Pilot Polution
Pilot Polution
Pilot Polution
Pilot Pollution
London, 28th of April 2003
Definition
A pilot pollution area is an area where an excessive number of
Practical condition:
Best server CPICH_Ec is good
And
Best server CPICH EcNo is bad
Thresholds
A single EcNo threshold is not recommended :
> >
when Ec decreases, even with a single cell and no traffic, the EcNo naturally degrades, therefore at low Ec level it is less straightforward to relate a weak EcNo to pilot pollution When the Ec level is low, the main problem is coverage, not quality
Recommended thresholds:
Best server CPICH_Ec > -100 dBm
Caution:
for unloaded network only
And
Best server CPICH EcNo < -10 dB
EcNo: theory
Formula:
Ec EcNo RSSI
In detail:
Ec: Energy_chip, received level on the CPICH RSSI: Received Signal Strength Indicator
EcNo PNoise
Ec PBS (1 F ) Ec PCPICH
EcNo degrades with Ec level EcNo degrades with overlaps. BLER degradation may occur only when 15 cells are received with the same level (lab test, field test to be performed). In the field it seems that the BLER starts degrading when EcNo < -10 dB. EcNo is almost similar for all overlap situations at lowest Ec levels, meaning that a pilot pollution area has a low impact on cell edge.
EcNo PNoise
Ec PBS (1 F ) Ec PCPICH
Traffic (P_bs)
P_bs = DL power used by the Base Station. The higher the number of users, the stronger P_bs More interferences at busy hours
Solution
How can we improve Pilot Pollution areas?
2 ways: 1) Improve the Ec level of the best server 2) Reduce the Ec level from some of the interferers Either way we need to identify and sort:
the dedicated best serving cells the interfering cells
With either scanner or trace mobile data, this can be easily done using the condition:
And
Best server CPICH EcNo < -10 dB
answered:
Were there maintenance problems? - check if all sites were transmitting properly
Is there a site planned to be on air in a near future? Is the area worth optimising? (Secondary road, hill top)
reported meaning that no missing neighbours shall remain before analysing pilot pollution
among all reported cell: 1) Which cells are the proper dedicated best servers of the area 2) Which cells are the interferers to optimise
Serving cells
The wished best serving cells are not obviously the measured
best cells:
> >
in the area, top cells may fluctuate best or 2nd best measured cell may be a remote cell that we would rather optimise
> >
keep a remote cell only if absolutely necessary (bringing useful service that closer cell could not provide)
>
Interfering cells
Basically all non best server cells are the interferers Which cells to optimise?
>
It is necessary to get the big picture of the area and identify the worst interferers
> >
Cells received with interfering levels without being best server. The following layer shall be displayed:
Optimisation actions
We shall specify which levers may be used to optimise a pilot
Change of antenna (to get a more narrow horizontal beam-width, or an electrical tilt)
Optimisation actions
Ideally the Ec level reduction on the interferer shall be such that:
> >
Do not create new pilot pollution area by reducing the Ec level where this interferer is best server
needed, but use planning tool for a full simulation of the optimisation
Summary: flow-chart
Pilot Pollution Flow Chart
Field measurement (Agilent scanner)
Tools required:
> Agilent Scanner > NATSuite (post-process) > NetAct planning tool
Note: A different process will be required with a loaded network (to be studied)
Updated thresholds
In GSM:
Frequency
In UMTS
Planning
No
Frequency Planning
All cell use the same frequency interferences depending on radio design and traffic
Expectations
In the early days, few pilot pollution areas are expected (e.g. EN in Bristol), Without load we should not drop calls due to pilot pollution
Yet feedback from areas with a higher site density of than EN Bristol will be useful
Moreover interferences will arise quickly with load and can take a few months or more to be optimised
> therefore pre-emptive actions are advised before the network gets
uncontrollable
3G Optimisation Workshop
Pilot Pollution
London, 28th of April 2003