INTRODUCTION TO

WIRELESS AND CELLULAR

COMMUNICATION
ArunKumar Jayaprakasam
AGENDA
• Introduction to wireless
• Early Wireless Communication System
• Cellular Systems and their Evolution
• Wireless LAN and Bluetooth
WIRELESS
COMMUNICATION BASICS
BRIEF HISTORY
• Maxwell’s Equations
• Marconi invented the wireless telegraph in
1896
● Encoding AlphaNumeric characters in analog
signal
● Sent telegraph signals across atlantic ocean
• 1914 – First Voice communication over radio
waves
• 1946 – First Car Based PTT (Push to Talk)
• 1960 – Communication Satellites Launched
• 1977-83 – Analog Cellular Telephony (1G)
• 1990’s – 2G Cellular Network
• 2000’s – 3G
•
WHAT IS WIRELESS COMMUNICATION
• Transmitting Voice and Data using Electro
Magnetic Waves of EM waves
• Types of EM waves
● Infrared Waves (Short range): > 300GHZ
● Micro Waves (Long range): 300 MHz to 300 GHz
● Radio Waves (Long range): 3 Hz to 300 MHz
• Advantages
● Mobility
● Easier to Install & Maintain
● Marconi: “Dangerous to put limits on wireless”
• Key Challenges
● Varying Channel Conditions (Fading)
● Interference
FREQUENCY CARRIERS
• Information from Sender to Receiver to
carried over a well defined frequency band.
• Within a frequency band there are well
defined carriers / center frequencies
(channel)
• Each channel has a fixed bandwidth
• Different Channels are used to transmit
information independently and in parallel
EXAMPLE
▪ Assume a spectrum of 90KHz is allocated over a base
frequency b for communication between stations A and B
▪ Assume each channel occupies 30KHz.
▪ There are 3 channels
▪ Each channel is simplex (Transmission occurs in one way)
▪ For full duplex communication:
▪ Use two different channels (front and reverse channels)
▪ Use time division in a channel

Channel 1 (b - b+30)

Station A Channel 2 (b+30 - b+60) Station B

Channel 3 (b+60 - b+90)

FCC SPECTRUM ALLOCATION CHART
RADIO PROPAGATION
• When a High Frequency alternating current
(AC) passes through a copper conductor it
generates radio waves which are propagated
into the air using an antenna.
• Radio Propagation Effects
● Loss/Gain
● Reflection
● Refraction
● Scattering
● Absorption
RADIO PROPAGATION MODES
• Surface Mode
• Point to Point (Line of Sight)
• Ionosphere
MODULATION
• modulation = adding information (e.g. voice)
to a carrier electromagnetic (radio) signal
FREQUENCY MODULATION (FM).
AMPLITUDE MODULATION (AM)
RADIO SIGNAL ATTENUATION
(PATH LOSS)
WIRELESS
COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS
- EXAMPLES
EXAMPLE OF MOBILE RADIO
SYSTEMS
• Examples
● Cordless phone
● Remote controller
● Hand-held walkie-talkies
● Pagers
● Cellular telephone
● Wireless LAN
• Mobile - any radio terminal that could be moves
during operation
• Portable - hand-held and used at walking speed
• Subscriber - mobile or portable user
FULL AND HALF DUPLEX
• Classification of mobile radio transmission system
– Simplex: communication in only one direction
– Half-duplex: same radio channel for both transmission and
reception (push-to-talk)
– Full-duplex: simultaneous radio transmission and reception
(FDD, TDD)
• Frequency division duplexing uses two radio channel
– Forward channel: base station to mobile user
– Reverse channel: mobile user to base station
• Time division duplexing shares a single radio channel in
time.
FULL DUPLEX
HALF DUPLEX
 Paging Systems
• Simplex paging systems: Send brief messages to a
subscribe: news headline, stock quotations, faxes, etc.
• Simultaneously broadcast paging message from each
base station (simulcasting)
• Large transmission power to cover wide area.
• Data Rates ~1200 bps
 Cordless Telephone System
• Cordless telephone systems are full duplex
communication systems.
• First generation cordless phone
– in-home use
– communication to dedicated base unit
– few tens of meters
• Second generation cordless phone
– outdoor
– combine with paging system
– few hundred meters per station
 Cellular Telephone Systems
• Provide connection to the PSTN for any user location within
the radio range of the system.
• Characteristic
– Large number of users
– Large Geographic area
– Limited frequency spectrum
– Reuse of the radio frequency by the concept of “cell’’.
• Basic cellular system: mobile stations, base stations, and
mobile switching center.
• Communication between the base station and mobiles
is defined by the standard common air interface (CAI)
– forward voice channel (FVC): voice transmission from
base station to mobile
– reverse voice channel (RVC): voice transmission
from mobile to base station
– forward control channels (FCC): initiating mobile call
from base station to mobile
– reverse control channel (RCC): initiating mobile call
from mobile to base station
 HIGH LEVEL FLOW -> MOBILE
TERMINATING

Figure 1.6 Timing diagram illustrating how a call to a mobile user initiated by a landline subscriber is established.
 HIGH LEVEL FLOW -> MOBILE INITIATING

Figure 1.7 Timing diagram illustrating how a call initiated by a mobile is established.
 WLL

Figure 2.4 Example of the emerging applications and markets for broadband
services. (Courtesy of Harris Corporation, ©1999, all rights reserved.)
RECEIVED SIGNAL STRENGTH
VARIATION
- WEATHER

Figure 2.8 Measured received power levels over a 605 m 38 GHz fixed wireless link in clear sky,
rain, and hail [from [Xu00], ©IEEE].
RECEIVED SIGNAL STRENGTH VARIATION

Figure 2.9 Measured received power during rain storm at 38 GHz [from
[Xu00], ©IEEE].
CELLULAR SYSTEMS BRIEF
OVERVIEW
THE FIRST CELLULAR TELEPHONE
CELLULAR NETWORK GENERATIONS
• It is useful to think of cellular
Network/telephony in terms of
generations:
● 0G: Briefcase-size mobile radio telephones
● 1G: Analog cellular telephony
● 2G: Digital cellular telephony
● 3G: High-speed digital cellular telephony
(including video telephony)
● 4G: IP-based “anytime, anywhere” voice,
data, and multimedia telephony at faster
data rates than 3G
THE MULTIPLE ACCESS PROBLEM
• The base stations need to serve many mobile
terminals at the same time (both downlink
and uplink)
• All mobiles in the cell need to transmit to the
base station
• Interference among different senders and
receivers
• So we need multiple access scheme
● FDMA
● TDMA
● CDMA
FREQUENCY DIVISION MULTIPLE
ACCESS

frequency

• Each mobile is assigned a separate frequency channel

for the duration of the call
• Sufficient guard band is required to prevent adjacent
channel interference
• Usually, mobile terminals will have one downlink
frequency band and one uplink frequency band
• Different cellular network protocols use different
frequencies
• Frequency is a precious and scare resource. We are
running out of it
● Cognitive radio
TIME DIVISION MULTIPLE ACCESS

Guard time – signal transmitted by

mobile terminals at different
locations do not arrive at the base
station at the same time

• Time is divided into slots and only one mobile

terminal transmits during each slot
CODE DIVISION MULTIPLE ACCESS
• Use of orthogonal codes to separate different
transmissions
• Each symbol of bit is transmitted as a larger
number of bits using the user specific code –
Spreading
● Bandwidth occupied by the signal is much larger
than the information transmission rate
● But all users use the same frequency band together
GSM
• Abbreviation for Global System for Mobile
Communications
• Concurrent development in USA and Europe
in the 1980’s
• The European system was called GSM and
deployed in the early 1990’s
GSM CHANNELS

Downli
Channels nk

Uplin
k

• Physical Channel: Each timeslot on a carrier is referred

to as a physical channel
• Logical Channel: Variety of information is transmitted
between the MS and BTS. Different types of logical
channels:
● Traffic channel
● Control Channel
 GSM FREQUENCIES
• Originally designed on 900MHz range,
now also available on 800MHz,
1800MHz and 1900 MHz ranges.
• Separate Uplink and Downlink
frequencies
● One example channel on the 1800 MHz
frequency band, where RF carriers are
space every 200 KHz.
● FDMA/TDMA. GMSK Modulation
UPLINK DOWNLINK
FREQUENCIES FREQUENCIES

1710 1785 1805 1880

MHz MHz MHz MHz

UPLINK AND DOWNLINK FREQUENCY SEPARATED BY

GSM ARCHITECTURE
MOBILE STATION (MS)

• MS is the user’s handset and has

two parts
• Mobile Equipment
● Radio equipment
● User interface
● Processing capabilityand memory
required for various tasks
• Call signalling
• Encryption
• SMS
● Equipment IMEI number
• Subscriber Identity Module
BASE STATION SUBSYSTEM
• Transcoding Rate and Adaptation Unit (TRAU)
– Performs coding between the 64kbps PCM coding
used in the backbone network and the 13 kbps
coding used for the Mobile Station (MS)
• Base Station Controller (BSC)
– Controls the channel (time slot) allocation
implemented by the BTSes
– Manages the handovers within BSS area
– Knows which mobile stations are within the cell
and informs the MSC/VLR about this
• Base Transceiver System (BTS)
– Controls several transmitters
– Each transmitter has 8 time slots, some used for
signaling, on a specific frequency
NETWORK AND SWITCHING
SUBSYSTEM
• The backbone of a GSM network is a telephone
network with additional cellular network capabilities
• Mobile Switching Center (MSC)
● An typical telephony exchange (ISDN exchange) which
supports mobile communications
● Visitor Location Register (VLR)
• A database, part of the MSC
• Contains the location of the active Mobile Stations
• Gateway Mobile Switching Center (GMSC)
● Links the system to PSTN and other operators
• Home Location Register (HLR)
● Contain subscriber information, including authentication
information in Authentication Center (AuC)
• Equipment Identity Register (EIR)
● International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI)
codes for e.g., blacklisting stolen phones
HOME LOCATION REGISTER
• One database per operator
• Contains all the permanent subscriber
information
● MSISDN (Mobile Subscriber ISDN number) is
the telephone number of the subscriber
● International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)
is a 15 digit code used to identify the
subscriber
• It incorporates a country code and operator code
● IMSI code is used to link the MSISDN number
to the subscriber’s SIM (Subscriber Identity
Module)
● Charging information
● Services available to the customer
• Also the subscriber’s present Location Area
Code, which refers to the MSC, which can
connect to the MS.
 GSM EVOLUTION TO 3G

High Speed Circuit Switched Data

Dedicate up to 4 timeslots for data connection ~ 50 kbps
Good for real-time applications c.w. GPRS
Inefficient -> ties up resources, even when nothing sent
Not as popular as GPRS (many skipping HSCSD)

Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution

GSM HSCSD Uses 8PSK modulation
9.6kbps (one timeslot) 3x improvement in data rate on short distances
GSM Data Can fall back to GMSK for greater distances
Also called CSD Combine with GPRS (EGPRS) ~ 384 kbps
Can also be combined with HSCSD
GSM GPRS
WCDMA
General Packet Radio Services
Data rates up to ~ 115 kbps EDGE
Max: 8 timeslots used as any one time
Packet switched; resources not tied up all the time
 EVOLUTION FROM 2G
IS-136
2 IS-95 GSM- & PDC
G

IS- GPRS
2.5 95B HSCS
EDGE
G D

Cdma2000- W-
1xRTT CDMA
3 Cdma2000- EDGE
1xEV,DV,DO TD-
G
Cdma2000- SCDM
3xRTT
3GPP 3GPPA
UMTS AND 3G ARCHITECTURE
UMTS NETWORK ARCHITECTURE
• UMTS network architecture consists of three
domains
● Core Network (CN): Provide switching, routing
and transit for user traffic
● UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN):
Provides the air interface access method for user
equipment.
• WideBand CDMA
● User Equipment (UE): Terminals work as air
interface counterpart for base stations. The
various identities are: IMSI, TMSI, P-TMSI, IMEI,
etc.
4G (LTE)
• LTE stands for Long Term Evolution
• Next Generation mobile broadband
technology
• Data Rates as high 300 Mbps
• Based on OFDM(A)
• Optimized for All-IP traffic
COMPARISON OF LTE SPEED
PERSONAL AREA
NETWORKS
 WHAT IS IEEE 802.11?
•Standard for wireless local area networks (wireless LANs) developed in 1990 by
IEEE
•Intended for home or office use (primarily indoor)
•802.11 standard describes the MAC layer, while other substandards (802.11a,
802.11b) describe the physical layer
•Wireless version of the Ethernet (802.3) standard
•Operates in the ISM/Unlicensed Band
NETWORK SETUP

•Basic Network Setup is Cellular

•Mobile Terminals (MT) connect with Access Points (AP)

•Standard also supports ad-hoc networking where MT’s talk directly to MT’s
 IEEE 802.11 PHYSICAL LAYERS

802.11b 802.11a
Modulation DSSS OFDM
Scheme
Spectrum (GHz) 2.4 – 2.485 5.15-5.35, 5.725-
5.825
Data Rate (Mbps) 1 – 11 6 - 54

Subchannels 11 overlapping 8 independent

Interference Microwave, Cordless HyperLAN II

Phones,Bluetooth,
HomeRF, Light
Bulbs!
MEDIA ACCESS CONTROL-
ETHERNET

• CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with

Collision Detection)
● If media is sensed idle, transmit
● If media is sensed busy, wait until idle and then
transmit immediately
• Collisions can occur if more than one user
transmits at the same time
● If a collision is detected, stop transmitting.
● Reschedule transmission according to exponential
backoff
MEDIA ACCESS CONTROL (802.11)
• Would like to use CSMA
● Nice for bursty traffic
● Make for seamless replacement of wired LANs with
wireless LANS
• Use CSMA, but can’t use CD
● PT/PR ratio is too high
● Don’t want to waste energy on mobiles
• Use Collision Avoidance instead
● Don’t always start transmitting immediately after
someone else
CSMA/CA DETAILS
• SIFS (Short Interframe Space)
• DIFS (Distributed Interframe Space)

Scenario:
•B and C want to transmit, but A currently has control of medium
•B randomly selects 7 slots of backoff, C selects 4 slots
•C transmits first, then B
WHAT IS BLUETOOTH?
• Bluetooth wireless technology is an open
specification for a low-cost, low-power,
short-range radio technology for ad-hoc
wireless communication of voice and data
anywhere in the world.
• Originally conceived as a cable replacement
technology
• Other usage models began to develop:
● Personal Area Network (PAN)
● Ad-hoc networks
● Data/voice access points
BLUETOOTH RADIO/BASEBAND
• Operating in the 2,4 GHz ISM Band
• Accomplishes spectrum spreading by
frequency hopping (FHSS) from 2.402 GHz to
2.480 GHz
• The physical layer of the Bluetooth that
provides
● Error correction
● Flow control
● Hopping sequence
● Security
• hopping through 79 channels
• Connection Modes
● STANDBY : not connected in a piconet
● ACTIVE : active participation on the
channel
BLUETOOTH SPECIFICATIONS & LAYERS
THANK YOU
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The contents of the slides have been taken

from various sources for explanation
purposes only. No copyright violation
intended.
Figure 2.7 A wireless Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) using Asynchronous Transfer
Mode (ATM) distribution.