Radio Network Controller From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Radio Network Controller (or RNC) is a governing

element in the UMTS radio access network (UTRAN) and is responsible for controlling the Node Bs that are connected to it. The RNC carries out radio resource management, some of the mobility management functions and is the point where encryption is done before user data is sent to and from the mobile. The RNC connects to the Circuit Switched Core Network through Media Gateway (MGW) and to the SGSN (Serving GPRS Support Node) in the Packet Switched Core Network. Contents

1 Interfaces 2 Protocols 3 RNC Roles 4 See also 5 External links

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5.1 Specifications

Interfaces

RNC Interfaces

The logical connections between the network elements are known as interfaces. The interface between the RNC and the Circuit Switched Core Network (CS-CN) is called Iu-CS and between the RNC and the Packet Switched Core Network is called Iu-PS. Other interfaces include Iub (between the RNC and the Node B) and Iur (between RNCs in the same network). Iu interfaces carry user traffic (such as voice or data) as well as control information (see Protocols), and Iur interface is mainly needed for soft handovers involving 2 RNCs though not required as the absence of Iur will cause these handovers to become hard handovers. Until 3gpp R4, all the interfaces in the UTRAN are implemented using ATM only, except the Uu interface which uses WCDMA technology. Starting R5, IP bearers can be used over Ethernet instead. Physically, these interfaces can be carried over SDH over optical fiber, E1 (sometimes referred to as PDH) - over a copper wire or microwave radio. Several E1s can be bundled to form an IMA Group. Since the interfaces are logical, many interfaces can be multiplexed onto the same transmission line. The actual implementation depends on the network topology; examples are chain, distant star,mesh and loop configurations. Protocols Iub, Iu and Iur protocols all carry both user data and signalling (that is, control plane).

Signalling protocol responsible for the control of the Node B by the RNC is called NBAP (Node-B Application Part). NBAP is subdivided into Common and Dedicated NBAP (C-NBAP and D-NBAP), where Common NBAP controls overall Node B functionality and Dedicated NBAP controls separate cells or sectors of the Node B. NBAP is carried over Iub. In order for NBAP to handle common and dedicated procedures, it is divided into: NodeB Control Port (NCP) which handles common NBAP procedures and Communication Control Port (CCP) which handles dedicated NBAP procedures. Control plane protocol for the transport layer is called ALCAP (Access Link Control Application Protocol). Basic functionality of ALCAP is multiplexing of different users onto one AAL2 transmission path using channel IDs (CIDs). ALCAP is carried over Iub and Iu-CS interfaces. Signalling protocol responsible for communication between RNC and the core network is called RANAP (Radio Access Network Application Part), and is carried over Iu interface. Signalling protocol responsible for communications between RNCs is called RNSAP (Radio Network Subsystem Application Part) and is carried on the Iur interface.

RNC Roles

In a relationship to a UE (in a soft handover situation) an RNC can play two different roles. These are:

D-RNC: Drift RNC S-RNC: Serving RNC

However, as far as the NodeB is concerned, the RNC may play a third role:

C-RNC: Controlling RNC

It is important to know that one RNC can assume more than one role at any time. A RNC also control the power of a NODE B. See also

Universal Mobile Telecommunications System Operations and Maintenance Centre

External links Specifications

NBAP Specifications RANAP Specifications RNSAP Specifications RRC Specifications

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Cellular network standards

0G (radio telephones)

MTS MTA * MTB * MTC IMTS

MTD AMTS OLT Autoradiopuhelin

AMPS (TIA/EIA/IS-3, ANSI/TIA/EIA553) N-AMPS (TIA/EIA/IS-91) TACS ETACS

AMPS family

1G

NMT C-450 Hicap Mobitex DataTAC

Other

2G

GSM/3GPP family

GSM CSD

3GPP2 family

cdmaOne (TIA/EIA/IS-95 and ANSI-J-STD 008)

AMPS family

D-AMPS (IS-54 and IS-136)

Other

CDPD

iDEN PDC PHS

HSCSD GPRS EDGE/EGPRS (UWC-136)

GSM/3GPP family

2G transitional (2.5G, 2.75G)

3GPP2 family

CDMA2000 1X (TIA/EIA/IS2000) 1X Advanced

Other

WiDEN

UMTS (UTRAN) WCDMA-FDD WCDMA-TDD UTRA-TDD LCR (TD-SCDMA)

3GPP family 3G (IMT-2000)

3GPP2 family

CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Release 0 (TIA/IS-856)

3G transitional (3.5G, 3.75G, 3GPP 3.9G) family

HSPA HSPA+ LTE (E-UTRA)

3GPP2

CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Revision A

(TIA/EIA/IS-856-A) family

EV-DO Revision B (TIA/EIA/IS-856B) DO Advanced

Mobile WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e) Flash-OFDM IEEE 802.20

IEEE family

4G (IMT Advanced)

3GPP family

LTE Advanced (E-UTRA)

IEEE family

WiMAX-Advanced (IEEE 802.16m)

5G

Research concept, not under formal development

Links

Related articles

Cellular networks Mobile telephony History List of standards Comparison of standards Channel access methods Spectral efficiency comparison table Cellular frequencies GSM frequency bands

UMTS frequency bands Mobile broadband NGMN Alliance MIMO

3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Third Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2) IMT-2000/IMT-Advanced Portal Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. (IEEE) International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA)

External links