Long Term Evolution (4G-LTE)

Cell Reselection, Redirection and

Handover (2G/3G/4G)

Idle Mode Procedure (Reselection)

Reselection and its trigger conditions
Reselection procedure is triggered by UE when UE is in idle mode and finds the neighbor and serving
cell received signal power/quality levels are satisfying the below conditions.
1. Neighbor cell is of high priority and received signal power/quality level is better than
thresholdHigh limit or
2. Neighbor cell is of lower priority and serving received signal power/quality level is below the
thresholdLow limit and the neighbor received signal power/quality is above the thresholdLow and
3. More than 1 second has elapsed since the UE camped on the current serving cell.

Cell properties like ThresholdLow, ThresholdHigh and Cell Priority values are obtained from
the below System Information Blocks

LTE SIB-3

LTE SIB-4

(for Intra LTE)

LTE SIB-5

(for Inter LTE)

LTE SIB-6

(for UMTS)

LTE SIB-7

(for GSM)

LTE SIB-8

(for CDMA)

WCDMA SIB19

(for LTE)

GSM SI2quater

(for 3G/LTE)

Lower the value of priority in SIB, lower is cell priority.

Cell Selection/Reselection Criteria

For cell camp

Srxlev> 0 AND Squal> 0

In case of reselection from a lower priority cell to higher priority cell the below condition should hold good
for atleast the t-reselection timer
If threshServingLowQ is provided in SIB3, then
Squal > ThresxHighQ (FDD) or SrxlevTarget > ThresxHigh (TDD/GERAN/CDMA)
else
SrxlevTarget > ThresxHigh
In case of reselection from a high priority cell to lower priority cell the below condition should hold good for
atleast the t-reselection timer
If threshServingLowQ is provided in SIB3, then
SqualServing < ThresxServingLowQ &
SqualTarget > ThresxLowQ (FDD) or SrxlevTarget > ThresxLow (TDD/GERAN/CDMA)
else
SrxlevServing < ThresServingLow
SrxlevTarget > ThresxLow

So when will UE start measuring the neighbor cells?

1. UE will always measure all the high priority cells (Inter & Intra RAT).
2. UE will start measuring Intra Freq low priority cells if serving cell satisfies the below condition
SrxlevServing < sIntraSearch(SIB3)
3. UE will start measuring Inter Freq and Inter RAT low priority cells if serving cell satisfies the below
condition
SrxlevServing < sNonIntraSearch(SIB3)

Where
Srxlev= Qrxlevmeas(Qrxlevmin+ Qrxlevminoffset) Pcompensation
Squal= Qqualmeas(Qqualmin+ Qqualminoffset)

Srxlev
Squal
Qrxlevmeas
Qqualmeas
Qrxlevmin
Qqualmin
Qrxlevminoffset

Qqualminoffset

Cell selection RX level value (dB)

Cell selection quality value (dB)
Measured cell RX level value (RSRP)
Measured cell quality value (RSRQ)
Minimum required RX level in the cell (dBm), obtained in SIB1
Minimum required quality level in the cell (dB), obtained in SIB1
Offset to the signalled Qrxlevmintaken into account in the Srxlevevaluation as a
result of a periodic search for a higher priority PLMN while camped normally in a
VPLMN,obtained in SIB1
Offset to the signalled Qqualmintaken into account in the Squalevaluation as a

Pcompensation
PEMAX_H
PPowerClass

result of a periodic search for a higher priority PLMN while camped normally in a
VPLMN,obtained in SIB1
max(PEMAX_HPPowerClass, 0) (dB)
Maximum TX power level an UE may use when transmitting on the uplink in the
cell (dBm) defined as PEMAX_H in [TS 36.101],obtained in SIB1
Maximum RF output power of the UE (dBm) according to the UE power class as
defined in [TS 36.101]

Connected Mode Procedure

(Redirection & Handover)
Connected mode procedures are driven by eNB. eNB uses the measurement reports sent from UE to
decide if redirection/handover is required.

When does UE get chance to measure neighbor cells?

eNB configures UE with specific measurement gap. During this time, UE can stop monitoring PDCCH
channel and start measuring neighbor cells. Measurement Gap duration is fixed to 6msec. Measurement
gap config has a periodicity of either 40ms (gp0) or 80ms (gp1) and gapoffset value. Measurement gap
will start from the SFN and sub-frame which satisfies the below condition
SFN mod T = FLOOR(gapOffset/10);
subframe = gapOffset mod 10;
with T = MGRP/10; MGRP = 40 for gp0 and 80 for gp1
Measurement gap configuration is received through RRC reconfiguration message. UE can also use the
DRX cycles if configured for measurements.

Which Neighbor cells to measure?

Through RRC reconfiguration messages, UE will receive a measurement object, which contains the
neighbor cells information and event condition to report.
Below are the lists of events reported by UE to eNB

A1
A2
A3
A4
A5
A6
B1
B2

Serving becomes better than threshold

Serving becomes worse than threshold
Neighbor becomes offset better than serving cell + extra margin
Neighbor becomes better than threshold
Serving becomes worse than threshold1 AND neighbor becomes better than
threshold2
Neighbour becomes offset better than SCell
Inter RAT neighbor becomes better than threshold
Serving becomes worse than threshold1 AND inter RAT neighbor becomes better
than threshold2

Why different procedures - Redirection & Handover?

In Handover procedure, target cell allocates all the required radio resources (Radio bearers and
dedicated PRACH resource) upfront for the UE to move seamlessly. Target Cell radio resource

information is provided to UE by serving cell in RRC reconfiguration message. UE stays in connected

mode during this procedure.
In Redirection procedure, target cell will not be allocating any radio resources upfront. So UE
has to release the radio connection (in serving cell) and use the target cell info provided in
the RRC Reconfiguration (if any, else UE needs to do full scan) to camp and further request
for the radio resources in target cells. UE goes to idle mode in serving cell and once it moves
to target cell, UE moves to connected mode through RRC connection request.

Conversion between RSRP<->RSCP<->RSSI/

ECNO<->RSRQ
4G->2G/3G

RSRP

The reporting range of RSRP is defined from -140 dBm to -44 dBm with 1 dB
resolution.
Reported value
RSRP_00
RSRP_01
RSRP_02

RSRP_95
RSRP_96
RSRP_97

Measured quantity value

RSRP < -140
-140 < RSRP < -139
-139 < RSRP < -138

-46 < RSRP < -45

-45 < RSRP < -44
-44 < RSRP

Unit
dBm
dBm
dBm

dBm
dBm
dBm

RSRP

The reporting range of RSRQ is defined from -19.5 dB to -3 with 0.5 dB resolution.
Reported value
RSRQ_00
RSRQ_01
RSRQ_02

RSRQ_32
RSRQ_33
RSRQ_34

3G->4G

Measured quantity value

RSRQ < -19.5
-19.5 < RSRQ < -19
-19 < RSRQ < -18.5

-4 < RSRQ < -3.5

-3.5 < RSRQ < -3
-3 < RSRQ

Unit
dB
dB
dB

dB
dB
dB

ECNO

The reporting range is for CPICH Ec/Io is from -24dB ...0 dB.

Reported value
CPICH_Ec/No _00
CPICH_Ec/No _01
CPICH_Ec/No _02

CPICH_Ec/No _47
CPICH_Ec/No _48
CPICH_Ec/No _49

Measured quantity value

CPICH Ec / Io < -24
-24 < CPICH Ec / Io < -23.5
-23.5 < CPICH Ec / Io < -23

-1 < CPICH Ec / Io < -0.5

-0.5 < CPICH Ec / Io < 0
0 < CPICH Ec / Io

Unit
dB
dB
dB

dB
dB
dB

UTRA RSSI

The reporting range for UTRA carrier RSSI is from -100dBm ...-25 dBm.

Reported value
UTRA_carrier_RSSI_LEV _00
UTRA_carrier_RSSI_LEV _01
UTRA_carrier_RSSI_LEV _02

UTRA_carrier_RSSI_LEV _74
UTRA_carrier_RSSI_LEV _75
UTRA_carrier_RSSI_LEV _76

Measured quantity value

UTRA carrier RSSI < -100
-100 < UTRA carrier RSSI < -99
-99 < UTRA carrier RSSI < -98

-27 < UTRA carrier RSSI < -26

-26 < UTRA carrier RSSI < -25
-25 < UTRA carrier RSSI

Unit
dBm
dBm
dBm

dBm
dBm
dBm

RSCP

The reporting range for CPICH RSCP is from -120 dBm ...-25 dBm.

Reported value
CPICH_RSCP_LEV
CPICH_RSCP_LEV
CPICH_RSCP_LEV

CPICH_RSCP_LEV
CPICH_RSCP_LEV
CPICH_RSCP_LEV

_-05
_-04
_-03
_89
_90
_91

Measured quantity value

CPICH RSCP < -120
-120 < CPICH RSCP < -119
-119 < CPICH RSCP < -118

-27 < CPICH RSCP < -26

-26 < CPICH RSCP < -25
-25 < CPICH RSCP

Unit
dBm
dBm
dBm

dBm
dBm
dBm