Repeatability of Reference Signal Received Power Measurements in LTE Networks

Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) reports are routinely used to monitor and benchmark the coverage in LTE cellular networks of fourth generation. Such measurements also trigger idle and active mode mobility decisions between two LTE cells or two inter-technology cells. Therefore, these measurements must be accurate and repeatable to facilitate both proper network functioning and network optimization. This paper presents a repeatability study on raw RSRP measurements collected in the 700 MHz frequency band in a commercial LTE network. This process is facilitated through the common RF drive-test method using a scanner-based tool as the measuring device. After gathering all the required data with the scanner, the main measurement statistical metrics are calculated in the analysis phase. The repeatability of the RSRP measurements is examined comparing statistics from data collected over identical drive route across different days. Based on the limited collected data set, good temporal repeatability and stability of the LTE RSRP measurements is confirmed allowing optimization to be based on a single LTE drive test.