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AUTOMATIC DETERMINATION OF CALL SETUP TIME AND

RING TONE QUALITY IN GSM NETWORK
O. A. Ayo-Bello 1*, A. M. Aibinu 2, A. J. Onumanyi3
1
Department of Telecommunication Engineering
Federal University of Technology, Minna
Niger State, Nigeria
*[email protected], [email protected],
[email protected]

ABSTRACT
One essential Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for mobile network performance assessment is Call setup time (CST).
However, there is no standard measurement possible for this parameter, therefore the different operators can measure
it differently. In this paper, the possibility of implementing an algorithm for CST measurement using citizen sensing
techniques where individual GSM users’ can quantify CST from their cell telephone without the utilization of Drive
Test is been proposed. Consequently, examination of GSM ringing tone, call time and the sound nature of the ringing
tone is analyzed using a Labview and Matlab. The proposed procedure enables the discovery of the territories with
unacceptable estimations of Call setup time and relates these to an overview of the Quality of Service of the network.

Keywords: Call Set-up Time, Independent

Measurement, Key Performance Indicator, Mobile
Network.

1. INTRODUCTION These made external measurement of QoS status to remain

a challenge.
System execution and Quality of Service (QoS) appraisal of
a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) is a In view of this, new methods to independently measure
critical operational prerequisite for Mobile Network QoS of the MNP data are being developed. These have
Providers (MNP), as it specifically influences the income formed a recent area of research interest as it has been used
era and client happiness (Sireesha, Varadarajan, Vivek and in different reports. The Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Naresh). An MNP has a higher business sector advantage used for QoS estimation include Call Setup Time (CST),
when its QoS is better, this makes the MNPs to put Call Completion Rate (CCR), Call Drop Rate (CDR), Call
immense effort in monitoring their respective networks and Handover Success Rate (CHSR) and Standalone Dedicated
maintain broad and accurate prominence of its quality. Control Channel (SDCCH), but focus here will be on the
use of the Call Setup Time (CST) parameter for QoS
There has been a decrease in the QoS experienced by most characterization. Therefore, it is the goal of this paper to
end users due to the high demand for GSM services.
provide an overview of high-tech methods used in this
(Amaldi, Capone, and Malucelli 2008) which has resulted
regards. As part of an on-going research work, this
in monitoring the level of QoS maintained by most MNPs
assessment will provide the different methods in use, the
(Carvalho de Gouveia, Magedanz 2008). It has been the
tools being employed, including soft and hardware; their
custom of depending solely on statistics provided by the
strengths and limitations, and the future direction in this
MNPs in measuring the network QoS. Dependability and
area. In addition, an overview into the development of a
reliability of such statistics remain uncertain as the public
comprehensive system for CST measurement is introduced.
unfortunately has no access to these data except through
legal permission or some cooperation from the vendors.

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Subsequently, the rest of the paper is organized as follows: leads to instability and congestion on the links. If the
the details on the process involved in setting up a call in a preceding problem occurs during call setup, the call setup
GSM network and drive test tools used for conducting time increases (Yang, C. 2008).
drive test experiments are given in Section 2, Section 3 The CST can be obtained through traffic measurement and
describes the working principle of the proposed system for Drive Test (DT). However, based on the need for
CST measurement and conclusion is drawn in Section 4. independent measurement, we discuss the DT approach,
which guarantees independence in the next section.
2. METHODOLOGY

2.1 Drive Test

The Call Setup Time (CST) is the mean time of the
Coverage, capacity and Quality of Service (QoS) of a
establishment of a call from a subscriber. It is the average
mobile radio network can be evaluated with Drive Testing
setup time of several successful calls. A long call setup
method. It is carried out to check the coverage criteria of
time affects the user experience and perception about QoS
the cell site with the RF drive test tool. The procedure
for the MNPs. Thus, call setup time is one of the KPIs that
involves using a car containing mobile radio network air
is of greater concern for Mobile Network Providers (MNP)
interface measurement equipment that can detect and keep
as it provides a measure to control and assure the Quality of
a wide variety of the physical and virtual parameters of
Service (QoS) requirements. Hence, CST is an important
mobile cellular service in a given geographical area. Drive
key Performance Indicator (KPI) to evaluate the
test equipment typically gathers information and services
performance of a network (Carvalho de Gouveia 2000).
running on the network such as voice or data, radio
frequency scanner and GPS information to provide location
CST can be calculated from L3 messages and estimated by
logging (Amaldi et. al 2008).
drive test. For GSM network, CST is the period from
There are different types of tools to carry out a DT among
Requesting a Channel until Alerting, it is usually 7-8 s for
which are: JDSU E6474A v15.2, TEMS Investigation,
Mobile to Mobile Calls. CST is the duration from
Nemo Outdoor. However, in this research work an
Requesting RRC Connection until Alerting for WCDMA,
algorithm was developed using Matlab and LabView to
usually 6-7 s for MMC.
analyze the ring tone from mobile network providers for
Call setup time increases as a result of problem in
their call time characteristics. The result gotten will then be
hardware, transmission, coverage, or interference. A faulty
used in the CST Analyzer to predict QoS as explain in the
TRX or combiner or an incorrectly connected RF cable
next section.
makes seizing of the SDCCH or TCH difficult, and thus
resulted in call setup time been increased (Yang, C. 2008).
2.2 Proposed CST Analyzer to Predict QoS of a
Poor transmission quality, instability of transport links,
GSM Network using a Citizen Sensing Approach
insufficiency of resources, or bit errors on the Abis and A
Ringtone and CST analyzer to predict QoS of a GSM
interfaces may lead to an increase in the error rate on the
network is being proposed as part of on going research
links, which results in more message retransmissions
using a citizen sensing approach. This section only focuses
between switches. Thus, the message transfer delay
on the discussion of the proposed CST estimation algorithm
increases and congestion may occur on the links which in
severe cases causes routes to change frequently, which

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which consists of a four distinct stages as shown in Figure The sound quality analysis involve three processes namely
2. Signal Quality to Noise Ratio (SQNR) measurement,
Call tone recording software will be installed on a test Amplitude measurement and Frequency measurement.
phone for acquisition of the required ringing tone. The The analysis of the input signal consist of four distinct
software will be activated during a call dialing process and stages
when answering a call. The software works in the 1. Compression/Collapsing
background or transparently without affecting any call in 2. Flattening of near zero components
progress. The recorded data will then be stored in the phone
3. Differentiating the signal
memory for the Format converter to converts the saved file
4. Extraction of relevant parameters
into the right format and checks if it is well converted and
save it into the appropriate location. The output of the
It was discovered that most of the signals have sudden and
format converter will be fed into the Call Timer Analyzer
sporadic zero values occurring. The presence of these zero
to measure the Call Time characteristics such as Silent
values is due to high sampling frequency which in this case
mode time also known as call setup time, Intra-Burst Time
is 8000Hz per samples. These values however, affect the
Inter-Burst Time, Number of Burst and Ringing Duration
computational procedure. Hence averaging technique was
as shown in Figure 2.
used to nullify sporadic zero values occurring in the signal
Figure 2 shows the flow chart for the ringing tone
i.e. 8000 samples in a second was effectively compressed
acquisition and Figure 4 and Figure 5 shows the flow chart
to 8 samples in the same second. Using thresholding, we
for the Call timer Analyzer and Labview design of Sound
reduced the values less than 0.01 that are discovered to be
Quality Analyzer respectively.
noise to zero. The signal is then differentiated so as to
From Figure 3, the Silent Mode Time (SMT) can be
enable the effective tracking of gradients. A positive
calculated mathematically, by subtracting the time the
gradient would indicate the start of a burst and the return of
counter start from the time the counter stopped
the gradient to zero signifies the end of burst and the start
= tstop − t0 -------------------------------------------(1)
SMT
of an inter burst time.
Where t stop is the silence mode end time and t0 is the
In the Matlab command window, enter these command:
beginning of the silence mode period. Also, Intra Burst
y = gsm_voice(#, ′all′ );
Time (IntraBT) can be calculated by subtracting the time
GetParameters(y);
the first peak is detected from the time the end of a burst is
Where # = 0, 1, 2,3. These values represent each Mobile
detected
network operator. The two command gives the call
IntraBT= t2 − t1 ----------------------------------------(2)
characteristics of the mobile nework operator in question as
Where t1 and t2 is the start and end of burst respectively shown in Figure1

Inter Burst Time (InterBT) can be calculated by subtracting

the time the end of the first burst is detected from the time
the next burst started

InterBT= t2 − t0 ----------------------------------------(3)

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Figure 3: Flow chart for the ringing tone acquisition

Figure 1: command Window of Matlab

Intra-Burst Time
Inter-Burst Time
SMT

Ring Duration

Figure 2: Typical GSM ring pattern

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3. PRELIMINARY RESULTS AND

DISCUSSIONS
Start
The result gotten from the analysis is shown in Table 1. A
Initialize a call problem in hardware, transmission, coverage, or
interference may result in an increase in the call setup time
Initiate burst counter, bn and also the longer the SMT the less likely a successful call
setup.

Start Time counter, Time=t0

Table 1: Call Time characteristics for various Mobile
Network Providers.
Detect the first peak, Time= t1
Mobile Operator Call Setup No of Average Average
Time (SMT) Burst Intraburst Interbrust

Stop Time counter, Time= tstop (s) Time (s) Time (s)
Glo - MTN 5 9 1.388 1.458
Glo - Etisalat 6.625 6 1.375 3.604
Glo - A switched 3.625 1 5.375 NaN
SMT
OFF phone
Glo - Glo 121 6.25 1 25 1.25
Detect end of burst, Time= t2 Glo - Airtel 10 11 1.261 1.6
Glo - Glo 5.25 11 1.318 3.137
Glo - Busy 0.5 1 11.375 NaN
IntraBT Destination
Etisalat - MTN 5.125 9 1.375 1.5
Etisalat - Glo 9.5 7 1.5 3.25
InterBT
Etisalat - Airtel 6.375 11 1.397 1.625
Etisalat - 4.875 6 1.354 3.645
Ringing duration Etisalat

No of burst

End

Figure 4: Flow chart for the Call timer Analyzer

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Figure 5: Labview design of Sound Quality Analyzer

4. CONCLUSION
30
Call
Setup This paper provides a tutorial on the process involved in
Time
25 (SMT) measuring the Call Setup Time (CST) in a GSM network.
(s)
A practical approach to the CST analyzer to predict QoS
20 No of and citizen sensing approach have also been presented. It
Burst
should be noted that this paper forms part of an on-going
Amplitude

15 research effort geared towards developing an analyser to

predict QoS through CST measurement using citizen
Average
10 Intrabur sensing approach.
st Time
(s)
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