The Radio Network Controller (or RNC) is a governing element in the UMTS radio access network (UTRAN) and

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

Functions in RNC
Admission Control (AC) decides whether a request to establish a radio access bearer (RAB) is admitted in the RAN or not. Admission Control is used to maintain stability and to achieve high traffic capacity of the RAN. The Admission Control algorithm is executed when radio access bearer is set up or the bearer is modified. AC is also involved in all kinds of handovers, cell update, location update requests. Packet Scheduler (PS) allocates the instantaneous free capacity to non-real time packet data users. This is done after circuit-switched real time services have been allocated capacity, and within the limits of predefined load thresholds. Based on radio interface interference information, traffic volume measurement reports from UE (uplink), and received data in the RNC buffers (downlink), the Packet Scheduler will allocate radio resources for the RAB. Basically PS will assign radio resources (radio channels) to non-rt traffic, like DCH, or HSDSCH. Load Control (LC) guards the system against overload, that is, keeps it stable. In an overload situation, RRM, or more specifically the Load Control algorithm, returns the system in a quick and controlled fashion back to the normal load state, which is defined by radio network planning. In a CDMA system, the most important obstacle to the efficient use of available radio resources is interference. Therefore, load control measures the interference both in the uplink and the downlink directions periodically under one RNC. As regards the downlink direction, interference is the same as the transmission power of the cell in question. Load Control measurements are performed on a cell-by-cell basis. Resource Manager is located in the RNC and works in close co-operation with Admission Control and the Packet Scheduler. The main function of the Resource Manager is to allocate downlink spreading code(s) when Admission Control or the Packet Scheduler requests it. Admission Control and the Packet Scheduler provide the actual input for code allocation. The Resource Manager, in turn, informs the Packet Scheduler about the resource situation. Power Control adjusts the transmission power of the UE in the uplink and of the BTS in the downlink. In order for a BTS receiver to be able to recover the signal emitted by a UE, there must be a difference in power between said signal and the interference level. In the context of Power Control a value called SIR is used to represent this power difference. Thus, the Power Control aims at using the minimum SIR required for the quality of the connection to remain sufficient. Power Control works on a connection basis. Handover. When reporting criteria are fulfilled the UE sends the RRC message MEASUREMENT REPORT to the RNC. The measurement report includes a reporting event and measurement results of active set cells and triggered cells (other cells that trigger a reporting event). When the handover procedure is ended successfully, the RNC checks if the measurement control is needed. If measurement control parameters are changed then the RNC sends the RRC message MEASUREMENT CONTROL to the UE.