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5.3 · LTE MOCN

LTE MOCN — Sharing Models, DRR & MORAN

The LTE side of network sharing: a shared eNB broadcasting up to six PLMNs, four Samsung features, and the four DRR sharing models — Full, Strict, Partial and Adaptive — that decide how hard or soft the PRB split is. Plus MORAN dedicated carriers and how LTE compares to 5G MOCN.

6PLMNs per cell (SW5001)
4Samsung LTE MOCN features
4DRR sharing models
Min/MaxDRR bounds the share
LTE MOCN architecture — shared eNB, separate EPCs

Same principle as 5G: one shared eNB and carrier broadcast every operator's PLMN in SIB1; each operator keeps its own EPC — MME, S-GW/P-GW — reached over S1. A UE picks its home PLMN and the shared eNB routes S1 to that operator's MME.

Shared eNB · dual-PLMN SIB1 · separate EPCsLTE MOCN
Uu · PLMN-AUu · PLMN-B S1 → Op-AS1 → Op-B
Operator A
UE · PLMN-A
Operator B
UE · PLMN-B
Shared eNB
1 site · 1 carrier
SIB1: up to 6 PLMNs
DRR PRB sharing
Operator A EPC
MME · S-GW/P-GW
Operator B EPC
MME · S-GW/P-GW
shared radio (Uu) separate EPC (S1)Shared: eNB · carrier · SIB1. Separate: MME · S-GW/P-GW per operator.
The 4 Samsung LTE MOCN features — in full

Samsung's LTE MOCN is exactly four features — and all four have real codes (not "per-PLMN CAC" as a nameless item; that's LTE-SW5012). Every detail below is verbatim from the Samsung 4G LTE MOCN Implementation Guide.

Per-feature deep-dive: each feature fully wired — parameters, counters/KPIs, optimization technique and solutions. Click any code › below, or open all four.Open the 4-feature deep-dive ›
Feature 1 · mandatoryLTE-SW5001 ›6 PLMN
NameMulti-PLMN Support
What it doesBroadcast up to 6 PLMN IDs in SIB1; route signaling to the right MME by UE-selected PLMN
Mandatory?YES — MOCN won't work without it
Config MOenb-plmn-info + cell-plmn-info
First PLMN= global eNB-ID PLMN (anchor)
Countersnone (Samsung: "no counters")
Feature 2 · recommendedLTE-SW5002 ›PRB
NameFlexible Radio Resource Configuration for RAN Sharing
What it doesSplit PRBs between operators per a sharing model (4 models, 1% granularity)
Key MOnetwork-share-info (portion / portion-min)
Licensefrom SLR4.5+ (license-controlled)
ConflictsRS1201 / RS1202 (LTE-NR DSS) must be OFF
NoteNB-IoT PRB excluded; eMTC = common
Feature 3 · mobilityLTE-SW5004 ›HO
NameFrequency Relocation Handover
What it doesInter-PLMN HO & frequency relocation when operators have different carriers
WhenMORAN dedicated carriers; cross-operator neighbours
RelatedSW5001 + ANR (cross-operator NRT)
Feature 4 · per-operatorLTE-SW5012 ›CAC
NameOperator Specific Feature Activation
What it doesPer-operator (per-PLMN) feature activation, incl. per-PLMN CAC
DependencyRequires SW5002 enabled first
Use caseeach operator's own CAC / QoS / behaviour
PLMN configuration MOs (verbatim — [ENB] enb-plmn-info / cell-plmn-info)
Phase-1 identity config
MOParameterRange / valuesMeaning
[ENB] enb-plmn-infoplmn-index0..5PLMN slot (Samsung max 6 PLMNs)
[ENB] enb-plmn-infomcc3 digitsMobile Country Code
[ENB] enb-plmn-infomnc2–3 digitsMobile Network Code
[ENB] cell-plmn-infoplmn-index0..5Which PLMN, per cell
[ENB] cell-plmn-infoplmn-usageuse / no_useWhether this cell serves that PLMN
!
Samsung verbatim — "The first PLMN ID broadcast to SIB1 must be set to the same as the PLMN ID of the global eNB ID." plmn-index 0 is the anchor / owner PLMN and cannot be changed via enb-plmn-info.
The four DRR sharing models — how hard is the split?

The PRB share is governed by the Distribution Ratio (DRR) bounded by MinDRR (guaranteed floor) and MaxDRR (cap). Where you set those two numbers relative to each other is the sharing model — from a fully elastic pool to a hard partition.

Sharing models (Min/Max DRR)
ModelMinDRRMaxDRRBehaviourIsolationEfficiency
Full0100Any PLMN may use the whole carrier when others are idleLowHighest
Strict= ratio= ratioHard partition — each PLMN gets exactly its ratio, no moreHighestLowest
Partial> 0< 100Guaranteed floor + capped ceilingMediumMedium
AdaptiveMinMaxRatio floats between floor and cap with loadMed-HighHigh
One operator's PRB envelope in each model guaranteed · elastic · blocked
Full · Min 0 / Max 100
elastic 0 → 100%
Strict · Min = Max = 40
fixed 40%
blocked
Partial · Min 20 / Max 60
20%
elastic → 60%
blocked
Adaptive · Min 20 / Max 70 (load-driven)
20%
floats → 70%
blocked
Choosing a model — use Strict when an operator demands guaranteed isolation for an SLA; Full when partners trust statistical multiplexing for max efficiency; Partial/Adaptive for the usual middle ground — a guaranteed floor plus elastic headroom.
Resource-sharing config — [ENB] network-share-info (verbatim)
MinDRR / MaxDRR parameters (per PLMN 0–5)
ParameterMeaningRange
plmn0-portion … plmn5-portionMaxDRR — max dedicated reservation for that PLMN0..100 %
plmn0-portion-min … plmn5-portion-minMinDRR — guaranteed minimum for that PLMN0..100 %
common-sharing-portionCommon pool = 100 − Σ(MaxDRR)0..100 %
Sample configurations (verbatim from the guide)
ModelPLMN0 Min/MaxPLMN1 Min/MaxCommon
Full Common0 / 00 / 0100 %
Strict 50/5050 / 5050 / 500 %
Strict 70/3070 / 7030 / 300 %
Partial 40/40/2040 / 4040 / 4020 %
Adaptive5 / 350 / 4817 %
!
Samsung rules — sharing ratio granularity is 1 %; Σ(MaxDRR) ≤ 100 %. Strict Separation must be applied to all operators at once with Σ(MaxDRR) = 100 %; the other three models can be applied independently per operator (e.g. Op A Partial while Op B Adaptive). LTE-SW5002 conflicts with FGR-RS1201/RS1202 (LTE-NR spectrum sharing) — those must be OFF.
Per-PLMN CAC (LTE-SW5012) — operator-specific admission

With LTE-SW5012, admission limits are enforced per operator, scaled by that PLMN's share. Samsung's worked example: a 20 MHz cell with PLMN A on a 40 % share → Op A caps at 600 × 40 % = 240 active UEs and 1200 × 40 % = 480 bearers. Requires LTE-SW5002 enabled first.

What per-PLMN CAC gates (verbatim, 40 % example)
ResourcePer-PLMN limitOp A @ 40 %
PRB100 PRB × T × share / cycle40 PRB / cycle at MaxDRR
Active UEs600 UEs × share (per cell)240 UEs
Active Bearers1200 bearers × share480 bearers
The 7-phase LTE MOCN plan
1
PLMN list — up to 6 (LTE-SW5001)

Define the ordered PLMN identities (mcc/mnc) the eNB cell broadcasts — up to 6 with LTE-SW5001. The first entry is the primary/host PLMN; the rest are guest operators sharing the carrier.

eNB cell · PLMN-IdentityList (mcc/mnc) · LTE-SW5001 If wrong: a PLMN missing here never airs in SIB1 — that operator's UEs read "no service" on this cell.
2
SIB scheduling — advertise every PLMN

Schedule SIB1 so it carries the full plmn-IdentityList with each PLMN's cellReservedForOperatorUse flag and TAC, plus the per-PLMN cell-selection info (SIB1/SIB3/SIB5) an idle UE needs to camp and reselect.

SIB1 plmn-IdentityList · cellReservedForOperatorUse · TAC If wrong: a reserved-flag or TAC error blocks camping or breaks the tracking-area for one operator only.
3
S1 per operator — MME pool per PLMN

Map each PLMN to its operator's MME/S-GW over S1. With S1-flex the eNB holds an S1-MME association to each operator's MME pool and routes NAS by the UE's selected PLMN; the user plane goes to that operator's S-GW/P-GW.

S1-MME per PLMN (S1-flex / MME pool) · S1-U per operator If wrong: a UE attaches but its NAS reaches the wrong MME → registration reject / mis-billing.
4
PRB sharing — pick the model, set MinDRR/MaxDRR

Enable LTE-SW5002 and choose the sharing model (Full / Strict / Partial / Adaptive) by setting each PLMN's MinDRR (guaranteed floor) and MaxDRR (cap) around its distribution ratio. The scheduler protects MinDRR first, then shares the elastic band up to MaxDRR by ratio.

LTE-SW5002 · per-PLMN distribution ratio · MinDRR / MaxDRR If wrong: Full where an operator needs a floor → SLA breach at busy hour; Strict everywhere → wasted spectrum.
5
Per-PLMN CAC — protect each operator at the edge

Set admission caps and ARP/priority independently per PLMN so one operator's overload can't consume another's context, and preemption respects each operator's retention priority.

per-PLMN CAC caps · ARP / retention priority If wrong: shared CAC lets a busy operator preempt a quiet operator's high-ARP bearers → cross-operator drops.
6
Frequency-relocation HO — send each PLMN to the right layer

Configure frequency-relocation handover so each PLMN's UEs move to that operator's intended target frequency on HO/redirect, honouring per-operator frequency priorities.

frequency-relocation HO · per-PLMN target frequency If wrong: an operator's UE is sent to a frequency it doesn't run → HO failure / coverage hole for that PLMN only.
7
Commit & verify — per-PLMN, not cell-average

Commit, then verify: SIB1 decode shows all PLMNs + correct TAC; each operator's MME shows the eNB over S1; per-PLMN KPIs (Family 5581/5582, QCI) and the realised DRR match the configured Min/Max.

SIB1 decode · S1 per MME · Fam 5581/5582 per PLMN If wrong: a healthy cell-aggregate routinely hides one operator sitting at its MinDRR floor while another hogs the elastic band.
MORAN — the dedicated-carrier alternative

Where MOCN shares one carrier, MORAN (Multi-Operator RAN) shares the site and hardware but gives each operator its own dedicated carrier. No PRB contention — the split is physical, by frequency. It costs more spectrum but delivers the hardest isolation, so it's chosen when an operator won't accept shared-PRB statistics.

MORAN — shared HW, dedicated carriersby frequency
Shared site & hardware (eNB/gNB)
two carriers configured
Carrier A
Operator A only
Carrier B
Operator B only
EPC A
MME-A
EPC B
MME-B
dedicated carrier per operatorNo PRB contention — isolation is physical.
LTE MOCN vs 5G NR MOCN
Comparison
AspectLTE MOCN5G NR MOCN
Max PLMNs / cell6 (SW5001)8 (FGR-CC6101)
CoreEPC — MME · S-GW/P-GW (S1)5GC — AMF · SMF/UPF (NG)
PRB sharingDRR models (SW5002)PRB portion control (RS1801)
Sharing granularityFull / Strict / Partial / AdaptivePer-PLMN distribution ratio 0–100%
MobilityFrequency-relocation HOPer-PLMN mobility (MC1015)
Per-PLMN KPIPer-PLMN countersFamily 5583 (CELL·PLMN·5QI·slice)
Dedicated-carrier variantMORANMORAN
How DRR actually schedules — MinDRR floor → elastic → MaxDRR cap

Each TTI the scheduler first honours every PLMN's MinDRR (its guaranteed PRBs), then shares the remaining elastic pool between the operators by their distribution ratio, never letting any PLMN exceed its MaxDRR. That single rule produces all four models — it's just where you place Min and Max.

Per-PLMN demand → DRR scheduler → PRB grantLTE-SW5002
PRB grant
Op A demand
bursty
Op B demand
steady
DRR scheduler
1 · MinDRR floors (protected)
2 · elastic pool by ratio
3 · never exceed MaxDRR
PRB grant / TTI
A: floor + elastic
B: floor guaranteed
scheduled every TTIFull = Min0/Max100 · Strict = Min=Max · Partial/Adaptive = Min<Max.
DRR sharing configuration
SettingRangeSets
sharing modelFull / Strict / Partial / AdaptiveHow hard the split is
per-PLMN distribution ratio0…100 %Each PLMN's nominal share of the elastic pool
MinDRR0…100 %Guaranteed floor the scheduler protects first
MaxDRR0…100 %Cap a PLMN can never exceed
Load balancing — idle (reselection) & connected (X2 load HO)

DRR shares one cell; load balancing spreads UEs across cells. In idle the eNB biases per-PLMN camping through cell-reselection; in connected mode it exchanges cell load over X2 Resource Status and triggers a load-based handover when a cell saturates.

Idle reselection & connected X2 load HOtwo modes
reselection biasload-based HOX2 status
Idle UE
per-PLMN camp bias
Less-loaded cell/freq
idle spread
Serving cell (hot)
PRB > threshold
Neighbour
reports load (X2)
Result
UEs offloaded
idle reselection connected load HO (X2)Idle is free (no signalling); connected costs an HO — use idle first.
Per-PLMN counters & KPI analysis (LTE)

On LTE the per-PLMN axis is CELL · PLMN · QCI. Samsung families 5581 (counts/rates) and 5582 (volume) break every operator's throughput and loss out by QCI — the LTE equivalent of the 5G Family-5583 per-PLMN view.

Per-PLMN counter families (LTE, real)
FamilyCounters (examples)GranularityMeasures
5581PdcpSduCnt / LossRate / DropRate DL·ULcell · PLMN · QCIPer-PLMN throughput & loss
5582PdcpSduVolume DL·UL (+ split NR/LTE)cell · PLMN · QCIPer-PLMN data volume
DRRrealised per-PLMN PRB sharecell · PLMNActual share vs configured Min/Max
i
Samsung verbatim: LTE-SW5001 has "no specific counters or KPIs" — LTE MOCN is monitored through derived KPIs built from existing per-PLMN counters, filtered by selectedPLMN.
Derived per-PLMN KPIs & Tier-1 targets (verbatim from the guide)
KPIFormulaPer PLMN?Tier-1 targetAction
RRC Conn Setup Success RateSuccess ÷ attemptsYes (by selectedPLMN)≥ 99.50 %< 97 % → check MME-A/B
Initial Context Setup SuccessS1AP ICS success ÷ attemptsYes≥ 99.20 %< 97 % → core slice
Service Drop RateDrops ÷ established sessionsYes≤ 0.30 %> 1 % → per-PLMN review
PRB usage per PLMN (DL/UL)Used PRB ÷ total PRB per PLMNYes≤ MaxDRR %sustained 100 % → raise MaxDRR
Common pool usageCommon used ÷ common totalNo (cell)variable100 % → raise Σ(MaxDRR)
Active UE / Bearer per PLMNcount per PLMNYes≤ cell × MaxDRRCAC blocking → check usage
Inter-PLMN HO SuccessSuccess ÷ attemptsYes≥ 99 %check ANR + freq relocation
Emergency Call Setupboth PLMNsYes100 %regulatory
Common LTE MOCN problems — symptom → cause → fix (verbatim)
Troubleshooting matrix
SymptomLikely causeFix
Op A SIM camps but registration failsplmn-index 0 MCC/MNC ≠ global eNB IDplmn-index 0 MUST match global eNB ID PLMN
Op B rejected "PLMN not allowed"cell-plmn-info lacks plmn-usage=use for index 1Set plmn-usage = use for plmn-index 1
Both broadcast, Op B can't registerMME-B not reachableVerify S1-MME to MME-B
Op A throughput drops when Op B loadsΣ(MaxDRR) too high → no common poolReduce MaxDRR to ≤ 90 %; leave 10 % common
Cannot enable LTE-SW5002FGR-RS1201/RS1202 (LTE-NR DSS) ONDisable LTE-NR spectrum sharing first
New UEs blocked despite low total usagePer-PLMN UE/bearer cap reachedRaise MaxDRR or use Adaptive Sharing
MORAN: Op A camps on Op B's dedicated carrierOwner PLMN not "reserved-for-operator-use"Set reservation flag on Owner PLMN in Sharing's cells
MOCN broken after SW upgradeLicense migration not doneRenew LTE-SW5002 license post-upgrade
Optimization scenarios (LTE MOCN)
Symptom → diagnosis → fix
Symptom (per-PLMN)DiagnosisFix
Op-B below SLA at busy hourMinDRR floor too lowRaise B MinDRR; move Full → Partial/Adaptive
Utilization low, spectrum wastedStrict model over-partitionsSwitch to Adaptive (Min < Max)
Op-A hogs the elastic bandMaxDRR uncappedSet A MaxDRR to protect B's share
UE attaches to wrong operatorS1 PLMN routing / MME poolFix S1-flex per-PLMN MME mapping (Phase 3)
Cross-operator preemption dropsShared CAC / ARPPer-PLMN CAC + ARP floors (Phase 5)
HO failure for one PLMN onlyWrong frequency-relocation targetCorrect that PLMN's target frequency (Phase 6)
Interactive — the DRR scheduler, simulated (MinDRR → elastic → MaxDRR)

Set each operator's MinDRR floor, MaxDRR cap and demand — the simulator runs the exact three-step rule from the section above and shows the grant. Slide Min and Max around and watch the four sharing models emerge from one mechanism.

DRR Sharing Simulatorlive
Model detected
Interactive — MOCN or MORAN? The decision explorer
MOCN vs MORAN Decision Explorerlive
Recommendation
Per-PLMN observability — the LTE SLA counter set (verbatim families)

Everything you contract per operator, Samsung counts per PLMN — the LTE twins of the 5G page's 5241/5583 set:

LTE per-PLMN families (from the eNB Counter Description, verbatim)
FamilyNameMeasures per PLMN
145RRC_CONN_PLMNConnected-UE count — the fairness denominator
144PRB_TOTAL_PLMN⭐ Total PRB usage — the DRR outcome, measured
189 / 858CP_PACKET_PLMN / CP_PACKET_PDCP_PLMNPDCP packets · loss · drop · DL IP throughput
866UL_IP_THROUGHPUT_PLMNUL user throughput
928CA_PDCP_PACKET_PLMNCA volumes per operator
922 / 923HO_INTRA/INTER_FREQ_OUT_PLMNHandover SR per operator (+ VoLTE twins 924/925)
916UTRAN_OUT_PLMNIRAT/CSFB/SRVCC exits per operator
833 / 914 / 915ERAB / E-RAB release per PLMN·QCIRetainability per operator (the Day-2.3 ledgers, PLMN-scoped)
!
SLA reporting rule — never report a shared cell to an operator from the cell-level families; every KPI in their report must come from a _PLMN family. Cell-level numbers mix both operators and make every dispute unresolvable. The blame router on the 5G MOCN page applies verbatim here.

Same idea, two eras — share the RAN, split the PRBs.

LTE brings the DRR sharing models and MORAN; 5G brings per-PLMN portion control, slicing and Family-5583 per-PLMN KPIs. Now put it together in the lab — configure a live 5G MOCN cell and verify SIB1 + per-PLMN KPIs.