UMTS Architecture Overview

UMTS Architecture Overview

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 1

UMTS Architecture Overview

Contents and Session Aims

UMTS High Level

This session aims to give the user
a first pass overview of the
Architecture architecture behind UMTS
The Core Network ! To explain the major architectural
UTRAN blocks

The User Equipment ! To give a first introduction to the

major network elements and
interfaces
! To talk about how UMTS will
Interfaces interface with existing technologies

Access Modes
UMTS and GSM

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 2

UMTS Architecture Overview

Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN)

A Public Land Mobile Network is
defined in the specifications as
consisting of:
! One or more switches with a
common numbering plan and Core Network
routing plan
! Switches act as the interfaces to
external networks
PLMN
A PLMN can be regarded as an
independent telecommunications
entity
The PLMN can be separated into Access Network
! Core Network
! Access Network

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 3

UMTS Architecture Overview

UMTS High Level Architecture

To this definition, the 3GPP standards add an additional
architectural block, the User Equipment

UMTS
Terrestrial
User Equipment Core Network
Radio Access
Network

UE UTRAN CN
UU IU

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 4

UMTS Architecture Overview

Major Network Elements in UMTS

Node B
Radio Network
Iu-cs Mobile
Gateway
Controller Switching PLMN,
UMTS SIM MSC
Centre
RNC MSC/VLR GMSC PSTN,
USIM Node B
ISDN
IUb
CU
IUr Home Location
Register
Mobile HLR
Equipment
ME IUb Internet,
Node B X25
Radio Network
Serving GSN
Gateway Packet
Controller GSN Network
RNC SGSN GGSN
Node B Iu-ps
UE UTRAN CN
UU IU

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 5

UMTS Architecture Overview

Functions of the CN
Switching
Service Provision
Transmission of user traffic between UTRAN(s) and/or fixed
network
Mobility Management
Operations, Administration and Maintenance

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 6

UMTS Architecture Overview

Major Elements of the Core Network

Home Location Register (HLR)
! The database storing the master copy of a users profile
Visitor Location Register (VLR)
! The database holding a copy of a visiting users profile
Mobile Switching Centre (MSC)
! Switch for Circuit Switched Services
Gateway MSC
Serving GPRS Support Node
! Router for Packet Switched Services
Gateway GSN

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 7

UMTS Architecture Overview

General Core Network Architecture

Other MSC
F
F External Circuit
Iu-cs Mobile
Gateway
Switching
UTRAN Centre
MSC Switched
MSC/VLR GMSC
Networks
D
D
Gs Home Location
Register
HLR

Gr Gc
G
External
i Packet
Iu-ps Serving GSN
Gateway
UTRAN GSN Switched
SGSN GGSN
Gn Networks
Gn CN
IU Other SGSN

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 8

UMTS Architecture Overview

Functions of UTRAN
Provision of Radio Coverage
System access control
Security and privacy
Handover
Radio resource management and control

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 9

UMTS Architecture Overview

Elements of UTRAN
Radio Network Controller
! Owns and controls radio resources in its domain
! Service Access point for all services that UTRAN provides the CN
Node B
! Acts as the radio basestation
! Converts the data flow between the Iub and Uu interfaces

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 10

UMTS Architecture Overview

General UTRAN Architecture

Node B
Radio Network Iu-cs
Controller
CN (MSC)
RNC
Node B
IUb

UE
IUr

IUb
Node B
Radio Network
Controller CN (SGSN)
RNC
Node B Iu-ps
UTRAN
UU IU

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 11

UMTS Architecture Overview

Functions of the UE
Display and user interface
To hold the authentication algorithms and keys
User end termination of the air interface
Application platform

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 12

UMTS Architecture Overview

Elements of the UE
Mobile Equipment
! The radio terminal used for radio communication over the Uu interface
UMTS Subscriber Identity Module
! The smartcard that holds the subscriber identity, authentication and
encryption keys etc
Additionally one can define a Terminal Equipment item that sits
with the UE
! This carries the application specific user interface
! The interface for the TE may be provided by Bluetooth for example

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 13

UMTS Architecture Overview

General UE Architecture

UMTS SIM

USIM

CU
Mobile
Terminal Equipment
UTRAN
Equipment ME

UE
UU

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 14

UMTS Architecture Overview

Major Interfaces in UMTS

There are four major new
interfaces defined in UMTS CN
! Iu
Iu
"The interface between UTRAN
and the CN Iur
! Iur RNC RNC
"The Interface between different
RNCs Iub
! Iub Node-
"The interface between the Node B
and the RNC B
! Uu Uu
"The air interface
UE

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 15

UMTS Architecture Overview

Iu - the Core Network to UTRAN Interface

There are two parts to the Iu
interface CN
! Iu-ps connecting UTRAN to the PS
Domain of the CN Iu
! Iu-cs connecting UTRAN to the CS Iur
Domain of the CN RNC RNC
No radio resource signalling travels
over this interface Iub
! The Iu interface divides the UMTS Node-
network into the radio specific
UTRAN and the CN responsible for B
switching routing and service Uu
provision
UE

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 16

UMTS Architecture Overview

Iur - the Inter-RNC Interface

The Iur interface allows soft
handovers between Node-Bs CN
attached to different RNCs
It is an open interface to allow the Iu
use of RNCs from different Iur
manufacturers RNC RNC
Its functions may be summarised:
! Support of basic inter-RNC mobility Iub
! Support of Dedicated and Common Node-
Channel Traffic B
! Support of Global Resource Uu
Management
UE

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 17

UMTS Architecture Overview

Iub - the RNC to Node-B Interface

The Iub is an open interface to allow
the support of different CN
manufacturers supplying RNCs
and Node-Bs Iu
Its major functions are: Iur
! Carries dedicated and common RNC RNC
channel traffic between the RNC
and the Node-B Iub
! Supports the control of the Node-B Node-
by the RNC
B
Uu
UE

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 18

UMTS Architecture Overview

Uu - the Air Interface

Clearly the Uu must be
standardised to allow multiple UE CN
vendors to be supported by a
network Iu
The major functions of the Uu are Iur
to: RNC RNC
! Carry dedicated and common
channel traffic across the air Iub
interface
Node-
! Provide signaling and control traffic
to the mobile from the RNC and the B
Node-B Uu
UE

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 19

UMTS Architecture Overview

UMTS Interface Implementation

SGSN
Node B

ATM/IP Network MSC

RNC
Node B
Iub
Iu_cs
Iu_ps RNC
Iur
Node B Node B

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 20

UMTS Architecture Overview

Access Modes for UMTS

In this course we will concentrate on the UMTS FDD air
interface
However we should bear in mind that a number of other access
modes are possible
! Within UTRAN
! Outside of UTRAN

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 21

UMTS Architecture Overview

Access Modes within UTRAN

There are four access modes that will be contained within
release 2000 of the 3GPP standards
! Direct Sequence FDD Mode 1
" Based on UMTS FDD air interface
! Multi Carrier FDD Mode 2
" Based on cdma2000
! TDD Mode
" Based on UMTS TDD air interface
! ODMA
" Supplement to UMTS TDD mode based on using a second UE as a radio
relay

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 22

UMTS Architecture Overview

Additional Access Networks

The UMTS CN is being
designed with the possibility of
interfacing to additional Access UMTS-CN
Networks other than UTRAN
! GRAN - GSM/GPRS Radio
Access Network
! ERAN - EDGE Radio Access
Network
! BRAN - Broadband Radio DECT ERAN
Access Network (HIPERLAN2)
BRAN GRAN
! DECT - Digital Enhanced
Cordless Telephony

UTRAN

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 23

UMTS Architecture Overview

UMTS and GSM

Internet PSTN

Core GGSN GMSC

Network
SGSN MSC

Iu-ps
Iu-cs A
Iu-ps Iu-cs
Gb
BSS/
UTRAN Iur
RNC RNC BSC

Iub Iub Iub

Node-B Node-B Node-B

A-bis

RBS RBS RBS RBS BTS

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 24

UMTS Architecture Overview

Architecture of a UMTS bearer service

TE UE UTRAN CN CN
edge node gateway
TE

End-to-End Service

TE/UE Local External Bearer

Bearer Service UMTS Bearer Service Service

CN Bearer
Radio Access Bearer Service Service

Radio Bearer Backbone Network

Iu Bearer Service
Service Service

UTRA FDD/TDD Physical Bearer

Service Service

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 25

 UMTS Protocol Stratums
In order to provide separation
between radio access

Non Access Stratum

functionality and service quality L7 L7
provision, protocols in UMTS
L6 L6
are divided into two stratums
! Access Stratum L5 L5
"Encompasses layers 1 and 2 L4 L4
of the OSI 7 layer model, and L3 upper L3 upper
the lower part of layer 3 L3 lower L3 lower L3 lower L3 lower

Access Stratum
! Non-access Stratum L2 L2 L2 L2
"Encompasses layers 4 to 7 of
the OSI 7 layer model, and the L1 L1 L1 L1
upper part of layer 3
UE Uu UTRAN Iu CN

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 26

UMTS Architecture Overview

Questions
What elements does UTRAN consist of?
What is the primary role of UTRAN?
What additional access modes does UMTS support over UMTS
FDD?

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 27

UMTS Architecture Overview

Session Summary
In this session we have discussed the major elements of the
UMTS network architecture
In following sessions we will discuss each element in more
detail

U101 UMTS Network Systems Overview 28