CELLULAR NETWORKS

By:
RAHUL JAIN(2012UCP1189)
SAURAV TIBREWAL(2012UCP1212)

Evolution:
1G: First generation wireless cellular: Early 1980s
Analog transmission, primarily speech: AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone

Systems) and others

2G: Second generation wireless cellular: Late 1980s
Digital transmission
E.g.: GSM, CDMA etc.
2.5G: 2G evolved to medium rate (< 100kbps) data
3G: Broadband multimedia
144 kbps - 384 kbps for high-mobility, high coverage
2 Mbps for low-mobility and low coverage

Multiple Access Techniques

Session1
Time

Frequency

Frequency Division
Multiple Access (FDMA)
1G Cellular

All sessions
based on a
code

Time
Time Division
Multiple Access (TDMA)
2G TDMA
3G TDMA

Time
2G CDMA
3G CDMA

Session4
Session3

Session2

Session2

Frequency

Frequency

Session3

Session1

Session4

Code Division
Multiple Access (CDMA)

Cell 1
A Cellular
Network

Cell 2

Public
Switched
Telephone
Network
(PSTN)

Mobile
Telephone
Switching
Center
(MTSC)
HLR

VLR

Mobile User

Base Transceiver Station (BTS)

Cordless connection

HLR = Home Location Register

Wired connection

VLR = Visitor Location Register

Overview of Location Services

Cell-id based location(CLR,HLR):
Here an id is assigned to the user pertaining to a cell
he is in which is stored in a database.
As he moves from one cell to another, the id is
continuously updated.
The time taken between the device and the antenna
of the device is used to find the location of the
device.

FREQUENCY REUSE:
The concept of frequency reuse is based on assigning to each cell a group of radio
channels used within a small geographic area .
Cells are assigned a group of channels that is completely different from neighbouring
cells.
The coverage area of cells is called the footprint and is limited by a boundary so that
the same group of channels can be used in cells that are far enough apart.
Problem:
Interfering cells are closer by when clustersize is smaller.

f2
f7
f3
f2
f1
f7
f3
f6
f4
f1
f5
f6
f4
f5

1G Cellular Network
Exclusively analog
Geographical area divided into cells

(typically 10-25km)
Cells are small and so frequency reuse
was used.
Smaller cells also required less powerful
cheaper,smaller devices

Approaches to Increase Capacity

Adding/reassigning channels - some channels are

not used
Frequency borrowing frequencies are taken from
adjacent cells by congested cells
Cell splitting cells in areas of high usage can be
split into smaller cells

Security Issues with 1G

Analog cellular phones are insecure
Anyone with an all band radio receiver

can listen in all the

signals(eavesdropping)

2G Network

2G Architecture
BSC is responsible for managing every BTS(one BTS per cell)
BSC allocates radio frequencies to the BTS
MSC acts as a link between PSTN and BSCs.
MSC provides mobile registration , location , equipments identity

register etc
HLR and VLR provide call routing and roaming
HLR database stores information about each subscriber that
belongs to it
VLR database maintains information about subscribers currently
physically in the region
Authentication center database used for authentication
activities, holds encryption keys
Equipment identity register database (EIR) keeps track of the
type of equipment that exists at the mobile station
Each handset is identified by INTERNATIONAL MOBILE EQUIPMENT
IDENTITY Number(IMEI)

Advantages of Digital Communications for

Wireless
Voice, data and fax can be integrated into a single

system
Better compression can lead to better channel
utilization
Error correction codes can be used for better quality
Sophisticated encryption can be used

Differences Between 1G and 2G

Digital traffic channels first-generation systems

are almost purely analog; second-generation

systems are digital
Encryption all second generation systems
provide encryption to prevent eavesdropping
Error detection and correction secondgeneration digital traffic allows for detection and
correction, giving clear voice reception

GSM(Global System for Mobile

Communications)
Uses 124 channels per cell, each channel can support 8 users through

TDM
Types based on frequency used:
GSM (900 MHz)
GSM 1800 (called DCS 1800)
GSM 1900 (called DCS 1900)

Specifications:
Subscriber Identity Module(SIM) contains

authentication, encryption information

These cards are micro-controller with a small
memory which is used for tracking the phone as
well as keeping information like phone numbers
etc.
GSM also introduced SMS service(which can be
either unicast or broadcast)

GSM Location Services

6

9
BTS
9

Terminating
MSC

10
10

10

4
VLR

Gateway
MSC
5
HLR

10
3

Public
Switched
Telephone
Network
(PSTN)

10

5
1. Call made to mobile unit (cellular phone)
2. Telephone network recognizes number
and gives to gateway MSC
3. MSC cant route further, interrogates
users HLR
4. Interrogates VLR currently serving user
(roaming number request)
5. Routing number returned to HLR and
then to gateway MSC

6. Call routed to terminating MSC

7. MSC asks VLR to correlate call to
the subscriber
8. VLR complies
9. Mobile unit is paged
10. Mobile unit responds, MSCs convey
information back to telephone

Problems with 2G
The 2G technology was not robust or fast enough to deal

with large no of mobile phones,

the signal could not carry enough data simultaneously,
and there were many areas the signal did not cover.
There was also a rapidly growing demand for using email
and accessing the internet across mobiles, which 2G was
just not fast or reliable enough to manage.

3G
The 3G services work using a cellular based technology;
the signals are passed from phone tower to phone tower, and then the tower

nearest the phone passes the signal to it.

These towers ensure that a widespread strong and reliable signal is
available.
It also means there can be dips in service as the signal switches from tower
to tower and as you move too far from a tower.
3G offers more bandwidth as compared to 2G and is primarily used for
multimedia communications.
Provides Internet access via the same radio towers that
provide voice service to the mobile handset.

4G
4G is an IP-based and packet-switched evolution of 3G technologies(such

as HSPDA,CDMA etc) that uses voice communications.

A number of technologies considered to be 4G standards include Long
Term Evolution (LTE), and the IEEE 802.16 (Wimax) standard.
4G technologies would enable IP-based voice, data and streaming
multimedia at higher speeds and offer at least 100 Mbit/s with high mobility
and up to 1GBit/s with low mobility (nomadic).
4G uses OFDM modulation in which a signal is split into several
narrowband channels at different frequencies. This is more efficient than
TDMA, which divides channels into time slots and has multiple users take
turns transmitting bursts or CDMA, which simultaneously transmits
multiple signals on the same channel.

Wimax(Worldwide Interoperability for

Microwave Access)
Loosely, WiMax is a standardized wireless version of

Ethernet intended primarily as an alternative to wire

technologies (such as Cable Modems, DSL).
WiMAX would operate similar to WiFi, but at higher
speeds over greater distances and for a greater
number of users.
Based on Wireless MAN technology.
A wireless technology optimized for the delivery of IP
centric services over a wide area.
A scalable wireless platform for constructing
alternative and complementary broadband networks.

Wifi
Wi-Fi is the name of a popular wireless networking technology that

uses radio waves to provide wireless high-speed Internet and

network connections.
Wi-Fi works with no physical wired connection between sender and
receiver by using radio frequency (RF) technology -- a frequency
within the electromagnetic spectrum associated with radio wave
propagation.
The primary job of an access point is to broadcast a wireless signal
that computers can detect and "tune" into.
In order to connect to an access point and join a wireless network,
computers and devices must be equipped with wireless network
adapters

WiFi limitations
Susceptible to interference
802.11 targets short-range indoor

operation (mostly)
Security is a concern
Limited level of mobility

Wifi and Wimax comparison

Wi-Fi is based on IEEE 802.11 standard.
Wi-Fi typically provides local network access

for a few hundred feet with the speed of up to

54 Mbps, a single WiMAX antenna is expected
to have a range of up to 40 miles with the
speed of 70 Mbps or more.
Wi-Fi works at 2.7 bps/Hz and can peak up to
54 Mbps in 20 MHz channel.
WiMAX works at 5 bps/Hz and can peak up to
100 Mbps in a 20 MHz channel.