High-Speed Downlink Packet Access

High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) is

an enhanced 3G (third-generation) mobile-telephony
communications protocol in the High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) family, also dubbed 3.5G, 3G+, or Turbo
3G, which allows networks based on Universal Mobile
Telecommunications System (UMTS) to have higher data
speeds and capacity. As of 2013 HSDPA deployments
can support down-link speeds of up to 99.3 Mbit/s.
HSPA+ oers further speed increases, providing speeds
of up to 337.5 Mbit/s with Release 11 of the 3GPP
standards.[1]

dancy).
Since HARQ retransmissions are processed at the physical layer, their 12 ms round-trip time is much lower compared to higher layer retransmissions.

1.3 Fast packet scheduling

The HS-DSCH downlink channel is shared between users

using channel-dependent scheduling to make the best use
of available radio conditions. Each user device continually transmits an indication of the downlink signal quality,
as often as 500 times per second. Using this information
1 Technology
from all devices, the base station decides which users will
be sent data in the next 2 ms frame and how much data
1.1 High-Speed Downlink Shared Chan- should be sent for each user. More data can be sent to
users which report high downlink signal quality.
nel
The amount of the channelisation code tree, and thus network bandwidth, allocated to HSDPA users is determined
by the network. The allocation is semi-static in that it
can be modied while the network is operating, but not
on a frame-by-frame basis. This allocation represents a
trade-o between bandwidth allocated for HSDPA users,
versus that for voice and non-HSDPA data users. The allocation is in units of channelisation codes for Spreading
Factor 16, of which 16 exist and up to 15 can be allocated to the HS-DSCH. When the base station decides
which users will receive data in the next frame, it also
decides which channelisation codes will be used for each
user. This information is sent to the user on one of up to
4 HS-SCCHs, which are not part of the HS-DSCH allocation previously mentioned, but are allocated separately.
Thus, for a given 2 ms frame, data may be sent to a number of users simultaneously, using dierent channelisation codes.

For HSDPA, a new transport layer channel, High-Speed

Downlink Shared Channel (HS-DSCH), has been added
to 3GPP release 5 and further specication. It is implemented by introducing three new physical layer channels: HS-SCCH, HS-DPCCH and HS-PDSCH. The High
Speed-Shared Control Channel (HS-SCCH) informs the
user that data will be sent on the HS-DSCH, 2 slots
ahead. The Uplink High Speed-Dedicated Physical Control Channel (HS-DPCCH) carries acknowledgment information and current channel quality indicator (CQI) of
the user. This value is then used by the base station to calculate how much data to send to the user devices on the
next transmission. The High Speed-Physical Downlink
Shared Channel (HS-PDSCH) is the channel to which the
above HS-DSCH transport channel is mapped that carries
actual user data.

1.2

Hybrid automatic
(HARQ)

repeat-request
1.4 Adaptive modulation and coding

Data is transmitted together with error correction bits. The modulation scheme and coding are changed on a
Minor errors can thus be corrected without retransmis- per-user basis, depending on signal quality and cell ussion; see forward error correction.
age. The initial scheme is quadrature phase-shift keyIf retransmission is needed, the user device saves the ing (QPSK), but in good radio conditions 16QAM and
packet and later combines it with retransmitted packet 64QAM can signicantly increase data throughput rates.
to recover the error-free packet as eciently as possi- With 5 Code allocation, QPSK typically oers up to 1.8
ble. Even if the retransmitted packets are corrupted, their Mbit/s peak data rates, while 16QAM oers up to 3.6
combination can yield an error-free packet. Retransmit- Mbit/s. Additional codes (e.g. 10, 15) can also be used
ted packet may be either identical (chase combining) or to improve these data rates or extend the network capacdierent from the rst transmission (incremental redun- ity throughput signicantly.
1

1.5

Dual-Cell

Dual Cell HSDPA (DC-HSDPA), known also as Dual

Carrier, is the natural evolution of HSPA by means of
carrier aggregation in the downlink.[2] UMTS licenses are
often issued as 5, 10, or 20 MHz paired spectrum allocations. The basic idea of the multicarrier feature is
to achieve better resource utilization and spectrum efciency by means of joint resource allocation and load
balancing across the downlink carriers.
An advanced HSPA network can theoretically support up
to 28 Mbit/s and 42.2 Mbit/s with a single 5 MHz carrier for Rel7 (MIMO with 16QAM) and Rel8 (64-QAM
+ MIMO), in good channel conditions with low correlation between transmit antennas. An alternative method
to double the data rates is to double the bandwidth to
10 MHz (i.e. 25 MHz) by using DC-HSDPA. Additionally, some diversity and joint scheduling gains can
also be expected[3] with improved QoS for end users in
poor environment conditions where existing techniques
such as MIMO spatial multiplexing cannot be used to increase data rates. In 3GPP a study item was completed in
June 2008. The outcome can be found in technical report
25.825.[4] New HSDPA User Equipment categories 2124 have been introduced that support DC-HSDPA. DCHSDPA can support up to 42.2 Mbit/s, but unlike HSPA,
it does not need to rely on MIMO transmission.
From Release 9 onwards it will be possible to use
DC-HSDPA in combination with MIMO used on both
carriers.[5] This will allow theoretical speed of up to 84.4
Mbit/s.
The support of MIMO in combination with DC-HSDPA
will allow operators deploying Release 7 MIMO to benet from the DC-HSDPA functionality as dened in Release 8. While in Release 8 DC-HSDPA can only operate
on adjacent carriers, Release 9 also allows that the paired
cells can operate on two dierent frequency bands. Future releases will allow the use of up to four carriers simultaneously.

1.6

Other improvements

HSDPA is part of the UMTS standards since release 5,

which also accompanies an improvement on the uplink
providing a new bearer of 384 kbit/s. The previous maximum bearer was 128 kbit/s.

ROADMAP

2 User Equipment (UE) categories

HSDPA comprises various versions with dierent data
speeds.
The following table is derived from table 5.1a of the release 11 of 3GPP TS 25.306[6] and shows maximum data
rates of dierent device classes and by what combination
of features they are achieved. The per-cell per-stream
data rate is limited by the Maximum number of bits of an
HS-DSCH transport block received within an HS-DSCH
TTI and the Minimum inter-TTI interval. The TTI is 2
ms. So for example Cat 10 can decode 27952 bits/2 ms
= 13.976 MBit/s (and not 14.4 MBit/s as often claimed
incorrectly). Categories 1-4 and 11 have inter-TTI intervals of 2 or 3, which reduces the maximum data rate by
that factor. Dual-Cell and MIMO 2x2 each multiply the
maximum data rate by 2, because multiple independent
transport blocks are transmitted over dierent carriers or
spatial streams, respectively. The data rates given in the
table are rounded to one decimal point.
Notes:
[1] 16-QAM implies QPSK support, 64-QAM implies 16QAM and QPSK support.
[2] The maximal code rate is not limited. A value close to 1 in
this column indicates that the maximum data rate can be
achieved only in ideal conditions. The device is therefore
connected directly to the transmitter to demonstrate these
data rates.
[3] The maximum data rates given in the table are physical
layer data rates. Application layer data rate is approximately 85% of that, due to the inclusion of IP headers
(overhead information) etc.
[4] Category 19 was specied in Release 7 as For further
use. Not until Release 8 simultaneous use of 64QAM
and MIMO were allowed to obtain the specied max. data
rate.
[5] Category 20 was specied in Release 7 as For further
use. Not until Release 8 simultaneous use of 64QAM
and MIMO were allowed to obtain the specied max. data
rate.

3 Roadmap

The rst phase of HSDPA has been specied in the

3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) release 5.
Phase one introduces new basic functions and is aimed
to achieve peak data rates of 14.0 Mbit/s (see above).
As well as improving data rates, HSDPA also decreases Newly introduced are the High Speed Downlink Shared
latency and so the round trip time for applications.
Channels (HS-DSCH), the adaptive modulation QPSK
In later 3GPP specication releases HSPA+ increases and 16QAM and the High Speed Medium Access prodata rates further by adding 64QAM modulation, MIMO tocol (MAC-hs) in base station.
and Dual-Cell HSDPA operation, i.e. two 5 MHz carriers The second phase of HSDPA is specied in the 3GPP
are used simultaneously.
release 7 and has been named HSPA Evolved. It can

3
achieve data rates of up to 42.2 Mbit/s.[1] It introduces antenna array technologies such as beamforming
and Multiple-input multiple-output communications
(MIMO). Beam forming focuses the transmitted power
of an antenna in a beam towards the users direction.
MIMO uses multiple antennas at the sending and receiving side. Deployments were scheduled to begin in the
second half of 2008.
Further releases of the standard have introduced dual carrier operation, i.e. the simultaneous use of two 5 MHz
carriers. By combining this with MIMO transmission,
peak data rates of 84.4 Mbit/s can be reached under ideal
signal conditions.
After HSPA Evolved, the roadmap leads to E-UTRA
(Previously HSOPA), the technology specied in 3GPP
Releases 8 and 10. This project is called the Long Term
Evolution initiative. Dierent LTE user equipment categories oer data rates up to 3 Gbit/s for downlink and
1.5 Gbit/s for uplink using OFDMA modulation.

Adoption

the rst DC-HSPA+ 42 Mbit/s network, beating Australias Telstra, Singapores StarHub and Hong Kongs
CSL to stake its claim as the rst operator in Asia-Pacic
to oer theoretical download speeds of 42 Mbit/s via
HSPA+.[8][9]
CDMA2000-EVDO networks had the early lead on performance, and Japanese providers were highly successful
benchmarks for it. But lately this seems to be changing in favour of HSDPA as an increasing number of
providers worldwide are adopting it. In Australia, Telstra
announced that its CDMA-EVDO network would be replaced with a HSDPA network (since named NextG), offering high speed internet, mobile television and traditional telephony and video calling. Rogers Wireless deployed HSDPA system 850/1900 in Canada on April 1,
2007. In July 2008, Bell Canada and Telus announced a
joint plan to expand their current shared EVDO/CDMA
network to include HSDPA.[10] Bell Canada launched
their joint network November 4, 2009, while Telus
launched November 5, 2009.[11] In January 2010, TMobile USA adopted HSDPA.[12]
Telstra in Australia announced they had implemented
Dual-Cell HSDPA in their live NextG network on 18 January 2010. On 15 February 2010 they announced that the
upgrade had been completed to section of their network
in capital cities and major regional centers. As of July
2010, two devices were available; a USB device manufactured by Sierra Wireless, the AirCard 312U, and a
portable WiFi hot spot device.
In October 2010, Vodafone in Portugal announced[13]
a commercial oer of 43.2 Mbit/s download and 11.4
Mbit/s upload. The service is currently available in
Lisbon.
On Nov 18 2010, Bell Canada announced it would begin
doubling its network speeds to 42 Mbit/s beginning Nov
23 2010 using HSPA+ Dual Cell technology.[14]
On December 3, 2010, E Mobile in Japan announced
the availability of 42 Mbit/s service based upon DCHSDPA.[15]

On March 10, 2011, SaskTel announced that Dual-Cell

HSPA+ will be available in Saskatoon and Regina by the
summer.[16] SaskTel also announced that the rst device
GPRS-speed in a HSDPA plan
to take advantage of this new technology will be the NoAs of 28 August 2009, 250 HSDPA networks have com- vatel Wireless MC547 Mobile Internet Stick.
mercially launched mobile broadband services in 109 On August 23, 2011, Telenor Hungary started Dual-Cell
countries. 169 HSDPA networks support 3.6 Mbit/s peak HSPA+ service in Budapest and its surroundings.[17]
downlink data throughput. A growing number are delivering 21 Mbit/s peak data downlink and 28 Mbit/s. Sev- In 2011, Viva Telecom Kuwait started oering Dual-Cell
[18]
eral others will have this capability by end 2009 and the HSPA+ to its customers.
rst 42 Mbit/s network came online in Australia in Febru- In 2011, Personal; a Telecom Argentina / Telecom
ary 2010. Telstra switches on 42 Mbit/s Next G, plans Italia subsidiary in Paraguay, started oering Dual-Cell
84 Mbit/s through the implementation of HSPA+ Dual HSPA+ to its customers.[19]
Carrier plus MIMO technology upgrade in 2011.[7] This
protocol is a relatively simple upgrade where UMTS is Also in 2011 two carriers in Finland, Elisa and DNA
already deployed.[1] First week in May 2010, Second- started oering 4G backed up by Dual-Cell HSPA+
[20][21]
ranked Indonesian cellular operator Indosat launched whereas LTE coverage is merely spotty in nature.

In February 2012, Personal from Paraguay started oering Dual-Carrier HSPA+ to its customers.[22]
In February 2012, Three UK announced the start of its
trials of DC-HSDPA. Full rollout will begin in Summer
2012. As of November 2012 50 cities have been chosen
for the initial roll out to be completed by the end of 2012
- with Belfast joining in January 2013. They plan to cover
50% of the UK population by the end of 2012.[23]
By mid 2012, 3 in Italy had deployed DC-HSDPA
42Mbit/s all over its network.

REFERENCES

Mobile broadband
Mobile broadband modem
UMTS
UMTS frequency bands

6 References
[1] GSMA on HSPA

In August 2012, Etisalat Sri Lanka announced the start

of its DC-HSPA+ network. First operator in a South
Asian country to do so.[24]

[2] Nomor Research White Paper: Dual-Cell HSDPA and its

Evolution

In August 2012, Cellcom Liberia started Dual-Cell

HSPA+ service in Liberia and its surroundings.[25]

[3] [R1-081546, Initial multi-carrier HSPA performance

evaluation, Ericsson, 3GPP TSG-RAN WG1 #52bis,
April, 2008.]

In August 2012, Gmobile Mongolia announced the start

of its DC-HSPA+ network. It is the rst operator in Mongolia to do so.[26]
In December 2012 Vodafone NZ announced the start
of its DC-HSPA network roll-out, ahead of other
carriers.[27][28]
In October 2013, NOVAFONE Liberia started Dual-Cell
HSPA+ service in Liberia and its surroundings.[29]

4.1

Marketing as mobile broadband

[4] 3GPP TR 25.825 (V1.0.0) Dual Cell HSDPA Operation

[5] Nomor 3GPP Newsletter 2009-03: Standardisation updates on HSPA Evolution
[6] 3GPP TS 25.306 v11.0.0 http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/
Specs/html-info/25306.htm
[7] Telstra switches on 42 Mbit/s Next G, plans 84 Mbit/s upgrade in 2011 | Comms Day http://www.commsday.com/
commsday/?p=789
[8] Indosat rst in Asia to launch 42 Mbit/s HSPA+ http://
www.telecomasia.net/print/17244

During 2007, an increasing number of telcos worldwide began selling HSDPA USB modems to provide mo- [9] Indosat gears up for 4G and launches Asias fastest network - Ericsson http://www.ericsson.com/news/142992
bile broadband connections. In addition, the popularity
of HSDPA landline replacement boxes grewproviding [10] Telus, Bell Announce Switch from CDMA to HSDPA.
HSDPA for data via Ethernet and WiFi, and ports
for connecting traditional landline telephones. Some [11] Marlow, Iain (3 November 2009). Bell, Telus launch
high-speed networks. Toronto Star.
are marketed with connection speeds of up to 7.2
[30]
Mbit/s, which is only attained under ideal conditions.
[12] T-Mobile USA Finishes Upgrade to HSPA 7.2. PCAs a result these services can be slower than expected,
World. 2010-01-05. Retrieved 2013-03-17.
when in fringe coverage indoors.
[13] Vodafone Portugal rolls out Mobile Broadband at speeds
up to 43.2 Mbps

See also
3GPP Long Term Evolution
Broadband Internet access
Cellular router
Evolution-Data Optimized
High-Speed Uplink Packet Access
High-Speed OFDM Packet Access
List of device bandwidths
List of HSDPA networks
Multi-band

[14] Bell doubling data speeds on world-leading HSPA+ wireless network

[15] EMOBILE
G4
:
DCHSDPA
D41HW
(1/2) - ITmedia Mobile. Plusd.itmedia.co.jp. Retrieved
2013-03-17.
[16] SaskTels Wireless Network Classied as 4G Provincewide - 2011 news releases - News - About us. SaskTel.
2011-03-10. Retrieved 2013-03-17.
[17] Coverage - Telenor. Telenor.hu. 2012-09-12. Retrieved 2013-03-17.
[18] https://www.viva.com.kw/personal-internet
[19] Cada persona es un mundo. Personal. Retrieved 201303-17.

[20] On Elisa. Elisa.com. Retrieved 2013-03-17.

[21] http://www.sttinfo.fi/pressrelease/detail.do?
pressId=41036&type=thisweek&searchKey=
350ef1f0-2562-11e1-b131-ad87812695ee&
languageId=all&pageIndex=1
[22] Csar Salvucci (2012-02-07). Personal present su
red Dual Carrier HSPA+ en Paraguay. Telesemana. Retrieved 2013-03-17.
[23] Sheppard, Phil. Three to launch leading edge 3G service. - Welcome to the Three Blog. Blog.three.co.uk.
Retrieved 2013-03-17.
[24] Etisalat Sri Lanka - DC HSPA. Etisalat.lk. Retrieved
2013-03-17.
[25] Cellcom - You are always No. 1. Lr.cellcomgsm.com.
Retrieved 2013-03-17.
[26] http://www.gmobile.mn
[27] Vodafones dual-carrier network upgrade. Geekzone.
[28] Vodafones fast network.
[29] NOVAFONE - Beyond words. novafone.com.lr. Retrieved 2013-03-17.
[30] Vodafone UK 7.2 MBs service

Further reading
Sauter, Martin (2006). Communication Systems for
the Mobile Information Society. Chichester: John
Wiley. ISBN 0-470-02676-6.
Harri Holma and Antti Toskala (2006). HSDPA/HSUPA for UMTS: High Speed Radio Access
for Mobile Communications. ISBN 0-470-01884-4.
Stuhlfauth, Reiner (2012). High Speed Packet Access: Technology and measurement aspects of HSDPA and HSUPA mobile radio systems. Munich.
ISBN 978-3-939837-14-5.

External links
3GPP
3GPP Specications Home Page
Public HSPA Discussion Forum
GSM Association on HSPA
Understand HSDPAs implementation challenges
Nomor Research: White Paper Technology of
High Speed Packet Access
Nomor 3GPP Newsletter 2009-03: Standardisation
updates on HSPA Evolution

9 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

9.1

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High-Speed Downlink Packet Access Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-Speed%20Downlink%20Packet%20Access?oldid=

649414090 Contributors: Bryan Derksen, Ellywa, DavidWBrooks, Mac, Darkov, Dcoetzee, Snickerdo, Greenrd, Radiojon, Dale Arnett,
Pepijn Schmitz, David Edgar, DocWatson42, Ferdinand Pienaar, Solipsist, Iceberg3k, Khalid hassani, Wilberth, Bobblewik, Pgan002,
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Galaxiaad, Cipherswarm, Firsfron, Jamsta, Camw, Armando, Robwingeld, Admrboltz, Tabletop, Lmendo, Zilog Jones, Isnow, CharlBarnard, Jonohill, Rjwilmsi, Ansend, Jnlayson, Vegaswikian, Nneonneo, AlisonW, Fred Bradstadt, Ghalas, Silvestre Zabala, FlaBot,
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