Communication Networks

Circuit Switching & Packet Switching

Protocol, stack & layers
• Layers are arranged in a
protocol stack
• most common is the
seven-layer OSI (open
systems interconnection)
model
Digital Wireless Communications
Modulator = Convert bits – sinusoidal
waveform
Multiple Access
• Frequency DMA = base station transmits to each mobile on a different
carrier frequency, and the mobiles select their own signals using analogue
filters
• Time DMA = base station sends short bursts of data to each mobile in
succession, and the mobiles select their own bursts by receiving signals
only at the required times.
• Code DMA = base station transmits to all its mobiles at the same time and
on the same carrier frequency. However, it uses a modified modulation
scheme, in which each data stream is labelled with a code thatisunique
tothe destinationmobile.By processing the received signal using its own
code, a mobile can extract the data that are intended for it, and discard the
data intended for all the other mobiles in the cell.
Multiple Access (illustration)
Digital Wireless Communications – Radio
Channel
• Radio channel = This is the transmission medium between the
transmitter and the receiver. It modifies and distorts the transmitted
signal due to propagation loss, noise and fading.
Third Generation Mobile Systems
• 3G Systems are characterised by changes to the air interface that
support higher bit rates.
• UMTS = This system was developed from GSM, by keeping the core
network more-or-less intact but changing the air interface to use
CDMA. There is some compatibility between the two systems: most
UMTS mobiles also implement GSM, and the network can hand them
over from a UMTS base station to a GSM one if they reach the edge of
the UMTS coverage area. However, network operators cannot
implement the two systems in the same frequency band, so they are
not fully compatible with each other.
Third Generation Mobile Systems (2)
• WCDMA = Wideband CDMA. (Uses 5 Mhz signal bandwidth). 2 modes
of operation :
• FDD = Frequency Division Duplex
• TDD = Time Division Duplex
• aa
UMTS Releases
• At a high level, the specifications are organized into releases, each of
which is a version of the system with a particular set of features.
3GPP maintains the specifications for all the releases of UMTS in
parallel. This allows it to add new features to the system as part of
each new release, while making the occasional technical correction to
the older, more stable releases that are used by manufacturers.
UMTS Releases (table)
UMTS High Level Architecture
• Core Network
• Radio Access Network
• Mobile Unit
UMTS Core Network
• CS Domain = transports voice calls using circuit switched technology.
It has interfaces to fixed line telephone systems that are known as
public switched telephone networks (PSTNs), and to circuit switched
domains that are run by other network operators.
• PS Domain = transports data streams using packet switching. It
communicates with data servers that are controlled by the network
operator itself, with external packet data networks (PDNs) like the
Internet, and with packet switched domains that are controlled by
other network operators.
UTRAN = UMTS terrestrial radio access
network
• UTRAN continues to support the GSM radio access network as well,
to provide backwards compatibility with GSM
• UE = User Equipment (Most UMTS mobiles are actually dual mode
devices that support GSM as well: they communicate using 3G
technology in regions of UMTS coverage, but revert to 2G in regions
where UMTS base stations have not yet been deployed.)
UMTS Core Network (CS & PS Domains)
UMTS Core Network (Shared components)
• HLR (home location register) = network operator’s central database.
The HLR contains information about the operator’s subscribers such
as their identities, their current locations and the services they have
subscribed to.
• AuC (authentication centre ) = contains security related information
about the subscribers. Examples include secure keys that the network
uses to confirm their identities and prevent unauthorised access.
• EIR (equipment identity register) = optional component: if
implemented, it contains information such as a list of stolen mobiles.
UMTS Core Network (Components of the CS
Domain)
• MSC (mobile switching centre) = Acts as a switch for voice calls, and it
also handles signalling communications with the mobiles that are in
its MSC area. An MSC may be designated as a gateway MSC (GMSC),
which acts as a point of entry into the network for incoming calls.
UMTS Core Network (Components of PS
Domain)
• SGSN (serving GPRS support node) = combines the functions of the
MSC and the VLR by acting as a router for data transfers, keeping a
local copy of information about the mobiles in its SGSN area, and
handling all the signalling communications with those mobiles.
• GGSN (gateway GPRS support node) = rather different from the
gateway MSC, however. It acts as an interface to data servers and to
other networks for both incoming and outgoing data streams. It does
not look after a geographical area in the same way that an SGSN does,
although one piece of hardware can implement both sets of logical
functions.
Radio Access Network
UTRAN (UMTS Terrestrial RAN)
• Node-B = UMTS Base station that implements the physical layer of the
air interface (transmits and receives radio signals).
• RNC (radio network controller) = intermediate component between
the Node B and the core network.
Interfaces and protocols
• Protocol stack = Roughly, each Protocol Stack has:
1. 2 main layers = Application layer and Transport layer.
• Application layer (OSI layers 5 to 7) = creates and interprets the UMTS signaling
messages and manipulates the data streams
• Transport layer (OSI Layers 1 to 4) = Only transfers signaling messages from one
network component to another
2. 3 planes = User plane, Control Plane, Transport control Plane
1. User Plane = carries information intended for the user such as voice or packet
data
2. Control Plane = carries signaling messages that are only of interest to the network
3. Transport control plane (ATM)= carries internal signaling messages that set up,
modify and tear down any temporary virtual circuits that are required.
UMTS Protocol Stack model