UMTS Mobile Network Overview (IT295)

SynopsisThe Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), being the most widely deployed 3G networks globally today, has been designed to provide a wide range of traffic and service types, each with different technical requirements and user expectations, in real-world mobile environments. It can be considered as a complex technology with several thousands of pages of technical specifications. The main focus of this course is on the fundamental technical overview of UMTS networks, and to highlight the most important evolutionary items with respect to GSM (2G) networks, providing a quick understanding of UMTS’s main radio access technologies, network architectures, protocols and interfaces. The course serves as a starting gateway into the technical world of current mobile technologies and networks, as well as to equip participants with fundamental knowledge valuable for personal advancements and career developments in the field of wireless and mobility.

What You Will LearnUpon completion of this course, you will learn to:
• Draw out the network architecture diagram of a UMTS (3G) mobile network
• Explain the functions of key network elements and subsystems in a UMTS network
• Describe the interfaces and protocols between different UMTS network elements
• Summarizes the overall call flow and service flow in a UMTS network

Who Should AttendEngineers, technicians, managers or graduates who want to gain a basic understanding of UMTS mobile network architecture overview and key concepts about how a UMTS network functions. 

PrerequisiteA technical background in electrical, electronics, physics, and mathematics at Diploma or Degree level.  

Course MethodologyThis course is presented in classroom style with interactive discussions.  

Course Duration1 day, 9am - 5pm 

Course StructureUMTS Core Network (CN)
• Evolution from GSM to UMTS
• UMTS Core Network Architecture - in 3GPP Release 99, 4, 5 and 6
• Packet-switched (PS) and circuit-switched (CS) Core Network
• MSC & VLR
• HLR & HSS
• SGSN & GGSN
• IP Backbone network
• Billing Support System (BSS) in UMTS
• Operation Support System (OSS) in UMTS

UMTS Radio Access Network (UTRAN)
• Air interface between UMTS device and UTRAN
• Node-B and RNC
• Node-B Functions
• Radio Network Controller (RNC) Functions
• Comparison to GSM BSS (Base Station Subsystem) – BTS and BSC

Protocols and Interfaces in UMTS
• Protocol Reference Architecture
• Transport Network Protocols
• Radio Network Protocols
• Core Network Protocols

Air interface
• Introducing CDMA & WCDMA
• Introducing concept of Spread Spectrum Systems

Procedural Examples
• Circuit-switched voice call establishment
• Packet-switched data call establishment
• Paging
• Location Updating
• SMS delivery
• Web browsing and emailing using 3G service

Advanced Topics (optional)
• 3GPP release 99, 4, 5 and 6 – an overview and comparison
• Brief introduction of HSPA (HSDPA & HSUPA) and HSPA+
• Current focus of commercial 3.xG networks