GSM Network Optimization Express

KPI Pocket Book

Suitable for staff with P&O skill certificate IV or lower
Issued by GSM Network P&O Dept.

Internal Use Only

Version Introduction

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Brief Introduction

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I.

Introduction to KPIs
1. What is KPI? Why we are concerned about KPI?
2. Classification of ordinary KPIs
3. Relations between KPIs
4. Ordinary KPIs
5. Which KPIs in CN deserve more attention?
6. Which are the most important KPIs?
7. How to understand the KPIs?
8. Limit value of KPIs in ZTE systems

Internal Use Only

1. What is KPI? Why we are concerned about KPI?

KPI is the abbreviation of Key Performance Indicator.
During the process of GSM network operation and
maintenance, OMCR statistics and various tests are
applied to evaluate and quantify network operation
quality. The evaluation results are the KPIs we talk about.

KPI is the abstract expression of network operation

quality.
Reasonable and complete KPIs can directly reflect
network operation quality, and they are the symbol of
network operation status.
By focusing on changes of KPIs, we can obtain the clear
trend of changes in network operation quality.

Internal Use Only

2. Classification of ordinary KPIs (1)

By service type: PS service KPIs, CS service KPIs
By test method: statistical KPIs, test KPIs
By GSM network functions & service phases: ZTE KPIs are
classified into five categories.

Internal Use Only

2. Classification of ordinary KPIs (2)

According to the observation range, KPIs can also be divided
into basic KPIs and integrated KPIs.
Integrated KPIs are the weighted superposition of several
indicators, which are obtained through consideration of
indicators at different stages of a process.

Internal Use Only

3. Relations between KPIs

There is mutual influence between different KPIs. Basic indicators
(of availability or resources ) often have great impact on other
types of indicators, and indicators of accessibility, reliability and
mobility are more related to subscribers satisfaction.

Subscribers
satisfaction

Internal Use Only

4. Ordinary KPIs

Availability
performance

Channel

CS
service

availability

Radio
performance

Coverage rate
Sample proportion of

Accessibility
performance

Radio system

Handover success

connection rate

rate

UL/DL voice quality of

Total no. of good

Congestion rate

class 0-4

Assignment success

TRXs

Statistics of UL

No. of usable

interference band of 45

channels

MOS value

Mobility
performance

rate

Reliability
performance

Call drop rate

Minute per drop
Proportion of bad cells

Location update

Distance per drop

success rate

Call quality problems

Random access

(noise/monologue/cross-

success rate

talk)

DT/CQT connection

PS
service

No. of usable

Retransmission

PDCH

rate

rate

Routeupdate

TBF failure rate

successrate

FTP

TBF establishment

download/upload

success rate

throughput

Attach success
rate/time
PDP activation
success rate

Internal Use Only

4. Ordinary KPIs -Availability

q

SDCCH availability
m

Function & collection method:

Definition: SDCCH availabilitytotal SDCCH usable*100%/ total SDCCH

usable +total of SDCCH unusable

TCH availability
m

Function & collection method:

Its used to evaluate the stability of BTS, BSC equipment operation.

Its collected at OMCR and contains indicators of cell, single site and BSC level.

Its used to evaluate the stability of BTS, BSC equipment operation.

Its collected at OMCR and contains indicators of cell, single site and BSC level.

Definition: TCH availability = average no. of radio channels usable + no. of

TCH/F static usable + no. of TCH/H static usable*100%/ average no. of
radio channels usable + no. of TCH/F static usable + no. of TCH/H static
usable + average no. of radio channels unusable + no. of TCH/F static
unusable + no. of TCH/H static unusable

Total of good TRXs

m

Function & collection method:

Its used to evaluate the stability of BTS equipment operation

Its collected at OMCR and contains indicators of cell, single site and BSC level.

Definition: total of good TRXs all the usable TRXs configured in the cells

Internal Use Only

4. Ordinary KPIs -Radio performance

q

Coverage rate: (DT statistics, SUB value)

m

Function & collection method:

It represents the overall situation of major radio network coverage.

Its collected through DT.

Definition: coverage rate=[total no. of samples( >=-94dbm) ]/total no. of samples

100

Ratio of UL/DL voice samples band 0-4 (define ratio of different bands
according to real needs)
m

Function & collection method:

It mainly assesses the overall UL/DL speech quality.

Its collected at OMCR or through CQT and DT.

Definition: Ratio of UL/DL voice samples band (total no. of UL/DL band 0-4
samples)/(total no. of UL/DL samples) 100

Statistics of UL interference band 45

m

Function & collection method:

It mainly assesses uplink external interference strength.

Its collected at OMCR and contains indicators of cell, single site and BSC level.

m Definition: statistics of UL interference band 4-5=sum of UL interference band sampling statistics

4-5/total of interference band sampling statistics100

Internal Use Only

4. Ordinary KPIs Accessibility (CS) (1)

q

SDCCH congestion rate

Function & collection method:

It mainly assesses the SDCCH congestion status during the process of accessing network.
Its collected at OMCR and contains indicators of cell, single site and BSC level.

m Definition: SDCCH congestion rate(%) =No. of SDCCH overflows/total of SDCCH attempts 100%
m

SDCCH assignment success rate

Function & collection method:

It mainly assesses the situation of MS being assigned to SDCCH when it accessing network.
Its collected at OMCR and contains indicators of cell, single site and BSC level.

m Definition: SDCCH assignment success rateNo. of SDCCH assignment success times/ No. of
SDCCH assignment attempts100
m

TCH congestion rate

Function & collection method:
It assesses TCH congestion status during the process of accessing network.

Its collected at OMCR and contains indicators of cell, single site and BSC level.
m Definition: TCH congestion rate= No. of TCH overflows/ No. of TCH attempts 100%
m

TCH assignment success rate

Function & collection method:

It mainly assesses the situation of MS being assigned to TCH when it accessing network.
Its collected at OMCR and contains indicators of cell, single site and BSC level.

m Definition: TCH assignment success rate= total of TCH seizures (excl. HO)/total of busy hour TCH
attempts 100
m

Internal Use Only

4. Ordinary KPIs Accessibility (CS) (2)

q

Success rate of random access

Function & collection method:
It assesses the success rate of random access (excl. congestion).

Its collected at OMCR and contains indicators of cell, single site and BSC level.

m Definition: success rate of random access(1- signaling channel congestion rate)*(1-voice

channel congestion rate)*100%
m

Connection rate of radio system (China Unicom definition)

Function & collection method:

It assesses the average rate of successful connection between MOC and MTC.
It can be obtained by calculating several indicators, of which the paging success rate is

collected from MSC, and other indicators are at least of BSC level.
m Definition: connection rate of radio system rate of MOC*success rate of random access*TCH
allocation success rate (excl. HO) +(1-rate of MOC)*paging success rate* TCH allocation
success rate (excl. HO)
m

Call set-up success rate

Function & collection method:

It assesses the success rate of call set-ups between MOC and MTC.
Its collected at OMCR and contains indicators of cell, single site and BSC level.

m Definition: call set-up success rate(1-SDCCH congestion rate)* (1-SDCCH assignment

failure rate)*(1-SDCCH drop rate)*(1-TCH congestion rate)*(1-TCH assignment failure rate)
m

4. Ordinary KPIs Accessibility (PS) (1)

q

UL/DL TBF establishment success rate

m

Function & collection method:

It is the most important indicator to assess subscribers perception of service and reflect
system problems like instability, congestion, interference, ect..

Its collected at OMCR and contains indicators of cell, single site and BSC level.
Definition: No. of UL/DL TBF NACK blocks*100%/ No. of valid data blocks received by UL/DL
TBF*100%

Attach success rate

m

Function & collection method:

It assesses the situation of successful PS access requests, which is a very important indicator

to represent PS availability.
Its collected at OMCR and contains indicators of cell, single site and BSC level.

Definition: (total of GPRS UL/DL signaling TBF establishment times+ total of GPRS UL/DL data TBF
establishment times + total of EGPRS UL/DL signaling TBF establishment times + total of EGPRS
UL/DL data TBF establishment times) / total DL packet channel request times*100%

UL/DL retransmission rate

m

Internal Use Only

Function & collection method:

It assesses the success rate of MS attaching to PS network, which is an indicator to evaluate

the availability of PS network.

It can be collected through CQT.

Definition: No. of Attach success times/Total of Attach attempts100

PDP activation success rate

m

Function & collection method:

It assesses the success rate of PDP context activation in PS service, which is an indicator to

evaluate the availability of PS network.

It can be collected through CQT.

Definition: PDP activation success rate= No. of PDP activation success times/ total of PDP activation
attempts100

Internal Use Only

4. Ordinary KPIs Accessibility (PS) (2)

q

Average Attach time length

Function & collection method:
It assesses the average time length needed for MS attaching to PS network.

It can be collected from CQT.

m Definition: average Attach time=sum of all successful Attach time/No. of Attach success times
m

Average PDP activation time length

Function & collection method:

It assesses the average time of PDP context activation in PS service.

It can be collected from CQT.

m Definition: sum of all successful PDP activation time/No. of PDP activation times
m

PING success rate

Function & collection method:

It assesses the success rate of transmitting data of interfaces like SGSN, GGSN in PS
network.
It can be collected from CQT.

m Definition: PING success rate=No. of Ping success times/No. of Ping attempts*100%

m

Average PING time length

Function & collection method:
It assesses the delay in data transmission of interfaces like SGSN, GGSN in PS network;

the smaller the Ping packet is, the better the transmission effect will be.

It can be collected from CQT.

m Definition: Average PING time length=Sum of time length of Ping successes /No. of Ping
attempts*100%
m

Internal Use Only

4. Ordinary KPIs Mobility

It assesses the mobile services of network.
q

Handover success rate

m

Function & collection method:

It assesses handovers during mobile communications.

Its collected at OMCR or through DT.

Definition: Handover success rate (%)=(No. of handover success/No.

of handover requests)X100%

Internal Use Only

4. Ordinary KPIs Reliability (CS)

q

TCH call drop rate

Function & collection method:
It assesses the network reliability during calls, which is closely related to radio environment.

It can be collected at OMCR or through CQT and DT.

m Definition:
TCH call drop rate (excl HO)= No. of voice channel drops/No. of voice channel seizures (excl. HO)100

TCH call drop rate (incl. HO)=No. of voice channel drops/No. of voice channel seizures (incl. HO)100
m

Traffic call drop rate

Function & collection method:

It assesses the rate of traffic volume to call drops, which represents the interval between two call
drops.
It can be obtained from OMCR statistics of at least BSC level.

m Definition: traffic call drop rate=total busy hour voice channel traffic 60/total busy hour voice channel
call drops
m

Worst cell rate

Condition:
Busy hour traffic per voice channel>0.1Erl, voice channel call drop rate >3 or voice channel
congestion rate >5.
Define number of worst cells according to the condition that traffic per TCH>0.1, which can be
collected at OMCR.
m Worst cell rate=No. of worst cells/total of cells 100%
m

Internal Use Only

4. Ordinary KPIs Reliability (PS)

q

PDTCH drop rate

Function & collection method:
It assesses the reliability and stability of PS in the process of download.

It can be collected through CQT and DT.

m Definition: PDTCH drop rate=No. of PDTCH drops/total FTP download attempts*100

m

FTP download data throughput

Function & collection method:
It assesses the average data throughput of FTP download, which is related to no. of channels,

coding modes and the situation that whether EDGE is supported or not.
It can be collected through CQT.

m Definition: FTP download data throughput=actual successfully downloaded data volume/total

successful download time
m

FTP upload data throughput

Function & collection method:
It assesses average data throughput of FTP upload, which is related to no. of channels,

coding modes and the situation that whether EDGE is supported or not.

It can be collected through CQT.

m Definition: FTP upload data throughput=actual successfully uploaded data volume/total successful
upload time
m

Internal Use Only

5. Which KPIs in CN deserve more attention? (1)

q

Paging success rate

m Function & collection method:
It assesses the rate of successful response during MTC paging process.
It can be collected at OMCR of MSC side.
m Definition: paging success rate=no. of paging response*100%/no. of paging
requests
Location update success rate
m Function & collection method:
It assesses the success rate of MS updating location in the network.
It can be collected at OMCR of MSC side.
m Definition: location update success rate=no. of successful location
update*100%/no. of location update requests
Attach success rate
m Function & collection method:
It assesses the success rate of MS attaching to PS network.
It can be collected at NC SGSN side of PS service.
m Definition: Attach success rate=no. of successful attaches*100%/total of attach
attempts

Internal Use Only

5. Which KPIs in CN deserve more attention? (2)

q

PDP context activation success rate

m

Function & collection method:

It assesses the success rate of MS-started PDP context activation.

It can be collected at GGSN of PS CN.

Definition: PDP context activation success rateno. of MS-started PDP

context activation success times*100%/MS-started PDP context activation
attempts

Route area update success rate

m

Function & collection method:

It assesses the success rate of MS updating route area in the network.

It can be collected at SGSN of PS CN.

Definition: route area update success rate=no. of route update success

times*100%/no. of route update attempts

Internal Use Only

6. Which are the most important KPIs?

p

Compared with basic KPIs, integrated KPIs offer a more

comprehensive reflection of network performance, and it needs
monitoring on a daily basis.

Compared with other indicators, those which are more closely related
to subscribers satisfaction are of greater importance.
m
m

OMCR statistics

m
m
m
m

DT statistics

m
m
m
m
m
m
m
m

Radio system connection rate/ call set-up success rate

Call drop rate
Handover success rate
UL/DL quality rank 0~4
Channel availability
TBF establishment success rate
Coverage rate
RXQUAL/MOS
Call connection rate
Call drop rate
Handover success rate
Attach success rate
FTP download speed
Call connection time

Internal Use Only

7. How to understand the KPIs? (1)

KPIs

Meaning

Influencing factors

Ideal value

Reference
value

Radio system
connection
rate (China
Unicom)

It represents the
success rate of
MS accessing to
network.

With various factors

(accessing process)
taken into consideration,
paging and congestion
have more influence on
the indicator.

The higher
the better

94%

Call drop rate

It represents the
probability of
drops in calls.

Areas: the rate is lower

in dense urban; its
higher in suburb,
villages or mountain
areas.

The lower
the better

Handover
success rate

It represents the
success rate of
handovers during
calls.

It tends to be affected by
radio environment and
setting of parameters.

The higher
the better

95

Ratio of
UL/DL quality
rank04

It represents the
proportion of
voice quality
above rank4.

It tends to be affected by
radio environment and
interferences.

The higher
the better

95

Internal Use Only

7. How to understand the KPIs? (2)

KPIs

Meaning

Influencing factors

Ideal value

Reference
value

Channel
availability

It represents the
proportion of time
when network
equipment
operates normally.

Its related to
equipment, power and
transmission stability.

>98%, the
higher the
better

98

Coverage rate

It represents the
rate of network
coverage range.

Areas: the rate is

higher in dense urban;
its lower in suburb,
villages or mountain
areas.

the higher the

better

9299

MOS value

Its the objective

assessment of
voice quality base
on auditory
experience.

Radio environment,
interference situation,
handover frequency
and error frame rate,
etc.

the higher the

better

33.5

TBF
establishment
success rate

It represents the
success rate of
response to the
request for PS
resource.

It tends to be affected
by radio environment,
setting of parameters
and resource condition.

the higher the

better

92%95%

Internal Use Only

8. Limit value of KPIs in ZTE systems

Network operation will inevitably be affected by radio
environment, since it is complicated and changeable.
Besides, there are limitations in GSM technology and
equipment performance, so many KPIs have limit values.
KPI

Limit value

SDCCH assignment success rate

98

TCH assignment success rate

99.4

Call drop rate (excl. HO)

0.3

Paging success rate

96.5

Handover success rate

98

Internal Use Only

II. Monitoring of KPIs

1. How is KPI monitoring operated?
2. Which KPIs are to be monitored?
3. What non-optimization-related factors affect KPIs?
4. How to judge whether non-optimization-related
factors have affected KPIs?
5. Which key optimization-related factors influence
KPIs?
6. How to realize monitoring of global KPIs?
7. How to score in KPI monitoring process?
8. What is the alarm threshold of KPI deterioration?

Internal Use Only

1. How is KPI monitoring operated?

KPI monitoring: select key KPIs; extract or test these KPIs at
regular intervals (on a daily /weekly basis); make cumulative
record of the KPIs values, then a trend of KPIs changes in a
period will be obtained.

OMM SERVER

Internal Use Only

2. Which KPIs are to be monitored?

We can select and monitor KPIs with different levels of details
according to the frequency and cycle of monitoring. Only the
most important KPIs are to be monitored during daily
network maintenance.
m

Radio system connection

rate/ call set-up success
rate

Handover success rate

Call drop rate

UL/DL quality rank0~4

Channel availability

TBF establishment
success rate

Traffic volume

Internal Use Only

3. What non-optimization-related factors affect KPIs?

Since GSM network is a large and complex system, its
operation quality may be affected by various kinds of nonoptimization-related factors, which will eventually be
displayed through changes in KPIs.

Internal Use Only

3. Factors affecting KPIs? Stability of system operation

Stable system operation is the basis of good network quality,

which is the basic work of network routine maintenance. KPIs
for assessing system stability are:
qNo.

of alarms of different levels

qRadio

channel availability

Internal Use Only

3. Factors affecting KPIs? Stability of power supply / radio
transmission

Since GSM is a large network system, power supply and

radio transmission is the most important auxiliary system in
it, which is also the basic support system of the whole
network. The status of power supply and radio transmission
directly will affect network operation quality.
In some overseas networks, power generator and micro wave
transmission system are the major components of power
supply and radio transmission. The maintenance ability and
effect of the two components are the key to network
operation quality.

Internal Use Only

3. Factors affecting KPIs? Project quality

Project installation and tuning quality directly decides the

efficiency and cost of network optimization in later stage.
Installation quality of antenna system has the most obvious impact
on network performance.

Internal Use Only

3. Factors affecting KPIs? Limitation in system resources

Network construction and development is a spiral process.

When the number of subscribers exceeds the planned
network capacity, expansion of system resources is needed.
In some cases, if system resources can not be timely and
effectively expanded, accessibility KPIs will be obviously
affected.

Internal Use Only

3. Factors affecting KPIs? Radio environment/geographical
conditions

Usually in areas with complex geographical conditions

(mountains, seaside), KPIs tend to be heavily influenced.
Weather and temperature often have great impact on radio
environment, which may cause obvious fluctuations in KPIs.

Internal Use Only

3. Factors affecting KPIs? Abnormal subscriber behavior

Normally subscribers calling behavior is stable, and network

design and planning are based on common traffic models.
While in some special periods or occasions (major holidays
or meetings), subscribers calling behavior may change,
which creates abnormal traffic models and lead to severe
fluctuations in KPIs.

Internal Use Only

4. How to judge whether non-optimization-related factors have affected KPIs?(1)

We can judge whether it is some non-optimization-related

factors that have caused the fluctuations in KPIs through
comprehensive observation and analysis of information from
different aspects.

Internal Use Only

4. How to judge whether non-optimization-related factors have affected KPIs?(2)

Availability KPIs are to reflect stability of the whole network operation,

which is a commonly used base of judging network stability.

KPIs of traffic and no. of MOC reflect the overall behavior of subscribers.

Serious alarms can directly and obviously affect KPIs, so they should
be solved immediately.

Internal Use Only

5. Which key optimization-related factors influence KPIs?

Planning quality of engineering parameters, radio parameters,
frequencies and channels often have impacts on KPIs.

Internal Use Only

6. How to realize monitoring of global KPIs?

q

Monitor KPIs of key networks once every month.

Network optimization and maintenance engineers on project sites report

KPIs of key networks to contact persons of GSM Network Planning &
Optimization Dept.

Score the monthly averages of integrated KPIs, and sum them up to

obtain a mark of overall network KPIs, and hence a rank in evaluation of
network indicators.
Classification of KPI ranks
Rank

Excellent

Good

Acceptable

Poor

Danger

Scoring standards

>=90

<90

<80

<70

<60

Internal Use Only

7. Scoring methods of global network KPIs

Assessment criteria of KPIs in key networks

KPI
A. Call set-up
success rate
B. Voice
Overseas channel drop
networks rate (incl.HO)
C. Handover
success rate
A. TCH
assignment
success rate
(excl.HO)
Domestic B. Voice
networks channel drop
rate (incl.HO)
C. Handover
success rate

benchmark

Indicator
benchmark

Full
mark

Fullmark criteria

12

92%

20

96.00%

24

0.80%

40

0.35%

24

93%

40

96.00%

12

95%

20

99.50%

24

1%

40

0.30%

24

94%

40

98.00%

KPI assessment total score=A+B+C

Award criteria

Deduction criteria

1 point is awarded for each

1 point is deducted for each
increment of 0.5%; full score=20 reduction of 1%; lowest=0
1 point is deducted for each
0.9 is awarded for each reduction
increment of 0.05%;
of 0.025; full score=40
lowest=0
1.5 points are deducted for
1.34 is awarded for each
each reduction of 0.5%;
increment of 0.25%; full score=40
lowest=0
0.6 point is deducted for
0.8 is awarded for each increment
each reduction of 0.25%;
of 0.45%; full score=20
lowest=0
0.9 is deducted for each
increment of 0.025%;
lowest=0
1 point is deducted for each
1 point is awarded for each
reduction of 0.25%;
increment of 0.25%; full score=40
lowest=0
0.8 is awarded for each deduction
of 0.025%; full score=40

Internal Use Only

8. What is the alarm threshold of KPI deterioration?

If evaluation score of key KPIs reaches danger class, alarm shall
be enabled timely.

When a KPI deteriorates too much, alarm shall be enabled timely.

When no. of subscribers complaints increases dramatically (and

the situation continues for a period), which leads to decrease in KPIs,
alarm shall be enabled timely.

Internal Use Only

III. Optimization of ordinary KPIs

1. Whats the content of routine KPI optimization?
2. Whats the structure of KPI optimization team?
3. What resources are needed in KPI optimization?
4. What are the common methods of improving KPIs?
5. What system functions have impacts on KPIs?

Internal Use Only

1. Whats the content of routine KPI optimization? (1)

Internal Use Only

1. Whats the content of routine KPI optimization? (2)

Internal Use Only

2. Whats the structure of KPI optimization team?

Internal Use Only

3. What resources are needed in KPI optimization?

The workload of routine KPI optimization is measured by the demand of
system engineers and testing engineers.
Work load (100sites)
Serial No.

Work content

Work load (500sites)

person/day

person/day

Outsourced
engineers &
technicians

System
optimization
engineers

System
optimization
engineers

100

No. of sites

Work load (1500sites)

person/day

Outsourced
engineers &
technicians

Outsourced
System
optimization engineers &
engineers technicians

500

1500

Collection of radio data

5.5

20

15.5

100

43.5

300

II

Optimization &adjustment

50

10

250

50

750

150

Adjustment of engineering parameters

10

25

50

75

150

Analysis &adjustment of network

parameters

25

125

375

Adjust hardware failure

10

50

150

Checking interference (optional)

10

50

150

III

Post-optimization network
evaluation

14.5

Radio drive test(DT)

Analysis of network coverage

2.5

12.5

37.5

KPI verification

14

Writing optimization report

10

IV

Inspection & acceptance summary

13

Renew project materials

10

Compile &amend project inspection

& acceptance plans

Total

78

10

24.5

10

40

50

61.5

50

298

200

150
150

868

600

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4. What are the common methods of improving KPIs?-(Non-optimization-related

factors)
To eliminate the influence of non-optimization-related factors on
KPIs, we need to coordinate resources of different aspects.

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4. What are the common methods of improving KPIs?-(Optimization-related

factors)
Common methods used in improving KPIs:

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5. What system functions have impacts on KPIs?

KPIs may be impacted by some system functions. Pay
attention to the possible impacts before commissioning.

Adv
ant
agesDi
sadv
ant
ages
DTX / Power
control enabled

HR enabled

AMR enabled

Internal interference
may be reduced

It can reduce
congestion and
improve connection
rate

It can improve UL/DL

RQ, decrease call drop
rate.

DTX may bring in

background noise
in calls.

It may lead to
decrease in MOS,
SQI and call quality.

For MSs incapable to

meet protocol
stipulations, it may lead
to assignment failure,
call drops, or problem
of being unable to
originate a call.