A mobile allocation index offset (MAIO) refers a time delay separating traffic channels.

When a GSM (Global System for Mobile

Communications) mobile phone is served by a cell that is hopping over a set of frequencies, the separate traffic channels hop over
the allocated frequencies according to a hopping sequence number (HSN). The traffic channels with the same HSN hop over the
same frequencies in the same order but are separated in time by a mobile allocation index offset (MAIO).
The smallest amount of interference on a site is achieved if it is possible to synchronize all channels on the site and separate the
channels using the MAIO.

Frequency hopping is employed in frequency division spread spectrum to hide the data channels in the noise or to avoid
interference from other users of the common spectrum. It is also employed in fading channels to improve the quality of the radio
connection. The hopping pattern must be known both by the receiver and the transmitter. This pattern is described using a
hopping sequence and identified by the HSN.

Frequency hopping is defined as continuous changing the frequency from one slot to another
Each burst is transmitted on a different frequency
Both mobile and base station follow the same hopping sequence
Base Band Hopping (BBH)
The TCUs transmit always the same frequency
Number of frequencies for hopping = Number of carriers

900 MHz. Uplink Frequency 890-915 MHZ.

Downlink Frequency 935-960 MHz

1800 MHz. Uplink Frequency 1725-1780 MHZ.

Downlink Frequency 1820-1870 MHz

124 carriers.
There are 8 channels in each carrier.
Channel separation is 200 KHz.

The Erlang is a measurement of telephone traffic equivalent to 3600 seconds of telephone use.
Grade of Service defines the quality of a telephone service in terms of a user receiving a network busy signal.
Grade of service is the blocking for the given traffic channels.

Timing advance is a solution specifically designed to counteract the problem of time alignment. It works by instructing the
misaligned MS to transmit its burst earlier or later than it normally would. In GSM, the timing advance information relates to bittimes. Thus, an MS may be instructed to do its transmission by a certain number of bit-times earlier or later related to previous
position, to reach its timeslot at the BTS in right time. Maximum 63 bit-times can be used in GSM systems. This limits GSM
normal cell size to 35km radius.

A Location Area is a number of cells (defined by the mobile operator) throughout which a GSM / UMTS mobile will be paged.

ARFCN - Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number

Within the spectrum allocated for cellular mobile communications, the radio channels are identified by ARFCN. If the system is
operating in FDD (Frequency Division Duplex) mode then the channel number is associated with both the uplink and downlink

radio channels. Within the GSM900 spectrum ARFCN 1 to 124 are used. In GSM1800, ARFCN 512 to 885 is used and in
GSM1900 ARFCN 512 to 810 is used.

Handoff / Handover
A Handoff, or Handover, is the process in which a cellular phone is handed from one cell to the next in order to maintain a radio
connection with the network. The variables that dictate a handover depend on the type of cellular system.
Handover due to (signalling) traffic reasons:
When the capacity of a cell nears its maximum, mobile stations in the periphery of the cell may be handed over to neighbouring
cell with lower traffic load.
Intra cell - Intra BSC handover
Inter cell - Intra BSC handover
Inter cell - Inter BSC handover
Inter MSC Handover

When there is an excessive delay by the MSC in assigning a handoff or when the threshold is set too small for the handoff time in
the system.

The ability to select between the instantaneous received signals from a variety of base stations is called soft handoff.
Systems that assign different radio channels during handoff is called hard handoff.

ISSUES:If you face any Rx level related issues check these following
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

EDT, MDT ant Uptilt.

Swapping
VSWR issue.
Feeder cable faulty.
Vegetation issue.
Antenna Power issue.

Basically Rx level issue deals with the hardware check it most probably we can solve
the issue.

If you face any Rx Qual related issues check these following

1. Adjacent channel interference
2. Co channel interference.
Use MCOM to find the interference.
Handover issues.
There are two types of handovers which we come through in sites.
1. Intercell HO
2. Intracell HO
INTERCELL HO:
If you face any intercell related issues check these following...
1. Non availability of TCH/SDCCH at new station.
2. Far distance between two sites.
3. TRX not supporting.
4. Quality based issue.
5. Co BCCH, BSIC.
6. Wrong HO synchronization.
7. One way neighbors.
8. Adjacency.
9. TCH congestion
10. Missing potential neighbors.
11. Creation of unwanted neighbors
12. Abis failure.
13. BTS H/W issues
Abis is an interface which connects BTS and BSC if there is any problem in that it
Results in HO failure in rare occasions. First check whether the neighbors are defined
and then carry on with this steps we can solve the issue.

Intracell HO:
If you face any Intracell Ho issues follow these steps we can solve the issues.

1. Check whether neighbor is defined.

2. CS value.
All others are same as intercell HO.
CS value is nothing but Co-site value
In A sector CS should be defined as CS= yes for B and C sector
In B sector CS should be defined as CS= yes for A and C sector
In C sector CS should be defined as CS= yes for A and B sector
FER (Frame Erasure Rate):
If you see any problem in FER you can confirm that you have some problems with
the hardware in the BTS
FER is directly proportional to Rx Qual
FER ranges from 0 to 100.

Hopping:
Hopping is nothing but call changes from BCCH to TCH.
You all would have come across configuration in sites
If it is 4 4 4 configuration it means that A sector has 4 TRX, B has 4 and C has 4.
In every sector only first TRX will be having BCCH and all other will be having TCH, for
BCCH we have separate frequency in all networks but for TCH we use
Frequency called Hopping frequency.
Only a single frequency is given to BCCHTRX but for TCH TRX all the available
frequencies are given so to avoid interference we are using MAIO.
Since MAIO is given it allows every call to start in a different frequency so that we
can avoid interference.

DATA LINK FAILURE:

If you come across any data link failure in sites it means that packets are not
sent properly. So from RF side we have to check whether any interference is there or
not.
I have also enclosed the syntax to check neighbor relation.
So while going for sites check these most probably we can solve the issues.
Any queries revert back.

SOME KEY CONCEPTS USEFUL FOR OPTIMIZATION

1.

If on a congested place we are not getting good indoor coverage but outdoor coverage is good
then we prefer to put mechanical tilts rather than electrical.

2.

If we are getting the BCCH of say sec. A in direction of sec. C of the same site then it means
sectors are swapped.

3.

If we are getting handover say in sec. A from sec. C i.e. getting both in the main lob of one, then it
means there is mutual swapping of only either DX1 or DX2 of sec. A & C.

4.

If we are getting voice cracks and bad quality in a sector then check out for interference.

5.

If not getting a good expected coverage in serving area though there is no obstruction in front of
antenna then check out that antenna is mounted properly and there should not be much slant in the
antenna.

6.

If other things are fine and still we are not getting the coverage and call drops in a particular
sector then check whether the jumpers are properly screwed on the top of CDU's in RBS.

7.

One more possibility of not getting coverage of the particular sector in front of antenna is due to
the problem in hardware (either in TRU or in antenna).

8.

If in a sector, if there is no interference and still we are getting bad quality and voice cracks, with
FER having high values tends to call drops, near to the site then there is possibility that TRU may be
faulty.

9.

If on a place you are getting signal from a distant sector even though the sector is having max.
down tilts then check whether it is serving on some water body, water helps signal to escalate up to long
distances due to reflection.
10. Always try that sector should not serve directly on a big water body.
11. If getting high TCH and SD drops in the sector then screw it down.

12. If there is a situation you are getting continuous handover failures say sec. 1A to 5B then check
3B should not have the same BSIC & BCCH as 5B, where 3B is also a neighbor of 1A.
13. If getting bad quality and interference on hopping then check out whether there is clash of the
same MAIO from the same group of sectors.
14. If a new site is not giving handovers to other sites then check out whether handovers are defined
properly and the MBCCH NO. are defined in the neighbors list of the cell.
15. If point 14 is ok and still handovers are not happening then check out that correct values of
NCCPERM are defined or not.

As a good RF engineer always try to optimize the existing network to solve the problems rather
then suggesting to put a new site or changing the frequency to reduce the interference, always
keep these as last weapon.

16. the cause of call drop could be penetration hole. you can avoid it through repeaters
17. the case of call drop could be neighbor list absent in the list
18. the hardware problem could be the cause of call drop
19. rx level is not good that could be a cause of call drop.