LTE : Which sub frames of a radio frames can't be used for multicast and broadcast services ?

Question

Can someone please explain which all sub frames of a radio frame (FDD mode) can't be used for multicast and broadcast services and what are the reasons for that ?

Answer 1

In LTE FDD, one radio frame consists of ten sub frames and each sub frame is 1ms long. Sub frames 0 and 5 are used to transmit Primary Synchronization Signal and Secondary Synchronization Signal. Apart from PSS and SSS, Sub frame 0 is also used to transmit broadcast information.

RRC Paging procedure is used to page RRC-IDLE mode UEs. UEs in rrc - idle mode, use DRX. After each drx cycle, UE wakes up and look for paging message. There are two terms (paging radio frame and paging occasion) related to RRC paging. Paging radio frame tells which specific radio frames will carry paging messages and paging occasions will inform what are all specific sub frames of that radio frame carries paging message.

No. of paging occasions are depend on value of nB which is transmitted within the SIB2. Formula is # of paging occasions = max (1 , nb/T) . The possible values of nb are (fourT, twoT, oneT, halfT, quarterT, oneEighthT, oneSixteenthT, oneThirtySecondT). By using the formula possible sub frames come out (1 , 2 or 4).

If # of paging occasion = 1 then sub frame 9 of paging frame will carry RRC paging message.
If # of paging occasion = 2 then sub frames 4 and 9 shall be used for RRC paging message.
if # of paging occasion = 4 then sub frames 0, 4, 5 and 9 shall be used for RRC paging message.

Now coming to your question, which sub frames can not be used for MBMS services ?
Answer : Sub frames 0, 4 , 5 and 9.