WCDMA Basic Theory

WIRELESS NETWORK MASTER PLANNING

By: Manuel M. Aquino Jr.
Future Access Technologies
Access Network Planning Department

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WCDMA

The Goal of this Course

After this course, you should be able to

Understand the technology behind

WCDMA and its advantages

Understand the roots and roadmap

of WCDMA

Be familiar with the basic

architecture of a WCDMA network

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WCDMA

Content

WCDMA Overview
Advantages of WCDMA
WCDMA Basic Principle

WCDMA Architecture

Training GLOBE TELECOM

WNMP

WCDMA

Evolution of Mobile Communications

1G
Analog
cellular
Voice
AMPS
TACS
9.6 Kbps
80

2G

3G

4G

Digital cellular

Digital cellular

Hybrid IP based

Voice /data

Voice / high speed

data
CDMA2000
WCDMA
2 M bp s

Voice / very high

speed data

2001 2004

Not yet deployed

CDMA
1XRtt
GSM
GPRS
64 Kbps/144 Kbps
1992

1999

AMPS: Advanced Mobile Phone System

TACS: Total Access Communication System
GPRS: General Packet Radio Services
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HSDPA
>10 Mbps

WCDMA

Evolution of Mobile Communications

1G 1

st

Generation: Analog Cellular

1) Feature:
frequency division multiple access (FDMA)
analog signal
narrow band
2)Main mode: AMPS TACS NMT
3)Limitations:
hard to develop digital bearer services
cannot adopt to digitization of fixed networks
low frequency efficiency
cannot meet larger capacity requirements
easy to be eavesdropped

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WCDMA

Evolution of Mobile Communications

2G 2

nd

Generation: Digital Cellular

1) Feature:
time division multiple access (TDMA)
narrow code division multiple access (N-CDMA)
digital signal, narrow band
strong anti-interference capability
security is guaranteed with authentication and encryption
can support ISDN
2) Main mode: GSM D-AMPS N-CDMA
3)Limitations:
Narrow bandwidth unable to provide various broadband
information services such as high speed data services.

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WCDMA

Evolution of Mobile Communications

3G 3

rd

Generation: Digital Cellular IMT 2000

1) Feature:
code division multiple access (CDMA)
digital signal
broadband
integrated service system integrating all current mobile
telephone system functions providing multiple services
large capacity
2) meaning of 2000:
frequency spectrum around 2000MHz
data rate up to 2000kbps
putting into business about 2000
3) Main mode: WCDMA CDMA2000 TD-SCDMA

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WCDMA

Evolution of Mobile Communications

4G 4

th

Generation: Hybrid IP Based Mobile Network

1) Feature:
3G Mobile Voice and Data Service, Broadband
Access, Video Call
> 10 Mbps Data Rate
In principle will allow high-quality smooth video
transmission

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WCDMA

Birth of IMT2000
1985

1996

FPLMTS

Future Public Land Mobile

Telecommunications System

IMT 2000

International Mobile
Telecommunications 2000

TDMA
WCDMA-UMTS

CDMA 2000
DECT

WCDMA
UMTS

3GPP

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TD-SCDMA

WCDMA-FOMA
TD-SCDMA

CDMA2000

3GPP2
WCDMA

The Goal of IMT 2000

Higher transmit rate 2Mbps

Rich and colorful service
Good voice quality
Larger capacity
Lower cost
Good security performance
High frequency efficiency
Increased Mobility
Easy to transition from 2G

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WCDMA

Standard Framework of IMT 2000

Core Networks of other

IMT-2000 family members

UIM

MT

RAN

CN

CN

UIM-MT MT-RAN RAN-CN NNI

Interface Interface Interface
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WCDMA

Family concept
WCDMA
CN based on MAP

CDMA2000

3G

TD-SCDMA

CN based on ANSI-41

standards

CN based on MAP

CDMA is the main technology of 3G

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WCDMA

Family concept

CN(Core Network)

2G/3G Radio Network

IS-95

IS-41 CN

CDMA2000

NNI

GSM CN

GSM
WCDMA

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WCDMA

3G Standard Organization

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WCDMA

WNMP

WCDMA

WCDMA Technology Evolution

9.6kbps

2G

64kbps

2.5G

144kbps

2.75G
EDGE

GSM

2Mbps

3G
WCDMA

GPRS

Wideband Code Division Multiple Access uses direct

sequence spread-spectrum technology to transmit a number of
independent conversations across 5MHz segments of the
radio spectrum.
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WCDMA

UMTS Protocol Version Evolution

Inherit all the service

and function of
2G(GSM and GPRS
CN is composed of
CS domain and PS
domain
WCDMA UTRAN

access
Iu interface between
RAN and CN

Inherit all the service and

function of R99
CS domain change:
control is separated from
bearerthe function of
MSC can be complete by
split SERVER,MGW
Voice supported by CS
domain, supporting:
TDM,ATM,IP

Inherit all the service and

function of R4
Add IMS domain
Enhanced IP QoS,
supporting End to End IP
multimedia service

R5

R4
R99

2000
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2001

2002

Specification complete time

WCDMA

UMTS R99 NETWORK ARCHITECTURE

3G Rel. 99
Node B

RNC
MGW
Node B
PSTN/

SS7oIP

PLMN

2G
BTS

GGSN
BSC
SMSC

MSC

BTS
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TMSC

HLR

SGSN

WCDMA

UMTS R4 NETWORK ARCHITECTURE

3G Rel. 4
MSC Server

Node B

SGSN

GMSC Server

IP Backbone

MGW
RNC
MGW
Node B
PSTN/

SS7oIP

PLMN

2G
BTS

GGSN
BSC
SMSC

MSC

BTS
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TMSC

HLR

WCDMA

UMTS R5 NETWORK ARCHITECTURE

3G Rel. 5
MSC Server

Node B

GMSC Server
IMS

IP Backbone

MGW
RNC
MGW
Node B
PSTN/

SS7oIP

PLMN

2G

SGSN

BTS
BSC

SMSC

MSC

BTS
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TMSC

GGSN
HSS/
HLR
HLR

WCDMA

UMTS
5 MHz channel

FDD mode

Uplink

Fig. 1

Working frequency: 2GHz Fig. 2

Bandwidth: 5MHz
Chip rate: 3.84Mcps
Frame length: 10 ms

Downlink

TDD mode

5 MHz channel

...
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Uplink and Downlink

...
WCDMA

3G Spectrum

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WCDMA

Content

WCDMA Overview
Advantages of WCDMA
WCDMA Basic Principle

WCDMA Architecture

Training GLOBE TELECOM

WNMP

WCDMA

Advantages of WCDMA(1)
Frequency
reuse factor is 1;
network design
and expanding
become much
easier

AMPS, D-AMPS, N-AMPS

1

2
3
7
1
6
4
5

30 kHz
Typical Frequency Reuse N=7

GSM
8

Users

1
4

2
3

200 kHz
Typical Frequency Reuse N=4

CDMA

100 Users
@12.2kbps/user
5 MHz

1
1

1
1
1

1
1
1

1
1

Typical Frequency Reuse N=1

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WCDMA

Advantages of WCDMA(2)
Large capacity
FDMA---Different user use different
frequency

FDMA
Power

TACSAMPS
TDMA---Different user use different
time slot of one frequency

TDMA
Power

GSMDAMPS
WCDMA---Different user use same
frequency at the same time,but with
different spreading code

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CDMA
Power

WCDMA

Advantages of WCDMA(3)

large coverage
almost 2 times than GSM, save money for
operator

Example:cover 1000 km2

GSM
need 200 BTS
WCDMA only need 50 BTS
Attention: exact result need Link Budget

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WCDMA

Advantages of WCDMA(4)
High privacy and hard to eavesdropped

Each user is below

the noise deeply

Spread signal
Information
signal

Demodulated
signal
TX

Spread code

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RX

Spread code

WCDMA

Advantages of WCDMA(5)
Use soft handoff: decrease drop-call rate

WCDMAmake before break---soft handoff

Other systems: make after break---hard handoff
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WCDMA

Advantages of WCDMA(6)
Perfect Power Control and voice activation make the UE
Power low, healthy for human body.

GSM:
WCDMA:

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Mean Power

Max Power

125mW

2W

2mW

200mW

WCDMA

Content

WCDMA Overview
Advantages of WCDMA
WCDMA Basic Principle

WCDMA Architecture

Training GLOBE TELECOM

WNMP

WCDMA

WCDMA is a Spread-Spectrum System

TRADITIONAL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

Spread Spectrum
Narrowband
Signal
Slow
Information
Recovered

Slow
Information
Sent
TX

RX

SPREAD-SPECTRUM SYSTEM
Wideband Signal
Slow
Information
Sent

Slow
Information
Recovered
TX

Fast
Spreading
Sequence

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RX

Fast
Spreading
Sequence

Traditional technologies try to

squeeze the signal into the
minimum required bandwidth
Direct-Sequence Spread spectrum
systems mix their input data with
a fast spreading sequence and
transmit a wideband signal
The spreading sequence is
independently regenerated at the
receiver and mixed with the
incoming wideband signal to
recover the original data

WCDMA

What is Spread Spectrum?

ORIGINATING SITE

Spread signal

DESTINATION

Spread Data Stream

Input
Data

Recovered
Data

Spreading
Sequence

Spreading
Sequence

Definition:Spread spectrum technique, employ a transmission bandwidth

that is several orders of magnitude greater than the minimum required signal
bandwidth.
Sender combines data with a fast spreading sequence,transmits
spread data stream
Receiver intercepts the stream,uses same spreading sequence to
extract original data

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WCDMA

Spread Process
Digital Signal

Spreading Signal

-1 1

-1 1 -1 1 1 -1 1 -1
Spreading

1 -1 1 -1

Spreading Code

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WCDMA

De-spread Process
-1 1 -1 1 1 -1 1 -1

-1 -1 -1 -1 1 1 1 1

Despreading

-1 1 -1 1 1 -1 1 -1

1 -1 1 -1
1 1 1 1

Integrator

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-4

Adjudge

-1

WCDMA

Illustration to SS Principle(1)

Power is Spread Over a Larger Bandwidth

12.2 KHz
5 MHz

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WCDMA

Illustration to SS Principle(2)

Many code channels are individually

spread and then added together to
create a composite signal

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WCDMA

Spread Spectrum Principles

Shannon's Formula

C=B*log2(1+S/N)
Where,
C is capacity of channel, b/s
B is signal bandwidth, Hz
S is average power for signal
N is average power for noise

In 1948 Claude Shannon published his landmark paper on information

theory. A Mathematical Theory of Communication. His paper so
clearly established the foundations of information theory that his
framework and terminology are standard today. He died February 4,
2001 at age 84.

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WCDMA

Multiple Access
Multiple Access: Simultaneous private use of a transmission
medium by multiple independent users.

Since the beginning of telephony and radio,

system operators have tried to squeeze the
maximum amount of traffic over each circuit.

Types of Media:
Twisted pair - copper
Coaxial cable
Fiber optic cable
Air interface (radio signals)
Advantages of Multiple Access
Increased capacity: serve more
users
Reduced capital requirements
since fewer media can carry the
traffic
Easier to manage and administer

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Transmission

Medium

Each pair of user

enjoys a dedicated,
private circuit through
the transmission
medium, unaware that
the other users exist.

WCDMA

Channels
Channel: An individually-assigned, dedicated
pathway through a transmission
medium for one users information.
The transmission medium is a resource that can be subdivided
into individual channels according to the technology used.

FDMA Frequency Division Multiple Access

Each user on a different frequency
A channel is a frequency
TDMA Time Division Multiple Access
Each user on a different window period in
time (time slot)
A channel is a specific time slot on a
specific frequency
CDMA Code Division Multiple Access
A channel is a unique code pattern
Each user uses the same frequency all the
time, but mixed with different
distinguishing code patterns

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FDMA
Power

TDMA
Power

CDMA
Power

WCDMA

Physical Channels(1)
The physical channel is in a 3-layer structure by the
time:
Superframe
One superframe lasts 720ms, and consists of 72 radio frames.
radio frame
One radio frame has a period of 10ms, and comprises 15
timeslots with the same length. Corresponding to 38400
chips, it is a basic unit of the physical layer.
Timeslot
A timeslot is a unit composed of a bit domain, corresponding
to 2560 chips. The bit number and structure of a timeslot
depends on the specific type of the physical channel.

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WCDMA

Physical Channels(2)
The frame structure of the physical channels is shown:

Tslot= 2560 chip

Tslot #1 Tslot #2

Tslot #I

Tslot #15

Tf=10 ms

Frame #0 Frame #1

Frame #I

Frame #71

Tsuper=720 ms

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WCDMA

Key Technologies of WCDMA

Power Control
Handover Control
Rake receiving

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WCDMA

Why Power Control?

All WCDMA users occupy the same
frequency at the same time! Frequency
and time are not used as discriminators.
WCDMA operates by using CODES to
discriminate between users.
WCDMA interference comes mainly from
nearby users
Each user is a small voice in a roaring
crowd -- but with a uniquely recoverable
code.

Transmit power on all users must be tightly controlled

so their signals reach the base station at the same signal level
and at the absolute minimum power level necessary to ensure
acceptable service quality.
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WCDMA

Power Control
DL power control

UL power control

Cell transmitting
power

UE signal

Transmitting power control bit

Power control
order

Overcome Near-Far effect and fading compensation

ensuing network capacity

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WCDMA

Near-Far Effect

Power

Power
f

Nearby terminals have higher

probability of success

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Power control reduce the

interference among each UEs
and increase system capacity
WCDMA

3 methods of power control

Open loop: measure received signal level and
adjust transmitting power
Inner-loop: frequency 1500HZ
Measured SIR> Target SIR, lower
transmitting power
Measured SIR< Target SIR, increase
transmitting power

Outer-loop: measure FER, adjust target SIR

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WCDMA

Power control
Open loop power controlno feedback
RNC

UE

Node B
Closed loop power controlfeedback

RNC

Inner-loop
UE

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Outer-loop
Node B

WCDMA

Power control

Open loop
1
Node
B

1
Node
B

If received signal is stronger,then

UE can transmit lower

If received signal is weaker,then UE

can transmit stronger

PROBLEM
Assumes same exact path loss in both directions; therefore, cannot
account for asymmetrical path loss
Estimates are based on total power received

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WCDMA

Power control
Power down
SIR estimation

RNC

SIR
target

Node
B

SIR
Power down
estimation

Power up
SIR
estimation

SIR estimation

Power ...
...

Inner-loop power control is fast

Inner-loop according to SIR estimation,Node-B control UE transmission
power.conducted every 0.66ms (1500Hz )
Outer-loop according to FER measurement estimation RNC control and
adjust SIR target

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WCDMA

The Effect of Power Control

The purpose of DL power control:
Saving power resource of base station, reducing
interference to other station.

The purpose of UL power control:

Overcoming Near-Far effect, received signal level
from all UEs is the same.

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WCDMA

WCDMA Handoffs

While in the
Idle State

Idle Handoff

Soft Handoff

Softer Handoff
During
a Call
Hard Handoff

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WCDMA

Soft/Softer Hand-off
C
A

C
A

B
C

C
A

C
A

A
B

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WCDMA

Soft/Softer Hand-off
The soft/softer handover allows to swap from one cell to another
without call interruption or without deleting all old radio links (by
opposition to hard HO).
It also allows the UE to be connected to more than one cell
simultaneously.
Soft
SoftHandover
Handover

The
Thetwo
twoNode
Node Bs
Bs
may
belong
may belong totothe
the
same
same RNC
RNC

CN
CN

SRNC
Iur
Node B

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Softer
Handover
Softer
Handover

CN
CN

DRNC

SRNC

Node B

WCDMA

Hard Hand-off

The hard handover procedure is used in case of

service quality degradation or for traffic distribution
management.

Hard Handover

CN

During the hard handover procedure, all the old

radio links with the UE are abandoned before new
ones are established.
Hard handover may occur in the following
main cases :

SRNC

Node B

RNC or
BSC

Node B
or BTS

When the UE is handed over another UTRAN

carrier, or technology or mode.
When soft handover is not permitted (if O&M
constraint)

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WCDMA

Traffic control

When traffic surpass system

threshold, traffic control
begin
To accept as many services as
possible while keeping the
stability of the system.

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WCDMA

Example for load control

Breath effect of cell
With the increase of activated
terminals, interference increase
the increase of high speed service,
the increase of interference
The shrink of cell coverage area
Coverage blind spot occurs
Drop of call will happen at the edge of cell

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Coverage and
capacity are
relative

WCDMA

Multipath Propagation
Transmit

Strength

Received Signal
0

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Time

WCDMA

RAKE Receiving

d1

d2

d3

transmitting

Receiving

Rake
combination
noise

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WCDMA

RAKE Receiving
Single
receiving
Single
receiving

receiver

combining

signal

Single
receiving

searcher
s(t)

calculate

s(t)

RAKE overcome multi-finger interferenceimprove receive capability

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WCDMA

Coverage/capacity vs Data Rate

Higher rate needs higher power
High data rate transmission is only available nearby the station
Coverage decrease

>384 kbps

>144 kbps
>64 kbps
Subscriber
num
increase

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>12.2 kbps

WCDMA

Characteristic of WCDMA system capacity

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WCDMA

Coverage and Capacity

WCDMA performance is determined by such factors as

Number of users
Transmission rate
Mobile rate
Wireless enviroment
indoors
outdoors

The sizes of cell depend on such factors as:

Local radio conditions (local interference)
Traffic in neighbouring cells (distanced interference)

Cell Radius decrease according to the increase number

of users
WNMP

WCDMA

Content

WCDMA Overview
WCDMA Basic Principle
Advantages of WCDMA

WCDMA Architecture

Training GLOBE TELECOM

WNMP

WCDMA

WCDMA Architecture
RNS: Radio Network Subsystem
ME

IuCS

USIM

Node B

cell cell cell

UE: User
Equipment

CN: Core Network

PSTN

USIM

Node B

cell cell cell

Iur

EIR

FDD mode
only

Gs

HLR

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Node B

cell cell cell

USIM

Uu

GGSN
Gi

RNC: Radio
Network
Controller

Iub

AuC

G
c

Gf

Gr

ME

G-MSC

VLR
ME

MSC

RNC

SGSN

RNS

IuPS

Gn
Gp

Iu

WCDMA

UTRAN Structure
Iu

Uu
Node B
RNC

U
E
Node B

MSC/
VLR

RNS
Iub

Iur

Node B
U
E

RNC
Node B

RNS
UTRAN

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SGSN

CN

WCDMA

WCDMA Architecture
The system consists of:
UTRAN
UTRAN performs all the functions related to wireless
communication;
CN (Core Network)
CN switches and routes voice and data services to
connect them to the external network.
The UE (User Equipment) is connected to the
UTRAN through the air interface standard.
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WCDMA

Functional Units
UE (User Equipment):
As the wireless terminal that performs wireless
communication via the Uu interface, it contains an intelligent
card, which records the user ID, performs the authentication
algorithm, and stores information such as authentication
information and keys.

Node B:
Transmits data streams between the Iub and the Uu
interfaces, participating in radio resource management.

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WCDMA

Functional Units
RNC (Radio Network Controller):
Owns and controls the radio resources under its
administration. The RNC is the service access point
provided by the UTRAN for the CN.

HLR (Home Location Register):

It is a database located at the local system of the user,
used to store the subscriber service features. Such features
include information of the services allowed, roaming
areas and information of value-added services.

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WCDMA

Functional Units
MSC (Mobile Switching Center) /VLR (Visit
Location Register):
The MSC processes circuit switched services, while the
VLR stores a copy of the service feature description of the
roaming subscribers, and more accurate information of the
location of the UE in the service system.
The network part connected through the MSC/VLR is
usually referred to as the CS domain.

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WCDMA

Functional Units
GMSC (Gateway Mobile-services Switching Center):
It is the switching equipment at the connection between the
UMTS network and the external circuit domain network. All
incoming/outgoing CS connections go through the GMSC.

SGSN (Serving GPRS Support Node):

Its function is similar to that of the MSC/VLR, except that
it is used for Packet Switched (PS) services. The network part
connected through the SGSN is referred to as the PS domain.

GGSN (Gateway GPRS Support Node):

Its function is similar to GMSC, but it is related to PS
services.
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WCDMA

Functional Units
External networks fall into two groups:
1. CS network:
It provides circuit switched connections, such as
the existing telephone services. Both ISDN and PSTN
are CS networks.
2. PS network:
It provides packet switched connections. The
Internet is an example of the PS network.

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WCDMA

NE Interfaces
Uu interface:
Serves as the air interface of the WCDMA system to
connect a UE to a Node B.

Iu interface:
Connects the UTRAN and the CN. It is similar to the A
interface (circuit switching) and the Gb interface (packet
switching) in GSM.

Iur interface:
Allows soft handover between the RNC equipment of
different manufacturers as an open interface.

Iub interface:
Connects the Node B and the RNC.
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WCDMA

Brief Introduction to Node B

CN

Iu

Iu

RNS

RNS
Iur

RNC

RNC

Iub

Iub

NodeB

NodeB

Iub
NodeB

Iub
NodeB

Uu
UE

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WCDMA

Brief Introduction to RNC

CN
Iu

Iu

SRNS

DRNS
Iur

RNC
Iub

Iub

NodeB

NodeB

RNC
Iub
NodeB

Iub
NodeB

Uu
UE

S-RNC: Serving Radio Network Controller

D-RNC: Drifting RNC
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WCDMA

Thank You

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WCDMA

Support Slide for Handoff

Handoff Description

MSC

RNC

NODE B

SECTOR

VOCODER

Softer

Hard

Soft

Hard

Soft

Hard

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CARRIER TYPE of Handoff

WCDMA