Call Trace / Call Path Trace
Analyser
Performance Monitoring Tool
New Generation
Network Monitoring & Optimisation
Department
CT / CPT answers to specific engineering needs
Context
– The use of CT/CPT tools, which focuse on a Cell, aTRX or a mobile, usually occurs after
a global network and cell performance analysis (QoS and Capacity metrics computed
from BSS raw counters and used in CT7100 for example) or after alarms at the OMC-R.
Specific Cell Performance Monitoring
– Cell behaviour on specialNetwork operation event (behaviour before and after new
feature or hardware implementation, maintenance operation…)
– Specific studies using Call Trace (Trace on Specific path: train for instance)
Fast and easy detection of engineering actions
– Detailed analysis : Cell => TRX => TS for Call Path Trace treatments
– QoS and Coverage improvement for subscriber satisfaction
– No need of on-site ressources : CPT activated from OMC MMI and data can be
retrieved/analysed on the same day
Best optimization of Nortel products
– Input for BSS OA&M services, such as replacement of faulty RX or TX, coverage
improvement and so on ...
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Call Trace / Call Path Trace Features
Ó Statistical analysis, Remote optimization : treatments overview
No need of on-site measurement equipment (i.e. Protocol analyzer, drive teams)
Cell, TRX and Time-Slot granularity
Radio statistics (uplink & downlink paths) : link budget through RF Link Balance...
C/I analysis : Easy interference detection
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CT/CPT functionnalities limitations
• The maximum number of instances of the traceControl and callPathTrace
objects that the OMC-R can manage simultaneously is:
TraceControl : 20
Call Path Trace : 20
• Only one traceControl and callPathTrace object can be created per BSC.
• The OMC-R can process at any given time the traces of 10 IMSI in Call Trace
session, in radio mode, in the whole BSS network it manages.
AND
• The OMC-R can handle 3 active Call path Trace sessions simultaneously on all
the BSS it manages.
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Call Path Trace / Call Trace Architecture The files are
already stored on
the user computer
Data storage
Process
The tool analyzes Call Trace / Call Path Trace files located on a server (CT7100, SDO …) using
a configurable FTP connection or on the local PC hard disk.
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Call Path Trace / Call Trace Extraction Process
CT/CPT treatment process : overview
All the results tables and Graphs,
processed by the user, are saved by
the tool on the PC hard disk
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Call Path Trace / Call Trace FTP Configuration
Multi-Server
Configuration storage
Storage location of
results on the PC
Must point on Microsoft
Internet Explorer 4 .exe
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Call Path Trace / Call Trace Parameters Configuration
Thresholds to define, to
compute statistics on
« interfered measurements »
Minimum number of samples
to have reliable results
Select the Network type
and version
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Call Path Trace / Call Trace Menu
Cell Tiering Treatment
Call Path Trace Treatment
Call Trace Treatment
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Call Path Trace Treatments - Context
Target = Cell
Call path trace
Ó Statistical analysis, Remote optimization => Detailed Cell Radio behaviour
It traces all communications taking place on a given equipment (Cell, TRX)
Radio statistics (uplink & downlink paths) : link budget through RF link Balance ...
C/I analysis : Easy interference detection
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Call Path Trace Table results
TRX representation
Time Slot representation
Cell representation
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Call Path Trace Table results
Avg. BS RxLev (dBm) : Arithmetic average for RxLev Uplink.
% BS degraded : It is the percentage of measurements with RxLevel_Uplink greater than (>)
the RxLevel BS degraded threshold and with RxQual_Uplink greater than (>) the RxQual BS
degraded threshold (Refer to the parameters configuration).
Avg. MS RxLev (dBm) : Arithmetic average for RxLev Downlink.
% MS degraded : It is the percentage of measurements with RxLevel Downlink greater than
(>) the RxLevel MS degraded threshold and with RxQual Downlink greater than (>) the RxQual MS
degraded threshold (Refer to the parameters configuration).
Avg. TA : Arithmetic average for Timing Advance.
Max. TA : Maximum value stored for the Timing Advance.
ARFCN/HSN-MAIO : It is the absolute RF channel number of each TRX, if the output line
represents the cell, it corresponds to the BCCH ARFCN and the BSIC of the Cell.
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Call Path Trace Table results
Link Bal. Median (dBm) : It is the median of the link balance with :
RF Link Balance distribution = RxLevel_DL – RxLevel_UL ( including the power control
corrections : (∆_BS Power – ∆_MS Power) )
Note : The samples with RxLev = 0 and RxQual = 0 are not considered.
Then we compare this value with a predicted Link Budget value :
Predicted LB Value = Downlink RF path loss – Uplink RF path loss =
(BTS_MAX_PWR – Downlink_Losses) – (MS_MAX_PWR + Uplink_Gain)
Downlink_losses = Due to combiners (H2D, H4D), duplexors and cable losses. The associated
values depend on the type of BTS.
Uplink_Gain = Gain given by features like RX Diversity.
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Call Path Trace Graphs results
This distribution gives the number of
samples for a given RxQual value.
Interest : It represents the radio quality transmission of the cell (bad RxQual value
synonymous of various problems and can explain Call Drop, HO on RxQual …)
This distribution gives the number
of samples for a given value of
RxLev in the cell.
Interest : It represents the distribution of power level transmission Uplink and Downlink on
the cell.
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Call Path Trace Graphs results
This graph gives the distribution
(in percentage) of the different
RxQual values for a given
RxLev.
Interest : It can be interesting to compare these results with HO results (HO on RxQual
DL) and HO parameter settings (LRxQualDLH) (to see its reactivity).
This distribution classifies the
averaged RxQual sample values
according to the associated RxLev
value.
Interest : It permits to highlight the quality of the cell (correlated to the BER) at a given
power value (RxLev).
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Call Path Trace Graphs results
This distribution classifies the
samples according to the value of
the Timing Advance (multiple of
500 m)
Interest : It can be helpful in order to confirm some hypothesis (coverage problems,
resurgency …).
This graph gives the averaged RxLev
value according to the Timing
Advance value.
Interest : We usually expect a decrease of the uplink RxLev while the Timing Advance is
increasing (distance increase). However here, for TA = 0, we have the averaged RxLev value
which is quite low. It shows the efficiency of Uplink Power Control along TA increase
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Call Path Trace Graphs results
It provides the distribution of the
samples according to their RF Link
balance value.
This graph provides the median of
the link balance. Each
measurement takes into account
the DTX flag and is corrected in
case of power control (with a
protection against saturation).
Interest : Compared with a predicted LB value, it determines if there is a BTS hardware
problem. If the values remains the same (according to a correction factor), we can compare
it with the theoretical link budget (including sensitivity) to determine wether it is uplink or
downlink limited (cell coverage).
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Call Path Trace Graphs - C/I Data Import
During the Call Path Trace data import, choose the C/I analysis option to
launch this treatment. Then, an interference matrix appears, asking you
the type of interference generated by the neighbouring cells.
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Call Path Trace Graphs results
This graph gives the number of
samples according to their C/I
value (Carrier to Interferences).
Example : We have more than
50% of the samples that have a
C/I value higher than 20 dB
(excellent !).
Interest : It highlights the cell quality in terms of C/I (dB).
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Call Path Trace Graphs results
This graph gives the difference
of RxLev per couple of cell
(serving – neighbour).
Interest : This gives an indication of which neighbouring cell could be the interferer (look
if enough samples). The lower is the value, the greater should be the interferences
(strong overlapping).
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Call Path Trace Graphs results
Global overlap of the neighbouring
cell with the serving cell
Interest : This gives, for the serving cell, the number of times a neighbour cell has been
choosen as the first eligible cell in the measurement report list sent by the MS to the BTS,
and then has been secondly choosen and so on.
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Call Trace Treatments - Context
Target = Mobile
IMSI #
IMSI #
IMSI IMSI
T
The Mobile is moving
T1 T2
Call trace
Ó Statistical analysis, Remote optimization => Detailed radio path characteristics
A Mobile (IMSI or IMEI) is followed during all the time of the call.
Radio statistics (uplink & downlink paths) : RxLevel, RxQuality …
Usefull to characterise a specific path (bridge, train …) or to look at the Abis traces
concerning one mobile
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Call Trace Treatment - Data Import
This table permits to choose the Trace we want to analyze, and especially the Call we want
to follow ...
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Call Trace graph results
It provides the variations in the
RxLev values (in dBm) during the
call for both Uplink and Downlink,
and also for the neighbouring cell.
It gives the variations in the
RxQual values during the call for
both Uplink and Downlink.
Interest : We can follow the RxLev and RxQual values during the Call (time) ; it can
highlight some coverage or interferences problems (degraded values).
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Call Trace graph results
As precedently but for the mobile,
it gives the value of the Timing
Advance along the Call.
It gives the power transmitted by
the mobile along the call.
Interest : We can follow the MSpower and TA values along the Call (time);
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Call Trace Graph results
The HSN-MAIO shows the different
values of the couple HSN/MAIO in
case of frequency hopping or
ARFCN in case of non-hopping.
HSN : Hopping Sequence Number
It identifies a pseudo-random sequence of frequencies to be used in time. It is an integer
between 0 and 63. It is associated to a cell.
MAI : Mobile Allocation Index
This parameter is returned by the algorithm in order to define the reference frequency to be
used in the cell.
MAIO : Mobile Allocation Index Offset
This parameter is an integer between 0 and Nf-1. It is associated to the MAI to define the
exact frequency to be used by each TRX of the cell.
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Conclusion
Ó Tool Characteristics
Quality of information
– Reports and Graphics based on Nortel experience in network monitoring and optimization
Simple Access to raw information
– Raw data can be accessed either by FTP connection or on local hard drive
– Results are stored on user computer’s hard drive for multi-days performance evolution
studies
Ó Complete Integration into Nortel Process Management
CT/CPT new features introduction phased to Nortel products delivery
Ó Nortel Networks experience / know-how embedded
Analysis of specific Nortel features : call path trace, cell tiering ...
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Annexe : C/I calculation
• The global C/I computation is given by the following formula :
RxLev _ server (Ti ) −110
C 10 10
= 10 Log
I RxLev _ co − channel (Ti ) −110 RxLev _ adj − channel (T j ≠i ) −110
∑10 10
+ 0.016∑10 10
i j
• The C/I per couple of cells computation is the difference between Rxlev (serving)
and Rxlev (neighbour)
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