It is quite hard to test SDCCH handover, you’ll mostly have to follow-up the QoS stats… it’s gonna hard to reproduce it during a drive-test.
The only way I can imagine : write a long SMS (n x 160 char) it should give you time to force a HO.
Or naturally cross a HO border.
I always disable the SDCCH ho, because it doesn’t enhance the network in the end…
in alcatel systems, directed retry and sdcch handovers are different. i believe it is the same in other systems .. a sdcch ho goes from a sdcch from cell A to a sdcch from cell B..
whereas a DR is from a sdcch of cell A to a TCH of cell B.
SDCCH HO : it occurs during a SDCCH communication (or SDCCH phase). When the BSC detects a HO (PBGT or EMERGENCY), it triggers a HO to establish a SDCCH on a neighbor cell.
DIRECTED RETRY : the SDCCH phase has ended and the call is in the Queue. If while in the queue, a HO is detected, the TCH ill be establish in a neighbor cell.
FORCED DIRECTED RETRY : While in the queue, if RXLEV “capture” conditions are met on a neighbor cell, the TCH qill be establish on the neighbor cell.