UMTS

Terrestrial Radio
Access Network
Architecture
Raul Bruzzone

February 20 V2.0 1
 UMTS Architecture
A UMTS System comprises
CN
three main parts:
Iu
• Core Network (CN)
UTRAN
• UMTS Terrestrial Radio
Access Network Uu

(UTRAN) UE

• The User Equipment

(UE) UTRAN
CN
UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network
Core Network
UE User Equipment

February 20 Raul Bruzzone 2

 System Domains

Home
Network
Domain

[ Zu]
Cu Uu Iu [Yu]

Serving Transit
Network Network
Domain Domain
USIM Mobile Access Core
Domain Equipment Network Network
Domain Domain Domain

User Equipment Infrastructure

Domain Domain

February 20 ETSI 3
 Structure of the UTRA
Network
Core Network

Iu Iu

RNS RNS
Iur

Cells

February 20 Source: ETSI 4

 UMTS Radio Network
Controller
Iu

RNS
RNC
Iur Iur

Iub Iub

Node B Node B

Cells

February 20 Source: ETSI 5

Serving and Drift Radio Access
Networks
Core Network

Iu Iu

DRNS SRNS
Iur

Cells

UE

February 20 Source: ETSI 6

 Streamlining of the UTRAN -
Core Network Connection
Core Network Core Network

Iu Iu
Iu Iu

DRNS SRNS SRNS RNS

Iur

UE UE

Before SRNS Relocation After SRNS Relocation

February 20 Source: ETSI 7

Evolution of the GSM Network towards the
UMTS Network: Starting Point (2002)
CSE

HLR
CAP
MAP

A ISUP ISUP
MSC G-MSC N-ISDN

GSM BSS
Gb IP IP
SGSN GGSN IP networks

X.25
UMTS IWU 1A IWU 1Gb X.25
Segment

UTRAN
Iu

February 20 ETSI 8
 Evolution of the GSM Network towards the
UMTS Network:
Introduction of a UMTS Core Network (2005 ?)
CSE

HLR
CAP
MAP

ISUP
A ISUP
MSC G-MSC N-ISDN

GSM BSS
Gb IP IP
SGSN GGSN IP networks

X.25
UMTS IWU 1A IWU 1Gb X.25
Segment

UTRAN UMTS
CN
Iu

February 20 ETSI 9
Terrestrial Radio Access Network
Architecture
Summary
• UMTS is composed of Core Network, Radio Access
Network and User Equipment.
• The Radio Access Network (UTRAN) handles radio link
connections, enabling Base Station handover.
• Handover management is done at the UTRAN Controller.
• The UMTS Fixed Network will evolve from the GSM
Network model, following several phases.

February 20 Raul Bruzzone 10