic is equally balanced between the two layers.

In order to achieve that, UEs are allowed to camp on either carrier and to strive to balance traffic equally between the two layers on idle mode by tuning idle mode parameters (qRxLevMin , qQualMin and qOffset2sn).


MTN South Africa - Strategy

R99+HSR99+HS

2G 2G2G

F2

F1R99

R99+HS

The strategy used by MTN South Africa is to have R99 Only on F1 and R99+HS/EUL on F2.

With this strategy, R99 traffic will stay on F1 while HS/EUL traffic is pushed to F2.

Idle mode parameters are set in such a way to make the UEs camp on F1 only.

At call initiation, R99 Users will stay on F1 while HS users will be directed to F2 through the cell Selection feature.


MTN South Africaa – Idle Mode – Cell Selection/Reselection

UEs to only camp on F1 on Idle Mode.

R99+HSR99+HS

UEs are allowed to only camp on F1 on idle mode.

UE will only reselect to any F1 or 2G cell .

All UEs camping on F1 allow a better steering of HS traffic to F2 and keep R99 traffic on F1.

2G 2G2G

F2

F1R99

R99+HS

Cell Selection/Reselection


MTN South Africa – Idle Mode - Parameters

UEs are allowed to camp on F1 only and reselect any cell (F1, F2 or 2G).

With this strategy, R99 traffic will stay on F1 while HS/EUL traffic is pushed to F2 using Cell Selection Feature.

Idle/FACH

F1 F2

parameter value parameter value comment

qRxLevMin -115 qRxLevMin -115

qQualMin -18 qQualMin -18

qualMeasQuantity 2(EcNo) qualMeasQuantity 2(EcNo)


qOffset2sn 50 qOffset2sn -50 F2->F1

sInterSearch same as F1 sInterSearch same as F1

sIntraSearch same as F1 sIntraSearch same as F1

sRatSearch same as F1 sRatSearch same as F1

qHyst2 same as F1 qHyst2 same as F1




MTN South Africa - HS/EUL settings

HS/EUL

F1 F2 RNC

parameter value comment parameter value comment parameter value comment

Hsdpa disabled Hsdpa enabled HsToDchTrigger FALSE

HsOnlyBestCell FALSE HsOnlyBestCell FALSE .poorQualityDetected -

HsPathLossThreshold 170 HsPathLossThreshold - .changeOfBestCellIntraRnc TRUE

CoverageIndicator 1 CoverageIndicator - .serHsChangeIntraRnc TRUE

EUL disabled EUL enabled

sIntraSearch - sIntraSearch -


R99+HSR99+HS

2G 2G 2G

F1-2G Relation

F1-F1 Relation

F2-F1 Relation

One Way Neighbor relation F2->F1 except on collocated where it is both ways .

F1

F2

One Way Neighbor relation F2->2G on a case by case basis.

MTN South Africa – Neighbor Strategy

R99

R99+HS

Gsm_Preferred

ifho_Preferred

Gsm_Preferred Gsm_Preferred


MTN South Africa – IFHO Parameters

Utrancell RNC

parameter value parameter value

HoType F1(gsm_Preferred), F2(ifho_Preferred) FddIfHoSupp

usedFreqThresh2dEcno F1(-13), F2(-12) IFHOAllowed

usedFreqThresh2dRscp F1(-100), F2(-110) usedFreqRelThresh2fEcNo

usedFreqRelThresh2fRscp

nonUsedFreqThresh4_2bEcno

nonUsedFreqThresh4_2bRscp

nonUsedFreqRelThresh4_2bEcno

nonUsedFreqRelThresh4_2bRscp

hyst4_2b


MTN South Africa HS Mobility - Issue (UEs moving from a Non Second Carrier site to a Second Carrier Site)

F2

F1

R99+HS

R99+HS

R99 R99+HS

Incoming HS UE

DwSw to R99

HS Selection feature

No F1->F2 relations allowedOn Non 2nd carrier sitesPreventing IFHO for HS from F1->F2

HS UE dragging the call Till the next non 2nd carrier site. HS Call may drop or survive depending on the density of F1 sites

In this strategy, a special case arises when an incoming HS user is moving from UEs moving from a Non Second Carrier site to a Second Carrier Site .

The HS UE will either Down Switch to R99 or dragg the call till the next non 2nd carrier site depending on the value of hsToDchTrigger been set to TRUE or FALSE.

HS Call may drop or survive depending on the density of F1 sites .

This is a potential issue as this will degrade the throughput .


MTN South Africa HS Mobility Issue (UEs moving from a Non Second Carrier site to a Second Carrier Site)

In order to provide smooth mobility for UEs on HS Call and avoid interruption of the Throughput when moving from a from Non Second Carrier site to Second Carrier Site,

F1->F2 relations between the 1st tier Non 2nd carrier Cells and the 2nd carrier Cell to allow IF HO from F1 to F2 while on HS.

With IF/IRAT mobility on HS activated, the threshold settings of event 2d and event 2b needs to be tuned (serviceOffset2dEcno and serviceOffset2dRscp) to avoid unnecessary compressed mode periods and also that the UE leaves HSDPA channel while still experiencing high throughput.

F2

F1

R99+HS

R99

R99+HS

R99+HS

F1->F2 relations should be Allowed between the 1st tier Non 2nd carrier Cells and the 2nd carrier Cell.

HS Selection feature

strategies for 2nd carrier - examples from mtn nigeria and mtn south africa _v1.0_22042012

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