Descriptions of radio resource management and LTE RL70, Feature Descriptions and Instructions

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2 Deactivate the Activate nominal bitrate for non-GBR

bearers (actNbrForNonGbrBearers) LNCEL parameter.

a) Go to the Radio Network configuration page.

b) Expand the MRBTS and LNBTS objects.
c) Select the LNCEL object.
d) Set the Activate nominal bitrate for non-GBR
bearers (actNbrForNonGbrBearers) parameter value to false.

3 Send the parameters to the eNB according to the procedure described in

section Activating and deactivating LTE features using BTS Site Manager.

3.1 Variable Definitions

3.2 LTE1113: eICIC - macro

3.2.1 Description of LTE1113: eICIC - macro
Introduction to the feature
The LTE1113: eICIC macro (enhanced inter-cell interference coordination) feature is a
DL-centric inter-cell interference mitigation technique for applications in heterogeneous
networks (HetNets), where small cell eNBs are deployed on the same frequency as
neighboring macro cell eNBs. The feature enables traffic offloading from macro cell to
small cells, and interference reduction at small cells by coordinated time domain
resource usage between the macro cell and small cells.

Benefits

End-user benefits
This feature improves the throughput with the use of almost blank subframe (ABS) in the
macro - micro/pico network deployments.

Operator benefits
This feature provides advanced interference handling that will satisfy high traffic
demands throughout the HetNets.

Requirements

Hardware and software requirements

Table 7 Hardware and software requirements

System release Flexi Multiradio Flexi Multiradio Flexi Zone Micro OMS
BTS 10 BTS
RL70 LBTS7.0 LBTS7.0 LBTS7.0 -

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UE NetAct MME SAE GW

3GPP R10 UE - - -
capabilities
3GPP R11 UE
capabilities

Additional hardware requirements

This feature requires no new or additional hardware.

Functional description

Feature overview
The LTE1113: eICIC - macro feature improves the overall network performance in HetNet
scenario by traffic offloading from the macro cell to the small cells within the macro
coverage. Traffic offloading from the macro to the small cells is accelerated by modifying
the handover (HO) thresholds between the cells in the eICIC area resulting in cell range
expansion (CRE) of the small cells. The HO thresholds are set via O&M parameters and
are configured to the macro cell UEs as described in Table 8: Utilization of G2 and G3
values. Time domain resource usage is coordinated between the macro cell and the
small cells to protect the data transmission of small cell UEs experiencing heavy
interference from the macro cell.
Table 8 Utilization of G2 and G3 values
eIcicMaxG2CioMacro eIcicMaxG3CioMacro
mlbEicicOperMode = allUEs G2 CIO value configured to all G3 CIO value configured to
UEs with GBR bearers FeICIC capable UEs without
GBR bearers
mlbEicicOperMode allUEs G2 CIO value configured to
R8/R9/10 UEs without GBR
bearers (UEs with GBR
bearers are left out of the CRE;
cell default CIO value is
configured)

Figure 2: eICIC area with one macro cell and four small cells shows one eICIC area with
one macro cell eNB and four small cell eNBs, that are all using the same carrier
frequency (f1).

Figure 2 eICIC area with one macro cell and four small cells

FZM
FZM #4
X2 X2
#1 f1
X2 FZM
FZM
X2 #3
#2

eICIC
area regular cell cell range
coverage area expansion
(CRE) area

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The LTE1113: eICIC - macro feature supports the eICIC between one macro cell and
several small cells. Small cells are the outdoor micro and pico cell types with downlink
transmission powers lower than the macro cell. The small cell eNBs are autonomous
base stations like the Flexi Zone Micro (FZM) connected via X2 to the macro eNB. For
release RL70, the small cell eNB is assumed as a one-cell eNB.

g The home base station (HeNB), low power remote radio heads (RRHs) connected via
optical fiber to the macro eNB, and eICIC with eNB from other vendors (either macro or
micro) types of small cell are out of the scope of this feature.

Subframe muting
The LTE1113: eICIC - macro feature introduces the ABS in the macro cell to reduce the
inter-cell interference from the macro cells to the small cells. The ratio of ABS to non-
ABS is dynamically adapted by the macro cell based on the load condition in the eICIC
area. Currently, there is no option provided for static ABS configuration. The coordination
of ABS pattern between multiple macro cells is not considered in this feature.
The listed channels or signals are also transmitted from the macro eNB in ABS
transmission time intervals (TTIs):
cell reference signal (CRS)
positioning reference symbols (PRS), if configured
primary synchronization channel (PSS)
secondary synchronization channel (SSS)
physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH)
physical hybrid ARQ indicator channel (PHICH)
SIB1 and RAR on physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)
physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in case SIB1 or RAR is transmitted
physical broadcast channel (PBCH)

In contrast to control signaling, no user data related transmissions on PDCCH and

PDSCH are allowed in an ABS. This means that the ABS is a TTI with protected
resources on the PDSCH and PDCCH on the macro side, which is used by the small
cells in the macro cell area to schedule data primarily for the CRE UEs.

g The UE is not aware of ABS, so it will receive/transmit ABS in the same manner as a
non-ABS.
The use of ABS reduces the macro cell DL and UL resources on PDSCH and PUSCH,
respectively. The effect is either (partially) compensated or overcompensated by the
interference reduction in the small cells depending on the traffic model. In general, the
cell edge throughput should improve and a gain for the total throughput served in the
area of the macro and small cells is possible.

g The application of ABS in the macro cell without extending the cell range of the small
cells results in throughput decrease. As eICIC gain depends on the traffic load in the
eICIC area, it also depends on the traffic load in the CRE of the small cells.

Qualitative performance analysis

The LTE1113: eICIC macro feature satisfies high traffic demands throughout the
HetNet. This will be achieved in the eICIC deployment when these points are
considered:

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offered load
small cell Tx power level
small cell placement
terminal support
propagation environment

The eICIC works best at high load. The highest gain is achieved when traffic is offloaded
from a highly loaded macro cell to the small cell and the small cell resources are in full
use. A higher eICIC gain is achieved for the macro-pico deployment as compared to the
macro-micro deployment. The feature also takes into account the non-eICIC, eICIC, and
FeICIC-capable UEs. The eICIC offers moderate gain for the UEs, which are eICIC
agnostic. The gain increases for the eICIC-capable UEs and even more for the FeICIC-
capable UE with CRS interference cancellation capability. Lower gain may result from
using larger CRE values in environments with high line of sight (LOS) probability for
small cells that have offloaded many UEs.

g The non-eICIC capable UEs are also supported in the CRE area.

When configuring the feature, make sure that the maximum CRE value of the small cell
eICIC partners is not larger than the difference in downlink transmission powers between
the small cells and the macro cell eICIC partner. Otherwise, the UL transmissions in the
eICIC area will suffer a performance degradation.

Establishing the eICIC partnership

The eICIC partnership between a macro cell and a small cell is established by using
X2AP:Load Information messages. The periodic reporting of the CAC and ABS status
from eICIC partners using the radio status resource procedure is initiated if an eICIC
partnership is established. It is stopped if no eICIC partnership exists. An X2 outage or
X2 setup releases the eICIC partnership.
The macro cell uses its own CAC, including the reported CAC, and the reported ABS
status from the eICIC partners to decide the increase/decrease of the ABS for all eICIC
partner cells. The macro cell informs all eICIC partner cells via X2AP:Load Information
message about the applied ABS pattern, which is considered for the CAC calculation
and radio admission control of the macro cell and the ABS status calculation of the small
cell.

System impact

Interdependencies between features

This feature requires one of the listed features to be activated:
LTE80: GPS synchronization
LTE891: Timing over Packet with phase synchronization

g The eNB must be configured to phase synchronized mode after the activation of either
of the feature. The LTE2209: eICIC enhancements - macro feature handles the
automatic termination in case of loss of eNB synchronization.

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g It is recommended to activate the LTE1617: RLF triggered handover feature when

activating the LTE1113: eICIC macro feature to allow RRC connection re-
establishment without prepared context of small cell CRE UEs. This is useful for UEs
located in high CRE values (higher than 6dB) in the small cell eICIC partners.

This feature is not supported in combination with the listed features:

LTE116: Cell Bandwidth - 3 MHz
LTE117: Cell Bandwidth - 1.4 MHz
LTE1382: Cell resource groups
LTE819: DL Inter-cell Interference Generation

This feature affects the listed features:

LTE1800: DL interference shaping
When interference shaping is enabled, the change of muting pattern causes the
immediate update of the preferred resources.
LTE42: Support of DRX in RRC connected mode
LTE473: Extended DRX settings
LTE585: Smart DRX
If DRX is enabled together with the eICIC, the time domain scheduling weight
calculation is affected by considering only nABS in DRX active time. Also, the range
of on-duration is limited to ensure that there is non-ABS during the on-duration in the
macro cell.
LTE497: Smart admission control
Smart admission control assumes that all resources are available for the admission
of GBR bearers. The ABS reduces the amount of available resources for PDSCH
scheduling in the macro cell and is visible in the admission control by measuring the
available resources.
LTE1042: Nominal Bitrate for non-GBR bearers
The prioritization mechanism of CRE and non-CRE UEs on the small cell during ABS
should be integrated with LTE1042: Nominal Bitrate for non-GBR bearers feature
prioritization mechanism for NBR bearers.

Impact on interfaces
This feature introduces the necessary X2 signaling for Load Information and Resource
Status procedures.

Impact on network management tools

This feature has no impact on network management tools.

Impact on system performance and capacity

This feature improves the cell edge throughput and the total throughput in the area of
macro and small cells.

Management data

Alarms
There are no alarms related to this feature.

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Measurements and counters

Table 9: New counters lists counters introduced with this feature.

Table 9 New counters

Counter ID Counter name Measurement
M8011C164 Accumulated time of muting LTE Cell Resource
pattern 0 activation
M8011C112 Accumulated time of muting LTE Cell Resource
pattern 1 activation
M8011C113 Accumulated time of muting LTE Cell Resource
pattern 2 activation
M8011C114 Accumulated time of muting LTE Cell Resource
pattern 3 activation
M8011C115 Accumulated time of muting LTE Cell Resource
pattern 4 activation
M8011C116 Accumulated time of muting LTE Cell Resource
pattern 5 activation
M8011C117 Accumulated time of muting LTE Cell Resource
pattern 6 activation

Key performance indicators

There are no key performance indicators related to this feature.

Parameters
Table 10: New parameters lists parameters introduced with this feature.
Table 10 New parameters
Full name Abbreviated name Managed object
Activate enhanced inter-cell actEicic LNCEL
interference coordination
ABS adaptation beta eicicAbsAdaptationBeta LNCEL
Threshold to switch from MP0 eIcicAbsAdaptationThreshold0 LNCEL
to MP1 To1
ABS delta adjustment eIcicAbsDeltaAdjustment LNCEL
Delay timer for applying a new eIcicAbsPatChangeDelayT LNCEL
ABS pattern with smaller ABS
ratio
Maximum CIO value for CIO eIcicMaxG2CioMacro LNCEL
Group 2 in macro cell
Maximum CIO value for CIO eIcicMaxG3CioMacro LNCEL
Group 3 in macro cell
Highest allowed muting pattern eIcicMaxMutePattern LNCEL
Maximum number of allowed eIcicMaxNumPartners LNCEL
eICIC partnerships

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Table 10 New parameters (Cont.)

Full name Abbreviated name Managed object
Timer for transition to MP0 eIcicMp0DelayT LNCEL
Load measurement RRM timer multLoadMeasRrmEicic LNCEL
multiplier for eICIC
Load measurement X2 timer tLoadMeasX2Eicic LNCEL
for eICIC

Table 11: Modified parameters lists parameters modified by this feature.

Table 11 Modified parameters
Full name Abbreviated name Managed object Structure
Activation CMAS actCMAS LNBTS -
support
Activation ETWS actETWS LNBTS -
support
Activate uplink link actUlLnkAdp LNCEL -
adaptation
Method for UL power actUlpcMethod LNCEL -
control
Intra- and inter-freq. loadSettings LNCEL -
load bal. common load
settings
Cell capacity class cellCapClass LNCEL loadSettings
value
Mode for calculating mlbEicicOperMode LNCEL loadSettings
the CAC in load bal.
and eICIC
Nominal number of nomNumPrbNonGbr LNCEL loadSettings
PRBs for load
balancing
DL GBR resource targetLoadGbrDl LNCEL loadSettings
target load
DL non-GBR resource targetLoadNonGbrDl LNCEL loadSettings
target load
PDCCH target load targetLoadPdcch LNCEL loadSettings
Uplink CAC source ulCacSelection LNCEL loadSettings
selection
Static CAC for uplink ulStaticCac LNCEL loadSettings
Random access raRespWinSize LNCEL -
response window size
SI window length siWindowLen LNCEL -

Table 12: Related existing parameters lists existing parameters related to this feature.

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Table 12 Related existing parameters

Full name Abbreviated name Managed object Structure
Cell type cellType LNCEL -
DRX profile 2 drxProfile2 LNCEL -
DRX inactivity timer drxInactivityT LNCEL drxProfile2
DRX long cycle drxLongCycle LNCEL drxProfile2
DRX on duration timer drxOnDuratT LNCEL drxProfile2
DRX profile index drxProfileIndex LNCEL drxProfile2
DRX profile priority drxProfilePriority LNCEL drxProfile2
DRX retransmission drxRetransT LNCEL drxProfile2
timer
DRX profile 3 drxProfile3 LNCEL -
DRX inactivity timer drxInactivityT LNCEL drxProfile3
DRX long cycle drxLongCycle LNCEL drxProfile3
DRX on duration timer drxOnDuratT LNCEL drxProfile3
DRX profile index drxProfileIndex LNCEL drxProfile3
DRX profile priority drxProfilePriority LNCEL drxProfile3
DRX retransmission drxRetransT LNCEL drxProfile3
timer
DRX profile 5 drxProfile5 LNCEL -
DRX inactivity timer drxInactivityT LNCEL drxProfile5
DRX long cycle drxLongCycle LNCEL drxProfile5
DRX on duration timer drxOnDuratT LNCEL drxProfile5
DRX profile index drxProfileIndex LNCEL drxProfile5
DRX profile priority drxProfilePriority LNCEL drxProfile5
DRX retransmission drxRetransT LNCEL drxProfile5
timer
DRX smart profile 2 drxSmartProfile2 LNCEL -
DRX inactivity timer drxInactivityT LNCEL drxSmartProfile2
DRX long cycle drxLongCycle LNCEL drxSmartProfile2
DRX on duration timer drxOnDuratT LNCEL drxSmartProfile2
DRX profile index drxProfileIndex LNCEL drxSmartProfile2
DRX profile priority drxProfilePriority LNCEL drxSmartProfile2
DRX retransmission drxRetransT LNCEL drxSmartProfile2
timer
DRX short cycle drxShortCycle LNCEL drxSmartProfile2
DRX short cycle timer drxShortCycleT LNCEL drxSmartProfile2
Short term inactivity smartStInactFactor LNCEL drxSmartProfile2
factor for smart DRX
DRX smart profile 3 drxSmartProfile3 LNCEL -

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Table 12 Related existing parameters (Cont.)

Full name Abbreviated name Managed object Structure
DRX inactivity timer drxInactivityT LNCEL drxSmartProfile3
DRX long cycle drxLongCycle LNCEL drxSmartProfile3
DRX on duration timer drxOnDuratT LNCEL drxSmartProfile3
DRX profile index drxProfileIndex LNCEL drxSmartProfile3
DRX profile priority drxProfilePriority LNCEL drxSmartProfile3
DRX retransmission drxRetransT LNCEL drxSmartProfile3
timer
DRX short cycle drxShortCycle LNCEL drxSmartProfile3
DRX short cycle timer drxShortCycleT LNCEL drxSmartProfile3
Short term inactivity smartStInactFactor LNCEL drxSmartProfile3
factor for smart DRX
DRX smart profile 5 drxSmartProfile5 LNCEL -
DRX inactivity timer drxInactivityT LNCEL drxSmartProfile5
DRX long cycle drxLongCycle LNCEL drxSmartProfile5
DRX on duration timer drxOnDuratT LNCEL drxSmartProfile5
DRX profile index drxProfileIndex LNCEL drxSmartProfile5
DRX profile priority drxProfilePriority LNCEL drxSmartProfile5
DRX retransmission drxRetransT LNCEL drxSmartProfile5
timer
DRX short cycle drxShortCycle LNCEL drxSmartProfile5
DRX short cycle timer drxShortCycleT LNCEL drxSmartProfile5
Short term inactivity smartStInactFactor LNCEL drxSmartProfile5
factor for smart DRX

Sales information

Table 13 Sales information

BSW/ASW License control in network Activated by default
element
ASW Pool license No

3.2.2 Activating and configuring LTE1113: eICIC - macro

Before you start
The Activate enhanced inter-cell interference
coordination (actEicic) parameter is used to activate the feature. Modification of
this parameter requires object locking.

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Table 14 Parameters used for activating and configuring LTE1113: eICIC - macro
feature
Parameter Purpose Requires eNB restart or
object locking
Activate enhanced inter-cell activation flag object locking
interference coordination
(actEicic )
Cell type (cellType) mandatory configuration no
Highest allowed muting pattern mandatory configuration object locking
(eIcicMaxMutePattern)
Maximum number of allowed eICIC mandatory configuration object locking
partnerships
(eIcicMaxNumPartners)
Maximum CIO value for CIO Group mandatory configuration object locking
2 in macro cell
(eIcicMaxG2CioMacro)
Maximum CIO value for CIO Group mandatory configuration object locking
3 in macro cell
(eIcicMaxG3CioMacro)
ABS adaptation beta mandatory configuration no
(eIcicAbsAdaptationBeta)
Threshold to switch from MP0 to mandatory configuration no
MP1
(eIcicAbsAdaptationThreshold0To
1)
ABS delta adjustment mandatory configuration no
(eIcicAbsDeltaAdjustment)
Delay timer for applying a new mandatory configuration no
ABS pattern
(eIcicAbsPatChangeDelayT)
Timer for transition to MP0 mandatory configuration no
(eIcicMp0DelayT)
Load measurement RRM timer mandatory configuration object locking
multiplier for eICIC
(multLoadMeasRrmEicic)
Load measurement X2 timer for mandatory configuration object locking
eICIC (tLoadMeasX2Eicic)
Intra- and inter-freq. load bal. mandatory configuration no
common load settings
(loadSettings)

One of the listed features needs to be activated/configured before the activation of the
LTE1113: eICIC - macro feature:
LTE80: GPS synchronization
LTE891: Timing over Packet with phase synchronization

The listed features need to be deactivated before the activation of the LTE1113: eICIC -
macro feature:
LTE819: DL Inter-cell Interference Generation

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LTE116: Cell Bandwidth - 3 MHz

LTE117: Cell Bandwidth - 1.4 MHz
LTE1382: Cell resource groups

1 Follow the general procedure described in section Activating and deactivating

LTE features using BTS Site Manager.
In Step 3 (Modify the feature-specific eNB configuration settings) of the general
procedure, perform the steps described in this procedure.

2 Set the activation value.

a) Go to the Radio Network Configuration page.

b) Expand the MRBTS object.
c) Expand the LNBTS object.
d) Select the LNCEL object corresponding to the cell where the LTE1113: eICIC -
macro feature will be activated.
e) Set the Activate enhanced inter-cell interference coordination
(actEicic) parameter value to true.

g This parameter activates the feature.

3 Configure the parameters related to LTE1113: eICIC - macro.

On the selected LNCEL object, perform these configurations:
a) Set the Cell type (cellType) parameter value to large.
b) Set the Highest allowed muting pattern (eIcicMaxMutePattern)
parameter value to either mp1, mp2, mp3, mp4, mp5 or mp6.
c) Set the Maximum number of allowed eICIC
partnerships (eIcicMaxNumPartners) parameter to a value ranging from 1
to 15.
d) Set the Maximum CIO value for CIO Group 2 in macro
cell (eIcicMaxG2CioMacro) parameter value to either 4, 5, 6, 8, or 10 dB.
e) Set the Maximum CIO value for CIO Group 3 in macro
cell (eIcicMaxG3CioMacro) parameter value to either 8, 10, 12, 14, or 16
dB.

g The value of Maximum CIO value for CIO Group 3 in macro

cell (eIcicMaxG3CioMacro) parameter must be greater than or equal to the value
of Maximum CIO value for CIO Group 2 in macro
cell (eIcicMaxG2CioMacro) parameter. If the values are equal, there is no
distinction between eICIC and FeICIC capable UEs.
f) Set the ABS adaptation beta (eIcicAbsAdaptationBeta) parameter to a
value ranging from 0.1 to 10 with an increment of 0.1.
g) Set the Threshold to switch from MP0 to
MP1 (eIcicAbsAdaptationThreshold0To1) parameter to a value ranging
from 0.1 to 0.9 with an increment of 0.1.
h) Set the ABS delta adjustment (eIcicAbsDeltaAdjustment) parameter
to a value ranging from 0 to 2 with an increment of 0.1.

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i) Set the Delay timer for applying a new ABS

pattern (eIcicAbsPatChangeDelayT) parameter to a value ranging from 0
to 100 ms with increments of 10 ms.
j) Set the Timer for transition to MP0 (eIcicMp0DelayT) parameter
value to either 5, 10, 30, 60, 90 or 120 s.
k) Set the Load measurement RRM timer multiplier for
eICIC (multLoadMeasRrmEicic) parameter to a value ranging from 1 to 32.
l) Set the Load measurement X2 timer for eICIC (tLoadMeasX2Eicic)
parameter value to either 1000, 2000, 5000 or 10000 ms.
m) Set the SI window length (siWindowLen) parameter to a value greater than
or equal to 20 ms.

4 Define the Intra- and inter-freq. load bal. common load

settings (loadSettings) parameter.
On the selected LNCEL object, perform these actions:
a) If the Intra- and inter-freq. load bal. common load settings object is not
available, right-click the LNCEL object and then select New Intra- and inter-
freq. load bal. common load settings object.
b) Expand the Intra- and inter-freq. load bal. common load settings object.
c) Select Intra- and inter-freq. load bal. common load settings-1 object and
define all the parameter values within.

g The structure of
Intra- and inter-freq. load bal. common load
settings (loadSettings) parameter has default values set during the object
creation. The modification of the default values is not mandatory.

g When eICIC is enabled for the cell, it is recommended to configure values of minimum
80% for the O&M parameter PDCCH target load in order to avoid switching off the ABS
pattern due to lack of PDCCH resources.

5 Send the parameters to the eNB according to the procedure described in

section Activating and deactivating LTE features using BTS Site Manager.

Expected outcome
The LTE1113: eICIC macro feature is activated in the macro cell.

3.2.3 Deactivating LTE1113: eICIC - macro

Before you start
The Activate enhanced inter-cell interference
coordination (actEicic) parameter is used to deactivate the feature. Modification of
this parameter requires object locking.

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