Lecture 2: Evolution from GSM to UMTS

Outline of the Lecture

Evolution from GSM to GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, LTE and LTE-A. 3G network architecture. UMTS services.

Evolution Areas

Technical evolution: technological advances in network elements. Network evolution: improvements in general functionalities and features of networks. Service evolution: new services available to end-users as a result of demand.

Data Rate Evolution in Wireless Networks (pre 3GPP-R6)

Data Rate Evolution in Wireless Networks (3GPP-R9)

From 3GPP website: http://www.3gpp.org/About-3GPP.

Basic GSM Network

Basic GSM Network (contd)

GSM supports several open interfaces: network components from different suppliers can be used. Four subsystems: o Mobile Station (MS) o Base Station Subsystem (BSS): radio path control o Network Subsystem (NSS): call control o Network Management Subsystem (NMS): operation and maintenance. Differences of 2G to 1G: o Symmetric data transfer possible o Services resembling Narrowband ISDN.

GSM Network Elements

MS: Mobile equipment + Subscriber data (Service Identity Module) Base Transceiver Station (BTS) o Air interface signalling, ciphering and speech processing. Base Station Controller (BSC) o Maintains radio connection to MS and terrestrial connection to NSS. Mobile Service Switching Centre (MSC) o Call control. o BSS control functions. o Internetworking functions. o Call charging and statistics. o Interface signalling to BSS and external networks. Serving MSC: BSS connections, mobility management, interworking. Gateway MSC: Connections to other networks. Visitor Location Register (VLR): Subscriber-related information for subscribers currently (and temporarily) in a given location area served by a single MSC.

Value Added Service Platform

Supports certain GSM services: Short Message Service Centre (SMSC), Voice Mail System (VMS).

Intelligent Network (IN)

IN is a platform for creating and providing additional services, e.g. pre-paid subscription; enables service evolution.

High Speed Circuit Switched Data (HSCSD)

Data throughput is increased through improved channel coding (9.6 kbps 14 kbps). Several traffic channels (up to 8 GSM time slots) can be used to obtain data rates up to 115 kbps.

General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)

GPRS (contd)
Supports packet switching traffic in GSM network. Does not use voice channel reservation. Support for asymmetric traffic. No QoS guarantee (best-effort services). Requires new service nodes: o Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) o Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN)

Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE)

EDGE (contd)
Uses a new modulation scheme (8-PSK, 3 bits/symbol) rather than GSM GMSK (2 bits/symbol). Maximum data rate 48 kbps per GSM timeslot. EDGE phase 1: o Channel coding and modulation methods to provide up to 384 kbps data rate (using all 8 time slots). o One GPRS terminal gets 8 time slots. The channel should be good. EDGE phase 2: o Guidelines for achieving high data speed for circuit switching services. o Data rates achieved almost equal to the ones provided by UMTS. These data rates not available everywhere in the cell.

3G Network Rel-99

3G Network Rel-99 (contd)

New Radio interface. More suitable for packet data support. Interoperability with GSM. Customized Applications for Mobile network Enhanced Logic (CAMEL): o Possibility to transfer service information between networks. CS domain elements are able to handle 2G and 3G subscribers. o Changes to MSC/VLR and HLR/AC/EIR. 2G responsible for mobility management (MM) for packet connections. 3G MM divided between RNC and SGSN. Services: o Initially 3G offers the same services as 2G. o Services gradually transformed into PS domain. Trends: o Conversion towards all IP. o Multimedia services.

3GPP Rel-4

3GPP Rel-4 (contd)

The 3GPP R4 introduces separation of connection, its control, and services for CN and CS domains. Media Gateway (MGW): an element for maintaining the connection and performing switching function when required. MSC server: controls MGW. Packet switched voice (Voice over IP - VoIP). o CS call is changed to packet switched call in MGW. o For higher uniformity the CS and PS domain is mediated by IP Multimedia Subsystem. CAMEL will have a connection to the PS domain.

3GPP Rel-5 (All IP)

GSM vs WCDMA

3GPP Rel-5 (contd)

Standard frozen in June 2002. The network looks to the users always the same: o Development inside the network. o New transport technology: R99 ATM based, whereas R4 and R5 IP based. All traffic from UTRAN is supposed to be IP based. Introduce HSDPA feature of HSPA. Introduce IP Multimedia Subsystem (IPS).

3GPP Rel-6
Standard published in March 2005. Defined Enhanced Dedicated Channel (E-DCH). o Allow higher data capacity and data user speed through scheduled uplink with shorter Transmission Time Interval and HARQ. Improved minimum performance specification for support of advanced receivers at terminal. o Mobile receiver diversity. o Equalization. Support MBMS. o Services that is intended for large number of users.

3GPP Rel-7
Standard published in March 2007. Evolution to HSPA+ (or Evolved HSPA). Standardization of Evolved EDGE. Improved support and performance for real-time services. o PoC. o Picture and video sharing. o VOIP. Introduction of the following features: o Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO). o Continuous Packet Connectivity (CPC). o Higher Order Modulations (HOMs).

3GPP Rel-8
Standard published in March 2009. Enhancement to HSPA+ (or Evolved HSPA). Defined flatter-IP core network. Introduction of Evolved Packet System (EPS). o Flat IP-based all-packet core (SAE/EPC). SAE System Architecture Evolution. EPC Evolved Packet Core. o New OFDM-based RAN (E-UTRAN/LTE). E-UTRAN Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network. LTE Long Term Evolution.

3GPP Rel-9 and Rel-10

R9 is expected to be published in 2010. o Further enhancement to HSPA+. o LTE/EPC enhancement. R10 is still work in progress. o Expected to include study of LTE-Advanced to meet the requirement for IMT-Advanced. 3GPP2 - Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB) is based on cdma2000 o Qualcomm terminated its work UMB in late 2008 in favor of LTE.

IMT-Advanced (beyond IMT-2000)

Recommendation ITU-R M.1645 Framework and overall objective of the future development of IMT-2000 and systems beyond IMT-2000 pg. 7, 2003

IMT-Advanced interwork between systems

Recommendation ITU-R M.1645 Framework and overall objective of the future development of IMT-2000 and systems beyond IMT-2000 pg. 14, 2003

IMT-Advanced complementary access systems

Recommendation ITU-R M.1645 Framework and overall objective of the future development of IMT-2000 and systems beyond IMT-2000 pg. 16, 2003.

3G Network Architecture
Three interacting domains: Core Network (CN), UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) and User Equipment (UE). CN provides switching, routing and transit for user traffic. CN also contains the databases and network management functions. The basic CN architecture for UMTS is based on GSM network with GPRS. The UTRAN provides the air interface access method for User Equipment. Base Station is referred as Node-B and control equipment for Node-Bs is called Radio Network Controller (RNC).

Structural Network Architecture

UE: user equipment ME: mobile equipment USIM: UMTS Service Identity Module RAN: Radio Access Network UTRAN: UMTS RAN GERAN: GSM/EDGE RAN Node B: Basestation (BS) RNC: Radio Network Controller RNS: Radio Network Subsystem Iur: Interface between two RNSs CN: core network

UMTS Services
Teleservices (e.g., speech, SMS). Bearer services provide the capability for information transfer between access points: o Connection oriented and connectionless services for Point-to-Point and Point-to-Multipoint communication. Virtual Home Environment (VHE): o Personal service environment portability across network boundaries and between terminals. Improved network security and location based services.

Bearer Services