Mobile Networks

GSM-GPRS-UMTS
Chapter 2
Course Instructor
Mr.Getnet Asfaw
Email: [email protected]
 Next Generation Networks (NGN)
course agenda
 Introduction
 PSTN
 Mobile IP
 GPRS/UMTS
 4G mobile networks
 VOIP
 VOIP QoS issues
 Multimedia Control Protocols
 H323
 H324
 Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)
 Soft Switching
 Convergent Networks

 Service Delivery Platforms (SDP)

 IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)
 OSA/Parlay
 Next Generation Billing Systems
 Ad Hoc Networks
 Ad hoc routing issues
 Ad hoc network security
 (GSM) Global System for Mobile
Communication
services

1. Asynchronous and synchronous data, 300-9600

bps.
2. Alternate speech and data, 300-9600 bps.
3. Asynchronous PAD (packet-switched, packet
assembler/disassembler) access, 300-9600 bps.
4. Synchronous dedicated packet data access,
2400-9600 bps.
Network Architecture

PSTN/ISDN

MS BSS NSS
ME/SIM
MT BTS (G)MSC
Um BSC
A
A-bis B
VLR

X.25
X.25
F D C
OSS
EIR AuC
•MS: Mobile Station. OMC HLR

SM
•BSS: Base Station Subsystem.
•NSS: Network Switching Subsystem.
 Network Architecture
Used to get and make calls and it is composed of two entities:
•Mobile Equipment (ME).
•Subscriber Identity Module (SIM).
•Mobile Terminal (MT).
MS
ME/SIM
MT: Generally a PDA, PC, …
MT Can communicate with ME via a serial (DTE-DCE) interface; e.g. serial cable
PCMCIA, Bluetooth,…
Use AT commands.
ME: Represents the cell phone itself without the SIM-card. Each cell phone has a
unique International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number.
SIM: Is a smart card used for storing and handling subscriber informatio

Often it is owned by the operator

Contains International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI).

Contains both fixed and changeable subscriber information

Network Architecture
Which is responsible for the radio path control and every
call that is made in the system is connected through it.
BSS
This part of the network is divided in two entities:
BTS
•Base Transceiver Station (BTS).
BSC •Base Station Controller (BSC).
A-bis

BSC is responsible for maintaining radio connections

with the MS and its main task is to administrate
frequency, control BTS and function-exchange. Up to 40
BTSs can be controlled by one BSC.
BTS takes care of air interface signaling, ciphering and speech
control, i.e., it is responsible for maintaining the air interface. It is
usually located at the center of the cell. A base station has between
one and sixteen transceivers, each representing a separate Radio
Frequency (RF) channel.
Network Architecture

is the element in the network that PSTN/ISDN

takes care of call control functions.
MSMSC is responsible BSSfor call control, NSS
BSS control functions, charging,
ME/SIM
BTS
MTstatistics and
Um interface signaling BSC
(G)MSC

towards BSS and interfacing

A-bis with the A B
VLR
external network, i.e., it is
responsible for routing calls to and
X.25
from mobile users. The capacity of X.25 F D C
OSS
one MSC is several tens of
thousands of subscriber and OMC it can EIR AuC
HLR
control some tens of BSCs. One SM or
several MSCs can act as a Gateway
MSC (GMSC). It is an interface that
makes it possible to route calls
between the fixed network and an
individual mobile station.
Network Architecture
NSS
Home Location Register (HLR): Is a
(G)MSC
database where all the subscriber
information is stored permanently. This B
VLR
information is the International Mobile
Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number, the
authentication key, etc. HLR has to F D C
provide the (G)MSC with the
necessary subscriber data when the EIR AuC
HLR
call is coming from another network,
such as the PSTN or another GSM
network.
Network Architecture
NSS
Authentication Center (AuC): Which is
(G)MSC
related to the HLR. AuC is also a
database containing subscriber identity- B
VLR
related security information. It provides
HLR with the information that is needed
for a successful authentication of the F D C
mobile station. Authentication code is
stored in this database and the same EIR AuC
HLR
code is also stored in the SIM.
Network Architecture
NSS
Visitor Location Register (VLR): Like HLR, a
database that contains information about the (G)MSC
subscribers. The difference is that VLR stores B
the subscriber information as long as the VLR

mobile subscriber visits the MSC area of that

specific VLR while the information the HLR
stores is permanent. VLR provides a copy of F D C
the subscriber’s information that is needed to
receive/make calls so that the IMSI number EIR AuC
HLR
does not have to be sent over the radio
interface all the time. Instead, VLR stores
another unique subscriber number,
Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (TMSI).
Another task of this component is to provide
host (G)MSC with the necessary subscriber
data when the call is coming from a mobile
station. In all GSM systems VLR is part of
MSC, that is they are physically combined, but
we have separate them to make it easier to
understand.
Network Architecture
NSS
Equipment Identity Register (EIR):
(G)MSC
Contains three different lists of
International Mobile Equipment Identities B
VLR
(IMEI).
•The white list contains the IMEIs of all
the cell phones that can be used in the F D C
GSM network.
•IMEIs of the phones, which are stolen or EIR AuC
HLR
are malfunctioning and cannot be used in
the network, are stored in the black list.
•The third list is the gray list where the
IMEIs of the mobile equipment that have
to be traced by the network for
evaluation are stored.

This part of the network is optional.

Network Architecture

Operation Sub-System(OSS)

Operation and Maintenance Center (OMC): Its main

function is to handle error messages coming from the
network and control the traffic load of the BSC and the BTS

Service Management (SM): Subscription management for

registering new subscriptions, modifying and removing
subscriptions, as well as billing information
 GSM Interfaces

Interface Description
Um Radio link between MS and BTS
Abis Between BTS and BSC, PCM 2Mbit/s
A Between BSC and MSC, PCM 2Mbit/s
B Between MSC and VLR (use MAP/TCAP protocols)
C Between MSC and HLR (MAP/TCAP)
D Between HLR and VLR (MAP/TCAP)
E Between two MSCs (MAP/TCAP +ISUP/TUP)
F Between MSC and EIR (MAP/TCAP)
G Between VLRs (MAP/TCAP)
 The Radio Interface
The Radio Interface (Um) is split into several channels
•The signaling channels carry management and control information
•Traffic channels to carry user data.

Frequency bands used

Variant Uplink (MHz) Downlink Total Duplex- Channels

(MHz) Bandwidth frequency

GSM-900 890-915 935-960 Twice 25 MHz 45 MHz Twice 124

DCS-1800 1,710-1,785 1,805-1,880 Twice 75 MHz 95 MHz Twice 373
PCS-1900 1,850-1,910 1,930-1,990 Twice 60 MHz 80 MHz Twice 300
 The Radio Interface

Original Frequency bands (GSM900)

Channel Bandwidth 200 kHz

1
Number of duplex channels 124
2
3
Users per channel 8 4
5
Speech coding bit rate 13 kbps 6
7
Data coding bit rate 12 kbps F1 F2 F1' F2' 8
Frequency
Frame size 4.6 ms

To reduce the MS’s power consumption and minimize interference on the air interface,
during pauses in speech the MS does not transmit – this is called: Discontinuous
Transmission (DTX)
It is typically only transmitting in one time slot (i.e., 1/8 of the time)
The Radio Interface

Frequency Reuse
 They are grouped in units of seven 7 cell re-use pattern
cells. Each color indicates a group
f7
of frequencies. f f2 f7
 Adjacent cells are assigned different 6 f1 f6
f 5 f3 f2
frequencies to avoid interference or f4 f1
f2 f5 f3
crosstalk. f7
f6 f4
 Because of the limited bandwidth f2
resources, the same frequency have
to be reused in other nearby cells.
 Example: Incomming Call

PSTN

BTS 1

VLR
BTS
BSC MSC

BTS

BTS BSC
GMSC HLR

BTS

Incoming call is passed from the fixed network to the gateway GMSC.
 Example: Incomming Call

PSTN

BTS 1

VLR
BTS
BSC MSC

BTS

BTS BSC
GMSC HLR
2
BTS

Based on the IMSI numbers of the called party, HLR is determined.

 Example: Incomming Call

PSTN

BTS 1

VLR
BTS
BSC MSC

BTS
3
BTS BSC
GMSC HLR
2
BTS

HLR checks for the existence of the called number, then the relevant VLR is requested
to provide a mobile station roaming number (MSRN).
 Example: Incomming Call

PSTN

BTS 1

VLR
BTS
BSC MSC 4

BTS
3
BTS BSC
GMSC HLR
2
BTS

Replay transmitted back to the GMSC

 Example: Incomming Call

PSTN

BTS 1

VLR
BTS
BSC MSC 4

BTS
3
BTS BSC
5 GMSC HLR
2
BTS

Connection is switched through the responsible MSC

 Example: Incomming Call

PSTN

BTS 1

6 VLR
BTS
BSC MSC 4

BTS
3
BTS BSC
5 GMSC HLR
2
BTS

VLR is quarried for the location, range, and reach-ability status of the mobile
subscriber.
 Example: Incomming Call

PSTN

BTS 1

6 VLR
BTS
BSC MSC 4
7
BTS
3
BTS BSC
5 GMSC HLR
2
BTS

If the MS is marked reachable, than a radio call is enabled.

 Example: Incomming Call

8
PSTN

BTS 1
8
6 VLR
8 8
8
BTS
BSC MSC 4
8
8 7
8 BTS
8 3
BTS BSC
5 GMSC HLR
8
8 2
BTS

Radio call is executed in all radio zones assigned to the VLR

 Example: Incomming Call

8
PSTN
9
BTS 1
8
6 VLR
8 8
8
BTS
BSC MSC 4
8
8 7
8 BTS
8 3
BTS BSC
5 GMSC HLR
8
8 2
BTS

Replay from the MS in its current radio cell.

 Example: Incomming Call

8
PSTN
9
BTS 1
8 10
6 VLR
8 8
8
BTS
BSC MSC 4
8
8 7
8 BTS
8 3
BTS BSC
5 GMSC HLR
8
8 2
BTS 2

When mobile subscriber telephone responds to the page, then complete all necessary
security procedures.
 Example: Incomming Call

8
PSTN
9
BTS 1
10 11
8
6 VLR
8 8
8
BTS
BSC MSC 4
8
8 7
8 BTS
8 3
BTS BSC
5 GMSC HLR
8
8 2
BTS 2

If this is successful. The VLR indicates to the MSC that call can be completed.
 Example: Incomming Call

8
PSTN
9
BTS 1
10 11
8
6 VLR
8 8
8
BTS
BSC MSC 4
8
8 7
8 12
BTS
8 3
BTS BSC
5 GMSC HLR
8
8 2
BTS 2

Call can be completed.

 Mobility Management (MM)
GSM network keeps track of which mobile telephones are powered on and
active in the network.

The network keeps track of the last known location of the MS in the VLR
and HLR.

Radio sites connected to tha MSC are divided into “location areas” (LAs),
thus when a call comes for an MS, the network looks for the MS in the last
known location area.

Each BTS is assigned (by the operator) a 40 bit ID – called a Location Area
Identity (LAI), with three parts

Mobile country code.

Mobile network code.
Location area code.
GSM Shortcomings

 GSM is based on circuit switched radio

so…
transmission
 A complete traffic channel must be

allocated for the entire call period

 Data rates are slow (designed for voice)

 Connection setup takes too long

 Costs are high( time oriented charging)

 Connection requires a modem

Solution

G S
PMR
 Introduction
GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) is a non-voice, packet switched technology
with high-performance, good quality services, reliable, transmits large amounts of data
in an efficient manner, increased voice capacity, with the internet accessible features
attached to it.

GPRS is based on the GSM means that GPRS uses the GSM air Interface for its
service transmission

GPRS was designed around a number of guiding principles:

* Always on
* High bit rates
* Simultaneous voice call and data transfer.
* Billing based on volume.
 GSM to GPRS
Element Software Hardware

MS Upgrade required Upgrade required

BTS Upgrade required No Change

BSC Upgrade required PCU Interface

MSC/VLR Upgrade required No Change

HLR Upgrade required No Change

SGSN New New

GGSN New New

 Network Architecture

Gn Gi
PSDN
SGSN IP GGSN
Gc
Gr

Gb G
s
HLR

ME/SIM
BTS (G)MSC
Um BSC C
A
A-bis

MT
X.25
BSS Base Station System X.25 B
F D
BTS Base Transceiver Station OSS
BSC Base Station Controller
EIR AuC VLR
OMC PSTN/ISDN
NSS Network Sub-System
MSC Mobile-service Switching Controller SM
VLR Visitor Location Register
HLR Home Location Register
AuC Authentication Server SGSN Serving GPRS Support Node

GMSC Gateway MSC GGSN Gateway GPRS Support Node

 Network Architecture

 Requires addition of a new class of nodes called

GSNs (GPRS Support Nodes)
 SGSN: Serving GPRS Support Node,

 GGSN: Gateway GPRS Support Node

 BSC requires a PCU (Packet Control Unit) and

various other elements of the GSM require software
upgrades
 All GSNs are connected via an IP-based backbone.
Protocol data units (PDUs) are encapsulated and
tunneled between GSNs
Serving GPRS Support Node – SGSN
 Packet routing & transfer
 Mobility management
 Session management
 Logical link management towards the MS
 Ciphering, authentication
 Charging data
 Connection - HLR, MSC, BSC and SMS-
MSC
Gateway GPRS Support Node – GGSN
 Serves as the interface to external IP networks
which see the GGSN as an IP router serving all IP
addresses of the MSs
 GGSN stores current SGSN address and profile of
the user in its location register
 It tunnels protocol data packets to and from the
SGSN currently serving the MS
 It also performs authentication and charging
 GGSN can also include firewall and packet-filtering
mechanisms
BSC and others

 BSC must get a Packet Control Unit to

 set up, supervise and disconnect packet-switched
calls
 also support cell change, radio resource
configuration and channel assignment
 MSC/VLR, HLR must be enhanced for
interworking with GPRS
 MS must be equipped with the GPRS
protocol stack
HLR - Home Location Register
 Shared database, with GSM
 Is enhanced with GPRS subscriber data and routing
information
 For all users registered with the network, HLR keeps user
profile, current SGSN and Packet Data Protocol (PDP)
address(es) information
 SGSN exchanges information with HLR e.g., informs HLR of
the current location of the MS
 When MS registers with a new SGSN, the HLR sends the user
profile to the new SGSN
 MS modes
IP
MS Network

Three Modes of Operation

 Class A
 possibility to have simultaneously a circuit switched

connection and a packet switched connection

 Class B
 possibility to be attached for both Circuit and Packet

Switching but can not use both services at the same time.
 Class C
 allow to be attached to only one service at a time. (pure GSM

or pure GPRS)
Applications:
Choosing a mode of operation
relative benefit
relative cost

Class B Class A

Class C
Interfaces
Interfaces
Gn - backbone interface (SGSN-GGSN)
Gp - between GSNs (GPRS Support Nodes) in different PLMNs (Public Land
Mobile Networks)
Gi - connection to external networks (support IP).
Gb - between SGSN and BSC (Base Station Controller)
Gd - between SGSN and SMS-C (SMS Centre), it is to exchange messages of
the short message service (SMS) via GPRS, it interconnects the SMS gateway
MSC (SMS-GMSC) with the SGSN.
Gf – between SGSN and EIR (Equipment Identification Register) Across the Gf
interface, the SGSN may query the IMEI (equipment Identifier) of a mobile station
trying to register with the network.
Gs - between SGSN and MSC (Mobile Switching Centre)
Gr - between SGSN and HLR (Home Location Register) The HLR stores the user
profile, the current SGSN address, and the PDP address(es) for each GPRS user
in the PLMN. The Gr interface is used to exchange this information between HLR
and SGSN.
Gc – between GGSN and HLR, The signaling path Gc interface may be used by
the GGSN to query a user’s location and profile in order to update its location
register.
Protocols

The GPRS data communication architecture adheres to the

principle of protocol layering and has two protocol planes,
signaling plane and transmission plane.

The signaling plane consists of protocols that control and

support the transmission of user information.

The transmission plane covers the protocols for user

information transmission and associated control procedures
like flow control or error handling. Between SGSN and GGSN
Mobility management
There are three activities related to mobility management, that is
attach, detach, and location update. Attach means entering/joining
the system. Detach means leaving the system. Location update
includes routing area (RA) update and cell update.

Before an MS is able to send data to a corresponding host, it has

to attach to the GPRS system. During the attachment procedure,
the GPRS shall do the following things:
1- Inform the network for the MS's request to be active
2- Network check the MS's identity and initiate
ciphering mode for data communication
3- If SGSN does not already have the MS’s
subscription info, download the information from HLR to
SGSN
4- Update MSC/VLR
5- Signal between the MS and SGSN
 Moving
MS MS
1

HLR
SGSNn SGSNo

GGSN

•When MS changes RA, the GPRS needs to update routing area

•The MS sends a routing update request containing the cell identity and the
identity of the previous routing area (RA) to the SGSNn
 Moving
MS MS
1

HLR
2
SGSNn SGSNo

GGSN
If the RA is served by the same SGSN, the location information is updated and an
acknowledge is sent back to the MS. There is no need to inform the GGSN,
because the SGSN and tunneling information are not changed. However if the
previous RA is served by another SGSN, the GGSN must be informed. The
GGSN address and tunneling information can be requested from the previous
SGSNo
 Moving
MS MS
1

HLR
2
SGSNn SGSNo
3

GGSN

The SGSNo is requested to transmit the undelivered data packets to the new
SGSN. Afterwards, the information context of the MS is deleted from the memory
of the SGSNo. As soon as the address and tunneling information is received from
the SGSNo
 Moving
MS MS
1

HLR
2
SGSNn SGSNo
3
4

GGSN

The new SGSN address and tunneling information is delivered to GGSN.

 Moving
MS MS
1

HLR
2
SGSNn SGSNo
3
4
5

GGSN

Update PDP context.

 Moving
MS MS
1

HLR
2
SGSNn SGSNo
3
4
5 6

GGSN

Update PDP context.

Update HLR { Location + Subscriber data }
 Benefits of GPRS:
(1) use of Packet Switching
 Packet-switched  Circuit-switched
 High bit rates  Low bit rates
(up to 170kbs) (max 14.4kbs)
 Short access times  Long access times
 Channels are allocated only  Channel allocated for entire
if needed duration
 Friendly bill (based on  Unfriendly bill (based on
volume) duration)
 Multiple users share one line
 Robust application support  Limited application support
 Small or medium volumes  Large volumes
(2) Other Benefits of GPRS
 greatly improves and simplifies wireless
access to packet data network
 support for different levels of QoS
 service precedence (high, normal, low)
 reliability – (probability of loss, duplication, mis-
sequencing, corruption of packets)
 delay
 throughput
Limitations of GPRS

 Speeds Much Lower in Reality

 Packet switching can lead to delays affecting the
Quality of Service
 Operators may decide to charge based on time
rather than volume
 Currently, mobile stations using GPRS cannot
receive direct GPRS calls
 Limited cell capacity for all users
 Tree Of Mobile Telecommunications
Broadband Fourth generation 2010
G
Services MBS/WBMCS
L
PAN (10 bps – 10 Mbps) O 2005
High Bit Rate Multimedia services B
FPLMTS/I MT-2000/ UMTS 3 generation
rd
A
Speech and data 2000
L
PACS 1995
DECT
PHS/ PHP
2nd suppl. CT2/ CT2+
GSM/ DCS1800 International
GPRS / EDGE
PDC IS54/ 136
Digital speech 2nd generation IS95 1990
TACS/ ETACS JTAC/ NTACS
RTMS RADIOCOM-2000
C-450 NTT
NMT450/ 900
AMPS

1st generation
Branches and leaves of the telecommunication systems
family tree are not shown in chronological order. Analog speech Local / international

1980
3G Evolution Path from GSM to UMTS

HSCSD EDGE

GSM GPRS WCDMA

Radio – Channel Access Schemes

• Frequency-division multiple access (FDMA);

• Time-division multiple access TDMA;
• Code-division multiple access CDMA;
UMTS/Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
“UMTS will be a mobile communications system that can
offer significant user benefits including high-quality wireless
multimedia services to a convergent network of fixed, cellular
and satellite components.
Modifications:
New methods & protocols on radio link  increased access
bandwidth
Coexistence of two domains in the core network
Packets Switched (PS)
Circuit Switched (CS)
New Services
IP Service Infrastructure: IP Based Multimedia Subsystems
(IMS) (R5)
 3G UMTS
 The Dream (intention)
 2G and 2.5G systems are incompatible around the
world.
 Worldwide devices need to have multiple technologies inside
of them, i.e. tri-band phones, dual-mode phones
 To develop a single standard that would be accepted
around the world
 One device should be able to work anywhere !

“Access to Information from Anyplace, Anytime”

3G UMTS
 Types of Cells and Base station to use them
 Macro Cell
 These cover a large area and will give slow access
 144 Kbps – max speed of 500 Km/h
 Micro Cell
 These should cover a medium area
 384 Kbps max speed 120 Km/h
 Pico Cell
 Less than 100 metres
 2 Mbps – max speed of 10 Km/h
 Difficult to predict
 Actual distances and bandwidth depend on local
conditions
3G UMTS
 Types of Cells and Base station to use them
 Cells will operate in a hierarchy overlaying each other

Global

Satellite
Suburban
Urban
In-Building

Micro-Cell Pico-Cell
Macro-Cell
Universal Frequency Re-use in
CDMA based systems
f1
f1
f1
f1
f1
f1
f1 f1
f1
f1
f1
f1
f1 f1
f1
f1
f1
f1
UMTS Architecture
Channel Access Technologies
Channel Access Technologies

Hybrid FDMA/TDMA
Channel Access Technologies

CDMA
Principles of CDMA

Spread Spectrum

Spread-spectrum transmission is a technique in which the user’s original signal

is transformed into another form that occupies a larger bandwidth than the
original signal would normally need.

The original data sequence is binary multiplied with a spreading code that
typically has a much larger bandwidth than the original signal.

The bits in the spreading code are called chips to differentiate them from the
bits in the data sequence, which are called symbols.

Each user has its own spreading code. The identical code is used in both
transformations on each end of the radio channel, spreading the original signal
to produce a wideband signal, and dispreading the wideband signal back to the
original narrowband signal.
 Principles of CDMA

Spread Spectrum

Considered alone, the spreading procedure might seem like a waste of time in
term of information transmission.

However, the purpose of spreading becomes clear if we consider the following

basic principles of code multiplexing:
1. All subscribers use the same frequency for the uplink and downlink.
2. Each user has its own, unique spreading code per data channel.
3. Using the spreading code, the information is encoded (“spread”) for
each data channel prior to transmission.
4. The spread data channels are added together and transmitted.
5. The receiver recognize the spreading code used for each data channel,
and can thus compute (“dispread”) each individual data channel based
on the received summation signal.
 Principles of CDMA

Spread Spectrum

At transmitter side the spreading process is accomplished in the following two

steps:
•Multiplying each symbol data signal dx(t) by a unique spreading code
signal cx(t). This will produce a spread signal Sx(t).
•Find the summation of all the output Sx(t) signals.

The dispreading procedure at receiver side also divided into two stages:
•Multiplication of the received signal by the spreading code used.
•Averaging over a symbol period.

For dispreading to be successful, it is necessary to know the spreading code

used and the receiver must be precisely synchronized to the chip clock and the
symbol clock.
Principles of CDMA
Spread Spectrum

How the original symbols can be reconstructed simply just by multiplying again
by the same code ?

XOR table Multiplication table

A B X A B X
0 0 0 +1 +1 +1
0 1 1 +1 -1 -1
1 0 1 -1 +1 -1
1 1 0 -1 -1 +1

Note:
If we chose that; logical “0” corresponds to bipolar (+1) and logical “1”
corresponds to bipolar “-1”.
Then, a multiplication of the bipolar signals (+1/-1) corresponds to an
XOR operation for the logical signals (0/1).
We were cover up-to this
Here we will enough
===================
Below you should be read
& see||
UMTS Terrestrial
Radio Access
Network
 UTRA modes
Frequency Division duplexing (FDD)

•Allows full-duplex operation by using two

separate frequency channels for downlink frequency
(DL) and uplink (UL) directions.
•Each frequency channel in FDD mode has
a bandwidth of 5Mhz and divided into a 10
ms frames. It can provide a 3.84 Mcps.
Down Link
•The maximum number of users that can
share the same channel is 512. Duplex spacing
•The maximum symbol rate that one user
can reach is 960 ksybols/second. Up Link

•The obvious disadvantage of this mode is

that resources are wasted since each radio
channel between Node-B and UE consist of time
frequency pair (UL,DL).
UTRA modes
Time Division duplexing (TDD)

•Both DL and UL use the same frequency channel but never simultaneously (half-
duplex).

U DL U DL TDD mode is suitable for

L Downloading file L Downloading file data communication,
time typical example Internet
URL requests suffering.

•The frame length is 10 ms, with each frame divided into 15 time slot.
•Each time slot can be accessed by up to 16 user depending on SF which can be
1,2,4,8, or 16. So the data rate in TDD mode ranges from 240 ksymbols/second to
3.84 Msymbols/second.
•In principle, the network can allocate all the time slots freely for UL or DL.
However, at least one time slot must be allocated for DL and one for UL per frame,
as the communication between UE and the network always need a return channel.
WCDMA Communication protocol stack

Radio Resource Control

RRC Radio Link Control

Service Access Point

RLC RLC RLC SAP

Logical channels
(what is transmitted)

Medium Access Control

MAC

Transport channels
(How it is transmitted)
Physical channels
Physical Layer (How it is transmitted)
Network Structure
 UMTS Network Structure
USER RAN CN
UE UTRAN GPRS CN

UE GERAN GSM CN

The UMTS consists of two parts the radio access network RAN and the core network CN
For the CN the option are the GSM based CS network and the GPRS based PS network
For RAN the option are GSM EDGE RAN(GERAN) and Universal Terrestrial RAN
(UTRAN)

The GERAN is based on EDGE technology which reuses the frequency allocation of GSM
and provides higher bandwidths by using more advanced modulation and coding schemes
The UTRAN is based on WCDMA technology

An operator may migrate to 3G first upgrading the CN components to the UMTS

specification and using GERAN of the radio access
UMTS Releases
etc
Release 99 v3.0.0 v3.1.0 v3.2.0 v3.3.0 v3.4.0
.
12/99

etc
Release 4 v4.0.0 v4.1.0 v4.2.0
03/01 .

Release 5 etc
v5.0.0 v5.1.0 .
06/02

Release 6
v6.0.0 etc
12/03 or 03/04 .

Corrections
New Functions
 Release 99

In Release 99 the core network is logically divided into two domains: circuit-switched (CS)
and packetswitched (PS). The CS-domain handles circuit-switched connections, and
the PS-domain handles the packet transfer.
 UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network

The UTRAN is the new radio access network designed especially for UMTS.
Its boundaries are the Iu interface to the core network and the Uu interface (radio
interface) to user equipment (UE).
 UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network

* The UTRAN consists of radio network controllers (RNCs) and Node Bs (base
stations). Together, these entities form a radio network subsystem (RNS).
* The internal interfaces of the UTRAN include the Iub and Iur.
 Radio Network Controller (RNC)

* The RNC controls one or more Node Bs. It may be connected via the Iu interface to an
MSC (IuCS) or to an SGSN (IuPS). The interface between RNCs (Iur) is a logical interface
* RNC is comparable to a BSC in GSM networks.
Functions that are performed by the RNC include the following:
Iub transport resources management.
Control of Node B logical operation and maintenance (O&M) resources.
Modifications to active sets; that is, soft handover.
Allocation of DL channelization codes.
DL power control.
 Node B

Node B is the UMTS equivalent of a base station transceiver. It may support

one or more cells.
Functions that are performed by a Node B include the following:
Node B logical O&M implementation;
Transmitting of system information messages according to scheduling parameters given
by the RNC.
Error detection on transport channels
Frequency and time synchronization and RF processing.
 GSM Radio Access Network

The GSM radio access network is also known as the base station subsystem (BSS). It
.consists of one BSC and one or more BTS
.The BSC controls the functionality of a BTS over the A-bis interface
The A-bis interface is not a multivendor interface, but it contains solutions that are
.proprietary to each manufacturer
 Interfaces

There are three kinds of interfaces in the UMTS/GSM network.

1- Truly open, (e.g. the A interface). This mean that an operator can buy the MSC and the
BSS equipment from different manufacturers and connect them together over the interface.
2- Specified at some level, but the interface is still proprietary. The equipment for such
interfaces must come from the same manufacturer,
3- No specification at all.
 A Interface

•This interface is an open multivendor interface.

•This interface is specified in the 08-series GSM specifications.
•The A interface is a pure GSM interface and not part of the UMTS concept, it can connect
a BSS subsystem to a 3G-MSC.
 Gb Interface

•The Gb interface is a non-UMTS interface.

•The Gb interface connects the packet-switched core network to the GSM network. It is
used when the GSM mobile station uses GPRS services.
•GPRS-capable GSM phones of the future will be able to use at least some of the UMTS
packet-based services, especially once enhanced GPRS (EGPRS) is launched.
 Iu Interface

•It is the most important and central interface for the 3GPP concept.
•This interface is an open multivendor interface.
•This interface connects the core network and the UMTS Radio Access Network (URAN).
•The Iu can have two different physical instances, Iu-CS and Iu-PS.
 General protocol model for UTRAN

The protocol model in the Iu interface is divided into two horizontal layers
.The radio network layer 2- The transport network layer -1
A protocol stack diagram has two planes, control and user. The control plane transfers
.signaling information, and the user plane transfers application data
 General protocol model for UTRAN

In the vertical direction, the Iu protocol model is divided into three planes, the control plane,
,the user plane, and the transport network control plane. Both radio network layer planes
control and user, are conveyed via the transport network layer using the transport network
.user plane
 General protocol model for UTRAN

The signaling protocol for the Access Link Control Application Protocol (ALCAP) may be
the same type as the signaling protocol for the Application Protocol, or it may be different.
Once the signaling bearers are in place, the Application Protocol in the radio network layer
may ask for data bearers to be set up. This request is relayed to the ALCAP in the transport
network layer. The ALCAP is responsible for the data bearer setup, and it has all the required
.information about the user plane technology
 General protocol model for UTRAN

In the Iu-PS interface, no ALCAP is needed. Because the signaling bearer in the transport
network control plane is only needed for the ALCAP, the entire transport network control
.plane is unnecessary in this case
 Iu interface/CS domain

•Use the asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) transport technology.

•In the case of the CS domain control plane, there are SS7-based protocols on top of the
ATM layers. In the CS domain user plane, only an ATM adaptation layer 2 (AAL2) task is
needed to handle the transport of audio and video streams.
 Iu interface/PS domain

•Two alternative protocol stacks to use. The first one is the same as in CS domain, and the
second one is more IP-oriented. This version can be used once the data transmission is based
on the IP technology. The user plane in this domain is different from the one in the CS
domain. The data packet forwarding is handled by the GPRS Tunnelling Protocol for user
plane (GTP-U).
 Iub Interface

•This interface is situated between the RNC and the Node B in the UTRAN.
•In GSM terms this corresponds to the A-bis interface between the BTS and the BSC.
•Is hardly an open interface.
•The protocol stack in this interface is based on the same principles as in the Iu interface;
 Iur Interface

•The applicable specification states that this interface should be open,

•All RNCs connected via the Iur must belong to the same PLMN.
•The protocol stack structure is based on the same principles as the Iu and Iub.
•The Iur interface exists to support macrodiversity.
. Serving and drift RNCs

•Several base stations can have an active connection with the same mobile station at the
same time . It is possible that these base stations are controlled by different RNCs. Without
an Iur interface, this situation would have to be controlled via the Iu interface , which
would be a very clumsy method indeed.
• There is always only one RNC in control of a UE connection (SRNC)
• Any other RNC involved in the connection is a slave RNC (DRNC)