Duplexer


The duplexer incorporates the receiver multicoupler system and the transmitter combiner system to a common antenna. Duplexers are especially useful in a microcell application where space is limited, costs are kept to a minimum, and the building owner or manager places limits on the number of antennas allowed in the building.

The types of duplexing that can be used in a wireless system are:

· Separate TX antenna, or no duplexing
· Single, or one antenna
· Double, or two antenna

When no duplexing is used, three separate antennas are connected, on for transmit and two for receiver. This configuration results in lower output power.

In single duplexing, one antenna is used for transmit and receive. A second receive antenna could be connected for receiver diversity. This configuration allows a single antenna to be used but also results in lower output power.


In double duplexing, two antennas are used for both TX and RX and results in the maximum possible output power.

Common Channel Configuration in LTE

Common Channel Configuration
Uplink resource blocks are required to be allocated for uplink control signaling (PUCCH). The number of RBs will be dependent on bandwidth and loading.

Downlink resources are also allocated for downlink control signaling on the PDCCH channel. This is specified as the number of OFDM symbols (Control Format Indicator).

PDCCH and PUCCH allocations will have an impact on peak data throughputs and system capacity. The PDCCH power boost feature makes it possible to adjust the power of the PDCCH to match the actual number of needed Control Channel Element (CCE) resources. Use cases include beam forming coverage extension, range extensions for small cells and general increase of the PDCCH capacity, which is useful for e.g. VoLTE applications. The maximum power increase is 6 dB.

The feature can be used in conjunction with the Enhanced PDCCH Link Adaptation feature which can provide significantly increased PDCCH capacity, as the RBS better determines the number of CCEs to utilize for UEs, independently from PDSCH.

The Enhanced PDCCH Link Adaptation feature introduces a dedicated link adaptation capability for PDCCH. This allows the eNB to control the number of CCEs to be used in PDCCH allocations to be optimized for a specific PDCCH BLER target, rather than using a fixed offset from the PDSCH link adaptation. It is expected that this will significantly increase the number of UEs that can be scheduled per TTI, as it relates to PDCCH usage. 

Cell Reference Symbol Power Configuration

The Adjustable Cell Reference Symbol (CRS) Power feature (FAJ 121 3049) was introduced in L14A. This feature enables flexible setting of the CRS power (Pa) and also enables flexible setting of the type-B resource element power (PDSCH).
The feature improved flexibility for tuning and optimization of downlink resource element power allocation and can lead to improved DL throughput, such as in high dense networks.




The feature controls two factors:
• CRS Power Boost setting (Pa) in the range +3dB to -3dB, previously this value had been fixed by system constant to +3dB.
• Type-B resource element boosting (Pb/Pa) in the range {5/4, 1, 3/4, 1/2}, previously this value had been fixed by a system constant to 1.

Troubleshooting for GSM KPIs (SD Block & SD Drop)


KPIs to be monitored:
·            SD Blocking
·            SD Drop

SDCCH Channel:
·   SDCCH channel is a dedicated channel which is using for LAC updation, Call Setup, SMS in Ideal mode. It works in UL & DL
SD Blocking:
·   SD Blocking means that you are not getting SD resource for the call origination. When MS connects with Network then RACH and AGCH are provided. After AGCH, SDCCH is provided but if SDCCH is not provided at this time due to some problem or due to unavailable of SD by BSC.
KPI Formula in Ericsson:
·            SDCCH CONGESTION = (CCONGS / CCALLS) * 100
·            CCONGS - Congestion counter.
·            CCALLS - Channel allocation attempt counter (on SDCCH).

Reason for SD Blocking:
·            LAC Boundary
·            High Volume of SMS
·            SD utilization is high
·            Time Slot faulty
·            Adaptive configuration of logical channel switch off
·            Wrong SD Dimension
·            Incorrect CHAP Settings
·            Hardware Issue
Solution for Removal of SD Blocking:
·   Check the no of SD channels available, if less, then increase SD channel while TCH Blocking should be taken care.
·   Check LAC boundary, if location update is more, then change the LAC of that site and set C2 and HYS.
·   Use of dynamic SDCCH (it is a BSC parameter)
·   Shift SD to new time slot
·   Adaptive configuration of logical channel switch ON
·   Check for T3212 value

Need to check which parameter:
1. CHAP (Channel Allocation Profile): Its Immediate Assignment Process on TCH, It    provides different channel allocation strategies,
        CHAP 0: Immediate assignment on TCH is not permitted,
        CHAP 1: Immediate assignment on TCH is last preference, where in TCH is allocated at immediate assignment only when there is no Idle SDCCH is available
CHAP2: Immediate assignment on TCH is first preference where in SDCCH may only be allocated when there are no idle TCH is available.
2. Adaptive configuration of logical channel (ACLP): The purpose of this features dynamic reconfiguration of Idle TCH Channel to SDCCH Channel, when there is SDCCH High load
S LEVEL Defines: Reconfigure of an Idle TCH to an SDCCH will take place; Default 0 Congested rate for a cell is increase S LEVEL 2
S TIME Define Minimum Time Interval between SDCCH, Can be reconfigured back to TCH, Default value 20s, Range 15s to 3600s
3. T3212: Periodic update timer value:  High volume of LAC Border can cause SD Congestion so optimize the periodic registration timer.  Irrespective of the location, coverage, activity, the mobile has to update its location to the MSC after a defined time/period.
4. CRH (Cell Reselection Hysteresis) :Receiving Signal strength hysteresis for required cell reselection over location area border, In order to overcome the Ping-Pong effects in cell reselection across location area borders, CRO and PT can also used to delay reselection in LAC Borders.(Location area code is an identity number given to the site of a base station)
SD DROP:
                When SD is assigned for a mobile during call connection process and during this time due to any problem or any mismatch occurs by which SD loss occurs, It is between allocation of SD and before TCH allocation.
KPI Formula in Ericsson:

·   SDCCH Drop Rate = (CNDROP-CNRELCONG/CMSESTAB)*100
·   CNDROP- Total number of dropped SDCCH channels in a cell (for the measurement Period).
·   CNRELCONG- Total number dropped (released) connections on SDCCH due to TCH or Tran-coder congestion.
·   CMSESTAB - Total number of successful MS channel establishment on SDCCH.

Reason for SD Drop:

·            Overshooting
·            Shift the SD time slot
·            Interference
·            It may be uplink or downlink issue in which cells foe UL put TMA in that cell and DL provide tilt
·            HW Issue
·            Wrong parameter planning
·            Bad coverage
·            MAIO mismatch
·            High Pathless
·            High LAPD utilization
·            Wrong Power control settings
·            Check the Timer T 3101
·            Check the Timer T 200(20ms)

Solution for Removal of SD Drop:

Interference:
·            Check the BCCH Plan(C/I or C/A)
·            Co-BSIC & Co- BCCH
·            To find out proper frequency to reduce interference

Overshooting:
·            LAC Planning
·            If a cell is picking call from long distance, check the sample log according to TA
·            Cell orientation need to defined according to clutter

Bad Coverage:

·            If the drop call is due to low signal strength uplink, check the receive path of this particular TRX. Check receiver sensitivity, VSWR, feeder connection and etc. Drops due to Low Signal Strength.
·            If the drop call reason is due to low signal strength downlink, then, check the transmit path. Check cards, feeder and etc.
Hardware Fault:

·            Check Alarms.
·            TRX condition.
·            Check Path Imbalance.
·            VSWR of the Cell.
·            Connector Connection.
·            Sometimes you will find issues on BCCH TRX. In this case BCCH shift from one to other TRX will reduce SD drop

Need to check Which Parameter:
Drop Reason mainly Low signal strength (UL & DL), Bad Quality (UL & DL) and Excess Timing Advance
And High Interference (Co-BCCH & Co-BSIC), Wrong Power control Settings and Too High of CRH Can result in SDCCH drops
Power control settings: Lack of good power control settings for SDCCH can lead to excess drop. Two types of power control 1.MS Power control 2.BTS Power Control
SDCCHREG: Function of this parameter Enable (1)/Disable (0), Enable the power control to minimize the drops
INIDES (Initial desires signal strength): For the SDCCH UL and DL, Default value -70dbm, especially UL impact of drop rate, because extremely sensitive to interference, for INDIES from -70 dbm to -85dbm this will reduce the cumulative power emitted by mobile closer to base station (which need not transmit at very high power to communicate with the BS) and this will reduce the interference
Due to ICM Band (CDMA):
·            Some time SD drops takes place due to near sites of CDMA.
·            Check the ICM band value of that site.

·            Use BPF (Band pass filter).