How to Identify Interference

in GSM Network (1)

One major challenge when optimizing GSM network is the detection of cells suffering from
interference as interference is limiting the capacity and harming the quality of the
network. This problem occurred due to limited bandwidth and limited number of carrier
frequency.
There are two categories of interference source that are:
- Internal Interference: Co-channel or Adjacent channel interference causing internal
interference.
- External Interference: Exists when there is another transmitter or something else acting
as a transmitter outside the network such as TV transmission, Railway Station frequency,
and microwave links.
Interference Identification using Radio Network Statistic
Radio network statistic (RNS) can be used to analyze if specific cells suffer from
interference and which frequency channels are involved. A cell in GSM can suffer from
interference either in the uplink or downlink or in both directions. As the interference is
related to the frequency or a set of frequencies in case of frequency hopping, it is
interesting to see which TRX suffers from interference if interference happened in BCCH
TRX or Hopping TRX. The interesting parameter in this case is the assigned frequency to
the individual TRX. After the disturbed cell and the related frequencies are identified,
potential interferer cell can be identified. For this purpose a geographical analysis can be
performed. Frequency retune becomes the solution if BCCH frequency suffers from
interference. In case TCH frequency further identification shall be performed if hopping
system is assigned to TRX’s.
There are several indicators from Radio Network Statistics that can be used to identify the
interference in the network.
1. The correlation between RxLevel to RxQual.
An indication for interference will be that the receive level is good but at the same time
the receive quality is poor. This can be analysed for both directions (uplink and downlink)
separately. It is better to have this figure for BCCH TRX and hopping TRX so we can
identify whether interference exists at BCCH TRX, Individual TRX (non-hopping case) or
Hopping TRX.
 2. Drop Call Performance.
Usually when the cell has interference problem, the drop call will be higher than usual,
but it depends on severity of interference level
3. Handover Performance.
Intra Cell Handover indicates that cell suffers from bad quality at good level. The HO
performance to neighbor relation that has interference will look bad. The other indicator is
a lot of reversion to old channel activity due to target frequency might be interfered.

How to Identify Interference

in GSM Network (2)
Another ways to identify internal interference in GSM network is by scanning frequency at
idle mode. At this case, GSM recommendation introduces reference value of interference
level (GSM Recommendation. 05.05).
The actual interference ratio is defined as the interference ratio for which this
performance is met. The actual interference ratio shall be less than a specified limit,
called the reference interference ratio. The reference value of interference will show co-
channel interference(C/Ic) and adjacent channel interference (C/Ia).

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 The following figure shows sample of result of scanning frequency using Tems
Investigation.

C/Ia calculation shows that carrier to interference level of first adjacent (200KHz spacing)
and second adjacent (400 KHz spacing) exceeds minimum value of interference level (-9
dB for first adjacent and -41 dB for second adjacent). So, we can conclude that there is
no interference to channel 512.
Distribution C/I from drive test with dedicated mode also can be used as figure to describe
level interference on drive test route. We can do analysis separately between C/I
distribution on BCCH carrier and C/I on Hopping list carrier.
External interference can’t be detected using drive test tool. As instead, scanning
frequency using spectrum analyzer is used to observe the source of external frequency.