Efficient broadcast frequency utilization - a key to high capacity cellular networks

Broadcast frequencies (or common control channels) are fundamental components of any cellular network. They define cellular coverage, carry vital system information, and are used for the link quality measurements that govern cell selection and handover, collectively known as "locating". Unfortunately, they can also be a capacity bottleneck and their efficient utilization is a key issue for high capacity networks. In this study, we consider methods for maximizing broadcast (or BCCH) frequency efficiency in the world\´s most widely used cellular technology, GSM, in which the introduction of 3G multimedia services through EDGE is making the efficient use of radio resources more crucial than ever before. We show that a very tight BCCH reuse is achievable through intelligent channel management and an optimized cell plan. Further, we present a novel modification to the GSM neighbor cell measurement technique that dramatically decreases its dependency on BCCH reuse and significantly improves locating performance.