UNIT-IV

WIRELESS WIDE AREA NETWORK

Overview:
¤ Overview of UTMS Terrestrial Radio access network

¤ UMTS Core network Architecture:

¤ 3G-MSC, 3G-SGSN, 3G-GGSN, SMS-GMSC/SMS-IWMSC, Firewall

¤ DNS/DHCP-High speed Downlink packet access (HSDPA)

¤ LTE network architecture and protocol

Spectrum Allocation History
MHz Spectrum Use Time
5.15 – 5.35 802.11a 2002
2400 – 2483 Bluetooth (802.15) 2001
2400 – 2483 homeRF 2000
1850 – 1990 PCS cell phone 1996
806 – 902 AMPS cell phone 1980
512 – 806 UHF TV 1949
54 – 216 VHF TV 1941
88 – 108 FM Radio 1935
0.535 – 1.6 AM Radio 1921

3
 Personal Area Network Local Area Network Wide Area Network
1-20 Mbps 11-54 Mbps 9-144 Kbps

Three Wireless Internets

CSC1720 – Introduction to Internet All copyrights reserved by C.C. Cheung 2003. 4
WAN Topology

5
LAN Topology

All copyrights reserved by C.C. Cheung 2003. 6

PAN Topology

Wireless PAN module

7
Focus on the 3G
Network Evolution

2G 3G
1G TDMA & GSM
CDMA & WCDMA
Code Division Multiple
FDMA Time Division Multiple
Access & Wide CDMA
Frequency Division Access
Multiple Access 1990s – callers use a
shorter bandwidth
1980s – each calling 1990s – callers
2000s – Each call is
party is allocated a timeshare a frequency
spread, randomly
dedicated frequency channel: nine users use
broken down and
channel: 3 users use 3 channels
mixed: ten callers use
three channels one channel.

8
1G, 2G, 3G Networks
1G
• Circuit-switched, analog signals, Voice only
2G
• Circuit-switched, digital signals, voice or data overlay, 9 kbps or 19 kbps
2.5G - GPRS
3G
• Packet-switched, Transparent roaming, 2Mbps, Identification of caller location

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Cellular Family Tree
1G introduced by AT&T in 1983, only analog cellular telephony.
2G introduced in 1987 in Europe. Three primary wireless
standards:
• TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access)
• GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications)
• CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access)
2.5G supports faster wireless data services, GSM extensions.
3G & 4G provide wider bandwidth and higher data rates for
mobile users.

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Bandwidth & Time

All copyrights reserved by C.C. Cheung 2003. 11

Frequency Divided Multiple Access
(Used in analog and digital systems)
12
Time Divided Multiple Access
(Used in digital systems, FDMA is a foundation)
13
 Code Divided Multiple Access
(All Users talk on the SAME frequency. Digital codes divide the conversations)

14
3G

Wireless Generations Forrester 12/1999

15
INTRODUCTION
¤ Third-generation (3G) wireless systems offer access to services anywhere from a
single terminal; the old boundaries between telephony, information, and
entertainment services are disappearing.
¤ Mobility is built into many of the services currently considered as fixed, especially
in such areas as high speed access to the Internet, entertainment, information, and
electronic commerce (e-commerce) services.
¤ The distinction between the range of services offered via wireline or wireless is
becoming less and less clear and, as the evolution toward 3G mobile services
speeds up, these distinctions will disappear in the first decade of the new
millennium.
A three-part strategy for evolving its IS-136 TDMA-based networks to 3G wireless
networks to satisfy International Mobile Telephony-2000 requirements. The strategy
consists of:

¤ Enhancing the voice and data capabilities of the existing 30 kHz carrier (IS-136)

¤ Adding a 200 kHz carrier for high-speed data (384 kbps) in high mobility applications

¤ Introducing a 1.6 MHz carrier for very high-speed data (2 Mbps) in low- mobility
applications
¤ High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) is an amalgamation of two mobile protocols,
High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) and High Speed Uplink Packet
Access (HSUPA), that extends and improves the performance of
existing 3G mobile telecommunication networks using the WCDMA protocols.

¤ A further improved 3GPP standard, Evolved High Speed Packet Access (also
known as HSPA+), was released late in 2008 with subsequent worldwide
adoption beginning in 2010.

¤ The newer standard allows bit-rates to reach as high as 337 Mbit/s in the
downlink and 34 Mbit/s in the uplink. However, these speeds are rarely
achieved in practice.
 UMTS
(Universal Mobile Telecommunication Service)
¤ UMTS is a third-generation (3G) broadband, packet-based transmission of text,
digitized voice, video, and multimedia at data rates up to 2 megabits per second
(Mbps).

¤ UMTS offers a consistent set of services to mobile computer and phone users, no
matter where they are located in the world. UMTS is based on the Global System
for Mobile (GSM) communication standard.

¤ Once UMTS is fully available, computer and phone users can be constantly
attached to the Internet wherever they travel and, as they roam, will have the
same set of capabilities. Users will have access through a combination of
terrestrial wireless and satellite transmissions.
¤ Until UMTS is fully implemented, users can use multi-mode devices that switch to the
currently available technology (such as GSM 900 and 1800) where UMTS is not yet
available.
¤ Previous cellular telephone systems were mainly circuit-switched, meaning connections
were always dependent on circuit availability.
¤ A packet-switched connection uses the Internet Protocol (IP), meaning that a virtual
connection is always available to any other end point in the network.
¤ UMTS also makes it possible to provide new services like alternative billing methods or
calling plans.
¤ For instance, users can choose to pay-per-bit, pay-per-session, flat rate, or asymmetric
bandwidth options.
UMTS TERRESTRIAL RADIO ACCESS NETWORK OVERVIEW
The UTRAN consists of a set of radio network subsystems (RNSs).The RNS has
two main logical elements: Node B and an RNC.
The RNS is responsible for the radio resources and transmission/reception in a
set of cells. A cell (sector) is one coverage area served by a broadcast channel.
A Node B is responsible for radio transmission and reception in one or more
cells to/from the user equipment (UE).
UTRAN LOGICAL INTERFACES
In UTRAN protocol structure is designed so that layers and planes are logically
independent of each other and, if required, parts of protocol structure can be
changed in the future without affecting other parts.

The protocol structure contains two main layers

 Radio Network Layer(RNL)

 Transport Network Layer (TNL)

In the RNL, all UTRAN-related functions are visible, whereas the TNL deals with
transport technology selected to be used for UTRAN but without any UTRAN-
specific changes.
It contains three planes,

• Control Plane

• Transport Network Control Plane

• User Plane

• The control plane is used for all UMTS-specific control signaling. It includes
the application protocol i.e., radio access network application part (RANAP)
in Iu, radio network subsystem application part (RNSAP) in Iur and node B
application part (NBAP) in Iub.
• The application protocol is used for setting up bearers to the UE.
Iu INTERFACE:

¤ The UMTS Iu interface is the open logical interface that interconnects one
UTRAN to the UMTS core network (UCN).

¤ On the UTRAN side the Iu interface is terminated at the RNC, and at the UCN
side it is terminated at U-MSC.

¤ The Iu interface consists of three different protocol planes — the radio

network control plane (RNCP), the transport network control plane (TNCP),
and the user plane (UP).
The RNCP performs the following functions:

1. It carries information for the general control of UTRAN radio network

operations.

2. It carries information for control of UTRAN in the context of each specific

call.

3. It carries user call control (CC) and mobility management (MM) signaling
messages.
PS protocol architecture on lu interface

The SSCF and SSCOP layers are

specifically designed for signaling
transport in ATM networks, and take
care of signaling connection
management functions.

AAL5 is used for segmenting the data

to ATM cells.
CS protocol architecture on lu interface

• The user plane (UP) carries user voice and packet

data information.
• AAL2 is used for the following services: narrowband
speech, unrestricted digital information service (up
to 64 kbps
• AAL5 is used for the following services: non-real-
time PS data service (i.e., best effort packet access)
and real-time PS data.
I Interface
ur

The connection between two RNCs (serving RNC (SRNC) and drift RNC (DRNC))
is the Iur interface.
It is used in soft handoff scenarios when different macro diversity streams of
one communication are supported by Node Bs that belong to different RNCs.
Communication between one RNC and one Node B of two different RNCs are
realized through the Iur interface.
Three different protocol planes are defined for it:
1. Radio network control plane (RNCP)

2. Transport network control plane (TNCP)

3. User plane (UP)

The Iur interface is used to carry:

1. Information for the control of radio resources in the context of specific

service request of one mobile on RNCP

2. Information for the control of the transport network used within UTRAN on
TNCP

3. User voice and packet data information on UP

The protocols used on this interface are:
• Radio access network application part (RANAP)
• DCH frame protocol (DCHFP)
• RACH frame protocol (RACHFP)
• FACH frame protocol (FACHFP)
• Access link control application part (ALCAP)
• Signaling connection control part (SCCP)
• Message transfer part 3-B (MTP3-B)
• Signaling ATM adaptation layer for network-to-network interface
Initially, this interface was designed to support the inter-RNC soft handoff, but
more features were added during the development of the standard. The Iur
provides the following four functions:

1. Basic inter-RNC mobility support

• Support of SRNC relocation

• Support of inter-RNC cell and UTRAN registration area update

• Support of inter-RNC packet paging

• Reporting of protocol errors

2. Dedicated channel traffic support

• Establishment, modification, and release of a dedicated channel in the DRNC

due to hard and soft handoff in the dedicated channel state

• Setup and release of dedicated transport connections across the Iur interface

• Transfer of DCH transport blocks between SRNC and DRNC

• Management of radio links in the DRNS via dedicated measurement report

procedures and power setting procedures
3. Common channel traffic support

• Setup and release of the transport connection across the Iur for common channel
data streams

• Splitting of the MAC layer between the SRNC (MAC-d) and DRNC (MAC-c and
MAC-sh); the scheduling for downlink data transmission is performed in the DRNC

• Flow control between the MAC-d and MAC-c/MAC-sh

4. Global resource management support

• Transfer of cell measurements between two RNCs

• Transfer of Node B timing between two RNCs

lub Interface

The connection between the RNC and Node B is the Iub interface. There is one Iub
interface for each Node B.

The Iub interface is used for all of the communications between Node B and the RNC
of the same RNS.

Three different protocol planes are defined for it.

• Radio network control plane (RNCP)

• Transport network control plane (TNCP)

• User plane (UP)

The Iub interface is used to carry:

• Information for the general control of Node B for radio network operation on
RNCP

• Information for the control of radio resources in the context of specific

service request of one mobile on RNCP

• Information for the control of a transport network used within UTRAN on

TCNP

• User CC and MM signaling message on RNCP

• User voice and packet data information on UP

Uu Interface

The UMTS Uu interface is the radio interface between a Node B and one of its
UE. The Uu is the interface through which UE accesses the fixed part of the
system.
UMTS CORE NETWORK
ARCHITECTURE
UMTS CORE NETWORK ARCHITECTURE
◊ UMTS core network (UCN) consists of a CS entity for providing voice and CS data
services and a PS entity for providing packet-based services.

◊ The logical architecture offers a clear separation between the CS domain and PS
domain.

◊ The CS domain contains the functional entities: mobile switching center (MSC) and
gateway MSC (GMSC).

◊ The PS domain comprises the functional entities: serving GPRS support node
(SGSN), gateway GPRS support node (GGSN), domain name server (DNS), dynamic
host configuration protocol (DHCP) server, packet charging gateway, and firewalls.
3G-MSC
• The 3G-MSC is the main CN element to provide CS services. The 3G-MSC also
provides the necessary control and corresponding signaling interfaces including
Signal System7(SS7), MAP, ISUP.
• The 3G MSC provides the interconnection to external networks like PSTN and ISDN.
The following functionality is provided by the 3G-MSC:
◊ Mobility management: Handles attach, authentication, updates to the HLR, SRNS
relocation, and inter-systems handover.

◊ Call management: Handles call set-up messages from/to the UE.

◊ Supplementary services: Handles call-related supplementary services such as call

waiting, etc.
3G-SGSN

◊ The 3G-SGSN is the main Core Network element for PS services. The 3G-SGSN
provides the necessary control functionality both toward the UE and the 3G-GGSN.

◊ It also provides the appropriate signaling and data interfaces including connection
to an IP-based network toward the 3G-GGSN, SS7 toward the HLR/EIR/AUC and
TCP/IP or SS7 toward the UTRAN.

The 3G-SGSN provides the following functions:

Session management: Handles session set-up messages from/to the UE and the
GGSN and operates Admission Control and QoS mechanisms.
SMS: This functionality allows the user to send and receive SMS data to and from the
SMS-GMSC /SMS-IWMSC.

Mobility management: Handles attach, authentication, updates to the HLR and SRNS
relocation, and intersystem handover.

Subscriber database functionality: This database (similar to the VLR) is located within
the 3G-SGSN and serves as intermediate storage for subscriber data to support
subscriber mobility.

Charging: The SGSN collects charging information related to radio network usage by
the user.

OAM (operation, administration, and maintenance) agent functionality.

3G-GGSN

The GGSN provides interworking with the external PS network. It is connected

with SGSN via an IP-based network. The GGSN may optionally support an SS7
interface with the HLR to handle mobile terminated packet sessions.

The 3G-GGSN provides the following functions:

• Maintain information locations at SGSN level (macro-mobility)

• Gateway between UMTS packet network and external data networks (e.g. IP,
X.25)

• Gateway-specific access methods to intranet (e.g. PPP termination)

User data screening/security can include subscription based, user controlled,
or network controlled screening.

User level address allocation: The GGSN may have to allocate (depending on
subscription) a dynamic address to the UE upon context activation. This
functionality may be carried out by use of the DHCP function.

Charging: The GGSN collects charging information related to external data

network usage by the user.

OAM (operation, administration, and maintenance) agent functionality.

SMS-GMSC/SMS-IWMSC

The overall requirement for these two nodes is to handle the SMS from point
to point.

The functionality required can be split into two parts. The SMS-GMSC is an
MSC capable of receiving a terminated short message from a service center,
interrogating an HLR for routing information and SMS information, and
delivering the short message to the SGSN of the recipient UE.
The SMS-GMSC provides the following functions:

• Reception of short message packet data unit (PDU)

• Interrogation of HLR for routing information

• Forwarding of the short message PDU to the MSC or SGSN using the routing
information
The SMS-IWMSC is an MSC capable of receiving an originating short message
from within the Public Land Mobile Network(PLMN) and submitting it to the
recipient service center.

The SMS-IWMSC provides the following functions:

• Reception of the short message PDU from either the 3G-SGSN or 3G-MSC

• Establishing a link with the addressed service center

• Transferring the short message PDU to the service center

FIREWALL
¤ A firewall is a network security device that grants or rejects network access

to traffic flows between an untrusted zone (e.g., the Internet) and a trusted

zone (e.g., a private or corporate network).

¤ The firewall acts as the “traffic cop” in the network, as all communication

should flow through it and it is where traffic is granted or rejected access.

Access Control Lists
¤ Early on, the firewall function was initially performed by Access Control Lists
(ACLs), often on routers.

¤ ACLs are essentially rules written out that determine whether network access
should be granted or rejected to specific IP addresses.

¤ For example, an ACL can have a line that states all traffic from IP 172.168.2.2
must be rejected, or to allow all traffic on port 80 from 172.168.2.2 to the
web server at 10.10.10.201.
Packet filtering
• Data travels on the internet in small pieces; these are called packets. Each
packet has certain metadata attached, like where it is coming from, and
where it should be sent to.
• The easiest thing to do is to look at the metadata. Based on rules, certain
packets are then dropped or rejected. All firewalls can do this. It is done at
the network layer
Types of firewalls
In general, there are two types of firewalls:
Software-based firewalls: these are often run as additional programs on
computers that are used for other things.
They are often known as personal firewalls which can be updates on personal
computers.
Hardware-based firewalls: Hardware based firewalls run on a dedicated
computer (or appliance).
Often, these offer a better performance than software firewalls, but they are
also more expensive.
DYNAMIC HOST CONFIGURATION
PROTOCOL
(DHCP)
What is DHCP?
• Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
• It is a method for assigning Internet Protocol (IP)
addresses permanently or to individual computers in
an organization’s network
• DHCP lets a network administrator supervise and
distribute IP addresses from a central point and
automatically sends a new IP address when a
computer is plugged into a different place in the
network
Two types of IP Addresses
• DHCP is used to assign IP addresses to hosts or workstations on the network
• Two types of IP addresses:
Static
Is a number that is assigned to a computer by an Internet service provider (ISP) to be its
permanent address on the Internet
Dynamic
The temporary IP address is called a dynamic IP address
Advantages of DHCP
• DHCP minimizes the administrative burden

• By using DHCP there is no chance to conflict IP address

• By using DHCP relay agent you provide IP address to another network

Disadvantages of DHCP
• When DHCP server is unavailable, client is unable to access
enterprises network

• Your machine name does not change when you get a new IP address
Easy to set-up and administer
• DHCP servers are easy to administer and can be set-up in just a few
minutes

• Client addresses are assigned automatically

Limitations
• Some machines on your network need to be at fixed addresses, for
example servers and routers
• You need to be able to assign a machine to run the DHCP server
continually as it must be available at all times when clients need IP
access
DOMAIN NAME SERVER(DNS)
Introduction

1. What is the IP
address of
udel.edu ?

It is 128.175.13.92

1. What is the
host name of
128.175.13.74

It is strauss.udel.edu

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 DNS Components

There are 3 components:

Name Space:
Specifications for a structured name space and data associated with the names
Resolvers:
Client programs that extract information from Name Servers.
Name Servers:
Server programs which hold information about the structure and the names.

73
Access methods

• TDMA – time division multiple access

• CDMA - code division multiple access
• FDMA - frequency division multiple access
• W-CDMA - wideband code division multiple access
GSM data transmission (2G)

• Global System for Mobile communications

• FDD (frequency division duplex)

• TDMA/FDMA

• Modulation: Gaussian minimum-shift keying (GMSK)

• Theoretical bandwidth: 9.6 Kbps

GPRS (2.5G)

• General Packet Radio Service

• Packet switched

• Relies on FDD/FDMA for RTS/CTS and TDMA for data transfers

• Theoretical maximum bandwidth of 171.2 Kbps (downlink)

• Practical bandwidth is around 57 Kbps (downlink)

EDGE (2.75G)
• Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (a.k.a EGPRS)
• Packet switched
• Modulation
GMSK (Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying)
8-PSK (Phase Shift Keying)
• Multiple Access
Combination of TDMA & FDMA
• Can be deployed on existing GPRS networks with minimal cost
• Theoretical bandwidth: 473.6 Kbps (8-PSK, 8x59.2Kbps per time slot)
• Practical bandwidth up to 384 Kbps
HSCSD (2.5G)
• High Speed Circuit Switched Data

• Circuit switched

• TDMA-based

• Uses multiple time slots which are reserved to 1 user

• Lower latency then packet switched technologies: no need for RTS/CTS

• Theoretical bandwidth: 115.2Kbps (8 x 14.4Kbps per timeslot)

• Practical bandwidth: 57.6Kbps (4 time slots)

UMTS (3G)
• Universal Mobile Telecommunications System

• W-CDMA as air interface

• Wide spectrum: 2x5Mhz channels for downlink/uplink

• Compatible with GSM, but uses different frequency bands

• But spectrum licenses are expensive

• 3G+ Data transmission standards: FOMA, HSDPA/HSUPA, HSPA+, UMTS-TDD

W-CDMA
• Wideband Code Division Multiple Access

• Developed by NTT Docomo

• Broke strong stand of Qualcomm in CDMA standards

• Used in FOMA network in Japan, adopted in UMTS standards

• 2 types of duplexing: FDD and TDD

• Pair of 5Mhz channels (vs. 1x, 3x, pairs of 1.25Mhz in CDMA2000)

FOMA
• Freedom of Mobile Multimedia Access

• First 3G service by NTT Docomo

• Launched in 2001 in Japan

• Practical bandwidth (cited by Docomo): 3.6 Mbps downlink, 384Kbps uplink

• Initial implementation was power inefficient

• Now moved to use HSDPA/HSUPA standard over W-CDMA

HSDPA
• High Speed Downlink Packet Access

• Gaining foothold quickly: uses existing 3G netoworks infrastructure

• Adaptive Modulation and Coding: based on signal quality raise to 16QAM (Quadrature
Amplitude Modulation) with 3.6Mb/s and up rates, or drop back to QPSK (Quadrature
Phase Shift Keying)

• Fast Packet Scheduling: base station determines how much data to send to devices
based on their link strength
• Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ): Store erroneous packets. Request
retransmit of corrupt packets and combine.

• Shorter TTI (Transmission Time Interval) of 2ms

• High Speed Downlink Shared Channel (HS-DSCH) with constant Spreading Factor
16 (SF-16) CDMA codes (variable in CDMA)

• transmitted at constant power while modulation, coding and number of

codes change according to signal conditions
HSUPA
• High Speed Uplink Packet Access (aka EUL – Enhanced UpLink)
• Same techniques as HSDPA for modulation
• Dedicated uplink channel
• HARQ
• Fast Packet Scheduling: device initiates the transmission
• Scheduled: base station dynamically sets power level of the device
transmission
• Non-Scheduled: Constant power level set by the device
• Theoretical bandwidth: HSDPA 14.4Mbps/ HSUPA 5.76Mbps
• Practical bandwidth is usually capped:
At&t 3G services: HSDPA: 700 Kbps—1.7 Mbps
HSUPA: 500 Kbps—1.2 Mbps
HSPA+
• High Speed Packet Access Evolved

• Enhancement of HSDPA/HSUPA

• Currently developed/deployed

• Increase data rates by addition of MIMO antennas (multiple transmit/receive antennas)

• Continuous Packet Connectivity: reduce uplink interference of dedicated channels when no

data is transmitted

• 64QAM modulation on downlink

• 16QAM modulation on uplink

• Theoretical bandwidth of 42Mbps/11.5Mbps!

High Speed Downlink Packet Access
(HSDPA)
The HSDPA concept has been designed to increase packet data throughput by
means of fast physical layer (L1) retransmission and transmission combining as
well as fast link adaptation controlled by the Node B (Base Transceiver Station
(BTS)).
3G HSDPA High Speed Downlink Packet Access is an upgrade to the original 3G UMTS
cellular system that provides a much greater download speeds for data.

With more data being transferred across the downlink than the uplink for data-
centric applications, the upgrade to the downlink was seen as a major priority.

KEY 3G HSDPA TECHNOLOGIES

• Modulation

• Fast HARQ

• Improved scheduling

• Additional channels
HSDPA performance
It will be possible to achieve peak user data rates of 10 Mbps within the 5 MHz
channel bandwidth offered under 3G UMTS.
The new scheme has a number of benefits.
1. It improves the overall network packet data capacity
2. Improves the spectral efficiency
3. Enables networks to achieve a lower delivery cost per bit.
4. Users will see higher data speeds as well as shorter service response times and
better availability of services.
However new mobile designs will need to be able to handle the increased data
throughput rates.
Reports indicate that handsets will need to have at least double the memory
currently contained within handsets. Nevertheless the advantages of 3G HSDPA
mean that it will be widely used as networks are upgraded and new phones
introduced.
High Speed Downlink Shared Channel, HS-DSCH

• The HS DSCH channel is the data transport channel that all active HSDPA users
connected to the NodeB will use.

• The use of a shared channel is a key characteristic of HSDPA and being a common
resource, the HS-DSCH is dynamically shared between users.

• The HS-DSCH supports adaptive coding and modulation changing to adapt to the
changing conditions within the system.

• The use of the 2ms TTI means that scheduling delays are reduced and it also
enables fast tracking of the channel conditions allowing for the optimum use of the
available resource.
• It is worth noting that the HS-DSCH is not power controlled but rate
controlled. This allows the remaining power, after the other required
channels have been serviced to be used for the HS-DSCH, and this means
that the overall power available is used efficiently.
High Speed Signalling Control Channel, HS-SCCH
This HSDPA channel is used to signal the scheduling to the users every 2 ms
according to the TTI.
The HS-SCCH channel carries three main elements of information:
1. It carries the UE identity to allow specific addressing of individual UEs on the
shared control channel.
2. The HS-SCCH carries the Hybrid ARQ to enable the combining process to
proceed.
3. This channel carries the Transport Format and Resource Indicator (TFRI). This
identifies the scheduled resource and its transmission format.
High Speed Dedicated Physical Control Channel, HS-DPCCH
The High Speed Dedicated Physical Control Channel, HS-DPCCH is an HSDPA
channel used to provide feedback to the scheduler and it is located in the
uplink.
The HS-DPCCH channel carries the following information:
1. Channel Quality Information which is used to provide instantaneous
channel information to the scheduler.
2. HARQ ACK/NAK information which is used to provide information back
about the successful receipt and decoding of information and hence to
request the resending information that has not been successfully received.
These channels, HS-DSCH, HS-SCCH, & HS-DPCCH are added to the existing 3G
UMTS channels and provide the additional data capability and adaptivity
required to enable the much faster download speeds provided by 3G HSDPA.
LTE NETWORK ARCHITECTURE AND PROTOCOL
LTE, Long Term Evolution, the successor to UMTS and HSPA is now being deployed
and is the way forwards for high speed cellular services.

In its first forms it was a 3G or as some would call it a 3.99G technology, but with
further additions the technology fulfilled the requirements for a 4G standard. In
this form it was referred to as LTE Advanced.

There has been a rapid increase in the use of data carried by cellular services, and
this increase will only become larger in what has been termed the "data
explosion".

Increased demands for increased data transmission speeds and lower latency,
further development of cellular technology have been required.
 WCDMA HSPA HSPA+ LTE
(UMTS) HSDPA /
HSUPA
Max downlink speed bps 384 k 14 M 28 M 100M
Max uplink speed bps 128 k 5.7 M 11 M 50 M
Latency round trip time approx. 150 ms 100 ms 50ms (max) ~10 ms

3GPP releases Rel 99/4 Rel 5 / 6 Rel 7 Rel 8

Approx years of initial roll out 2003 / 4 2005 / 6 HSDPA 2008 / 9 2009 / 10
2007 / 8 HSUPA
Access methodology CDMA CDMA CDMA OFDMA / SC-
FDMA
The new SAE, System Architecture Evolution has also been developed so that
it is fully compatible with LTE Advanced, the new 4G technology.

Therefore when LTE Advanced is introduced, the network will be able to

handle the further data increases with little change.
Reason for SAE System Architecture Evolution
SAE System Architecture Evolution will offer a number of key advantages:

1. Improved data capacity

2. All IP architecture

3. Reduced latency

4. Reduced OPEX and CAPEX

LTE Network Architecture
Mobility Management Entity, MME:

The MME is the main control node for the LTE SAE access network, handling a
number of features:
• Idle mode UE tracking

• Bearer activation / de-activation

• Choice of SGW for a UE

• Intra-LTE handover involving core network node location

• Interacting with HSS to authenticate user on attachment and implements roaming restrictions

• It acts as a termination for the Non-Access Stratum (NAS)-layer.

• Provides temporary identities for UEs

Serving Gateway, SGW:

The Serving Gateway, SGW, is a data plane element within the LTE SAE. Its
main purpose is to manage the user plane mobility and it also acts as the
main border between the Radio Access Network, RAN and the core network.

The SGW also maintains the data paths between the eNodeBs and the PDN
Gateways. In this way the SGW forms a interface for the data packet network
at the E-UTRAN.

Also when UEs move across areas served by different eNodeBs, the SGW
serves as a mobility anchor ensuring that the data path is maintained.
PDN Gateway, PGW:
The LTE SAE PDN gateway provides connectivity for the UE to external packet data
networks, fulfilling the function of entry and exit point for UE data.
The UE may have connectivity with more than one PGW for accessing multiple
PDNs.
Policy and Charging Rules Function, PCRF:
This is the generic name for the entity within the LTE SAE EPC which detects the
service flow, enforces charging policy.
For applications that require dynamic policy or charging control, a network
element entitled the Applications Function, AF is used.
The access network
• The access network of LTE, E-UTRAN, simply consists of a network of
eNodeBs.
• For normal user traffic (as opposed to broadcast), there is no centralized
controller in E-UTRAN; hence the E-UTRAN architecture is said to be flat.

The eNodeBs are normally interconnected with

each other by means of an interface known as
“X2” and to the EPC by means of the S1 interface
— more specifically, to the MME by means of the
S1-MME interface and to the S-GW by means of
the S1-U interface.
The protocols that run between the eNodeBs and
the UE are known as the “AS protocols.”
• Such distributed control eliminates the need for a high-availability,
processing-intensive controller, which in turn has the potential to reduce
costs and avoid “single points of failure.”

• Furthermore, as LTE does not support soft handover there is no need for a
centralized data-combining function in the network.
Roaming architecture

• A network run by one operator in one country is known as a “public land

mobile network (PLMN).”

• Roaming, where users are allowed to connect to PLMNs other than those to
which they are directly subscribed, is a powerful feature for mobile networks,
and LTE/SAE is no exception.
Protocol architecture

User plane

• An IP packet for a UE is encapsulated in an EPC-specific protocol and

tunneled between the P-GW and the eNodeB for transmission to the UE.
Different tunneling protocols are used across different interfaces.

• A 3GPP-specific tunneling protocol called the GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP)

is used over the CN interfaces, S1 and S5/S8.1
• The E-UTRAN user plane protocol stack is shown in blue in Figure,
consisting of the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP), Radio Link
Control (RLC) and Medium Access Control (MAC) sublayers that are
terminated in the eNodeB on the network side.
• In the absence of any centralized controller node, data buffering during
handover due to user mobility in the E-UTRAN must be performed in the
eNodeB itself.
• Data protection during handover is a responsibility of the PDCP layer. The RLC
and MAC layers both start afresh in a new cell after handover.
Control plane
• The blue region of the stack indicates the AS protocols. The lower layers
perform the same functions as for the user plane with the exception that
there is no header compression function for the control plane.