Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Optimization of Handover Parameters for Traffic Sharing in GERAN

  • Published:
Wireless Personal Communications Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Cellular network traffic is unevenly distributed both in time and space, which greatly complicates network dimensioning. As a result, some cells in the network are permanently congested, while others are underutilized. In a previous paper, the authors showed that this problem can be effectively solved in GSM/EDGE Radio Access Networks (GERAN) by modifying handover boundaries. However, several drawbacks prevent operators from fully exploiting the potential of this technique. This paper investigates the limitations of current traffic-sharing approaches with tight frequency reuses in GERAN. To deal with such limitations, an algorithm is proposed to jointly optimize handover margins and signal-level constraints based on network statistics for traffic sharing in GERAN. A complementary algorithm is proposed to adjust cell (re)selection offsets to minimize the number of handovers. Simulation results show that the proposed method achieves a significant reduction in call blocking without excessive call quality impairment or increase of network signaling load when compared to the current approaches. More traffic can thus be handled without the need for any hardware upgrades, providing a cost-effective means to increase network capacity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

ACRO:

Adaptation of Cell Reselection Offsets

BCCH:

BroadCast CHannel

CIR:

Carrier-to-Interference Ratio

CRS:

Cell (Re)Selection

DR:

Directed Retry

EDGE:

Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution

FER:

Frame Erasure Rate

FSHMC:

Fuzzy Slow Handover Margin Control

FOSLC:

Fuzzy Optimization of Signal-Level Constraints

GERAN:

GSM/EDGE Radio Access Network

GSM:

Global System for Mobile Communications

HO:

HandOver

NMS:

Network Management System

OSLC:

Optimization of Signal Level Constraints

PBGT:

Power BudGeT

RRM:

Radio Resource Management

SHMC:

Slow Handover Margin Control

TCH:

Traffic CHannel

TRHO:

Traffic Reason HandOver

References

  1. Lempiainen, J., & Manninen, M. (2001). Radio interface system planning for GSM/GPRS/UMTS. Kluwer Academic Publishers.

  2. Halonen, T., Melero, J., & Romero, J. (2002). GSM, GPRS and EDGE performance: Evolution toward 3G/UMTS. Wiley.

  3. Laiho, J., Wacker, A., & Novosad, T. (2002). Radio network planning and optimisation for UMTS Wiley.

  4. Mishra, A. (2004). Fundamental of cellular network planning and optimisation. Wiley.

  5. Gotzner, U., Gamst, A., & Rathgeber, R. (1998). Spatial traffic distribution in cellular networks. In Proc. 48th IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference, Vol. 2, May 1998, pp. 1994–1998.

  6. Almeida, S., Queijo, J., & Correia, L. (1999). Spatial and temporal traffic distribution models for GSM. In Proc. 50th IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference, Vol. 1, May 1999, pp. 131–135.

  7. 3GPP TS 06.02, Half-rate speech; Half-rate speech processing functions; GSM-Phase2+, Release 99, 3GPP Std., Rev. 8.0.0, July 2000.

  8. Eklund B. (1986). Channel utilization and blocking probability in a cellular mobile telephone system with directed retry. IEEE Transactions on Communications 34(4): 329–337

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Karlsson J., Eklund B. (1989). A cellular mobile telephone system with load sharing—an enhancement of directed retry. IEEE Transactions on Communications 37(5): 530–535

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Wigard, J., Nielsen, T. T., Michaelsen, P. H., & Morgensen, P. (1999). On a handover algorithm in a PCS1900/GSM/DCS1800 network. In Proc. 49th IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference, Vol. 3, Jul 1999, pp. 2510–2514.

  11. Kourtis, S., & Tafazolli, R. (2000). Adaptive handover boundaries: a proposed scheme for enhanced system performance. In Proc. 51st IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference, Vol. 3, Jul 2000, pp. 2344–2349.

  12. Kojima, J., & Mizoe, K. (1984). Radio mobile communication system wherein probability of loss of calls is reduced without a surplus of base station equipment. U.S. Patent 4435840, Mar 1984.

  13. Lee, D., & Xu, C. (1997). Mechanical antenna downtilt and its impact on system design. In Proc. 47th IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference, Vol. 2, May 1997, pp. 447–451.

  14. Papaoulakis, N., Nikitopoulos, D., & Kyriazakos, S. (2003). Practical radio resource management techniques for increased mobile network performance. In 12th IST Mobile and Wireless Communications Summit, June 2003.

  15. Chandra, T., Jeanes, W., & Leung, H. (1997). Determination of optimal handover boundaries in a cellular network based on traffic distribution analysis of mobile measurement reports. In Proc. 47th IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference, Vol. 1, May 1997, pp. 305–309.

  16. Steuer, J., & Jobmann, K. (2002). The use of mobile positioning supported traffic density measurements to assist load balancing methods based on adaptive cell sizing. In Proc. 13th IEEE Int. Symp. on Personal Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, Vol. 3, Jul 2002, pp. 339–343.

  17. Wille V., Pedraza S., Toril M., Ferrer R., Escobar J. (2003). Trial results from adaptive hand-over boundary modification in GERAN. Electronics Letters 39(4): 405–407

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Toril, M., Pedraza, S., Ferrer, R., & Wille, V. (2002). Optimisation of signal-level thresholds in mobile networks. In Proc. 55th IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference, Vol. 4, May 2002, pp. 1655–1659.

  19. Mande, W. (1990). Evaluation of a proposed handover algorithm for the GSM cellular system. In Proc. 40th IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference, May 1990, pp. 264–269.

  20. “3GPP TS 45.008, radio subsystem link control,” Nov 2001.

  21. Nielsen, T. T., & Wigard, J. (2000). Performance enhancements in a frequency hopping GSM network. Kluwer Academic Publishers.

  22. Chiani, M., Agrati, E., Mezzetti, M., & Andrisano, O. (1996). Frequency and interference diversity in slow frequency hopping multiple access systems. In Proc. 7th IEEE Personal Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, Vol. 2, Oct 1996, pp. 648–652.

  23. Ross, T. (1995). Fuzzy logic with engineering applications. McGraw-Hill.

  24. Takagi M.S.T. (1985). Fuzzy identification of systems and its application to modelling and control. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, SMC 15: 116–132

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  25. Ahn B., Yoon H., Cho J. (2001). A design of macro-micro CDMA cellular overlays in the existing big urban areas. IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications 19(10): 2094–2104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Kaebling L., Littman M., Moore A. (1996). Reinforcement-learning: A survey. Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research 4: 237–285

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Communications Engineering Department, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain

    Matías Toril

  2. Performance Services, Nokia Siemens Networks, Huntingdon, UK

    Volker Wille

Authors
  1. Matías Toril
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Volker Wille
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Matías Toril.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Toril, M., Wille, V. Optimization of Handover Parameters for Traffic Sharing in GERAN. Wireless Pers Commun 47, 315–336 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11277-008-9467-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11277-008-9467-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation