Slow frequency hopping solutions for GSM networks of small bandwidth

Slow frequency hopping is a quality and capacity enhancement feature for the GSM system. However, in order to achieve a significant gain from frequency hopping, it has been shown that at least 3 to 4 frequencies are required in the hopping sequence. In band-limited networks that many frequencies per cell are not always available. Two network features, MAIO-management (mobile allocation index offset management) and using a lower reuse with admission load control, compensate for the lack of spectrum even with very narrow bandwidths. The performance of these two features have been investigated and compared to a non-hopping network. A network with a bandwidth of 21 frequencies has been analysed. Simulation results show that MAIO-management gives the best quality. The comparison is based on individually reported frame erasure rates of each mobile station.