3G and UMTS Frequently Asked Questions Is something missing? email: info@umtsworld.

com your questions and we will add them here. General: What does the acronym UMTS stand for? What is UMTS? What are the different types of 3G networks? What are the different types of 3G core networks? What is the difference between cdma2000 and UMTS? What are 1G, 2G, 2.5G, 3G and 4G? What have been the major milestones in UMTS development and specification? What are all the different international organisations doing? How is UMTS different from current second generation networks? Why is WCDMA called "Wideband"? Are GSM/GPRS networks compatible with UMTS networks? Is there a transition period between UMTS and the present system? My GSM operator did not get a 3G license. What is going on? What is the 3G status in the USA? What is the 3G status in the China? What is the "Beauty Contest" when 3G licenses are issued? ... and Why? Which network vendors can build a turn-key 3G network? Who much does 3G network cost to build? I am doing a 3G report about XXX, where can I get even more info? Tell me about UMTS / 3G electromagnetic radiation safety. I want to buy a 3G / UMTS book. Which one should I buy? Technical: Where can I find additional reliable 3G information about ... ? Where can I find details of UMTS call set up procedure? Tell me about and 3G interoperability. Will the future 3G handsets be compatible with 2G systems and PCs? How many Base Stations are needed for an UMTS network? How to calculate a WCDMA link budget? What are the UMTS frequencies and channel spacing? What are the UMTS air interface logical channels? What are the UMTS data rates of the services? How does UMTS paging work? Which modulation scheme is being used in UMTS? Where can I find information about MAC and RLC protocols? How is data compression done in UMTS? Is there any interface from UMTS core network to other mobile networks? Services:

What will be a 3G Killer Application? What are the UMTS Mobile Multimedia services? Can UMTS mobile location be tracked? When are the UMTS networks in service? Will 2G / 2.5G phones be able to use all UMTS' applications? Which level of UMTS standard will the network be launched in 2002?

What does the acronym UMTS stand for? Universal Mobile Telephone System.

What is UMTS? UMTS is one of the Third Generation (3G) mobile systems being developed within the ITU's IMT-2000 framework. It is a realisation of a new generation of broadband multi-media mobile telecommunications technology. The coverage area of service provision is to be world wide in the form of FLMTS (Future Land Mobile Telecommunications Services and now called IMT2000). The coverage will be provided by a combination of cell sizes ranging from 'in building' Pico Cells to Global Cells provided by satellite, giving service to the remote regions of the world. The UMTS is not a replacement of 2nd generation technologies (e.g. GSM, DCS1800, CDMA, DECT etc.), which will continue to evolve to their full potential.

What are the different types of 3G networks? ITU Recommendation ITU-R M.1457 specifies five types of 3G radio interfaces:
IMT-2000 CDMA Direct Spread, also known as UTRA FDD including WCDMA in Japan, ARIB/ DoCoMo recommendation. UMTS is developed by 3GPP. IMT-2000 CDMA Multi-carrier, also known as Cdma2000 (3X) developed by 3GPP2. IMT2000 CDMA2000 includes 1X components, like cdma2000 1X EV-DO. IMT-2000 CDMA TDD, also known as UTRA TDD and TD-SCDMA. TD-SCDMA is developed in China and supported by TD-SCDMA Forum IMT-2000 TDMA Single Carrier, also known as UWC-136 (Edge) supported by UWCC IMT-2000 DECT supported by DECT Forum. For more information about 3G air interfaces, download ITU "What is IMT-2000" presentation(2.5Mb!). Note that page 3 does not classify CDMA2000 1X as 3G, but page 6 does.

Some 2.5G systems (GSM GPRS, IS- 95B and CDMA2000 1X (?)) will be able to deliver 3G services, so it will be difficult for users to see the difference.

What are the different types of 3G core networks? The IMT-2000 family of 3G systems includes three types of Core Network technology: GSM based (using Mobile Application Part (MAP) protocols on top of SS7 protocols for signalling) ANSI-41 based (IS-634 protocols for signalling) Internet Protocol based (in future, to be specified)

What is the difference between cdma2000 and UMTS? Cdma2000 and UMTS were developed separately and are 2 separate ITU approved 3G standards. Cdma2000 1xRTT, cdma2000 1xEV-DO (EVolution, Data Only) and future cdma2000 3x were developed to be backward compatible with cdmaOne. Both 1x types have the same bandwidth, chip rate and it can be used in any existing cdmaOne frequency band and network. Backward compatibility was a requirement for successful deployment for USA market. It is easy to implement because operators do not need new frequencies. [more about cdma2000] UMTS was developed mainly for countries with GSM networks, because these countries have agreed to free new frequency ranges for UMTS networks. Because it is a new technology and in a new frequency band, whole new radio access network has to be build. The advantage is that new frequency range gives plenty of new capacity for operators. 3GPP is overseeing the standard development and has wisely kept the core network as close to GSM core network as possible. UMTS phones are not meant to be backward compatible with GSM systems. (but subscriptions (=SIM card) can be, and dual mode phone will solve the compatibility problems, hopefully). UMTS also has 2 flavors FDD (will be implemented first) and TDD. Some harmonisation has been done between systems (like chip rate and pilot issues)

What are 1G, 2G, 2.5G, 3G and 4G? Technically generations are defined: 1G networks (NMT, C-Nets, AMPS, TACS) are considered to be the first analog cellular systems, which started early 1980s. There were radio telephone systems even before that. 2G networks (GSM, cdmaOne, DAMPS) are the first digital cellular systems launched early 1990s. 2.5G networks (GPRS, cdma2000 1x) are the enhanced versions of 2G networks with data rates up to about 144kbit/s.

 3G networks (UMTS FDD and TDD, cdma2000 1x EVDO, cdma2000 3x, TD-SCDMA, Arib WCDMA, EDGE, IMT-2000 DECT) are the latest cellular networks that have data rates 384kbit/s and more. 4G is mainly a marketing buzzword at the moment. Some basic 4G research is being done, but no frequencies have been allocated. The Forth Generation could be ready for implementation around 2012.

What have been the major milestones in 3G development and specification? Here is a list of major 3G development milestones.

What are all the different international organisations doing? European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) is working in Europe to develop technical standards for UMTS. 3rd-Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is a co-operation between international standards bodies will make UMTS and third generation mobile telephony technical specifications. The founding members are: ARIB and TTC of Japan, ETSI of Europe, T1 (ANSI) of the U.S. and TTA of Korea. The work of these organisations will be announced globally by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). ITU coordinate world-wide spectrum and IMT2000 standardisation, harmonises regional regulatory policies and is a foundation and framework for 3G convergence across regions and technologies. UMTS Forum represents the opinions and views of the telecommunication industry and operators and GSM Associates is a mobile operator organisation. European Radiocommunications Committee (ECR) in European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administration (CEPT) handles European radio frequency related issues. European Union (EU) harmonises its 15 members UMTS implementation.

How is UMTS different from current second generation networks? - Higher speech quality that current networks - Addition to speech traffic UMTS, together with advanced data and information services, will be a multimedia network. - UMTS is above 2G mobile systems for its potential to support 2Mbit/s data rates. - UMTS is a real global system, comprising both terrestrial and satellite components. - Consistent service environment even when roaming via "Virtual Home Environment" (VHE). A person roaming from his network to other UMTS operators, user will experience a consistent set of services thus "feeling" on his home network, independent of the location or access mode (satellite or terrestrial)

Why is WCDMA called "Wideband"? 3G WCDMA systems have 5MHz bandwidth (one direction). 5MHz is neither wide nor narrow; it is just the bandwidth. New 3G WCDMA systems have wider bandwidth than existing 2G cdma systems (cdmaOne 1.25MHz), that's why the "Wide". There are commercial cdma systems with 20MHz bandwidth.

Are GSM/GPRS networks compatible with UMTS networks? UMTS networks can be operated with GSM/GPRS networks. Systems use different frequency bands, so BTSs and mobiles will (should) not interfere with each other. Some vendors claim their core network (MSC/HLR/SGSN ect) and BSC/RNC are UMTS compatible, but most operators will prefer to build a totally separate/independent UMTS network. Some of the latest GSM BTSs can also have UMTS radio parts and share the same rack. UMTS specification is design so that there is maximum compatibility between GSM and UMTS systems. Late 2002 there will also be dual/multi band phones that can be used in GSM and UMTS networks. Eventually phones will be able to do handovers between networks.

Is there a transition period between UMTS and the present system? There will probably not be a "transition" period in that sense, because GSM systems will keep on operating at least next ten years. (some old 1G networks are still running round the world). Only limitations for operators are the GSM license terms and customer preferences. UMTS networks will just be added to mobile landscape.

My GSM operator did not get a 3G license. What is going on? Several GSM operators (like in UK, Sweden, Denmark and France) failed / did not want / missed initially to get an UMTS license, but do not count them out yet. Existing operators have great assets like customer base, image, retail network, BTS site locations, transmission system etc., which help them to make deals with 3G license holders. Hutchison 3G in UK and Telia with Tele 2 in Sweden are good examples.

What is the 3G status in the USA? Some operators have taken the path cdmaOne - cdma2000 1x - cdma2000 1x EV-DO cdma2000 3x some D-AMPD - EDGE and some have chosen a GSM1900 - EDGE ( - possible UMTS) route. New cellular frequencies allocations have been postponed, so operators will have to use their existing frequencies, which naturally limits the available capacity. Read more about the USA 3G situation.

What is the 3G status in the China? China has been testing the TD-SCDMA 3G system. License allocation and possible adaptation of other 3G technologies are still open. Read more about the China's 3G situation.

What is the "Beauty Contest" when 3G licenses are issued? ... and Why? Beauty Contest means that the government asks all applicants to provide a plan how to build a network and manage their future 3G business. A plan typically includes things like: How many new jobs are created, what kind of services will be available and when, how much domestic

products are used, how will less developed areas (rural areas) benefit from this, what kind of financial plan is in place to guarantee the success and avoid bankrupts etc. So government wants to decide what is best for the country, not who is willing to pay most. (In USA and Australia some highest bidding operators have gone bankrupt and government has to pay unemployment etc payments and it is also embarrassing for the government). By charging high license fee government imposes an indirect tax which mobile uses have to bear by paying more for making calls. By giving "free" licenses government can create a good environment for technology start up companies, because operator has more money to invest and less up-front fees.

Which network vendors can build a turn key 3G network? No network vendor can supply all equipment and components to the full a 3G network, but quite a few can be a main contractor to build a turn-key 3G network. Normally network vendors can bring in partners like service and applications providers, hand set manufactures, civil work and acquisition companies etc. Current short list of main vendors for turn-key UMTS networks: Alcatel Ericsson Lucent Motorola Nokia Nortel Siemens/NEC Current short list of main vendors for turn-key cdma2000 networks: Ericsson LG Electronics Lucent Motorola Nortel Samsung

Who much does 3G network cost to build? Good source of information is to contract announcements and annual reports. Those usually tell how much money an operator will spend on infrastructure. In every country each carrier has to spend around same amount of money to build a same size 3G network, so if you see one of the operator's spending figures, all other operators use similar sums of money per subscriber. Sometimes spending figures include services (planning, logistics, commissioning, integration, testing etc.), but almost never civil works on base station sites. Press reports claim that operators in Europe have spend around 650 euro per 3G subscriber for infrastructure + planning services + site civil works, this figure should drop to around 400 euros within couple of years. Infrastructure cost are only small part of total network related cost and operators also have license fees, financing fees, cost of running the organisation, sales and marketing costs etc. [More]

I am doing a 3G report about XXX, where can I get even more info? After you can have checked: UMTS World web site Where can I find additional reliable 3G information about ... ? answers 3GPP web site Search Engines You can try other information sources: 3G / GSM operators web sites, press releases, annual report (see how they spend their money), CEOs comments etc. National Office of Telecommunication (or other government organisation) information services (or web pages) Your company's offices round the world and especially competitive intelligent department Your university's library or their contacts or even local library Get books, seminar reports and visit other 3G related web sites IEEE has VTS, that might help you to find technical documents. Search UMTS Forum and ITU sites If you still did not find, email: info@umtsworld.com after reading the Contract us page. No guarantees, but we will try to help.

Tell me about UMTS / 3G electromagnetic radiation safety.

First thing is to get your hands on to the latest government EMR (electromagnetic radiation) standard. Check you government web site. [Links] Your government pages should have more information and contact information where to order a booklet that gives guidelines at least of: What is the safety zone round the mobile and transmission antennas. How the combined radiation field values is calculated from different antennas on a same rooftop. Local guidelines how antenna should be placed. Power levels of indoor antennas. How all EMR calculations are done. Local city councils might also have their own additional guidelines, check those. Governments usually do not state exact values what is safe and what is not safe, for legal reasons. EU countries normally issue "guidelines" that are bit tougher than EU standards. In USA FDA has a clear statement: "Thus, the available science does not allow us to conclude that mobile phones are absolutely safe, or that they are unsafe. However, the available scientific evidence does not [emphasis FDA's] demonstrate any adverse health effects associated with the use of mobile phones." See: FDA Mobile Phones page In most countries operators are required by law to calculate these safety zones. Ask your mobile operator if they can provide safety calculations. According to recent news articles there have been over 700 studies related to EMR without a final conclusion, so don't hold your breath to get a final answer in a near future. People always forget that mobile antennas radiate about 40W power, but TV and radio towers use kilowatts of power and even a hair drier generates a nice EMR field from 1000W like a kitchen microwave oven. WCDMA transmitter spread the 20-40W power over 5MHz, while GSM 40W transmitter uses 200kHz band, but GSM BTS need more radios to serve an area. Both systems use similar types of antennas, so EMR levels are similar. Both BTSs normally use power control to minimize the used power. EMR Resources: WHO WHO fact sheet EMR Network

 Report FDA Mobile Phones page FAQ Another FAQ FCC Guidelines ARRL resources CWTI resources Example download site from Australia Google Search

I want to buy a 3G / UMTS book. Which one should I buy? See our book selection page. But before you buy, you should study a bit 3G / UMTS. Read our technology section. Then download 3GPP specifications content page and select the first specifications of each series like XX.001, XX.002 or XX.Y01, for example: 23.002 Network Architecture 25.401 UTRAN Overall Description 45.001 Physical Layer on the Radio Path (General Description) Once you know the basics well enough, you can buy the book that has the right technical level for you. You will also notice how some of the books have copied most of the content from the 3GPP specks. If you read a book from our list, please send us a 20-50 word opinion/description of it, and will add that to the books page. If you find a 3G related book that is not on the list, email: info@umtsworld.com.

Where can I find additional reliable 3G information about ... ? Best thing is to read the 3G specifications. It is actually easier to read than you might think. From 3GPP page http://www.3gpp.org/specs/titles-numbers.htm you can see specifications titles and versions. For example if you want to know about USIM, following titles can be seen: 21.111 USIM and IC card requirements 22.038 USIM/SIM Application Toolkit (USAT/SAT); Service description; Stage 1

 22.112 USIM toolkit interpreter; Stage 1 31.102 Characteristics of the USIM Application 31.111 USIM Application Toolkit (USAT) 31.121 UICC-terminal interface; USIM application test specification 31.122 USIM conformance test specification 31.900 SIM/USIM internal and external interworking aspects You need to FTP them for example from ftp://ftp.3gpp.org/specs/latest/ . You can also type that to IE5.0 or later or use FTP program. If you use IE5.0 select File - Copy to Folder from the top menu to copy file so your computer. Follow the folders and then for example: ftp://ftp.3gpp.org/specs/latest/Rel-5/21_series/ has the latest 21.111 specifications. (Jun 2002) The Second best thing is to search Google, but then again the Internet is full of misinformation.
Google Search

Search WWW

Search UMTS World

Where can I find details of UMTS call set up procedure? Download 3GPP specification: TS 25.331 Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol specification TS 25.304 UE Procedures in Idle Mode and Procedures for Cell Reselection in Connected Mode Those documents have all the details. Click the thumbnail on the right for more detail

Tell me about WLAN and 3G interoperability. Vendor as busy showing their WLAN-3G capabilities, roaming and network handovers are the hot topics. Lucent Technologies announced demonstration of 3G high-speed mobile data and voice capabilities, Nokia shows the WLAN implementation and British Telecom has announced the WLAN hot spot implementation. 3GPP specs show two related docs: 22.234 (reserved for future WLAN I/w stage 1), not available yet and 22.934 Feasibility study on 3GPP system to Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) interworking You can download 22.934 from: ftp://ftp.3gpp.org/specs/Latest-drafts/ Earlier FAQ Answer gives you some help how to download those

Other place to look technical data is IEEE 802.11 Group and search for "3G" etc. You can find documents like: http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/802/11/Minutes/Cons_Minutes_Mar-2002.pdf and search for 3G in that document and you see the current status. WLAN Resources: 80211 Planet

Will the future 3G handsets be compatible with 2G systems and PCs? Some of the 3G mobiles will be dualband UMTS/GSM handsets (available late 2002?) and will be able to perform UMTS-GSM handovers. Current GSM phones will not work in 3G networks. Several SIM card manufacturers now offer cards compatible with 2G and 3G systems. Cellular3G, for example, will offer PCMCIA W-CDMA 3G-modem cards for PCs. 3G cdma2000 phones will be backward compatible and will work in cdmaOne networks. Airprime, for example, offers CDMA2000 1xEV-DO PC cards for 3G networks.

How many Base Stations are needed for an UMTS network? There are several factors: - Required coverage areas according to a license agreement (link budget will determine the cell spacing) - Required capacity according to license agreement and initial customer and operator demands. - Amount of frequencies carries have. (More frequencies, less interference, longer cell spacing) - Ability to get BTS site locations. (Normally co-location requirements with used 2G sites) - Financing available for network build. - Economical factor to build sites. - Design opinions and experience of companies and people bidding for the design job and eventually implementing the plan. - And probably in a long run the capacity, service, and coverage requirement from customers. Rollout will be very similar to 2G network rollouts. First phase of rollouts in UK size market will probably be 1000 base station in urban areas. Within 5 year about site count will increase to 5000 sites and eventually up to 10000 sites depending how successful the business is.

How to calculate a WCDMA link budget? To calculate it you need to know: - Type of service (data type and speed) - Type of environment (terrain, building penetration) - Behaviour and type of mobiles (speed, max power level) - System configuration (BTS antennas, BTS power, cable losses, handover gain) - Required coverage probability Please see an example on Link Budget page

. What are the UMTS frequencies and channel spacing? 1900-1920 and 2010-2025 MHz Time Division Duplex (TDD, TD/CDMA) Unpaired, channel spacing is 5 MHz and raster is 200 kHz. Tx and Rx are not separated in frequency 1920-1980 and 2110-2170 MHz Frequency Division Duplex (FDD, W-CDMA) Paired uplink and downlink, channel spacing is 5 MHz and raster is 200 kHz. An Operator needs 3 - 4 channels (2x15 or 2x20 MHz) to be able to build a high-speed, high-capacity network. 1980-2010 and 2170-2200 MHz Satellite uplink and downlink

What are the UMTS air interface logical channels? Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) Paging Control Channel (PCCH) Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) Common Control Channel (CCCH) Dedicated Traffic Channel (DTCH) Common Traffic Channel (CTCH) For complete listing of logical, transport and physical channels including directions and mapping seeUMTS Channels page

What are the UMTS data rates of the services? 2.048Mb/s for pico-cell (and micro-cell) applications. 384kb/s for medium size cells. (micro and small macro cells) 144kb/s and 64kb/s for large cell applications. (Large macro cells) 14.4kb/s for continuous low speed data applications in very large cells. 12.2kb/s for speech (4.75kb/s - 12.2kb/s) 9.6kb/s globally (satellite)

How does UMTS paging work? First, get the latest 3GPP specifications 25-211, 25-304 and 25-331 Note: PI = Paging Indicator (value calculated by higher layers) Pq = Paging Indicator (indicator set by physical layer) 25-304 Chapter 8 shows how Paging Occasion and PI is calculated: Paging Occasion = {(IMSI div K) mod (DRX cycle length div PBP)} * PBP + n * DRX cycle length + Frame Offset Where n = 0,1,2 as long as SFN is below its maximum value. PI = DRX Index mod Np
Where DRX Index = IMSI div 8192

'In FDD mode, Np = (18,36,72,144) is the number of Page Indicators per frame, and is given in IE "Number of PI per frame", part of system information in FDD mode.'

25-211 (FDD) Chapter 5.3.3.10 shows how Pq is calculated for channel mapping, the structure of

paging indicator channel and the mapping of paging indicators Pq to PICH bits. 25-331 is also worth reading.

Which modulation scheme is being used in UMTS? UMTS WCDMA modulation is Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) with Root-raised cosine pulse shaping filters (roll off = 0.22) Read more about UMTS technical details from our UMTS WCDMA page

Where can I find information about MAC and RLC protocols? Download and read 3GPP documents about RLC/MAC, start with 25 series. Documents also show message mapping to channels: 25.321 Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol specification 25.322 Radio Link Control (RLC) protocol specification 44.060 General Packet Radio Service (GPRS); Mobile Station (MS) - Base Station System (BSS) interface; Radio Link Control/ Medium Access Control (RLC/MAC) protocol Earlier FAQ Answer gives you some help how to download those

How is data compression done in UMTS? Video and music compression will be done in application level. 3G phone (and network application servers) will have programs (or you will be downloading them) that records and displays video or music. Those programs have build-in data compression features. Good examples are MP3 and other music programs. MP3 codec includes data compression and most current music player understands it. For image and video there are several standards including JPEG, MPEG-4, H.263, Microsoft media player etc. available. From 3GPP 26.234 7.4 Video: ITU-T Recommendation H.263 [22] profile 0 level 10 shall be supported. This is the mandatory video decoder for the PSS. In addition, PSS should support: - H.263 [23] Profile 3 Level 10 decoder; - MPEG-4 Visual Simple Profile Level 0 decoder, [24] and [25]. These two video decoders are optional to implement. NOTE: ITU-T Recommendation H.263 [22] baseline has been mandated to ensure that videoenabled PSS support a minimum baseline video capability and interoperability can be guaranteed

(an H.263 [22] baseline bit stream can be decoded by both H.263 [22] and MPEG-4 decoders). It also provides a simple upgrade path for mandating more advanced decoders in the future (from both the ITU-T and ISO MPEG).

Read more about video coding: ftp://ftp.3gpp.org/specs/latest/Rel-4/26_series/26111-400.zip ftp://ftp.3gpp.org/specs/latest/Rel-4/26_series/26911-400.zip ftp://ftp.3gpp.org/specs/latest/Rel-4/26_series/26911-400.zip ftp://ftp.3gpp.org/specs/latest/Rel-4/26_series/26233-400.zip ftp://ftp.3gpp.org/specs/latest/Rel-4/26_series/26234-400.zip Consider downloading the latest releases 5 (March2002) or release 6 (not yet frozen) files.

Is there any interface from UMTS core network to other mobile networks? UMTS specifications do not have any special interface planned for other mobile networks, but all telephone networks can be connected to UMTS core network with standard S7 (or other) signalling system using E1s or T1s. Than enables voice calls to be made to all other telephone networks. If other networks support additional services like "call forwarding", "calling line identity", fax, slow-speed data ect, technically that is possible to implement this between networks. All telephone networks are designed to work with each other and UMTS networks will use standard interfaces towards all other networks. S7 and IP (internet protocol) will be the most commonly used interfaces standard, but all UMTS vendors can offer tens of different countryspecific interface protocols if required.

What will be a 3G Killer Application? Most people have their own view what the 3G Killer Application(s) will be. Some say that there will not be a single application, but a palette of services. Most likely there will not be only a single application that becomes very popular and at the same time makes a lot of money to the operator. Email, voice(!), messaging, music/video streaming are popular bets for money making applications. If you look any reports about 3G services, m-commerce and location based services are predicted to become very popular. Maybe the pricing will decide what will be a popular service. Old phrase is "The easiest way to predict the future is to invent it" will apply here. Operators and application providers have an opportunity to create their own killer applications.

What are the UMTS Mobile Multimedia services? UMTS Forum's Market Aspects Group has identified seven common lifestyle attributes for mobile multimedia applications. Here is a list of possible type of services that will be available in 3G networks: Fun: WWW, video, post card, snapshots, text, picture and multimedia messaging, datacast, personalisation applications (ring tone, screen saver, desk top), jukebox, virtual companion / pet ... Work: Rich call with image and data stream, IP telephony, B2B ordering and logistics, information exchange, personal information manager, dairy, scheduler, note pad, 2-way video conferencing, directory services, travel assistance, work group, telepresence, FTP, instant voicemail, colour fax ... Media: Push newspaper and magazines, advertising, classified ... Shopping: E-commerce, e-cash, e-wallet, credit card, telebanking, automatic transaction, auction, micro-billing shopping ... Entertainment: News, stock market, sports, games, lottery, gambling, music, video, concerts, adult content ... Education: Online libraries, search engines, remote attendance, field research ... Peace of Mind: Remote surveillance, location tracking, emergency use ... Health: Telemedicine, remote diagnose and heath monitoring ... Automation: Home automation, traffic telematics, machine-machine communication (telemetry) ... Travel: location sensitive information and guidance, e-tour, location awareness, time tables, eticketing ... Add-on: TV, radio, PC, access to remote computer, MP3 player, camera, video camera, watch, pager, GPS, remote control unit ... More about 3G applications

Can UMTS mobile location be tracked? The wideband nature of the UTRA/FDD facilitates the high resolution in position location. The duration of one chip (3.84Mcps) correspond to approximately 78 meters in propagation distance. If the delay estimation operates on the accuracy of samples/chip then the achievable maximum accuracy is approximately 20 meters. There are other inaccuracies that will cause degradation to the positioning but 20 meters can be considered as best possible positioning performance. UMTS specifies that it will provide location information for mobiles to an accuracy of 50m. With GPS assistance, maybe even 10 meter accuracy is possible.

When are the UMTS networks in service?

Japan and Korea has 3G services running and in December 2001 two UMTS networks have been launched, but UMTS mobiles will arrive 3Q/2002. Quite a few UMTS networks will be launched in early 2003 in Europe. See the list all live UMTS networks

Will 2G / 2.5G phones be able to use all UMTS' applications? GSM (or other 2G) phones will not be able to use all features, because of data speed, build in memory and applications, display technology etc. Application providers and operators are very unlikely to try to implement complex feature to GSM, money is going to UMTS services. GPRS phone users will be able to use most of the UMTS services; probably only location based and very high rate data services cannot be implemented. But all this it depends on if operators want to implement those. All basic services like voice and messaging will flow between all systems.

Which level of UMTS standard will the network be launched in 2002? All vendors have different software schedules and development status is a big secret. Now it looks like top vendors will probably have 3GPP Release 4 (with July 2001 correction) level software by the late 2002 launch date. (Some vendors were considering launching with '99 release in 2002)

Questions and Answers on UMTS

Auction of Third Generation Mobile Telecommunications Licences in the UK Index of questions
Third Generation

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Auctions

What is Third Generation (3G)? What is UMTS that several publications refer to? When will 3G services be introduced? How will 3G licences be allocated in the UK? When will final decisions be made? But surely the standards are not ready? Are not other countries licensing before the UK

8. Why an auction and not comparative selection ("beauty contest") as for second
generation licences?

9. Isnt this just about raising money?

Wont licence costs be passed on to consumers? What will be done with the auction proceeds? Why bid now? Wont there be more spectrum available later? Isnt there a risk of bidders seeking to win a licence as an investment rather than in order to run a 3G network? Will existing mobile phone companies be able to operate 3G? Will BT be allowed to bid in the auction? Could BT bid by itself and through Cellnet? Who else might bid in an auction?

New Entrants

18. Why does the Government want a new entrant; are not 4 operators as many as the
market can bear?

19. How will a new entrant get off the ground?

Roaming

20. What is roaming? 21. Why is the Government proposing to introduce roaming? 22. Wont existing companies or consumers suffer from roaming? 23. Isnt this inconsistent with the policy to reduce regulation in Telecommunications?
Doesnt roaming allow new entrants to freeload on existing operators investment in their networks? How will roaming be implemented?

Third Generation licences How many 3G licences will there be? Are the five licences each large enough to be technically and commercially viable Why reserve a larger licence for a new entrant? How long will licences last? What spectrum is available for 3G?

Will existing mobile phone operators be able to "refarm" their spectrum to offer 3G Services?

General Questions Back to Top How much will 3G handsets/services cost? Will 3G mean more radio masts? How is the Government consulting with industry? Is increased mobile Telecoms traffic a health hazard? Where can I find out more?

Third Generation
1. What is Third Generation (3G)? First generation networks provided simple analogue voice telephony; second (current) generation added some data services like fax and email to basic voice service, with higher rate data capabilities expected over the next few years. The Third Generation of mobile telecommunications should be capable of providing data rates of up to 2 Megabits per second, in addition to conventional voice, fax and data services. This offers the prospect of high-resolution video and multimedia services on the move, such as mobile office services, virtual banking and on-line billing, home shopping, video conferencing, on-line entertainment and Internet access. 2. What is UMTS that several publications refer to? UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) is an acronym to describe a Third Generation system for which a standard is being developed in Europe and elsewhere. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) is co-ordinating the international harmonisation of standards for 3G, working towards the concept of a family of standards (IMT 2000) with maximum possible interoperability, rather than a single standard. One of the candidate standards for IMT 2000, UMTS combines Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA) and Time Division Multiple Access - Code Division Multiple Access (TD-CDMA). 3. When will 3G services be introduced? This depends on industry but the ITU expectation of 2002 is reflected in the EUs UMTS Decision which envisages services being available by January 2002. 4. How will 3G licences be allocated in the UK? The consultation document, "Multimedia Communications on the Move", published on 31 July 1997, set out detailed proposals for licensing third generation mobile networks. In May 1998, taking account of industry responses, the Government announced its intention to allocate licences by auction. The likely timing for the auction, announced by the Government in February 1999, will be the second half of the financial year 1999/2000. This will be subject to further consultation, market developments and final decisions nearer the time.

5. When will final decisions be made? That depends on the outcome of consultation with industry. 6. But surely the standards are not ready? The Government believes it is not necessary to have standards finalised before operators are selected. In many ways it is better to select operators first as successful bidders will have the incentive to expedite the standards making process, and will be able to participate in the industry standards making bodies with the authority of being a licensed operator. 7. Are not other countries licensing before the UK? Finland has already licensed its 3G operators. Germany may do so early next year. However the UK is probably one of the best prepared countries in Europe for the introduction of services, and the Government expects that the UK will be in the first wave of countries to introduce 3G services in Europe. Back to Top

Auctions
8. Why an auction and not comparative selection ("beauty contest") as for second generation licences? Auctions are a fast, transparent, fair and economically efficient way of allocating the scarce resource of radio spectrum. Experience has shown that comparative selection tends to favour incumbents. 9. Isnt this just about raising money? No. On 18 May 1998 Barbara Roche, the then Telecommunications Minister, announced to Parliament in a written Parliamentary Question the objectives for the auction. These make clear that proceeds are subordinate to the other aims. The key objectives are for an auction to utilise the spectrum in the most efficient way; to promote effective and sustainable competition; and subject to those objectives to realise the full economic value to consumers, industry and the taxpayer of the spectrum. 10. Wont licence costs be passed on to consumers? Bidders will be paying a cost determined by the auction based on their valuations instead of a licence fee fixed by the Government. This allows the market to determine the commercial value of scarce radio spectrum. The amount that operators will bid is determined by their overall business plans and the expected prices for 3G services and not the other way around. 11. What will be done with the auction proceeds? The Government believes it is right that the taxpayer should benefit from the provision of valuable spectrum to the industry, and hence payment received for 3G licences will be made to the Treasury. 12. Why bid now? Wont there be more spectrum available later? Early deployment of 3G is advantageous for licensees and consumers alike. The Government is making available now all the spectrum that has been allocated internationally for 3G. It will press in

the appropriate international bodies for more spectrum to be allocated but the timing of extra spectrum being available is very uncertain. When it is, the Government will decide, after public consultation, how it should be licensed, and there can be no guarantee that there will be an additional operator licensed in the future. 13. Isnt there a risk of bidders seeking to win a licence as an investment rather than in order to run a 3G network? The Wireless Telegraphy Act 1998 allows safeguards to be inserted in the licence conditions - for example, a requirement to have achieved a particular level of network coverage by a certain date. Failure to comply with such "use it or lose it" provisions could lead to the licence being revoked. Furthermore, current legislation does not allow secondary trading of spectrum. 14 Will existing mobile phone companies be able to operate 3G? The four existing operators will be allowed to compete for a licence alongside prospective new entrants. 15. Will BT be allowed to bid in the auction? On 29 January 1999 the DTI announced to the Stock Exchange that BT should be allowed to bid on the condition that it agrees to place any third generation activities into a separately accounted business. 16. Could BT bid by itself and through Cellnet? No. There will be rules on associated bidders to prevent this. 17. Who else might bid in an auction? Subject to meeting prequalification criteria to enter an auction, any individual company or consortium should be eligible to bid. These criteria are likely to include financial viability as well as rules of association on bids by consortia. Over 70 organisations are members of the Governments consultative group for the auction including domestic and overseas telecoms companies, and potential content providers such as broadcasting and multimedia companies. Back to Top

New Entrants
18. Why does the Government want a new entrant; are not 4 operators as many as the market can bear? Competition has delivered more choice, better quality and lower prices throughout the telecoms market. The Government believes there is scope for additional competition in the mobile market which should offer the prospect of substantial benefits to consumers through the faster rollout of innovative services and lower prices. Third Generation offers the chance to compete on a greater variety of new services. A new entrant can also bring fresh, innovative ideas and approaches. 19. How will a new entrant get off the ground? Any new entrant will need to be innovative and compete on quality and variety of services. In reflecting the outcome of consultation the Government has proposed two measures to help new

entrants to enter the market. First, the ability for customers of any new entrant to "roam" onto existing operators networks when necessary while the new entrant builds out its own infrastructure. Second, the offering of five licences (one more than the existing number of operators) with a larger licence reserved for a new entrant. Back to Top

Roaming
20. What is roaming? Roaming is the use by a customer of one mobile operator of another mobile operators network to make or receive a call, usually because the customer is out of range of his own operators network. The Government is proposing to mandate provision for roaming between new entrant 3G networks and existing 2G networks. 21. Why is the Government proposing to introduce roaming? Any new entrant will initially only be able to offer 3G services over the limited area where its own network is built. However customers will also want basic voice services nation-wide. Without roaming new entrants with a limited geographical coverage would be at a significant disadvantage to existing operators which already cover most of the UK and have access to prime radio sites. Roaming will enable new entrants to offer basic voice services over a wide area while they roll out their own network. 22. Wont existing companies or consumers suffer from roaming? No. The conditions attached to roaming agreements will make sure that existing operators do not discriminate against a new operator. Under the guidelines put forward by the Government a 2G operator will achieve revenue for roamed traffic at an equivalent rate as it achieves for other customers. Consumers should benefit from increased competition and better services. 23. Isnt this inconsistent with the policy to reduce regulation in Telecommunications? The decision to provide for roaming reflects earlier consultation with the industry. It is seen by prospective new entrants as an essential measure to help them compete. The regulation required should be minimal and will be time limited. This is a positive use of regulation to stimulate competition which should ultimately be self regulating. 24. Doesnt roaming allow new entrants to freeload on existing operators investment in their networks? Not at all. A new entrant would be required to pay a commercial rate for roaming. Whilst allowing them to offer a full range of services the cost will encourage them to roll out their own networks as quickly as possible. 25. How will roaming be implemented? The Government has consulted with industry on guidelines and licence conditions produced by OFTEL, the Telecommunications regulator. These aim to provide a balance between the needs of new entrants and a continuing return for existing operators on their investment in their networks. The Director General of Telecommunications (DGT) will be able to set a time limit for parties to reach roaming agreements. Once made these will be enforceable through the Courts in the normal way. It will be a condition of operators Telecommunications Act licences that the DGT can intervene and

determine an agreement if operators cannot agree. Back to Top

Third Generation licences

26. How many 3G licences will there be? The Government announced on 6 May 1999 that it intends to auction 5 licences, with the largest licence reserved for a new entrant. The five licences for national operators will be three for 2x10 MHz paired spectrum plus 5 MHz unpaired spectrum, one for 2x15 MHz paired spectrum, and one (reserved for a new entrant) for 2x15 MHz paired spectrum plus 5 MHz unpaired spectrum. 27. Are the 5 licences each large enough to be technically and commercially viable? Earlier consultation and technical studies suggest that 5 licences should be feasible, if the available spectrum is used fully and efficiently. 28. Why reserve a larger licence for a new entrant? For technical reasons it is not possible to have 5 identical spectrum packages. Reserving one of the larger licences will help mitigate the disadvantages for a new entrant of not having other spectrum or an existing network. 29. How long will licences last? Following industry consultation the Government intends that licences will be issued for the period to 31 December 2021, allowing for 20 years of commercial services. 30. What spectrum is available for 3G? The European body ERC has identified 155 MHz of spectrum for terrestrial 3G: 2x60 MHz of paired spectrum and 35 MHz of unpaired spectrum. The Government believes all of this spectrum should be offered to 3G operators, except any spectrum that may be set aside for private high data rate wideband applications. 31. Will existing mobile phone operators be able to "refarm" their spectrum to offer 3G Services? Third Generation technology will only be licensed for use in spectrum internationally designated for 3G, which does not at present include spectrum held by the existing second generation mobile operators. Existing mobile operators may be able to operate some similar services to 3G using upgrades of their existing technology. Back to Top

General Questions
32. How much will 3G handsets/services cost? It is difficult to say; prices are principally a matter for the market to decide. However, consumer

protection rules will apply and OFTEL will take action against anti-competitive practices. 33. Will 3G mean more radio masts? Many existing sites will be suitable for 3G networks and the industry has set up a databank of mast sites to facilitate sharing. There may be a need for some additional masts, principally in urban areas. The Government will continue to encourage mast sharing between network operators. 34. How is the Government consulting with industry? The Radiocommunications Agency set up a consultative group (UACG) in early 1998 to discuss various aspects of the auction of 3G licences. It has over 70 members representing a wide range of interests in third generation mobile telecommunications; for example, existing and potential operators from the UK and abroad, equipment manufacturers and potential content providers such as media organisations. The UK Third Generation Advisory Group (UKTAG) discusses technical aspects of 3G. 35. Is increased mobile telecoms traffic a health hazard? On the basis of present scientific knowledge, there is no reason to believe that mobile telecommunications present a hazard to the public. The National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) is carrying out further research, as are the European Commission and the World Health Organisation. 36. Where can I find out more? Visit the Radiocommunications Agency Auction website at: www.spectrumauctions.gov.uk/ The site includes a copy of the consultation document, "Multimedia Communications on the Move", background on the consultative group, UACG and UACG membership, UACG papers and notes of meetings, press releases on the auction and other background information.

MTS Optimization Question & Answer

February 1, 2011 Radio Network 1. What are the optimization tools you use? Drive test, analysis, others?

2. Are System Information Blocks (SIB) transmitted all the time? No, system information block is multiplexed with synchronization channel. Synchronization channel occupies the first time slot (TS) and SIB occupies the other 9 time slots.

3. How does UE camp (synchronize) to a NodeB? 1. UE uses the primary synchronization channel (P-SCH) for slot alignment (TS synchronization).

2.

After aligning to NodeB time slot, UE then uses secondary synchronization channel (S-SCH) to

obtain frame synchronization and scrambling code group identification.

3.

UE then uses scrambling code ID to obtain CPICH, thus camping to a NodeB.

4. What could be the cause of soft handover failure?

UE issue. Resource unavailable at target NodeB. Inadequate SHO threshold defined. Etc. 5. What are the three sets in handover? The 3 sets in handover are:

Active set the list of cells which are in soft handover with UE. Monitored set the list of cells not in active set but RNC has told UE to monitor. Detected set list of cells detected by the UE but not configured in the neighbor list. 6. What are the major differences between GSM and UMTS handover decision? GSM:

Time-based mobile measures of RxLev and RxQual mobile sends measurement report every SACH period (480ms).

BSC instructs mobile to handover based on these reports. UMTS:

o o

Event-triggered reporting UE sends a measurement report only on certain event triggers. UE plays more part in the handover decision. 7. What are the events 1a, 1b, 1c, etc.? e1a a Primary CPICH enters the reporting range, i.e. add a cell to active set. e1b a primary CPICH leaves the reporting range, i.e. removed a cell from active set. e1c a non-active primary CPICH becomes better than an active primary CPICH, i.e. replace a cell. e1d: change of best cell. e1e: a Primary CPICH becomes better than an absolute threshold. e1f: a Primary CPICH becomes worse than an absolute threshold. 8. What are event 2a-2d and 3a-3d? Events 2a-2d are for inter-frequency handover measurements and events 3a-3d are for IRAT handover measurements.

e3a: the UMTS cell quality has moved below a threshold and a GSM cell quality had moved above a threshold.

e3b: the GSM cell quality has moved below a threshold. e3c: the GSM cell quality has moved above a threshold. e3d: there was a change in the order of best GSM cell list. 9. What may happen when theres a missing neighbor or an incorrect neighbor? Access failure and handover failure: may attempt to access to a wrong scrambling code. Dropped call: UE not aware of a strong scrambling code, strong interference. Poor data throughput. Poor voice quality. Etc. 10. What can we try to improve when access failure is high? When access failure is high we can try the following to improve RACH performance:

Increase maximum UE transmit power allowed: Max_allowed_UL_TX_Power. Increase power quickly: power_Offset_P0. Increase number of preambles sent in a given preamble cycle: preamble_Retrans_Max. Increase the number of preamble cycles: max_Preamble_Cycle. Increase number of RRC Connection Request retries: N300. 11. What are the conditions you typically set to trigger IRAT handover? RSCP and Ec/Io are used to trigger IRAT handover:

RSCP -100dBm. Ec/Io -16dBm. 12. What are the typical KPIs you use to measure a network and what criteria? Access failure rate ( 2%). Call setup time (CS: over 95% of the time < 6-second for mobile-to-PSTN, 9-second for mobilemobile. PS: over 95% of the time < 5-second). Dropped call rate ( 2%). BLER: over 95% of the blocks 2%. Average DL/UL throughput for PSD: 210kbps for loaded, 240kbps for unloaded. 13. What is the typical UE transmit power? Varies most of the time below 0dBm.

14. Have your used Ericsson TEMS? If so:

Do you know how to create command sequence? What are the call sequences you typically have? CS long call, CS short call, PSD call, etc. What are the typical commands you have for CS and PS call? Do you regularly stop and restart a new log file? Why and when to stop and start a new file? How do you stop a log file? Stop command sequence first, wait and make sure all equipment are in idle mode before stop logging.

15. Did you work on neighbor prioritization? 16. What is the typical event sequence of IRAT Handover from 3G to 2G

Event 2d entering into compressed mode measurement of 2G candidates Event 3a Verification of 2G resources Handover from UTRAN Command from 3G RNC to UE 17. What are the possible causes for an IRAT Failure?

Missing 2G relations Non availability of 2G Resources Poor 2G Coverage Missing 3G Relations 18. What is Paging Success Ratio? What is the typical PSR that you have seen in a UMTS network?

PSR Paging Responses to the Paging Attempts About 90% 19. What are the possible causes for a lower PSR? Non-continuous RF Coverage UE going in and out of coverage area frequently Very High Periodic Location Update Timer Keeping UEs in VLR long time after it moved out of coverage Lower Paging Channel Power Access Channel Parameter Issues Delayed Location Update when crossing the LA / CN Boundaries 20. What are the possible causes for a Drop Call on a UMTS network? Poor Coverage (DL / UL) Pilot Pollution / Pilot Spillover Missing Neighbor SC Collisions Delayed Handovers No resource availability (Congestion) for Hand in Loss of Synchronization Fast Fading Delayed IRAT Triggers Hardware Issues External Interference 21. A UE is served by 2 or 3 SC in AS. It is identifying a SC from 3rd tier, Stronger and meets the criteria for Event1a or Event1c. But SHO did not happen because of missing neighbor relations? How do you optimize this issue?

Study the Pilot spillover from the 3rd Tier SC and control its coverage Even after controlling the coverage, if the spillover is there, Add the neighbor.

22. A UE is served by 2 SC in AS, a SC is coming in to Monitored Set and Event1a is triggered. But UE is not receiving Active Set Update from NodeB and the call drops. What could be possible causes for this drop?

Delayed Handover Loss of Synchronization Fast Fading Pilot Pollution / Spillover issues 23. What is Hard Handover in UMTS? When will it happen? Hard Handover in UMTS is a break before make type Handover It can happen in the inter RNC boundaries where there is no Iur link. 24. What is the typical Call Setup Time for a 3G UE to 3G UE Call? What are the possible RF related causes for a delayed CST in this type of call?

6 to 9 seconds Multiple RRC Attempts (UE is on poor coverage need more than Access Attempt) Delayed Page Responses High Load on Paging and/or Access Channel Paging / Access Parameters 25. What is Soft Handover Overhead? What is the typical value in UMTS network? Soft Handover Overhead is calculated in two ways. 1) Average Active Set Size Total Traffic / Primary Traffic. 2) Secondary / Total Traffic Typical Values are like 1.7 (Avg Active Set Size) or 35% (Secondary / Total ) 26. What will happen to the Soft Handover Overhead when you apply OCNS on the network? And Why?

With OCNS, the interference (load) increases. This leads to reduction in Ec/Io of a Pilot, which reduces the pilot spillovers. Reduction in Pilot Spillover will reduce the Soft Handover Overhead. 27. What are the possible causes for an Access Failure in UMTS?

Missing Neighbors Poor Coverage Pilot Pollution / Spillover Poor Cell Reselection Core Network Issues Non availability of resources. Admission Control denies Hardware Issues Improper RACH Parameters External Interference 28. (FOR ERICSSON EXPERIENCED) What is RTWP? What is the significance of it? Received Total Wide-band Power It gives the Total Uplink Power (Interference) level received at NodeB

29. (FOR ERICSSON EXPERIENCED) What is the System Reference Point at which all the Power Levels are measured in Ericsson NodeB?

System Ref Point for E/// NodeB is at the output of TMA (Between TMA and Antenna) 30. What are the typical values for reportingrange1a and reportingrange1b? 3 dB and 5 dB respectively. 31. What will be the impact when you change reportingrange1a from 3 to 4 dB and timetotrigger1a 100 to 320 ms, without changing any other parameters?

Reduction in number of Event1a Delayed Event1a trigger Reduction in Average Active Set Size Delay in Event1a could increase DL interference, which could lead to a drop call or increase in Average Power Per User (reduction in cell capacity) 32. What is Admission Control?

Admission Control is an algorithm which controls the Resource Allocation for a new call and additional resource allocation for an existing call. Incase, if a cell is heavily a loaded and enough resources in terms of power, codes or CEs are not available, admission control denies permission for the additional resource requirement. 33. What is Congestion Control?

Congestion Control monitors the dynamic utilization of specific cell resources and insures that overload conditions do not occur. If overload conditions do occur, Congestion Control will immediately restrict Admission Control from granting additional resources. In addition, Congestion Control will attempt to resolve the congestion by either down switching, or terminating existing users. Once the congestion is corrected, the congestion resolution actions will cease, and Admission Control will be enabled.