3G Infrastructure and Protocol

Course Date & Venue		  
06 July - 10 July 2008 (Sun - Thu)
5-day instructor-led training with case studies, 0900 - 1700
Dubai, UAE

Course Objectives
By the end of the course delegates will be able to:
  • Explain what 3G and UMTS are
  • Describe the migration path to 3G
  • Describe the 3G principles
  • Describe the 3G architecture
  • Describe the 3G protocols
  • Learn the procedures of the air interface
  • Learn how handovers take place
  • Learn how to design a 3G site
  • Learn what services can be launched over a 3G network
  • Describe the 3G UMTS-TDD mode of operation
    Describe the impact of HSDPA and HSUPA on UMTS Rel. 99 networks

Course Overview		  
An in-depth training course on the UMTS 3G infrastructure, architecture and protocols. The course covers the basics of 3G networks, what are the technologies involved, the architecture of a 3G network including both the radio access network and the core network. All the protocols in both radio and core networks are explained in great detail covering all the necessary procedures that will take place when a 3G mobile is switched on.


Hand-overs and the different scenarios as well as associated problems are also discussed. The procedure and the necessary infrastructure equipment for building a 3G site is also described in great depth. Engineers and technical managers attending the course will be able to design and launch a 3G network with great confidence by gaining advanced knowledge on 3G network design and operation. HSDPA and HSUPA aspects are included within the UMTS air interface presentation and protocol discussion.

Key Benefits 		 
Delegates will be trained on state-of-the–art knowledge regarding 3G infrastructures and protocols.

Course Pre-Requisites
Good knowledge of GSM networks, RF, circuit switching and IP networking.

Who Should Attend?
  • Technical Managers who wish to have a good understanding of the challenges and trade-offs of WCDMA
  • Development Engineers requiring a good end-to-end introduction to the operation of WCDMA network
    Radio Network Engineers
  • Anyone who needs to know about UMTS, how it works and how it is deployed.

Course Syllabus

1 Brief Introduction to Digital Communications
1.1 Radio Propagation
1.2 Radio characteristics
1.3 Digital Modulation
1.4 Spread Spectrum
1.5 QPSK Modulation


2 3GPP standardization
2.1 From 2G to 3G
2.2 The IMT-2000 family
2.3 GPP releases, schedule, working methods
2.4 Frequency spectrum for UMTS


3 3G System Architecture
3.1 Basic System Architecture
3.2 Functional units in UMTS
3.3 Types of Switching
3.4 Architecture nodes

  • MSC
  • HLR, VLR
  • SGSN, GGSN
  • GPRS Register
  • MGW, RNC
  • Node B, UE
3.5 3G Handovers
3.6 Location Management
3.7 Circuit Switching and Packet Switching connections
3.8 Protocols in the fixed network
3.9 Protocols at the Iu interface
  • RANAP & RNSAP
  • Protocol stack for CS
  • Protocol stack for PS
3.10 IP core network protocols


4 The Protocol Stack at the Air-Interface
4.1 UTRA Protocol Stack
4.2 Physical Layer
4.3 MAC Layer
4.4 RLC Layer
4.5 BMC Layer
4.6 PDCP Layer
4.7 RRC Layer
4.8 Transport Channels
4.9 Transport Formats
5.0 Logical Channels
6.0 HSDPA and HSUPA Physical Channels
7.0 HSDPA and HSUPA Transport Channels


5 The 3G Air Interface
5.1 Spread spectrum coding and modulation.
5.2 User data rates and transmission.
5.3 Mapping Transport Channels to Physical Channels
5.4 Multiple Access in UMTS 3G

  • FDD
  • TDD
5.5 Power control
5.6 Signaling, synchronization, common control, access and indicator channels.
5.7 Procedures for transmit diversity, measurement, Compressed Mode
5.8 Random access procedure
5.9 Cell search procedure for FDD
5.10 Handovers
5.11 Physical channels in TDD
5.12 HSxPA Adaptive Modulation & Coding
5.13 HsxPA Multi-code Operation
5.14 HsxPA Automatic Repeat Request
5.15 HsxPA Scheduling


6 Cellular 3G Networks
6.1 Interference
6.2 Cell Breathing
6.3 Traffic capacity in 3G networks
6.4 Soft Handover


7 Services for 3G
7.1 Virtual Home Environment
7.2 MExE
7.3 Open Service Architecture (OSA)
7.4 UMTS QoS classes
7.5 Conversational, Streaming
7.6 Interactive and Background
7.7 UMTS bearer services

8 3G Site Design
8.1 3G site configurations
8.2 Rx/Tx Antennas
8.3 Diversity techniques
8.4 GSM-3G cositing methods
8.5 Antenna downtilts
8.6 3G amplifiers
8.7 LNAs/MHAs
8.8 3G repeaters
8.9 Advanced antenna systems for indoor 3G coverage