4 Umts & 3G

Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) and Third
Generation (3G) Technologies
What is 3G?
3G is the third generation of wireless technology in a long-line of mobile network standards (1G,
2G, 3G, 4G and 5G). The first commercial 3G network debuted back in 2001 but, for most of us,
it really took off in 2007. 3G is the wireless technology that suddenly began to transform our
mobile phones into mini-computers—giving us the ability to browse online, download apps,
navigate from Point A to Point B and beyond. As with each wireless technology that came before
and after it—it was the most advanced version of wireless connectivity available at the time.
Fast-forward to today and 3G seems like ancient history. After all, 5G wireless technology is
delivering high-speed, low-latency connectivity to not only our mobile devices, but to all of those
handy Internet of Things (IoT) devices we have at home, like camera doorbells, app-controlled
lights, smart appliances, voice assistants, security systems and beyond.
3GPP background and history

3GPP, or the 3rd Generation Partnership Project, was initially formed in December 1998 when the
European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) partnered with other standard
development organizations (SDOs) from around the world to develop new technologies (or more
specifically, technology specifications) for the third generation (3G) of cellular networks
Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS)
UMTS is the third generation (3G) mobile network built on GSM standards, compatible with data
transfer up to 2 Mbps. UMTS is popularly known as a third-generation (3G) cellular network. It
was seen as a better cellular technology for data transfer than its predecessor, the GSM technology,
which used GPRS and EDGE data services, primarily due to its speed of transfer and operation. It
is a pioneering wireless radio technology associated with third-generation (3G) cellular networks.
Today, UMTS is used interchangeably with 3G. Unlike GSM, UMTS offers faster data transfer,
improved cellular capabilities, greater range/bandwidth, and better radio spectrum efficiency.
This ensures a better method of transferring data and a better customer experience. Although
UMTS uses code division multiple access (CDMA) technology, it has a broader bandwidth than
other CDMA systems, e.g., CDMA2000. So, it is sometimes referred to as wideband CDMA or
WCDMA.
UMTS Architecture
A mobile network of the UMTS can be divided into three major parts:
1. User Equipment
2. Access Network
3. Core Network
These parts are linked and work together to transfer data through the UMTS mobile network.
1
The user equipment (UE)
The user equipment is divided into the mobile station, which is the device itself and the SIM card,
which describes the U-SIM or universal subscriber identity module. The mobile station cannot
transmit signals without the U-SIM. The U-SIM performs three main functions, which include:
 Holding of a subscriber’s identity
 Performing authentication algorithms
 Storing authentication and encryption keys
The access network (AN)
 The access network consists of towers to which the mobile station connects. These towers are
known as Node B, intermediates between the mobile station and the rest of the mobile network.
There can be one or more Node Bs depending on the size of the network.
 Another essential component of the access network is the radio network controller (RNC). This
is where the intelligence of the access network lies. It processes the data gotten from Node B
connected to it. The Node B and RNC composite structure is known as UMTS terrestrial radio
access network (UTRAN).
 The interface between the mobile station and the Node B is based on the air Wideband CDMA
technology (WCDMA). When Node B receives information from the Radio Network
Controller, it spreads it by multiplying it with the CDMA code, modulates it, and then sends
the information to the mobile station. If the data comes from the mobile station, it must undergo
de-spreading and demodulation at Node B before it gets to the RNC.
 Node B also handles error correction between the station and RNC. The RNC also acts as an
admission controller. For instance, if a mobile station (e.g., a phone) wants to transmit through
a voice call, and a particular Node B is congested with other connected devices, the RNC gives
it a new CDMA code to connect it to an available Node B.
 Also, since UMTS also sends information in the form of packets of data, like voice calls over
Skype, the RNC regulates the bit rate and speed of transmission to ensure hitch-free
transmission as this is a real-time activity. If the application is not a real-time activity – such as
downloading a file – if a particular Node B is congested, the RNC reduces the bit rate of other
devices that do not require real-time feedback.
2
The core network (CN)
This is the backbone network. It consists of a circuit-switched (CS) domain and packet-switched
(PS) domain. The circuit-switched domain is the part of the network responsible for voice calls,
while the packet-switched domain is responsible for carrying the packet data.
The packet-switched domain takes care of the internet services. The CS and PS domains consist
of various databases that hold information necessary for running the system.
3GPP W-CDMA and CDMA2000
 3GPP W-CDMA and CDMA2000 are both wideband CDMA systems with many similarities
in the capabilities that they offer but with many differences in the details of the implementation.
The most obvious difference is in the chip rates used for the carrier channel.
 W-CDMA uses a chip rate of 3.84 Mcps while cdma-2000 uses 1.2288 Mcps - the same rate
used by the IS-95A standard with a 3x version proposed as a future upgrade. At the detail level
there are considerable differences in the coding, synchronization and BS identification
methodologies adopted by the two standards.
 W-CDMA is a system, designed only for use in new spectrum, typically the new IMT-2000
band. It requires major new equipment installation by the network operators. The cdma2000
system is an upgrade to IS-95. It Was designed to share the same frequency in each sector of
each cell. For each user that uses cdma2000 coding rather than IS-95, the system is more
efficient. Existing equipment can be upgraded to install the new technology.
 3GPP, or the 3rd Generation Partnership Project, was initially formed in December 1998 when
the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) partnered with other standard
development organizations (SDOs) from around the world to develop new technologies (or
more specifically, technology specifications) for the third generation (3G) of cellular networks.
3G Quality of Service
 Network Services are considered end-to-end, this means from a Terminal Equipment (TE) to
another TE. An End-to-End Service may have a certain Quality of Service (QoS) which is
provided for the user of a network service.
 It is the user that decides whether he is satisfied with the provided QoS or not. To realize a
certain network QoS, a Bearer Service with clearly defined characteristics and functionality is
to be set up from the source to the destination of a service.
 A bearer service includes all aspects to enable the provision of a contracted QoS. These aspects
are among others the control signaling, user plane transport and QoS management functionality.

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Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) and Third

Generation (3G) Technologies

3GPP background and history

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