UMTS booklet

Made by

Jalal Bershan

&

Mohamad Dankar

Supervised by
Dr Khaled Mawas

November 2010
UMTS INDEX

 Definition
 1 Features
 2 Technology
o 2.1 Air interfaces
 2.1.1 W-CDMA (UTRA-FDD)
 2.1.2 UTRA-TDD HCR
 2.1.3 TD-SCDMA (UTRA-TDD 1.28 Mcps Low Chip
Rate)
o 2.2 Radio access network
o 2.3 Core network
 3 Interoperability and global roaming
o 3.1 Handsets and modems
 4 Different environment for UMTS
 5 Interfaces
 6 Handover
 7 Releases
o 7.1 Release '99
o 7.2 Release 4
o 7.3 Release 5
o 7.4 Release 6
o 7.5 Release 7
o 7.6 Release 8
 Definition
Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) is one of the third-generation (3G) mobile
telecommunications technologies, which is also being developed into a 4G technology. The first
deployment of the UMTS is the release99 (R99) architecture. It is specified by 3GPP and is part of the
global ITU IMT-2000 standard. The most common form of UMTS uses W-CDMA (IMT Direct Spread) as
the underlying air interface but the system also covers TD-CDMA and TD-SCDMA (both IMT CDMA TDD).
Being a complete network system, UMTS also covers the radio access network (UMTS Terrestrial Radio
Access Network, or UTRAN) and the core network (Mobile Application Part, or MAP), as well as
authentication of users via USIM cards (Subscriber Identity Module).

Unlike EDGE (IMT Single-Carrier, based on GSM) and CDMA2000 (IMT Multi-Carrier), UMTS requires new

base stations and new frequency allocations. However, it is closely related to GSM/EDGE as it borrows
and builds upon concepts from GSM. Further, most UMTS handsets also support GSM, allowing
seamless dual-mode operation. Therefore, UMTS is sometimes marketed as 3GSM, emphasizing the
close relationship with GSM and differentiating it from competing technologies.The name UMTS,
introduced by ETSI, is usually used in Europe. Outside of Europe, the system is also known by other
names such as FOMA or W-CDMA.

Features
UMTS,using 3GPP,supports maximum theoretical data transfer rates of 42 Mbit/s (with HSPA+),although
at the moment users in deployed networks can expect a transfer rate of up to 384 kbit/s for R99
handsets, and 7.2 Mbit/s for HSDPA handsets in the downlink connection. This is still much greater than
the 9.6 kbit/s of a single GSM error-corrected circuit switched data channel or multiple 9.6 kbit/s
channels in HSCSD (14.4 kbit/s for CDMAOne), and—in competition to other network technologies such
as CDMA2000, PHS or WLAN—offers access to the World Wide Web and other data services on mobile
devices.

Since 2006, UMTS networks in many countries have been or are in the process of being upgraded
with High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), sometimes known as 3.5G. Currently, HSDPA
enables downlink transfer speeds of up to 21 Mbit/s. Work is also progressing on improving the uplink
transfer speed with the High-Speed Uplink Packet Access(HSUPA). Longer term, the 3GPP Long Term
Evolution project plans to move UMTS to 4G speeds of 100 Mbit/s down and 50 Mbit/s up, using a next
generation air interface technology based upon Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing.

The first national consumer UMTS networks launched in 2002 with a heavy emphasis on telco-provided
mobile applications such as mobile TV and video calling. The high data speeds of UMTS are now most
often utilised for Internet access: experience in Japan and elsewhere has shown that user demand for
video calls is not high, and telco-provided audio/video content has declined in popularity in favour of
high-speed access to the World Wide Web - either directly on a handset or connected to a computer
via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Infrared or USB.
 Architecture

MSC/VLR : Main Switch Controller / Visitor Location Register

GMSC : Gateway Main Switch Controller

HLR: Home Location Register

AC : Authentication Center

GGSN : Gateway GPRS Support Node

SGSN : Serving GPRS Support Node

PSTN : Public Switched Telephone Network

PMD : Public Data Network

RNC: Radio Network Controller

Node B : BTS = Base Transceiver Station

UE : User Equipment

TAF : Traffic Asymmetry Factor

Interfaces
Iu: Interface between the RNC and the Core Network (MSC or SGSN).
      

- Iucs: Iu circuit switched (voice from/to MSC)

      

- Iups: Iu packet switched (data from/to SGSN)

Iub: Interface between the RNC and the Node B.

Iur: Interface between two RNCs.

Gs: MSC/VLR SGSN

Gn : SGSN GGSN

E : MSC/VLR GMSC

C : HLR GMSC

D : MSC/VLR HLR

Gr: SGSN HLR

Gc: GGSN HLR

H : HLR AC

Gi: GGSN PDN

 Technology

UMTS combines three different air interfaces, GSM's Mobile Application Part (MAP) core, and the GSM
family of speech codecs.

Air interfaces

UMTS provides several different terrestrial air interfaces, called UMTS Terrestrial Radio

Access (UTRA).All air interface options are part of ITU's IMT-2000. In the currently most popular variant
for cellular mobile telephones, W-CDMA (IMT Direct Spread) is used. Please note that the terms W-
CDMA, TD-CDMA and TD-SCDMA are misleading. While they suggest covering just a channel access
method (namely a variant of CDMA), they are actually the common names for the whole air interface
standards. Non-terrestrial radio access networks are currently under research.

W-CDMA (UTRA-FDD)
W-CDMA uses the DS-CDMA channel access method with a pair of 5 MHz channels. In contrast, the
competing CDMA2000 system uses one or more arbitrary 1.25 MHz channels for each direction of
communication. W-CDMA systems are widely criticized for their large spectrum usage, which has
delayed deployment in countries that acted relatively slowly in allocating new frequencies specifically
for 3G services (such as the United States). The specific frequency bands originally defined by the UMTS
standard are 1885–2025 MHz for the mobile-to-base (uplink) and 2110–2200 MHz for the base-to-
mobile (downlink).

UTRA-TDD HCR
UMTS-TDD's air interfaces that use the TD-CDMA channel access technique are standardized as UTRA-
TDD HCR, which uses increments of 5 MHz of spectrum, each slice divided into 10ms frames containing
fifteen time slots (1500 per second). The time slots (TS) are allocated in fixed percentage for downlink
and uplink. TD-CDMA is used to multiplex streams from or to multiple transceivers. Unlike W-CDMA, it
does not need separate frequency bands for up- and downstream, allowing deployment in tight
frequency bands. TD-CDMA is a part of IMT-2000 as IMT CDMA TDD.

TD-SCDMA
TD-SCDMA uses the TDMA channel access method combined with an adaptive synchronous
CDMA component on 1.6 MHz slices of spectrum, allowing deployment in even tighter frequency bands
than TD-CDMA. However, the main incentive for development of this Chinese-developed standard was
avoiding or reducing the license fees that have to be paid to non-Chinese patent owners. Unlike the
other air interfaces, TD-SCDMA was not part of UMTS from the beginning but has been added in Release
4 of the specification. Like TD-CDMA, it is known as IMT CDMA TDD within IMT-2000.

Radio access network

UMTS also specifies the UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), which is composed of
multiple base stations, possibly using different terrestrial air interface standards and frequency bands.
UMTS and GSM/EDGE can share a Core Network (CN), making UTRAN an alternative radio access
network to GERAN (GSM/EDGE RAN), and allowing (mostly) transparent switching between the RANs
according to available coverage and service needs. Because of that, UMTS' and GSM/EDGE's radio access
networks are sometimes collectively referred to as UTRAN/GERAN. UMTS networks are often combined
with GSM/EDGE, the later of which is also a part of IMT-2000. The UE (User Equipment) interface of the
RAN (Radio Access Network) primarily consists of RRC (Radio Resource Control), RLC (Radio Link Control)
and MAC (Media Access Control) protocols. RRC protocol handles connection establishment,
measurements, radio bearer services, security and handover decisions. RLC protocol primarily divides
into three Modes - Transparent Mode (TM), Unacknowledge Mode (UM), Acknowledge Mode (AM). The
functionality of AM entity resembles TCP operation where as UM operation resembles UDP operation. In
TM mode, data will be sent to lower layers without adding any header to SDU of higher layers. MAC
handles the scheduling of data on air interface depending on higher layer (RRC) configured parameters.
Set of properties related to data transmission is called Radio Bearer (RB). This set of properties will
decide the maximum allowed data in a TTI (Transmission Time Interval). RB includes RLC information
and RB mapping. RB mapping decides the mapping between RB<->logical channel<->transport channel.
Signaling message will be send on Signaling Radio Bearers (SRBs) and data packets (either CS or PS) will
be sent on data RBs. RRC and NAS messages will go on SRBs. Security includes two procedures: integrity
and ciphering. Integrity validates the resource of message and also make sure that no one
(third/unknown party) on radio interface has not modified message. Ciphering make sure that no one
listens your data on air interface. Both integrity and ciphering will be applied for SRBs where as only
ciphering will be applied for data RBs.

Core network
With Mobile Application Part, UMTS uses the same core network standard as GSM/EDGE. This allows a
simple migration for existing GSM operators. However, the migration path to UMTS is still costly: while
much of the core infrastructure is shared with GSM, the cost of obtaining new spectrum licenses and
overlaying UMTS at existing towers is high. The CN can be connected to various backbone networks like
the Internet, ISDN. UMTS (and GERAN) include the three lowest layers of OSI model. The network layer
(OSI 3) includes theRadio Resource Management protocol (RRM) that manages the bearer channels
between the mobile terminals and the fixed network, including the handovers.

Telecommunication
service
• Bearer

• Teleservices

• Supplementary Services

Bearer - telecommunication services providing the capability of transmission of signals between access
points.

Teleservices - telecommunication services providing the complete capability for communication

between users according to specified protocols

Supplementary Services - modifies or supplements a basic telecommunication service.

Teleservices
Bearer services
TE TAF MT PLMN Possible Terminating TE
transit network
network
UE
UE: User Equipment
MT: Mobile Termination
TE: Terminal Equipment
TAF: Terminal Adaptation Function
Basic telecommunication services
• Speech call

• Emergency call

• H.324 video call

• Real-time fax

• Short Message Service (SMS)

• Short Message Service - Point-to-Point (SMS-PP)

• Short Message Service - Cell Broadcast (SMS-CB)

Teleservices Teleservices

Open Interface
Software in Terminal HLR, SMSC, VMS, IN
Service Platform Service Platform
Open / Proprietary Interface
Terminal & USIM BS, RNC, MSC
Terminal & USIM 3G Network

Access Methods:
- WCDMA
- GSM900/1800
- etc.
DOCUMENTTYPE 1 (1)

TypeUnitOrDepartmentHere
TypeYourNameHere TypeDateHere

Delay Result
0 to 150 ms Preferred range [<30ms, user does not notice any
delay at all, <100ms, user does not notice delay if
echo cancellation is provided and there are no
distortions on the link]
150 to 400 ms Acceptable range (but with increasing degradation)
> 400 ms Unacceptable range
Basic UMTS services

H.324 video call

• Codecs for real-time voice,
data and video.

• Functionality of H.324 can be

included in a PC or a stand-
alone device/terminal.

• May also be used in multipoint configurations through a MCU (Multipoint Control Unit).
Packet switched bearer services
• Voice over IP

• Voice and video over IP

• Data

• Voice messaging

• SMS via packet

• Point-to-multi-
point, multicast
via SGSN
Service Platform bearer

• Web browsing

• Interactive games

• High-priority transaction services

(E-commerce)

• Store and forward fax

• E-mail (server access)

SIM Application Toolkit

• First standardised in GSM phase 2+ specifications by ETSI/3GPP (11.11 and 11.14).

• Enables the operator to remotely update the SIM, alter and download services.

• Increases the subscriber's possibility to, for example, change service profile.

• SMS is a key mechanism in SIM Application Toolkit.

SAT example in GSM - Weather forecast service

14.Show text
 Real-Time service:
UE to UE speech call
( simplified)

U B RN MSC/V HLR MSC/V BS BT M

1. Radio
E Resource
S CConnection
LRRequest LR C S S
2. Radio Link Setup
3. Radio Resource Connection Setup
4. RRC Setup Complete
5. Call Setup
6. Bearer Assignment Request (Create) - Bearer Parameters and Bind
7. RAB Setup / Radio Link Modification
8. Bearer Assignment Complete
9. HLR Enquiry
10. Send Routing Information (MSRN)
11. Call Setup Continues 12. Paging
13. Paging Response
14. Setup
15. Call Confirmed/Alert
16. Conversation
Non Real-Time Service: PDP: Packet Data Protocol
APN: Access Point Name
Internet Connection GTP: GPRS Tunneling Protocol
 Interoperability and global roaming
UMTS phones (and data cards) are highly portable—they have been designed to roam easily onto other
UMTS networks (if the providers have roaming agreements in place). In addition, almost all UMTS
phones are UMTS/GSM dual-mode devices, so if a UMTS phone travels outside of UMTS coverage during
a call the call may be transparently handed off to available GSM coverage. Roaming charges are usually
significantly higher than regular usage charges. UMTS phones can use a Universal Subscriber Identity
Module, USIM (based on GSM's SIM) and also work (including UMTS services) with GSM SIM cards. This
is a global standard of identification, and enables a network to identify and authenticate the (U)SIM in
the phone. Roaming agreements between networks allow for calls to a customer to be redirected to
them while roaming and determine the services (and prices) available to the user.  In addition to user
subscriber information and authentication information, the (U)SIM provides storage space for phone
book contact. Handsets can store their data on their own memory or on the (U)SIM card (which is
usually more limited in its phone book contact information). A (U)SIM can be moved to another UMTS
or GSM phone, and the phone will take on the user details of the (U)SIM, meaning it is the (U)SIM (not
the phone) which determines the phone number of the phone and the billing for calls made from the
phone.

Handsets and modems

All of the major 2G phone manufacturers (that are still in business) are now manufacturers of 3G
phones. The early 3G handsets and modems were specific to the frequencies required in their country,
which meant they could only roam to other countries on the same 3G frequency (though they can fall
back to the older GSM standard).

 Canada and USA have a common share of frequencies, as do most European countries. The
article UMTS frequency bands is an overview of UMTS network frequencies around the world.

T-Mobile UMTS PC Card modem
Using a cellular router, PCMCIA or USB card, customers are able to access 3G broadband services,
regardless of their choice of computer (such as a tablet PC or a PDA). Some software installs itself from
the modem, so that in some cases absolutely no knowledge of technology is required to get online in
moments.  Using a phone that supports 3G and Bluetooth 2.0, multiple Bluetooth-capable laptops can
be connected to the Internet. Some smartphones can also act as a mobile WLAN access point. There are
almost no 3G phones or modems available supporting all 3G frequencies
(UMTS850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz). However, many phones are offering more than one band which
still enables extensive roaming. For example, a tri-band chipset operating on 850/1900/2100 MHz, such
as that found in Apple's iPhone, allows usage in the majority of countries where UMTS-FDD is deployed.

Different environment for UMTS

Mega Cell >10 km Macro Cell 5-10 Km

Micro Cell 0.5 km Pico Cell 100 m
 Handover Control
Basic reason for a handover: the same as in the GSM

• 2 main types of handover in WCDMA

— soft: the "old" radio link connection is maintained when the "new" radio link connection
is gained.

— Hard: the "old" radio link connection is released before the UE accesses the network
through the "new".

• Roughly, the criteria for the handover is based on the same items as in GSM (next slide).
Hard Handover

• UE stops transmission on one frequency before it moves to another

frequency and starts transmitting again

• During Hard Handover the used radio frequency (RF) of the UE changes

B S B T S

W CD M A G S M 9 0 0 /1 8 0 0

R N C R N C
Iu r

Iu b Iu b

B S B S

F re q u e n c y F re q u e n c y
f1 f1
Soft Handover

• UE is connected simultaneously to more than one base station (up to 3

sectors) using the same frequency

• The UE receives the downlink transmissions of two or more base stations.

For this purpose it has to employ one of its RAKE receiver fingers for each
received signal.

• in the uplink direction , the code channel of the mobile station is received
from both base stations, but the received data is then routed to the RNC for
combining

• The RNC selects the better frame between the two possible candidates
based on frame reliability indicator

B S B S

F re q u en c y F re q u e n c y
4

f1 f1
 Softer handover

• UE is connected simultaneously to two sectors of one base station using the

same frequency

• The UE receives the downlink transmissions the two sectors. For this
purpose it has to employ one of its RAKE receiver fingers for each received
signal.

• in the uplink direction , the code channel of the mobile station is received in
each sector, then routed to the same baseband Rake receiver and the
maximal ratio combined there in the usual way.

S e c to r 1 B S S e c to r 2
M u ltip a th S ig n a l f1 f1
th ro u g h S e c to r 1

M u ltip a th S ig n a l
S e c to r 3
th ro u g h S e c to r 3
4

f1
Generally we can distinguish between intra-cell handover and inter-cell handover.
For UMTS the following types of handover are specified:

• Handover 3G -3G (i.e. between UMTS and other 3G systems)

• FDD soft/softer handover

• FDD inter-frequency hard handover

• FDD/TDD handover (change of cell)

• TDD/FDD handover (change of cell)

• TDD/TDD handover

• Handover 3G - 2G (e.g. handover to GSM)

• Handover 2G - 3G (e.g. handover from GSM)

The most obvious cause for performing a handover is that due to its movement a
user can be served in another cell more efficiently (like less power emission, less
interference). It may however also be performed for other reasons such as system
load control.

The different types of air interface measurements are:

• Intra-frequency measurements: measurements on downlink physical

channels at the same frequency as the active set. A measurement object
corresponds to one cell.

• Inter-frequency measurements: measurements on downlink physical

channels at frequencies that differ from the frequency of the active set. A
measurement object corresponds to one cell.
• Inter-RAT measurements: measurements on downlink physical channels
belonging to another radio access technology than UTRAN, e.g. GSM. A
measurement object corresponds to one cell.

• Traffic volume measurements: measurements on uplink traffic volume. A

measurement object corresponds to one cell.

• Quality measurements: Measurements of downlink quality parameters,

e.g. downlink transport block error rate. A measurement object
corresponds to one transport channel in case of BLER. A measurement
object corresponds to one timeslot in case of SIR (TDD only). 

• UE-internal measurements: Measurements of UE transmission power and

UE received signal level.

• UE positioning measurements: Measurements of UE position. 

The UE supports a number of measurements running in parallel. The UE
also supports that each measurement is controlled and reported
independently of every other measurement. 

Release '99

Bearer service  is a telecommunications term referring

to a service that
allows transmission of information signals between
network interfaces. These services give the subscriber
the capacity required to transmit appropriate signals
between certain access points, i.e. user network
interfaces.
The bearer services include the following:

Rate adapted sub-rate information like circuit switched

asynchronous and synchronous duplex data, 300-9600 bits.
Speech and data swapping during a call, i.e. alternate speech
and data.
Modem selection, i.e. selection of 3.1 kHz audio service when
inter-working with ISDN.

Release 4

Edge radio
Multimedia messaging
MExE (Mobile Execution Environment)
Improved location services
IP Multimedia Services (IMS)

Release 5

IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)
IPv6, IP transport in UTRAN
Improvements in GERAN, MExE, etc
HSDPA
 Release 6

WLAN integration
Multimedia broadcast and multicast
Improvements in IMS
HSUPA
Fractional DPCH

Release 7

Enhanced L2
64 QAM , MIMO
VoIP over HSPA
CPC - continuous packet connectivity
FRLC - Flexible RLC

Release 8

DC-HSPA
HSUPA 16QAM