GSM/EDGE BSS, Rel.

GSM21 FP21C,
Feature Descriptions, Issue 04

Activating and Testing BSS2132:

Double BCCH Allocation List

DN9812707
Issue 4-0
Approved on 2014-07-18

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Activating and Testing BSS2132: Double BCCH Allocation List

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Activating and Testing BSS2132: Double BCCH Allocation List

Table of Contents

Summary of changes .................................................................................................................... 4

1 Double BCCH Allocation List ........................................................................................................ 5

1.1 Effect of Double BCCH Allocation List on interfaces ................................................... 6
1.2 User Interface of Double BCCH Allocation List ............................................................. 6

2 Activating and testing Double BCCH Allocation List ................................................................ 8

2.1 Testing the activation of Double BCCH Allocation List ................................................ 8

3 Deactivating and testing Double BCCH Allocation List ......................................................... 12

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Activating and Testing BSS2132: Double BCCH Allocation List

Summary of changes
Changes between document issues are cumulative. Therefore, the latest document issue
contains all changes made to previous issues.

Changes made between issues 3-0 and 4-0 (2014-07-18)

The document has been revised throughout to comply with the latest documentation
standards. The name of the document has been changed from BSS2132: Double BCCH
Allocation List to Activating and Testing BSS2132: Double BCCH Allocation List. No changes
have been made due to changes in software.

Changes made between issues 3-0 and 3–1

Overview of BSS2132: Double BCCH Allocation List

Description on Serving cell BCCH in BA list sent on SACCH is modified.

Changes made between issues 2-1 and 3-0

The document has been revised throughout to comply with the latest documentation
standards.

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Activating and Testing BSS2132: Double BCCH Allocation List

1. Double BCCH Allocation List

With Double BCCH Allocation List you can define a list of BCCH carriers to be used in cell
selection and reselection by the MS (mobile station) when in Idle State.

The list is sent to the MS (mobile station) in System Information Message type 2 on the
BCCH and the MS may store it when powering down. Now the MS does not need to search
through the whole band when powering up. If the list contains all the BCCH carriers of a
certain geographical area of a PLMN, the MS can use it to search the suitable RF channels
quickly in order to camp on a cell.

You can add, remove, and output carrier frequency numbers on the Idle State BCCH
Allocation lists with MML commands.

For a particular cell it is possible to define whether it uses one of the Idle State Lists or the
Neighbour Cell List of its own at System Information Message 2 on BCCH. If the cell is not
attached to any of the Idle State Lists, the Neighbour Cell List is used as a default list. The
frequency of the BCCH carrier of the cell itself is always added to the BCCH allocation in
System Information Message 2.

Another selection can be made concerning the list in System Information Message 5 on
SACCH. The default is the Neighbour Cell List, but if an Idle State List is attached to the cell
to be used in System Information Message 2, the same list can also be used in System
Information Message 5 on SACCH. If the frequency band of the BTS in question is the same
as the frequency band of the BCCH BTS, the BCCH frequency is removed from the Idle State
list of the System Information Message 5.

If one of the Idle State Lists is selected to be used on SACCH, it is possible that the list
contains carrier frequencies that are not the BCCH frequencies of the actual handover
neighbours. In this case, the MS measures signals on these frequencies but no handovers
are attempted towards those undefined cells.

With the commands of the Frequency List and GPRS Objects Handling command group (EB),
you can create, modify, delete, and output BCCH frequency list objects in the BSS Radio
Network Configuration database (BSDATA).

You can attach any of these lists to certain BTSs with the commands of the command group
Base Transceiver Station Handling in BSC (EQ).

Double BCCH Allocation List is an application software in the BSC.

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Activating and Testing BSS2132: Double BCCH Allocation List

Related topics
Activating and testing Double BCCH Allocation List
Deactivating and testing Double BCCH Allocation List
Overview of Radio Network Configuration Management

1.1 Effect of Double BCCH Allocation List on interfaces

Abis interface
The BTS will send on BCCH the system information message Sys_Info_2 to MS. That
message includes information of BCCH carriers to be used in cell selection and reselection
by MS when in idle state.

The BTS will send the system information message Sys_info_5 on a call-by-call basis. That
message includes information on the BCCH allocation in the neighbour cells.

1.2 User Interface of Double BCCH Allocation List

Parameters
The following parameters can be handled with with BSC MML commands or with Nokia
NetAct. With these parameters you can control Double BCCH Allocation List.

frequency
The parameter BCCH Allocation Frequency List can have a maximum of 32 frequencies.
The parameter is controlled with the EBC, EBM and EBO commands.
identification of BCCH frequency list
The parameter identifies a BCCH Allocation Frequency List in a BSC. The parameter is
controlled with the EBC, EBD, EBM, EBO and EQB commands.
type of BCCH frequency list
The parameter identifies the frequency band which is used in adjacent cells. The band is
either GSM 800, GSM 900, GSM 1800, GSM 1900 or MULTI. The parameter is controlled
with the EBC and EBO commands.
BCCH allocation usage for active MS (ACT)
The parameter defines the BCCH frequency list used by active MSS. This list is used for
handovers and sent on SACCH.
The parameter is controlled with the EQB and EQO commands.

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Activating and Testing BSS2132: Double BCCH Allocation List

identification of BCCH frequency list (IDLE)

The parameter defines the BCCH frequency list used by idle MSS. This list is used for cell
reselection and sent on BCCH.
The parameter is controlled with the EQB and EQO commands.

For more information, see BSC_BSS_Radio_Network_Parameters.

MML commands
The following BaseTransceiver Station Handling in BSC commands are used:

EQB
EQO

The following Frequency List and GPRS Objects Handling commands are used:

EBC
EBD
EBM
EBO

Counters
Undefined Adjacent Cell Measurement

The undefined adjacent cell measurement registers statistics on cells which have not been
defined as adjacent cells but which are among those six neighbouring cells that the MS
receives best. This measurement type collects one set of results for each cell. For more
information, see 13 Undefined Adjacent Cell Measurement.

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Activating and Testing BSS2132: Double BCCH Allocation List

2. Activating and testing Double BCCH Allocation List

Purpose
Double BCCH Allocation List is always active if the operator has bought it.

For deactivation instructions, see Deactivating and testing Double BCCH Allocation List.

For a description of Double BCCH Allocation List, see Double BCCH Allocation List.

2.1 Testing the activation of Double BCCH Allocation List

Purpose

Note:

Take into account the handover and power control and other radio network
parameters as well as handovers that are in use, when testing Double BCCH Allocation
List in the existing radio network environment. These issues have to be considered
very carefully when testing in a live network.

The modified values of the parameters should be returned back to the original ones
after testing.

Before you start

Make sure that the following network elements are available:

one BSC
two BTSs
one MS with field test display (includes serving and adjacent cells)

Note:

Test execution can be done without an MS with the field test display but it is not
possible to see when the lists are changed.

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Activating and Testing BSS2132: Double BCCH Allocation List

Procedure
1 Check the BCCH frequencies of the source and target cells (EEI).

ZEEI;

2 Make sure that the BCCH frequency of the serving cell (BTS A) is smaller than the
BCCH frequency of the adjacent cell (BTS B).

The MS puts in order of magnitude all those frequencies which are commanded to
listen. When the frequency of a dummy (non-existing) cell is added to the list, the order
of the frequencies is changed and the list is updated to the order of magnitude. In this
way it can be easily verified that Double BCCH Allocation List operates in the right way.

3 Verify that the frequency of the serving cell is shown on the display of the MS in idle
state.

4 Create adjacency between source and target cells (EAC).

ZEAC:BTS=<source_bts_id>::ABTS=<target_bts_id>;

5 Verify that the frequencies of the serving and adjacent cell are shown on the display
of the MS.

6 In order to make handover trigger easily, modify the following handover related
parameters (EHQ, EHN, EHA, EAM).

Modify signal quality threshold parameters

ZEHQ:BTS=<source_bts_id>:QDR=0,QDP=1,QDN=1;
Modify parameters related to adjacent cell
ZEHN:BTS=<source_bts_id>:AWS=1,NOZ=0;
Modify averaging parameters
ZEHA:BTS=<source_bts_id>:LDWS=20,LUWS=20,QDWS=20,QUWS=20;
Modify power budget margin
ZEAM:BTS=<source_bts_id>::ABTS=<target_bts_id>::PMRG=-24;

7 To make the calls always set up in BTS A (source BTS), set the target cell barred
(EQF).

ZEQF:BTS=<target_bts_id>:BAR=Y;

8 Define a cell list which includes the BCCH frequencies of serving, adjacent, and

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Activating and Testing BSS2132: Double BCCH Allocation List

dummy (non-existing) cells (EBC).

ZEBC:<identification of BCCH frequency list>,<type of BCCH

frequency list>,<frequency>;

Note:

The frequency of the dummy cell should be smaller than the frequency of the
serving cell.

Example:

ZEBC:1,900:112&118&120;

contains the following parameter values:

1 is an example of identification of BCCH frequency list

900 means the type of BCCH frequency list
112 is an example of BCCH frequency of the dummy cell
118 is an example of BCCH frequency of the serving cell
120 is an example of BCCH frequency of the adjacent cell.

9 Modify the BCCH frequency list usage parameters (EQB).

ZEQB:BTS=<source_bts_id>:IDLE=1;

10 Verify that the frequencies of the source, target, and dummy cells are shown on the
display of the MS in idle state.

11 Set up a call in the source BTS.

Only the frequency of the real adjacent cell is shown as a neighbour on the display of
the MS. Handover will be done to the adjacent cell.

12 Terminate the call.

13 Specify the BCCH frequency list of act state usage (EQB).

ZEQB:BTS=<source_bts_id>:ACT=IDLE;

14 Verify that the frequencies of the source, target, and dummy cells are shown on the
display of the MS in idle state.

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Activating and Testing BSS2132: Double BCCH Allocation List

15 Set up a call in the source BTS.

The frequencies of the serving, adjacent and dummy cell are shown as neighbours on
the display of the MS. The handover will be done to the adjacent cell.

16 Terminate the call.

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Activating and Testing BSS2132: Double BCCH Allocation List

3. Deactivating and testing Double BCCH Allocation List

Purpose
You cannot switch off Double BCCH Allocation List on the BSC level.

For activation instructions, see Activating and testing Double BCCH Allocation List.

For a description of Double BCCH Allocation List, see Double BCCH Allocation List.

Procedure
1 Modify the BCCH frequency list usage parameters (EQB).

ZEQB:BTS=<source_bts_id>:IDLE=0;

2 Verify that the frequencies of the serving cell and the real adjacent cell are shown on
the display of the MS in idle state.

3 Delete the BCCH frequency list (EBD).

ZEBD:1;

4 Delete the adjacent cell (EAD).

ZEAD:BTS=<source_bts_id>::ABTS=<target_bts_id>;

5 Verify that the frequency of the serving cell is shown on the display of the MS in idle
state.

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