3G systems provides a global mobility with wide range of services
There are five main UMTS standardization areas: Radio Access Network, Core Network, Terminals, Services and System Aspects and GERAN. UMTS is built on top of the existing GSM infrastructure and integrates both packet and circuit data transmission. Unlike GSM, UMTS is mainly based on CDMA scheme and now combines it with TDMA. UMTS900 system characteristics Downlink band (MHz) 925-960 Uplink band (MHz) 880-915 Carrier separation(MHz) 5 Channel raster (KHz) 200 UMTS900 Advantages: Has a better coverage compared to UMTS at 2100 MHz UMTS900 offers a considerably more cost efficient solution. GSM and UMTS will be in co-existence and operated in adjacent channels. Security features 1-Network access security User identity confidentiality Entity authentication Confidentiality Data integrity Mobile equipment identification 2-User domain security: User-to-USIM authentication USIM-Terminal Link 3-Application security: Secure messaging between the USIM and the network 4-Security visibility and configurability Core Network RNS (Radio Network Subsystem) RNC (Radio Network Controller) Node B Interfaces Uu Interface (between UE and Node B) Iu Interface (between CN and RNS) Iur Interface (between one RNS and another RNS) Iub Interface (between RNC and Node B) User Equipment (UE): By which the user can access the network. 1.UMTS Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) 2.Mobile Equipment (ME)
3G (UMTS) Architecture Main blocks: Mobile Services Switching Center (MSC) Visitor Location Register (VLR) Gateway Mobile Switching Center (GMSC) Home Location Register (HLR) Gateway GPRS support node GGSN Serving GPRS support Node SGSN GPRS Support Node (GSN) Operation And maintenance center (OMC) AAA server and Home Agent
Air Interface The UTRAN air interface uses QPSK or 16QAM. The modulation chip rate is 3.84 Mcps. There are two dedicated physical channels; DPCCH (for control information) and the DPDCH (for user data). UMTS Channel structure: Logical channels define what type of data is transferred. Transport channels define how and with which type of characteristics the data is transferred by the physical layer. Physical channels data define the exact physical characteristics of the radio channel.
Handover in UMTS Softer Handover (intra Node B/intra RNS) Soft Handover (inter Node B/intra RNS) Soft Handover (inter Node B/inter RNS/intra SGSN) Soft Handover (inter Node B/inter RNS/inter SGSN) Hard Handover: All the old radio links in the UE are removed before the new radio links are established.