Last updated: October 30, 2013
The test set broadcasts cell-specific information on the BCCH. This information is needed by the UE to successfully communicate with the network.
The Cell
Parameters
fall into one of four categories:
Settings that cannot be changed while in
Active Cell Operating Mode
(switch to Cell Off Operating Mode
to change these settings):
CTCH
Allocation Period (lab application only
)
CBS
Frame Offset (lab application only
)
CBS
Minimum Schedule Period (lab application
only )
Network
Mode of Operation (lab application only
)
Equipment
Identity Request (lab application only
)
AICH
Transmission Timing (lab application
only )
SCCPCH/PRACH
Configuration (lab application only)
Common HS-DSCH State (lab application
only )
Common E-DCH State (lab application only)
C-RNTI
(Hex) (lab application only )
Unexpected
Page Response (lab application only
)
BCCH Update
Page
is set to Auto
and you change these settings while your UE is camped to the test
set, the test set performs a Broadcast Channel
(BCCH) Update Procedure (SIB Contents) . If BCCH
Update Page
is set to Inhibit
(the default value) and you change these settings while your UE
is camped to the test set, you must force your UE to re-read the
BCCH to observe the change (see BCCH Update Page
for more details). If BCCH
Update Page
is set to Auto
, when you change a parameter that causes a Broadcast
Channel (BCCH) Update Procedure (SIB Contents) (which only
occurs when call status is idle), the test set updates its BCCH
information and sends a Paging Type I message to the UE telling
it to re-read the BCCH. If BCCH Update
Page
is set to Inhibit
, when you change a BCCH parameter that would normally cause a
BCCH Update procedure, the test set updates its BCCH information
but does NOT send a Paging Type I message to the UE.
If your UE does not
support the BCCH Update procedure, set this field to Inhibit
. However, note that the UE will then be unaware of the changes
to the BCCH. To force your UE to re-read the BCCH, you can do
one of the following:
You may also use this
field to reduce the amount of signalling between the test set
and UE as follows: if you need to change many BCCH parameters,
set this field to Inhibit
, change all of the parameters except one, set this field to Auto
, then change the final parameter.
That way, only one Paging Type I message is sent to the UE. See
Broadcast
Channel (BCCH) Update Procedure (SIB Contents)
GPIB command: CALL[:CELL]:BCCHannel:UPDAtepage .
This setting indicates
to the UE what type of services are supported by the test set.
When PS Domain Information
is set to Absent
, the CN
Domain System Information List sent by the test set in SIB 1 (see
3GPP TS 25.331 10.2.48.8.4) includes CN Domain System Information
for the CN Domain Identity of CS Domain only
(see 3GPP TS 25.331 10.3.1.2). When PS
Domain
is set to Present
, the CN Domain System Information List also
includes CN Domain System Information for the CN Domain Identity
of PS Domain.
Setting PS
Domain Information
to Present
allows UEs that require both of these CN Domain Identities to
camp to the test set (see Performing a Location
Update (CS Domain Registration) ). PS
Domain Information
must be set to Present
before a UE will initiate PS services with the test set.
Note, some UEs will
automatically perform a PDP Context Activation if PS
Domain Information
is set to Present
. If so, before establishing an RB
Test Mode
or AMR Voice
call, you must first select End Call
.
The test application
supports the PS Domain Information
setting even though it does not support UE-initiated PS services
(feature-licensed test applications support test set-initiated
HSPA connections in the PS domain). If the UE attempts to initiate
a PS service, the test application allows it to attach, but if
the UE attempts an Activate PDP Context Request, it is rejected
with a cause of "Feature Not Supported" (see Activate PDP Context Control ).
NOTE |
PS Domain Information
is
set to Absent
by default
in the Test Application (it is set to Present
by default in the Lab Application).
GPIB command: CALL[:CELL]:PSDomain .
This parameter
can only be set when call status is Idle
. If BCCH Update Page
is set to Auto
and you
change this setting while your UE is camped to the test set,
the test set performs a Broadcast Channel
(BCCH) Update Procedure (SIB Contents) . If BCCH
Update Page
is set to Inhibit
(the default value) and you change this setting while your
UE is camped to the test set, you must force your UE to re-read
the BCCH to observe the change (see BCCH
Update Page for more details).
GPIB command: CALL:MCCode .
This setting can only
be changed when call status is Idle
. If BCCH Update Page
is set
to Auto
and you change this
setting while your UE is camped to the test set, the test set
performs a Broadcast
Channel (BCCH) Update Procedure (SIB Contents) . If BCCH Update Page
is set to Inhibit
(the default value) and
you change this setting while your UE is camped to the test set,
you must force your UE to re-read the BCCH to observe the change
(see BCCH
Update Page for more details).
GPIB command: CALL:MNCode .
This setting can only
be changed when call status is Idle
. If BCCH Update Page
is set
to Auto
and you change this
setting while your UE is camped to the test set, the test set
performs a Broadcast
Channel (BCCH) Update Procedure (SIB Contents) . If BCCH Update Page
is set to Inhibit
(the default value) and
you change this setting while your UE is camped to the test set,
you must force your UE to re-read the BCCH to observe the change
(see BCCH
Update Page for more details).
GPIB command: CALL:LACode .
This setting can only
be changed when call status is Idle
. If BCCH Update Page
is set
to Auto
and you change this
setting while your UE is camped to the test set, the test set
performs a Broadcast
Channel (BCCH) Update Procedure (SIB Contents) . If BCCH Update Page
is set to Inhibit
(the default value) and
you change this setting while your UE is camped to the test set,
you must force your UE to re-read the BCCH to observe the change
(see BCCH
Update Page for more details).
The RAC is a fixed
length code (of 1 octet) identifying a routing area within a location
area (see 3GPP TS 23.003 4.2). The CN Domain identifier for Packet
Switching (PS) consists of the PLMN-Id, Local
Area Code (LAC) and the RAC
(see 3GPP TS 23.003 12.2).
GPIB command: CALL:RACode .
This parameter can
only be set when PS Domain Information is
set to Present
and call status
is Idle
. If BCCH
Update Page
is set to Auto
and you change this setting while your UE is camped to the test
set, the test set performs a Broadcast Channel
(BCCH) Update Procedure (SIB Contents) . If BCCH
Update Page
is set to Inhibit
(the default value) and you change this setting while your UE
is camped to the test set, you must force your UE to re-read the
BCCH to observe the change (see BCCH Update Page
for more details).
3GPP TS 25.331 10.3.2.2
defines cell identity as a 28 bit number which unambiguously identifies
a cell within a PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network). The Cell
Identity
parameter in the test set allows you to input
a decimal value between 0 and 268435455, which is then transmitted
to the UE as a 28 bit number, identifying the test set.
GPIB command: CALL[:CELL]:IDENtity .
This setting can only
be changed when call status is Idle
. If BCCH Update Page
is set
to Auto
and you change this
setting while your UE is camped to the test set, the test set
performs a Broadcast
Channel (BCCH) Update Procedure (SIB Contents) . If BCCH Update Page
is set to Inhibit
(the default value) and
you change this setting while your UE is camped to the test set,
you must force your UE to re-read the BCCH to observe the change
(see BCCH
Update Page for more details).
IMSI Attach is a core
network procedure that utilizes the Location Update procedure
(see Performing
a Location Update (CS Domain Registration) ). When ATT
(IMSI Attach) Flag State
is Set
, the test set signals the UE to perform IMSI Attach. While the
test set does not actually perform the core network IMSI Attach
procedure, signalling the UE to perform IMSI Attach causes it
to perform a Location Update every time it camps to the test set.
If the UE is IMSI Attached, in some circumstances it will request
an IMSI Detach before proceeding with other call processing operations.
If the UE sends the test set an IMSI Detach Indication while the
call status is idle, the test set simply releases the RRC Connection
and then returns to Idle.
If ATT
(IMSI Attach) Flag State
is Not
Set
, the UE will only register when it determines that
it has camped to a new cell (indicated by the Mobile
Network Code (MNC) , Mobile Country Code (MCC)
and Local
Area Code (LAC) settings).
GPIB command: CALL:ATTFlag .
This setting can only
be changed when call status is Idle
. If BCCH Update Page
is set
to Auto
and you change this
setting while your UE is camped to the test set, the test set
performs a Broadcast
Channel (BCCH) Update Procedure (SIB Contents) . If BCCH Update Page
is set to Inhibit
(the default value) and
you change this setting while your UE is camped to the test set,
you must force your UE to re-read the BCCH to observe the change
(see BCCH
Update Page for more details).
DRX (Discontinuous Reception) Cycle is defined in 3GPP TS 25.304 3.1 as "Individual time interval between monitoring Paging Occasion for a specific UE." 3GPP TS 25.331 8.6.3.1a states "The UE shall determine its idle mode paging occasions and PICH monitoring occasions for that CN domain..., based on the stored CN domain specific DRX cycle length, when using DRX in idle mode." This setting determines the length of the DRX cycle that the UE uses while in idle mode.
This parameter is useful for idle mode battery drain testing.
See Page Indicator Channel (PICH) and Repeat Paging for related information.
Note, this setting does not configure the UTRAN DRX Cycle length coefficient described in 3GPP TS 25.331 8.6.3.2.
GPIB command: CALL[:CELL]:DRX:CLENgth .
This setting can only
be changed when call status is Idle
. If BCCH Update Page
is set
to Auto
and you change this
setting while your UE is camped to the test set, the test set
performs a Broadcast
Channel (BCCH) Update Procedure (SIB Contents) . If BCCH Update Page
is set to Inhibit
(the default value) and
you change this setting while your UE is camped to the test set,
you must force your UE to re-read the BCCH to observe the change
(see BCCH
Update Page for more details).
This setting determines the DRX cycle length that the UE uses in CELL_PCH or URA_PCH RRC state.
This setting can not
be changed while the current RRC state is CELL_PCH
or URA_PCH
.
GPIB command: CALL[:CELL]:DRX:CLENgth:UTRan .
Open loop power control settings - these settings are used by the UE to determine the initial transmit power of the first PRACH preamble. See 3GPP TS 25.331 8.5.7 and Initial PRACH TX Power .
These settings can
only be changed when call status is Idle
. If BCCH Update Page
is set
to Auto
and you change these
settings while your UE is camped to the test set, the test set
performs a Broadcast
Channel (BCCH) Update Procedure (SIB Contents) . If BCCH Update Page
is set to Inhibit
(the default value) and
you change these settings while your UE is camped to the test
set, you must force your UE to re-read the BCCH to observe the
change (see BCCH
Update Page for more details).
GPIB command: CALL:PCTPower .
Primary CPICH Tx Power is a parameter transmitted to the UE on the BCCH by the test set. It is not the actual transmit power level of the test set's CPICH.
In an actual W-CDMA system, the base station measures the interference present in its cell and then reports this value to the UE. In the test set, you must set this value manually.
GPIB command: CALL:UINTerferenc .
The Constant Value allows you to specify an offset in the power level of the UE's initial PRACH transmission.
GPIB command: CALL:CVALue .
While connected to a cell, the UE maintains a CFN (Connection Frame Number) counter which is based upon the cell's SFN (System Frame Number). According to 3GPP TS 25.331 8.5.15.2, for FDD: CFN = (SFN - (DOFF div 38400)) mod 256).
When the UE is handed off to a new cell while in the CELL_DCH state, it can be ordered to maintain its CFN counter (continue to increase CFN by 1 every frame) or to re-initialize it based on the SFN of the target cell (the UE must read the BCCH of the target cell to do so). The UE is ordered to maintain or re-initialize its CFN counter by the Timing Indication information element sent in the message that initiates the handover (Timing Indication is also called cfnHandling, see 3GPP TS 25.331 s10.3.6.18, 10.3.6.24, 10.2.22, 10.2.33, and 10.2.50).
If Timing Indication is set to Initialise, the UE must read the BCCH of the target cell and re-initialize its CFN counter (this is called a "Timing Re-Initialised Hard Handover," see 3GPP TS 25.331 8.3.5.1). If Timing Indication is set to Maintain, the UE maintains its CFN counter (this is called a "Timing Maintained Hard Handover," see 3GPP TS 25.331 8.3.5.2).
From the test set, you may specify whether the UE should initialise or maintain its CFN counter for several events associated with handing off to a new cell. Note that the UE does not actually hand off to a new cell for any of these events, it is still being served by the test set. Thus, whether the UE initialises or maintains its CFN counter, its CFN counter always simply increments by 1 each frame because it is always determined by the test set's SFN. (Note that in the test set, DOFF is never greater than 2560, see Current DPCH Offset . Thus, DOFF div 38400 is 0, and CFN = SFN mod 256.) When the UE initializes its CFN, it reads the test set's BCCH to determine the SFN. When the UE maintains it CFN, it does not read the test set's BCCH. The resulting CFN is the same either way.
Note that according to 3GPP 25.331 v5.17.0 s8.6.6.28, timing re-initialized reconfigurations are intended to be exclusively used for hard handovers (i.e. where the UE changes UARFCNs and/or all Primary Scrambling Codes for all links in the active set as part of the reconfiguration, see 3GPP TS 25.331 v5.17.0 s8.6.6.3a). 25.331 states that the UE's behavior is undefined if the network sets the Timing Indication IE to Initialise on a non-hard handover (i.e. where the UARFCNs and one or more Primary Scrambling Codes remain unchanged as part of the reconfiguration).
You can specify whether Timing Indication is set to Maintain or Initialise for several events using the following settings:
You can specify whether the Timing Indication information element sent in the RB Setup message is set to Maintain or Initialise. See RB setup Timing Indication (CFN Handling): above for more details.
The most common
usage scenario includes a Timing Indication of Maintain in
the RB Setup message, wherein the UE is instructed to use
the timing from the same cell it used for its RRC Connection.
A Timing Indication of Initialise would indicate to the UE
that it is being moved between cells between the RRC Connection
and RB Setup stages of call establishment. Since 25.331 states
that a timing re-initialised non-hard handover is undefined,
if you establish a call with RB
Setup Timing Indication (CFN Handling)
set to Initialise
, the call attempt
may fail or be rejected by the UE.
GPIB command: CALL[:CELL]:RBSetup:CFNHandling .
Note that setting Timing Indication to Initialise for any of these messages may cause an increase in the time it takes to complete any associated procedures (such as making a call or performing a hard handover).
This setting determines the value of the Default DPCH Offset information element (3GPP TS 25.331 s10.3.6.16). The Default DPCH Offset information element is signalled to the UE in the RRC Connection Setup and RB Setup messages. Default DPCH Offset can be used to change the DPCH Frame Offset (tauDPCH ) to 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 x 512 chips during call establishment. See Current DPCH Offset for more information.
GPIB command: CALL:DPCHannel:DOFFset
This parameter can
only be set when call status is Idle
. To change the DPCH Frame Offset while on a connection, see Transport
Channel Reconfiguration .
This setting is only applicable to the lab application.
The CTCH Allocation period specifies the frames within a 4096 system frame cycle that is allocated to the CTCH. This parameter, along with the CBS Frame Offset determine which TTI intervals in the FACH to be utilized by the CTCH. The the range for this parameter is 1 to 4096 minus the CBS Frame Offset. Additionally, this setting must be greater than the CBS Frame Offset.
GPIB command: CALL[:CELL[1]]:CTCHannel:APERiod
This parameter can
only be set when operating mode is Cell
Off
.
This setting is only applicable to the lab application.
The CTCH Frame offset indicates which frame within the system frame to begin the CTCH allocation. This parameter, along with the CTCH Frame offset determine which TTI intervals in the FACH to be utilized by the CTCH. The setting range for this parameter is 0 to one less than the CTCH Allocation Period.
GPIB command: CALL[:CELL[1]]:CTCHannel:FOFFset
This parameter can
only be set when operating mode is Cell
Off
.
This setting is only applicable to the lab application.
This setting controls the Cell Broadcast minimum schedule period (number of CTCH block sets) that is reserved for schedule message. The total number of CTCH block sets reserved for schedule message is the max number of actual CTCH block sets occupied by schedule message.
GPIB command: CALL[:CELL]:CTCHannel:MSPeriod
This parameter can
only be set when Operating Mode
is Cell Off
.
A UMTS network can operate in either Network Mode I or Mode II. In Mode I the MSC (Mobile Switching Centre) and the SGSN (Serving GPRS Support Node) are connected together. In Mode II these two network elements are not inter-connected. The primary consequence of Mode I is that UEs are allowed to perform combined GPRS Attach & IMSI Attach procedures and combined Location Update & Routing Area Update procedures. A combined procedure is a single over-the-air procedure that the network treats as if two separate procedures have occurred. For instance a UE that does a Combined GPRS Attach is treated by the network as having done both a GMM GPRS Attach and a MM IMSI Attach. For a combined procedure to work the SGSN network node (which tracks GPRS Attached status) must have a link to its associated MSC (which tracks IMSI Attach status). Then when the SGSN receives a Combined GPRS Attach message it can inform the MSC that the UE has also done an IMSI Attach. In Mode II the MSC and SGSN are not inter-connected so the UE is forced into doing separate GPRS Attach and IMSI Attach procedures and separate Routing Area Update and Location Area Update procedures. In Mode I the UE is not required by the standards to use the combined procedures, although it is likely to do so. For a UE to initiate a combined procedure it must have both of the separate procedures outstanding.
In the test set, Mode
I allows the UE to perform a Combined Attach (a GPRS Attach with
Attach Type set to Combined Attach in the Attach Request message)
to register in both the PS and CS Domains simultaneously. During
a Combined Attach, the Data Connection State
transitions as follows: Idle-Setup-Attaching-Idle. Upon completion
of the Combined Attach, MM Status is IMSI Attached
and GMM
State is Attached
. Note,
PS
Domain Information must be set to Present
for the UE to perform a Combined Attach. If PS
Domain Information
is set to Absent
and Network Mode of Operation
is set to 1
when the UE registers,
the UE simply performs an IMSI Attach.
In Mode II, the UE must perform separate GPRS Attach and IMSI Attach procedures to register in both the PS and CS Domains. During this process, the Call Connection State transitions as follows: Idle-Setup-Registering-Releasing-Idle, then the Data Connection State transitions as follows: Idle-Setup-Attaching-Idle (often several seconds later).
Note that in Mode I it is likely that only IMSI will be reported by the UE (and not IMEI); whereas in Mode II it is likely that both IMSI and IMEI will be reported by the UE. This is because in response to a registration attempt from the UE (Location Update Request or GPRS Attach Request) the test set sends a single Identity Request, which requests the UE's IMSI unless the UE already included its IMSI in its Location Update Request or GPRS Attach Request. Only if the UE already included its IMSI will the test set request the UE's IMEI in the Identity Request message. Thus, in Mode II when the UE performs a Location Update Request (which usually includes its IMSI), the test set requests the UE's IMEI with its Identity Request. In Mode I, the UE usually sends a P-TMSI in its Attach Request, so the test set requests the IMSI with its Identity Request instead of the IMEI.
GPIB command: CALL[:CELL]:NMOPeration
This setting can only
be changed when call status is Idle
. If BCCH Update Page
is set
to Auto
and you change this
setting while your UE is camped to the test set, the test set
performs a Broadcast
Channel (BCCH) Update Procedure (SIB Contents) . If BCCH Update Page
is set to Inhibit
(the default value) and
you change this setting while your UE is camped to the test set,
you must force your UE to re-read the BCCH to observe the change
(see BCCH
Update Page for more details).
This parameter can be set to any of the following:
This setting applies to the following procedures: Location update, GPRS attach, Routing area update, CS paging response, PS paging response, and CS/PS Service request.
GPIB Command: CALL[:CELL]:EIDentity:REQuest]
This setting controls the acquisition indicator channel's transmission timing in SIB5. This determines the timing of the uplink PRACH preamble-to-preamble and preamble-to-message part:
Therefore there are 2 slots difference between the uplink PRACH and AICH burst when the AICH transmission timing is 1.
GPIB Command: CALL:AICHannel:TRANsmission:TIMing
This setting determines the configuration of the SCCPCH and PRACH channels:
GPIB Command: CALL:CCPChannel:SECondary:CONFigure
This setting determines the state of HS-DSCH CELL_FACH. If it is set to On, the test set sends HS-DSCH Common System Information IE in SIB5 and SIB5bits.
If it is set to On, the enhanced RRC Connection Setup procedure is used whenever RRC connection setup procedure is initiated, regardless of the establishment cause, service type and the UE capability.
If it is set to On, you can initiate a PS data connection to CELL_FACH from IDLE using HS-DSCH if Initial PS Data RRC State is set to CELL_FACH,and also can initiate a PS data connection transition to HS-DSCH CELL_FACH state from CELL_DCH.
GPIB Command: CALL[:CELL]:CHSDschannel:STATe
This setting determines the state of Common E-DCH.
It cannot be switched on when Common HS-DSCH State is Off.
If this setting is set to On, the test set sends Common E-DCH system Info IE in SIB5 and SIB5bits. And the enhanced random access procedure is initiated if UE requests a common E-DCH resource, regardless of the establishment cause and service type.
This setting cannot be changed while the Cell Operating Mode is Active Cell.
GPIB Command: CALL[:CELL]:CEDChannel:STATe.
The cell RNTI (C-RNTI) identifies a UE having a RRC connection within a cell. C-RNTI is one of the parameters used by UE to calculate FACH measurement occasions according to the equation in 3GPP TS 25.331.
GPIB Command: CALL[:CELL]:CRNTi
You can configure the test set to respond or to ignore some unexpected page response messages from the UE.
Ignore
(default value) is selected, the test set will ignore such
messages as these messages typically indicate some fault in
the UE, for example when the UE is unable to respond to a
paging message before the test set times out.Respond
is selected, the test
set permits the acceptance and subsequent processing of Page
Response bursts when there is no outstanding connection pending
on a page response. For example, when performing the LTE CS
fallback tests, the test set is not aware that the UE is paged
by another RAT, so you should set the Unexpected
Page Response
to Respond
so that the test set can respond appropriately.GPIB Command: CALL[:CELL]:DCHannel:UPRach
This setting is only applicable to the lab application.
This setting controls the number of paging indicators per frame broadcasted on BCCH.
This setting can not
be changed in Active Cell
Operating Mode or the Call/Data Status
is not Idle
.
GPIB Command: CALL:PAGing:INDicator:NUMBer
This setting is only applicable to the lab application.
This setting controls
whether the Network Feature Support IE is included in the GPRS
Attach Accept message and Routing Area Update Accept message.
If it is set to Capable
,
the Network Feature Support IE is included, and bit 2 of the IE
is set to "1" indicating the network supports IMS voice
over PS session in Iu mode, not in A/Gb mode.
This setting can not
be changed in Active Cell
Operating Mode or the Call/Data Status
is not Idle
.
GPIB Command: CALL:SERVice:GPRS:IMS:VOPS:INDicator
Manual Operation: How Do I Change Cell Parameters?