Handoff Strategies
• When a mobile moves into a different cell while a conversation is in
progress, the MSC automatically transfers the call to a new channel
belonging to the new base station.
• Handoff operation
– identifying a new base station
– re-allocating the voice and control channels with the new base station.
• Handoff Threshold
– Minimum usable signal for acceptable voice quality (-90dBm to -100dBm)
– Handoff margin cannot be too large or too
small.
– If Pr ,handoffhandoffs
is too large, unnecessary Pr ,minimum
burden
usable the MSC
– If is too small, there may be insufficient time to complete handoff
a call is lost.
before
Handoff Strategies
Handoff Strategies
• Handoff must ensure that the drop in the measured signal is not
due to momentary fading and that the mobile is actually
moving away from the serving base station.
• Dwell time: the time over which a call may be maintained
within a cell without handoff.
• Dwell time depends on
– propagation
– interference
– distance
– speed
Practical Handoff Consideration
• Different type of users
– High speed users need frequent handoff during a call.
– Low speed users may never need a handoff during a call.
• Microcells to provide capacity, the MSC can become burdened if high
speed users are constantly being passed between very small cells.
• Minimize handoff intervention
– handle the simultaneous traffic of high speed and low speed users.
• Large and small cells can be located at a single location (umbrella cell)
– different antenna height
– different power level
• Cell dragging problem: pedestrian users provide a very strong signal
to the base station
– The user may travel deep within a neighboring cell
COVERAGE &CAPACITY EXPANSION
TECHNIQUES
1. To obtain additional spectrum for new subscribers
but this is expensive approach.
2. Change the cellular architecture.
3. Change the frequency allocation methodology.
4. Change the Modem and Access technology.
