5.

3G & 4G Standards
1. Explain about GLOBAL SYSTEM FOR MOBILE (GSM)

GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is a second-generation digital mobile telephone
standard using a variation of Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA). It is the most widely used of
the three digital wireless telephone technologies - CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), GSM
and TDMA. GSM digitizes and compresses voice data, then sends it down a channel with two other
streams of user data, each in its own time slot. It operates at either the 900, 1800 or 1,900MHz
frequency bands.
GSM was initially developed as a pan-European collaboration, intended to enable mobile roaming
between member countries. As at March 2003, GSM digital wireless services were offered in some
form in over 193 countries. In June 2002, about 69% of all digital mobile subscriptions in the
world used GSM phones on GSM networks.

TECHNICAL DETAILS
The GSM network can be divided into three broad parts

The subscriber carries the mobile station

The base station subsystem controls the radio link with the mobile station
The network subsystem performs the switching of calls between the mobile users and
other mobile and fixed network users

MOBILE STATION
The mobile station consists of the mobile equipment, i.e. the handset, and a smart card called the
Subscriber Identity Module (SIM). The SIM provides personal mobility, so that the user can have
access to subscribed services irrespective of a specific terminal. By inserting the SIM card into
another GSM terminal, the user is able to receive and make calls from that terminal, and receive
other subscribed services.
The mobile equipment is uniquely identified by the International Mobile Equipment Identity
(IMEI). The SIM card contains the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) used to identify
the subscriber to the system, a secret key for authentication and other information. The IMEI and
the IMSI are independent, thereby allowing personal mobility. The SIM card may be protected
against unauthorised use by a password or personal identity number.

BASE STATION SUBSYSTEM

The base station subsystem is composed of two parts, the base transceiver station and the base
station controller. These communicate across a standardised "Abis" interface, allowing operation
between components made by different suppliers.
The base transceiver station houses the radio transceivers that define a cell and handles the radio-
link protocols with the mobile station. In a large urban area, there will potentially be a large
number of base transceiver stations deployed, thus the requirements for a base transceiver station
are ruggedness, reliability, portability and minimum cost. The base station controller manages the
radio resources for one or more base transceiver stations. It is the connection between the mobile
station and the mobile services switching center.
NETWORK SUBSYSTEM
The central component of the network subsystem is the mobile services switching center. This
acts like a normal switching node of the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) or ISDN
(Integrated Services Digital Network) and connects the mobile signal to these fixed networks. It
additionally provides all the functionality needed to handle a mobile subscriber, such as
registration, authentication, location updating, handovers and call routing to a roaming
subscriber.

RADIO SPECTRUM
Since radio spectrum is a limited resource shared by all users, a method must be devised to divide
up the bandwidth among as many users as possible. The method chosen by GSM is a combination
of Time and Frequency Division Multiple Access (TDMA/FDMA). The FDMA part involves the
division by frequency of the (maximum) 25MHz bandwidth into 124 carrier frequencies spaced
200kHz apart. One or more carrier frequencies are assigned to each base station.
Each of these carrier frequencies is then divided in time, using a TDMA scheme. The fundamental
unit of time in this TDMA scheme is called a burst period and it lasts 15/26 milliseconds (ms) (or
approximately 0.577ms). Eight burst periods are grouped into a TDMA frame (120/26ms, or
approximately 4.615ms), which forms the basic unit for the definition of logical channels. One
physical channel is one burst period per TDMA frame.
Channels are defined by the number and position of their corresponding burst periods. All these
definitions are cyclical, and the entire pattern repeats approximately every three hours. Channels
can be divided into dedicated channels, which are allocated to a mobile station, and common
channels, which are used by mobile stations in idle mode.

SPEECH CODING
GSM is a digital system, so speech, which is inherently analog, has to be digitised. The GSM group
studied several speech coding algorithms on the basis of subjective speech quality and complexity
(which is related to cost, processing delay and power consumption once implemented) before
arriving at the choice of a Regular Pulse Excited - Linear Predictive Coder (RPE-LPC) with a long
term predictor loop. Basically, information from previous samples, which does not change very
quickly, is used to predict the current sample. The coefficients of the linear combination of the
previous samples, plus an encoded form of the residual, the difference between the predicted and
actual sample, represent the signal. Speech is divided into 20 (ms) samples, each of which is
encoded as 260 bits, giving a total bit rate of 13kbps (kilobits per second). This is the so-called
full-rate speech coding. Recently, an enhanced full-rate (EFR) speech coding algorithm has been
implemented by some North American GSM1900 operators. This is said to provide improved
speech quality using the existing 13kbps bit rate.

FUTURE OF GSM
GSM, together with other technologies, is part of an evolution of wireless mobile
telecommunication that includes High-Speed Circuit-Switched Data (HSCSD), General Packet
Radio System (GPRS), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), and Universal Mobile
Telecommunications Service (UMTS).
What is GSM?
GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) is an open, digital cellular technology used for
transmitting mobile voice and data services.

What does GSM offer?

GSM supports voice calls and data transfer speeds of up to 9.6 kbps, together with the
transmission of SMS (Short Message Service). GSM operates in the 900MHz and 1.8GHz bands in
Europe and the 1.9GHz and 850MHz bands in the US. GSM services are also transmitted via
850MHz spectrum in Australia, Canada and many Latin American countries. The use of
harmonised spectrum across most of the globe, combined with GSMs international roaming
capability, allows travellers to access the same mobile services at home and abroad. GSM enables
individuals to be reached via the same mobile number in up to 219 countries. Terrestrial GSM
networks now cover more than 90% of the worlds population. GSM satellite roaming has also
extended service access to areas where terrestrial coverage is not available.

2. Explain the architecture and features of GPRS?

General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) is a packet-based wireless communication service that
promises data rates from 56 up to 114 Kbps and continuous connection to the Internet for mobile
phone and computer users. The higher data rates allow users to take part in video conferences and
interact with multimedia Web sites and similar applications using mobile handheld devices as well
as notebook computers. GPRS is based on Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication and
complements existing services such circuit-switched cellular phone connections and the Short
Message Service (SMS).
History of GPRS
GPRS was one of the first technologies that enabled a cell network to connect with Internet
Protocol (IP) networks, achieving widespread adoption in the early 2000s (sometimes being
called "GSM-IP").
The ability to browse the Web from a phone at any time ("always on" data networking), while
taken for granted in much of the world today, was still a novelty then. Even today, GPRS continues
to be used in parts of the world where it has been too costly to upgrade cellular network
infrastructure to newer alternatives.
Mobile Internet providers offered GPRS data services together with voice subscription packages
before 3G and 4G technologies became popular. Customers originally paid for GPRS service
according to how much network bandwidth they used in sending and receiving data until
providers changed to offer flat-rate use packages as is customary today.

Features of GPRS
GPRS utilizing packet switching for data transmission. It operates at extremely slow speeds by
today's standards - data rates for downloads range from 28 Kbps up to 171 Kbps, with upload
speeds even lower.(In contrast, EDGE supported download rates of 384 Kbps when first
introduced, later enhanced up to about 1 Mbps.)

Other features supported by GPRS include:

Short Message Service (SMS) - special-purpose communication protocols designed for text
messaging
Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) - extensions to SMS to enable transmission of videos
in addition to text
Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) - a specialized communication protocol for mobile
browsers, now obsolete
Deploying GPRS to customers required adding two specific kinds of hardware to existing GSM
networks:

the Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) connects the service provider's cell network to
the Internet (or other IP network). These devices manage traffic between the internal and
external networks.
the Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) sits between the service provider's internal
network and the customer-facing equipment (primarily base stations). These devices
authenticate and manage phones signed onto the network (including usage monitoring).

The GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP) supports transfer of GPRS data through the existing GSM
network infrastructure. GTP primary runs over User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

GPRS supports the following protocols:

Internet Protocol (IP). In practice, built-in mobile browsers use IPv4 since IPv6 was not yet
popular.
Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP). In this mode PPP is often not supported by the mobile phone
operator but if the mobile is used as a modem to the connected computer, PPP is used to
tunnel IP to the phone. This allows an IP address to be assigned dynamically (IPCP not DHCP)
to the mobile equipment.
X.25 connections. This is typically used for applications like wireless payment terminals,
although it has been removed from the standard. X.25 can still be supported over PPP, or even
over IP, but doing this requires either a network-based router to perform encapsulation or
intelligence built into the end-device/terminal; e.g., user equipment (UE).
When TCP/IP is used, each phone can have one or more IP addresses allocated. GPRS will store
and forward the IP packets to the phone even during handover. The TCP handles any packet loss
(e.g. due to a radio noise induced pause).

GPRS network architecture

With GPRS providing additional connectivity in terms of packet data, there are naturally a number
of upgrades needed to the network architecture required. A number of new elements are needed
for the network, but these can operate alongside the existing elements meaning that the GPRS
capability is an upgrade to the network and not a completely new network structure.
The main new network architecture entities that are needed are:

SGSN: Serving GPRS Support Node - the SGSN forms a gateway to the services within the
network.
GGSN: Gateway GPRS Support Node, GGSN, forms the gateway to the outside world.
PCU: Packet Control Unit, PCU, which differentiates whether data is to be routed to the
packet switched or circuit switched networks.
A simplified view of the GPRS network architecture can be seen in the diagram below. From this it
can be seen that it is very similar to the more basic GSM network architecture, but with additional
elements.
 GPRS network architecture

SGSN
The SGSN or Serving GPRS Support Node element of the GPRS network provides a number of takes
focussed on the IP elements of the overall system. It provides a variety of services to the mobiles:

Packet routing and transfer

Mobility management
Attach/detach
Logical link management
Authentication
Charging data
There is a location register within the SGSN and this stores location information (e.g., current cell,
current VLR). It also stores the user profiles (e.g., IMSI, packet addresses used) for all the GPRS
users registered with the particular SGSN.

GGSN
The GGSN, Gateway GPRS Support Node is one of the most important entities within the GPRS
network architecture.
The GGSN organises the interworking between the GPRS network and external packet switched
networks to which the mobiles may be connected. These may include both Internet and X.25
networks.
The GGSN can be considered to be a combination of a gateway, router and firewall as it hides the
internal network to the outside. In operation, when the GGSN receives data addressed to a specific
user, it checks if the user is active, then forwarding the data. In the opposite direction, packet data
from the mobile is routed to the right destination network by the GGSN.

PCU
The PCU or Packet Control Unit is a hardware router that is added to the BSC. It differentiates data
destined for the standard GSM network (circuit switched data) and data destined for the GPRS
network (Packet Switched Data). The PCU itself may be a separate physical entity, or more often
these days it is incorporated into the base station controller, BSC, thereby saving additional
hardware costs.

GPRS network upgrading

One of the key elements for any network operator is the cost of capital expenditure (capex) to buy
and establish a network. Capex costs are normally very high for a new network, and operators
endeavour to avoid this and use any existing networks they may have to make the optimum use of
any capital. In addition to the capex, there are the operational costs, (opex). These costs are for
general maintenance and other operational costs that may be incurred. Increasing efficiency and
reliability will reduce the opex costs.
Any upgrade such as that from GSM to GPRS will require new investment and operators are keen
to keep this to the minimum. The upgrades for the GPRS network are not as large as starting from
scratch and rolling out a new network.
The GPRS network adds to the existing GSM network. The main new entities required within the
network are the SGSN and GGSN, and these are required as the starting point.
The base station subsystems require some updates. The main one is the addition of the PCU
described above. Some modifications may be required to the BTS, but often only a software
upgrade is required, and this may often be achieved remotely. In this way costs are kept to a
minimum.
The GPRS network architecture can be viewed as an evolution of the GSM network carrying both
circuit switched and packet data. The GPRS network architecture was also used as the basis for the
3G UMTS network. In this way network operators could evolve their networks through GPRS and
possibly EDGE to the full 3G networks without having to replace and install more new equipment
than was absolutely necessary.
Advantages of GPRS include:
High-speed: GPRS offers an optimum speed of 171.2 kbps, which is almost three times
quicker than the data transfer speed of fixed telecommunications networks. Also, it is ten
times faster than the existing GSM network services
Instant connection and immediate data transfer: GPRS provides instantaneous and steady
connections, which permit data to be sent wherever and whenever required
Cost-effective solution: Minimizes the incremental expenditure required for providing data
services. This in turn enables increase in the penetration of data services amongst business
and consumer users
Innovative and superior applications: GPRS facilitates usage of Internet applications over
mobile networks. This includes Web browsing, IM messages, e-commerce and location
oriented applications. In addition, it allows for file transfer and the ability to remotely gain
access for monitoring or controlling machines and house appliances
3. Explain in detail about WCDMA

5.4 LTE

5.5 WiMAX