Re: [Openbts-discuss] Openbts vs femtocell

[Ralph A. S. d. <ra...@sc...>]

Well, when the femto transmits 3G-only, then it is clear, 3G has prio, and as long as the phone has 3G, it sees no reason to change to 2G. Within 3G it is quite easy for the provider to set a prio on the femto.

Regarding information about 3G networks, several phones offer a network monitor that is useful to get the parameters. I keep a quite old Nokia alive for this purpose, as it tells me much more than an Android phone. 

Ralph.



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robert Light [mailto:rob...@gm...]
> Sent: Wednesday, 21 October, 2015 09:55
> To: Ralph A. Schmid, dk5ras
> Cc: ope...@li...
> Subject: RE: [Openbts-discuss] Openbts vs femtocell
> 
> My femto cell comes from Orange (Europe). It transmits 3G.
> I did a scan of local towers (2G only- no software to do 3G scan that I would
> know about).
> I can see two Orange towers. I grab the list of neighbours transmitted by
> these towers. I pick the one that is on the list of neighbours transmitted by
> both towers and is not directly visible. I then configure openbts to that
> MCC/MNC/LAC/CID/C0 giving a different LAC to get full registration.
> Of course openbts is only 2G therefore I cannot scan 3G towers or configure
> openbts to 3G tower. I also cannot scan what the femto cell is transmitting,
> again no software for 3G.
> I was able to scan only my local 2G towers.
> I am not aware of any software that would allow to do 3G or LTE scan with
> USRP hardware. If someone knows how to do a 3G scan and how to dump
> the complete transmission of BCCH and CCCH please let me know.
> 
> Robert
> 
> 
> > Gesendet: Mittwoch, 21. Oktober 2015 um 08:15 Uhr
> > Von: "Ralph A. Schmid, dk5ras" <ra...@sc...>
> > An: "'Robert Light'" <rob...@gm...>,
> > ope...@li...
> > Betreff: RE: [Openbts-discuss] Openbts vs femtocell
> >
> > Did you try completely replicating the settings of your femto cell
> > with OpenBTS, MCC/MNC/LAC/CID/C0?
> >
> > Also it may be possible that there are flags in the BCCH that give
> > prio for your femto cell...and the infrastructure announces the 2G
> > channel as neighbor.
> >
> > What provider is your femto cell from? Does it transmit 2G and 3G?
> >
> > Ralph.
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Robert Light [mailto:rob...@gm...]
> > > Sent: Tuesday, 20 October, 2015 13:37
> > > To: ope...@li...
> > > Subject: Re: [Openbts-discuss] Openbts vs femtocell
> > >
> > > I am gonna revive the topic as I really want to get it to work or at
> > > least understand why i cannot do it.
> > > If I configure my phone to "2G only" and OpenBTS to the frquency of
> > > one of the neighbours, the phone will "jump" to my openbts. However
> > > it can still take minutes.
> > > When the phone is configured to use 2G and 3G it will never attach
> > > to my openbts.
> > > I think, when the phone is attached to 3G tower, it will not even
> > > look for
> > my
> > > 2G openbts.
> > >
> > > That is my explanation. But how is it done with femtocell that my
> > > phone
> > will
> > > always attach to it immediatelly, whether it is configured to 2G or 3G ?
> > The
> > > tower cannot be possibly broadcasting my femtocell configuration.
> > > So how does the phone know where to look for my femtocell?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > > Gesendet: Sonntag, 24. Mai 2015 um 16:00 Uhr
> > > > Von: "Robert Light" <rob...@gm...>
> > > > An: "Tom Tsou" <tom...@et...>
> > > > Cc: ope...@li...
> > > > Betreff: Re: [Openbts-discuss] Openbts vs femtocell
> > > >
> > > > Hi,
> > > > I use a SIM card provided by my network operator (Orange, Europe).
> > > Femtocell also comes from Orange.
> > > >
> > > > I ofcourse configure Openbts to the same MCC, MNC, LAC, CI,
> > > > ShortName
> > > as the operator. Handset is in "auto network selection mode". I
> > > tried manually selecting ORange, but it makes no difference. It
> > > takes ages for
> > the
> > > telephone to jump to Openbts, sometimes it just doesnt want to
> > > happen at all.
> > > >
> > > > I didn't check, but I guess femtocell must be configuring itself
> > > > to the
> > same
> > > MCC, MNC, LAC, CI, ShortName as the basestation. I am not sure what
> > > ARFCN it will use.
> > > >
> > > > Femtocell works nice. I walk into the range of femtocell, one
> > > > step, and
> > the
> > > telephone immediately registers to femtocell. I  want to get the
> > > same with Openbts.
> > > > Robert
> > > >
> > > > > What type of SIM card are you using?
> > > > >
> > > > > Since you mentioned manual selection, one likely cause is SIM
> > > > > card provisioning. The preferred network list determines network
> > > > > selection, and if your OpenBTS network is not on the list,
> > > > > longer or limited attachment may occur.
> > > > >
> > > > >   -TT
> > > > >
> > >
> > >
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