Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Nicolae Cotanis
• Pooling of nodes and devices earning network may be degraded by the new
unproven WCDMA overlay.
• Client /Server architecture like in IP
GERAN
networking
Release 4 incorporates the latest developments in
A
switch mechanisms, which allow service BSS
delivery and control functionality to become BTS
Gb
independent from the growth of the user traffic. BTS
Switch mechanisms are separated into media MSC 2G and 3G
CS-elements
gateways (MGWs) (including switching, VLR
transcoding and user-plane transmission aspects)
and media gateway control functions (MGCFs) UTRAN Iu-cs GPRS
(containing switch and service control VLR 2G and 3G
PS-elements
functionality), connected via standard interfaces
(e.g. H.248/Megaco). This separation enables RNC SGSN
Iu-ps
flexible transcoder aspects such as tandem-free Node B
operation (TFO) and transcoder-free operation Node B
(TrFO) to be supported thus reducing the
transmission costs to the network operator by Figure 2 Integrated UMTS architecture
allowing mobile coded rate (lower rate) speech
B. Overlay architecture
to be carried across the network. The
introduction of the Session Initiation Protocol It uses a different (overlay) network of switching
(SIP) enables to deliver services (including voice and routeing elements to support UMTS (
and multimedia) that are neither limited nor Figure 3).
restricted to the old 64 kbit/s fixed bandwidth
and functionality.
MSC 2G CS-
GERAN elements
IP transport was added to UTRAN in Release 5, A VLR
paving the way towards an ‘all-IP’ architecture
with end-to-end QoS. The deployment of a true
BSS GPRS
cellular QoS mechanism allowed the addition of Gb VLR 2G PS-
BTS elements
voice and multimedia over IP enabling the
BTS
convergence of the hybrid packet- and circuit-
SGSN
switched infrastructure into a single IP core
network.
Addition of an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) UTRAN
MSC
3G CS-
elements
started in Release 5, the completion of it being Iu-cs VLR
due in Release 6.
RNC GPRS
III. UMTS LAUNCH ARCHITECTURE Node B
Iu-ps VLR
3G PS-
elements
Depending on how the new WCDMA radio Node B
access overlay will connect to the core network, SGSN
two UMTS launch architectures are available for Figure 3 UMTS overlay architecture
GSM/GPRS operators
Such an approach enables an independent
a) Integrated architecture development of the UMTS access without
b) Overlay architecture affecting the operating GSM/GPRS. On the
downside, besides the financial effort for
A. Integrated UMTS architecture purchasing new hardware, the 3G MSC needs
The integrated architecture upgrades and uses the similar service delivery mechanisms to be
MSC and routeing elements of the legacy developed (3G users must receive services
GSM/GPRS network (Figure 2). It has the equivalent with 2G users) as well as O&M
advantage of re-using the same O&M system, capacity to support the new infrastructure
service delivery mechanisms, switch sites, and
platforms. If not carefully deployed, the capacity
and performance of the GSM/GPRS revenue-
On UMTS overlay deployment 2
LCC International, Inc.
TABLE 1 UPLINK PATH LOSS DERIVATION FOR EXISTING GSM AND WCDMA RADIO ACCESS [1]
GSM900/ GSM1800/ WCDMA/ WCDMA/ WCDMA/
Unit
speech speech speech 144 kbps 384 kbps
Mobile Tx power dBm 33 30 21 21 21
Receiver sensitivity 1 dBm -110 -110 -124 -117 -113
Interference margin 2 dB 1 0 2 2 2
Fast fading margin 3 dB 2 2 2 2 2
BS antenna gain 4 dBi 16 18 18 18 18
Body loss 5 dB 3 3 3
MS antenna gain 6 dBi 0 0 0 2 2
Relative path loss gain
dB 11 1
with frequency 7
MAPL dB 164 154 156 154 150
1 GSM sensitivity includes receive antenna diversity. WCDMA 3 The reduced fast fading margin comes from including the macro
sensitivity is calculated based on the equation diversity gain
10 × log (kTBF ) − SF + EbNo , where bandwidth
10 dB dB 4 Three sector configuration are assumed for both GSM and
B=3.84 MHz, spreading gain SF=B/(data rate), and F=4dB is WCDMA
the WCDMA base station noise figure. 5 Data terminals have not to stay close to the user’s had
2 An interference margin of 1 dB was used for GSM because of 6 Antenna gain for data terminals is 2 dBi
the small amout of spectrum in GSM 900 that does not allow
7 Represent variations in the path loss attenuation with frequency
large reuse factors. For a loading of χ=37%, the noise raise is
versus the UMTS Region 1 band
10 × log 10 (1 − χ ) = 2 dB
when using GSM1800 sites. If GSM900 sites Where there is no possibility to install additional
are used for WCDMA and 144 kbps seamless antennas (due to space or load restrictions), it
coverage is desired, a 10 dB coverage may be possible to use multi-band antennas in
improvement is needed for WCDMA. The UL order to minimize the physical impact of sharing.
coverage for rates larger than 144 kbps is However, such antennas will have reduced
important for advanced conversational services performance compared to single band antennas,
(e.g. video-telephony) only. and so the impact on the link-budget must be
assessed to ensure that there is no adverse affect
B. Co-location and co-sitting
on the coverage of the two systems. Dual band
Given the limited number of sites for new base antennas for GSM800 and GSM 1800 are
stations, and the cost of erecting new masts, site currently available, and several antenna suppliers
sharing between UMTS and GSM is likely to be have plans for dual- and tri-band antennas for
of importance, especially for incumbent GSM900/UMTS2, GSM1800/UMTS, and
operators. Other than the mechanical issues, GSM900/ GSM1800/ UMTS. Where there is
there should be no problem with the co-location marginal impact the use of multi-band antennas
of WCDMA and GSM900/1800 sites. It should would be the preferred solution, in terms of cost
be possible to share the same headframe between and environmental impact.
GSM and UMTS, assuming there is sufficient
space for the additional antennas and feeders, C. WCDMA interference
and assuming that the structure is capable of UTRA FDD is designed to operate in either of
withstanding the additional wind loading. the paired frequency bands listed in Table 2 [2].
Deployment in other bands is not precluded.
It may be possible to extend the mast/headframe
vertically, although this is unlikely, as most will TABLE 2 UTRA/FDD FREQUENCY BANDS PER REGIONS
be as tall as possible in order to maximize Unit Region 1 Region 2
coverage for GSM. This will have a significant
impact on wind loading. More likely would be Up-link
(MS transmit, MHz 1920 - 1980 1850 – 1910
the availability of space beneath existing base receive)
antennas. However this will lead to reduced Down-link
coverage from the UMTS cells, although this (MS receive, MHz 2110 – 2170 1930 - 1990
will generally be acceptable on capacity cells in base transmit)
urban and suburban areas, where the cell spacing
is determined by the traffic load rather than the
propagation conditions.
2
UMTS for Region 1
In Europe (Region 1), new spectrum was coordinated (see below) 2G spectrum.
allocated for UMTS, outside the PCN band
(Figure 5), thus increasing the protection of 0
P>=39 dBm
GSM receivers. The spurious emission limits of
Mobile Tx Mobile Rx
PCN
1700 1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 (EU) Figure 6 UMTS Node B out of band emission
Frequency (MHz)
1850 1910 1930 1990
(measurement bandwidth 30 kHz)
PCS Mobile Tx Mobile Rx
(US) 1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000 0
P>=43 dBm
Frequency (MHz)
instances, the interference suffered by WCDMA issues (as imperfect spectrum clearance or
terminals becomes less critical near 2G base leakage from adjacent bandwidth) and for
stations because power control schemes may estimating the sensitivity reduction due to
achieve the WCDMA required CIR. Stated background noise rise from heavy motor traffic
differently, WCDMA dead zones are less likely. (~ 1.9 dB in urban environments). A background
Thus, besides the advantage of location sharing, noise measurement campaign conducted in
co-locating 2G/3G sites will enable a Austria indicated an approximately normal
coordinated WCDMA deployment also, which probability distribution function for the noise
reduces the risk of 2G-interference. power with a mean of –104.5 dBm and a
standard deviation of 2.9 dB.
The interference problem is aggravated when
there is no WCDMA-2G coordination (e.g. 2G F. Reduction in coverage WCDMA-2G collocation has
terminals on macro-cell border and close to and capacity from 2G a double advantage: it
reduces deployment costs
WCDMA base station, WCDMA macrocells interference and builds coordination for
overlaid on 2G microcells, etc). Different WCDMA reacts to increasing minimizing 2G Interference
scenarios of WCDMA RF channels “carved” interference power depending risks
within a legacy 2G-spectrum are presented in on the power allocation
Figure 8. In the first scenario (A), Operator 1 scheme. If a WCDMA base stations monitors
has a single WCDMA channel in the center of individual link powers then, terminals in high
the legacy 2G allocated spectrum. The interference areas would be dropped, thus
frequency separation between the WCDMA creating the WCDMA dead zones. If the total
carrier and the uncoordinated 2G carriers of transmitted power was monitored at the
operator 2 and 3 is large enough for minimizing WCDMA base station, its increase over a
the 2G interference coming from these bands. specified threshold (from excessive power
The most critical scenario in Figure 8 would be demanded by interfered terminals) would trigger
(B), because uncoordinated 2G carriers are the Radio Resource Management algorithms
adjacent to the WCDMA channel. If more than resulting in dropping terminals, which is
one WCDMA carrier are used by operator 1 equivalent with a capacity reduction.
(Figure 8 - C), the likelihood of inter-frequency Coverage and capacity reductions may be
handovers for WCDMA mobiles will increase. investigated through Monte Carlo simulations
Operator 3 Operator 1 Operator 2 [3]. Some preliminary conclusions are presented
below:
A
GRA-2
Technology Technology
A B Figure 12 Optimum position for overlaid GRA (blue).
UMTS overlays have the benefits of faster and [2] ETSI TS 125 141, Universal Mobile
Telecommunications System (UMTS); Base station
more economical deployments through co-
conformance testing (FDD), June 2001, Version 4.1.0
location (IV.B), infrastructure sharing, including Release 4)
RAN- and core network elements (III). Enjoying
[3] Nicolae Cotanis, A systematic approach for UMTS
the benefits calls for a lot of coordination with RAN Design, 3G International Symposium, Athens,
the legacy GSM/GPRS network starting from July 2001
joint GSM/UMTS coverage analysis (IV.A),
[4] R. Hoppe, G. Wölfle, H. Buddendick, F. M.
PCS spectrum carving (IV.C), interference and Landstorfer, Fast Planning of Efficient WCDMA Radio
noise control (IV.D, IV.E), handover Networks, VTC-2001 Spring
optimization (V), and ending with [5] Gertie Alsenmyr, Joakim Bergström, …,”Handover
location/routeing area updating (VI). between WCDMA and GSM,” Ericsson review No. 1,
2003
REFERENCES [6] 3GPP TSG GERAN, Tdoc, 0069/00, “Iur-G required
[1] Harri Holma, Antti Toskala, WCDMA for UMTS Radio functionality,” October 2000
Access For The Third Generation Mobile
Communications, John Willey & Sons, LTD, 2000