256 QAM DL

256-QAM Downlink

163/221 04-LZA 701 6014 Uen D

Copyright © Ericsson AB 2016. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the copyright owner. Disclaimer The contents of this document are subject to revision without notice due to continued progress in methodology, design and manufacturing. Ericsson shall have no liability for any error or damage of any kind resulting from the use of this document. Trademark List All trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners. These are shown in the document Trademark Information.

163/221 04-LZA 701 6014 Uen D | 2016-01-22

Contents

Contents 1

Introduction

1

1.1

Basic Characteristics

1

1.2

Benefits

1

1.3

Additional Information

1

2

Feature Operation

3

2.1

Network Requirements

3

3

Parameters

5

3.1

Feature Configuration Parameters

5

3.2

Affected Parameters

5

4

Network Impact

7

5

Associated Features and Affected Functions

9

5.1

Prerequisite Features

9

5.2

Affected Features

9

5.3

Affected System Functions

9

6

Performance

11

6.1

KPIs

11

6.2

Counters

11

6.3

Events

13

7

O&M Information

15

7.1

Activate and Deactivate Feature

15

163/221 04-LZA 701 6014 Uen D | 2016-01-22

256-QAM Downlink

163/221 04-LZA 701 6014 Uen D | 2016-01-22

Introduction

1

Introduction This document describes the 256-QAM Downlink feature and its main benefits and impacts in the LTE RAN.

1.1

Basic Characteristics This section describes the basic characteristics of the feature. Feature name:

256-QAM Downlink

Product identity: DU Radio Node, see Feature Overview. Baseband Radio Node, see Licensed Feature Overview. Replaces:

N/A

Dependencies This feature affects no other features.

1.2

Benefits The main benefits: •

256-QAM Downlink is a 3GPP modulation that increases the DL throughput with up to 30%. Note:

•

1.3

In a macro network, the 256-QAM Downlink feature is highly recommended to be used together with ELC, since ELC decreases the interference, which in turn improves the 256-QAM DL performance.

The feature enables more efficient use of the spectrum allocated to the cell.

Additional Information More information about this feature and related topics can be found in the following 3GPP documentation (release 12): •

TS36.211

•

TS36.213

163/221 04-LZA 701 6014 Uen D | 2016-01-22

1

256-QAM Downlink

2

•

TS36.331

•

TS36.306

163/221 04-LZA 701 6014 Uen D | 2016-01-22

Feature Operation

2

Feature Operation The 256-QAM Downlink feature supports dynamic switching between two modes: •

legacy mode, in which the highest modulation mode 64-QAM is supported

•

higher order modulation (HOM) mode, in which 256-QAM is supported HOM mode is used when DL link quality permits.

This feature is supported in: •

LTE, FDD and TDD

•

Tx-modes 1, 2, 3 and 4

•

FDD Carrier Aggregation (CA), mixed FDD-TDD CA, up to three carriers, and TDD up to two carriers

The feature can be supported in mixed mode, but throughput may be impacted. The feature uses reports from the radio to indicate whether optimal throughput conditions are supported or not. The user data rate is not impacted for UEs that are not capable of 256-QAM, or UEs that are capable of 256-QAM in legacy mode.

2.1

Network Requirements This is a licensed feature. This means that for the feature to be operational, a valid license key must be installed and the feature must be explicitly activated by setting a MOM attribute. See Section 7.1 on page 15 for more details. The following must be fulfilled at feature activation: •

256-QAM license is enabled and activated, and

•

The attribute dl256QamEnabled is set to TRUE

The following should be set to obtain optimal peak performance: •

radioTransmitPerformanceMode is set to QAM_256_BOOST The performance of 256-QAM, is depending of the transmitter Error Vector Magnitude (EVM). Low EVM means increased throughput. In order to achieve a decreased EVM, the radio headroom must increase. The radio headroom is defined as the difference between the Radio HW

163/221 04-LZA 701 6014 Uen D | 2016-01-22

3

256-QAM Downlink

capability, parameter maximumTransmissionPower, and the total configuredOutputPowerin the radio unit. Some radio configurations will require that the configured output power is reduced. The added power headroom value ranges from 0 to 1,8 dB. The following must be fulfilled to obtain optimal throughput conditions together with Carrier Aggregation (CA): •

DU generation DUS41 or newer for three carrier aggregation

•

In the case of cross-DU CA with DUS, the UE peak rate of 587 Mbps cannot be supported if the CA capable UE has PCell on one DU and two SCells on the other DU. This is due to the limitation on the amount of data that can be transferred cross-DU. Note:

In case of 3 CCA (3*20MHz) with PCell and one SCell in one DU and second SCell in secondary DU, UE peak rate is supported.

256-QAM Downlink feature is supported on DUS 41, DUS 31, Baseband 5212 and Baseband 5216. 256-QAM Downlink feature is supported on RUS01, RUS02, RRUS01, RRUS11, RRUS12, RRUS13, RRUS61, RRUS62, mRRUS12, and RDS. Only a subset of bands are supported in regulatory approval. For a full list of supported radios, see L16A Network Impact Report. This feature is supported on legacy radio hardware, but optimal throughput requires the peak to average ratio can be increased by configuration of radioTransmitPerformanceMode. Note:

If radio HW or SW does NOT support the configured radioTransmitPerformanceMode, the cell setup will fail and an alarm is generated.

For more information about radio configuration, see Manage Services and Bearers (Baseband 5212, and Baseband 5216 Radio Nodes) or Radio Network (DUS31, and DUS 41 Radio Nodes).

4

163/221 04-LZA 701 6014 Uen D | 2016-01-22

Parameters

3

Parameters This section describes configuration parameters for the 256-QAM Downlink feature and parameters affected by activating the feature.

3.1

Feature Configuration Parameters Table 1 describes the feature parameters. Table 1

Feature Parameters

Parameter

MO Class

Description

dl256QamEnabled

EUtranCellF DD/ EUtran CellTDD

Enable or disable 256 QAM support in DL.

radioTransmitPerform anceMode

SectorCarrie r

A radio transmit operating mode, which is tailored to achieve the peak throughput. NOTE: It is recommended to set mode QAM_256_BOOST to achieve 256-QAM peak rate.

dl256QamStatus

3.2

EUtranCellF DD/ EUtran CellTDD

Indication if 256 QAM in DL is supported in the cell.

Affected Parameters This feature does not affect any other parameters.

163/221 04-LZA 701 6014 Uen D | 2016-01-22

5

256-QAM Downlink

6

163/221 04-LZA 701 6014 Uen D | 2016-01-22

Network Impact

4

Network Impact The MOM attribute dl256QamStatus can be used to check the level of power headroom available: •

dl256QamStatus = DEGRADED This state should be interpreted as best effort. Power headroom is not high enough to achieve 256 QAM peak rate.

•

dl256QamStatus = SUPPORTED Power headroom is enough to support 256 QAM peak rate.

•

dl256QamStatus = NOT_SUPPORTED This state means that 256 QAM is not supported. The possible reasons are:

0 0 0

The 256 QAM feature license is not enabled or activated. MOM parameter dl256QamEnabled is not set to TRUE. A radio used for the cell does not support the 256QAM DL feature.

Power headroom can be increased by reducing the total configured output power of the radio, which will impact the cell coverage, legacies, and KPIs.

163/221 04-LZA 701 6014 Uen D | 2016-01-22

7

256-QAM Downlink

8

163/221 04-LZA 701 6014 Uen D | 2016-01-22

Associated Features and Affected Functions

5

Associated Features and Affected Functions

5.1

Prerequisite Features This feature has no prerequisite features

5.2

Affected Features This feature affects no other feature.

5.3

Affected System Functions This feature affects no system functions.

163/221 04-LZA 701 6014 Uen D | 2016-01-22

9

256-QAM Downlink

10

163/221 04-LZA 701 6014 Uen D | 2016-01-22

Performance

6

Performance

6.1

KPIs This feature has no associated Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

6.2

Counters Note:

The 256 QAM HARQ BLER can be calculated from new pm counters.

Table 2 lists the counters associated with the 256-QAM Downlink feature. Table 2

Counters

Counter

Description

pmMacHarqDlAck256qam

The total number of successful HARQ transmissions in the DL direction using a 256QAM modulation.

pmMacHarqDlNAck256qam

The total number of unsuccessful HARQ transmissions in the DL direction using a 256QAM modulation.

pmMacHarqDlDtx256qam

The total number of occasions when DL HARQ feedback for a transport block using 256QAM modulation was not received from a UE, and DTX is considered the reason.

pmRadioHomUeRepCqiDistr

The reported CQI value from UEs in higher order modulation (HOM) mode (which supports 256 QAM) in a distribution. PDF ranges: [0]: CQI = 0 [1]: CQI = 1 [2]: CQI = 2 [3]: CQI = 3 [4]: CQI = 4 [5]: CQI = 5 [6]: CQI = 6 [7]: CQI = 7 [8]: CQI = 8 [9]: CQI = 9 [10]: CQI = 10 [11]: CQI = 11 [12]: CQI = 12 [13]: CQI = 13 [14]: CQI = 14 [15]: CQI = 15

163/221 04-LZA 701 6014 Uen D | 2016-01-22

11

256-QAM Downlink

Counter

Description

pmRadioHomUeRepCqi2Distr

The reported CQI values related to rank 2 transmissions from UEs in higher order modulation (HOM) mode (which supports 256 QAM) in a distribution. PDF ranges: [0]: CQI = 0 [1]: CQI = 1 [2]: CQI = 2 [3]: CQI = 3 [4]: CQI = 4 [5]: CQI = 5 [6]: CQI = 6 [7]: CQI = 7 [8]: CQI = 8 [9]: CQI = 9 [10]: CQI = 10 [11]: CQI = 11 [12]: CQI = 12 [13]: CQI = 13 [14]: CQI = 14 [15]: CQI = 15

12

163/221 04-LZA 701 6014 Uen D | 2016-01-22

Performance

Counter

Description

pmRadioHomUeRepRankDistr

The reported rank distribution indicates the rank of UEs that are in a Open and Closed Loop Spatial Multiplexing mode (where rank is reported), and are also in higher order modulation (HOM) mode which supports 256 QAM. PDF ranges: [0]: Rank = 1 [1]: Rank = 2 [2]: Rank = 3 [3]: Rank = 4 Rank is limited to 2.

pmUeCategoryDistr

A distribution of the UE capability parameter UeCategory for established UE contexts. PDF ranges: [0]: ueCategory = 1 [1]: ueCategory = 2 [2]: ueCategory = 3 [3]: ueCategory = 4 [4]: ueCategory = 5 [5]: ueCategory = 6 [6]: ueCategory = 7 [7]: ueCategory = 8 [8]: ueCategory = 9 [9]: ueCategory = 10 [10]: ueCategory = 11 [11]: ueCategory = 12

More information about counters can be found in Managed Object Model (MOM).

6.3

Events This feature has no associated events.

163/221 04-LZA 701 6014 Uen D | 2016-01-22

13

256-QAM Downlink

14

163/221 04-LZA 701 6014 Uen D | 2016-01-22

O&M Information

7

O&M Information This section provides Operation and Maintenance (O&M) information for the 256-QAM Downlink feature.

7.1

Activate and Deactivate Feature Activating the feature requires that the corresponding license is installed. When the license is installed, an MO instance Dl256Qam is automatically created. Table 3

Feature MO Instance

Node type

MO instance

DU Radio Node

MO instance is OptionalFeatureL icense=Dl256Qam

Baseband Radio Node

MO instance is FeatureState=Dl2 56Qam

Feature activation and deactivation are described in Manage Licenses.

163/221 04-LZA 701 6014 Uen D | 2016-01-22

15