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UMTS Summary

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Frequency allocation
The World Radio Conference (WRC) has allocated a frequency band
around 2GHz for use by Public Land Mobile Networks (PLMNs) to support
third generation public mobile phone and data services. These are
expected gradually to replace the existing second generation networks
(largely based on GSM and I995).
The International Telecommunications Union Radio (ITU-R) has overall
responsibility for defining the third generation system, known as the
International Mobile Telecommunications 2000 (IMT-2000).
The IMT-2000 system will be an integrated system that allows terminals to
access both satellite and terrestrial based stations. Bands 1885MHz to
2025MHz and 2110MHz to 2200MHz are allocated to the terrestrial
component. Bands 1980MHz to 2021MHz and 2170MHz to 2200MHz are
allocated to the satellite component.

UMTS summary
A UMTS network can consist of one or more access networks, using
different radio access systems, linked to the same core network. Together
they form a single UMTS network. The term UMTS covers all the network
elements in both the access network and the core network. The UTRAN
specified by ETSI is one such UMTS access network. It supports wide area
terrestrial mobile telecommunications services, using the Frequency
Division Duplex (FDD) IMT-2000 bands. This document concentrates
primarily on the ETSI FDD UTRAN. The UTRAN comprises the network
elements that correspond to the Base Station Subsystem (BSS) in a GSM
network: Base Transceiver Station (BTS)
Base Station Controller (BSC) In the UTRAN, the equivalent of the GSM
BTS is referred to as either the BTS or the Node B.
The equivalent of the GSM BSC is referred to as the Radio Network
Controller (RNC). The UTRAN BTS and RNC together form the Radio
Network System (RNS).
Owing to differences in the radio standards currently used, and
consequently those used to provide a IMT-2000 service, this document
concentrates on WRC Region 1, where the UTRAN RNS will be used as the
UMTS access network.

2.2. Band plan


The WRC of 1992 allocated 230MHz of the 2GHz spectrum to IMT-2000
services with the
Intention of providing a uniform band plan for all three WRC regions.

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The allocated spectrum consists of two blocks:
140MHz for TDD and FDD uplinks from 1885 to 2025MHz
90MHz for FDD downlinks from 2110 to 2200MHz

Satellite allocation
Within each block, two 30MHz sub-blocks with a 190MHz duplex
separation are allocated to
Satellite operation:
1980MHz to 2010MHz for uplinks.
2170MHz to 2200MHz for downlinks.
Terrestrial allocation
FDD systems
1920 to 1980MHz Uplink Mobile Transmit (60MHz band, duplex
separation 190MHz).
2110 to 2170MHz Downlink Base Transmit (60MHz band, duplex
spacing 190MHz).
TDD systems
1885 to 1920MHz (35MHz band).
2010 to 2025MHz (15MHz band).

2.3. UTRAN air interface attributes


This document concentrates on the ETSI UTRAN system. There are two
versions of UTRAN, one that uses TDD mode and one that uses FDD mode.
This document deals mainly with the terrestrial FDD version of UTRAN. This
is the standard that forms the basis for the wide area deployment of 3rd
generation PLMNs.

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2.4. Channel mapping on the air interface


This section summarises the mapping of logical channels and transport
channels to the physical channels transmitted over the air interface.
Access stratum
The access stratum on the air interface is divided into three layers:
Layer 1
Layer 2
Layer 3

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Layer 1
Layer 1 is the physical layer. Signalling and traffic data is borne on the air
interface by physical channels. The physical channels are defined by
code set and frequency in FDD mode and by code, timeslot, and
frequency in TDD mode.
Layer 2
Layer 2 is divided into two sub-layers:
Medium Access Control (MAC) layer (lower layer).
The MAC layer is responsible for the random access procedures, physical
link control, error protection, ciphering, multiplexing, and channel
mapping to the physical layer (Layer 1) Radio Link Control (RLC) layer
(upper layer).
GSM to UMTS Transition RF Engineering Guideline
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The RLC layer is responsible for logical link control, and acknowledgement
/unacknowledgement of data transfer
Layer 3
Layer 3 is the Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer. The RRC layer is
responsible for
coordination and control of bearers, monitoring processes, power control,
measurement
reporting, paging, and broadcast control functions.
In order to define a process for each different type of information, sets of
logical channels are mapped onto transport channels, and ultimately
physical channels are defined.
Logical channels are defined between the RLC and the MAC. Transport
channels are defined between the MAC and the physical layer (Layer 1).
Logical channels
The following logical channels are used to transfer signalling information:
Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) downlink The BCCH is a downlink
broadcast channel which carries system information. There are two types:
BCCH-Constant (BCCH-C) and BCCH-Variable (BCCH-V), the data on
which may be constantly updated.
Paging Control Channel (PCCH) - downlink
The PCCH is a downlink channel which carries paging messages. It is used
when the
network does not know the location cell of the mobile or the mobile is in
sleep mode.
Common Control Channel (CCCH)
The CCCH is a bi-directional channel which carries data when the
mobile has no RRC
connection to the network.
Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH)

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The DCCH is a bi-directional channel which carries point-to-point
dedicated control data
between the network and a mobile. It is used when a dedicated
connection has been
established through RRC connection set up procedures.
ODMA Common Control Channel (OCCCH)
The OCCCH is a bi-directional channel which carries control data directly
between mobiles.
It is used when the mobile has no RRC connection with the network.
ODMA Dedicated Control Channel (ODCCH)
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The ODCCH is a bi-directional point-to-point channel which carries
dedicated control data directly between mobiles. It is used when a
dedicated connection has been established through the RRC
connection set-up procedures.
Shared Channel Control Channels (SHCCH) TDD mode only
The SHCCH is used in TDD mode only. It is a bi-directional channel which
carries control data for the uplink and downlink shared channels.
Synchronisation Control Channel (SCCH) TDD mode only
The SCCH is used in TDD mode only. It is a downlink channel which carries
the location
and structure of the BCCH.
The following logical channels are used to transfer user data:
Dedicated Traffic Channel (DTCH)
The DTCH is a bi-directional dedicated point-to-point channel which
carries user data
between the network and the mobile.
ODMA Dedicated Traffic Channel (ODTCH)
The ODTCH is a dedicated point-to-point channel which carries user data
directly between mobiles, used as a relay link.
Common Traffic Channel (CTCH)
The CTCH is a uni-directional point-to-multipoint channel which carries
user data for a
specified group of mobiles.

Transport channels
The information is transferred from the MAC layer and mapped onto
physical channels via a set
of transport channels.
There are two types of transport channel:
Common transport channels

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Dedicated transport channels
Common transport channels
Broadcast Channel (BCH) downlink
The BCH is transmitted from the base station to all mobiles in the cell
coverage area and
broadcasts system configuration information.
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Paging Channel (PCH) downlink
The PCH is also broadcast from the base station to all mobiles in the cell
coverage area. It
pages mobiles when they are in idle mode and only their Location Area,
not their specific
cell, is known. Forward Access Channel (FACH) downlink
The FACH is transmitted from the base station to mobiles and carries
relatively small
amounts of control data and very short packets of user data, without the
use of power
control.
Random Access Channel (RACH) uplink
The RACH is a contention-based uplink channel used for initial access,
non-real time
dedicated control or very short packets of traffic data.
ONMA Random Access Channel (ORACH)
The ORACH performs a similar function to the RACH when a relay link is
used.
Common Packet Channel (CPCH) FDD mode only
The CPCH is a contention-based channel carrying bursty traffic data in
shared mode using fast power control. Downlink Shared Channel (DSCH)
The DSCH is a downlink channel shared between several mobiles for
carrying control or
traffic data. DSCH Control Channel
The DSCH Control Channel is a downlink channel used in conjunction with
the DSCH for signalling of DSCH resource allocation.
Broadcast Channel (BCH)
The BCH is a downlink broadcast channel carrying system information for
the whole cell. Synchronisation Channel (SCH) TDD mode only
The SCH is a downlink TDD mode channel carrying synchronisation data
for the whole cell.
Note: This SCH has no connection with the physical channel SCH used in
FDD mode.

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Uplink Shared Channel (USCH) TDD mode only
The USCH is an uplink TDD mode channel shared by several mobiles for
carrying control or traffic data.

GSM to UMTS Transition RF Engineering Guideline


Advantages
Enhanced full rate vocoders provide subscribers with improved
perceived speech quality,
close to that of a land-line link.
Enhanced full rate can increase the perceived speech quality MOS from
3.7 to 4.0,
(compared to 4.3 for land-line)
Half rate vocoders provide increased network capacity (for example,
an increase of up to
40%, when 60% of mobiles are capable of half rate operation)
New base stations are not required
Additional back-haul link capacity is not required
Disadvantages
Subscribers may not consider half rate speech quality as acceptable,
particularly in mobile
to mobile calls
Additional network capacity provided by the use of Half-Rate Codecs
depends on the
proportion of subscribers with half rate mobiles
Enhanced full rate improved speech quality is only available to
subscribers with new,
enhanced full rate mobiles
Enhanced full rate and half rate speech coding will be superseded by
Adaptive Multi Rate
speech coding from 2001 (this will require new mobiles and network
infrastructure
upgrades)

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Adaptive Multi Rate codecs
Adaptive Multi Rate devices provide the benefits of high speech quality
from the EFR Codec
combined with the bandwidth efficiency of using HR channels.

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The following graph shows measurements taken during ETSI
characterisation tests of the AMR codec for AMR clean speech in AFS and
AHS modes, compared against GSM EFR, FR and HR.
Mean Opinion Score CIR (dB)
1
2
3
4
5
No
Errors
7 4 10 13 16 19
Wi rel ine Quality Region
ITU -T G .711 PCM-64 &
Analogue Local Loop
HR
AHS
AFS
EFR
FR
Figure 12 Speech quality (MOS) against CIR for GSM speech codecs
Advantages
Greater robustness to channel errors in FR mode under poor radio
channel conditions
Increased network capacity through codec operation in AMR Half
Rate mode and allowing a
lower CIR compared to existing GSM codecs
Significant capacity gains (up to 90%) can be achieved through AMR
mode
Extra capacity is freed up for expected increase in data traffic
Extended coverage deeper into buildings
AMR operation can be tailored to meet different operator needs
GSM to UMTS Transition RF Engineering Guideline
AMR can be used in the following modes:
Full Rate mode for maximum robustness to channel errors
Half Rate mode to maximise network capacity
Mixed Full/Half Rate mode. This allows operators to balance the trade-
off between speech
quality and network capacity in accordance with prevailing radio
channel and traffic load
conditions

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Mobile Handover
This chapter outlines the three main types of UMTS mobile handover, with particular
emphasis on inter system handover between a UTRAN and a GSM network.

3.1. Handover types


Three types of mobile handover are supported:
Soft / softer handover
A soft handover takes place when the mobile establishes a connection
with a new cell,
while it is still in communication with its current serving cell. This can only
take place if both cells use the same RF channel (frequency).
A softer handover is a special type of soft handover that takes place if
both the cells
involved are controlled from the same BTS (or Node B) network element.
The main
difference is in the implementation within the UTRAN. Uplink maximal ratio
combining
instead of selection combining can be used for the softer handover, as
the former is
performed at the BTS, while the latter takes place at the Radio Network
Controller (RNC) network element. UTRAN to UTRAN hard handover
A UTRAN to UTRAN hard handover may take place under the following
conditions:
- Handover between cells operating on different RF channels
(frequencies). For
example when cells are allocated different numbers of RF channels,
belong to
different networks, or to different cell layers GSM to UMTS Transition RF
Engineering Guideline
- Handover between cells operating in different duplex modes (FDD or
TDD). For
example, when entering a building with a local high speed TDD network
- Handover between cells when operating in packet mode, when soft
handover is not
needed
- Handover between different radio transceivers at the same cell,
operating on
different RF channels
UTRAN to GSM handover
- A UTRAN to GSM handover occurs when a mobile is handed over
between a
UTRAN and a GSM traffic channel, where an isolated area of UTRAN
coverage

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exists within a GSM network. This type of handover is to be expected in the
early
stages of UTRAN deployment, when UTRAN coverage may not be
contiguous over
network operators areas. Additionally, to promote competition some
countries are
encouraging the issue of UTRAN licences to companies that do not
operate an
existing GSM network. Under these circumstances, existing GSM licenses
have
been amended to require support for roaming by UTRAN subscribers
To support inter frequency hard handover, (for example, between UTRANs
or between a
UTRAN and a GSM network), the mobile must conduct a cell search on a
different frequency from that used for the serving cell, without interrupting
the data flow associated with the call in progress. This can be achieved
by either of the following methods:
Using a dual receiver
Slotted downlink transmission

Cell sets
The mobile maintains three cell sets:
Active Set
This lists all UTRAN cells that are currently assigning a downlink Dedicated
Physical
Channel (DPCH) to the mobile. It includes any cell with which the mobile
is in soft or softer handover. Handover Monitoring Set This lists all the cells
(UTRAN and GSM) that the mobile has been tasked to monitor. The list
corresponds to the BCCH Allocation (BA) list sent on the Slow Associated
Control
Channel (SACCH) in the GSM network.
A separate set can be defined to monitor for cell selection, corresponding
to the BCCH
Allocation (BA) list sent on the Broadcast Control channel (BCCH) in the
GSM network.
Handover Target Set This lists the cells received by the mobile at a level
sufficient for the associated DPCHs to be decoded, but which are not
currently in the Active Set. These cells may be on different frequencies
from the current serving cell, and part of a UTRAN or GSM network. GSM to
UMTS Transition RF Engineering Guideline

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3.3. Preparation for UTRAN to UTRAN
handover
The Handover Monitoring Set is sent to the mobile via the BCH of the
serving cell or via specific signalling on the Dedicated Channel (DCH). The
Handover Monitoring Set contains the following data for each monitored
cell:
Downlink scrambling code Cell ID number
The network knows the mapping of cell scrambling codes to
synchronisation codes (groups indicated by the secondary
synchronisation channel). During the neighbour cell measurement process
the mobile uses the primary and secondary synchronisation channels to
synchronise to the cells, together with knowledge of the scrambling codes
in use.
From both the serving and neighbour cells, the mobile measures the
downlink:
Received signal level
Relative timing between serving and neighbour cells, based on the
phase difference of the
scrambling codes Bit Error Rate (BER) / Block Error Rate (BLER)
GSM to UMTS Transition RF Engineering Guideline

3.4. Preparation for UTRAN to GSM handover


The UTRAN super-frame structure is 720ms in length and comprises 72
frames of 10ms each.
The GSM super-frame structure is 6.12s in length and comprises 26 frames
of 120ms each.
As 720ms is a multiple of 120ms, it is possible to use compatible timing for
inter system
measurements. A dual-standard (UTRAN/GSM) mobile, when operating in
UTRAN mode, can
use the GSM Frequency Correction Channel (FCH) and GSM
Synchronisation Channel (SCH)
data to maintain the timing between a UTRAN carrier and a GSM carrier.
The effect is as if
there were two asynchronous GSM carriers.
A dual-standard mobile can make GSM network measurements during
the idle periods in the
downlink transmission that are created using downlink slotted mode. The
use of slotted mode is
controlled by the UTRAN, which informs the mobile which frame is slotted.

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Slotted frames are achieved by compressing the data that would
normally be sent in a 10ms
frame, by either code puncturing or reducing the spreading factor, so
that it can be sent in only
5ms. This creates a 5ms silent period (the Silence Duration) during which
the mobile can make
GSM signal level measurements.
To avoid compromising the quality of the radio link during transmission of
the compressed slot
data, the transmitted power is increased. When high data rate services
are used, it may not be
possible to create the idle slot (the silent period) by compressing a single
time slot of data. In
this case the data in a number of slots can be compressed to create the
required idle slot.
As an alternative to slotted frames, mobiles can use an independent GSM
receiver branch.
However, although more flexible, this approach is likely to increase the
cost of mobiles.
GSM system information must be exchanged between the two networks.
This is to allow the
UTRAN to broadcast the GSM BA list (GSM frequencies to monitor) to the
mobiles in the
UTRAN area.
Due to the inherently lower maximum data rate available from a GSM
network, a more
integrated form of network operation is required if the particular type of
service is to be
maintained during inter system handover.
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Silence Duration parameters
The absolute length of the Silence Duration (SD) depends on the time
taken for the mobile to
switch from the UMTS frequency to a GSM frequency, decode and
measure the GSM channel
data, and switch back to the UTRAN frequency.
Note: Appendix A contains Silence Duration parameter definitions
reproduced from the ETSI
UTRAN Handover standard.

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GSM cell timing unknown
If there is no knowledge of the relative timing of the UTRAN and GSM cells,
Silence Duration
Patterns are used to search and decode the GSM Synchronisation
Channel (SCH). The
process is repeated whenever the mobile receives a new SCH.
Depending on the mobiles capabilities, the SCH search may be either
sequential (track first
GSM Frequency Correction Channel before decoding SCH), or parallel
(parallel tracking of FCH
and SCH). The parallel option decodes the SCH faster and thus needs
fewer SD patterns.
For example, a parallel search with 2 SD patterns every 0.48s alternately
using Tpattern1 (the delay
between successive SD patterns) of 226.92ms (47 * 4.615ms) and Tpattern2
263.08ms (57 *
4.615ms) is as efficient as a sequential search with 4 SD patterns per 0.48s
with T pattern 120ms.
The number of successive patterns used to scan a specific GSM frequency
(N pattern) before it is
assumed to be unsuccessful, can vary the probability of detection against
the number of slotted
frames (that is, the impact on UTRAN link). The default settings for Npattern
is 11 for serial
searches and 6 for parallel searches, to ensure successful detection under
worst case GSM cell
timing conditions.
If the SDs are allocated by the UTRAN on a periodic basis, the mobile
triggers the search
procedure within the available SDs. So no specific signaling is needed
between the mobile and
the UTRAN.
Alternatively, the mobile may initiate a search by sending a Request New
Cell Search message
to the UTRAN, within which it indicates its serial/parallel search capability.
The UTRAN
calculates a suitable SD pattern and advises the mobile using the normal
SD indicators. The
network operator can delay implementation of this SD pattern according
to the timing priority
assigned for New BSIC (Base Station Identity Code) identification. When
the mobile completes

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its search, it signals to the UTRAN the timing of the associated SCH (or SCH
Not Found).
Examples of Silence Duration and associated SD patterns are given in
Appendix A.
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GSM cell timing known
The mobile may gain some knowledge of the relative timing between the
UTRAN Active Cell set
and the GSM neighbour cells, either from the UTRAN, or following
acquisition of the GSM FCH.
When the timing is known, the Silence Duration pattern may be assigned
for a specific frame
intended to capture a specific GSM SCH/FCH.
The control is implemented over 306 frames (13 GSM multi-frames). As the
UTRAN 720ms
super-frame shifts of a super-frame during the period, the 4 x 306-frame
period is used to
align the timing of a UTRAN cell and a GSM cell.
The mobile performs an SCH search whenever a new GSM neighbour cell
is received, by
sending a Request New Cell Search to the UTRAN. The UTRAN responds
with:
Frame number where the slotted mode takes place (frame number {[x]
+ [n*306]} where n is
an integer)
GSM carrier for which the particular slotted frame is intended (BSIC, CI,
ARFCN)
When the search is complete, the mobile signals the UTRAN the timing of
the SCH (or SCH Not
Found), and the UTRAN stops the SD pattern.
GSM cell BSIC reconfirmation
Once the mobile has successfully received the SCH for a neighbors GSM
cell, it must reconfirm
the cell Base Station Identity Code (BSIC) to establish the identity of the
cell.
If Silence Durations (slotted frames) are allocated on a periodic basis on
the downlink, the

14
mobile autonomously performs this process, and no specific signaling
between the UTRAN and
Mobile is necessary.
If Silence Durations are not allocated on a periodic basis on the downlink,
the mobile advises
the UTRAN of the timing of the SCH and the length of the Silence Duration
required to capture
one SCH burst. The UTRAN operator sets the BSIC reconfirmation target
time and this together
with the timing data received from the mobile is used by the UTRAN to
determine the Silence
Duration pattern. The Silence Duration pattern is communicated to the
mobile using the normal
Silence Duration Indicators. If the UTRAN already has timing data
regarding the neighboring
GSM cells, it can calculate the Silence Duration pattern with no mobile
involvement.
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Silence Duration parameters for GSM power
measurement
In order to measure the received power level of GSM carriers, additional
Silence Duration (that
is, slotted frames) will be required by mobiles without a separate GSM
receiver branch.
Monitoring multiple GSM neighbour cells
The previous sections introduced the concept of initial synchronisation,
identification, and power
measurement of a single GSM neighbour cell. In real deployment
situations this must be
extended to monitor multiple GSM neighbour cells in the following
circumstances.
Handover owing to lack of UTRAN coverage
When a dual-standard mobile moves outside the coverage of the UTRAN,
but remains
within coverage from a GSM network, it may handover from the UTRAN to
the GSM
network.

15
The number of downlink slotted frames per reporting period (0.48s)
depends on:
- Type of slotted frame used (start, end, double start/end or mid-frame)
- Number of BCH measurements per slotted frame that the mobile can
perform
- Number of measurements required per reporting period
Handover owing to bearer services
A network operator with both a UTRAN and a GSM network may wish to
use the UTRAN
for high data rate services and the GSM network for low data rate services
(such as voice).
In this case, when a dual-standard mobile asks to set-up a call on the
UTRAN, it may be
assigned channels on either the UTRAN or the GSM network, according to
the bearer
service it negotiates with the network.
When the call set-up involves DCH allocation, the slotted mode is required
to handle GSM
handover preparation. The downlink slotted mode starts as soon as the
network knows the
requested bearer service. For example, when included in the initial bearer
request sent
from the mobile for a mobile originated call, or known by the network for
a network
originated call. The measurements are performed over a number of
reporting periods.
When the call set-up does not involve DCH allocation, downlink slotted
frames are not
required. The mobile cannot listen to GSM channels as the downlink
UTRAN messages can
occur at any time.
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Monitoring and reporting GSM neighbour
cells
A dual-standard mobile which is monitoring GSM neighbour cells, performs
the measurements
specified in the GSM recommendations:
Monitors up to 32 GSM carriers

16
Synchronises with up to 6 GSM carriers
Sends measurement reports back to the network on the 6 strongest
GSM cells for which
the BSIC is correctly decoded, (assuming the GSM Multi-band Reporting
parameter is set
for Normal Reporting)
Performs the measurements down to the reference sensitivity and
reference interference
levels specified in GSM Recommendation 05.05
Demodulates the GSM SCH on the BCCH carrier of each neighbour
cell and decodes the
BSIC as often as possible, and as a minimum once every 10s
The UTRAN to GSM handover may be invoked in either of the following
circumstances.
Handover owing to lack of UTRAN coverage
If the mobile can make systematic GSM neighbour cell measurements, it
does so when
served by a UTRAN cell on the edge of the UTRAN coverage area. If the
mobile cannot
make systematic GSM neighbour cell measurements, the UTRAN decides
whether to
activate this as a background task, based on the uplink and downlink
received signal level.
Handover owing to bearer services
If a Dedicated Channel is allocated during call set-up, implementation of
slotted mode on
the downlink is necessary to allow the mobile to make GSM cell
measurements. If a
Dedicated Channel is not allocated during call set-up, no measurements
are needed.
The handover procedure will stop in the following circumstances:
The mobile is instructed to execute a handover to GSM
The UTRAN includes a new cell in the Active Set (that is, start soft hand-
off)
Execution of an inter frequency handover within the UTRAN
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3.5. Handover execution
This section describes the execution of intra-UTRAN soft handover and
UTRAN-GSM

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handover.
UTRAN soft handover
The bearer service used by the mobile is known to the serving cell(s) of the
Active Set. When a
new cell is added to the Active Set the UTRAN passes the following data
to the new cell:
Maximum data rate and other service parameters associated with the
duplex connection
(for example, coding schemes, number of parallel code channels)
Mobile ID and uplink scrambling code
Timing information for the new cell, with respect to the time
synchronisation of the mobile
with the current serving cell(s), as measured by the mobile at its current
location. The new
cell uses this to calculate the timing of its common channel (for example,
BCH)
transmission
The mobile is given the following information via its current serving cell(s):
The frame that the new cell uses to start transmission to the mobile,
(assuming the Active
Set update is accepted)
The channel code(s) used for the transmission by different cells need not
be the same, and
each cell uses a different scrambling code
UTRAN to GSM handover
Handover owing to lack of UTRAN coverage
When the mobile executes the handover from the UTRAN to the GSM
network it stops
communication with the UTRAN and establishes its signalling link on the
target GSM cell
(as defined in GSM Recommendations 05.08 and 04.08). If the handover is
not successful
the mobile may attempt to resume communication with its previous
UTRAN serving cell(s).
Handover owing to bearer services
If the call set-up involves Dedicated Channel allocation, after receiving
the handover
execution message from the UTRAN to the GSM network, the mobile stops
communication
with the UTRAN and establishes its signalling link on the target GSM cell (as
defined in

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GSM Recommendations 05.08 and 04.08). If the handover is not successful
the mobile
may attempt to resume communication with its previous UTRAN serving
cell(s).
- If the call set-up does not involve Dedicated Channel allocation, the
mobile is
assigned a GSM channel and stops communicating with the UTRAN
serving cell(s).
As it has not yet synchronised to the GSM cell, the mobile then listens to
the GSM
target cell BCH frequency to establish its time slot and frame
synchronisation by
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decoding the FCH and SCH. Once completed the mobile establishes a
dedicated
traffic channel on the required frequency of the target cell.
3.6. GSM to UTRAN handover
To simplify cell identification, the GSM system may also indicate the UTRAN
base station
scrambling codes in the GSM/UTRAN service area. As the UTRAN does not
use a super-frame
structure to indicate synchronisation, a dual-standard mobile operating in
GSM mode may
obtain frame synchronisation with the UTRAN once the UTRAN base station
scrambling code
timing has been acquired. The scrambling code has a 10ms period and is
synchronised to the
UTRAN Common Channel frame timing.
GSM to UMTS Transition RF Engineering Guideline
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78 Lucent Technologies
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19
Issue 1.1 - July 2000
BTS Antennas
In addition to the usual BTS site antenna system design criteria (such as RF
characteristics and
site and electrical constraints) the existence and type of any network
already owned by the
organisation is crucial. The organisation may own a single band (900MHz
or 1800MHz) GSM
network, a dual band GSM network, or may not own an existing network.
Each situation is
discussed in this section.
At the time of writing, dual band (GSM/UMTS) antennas have been
developed by a number of
manufacturers and are about to enter production. Tri band antennas,
with separate isolated
ports and elements for 900MHz, 1800MHz and 2GHz are at the prototype
stage and expected
to enter production early in 2001.
No existing network
The simplest situation is if a company obtains a licence for an area where
it does not own an
existing network, does not wish to share antennas with an existing network,
and has no future
intention of operating a network on a different band.
In this case it is only necessary to install antennas for the UTRAN band. For
convenience, we
refer to these as 2GHz antennas.
Existing single band network
An existing GSM network operator may obtain a UTRAN licence, and
intend to operate both a
UTRAN and a GSM network for a period of time. The GSM network may
operate on the
900MHz or 1800MHz band.
For logistic and economic reasons the operator is likely to want to use
existing GSM network
BTS sites to provide UTRAN coverage. So it will be necessary to install an
antenna system at
the GSM sites, which can serve both the GSM and the UTRAN BTSs.
Separate GSM and UTRAN antennas
The simplest way to operate a dual band (GSM and UTRAN) base station is
to install separate

20
antennas for the two bands. In an existing network this needs only one
additional antenna
system to serve the new 2GHz band. However, this approach has some
significant
disadvantages, including:
Greater loading on the antenna support structure
Increased number of antenna feeders and associated duct/riser
space required
Increased rental costs
Increased environmental impact with subsequent implications for
planning consent
Requirement to carry spares for each antenna type
GSM to UMTS Transition RF Engineering Guideline
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As a result, operators are likely to install dual band antennas.
Dual band GSM/UTRAN antennas
In view of the magnitude of the frequency span, dual band antennas
used for the 900MHz and
2GHz bands normally employ separate radiating elements for each band.
These are enclosed
in a common radome, and may comprise elements printed on a substrate
(microstrip
elements), or a number of three-dimensional (for example, wire) individual
dipole elements.
Although both the 900MHz and 2GHz element arrays are contained within
the same radome,
and may be laid on the same substrate, different electrical down-tilts may
be applied to each
array. Additionally, the electrical down-tilt may be either fixed or
electrically adjustable.
Typically, a fixed tilt is used for one array and its ground level radiation
pattern is adjusted by
mechanically tilting the whole antenna assembly. An electrical down-tilt is
applied to the second
array allowing its ground level radiation pattern to be separately adjusted.
Dual band antennas used for the GSM 1800MHz and UMTS 2GHz bands
may use the same
radiating elements. This is because the bandwidth required to cover both
bands (+/-230MHz) is

21
only ~+/-12% of the centre frequency (1.94GHz). When a single antenna is
used for both bands
it is clearly not possible to have different values of down-tilt (either
electrical or mechanical)
applied to the two different bands.
In this case, if a single dual band antenna is to be used for duplex
operation on both bands, it is
necessary to:
Divide the received signal and provide a receive feed to both the
1800MHz and the 2GHz
BTS
Combine the transmit signal from the 1800MHz and 2GHz BTS, and
provide a common
feed to the antenna
Both the receive path receive distribution amplifier and power divider,
and the transmit path
combiner can be located in the equipment room.
As the 2GHz band is separated by ~40MHz from the 1800MHz band,
relatively low loss
broadband frequency selective band combiners can be used.
If a dual polarisation dual band antenna is used to provide receive
polarisation diversity, and
transmit diversity is not required, the 1800MHz BTS transmitter can feed one
polarisation, and
the 2GHz BTS transmitter can feed the other, thereby reducing transmitter
combining loss.
GSM to UMTS Transition RF Engineering Guideline
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Existing dual band network
Existing dual band GSM network operators who obtain a UTRAN licence,
may want to continue
to operate the dual band GSM network in addition to a UTRAN for the
foreseeable future. The
existing dual band network may operate with either single or dual band
(900/1800MHz)
antennas.
There are three possible options:
Install additional 2GHz antennas
At sites with separate 900 and 1800MHz antennas, replace the
1800MHz antenna with a

22
dual band 1800MHz / 2GHz antenna
At sites with dual band 900/1800MHz antennas, replace the dual band
900/1800MHz
antenna with a tri-band 900/1800/2000MHz band antenna
Separate GSM and UTRAN antennas
This option is unlikely to be popular, for the same reasons previously
outlined for single band
networks upgrading to UTRAN coverage.
Dual band GSM/UTRAN antennas
A dual band GSM/UTRAN antenna can be used under two
circumstances:
At sites with a separate 1800MHz antenna, the 1800MHz band antenna
can be replaced by
a dual band 1800/2000MHz antenna
At sites with a dual band 900/1800MHz antenna, the dual band
900/1800MHz antenna can
be replaced by a single band 900MHz antenna and a dual band
1800/2000MHz antenna
Both options yield a 900/1800/2000MHz antenna system using two
antennas.
The previous comments about dual band GSM/UTRAN antennas in an
existing GSM single
band network also apply to existing dual band networks.
Tri band GSM/UTRAN antennas
To date, tri band antenna developments have been based on the use of
two arrays of radiating
elements, one array for the 900MHz band and one broadband array for
both the 1800MHz and
2GHz bands. Both arrays are contained in one radome.
This technique allows different electrical down-tilts for the 900MHz beam
and the combined
1800/2000MHz beam. This is reasonable since the propagation
characteristics at 1800MHz and
2GHz are similar, when compared with 900MHz propagation.
Tri band antennas are likely to be installed at sites which currently use dual
band 900/1800MHz
antennas. They allow the capability to provide service on 900MHz,
1800MHz, and 2GHz from a
single antenna system.
GSM to UMTS Transition RF Engineering Guideline
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23
See Notice on first page
81
As with the dual band GSM/UTRAN antenna, a similar 1800MHz and 2GHz
signal power
receive path division and transmit path combination is required. However,
in the case of the tri
band antenna, if a single 900/1800/2000MHz feeder (for each polarisation)
is used, it is also
necessary to:
In the equipment room, combine the transmit and divide the receive
900, 1800, &
2000MHz power
Due to the spacing between the three bands, frequency selective
broadband power
combiners with relatively low insertion loss (<1dB) can be used.
At the masthead, or within the tri band antenna:
Combine the received 900MHz power from the 900MHz antenna elements
with the 1800 &
2000MHz received power from the broadband 1800/2000MHz antenna
elements.
Divide the BTS transmit power at 900MHz from that at 1800 & 2000MHz,
and present it to
the 900MHz antenna elements, and the broadband 1800/2000MHz
antenna elements
respectively.
The power division/combining between the 900MHz and 1800/2000MHz
paths can be
implemented externally or within the antenna radome.
In addition to the standard choices of single or dual polarisation, azimuth
and elevation
beamwidth, and gain, some dual band GSM/UTRAN and tri band
antennas provide an internal
900MHz and 1800/2000MHz band diplexer (cross-band coupler).
The main configurations available for dual band GSM/UTRAN antenna
feeders are illustrated in
the following diagram:
GSM to UMTS Transition RF Engineering Guideline
82 Lucent Technologies
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Figure 16 Example configurations for dual band GSM/UTRAN antennas
Note: Dual polarisation antennas have been illustrated to demonstrate
the most complex

24
configuration, but they are not mandatory for dual GSM/UTRAN band
operation.
Tri band antenna with internal band diplexer
This combines the signals from both the 900MHz and 1800/2000MHz band
elements onto a
single mast feeder.
The advantages of a single feeder system are:
Mast/tower loading is similar to that for GSM operation
The same number of feeders is required as for GSM operation (no
additional feeders to
install when upgrading a GSM site for UTRAN operation)
Reduced justification for rental increase at leased sites
Reduced installation time
Reduced maintenance effort
No additional cable riser/duct/tray/ladder space required
GSM to UMTS Transition RF Engineering Guideline
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83
The disadvantages of a single feeder system are:
Because common feeders are used, the improved cell availability for
users of dual
standard GSM/UTRAN mobiles due to the redundancy arising from
provision of GSM and
UTRAN coverage is reduced
Losses incurred in the internal antenna band diplexer
Masthead pre-amplifiers cannot be added at their optimum position
(which is immediately
after the antenna)
Additional losses incurred in the cross-band combiner installed near the
base station
transceiver rack
Tri band antenna without internal band diplexer
This type of antenna has two separate ports: one for the 900MHz feeder
and one for the
1800/2000-MHz feeder.
It can be used with an external cross-band combiner to achieve a similar
effect to a dual band
GSM/UTRAN antenna with internal cross-band diplexer. However, this
approach requires
additional tails, and the components that are not housed within the
antenna require

25
weatherproof housing and mounting.
The relative advantages and disadvantages of using a dual band
antenna without internal
cross-band diplexer are the exact converse of those for an antenna with
the internal cross-band
diplexer.
GSM to UMTS Transition RF Engineering Guideline
Dual band and tri band GSM/UTRAN diplexers
Dual band and tri band diplexers are used to combine and divide two
and three (possibly
duplex) signal bands, so that more than one band can share a common
antenna or antenna
feeder.
Isolation between the ports for each band is necessary to avoid high
power transmit signals
from one band impairing the performance of the receiver(s) operating on
the other bands.
Dual band diplexers
Dual band diplexers may take the following configurations:
900MHz and 2GHz
1800MHz and 2GHz
Dual band diplexers are three port devices used for the following
purposes:
To combine a Band 1 signal on port one with a Band 2 signal on port
two, and present the
composite signal on port 3
To divide a composite Band 1 and Band 2 signal input on port 3, and
present the Band 1
signal on port one, and the Band 2 signal on port two
Provide inter port isolation between ports 1 and 2
Example
Assume that a base station site wishes to operate a GSM 900, GSM 1800,
and UTRAN BTS
using a single dual polar duplex antenna with a single port for 900, 1800,
and 2000MHz signals,
and an internal 900MHz and 1800-2000MHz diplexer.
A 1800MHz and 2GHz dual band diplexer can be used to combine the
signals from the GSM
1800 and UTRAN BTSs. A second dual band diplexer can be used at the
ground end of the
feeder to combine this signal with that from the GSM 900 BTS. This
configuration is shown in
the right of the following diagram.

26
If a dual band antenna without an internal diplexer is used with a single
900/1800/2000MHz
feeder, a second dual band diplexer with 900MHz and 1800-2000Morts
may be used at the
antenna end of the feeder. This second diplexer divides the 900MHz and
1800-2000MHz
signals from the common feeder and presents them to the appropriate
antenna ports. This
configuration is shown in the centre illustration in the following diagram

Tri band diplexers


A tri band diplexer is a four port device used for any of the following
purposes:
To combine a Band 1 signal on port one with a Band 2 signal on port
two and a Band 3
signal on port 3, and present the composite signal on port 4
To divide a composite Band 1, Band 2, and Band 3 signal input on port
4, and present the
Band 1 signal on port one, the Band 2 signal on port two, and the Band 3
signal on port 3
Provide inter port isolation between ports 1, 2 and 3
The tri band diplexer can be used instead of two separate dual band
diplexers (one for
1800MHz and 2000MHz and one for 900MHz and 1800-2000MHz). This
simplifies design,
installation and maintenance.
Typical performance figures for a tri band diplexer are:
Pass band
- Port 1 880-960MHz, Port 2 1710-1850MHz, Port 3 1900-2170MHz
Return loss >20dB
Insertion loss
- Port 1 <0.2dB, Port 2 <0.5dB, Port 3 <0.5dB
Inter-band isolation >60dB
Continuous power through each port 200W (CW)
Intermodulation 7th order product
- Port 1 <-160dBc, Port 2 <-160dBc, Port 3 <-175dB
Intermodulation 3rd order product
- Port 1 <-155dBc, Port 2 <-155dBc, Port 3 Not Applicable
Intermodulation 2nd order product
- Port 1 <-160dBc, Port 2 <-160dBc, Port 3 Not Applicable
Size 230 x 120 x 55mm
Connectors 7/16 female

27
Operating temperature 40 to +850C

Issue 1.1 - July 2000 Lucent Technologies


Radio Network Controller
The Radio Network Controller (RNC) performs similar functions to the Base
Station Controller
(BSC) in a GSM network. It is usually positioned at the centre of a
coverage region and has
three principal interfaces:
Core network (Iu) interface through which it communicates with the
Mobile Switching Centre
(MSC) for circuit switched traffic, and the Serving GPRS Support Node
(SGSN) for packet
data, both via Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) interfaces at the MSC
and SGSN
respectively
Neighbouring RNC (Iur) interface through which it communicates with
surrounding RNCs
when the serving RNC requires radio resources from cells controlled by a
neighbouring
RNC to maintain a connection on the air interface (for example, in soft
handover)
Base Transceiver Station (Iub) interface through which it communicates
with the BTSs (Node
Bs) that it controls
The RNC also provides interfaces to the Operations and Maintenance
Centre (OMC) terminal,
Local Maintenance Test Terminal (LMTT), and Short Message Service Cell
Broadcast Centre
(SMS-CB).
The primary tasks of the radio network controller are to control:
Handover decisions that require signalling to the mobile
Combining and splitting in support of the macro diversity available
from using multiple BTSs
to maintain a communication channel with the mobile
Assignment of radio resources from one or more BTSs (either locally
controlled by the
same RNC or controlled from a neighbouring RNC)
The RNC rack layout and architecture block diagram is shown in the
following diagram:

28
Data on
3G
An Introduction to the Third Generation

By Mobile Life streams

29
See also
http://www.mobile3G.com

Issue Date: 1st February 2000

Copyright 1999, 2000 Mobile Life streams


Limited

30
1. Introduction The telecommunications world is changing
as the trends of media convergence,
industry consolidation, Internet and Internet Protocol (IP) technologies and
mobile communications collide into one. Significant change will be
bought about by this rapid evolution in technology, with Third Generation
mobile Internet technology a radical departure from that that came
before in the first and even the second generations of mobile technology.
Some of the changes include:

People will look at their mobile phone as much as they hold it to their
ear. As such, 3G will be less safe than previous generations- because
television and other multimedia services tend to attract attention to
themselves- instead of hands-free kits, we will need eyes-free kits!

Data (non-voice) uses of 3G will be as important as and very


different from the traditional voice business

Mobile communications will be similar in its capability to fixed


communications, such that many people will only have a mobile
phone

The mobile phone will be used as an integral part of the majority of


peoples lives- it will not be an added accessory but a core part of
how they conduct their daily lives. The mobile phone will become akin
to a remote control or magic wand that lets people do what they
want when they want

As with all new technology standards, there is uncertainty and the fear of
displacement. Third Generation (3G) mobile is topical and contentious for
several reasons:

Because the nature and form of mobile communications is so radically


changed, many people do not understand how to make money in the
nonvoice world, and do not understand their role in it

3G licenses have started being awarded around the world,


necessitating that existing mobile communications companies in the
2G world think about and justify their continued existence

31
3G is based on a different technology platform- Code Division Multiple
Access (CDMA)- that is unlike the Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)
technology that is widely used in the 2G world. GSM (Global System for
Mobile Communications) was based on TDMA technology

The US, Japanese and European mobile players all have different
technology competences and are now unified in this single standard-
the separate wireless evolution paths and European wireless leadership
are thereby challenged

Japanese network operators will be the first to implement 3G networks


in the year 2001, and Japanese terminal manufacturers, who have not
had much market share outside their home market, will be first with 3G
terminals

Many industry analysts and other pundits have questioned the return
on an investment in 3G technology- questioning whether network
operators will be able to earn an adequate return on the capital
deployed in acquiring and rolling out a 3G network.

Many media and Internet companies have shown a strong interest in


using 3G technologies as a new channel to distribute their content,
opening the opportunity for new entrants and new partnerships and
value chains.

Summary of Mobile Life streams View on 3G

As detailed in its full Data on 3G report, Mobile Life streams believes


relating to 3G:

3G can be thought of as 2.5G services such as GPRS plus


entertainment (games, video, mobile multimedia) plus new terminals.
3G brings with it significantly more bandwidth. Whereas GPRS terminals
will have the same range of form factors as todays 2G phones do,
many 3G terminals will be video centric.

There is a clear business case for investing in 3G for existing network


operators that are facing congested 2G networks. Voice traffic over
3G networks will be the cash cow that supports and ensures the 3G

32
business case can pay for itself. The main positive (rather than
defensive) reason for mobile network operators to secure 3G network
licenses is to solve capacity issues in terms of enabling far greater call
capacity than todays digital mobile networks allow.

Non voice (data) traffic will also be huge, with new mobile multimedia
applications such as mobile postcards, movies and music driving new
applications and services along with corporate applications.
Applications and services available through the Internet, intranet and
extranet will drive the interest in and traffic on 3G networks.

Providing that network operators adopt an open model to all Internet


traffic, the business case for 3G fuelled by both greater data and voice
traffic is clear and Mobile Life streams is confident that the business
case for winning and rolling out a 3G network is compelling. If the
network operator insists upon a closed model in which data traffic is
funneled primarily through its own in-house portal or limits access to its
customers for eCommerce and other Internet services, the business
case is endangered.

Third Generation technology is essential- think about the huge change


that will happen in the next five years from todays rudimentary and
crude text based if elegant services such as Short Message Service to
moving video clips.

It is often assumed that early adopters will be corporate customers for


3G, but Mobile Life streams expects that since consumer electronics
devices as their name suggests appeal to consumer markets and will
have 3G built in. Mobile multimedia- games, entertainment and the
like are much more consumer oriented that the buttoned down sober
suited business people. Mobile Life streams expects 3G to be a
consumer revolution and not a corporate one.

Many people will not have a fixed phone at home. Preventing this until
now has been the slow speed of mobile data in 2G and even so called
2.5G technology that has made Internet access the principle
application for home phones.

There will be a lot of suppliers of mobile terminals as Japanese, mobile


handheld computer manufacturers (Palm, Microsoft), information
appliance and IT suppliers enter the global mobile terminal market.
Mobile enabled devices will proliferate as all portable consumer
electronics devices get mobile communications (and short range
wireless communications) technology built-in. The successful handset

33
vendors will be those that can deliver new products rapidly and
reliably.

Given the fragmented market for wireless phones, alliances and


mergers between Korean, Japanese, European and American mobile
phone and consumer electronics manufacturers will continue and
accelerate since few if any companies have all the enabling
technologies in-house from video to camera to mobile to interfaces.
Smaller players in all of these sectors will continue to consolidate, as
companies such as Sagem and Benefon (with data skills and location
centric smart phones respectively) are acquired to gain better
distribution for their technologies.

3G terminals will be very significantly more complex than todays GSM


phones, because of the need to support video, more storage, multiple
modes and new software and interfaces, better battery life and so on.
Given that the biggest single inhibitor of take up of new services such
as Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) and High Speed Circuit
Switched Data (HSCSD) has already proven to be a lack of handsets,
and given that every stage in the data evolution path for GSM from
today to 3G requires a new handset, once again we see that terminals
are mission critical and their timely volume availability will be critical
factor in determining when 3G is a success.

Partnerships will increasingly develop between (US based) Internet, IT


and IP companies, traditional mobile communications vendors (from
Europe and the USA) and (Japanese) consumer electronics
manufacturers. Different regions have different strengths and are likely
to leverage them through strategic alliances.

From a network operator technology point of view, the introduction of


packet data services such as GPRS to circuit switched networks is more
challenging than the move from GPRS to 3G- this is because GPRS is
the first time addition of packet capability to a circuit switched
network, whereas 3G is the addition of more packet.

From an end user point of view, the move from GPRS to 3G is much
more revolutionary than the move from Second Generation data
services to GPRS. GPRS allows the mobile network to catch up with the
data bandwidths available over fixed telecommunications networks,
whereas 3G provides unprecedented bandwidth for mobile users, so

34
much bandwidth that new applications will need to be invented to use
it.

3. The standards for 3G Third Generation (3G) is the


mobile phone systems that
will be begin to be available commercially in the year 2001/2. The idea
behind 3G is to unify the disparate standards that todays second
generation wireless networks use. Instead of different network types being
adopted in The Americas, Europe and Japan, the plan is for a single
network standard to be agreed and implemented.

3G STANDARDIZATION PROCESS In 1998, the International


Telecommunications Union (ITU)
(see www.itu.int) called for Radio Transmission Technology (RTT) proposals
for IMT-2000 (originally called Future Public Land Mobile
Telecommunications Systems (FPLMTS)), the formal name for the Third
Generation standard. Many different proposals were submitted: the DECT
and TDMA/ Universal Wireless Communications organizations submitted
plans for the RTT to be TDMA-based, whilst all other proposals for non-
satellite based solutions were based on wideband CDMA- the main
submissions were called Wideband CDMA (WCDMA) and cdma2000. The
ETSI/ GSM players including infrastructure vendors such as Nokia and
Ericsson backed WCDMA. The North American CDMA community, led by
the CDMA Development Group (CDG) including infrastructure vendors
such as Qualcomm and Lucent Technologies, backed cdma2000.

3GPP In December 1998, the Third Generation Partnership Project


(3GPP) was created following an agreement between six
standards setting bodies around the world including ETSI, ARIB and TIC of
Japan, ANSI of the USA and the TTA of Korea. This unprecedented
cooperation into standards setting made 3GPP responsible for preparing,
approving and maintaining the Technical Specifications and Reports for a
Third Generation mobile system based on evolved GSM core networks
and the Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and Time Division Duplex (TDD)
radio access technology. For example, ETSI SMG2 activities on UMTS have
been fully transferred to 3GPP. The Chinese and the CDMA Development
Group were unfortunately not original members of the 3GPP.

35
In the first half of 1999, much progress was made in agreeing a global IMT-
2000 standard that met the political and commercial requirements of the
various technology protagonists- GSM, CDMA and TDMA. In late March
1999, Ericsson purchased Qualcomms CDMA infrastructure division and
Ericsson and Qualcomm licensed each others key Intellectual Property
Rights and agreed to the ITUs family of networks compromise to the
various standards proposals.

3 AIR INTERFACE MODES The proposed IMT-2000 standard for


Third Generation mobile networks
globally is a CDMA-based standard that
encompasses THREE OPTIONAL modes of operation, each of which should
be able to work over both GSM MAP and IS-41 network architectures. The
three modes are:

Mo Title Origin Supporters


de
1 IMT DS Based on the first Japans ARIB (Association of
WCDMA operational mode of Radio Industries and
Direct ETSIs UTRA (3G Businesses, the Japanese
Spread FDD Terrestrial Radio Access) standards setting body) and
(Frequency RTT proposal. GSM network operators and
Division vendors.
Duplex) To be deployed in Japan
and Europe.
2 IMT MC Based on the cdma2000 CDMA One operators and
cdma2000 RTT proposal from the US members of the CDMA
Multi-Carrier Telecommunications Development Group
FDD Industry Association (CDG). Likely to be
(Frequency (TIA). Consists of the deployed in the USA.
Division 1XRTT and 3XRTT
Duplex) components
3 IMT TC The second operational Harmonized with Chinas
UTRA TDD mode of ETSIs UTRA (3G TD-SCDMA RTT proposal.
(Time Division Terrestrial Radio Access) Probably will be deployed
Duplex) RTT proposal. An in China.
unpaired band solution
to better facilitate
indoor cordless
communications.

36
TABLE 2: SOURCE MOBILE LIFESTREAMS

As can be seen from the table above, there are several different names
for each of the air interface modes, and furthermore, new names are
regularly introduced! For the sake of this book, we refer to WCDMA,
cdma2000 and FDD wherever possible, and refer to UWC 136 and UMTS
separately.

In fact, strictly speaking, the final ITU recommendations for IMT-2000


stipulated five terrestrial radio interface standards when DECT (IMT FT) and
EDGE (IMT SC or IWC 136) are included. EDGE and DECT will NOT be the
topic of this introduction to 3G.

There are three radio interface modes with two (existing) major core
network standards- GSM MAP and TIA IS-41 (from Telecommunications
Industry Association, a US standards setting body). The core network is the
physical network infrastructure to which the radio access network is
connected in a mobile network. A radio access network is the portion of a
mobile network that handles subscriber access, including radio base
stations and other nodes.

3G DATA RATES
The International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
has laid down some indicative minimum
requirements for the data speeds that the IMT-2000 standards must
support. These requirements are defined according to the degree of
mobility involved when the 3G call is being made. As such, the data rate
that will available over 3G will depend upon the environment the call is
being made in:

High Mobility 144 kbps for rural outdoor mobile use. This data
rate is available for environments in which the 3G
user is traveling more than 120 kilometers per hour in outdoor
environments. Let us hope that the 3G user is in a train and not driving
along and trying to use their 3G terminal at such speeds.

Full Mobility
37
384 kbps for pedestrian users traveling less than 120 kilometers per hour in
urban outdoor environments.

Limited At least 2 Mbps with low mobility (less than 10


kilometers per hour) in stationary indoor and
short range outdoor environments These kinds
of maximum data rates that are often talked about when illustrating the
potential for 3G technology will only therefore be available in stationary
indoor environments.

4. 3G Network Nodes 3G networks will require new


radio and core network
elements:

RADIO NETWORK A new air interface is needed for 3G. This will
require new Base Station Systems (BSSs).
Specifically, the BSS changes needed are:

The 3G radio access network will comprise a RNC (Radio Network


Controller) and Node B.

RADIO NETWORK CONTROLLER A Radio Network Controller


(RNC) will replace the Base
Station Controller. The RNC
will include support for
connection to legacy systems and provide efficient packet connection
with the core network packet devices (SSGN or equivalent). The RNC
performs radio network control functions that include call establishment
and release, handover, radio resource management, power control,
diversity combining and soft handover.

NODE B

38
A Node B is equivalent to a Base Station in the 2G network but also
incorporates support for the 3G air interfaces.

CELL PLANNING New cell planning methods will be needed to


support the new frequency allocations for 3G
and the radio interface changes- more 3G base stations will be needed
compared to the comparable 2G coverage area. This gives an
advantage to GSM 1800 and 1900 network operators whose cells already
cover a smaller coverage area than those for GSM 900 networks. GSM 900
network operators will need to fill in coverage in between existing cell
sites.

CORE NETWORK
The 3G core network will be an evolution from
GPRS or equivalent 2.5G core network systems.
GPRS nodes such as the Serving GPRS Support
Node (SGSN) and Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) are described in
detail in Data on GPRS from Mobile Lifestreams. Upgrades to the mobile
and transit switching systems to deliver packets will also be needed.

A new piece of network infrastructure for 3G is Media Gateways (MGW)


that resides at the boundary between different networks to process end
user data such as voice coding and decoding, convert protocols and
map quality of service. The connectivity layer also provides access to
backbone switches and non-mobile networks such as Cable Television. In
some vendor solutions, MGWs are controlled remotely by the Mobile
Switching Centre (MSC) and GSN servers by means of the Gateway
Control Protocol. The ITU Study Group 16 and the IETF Megaco H.248 are
working to ensure the GCP is an open standard protocol.

Existing network operators can then upgrade their Mobile Switching


Centre (MSC) and GSNs to implement 3G OR ALTERNATIVELY to
implement a new standalone MGW that is controlled from the server part
of an upgraded 2G node.

BACKBONE NETWORK The radio network will be connected to the


core network by a backbone network
allowing wideband access and
interconnection of subscribers. The 3G backbone network can use any

39
transport technology but is certain to be based on packet technologies
such as Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) and Internet Protocol (IP). The
backbone network is built as a mesh of IP routing or ATM switching nodes
interconnected by point to point links. Technologies such as IP over ATM
may be used that uses ATM switching to multiplex IP traffic. This IP over
ATM architecture supports voice traffic alongside IP. Many vendors prefer
a pure end to end IP approach whereas others (such as Fujitsu profiled
below) prefer an ATM/ IP hybrid to guarantee quality of service.

Alternatively, IP over SONET/ SDH is a different backbone network solution


that eliminates the ATM layer by establishing point to point links between
IP routers directly over SONET/ SDH rings which run over a Dense
Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) layer that enables Terabits per
second (Tbits/s) of aggregate network bandwidth.

SUPPORT SYSTEM CHANGES Of course, platforms and systems such


as the value added service centers,
gateways, billing systems, customer service elements, Intelligent Network
systems and the like will also need to be upgraded. Once again, this is
likely to be an evolution from 2.5G data centric services such as GPRS
where packet charging elements and so on where introduced.

There may also need to be a change in personnel as more applications


specialists, alliance managers, Internet sector managers and the like are
hired to develop content and applications over 3G networks.

40
5. Timescales for 3G When a new service is introduced,
there are a number of stages
before it becomes established. 3G service developments will include
standardization, infrastructure development, network trials, contracts
placed, network roll out, availability of terminals, application
development, and so on. These stages for 3G are shown in Table 4 below:

Date Milestone
Throughout 3G radio interface standardization took place, and initial 3G
1999 live demonstrations of infrastructure and concept terminals
shown
2000 Continuing standardization with network architectures,
terminal requirements and detailed standards
May 2000 The formal approval of the IMT-2000 Recommendations will
be made at the ITU Radio communication Assembly in early
May
2000 3G licenses are awarded by governments around Europe
and Asia
2001 3G trials and integration commence

2001 3G launched in Japan by NTT DoCoMo

Summer of First trial 3G services become available in Europe


2001
Start of 2002 Basic 3G capable terminals begin to be available in
commercial quantities
Throughout -Network operators launch 3G services commercially and
2002 roll out 3G.
-Vertical market and executive 3G early adopters begin
using 3G regularly for non voice mobile communications
2002/3 New 3G specific applications, greater network capacity
solutions, more capable terminals become available,
fuelling 3G usage
2004 3G will have arrived commercially and reached critical
mass in both corporate and consumer sectors.

TABLE 4- SOURCE MOBILE LIFESTREAMS

41
6. 3G Specific Applications

There are several applications that will be enabled by the broadband


bandwidth that will come with 3G. These applications include:

AUDIO Audio or video over the Internet is downloaded (transferred,


stored and played) or streamed (played as it is being sent
but not stored). The later tends to be of lower quality than
the former. Content is transferred using various different compression
algorithms such as those from Microsoft or Real Networks or the MPEG-1
Audio Layer 3 (better known as MP3) protocol. In fact, MP3 is a codec- a
compression/ decompression algorithm. MP3 was invented in 1987 in
Germany and approved by the Moving Pictures Experts Group, a part of
the International Organization for Standardization, in 1992.

With 3G, MP3 files will be downloadable over the air directly to your
phone via a dedicated server. There are numerous business models to
allow both the network providers as well as the copyright owners of the
MP3 material to benefit financially. Mobile Lifestreams expects that the
integration of mobile telephony with everyday consumer products will
emerge within the next four years to the extent that we will be able to
retrieve data be it voice, Internet or Music anytime, anyplace through
the next generation of mobile devices.

Mobile phones with MP3 built-in from Samsung and with add on MP3
modules from Ericsson have already been demonstrated in late 1999 and
are expected to be commercially available during the year 2000. These
devices are shown in the next section below.

The era of downloading multimedia content from the Internet over fixed
telecommunications and cable links to PCs is only just beginning and is
dependent upon bandwidth to a large degree- with quality of image and
availability of service inversely proportionate to the amount of available
bandwidth.

42
Due to bandwidth constraints, currently, users go online and downloaded
files to their portable device over the fixed network which are then
watched and listened to a later date- there is no real time audio and
video streaming over mobile networks.

Since even short voice clips occupy large file sizes, high speed mobile
data services are needed to enable mobile audio applications. The
higher the bandwidth, the better- hence the attractiveness of 3G for
mobile multimedia applications such as mobile audio and video.

VOICE OVER INTERNET PROTOCOL Another audio application


for 3G is Voice over IP (VoIP)-
the ability to route telephone calls over the Internet to provide voice
telephony service at local call rates to anywhere in the world. With 3G
and higher rate 2.5G technologies such as EDGE, VoIP will be available for
the first time on mobile phones. To make a voice call, Voice Over IP can
be used as an alternative to regular service. The irony here being is that
voice has now become an application- and a very popular one- in its
own right!

VoIP is not however a replacement for standard voice services since VoIP
services are bandwidth demanding- there needs to be a high switching
rate on the IP backbone to minimize the very high likelihood of delayed
and lost packets.

STILL IMAGES
Still images such as photographs, pictures, letters,
postcards, greeting cards, presentations and static web pages can be
sent and received over mobile networks just as they are across fixed
telephone networks.

Two variables affect the usability of such applications- bandwidth and


time- and they are inversely related. The faster the bandwidth, the less
time is needed to transmit images, and vice versa. This is the reason why
transmission of image based rather than textual information has not been
a popular non voice mobile application until now- it takes too long given

43
the slow data transmission speeds that were available prior to the
introduction of mobile packet data.

Once captured, images can then be sent directly to Internet sites,


allowing near real-time desktop publishing. The size of the file for a picture
depends on the resolution and type of compression. Typically each
picture is between 50K and 100K in the JPEG format. This can be
transmitted quickly using mobile packet data.

Still image transmission is a much touted application for lower packet


data services such as GPRS and beyond. Many people see still images as
a killer compelling application for GPRS.

Whilst a picture paints a thousand words, and this amount of text can
easily be handled by GPRS, we expect the single image to be used
instead!

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MOVING IMAGES
Sending moving images in a mobile
environment has several vertical market
applications including (monitor sensor triggered) monitoring parking lots or
building sites for intruders or thieves, and sending images of patients from
an ambulance to a hospital. Videoconferencing applications, in which
teams of distributed sales people can have a regular sales meeting
without having to go to a particular physical location, is another
application for moving images that is similar to the document sharing/
collaborative working applications reviewed below. Skeptics argue that
vertical markets dont need video and consumer s dont want it.
However, with the Internet becoming a more multimedia environment, 3G
will be able displaying those images and accessing web services.

The transmission of moving images is one of the applications that GPRS


and 3G terminal and infrastructure vendors routinely and repeatedly tout
as a compelling application area that will be enabled by greater data
rates. And they are not incorrect to do so. However, it must be noted that
even demonstrations of one megabyte of data over the air using
Microsoft NetMeeting to perform a video conference facility do not
deliver smooth broadcast quality video images. However, improving
compression techniques should allow acceptable quality video images to
be transmitted using 64 kbps of bandwidth.

Whilst videophones have failed to alight the publics imagination on fixed


networks, this could be a function of the fact that a videophone is only as
good as the number of other people who have one too. Corporations
with several people with video capable mobile phones could easily hold
virtual remote sales meetings between all their regional sales
representatives.

As such, whilst we are confident that still images such as pictures and
postcards will be a significant application for GPRS, moving images may
not be of high enough quality initially to elevate the communication
above the medium. Users could spend all their time adjusting the size of
the image on their screen and trying to work out what they are seeing.

This is where 3G comes in- once again, the bandwidth uplift it enables
allows for high quality image transmission over the mobile network. As
such, we see all moving video and image transmission application
migrating to the 3G bearer as soon as it becomes available. By the time
3G is here, full length moves could be downloadable from Internet sites.

45
VIRTUAL HOME ENVIRONMENT

A Universal Mobile Telephone


Service (UMTS) service that is often mentioned in the vendors brochures is
so called Virtual Home Environment (VHE), a service that simply lets
customers have seamless access with a common look and feel to their
services from home, office or on the move and in any city as if they were
at home. VHE is therefore aimed at roamers (a small subset of total mobile
phone users).

VHE could also allow some other more useful services by placing their
Universal Identity Module (UIM) into ANY terminal- and those terminals
could be something other than mobile devices if smart cards are more
widely supported than they are today.

Virtual Home Environment could hardly be described as a killer


application though, especially since email and other services are
increasingly available worldwide as the Internet becomes more
widespread and services migrate to the Internet and can therefore be
accessed from any Internet browser- with or without a smart card!

In general, smart cards are hyped beyond their usefulness. They have very
limited storage capability (64 K counts for being the state of the art!!!!!!!!!!!)
but are useful in switching devices (users are likely to have multiple
devices in different form factors in the 3G world) and for non-mobile
applications such as identification and security for mobile banking and
the like.

ELECTRONIC AGENTS

Electronic agents are a technology that Mobile Lifestreams believes will


pay an important role for mobile working in the future- as agents are
dispatched to carry out searches and tasks on the Internet and report
back to their owners. This is an efficient way to get things done on the
move.

Electronic agents are defined as "mobile programs that go to places in


the network to carry out their owners' instructions. They can be thought of
as extensions of the people who dispatch them." Agents are "self-
contained programs that roam communications networks delivering and
receiving messages or looking for information or services."

46
Certainly, 3G terminals will give their owners much more control over their
lives than todays mobile phones. They will be e Assistants, e Secretaries, e
Advisors and e Administrators. This kind of control is what Home
Automation applications anticipate. Indeed Orange in the UK has a vision
expects that within ten years, our mobiles will be waking us up, reading
out our emails, ordering our groceries, telling us the best route to work,
reminding us and translating our conference calls. The key question is the
extent to which these processes are human initiated or computer
generated and controlled and the extent to which devices can learn
individual preferences and act accordingly.

DOWNLOADING SOFTWARE In the twenty-first century,


software will increasingly be
downloaded electronically from
the Internet rather than purchased as boxed product in stores. This is a like
file transfer applications that involve downloading the software itself. You
might for example need WinZip or Abode Acrobat to read a file- and can
download that over the 3G network to your 3G terminal.

Downloading software has several advantages because it is:

Environmentally friendly: there is no packaging to throw away or store.

Quick and convenient: downloadable products are delivered direct to


your computing device. It arrives in minutes, not days.

Value for money: you pay no delivery charges.

Download Times

Download times vary depending on the speed of your modem and the
size of the application. Typical download times vary from 10 minutes to
two hours.

Here are download times for a 5 Megabyte (MB) application:

Download Time
Connection Speed
Very fast corporate type connection (e.g. T1) 30 seconds
Corporate type connection (e.g. ISBN) 12 minutes

47
Typical home modem (e.g. 28.8 modem) 104 minutes

Sites such as beyond.com and Mobiledatashop.com from Mobile


Lifestreams offer many software products for immediate electronic
download. Additionally, the Application Service Provision (ASP) market in
which software platforms and server software is being hosted by third
parties and accessed by client software mimics this thin client world in
which the bandwidth is high enough for applications and files to be
retrieved from the Internet on the fly whenever they are needed.

Since it relies on the bandwidth that 3G provides, 3G is likely to be the key


bearer for downloading software.

By
7. Optimal Bearer by Applications designing
application
s to minimize the effects of the limitations of existing mobile services- such
as the length of a short message or the speed of a Circuit Switched Data
call- existing nonvoice mobile services can often be successfully used for
mobile working. However, many nonvoice applications are graphics
intensive and the new faster data services such as 3G will allow BETTER
VERSIONS of todays existing nonvoice applications.

It is often assumed that early adopters will be corporate customers for 3G,
but Mobile Lifestreams expects that since consumer electronics devices as
their name suggests appeal to consumer markets and will have 3G built
in. Mobile multimedia- games, entertainment and the like are much more
consumer oriented that the buttoned down sober suited business people.
Mobile Lifestreams expects 3G to be a consumer revolution and not a
corporate one.

The most ideal bearer for each application- 3G, GPRS or the Short
Message Service (SMS).- is an important question we will consider next.

The optimal bearer for each type of application will be:

Application Preferred Bearer


Voice over IP (VoIP) 3G
Moving Images 3G
File Transfer 3G

48
Downloading Software 3G
Virtual Home Environment 3G
Web Browsing GPRS/ 3G
Document Sharing/ Collaborative Working GPRS/ 3G
Audio GPRS/ HSCSD/ 3G
Home Automation GPRS/ 3G
Remote LAN Access GPRS/ 3G
Electronic Agents GPRS/ 3G
Dynamic Authoring GPRS/ 3G
Job Dispatch GPRS
Still Images GPRS
Information Services- Qualitative GPRS
Unified Messaging SMS/ GPRS
Internet Email SMS/ GPRS
Chat SMS/ GPRS
Remote Monitoring SMS/ GPRS
Instant Messaging SMS/ GPRS
Mobile banking SMS/ GPRS
Corporate email SMS/ GPRS
Information Services- Quantitative SMS
Affinity programs SMS
Simple Person to Person Messaging SMS
Voice and fax mail notifications SMS
Prepayment SMS
Ringtones SMS
Electronic commerce SMS
Customer Service SMS
Vehicle Positioning SMS
Over The Air SMS
People Location SMS
Remote Point of Sale Circuit Switched Data

SOURCE: MOBILE LIFESTREAMS

Of course, stating optimal and primary bearers does not mean that
handset vendors, network operators, application developers and
customers will not develop all kinds of applications using all kinds of
bearers. However, these bearers are considered to be the optimal means
to deliver the customers requirements in the most efficient and
convenient way.

49
With any new service, it is an
8. Initial 3G Traffic important part of the business case
to estimate what the applications
for that technology will be. We believe that the business case for any
network operator for Third Generation (3G) is compelling. The more
popular nonvoice applications using Third Generation (3G) are expected
to be:

Rankin Application
g Bearer
1 Voice over IP (VoIP) 3G
2 Moving Images 3G
3 Remote LAN Access GPRS/ 3G
4 File Transfer 3G
5 Downloading Software 3G
6 Web Browsing GPRS/ 3G
7 Audio GPRS/ HSCSD/ 3G
8 Document Sharing/ Collaborative GPRS/ 3G
Working
9 Home Automation GPRS/ 3G
10 Electronic Agents GPRS/ 3G
11 Dynamic Authoring GPRS/ 3G
12 Virtual Home Environment 3G

50
SOURCE: MOBILE LIFESTREAMS

The first of the applications listed will be popular partly because


they are widespread over fixed telephone networks but have
previously not been readily or fully available over mobile
networks. The Internet and email are already in place today-
Third Generation (3G) will allow them to be made fully wirefree
and available everywhere. The applications ranked further
down the list lack current popularity in the fixed
communications world and lack widespread availability of
specific software solutions.

Whilst these applications are technically feasible or high speed mobile


data services such as Third Generation (3G), the volume of usage is
dependent upon commercial factors such as pricing. It is expected that
Third Generation (3G) will incorporate volume-based charging such that
only the data sent will be charged for, paving the way for widespread
usage amongst customers with Third Generation (3G) capable devices.

51
14. 3G Mobile Terminals
As shown and described in
detail in Mobile Lifestreams 3G Terminals report, there are common
trends in 3G terminals:

Bigger and better screen technology- screens will be color which


unusual today and have be bright and have considerably larger
screen areas in many cases than todays phones.

Video is central to the technology demonstration- of course,


multimedia is the biggest single new understandable thing about 3G.
Videoconferencing is an application that many of the concept
terminals anticipates.

Consumer electronics and mobile phones converge, as cameras are


built into mobile phones. The majority of these devices include built-in
miniature cameras.

The most popular form factor that has been shown in the 3G concept
devices is the video palm- a device form factor that can be held in
one hand and supports video applications with varying small, medium
or large screen sizes.

Nearly all of the devices are in form factors that are familiar to us
today- we may use the phone for different things and in different ways,
but it will probably look similar to todays mobile phones

The broadband bandwidth on 3G networks enables mobile multimedia as


will the devices. When the networks and the devices are in harmony and
the customer is king, the Three Dimensions of the Third Generation will
enough a level of applications and services never before possible on
mobile networks.

52
Shown below are a couple of the 3G Concept devices from NTT DoCoMo,
a Japanese mobile network operator. On the left is a video phone built
into a walking stick and on the right is a Visor Phone that you wear like
glasses and watch like television!

Welcome to the FutureFoneZone!

53
9. 3G Contracts Awarded
Country Network Operator Date announced 3G Supplier
Australia Telstra 23MAY99 Lucent
(WCMA)
Australia One.Tel 23NOV99 Lucent

Canada NA Ericsson

Canada Micro cell/ GSM NA Nortel


Alliance
(WCDMA)
France France Telecom Alcatel and Nortel
(WCDMA) Ericsson switches,
Alcatel and Nortel
base stations
France Cegetel Nortel
(WCDMA)
Germany Mannesmann D2 01JUL98 Ericsson

Germany T-Mobil D1 01JUL98 Ericsson

Hong Kong Smart one NA Ericsson


(WCDMA)
Hong Kong Hong Kong Telecom NA Nokia
(WCDMA)
Italy Telecom Italia NA Ericsson
Mobile
Japan NTT DoCoMo NA Nokia
(supply of WDMA
terminals)
Japan NTT DoCoMo NA Motorola
(WCMA TERMINALS)
DDI/ IDO NA Motorola
Japan (WCDMA)
Japan NTT DoCoMo NA Siemens
(WCDMA)
Japan NTT DoCoMo NA Nortel
(WCDMA)
Japan DDI/ ICO NA Lucent
(cdma2000)

54
Japan NTT DoCoMo 28APR99 Ericsson

Japan NT DoCoMo 26APR99 Lucent


(WCDMA)
Korea SK Telecom NA Nokia
(WCDMA)
Sweden Telia NA Ericsson

USA AT&T Wireless NA Lucent


(UWC 136)
USA Bell Atlantic NA Lucent
(cdma2000)
USA Sprint PCS NA Lucent
(cdma2000)
UK Vodafone 23FEB99 Motorola
(WCDMA)
UK Vodafone 15OCT98 Lucent
(WCDMA)
UK Orange 10FEB99 Lucent
(WCDMA)
UK Vodafone Ericsson Nortel
(WCDMA)
UK BT Ericsson Nortel
(WCDMA)
UK Vodafone 22APR99 Ericsson

USA Sprint PCS NA Motorola


(cdma2000)
USA Sprint PCS NA Nortel
(cdma2000)
USA NA Ericsson

USA AirTouch NA Nortel


(cdma2000)
Venezuela Movilnet (TDMA) 13DEC99 Ericsson

Updates to this information are posted regularly on www.mobile3G.com


from Mobile Lifestreams.

55
Comparison of 3G Infrastructure Suppliers

CUST DATA AIRLINKS ACQ PARTNER GPRS


S

Alcatel LOW LOW LOW MED HIGH LOW

Ericsson HIGH MED HIGH LOW LOW MED

Lucent HIGH MED HIGH HIGH LOW LOW

Motorola MED MED HIGH LOW HIGH HIGH

Nokia MED HIGH MED LOW LOW MED

Nortel HIGH LOW MED HIGH MED LOW

Siemens LOW LOW LOW MED MED LOW

SOURCE: MOBILE LIFESTREAMS

Note: A rating of High denotes a better ranking than MED and so on.

CUSTOMERS (CUST). Denotes the number of network operators that


is working with the infrastructure supplier for 3G.
Ericsson, Nortel and Lucent established early leads in announcing 3G
network operator trials. Siemens and Alcatel have yet to make much mark
in the terms of 3G trial contracts, and Nokia and Motorola are only
working with a couple of network operators.

It is interesting that Nortel and Lucent who have made large IP related
acquisitions (Bay Networks and Ascend respectively) have done well with
3G whilst making little inroads into the GPRS market.

56
DATA
(DATA). Denotes the data centricity of the vendor. Each of
the vendors has pursued a different strategy relating to support of non
voice mobile services such as the Short Message Service (SMS) and Circuit
Switched Data in the past. Clearly, these partnerships and this is house
knowledge will affect the vendors willingness and ability to develop
complete and compelling 3G applications. Only Nokia is rated highly in
this category since it has pioneered the use of Circuit Switched Data and
the Short Message Service much more proactively than any other vendor.
It has lead the way in terms of man machine interface on its terminals,
support in its terminals for non voice services such as confirmation of
message delivery and picture messaging and Smart Messaging.

Nortel Networks has not been very active in the non voice field in the past,
other than through partnerships and reseller relations rather than in-house
developments. Nortel is however highly committed to mobile IP networks
with core networks based on IP and IP based services and applications.

Motorola pioneered iDEN technology and paging technologies as well as

dual slot mobile phones. Ericssons approach to non voice has not been

proactive- the terminals have had poor man machine interfaces and the

platforms have either been weak or technology oriented- Web on Air,

wireless Jalda and other ecommerce technologies. Both Siemens and

Alcatel have partnered with Phone.com for WAP services, but done little

else in the non voice field. Lucent has developed a superb concept

platform called the Wireless Data Server, as well as being active in the

CDPD market.

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AIR LINKS

(AIRLINKS). Denotes the extent to which the vendor supports multiple

airline standards. Alcatel, Nokia and Siemens are primarily GSM vendors.

Motorola supports multiple air links such as GSM, TACS, AMPS, DAMPS, PHS,

CDMA, but not TDMA. Ericsson, Lucent and Nortel are all worldwide

vendors of all kinds of air link systems. Ericsson has not traditionally

delivered CDMA technology, but its recent acquisition of Qualcomm

infrastructure division has changed this situation.

All of the profiled manufacturers are committed to developing WCDMA


systems. Lucent, Motorola and Nortel as supporting cdma2000 too with
trial contracts already awarded. Ericsson and Nokia have publicly
committed to supporting EDGE, whilst other vendors will probably wait for
customer requests, as they have done with High Speed Circuit Switched
Data (HSCSD).

ACQUISTIONS
(ACQ). All of the 3G vendors have
been acquiring IP companies over the past couple of
years and in particular during 1999 as they seek to
position themselves for the converging Internet and
wireless world. Alcatel acquired large players such as
DSC Communications Corporation and Xylan
Corporation, Lucent Technologies made by far the
most expensive acquisition when it acquired Ascend
and Nortel Networks purchased Bay Networks. Siemens,
Ericsson and Nokia have all chosen to acquire several
less expensive smaller companies rather than large

58
vendors. Motorola has taken the partnership route with
Cisco Systems rather than acquire companies in this
field.

PARTNE
For 3G, Alcatel has partnered with Motorola and Cisco
Systems. Ericsson has not partnered with anyone to implement its IP plans.
Neither has Lucent. Motorola partners with Cisco Systems, Fujitsu, Alcatel
and Pioneer. Nokia partners with InterDigital. Nortel partners with
Matsushita/ Panasonic and Samsung. Siemens is working with NEC and
Casio.

We can see that many of these partnerships are between Japanese and
European companies. We expect to see more such partnerships such as
between mobile phone manufacturers and consumer electronics
manufacturers in the not too distant future.

GPRS Ericsson established a leadership position in terms of GPRS


contacts announced in 1999, with dozens of network operator
trials announced or underway. After the traditional Finnish summer silence,
Nokia announced a few more GPRS contracts with its existing GSM
customers towards the end of 1999. Motorola picked up a lot of
momentum in the second half of 1999 with first GPRS calls in several
European countries being made and much progress at network operators
such as BT Cellnet in the UK made. Motorola replaced Ericssons core
GPRS network at T-Mobil in Germany.

Lucent, Nortel, Siemens and Alcatel only have a few GPRS contracts
between them- Lucent are yet to announce their first customer for
PacketGSM.

Again we see varying levels of commitment to and success in GPRS and


3G, hence successful momentum in one area does not necessarily
translate to a successful start in another.

59
11. Summary The Third Generation of mobile
communications will bring with it mobile multimedia with high data
bandwidths and sophisticated mobile terminals and new services and
applications.

This guide is a cut down version of a book called Data on 3G which is


300 pages long and contains very detailed information on all aspects of
the Third Generation. To find out more about 3G and the book and to
order your copy for just 250 US dollars, visit www.mobile3G.com or contact
the author by any of the methods listed below:

Simon Buckingham

Mobile Life streams Limited

Internet site: http://www.mobile3G.com

Email: simonB@mobilelifestreams.com

Telephone: +44 7000 366366

Fax: +44 7000 366367

Postal Address: 9 the Broadway


Newbury
Berkshire
RG14 1AS
ENGLAND

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