1. Can you list at least two CS communication networks?

Fixed line telephone system / Landline telephones

1G/2G mobile network

2. Can you list at least two PS communication networks?

Internet / LAN
3G mobile network

3. What is the main responsibility of the 3GPP organization and what is

their output?
1. Writes the specifications that define the UMTS architecture and operation.
They also handle the specifications for GSM
2. Said specifications were written to hundreds of TS (technical specifications)
and TR (technical reports)
4. What is UTRAN?
1. UTRANs (UMTS terrestrial radio access network) handle the communications
the communications between the user equipment and core network in a
UMTS setup (It can be standalone or it can be legion).
5. In UMTS Rel99 which network elements are in packet switch, circuit,
and which of these network elements are considered as common domains?
1. CS Domain:
a. VLR (visitor location register) - contains a subset of HLR information for
UEs within regions known as location areas.
b. MSC (mobile switching center) - acts as a switch for voice calls.
Handles signaling communications for UEs within its MSC area.
c. GMSC (gateway MSC) - acts as a switch for incoming calls
2. PS Domain
a. SGSN (serving GPRS support node) - acts as both MSC and VLR
b. GGSN (gateways GPRS support node) - acts as interface to data
servers and other networks
3. CS&PS Domain:
a. EIR (Equipment Identity Register) - optional, may contain list of stolen
mobiles
b. HLR (Home Location Register) - a network op's central subscriber DB.
Contains identities, current locations, subscribed services
c. AuC (Authentication Center) - security-related subscriber DB
6. In UMTS 4 which network elements are in packet switch, circuit, and
which of these network elements are considered as common domains?

1. CS Domain:
a. CS-MGW (circuit-switched media gateway) - handles the MSC's traffic
functions
b. MSC - now handles the signaling functions and VLR functionality
c. GMSC - same as before
2. PS Domain:
a. SGSN
b. GGSN
3. CS&PS Domain
a. EIR
b. HSS
7. List main differences between UMTS Rel99 and UMTS Rel4 specification
UMTS Release 99

New Feature: W-CDMA air interface

o

3G Telecommunication system based on the core network of GSM (but

with a new air interface that used wideband code division multiple
access (W-CDMA))

Date Frozen: March 2000

Continues to support the GSM radio access networks as well (for

compatibility)

UMTS Rel 4

New Feature: Bearer independent CS architecture TD-SCDMA

Date Frozen: March 2001

GSM EDGE radio access network (GERAN) - is an improvement of GSM Radio

Access network.

Architecture
o

new interface between BSC which is denoted Iur-g , and which includes
some of the features of the Iur interface.

release 4 BSC can also communicate with the core network using the
same Iu interface protocols that are used by UMTS, instead of the older
protocols that were used by GSM.

8. What other than UMTS mobile communication systems currently used

as PLMN and in which country?

CDMA - USA, Canada, Latin America, Asia Pacific

GSM - USA, Canada, Latin America, East/West Europe, Middle East, Africa,
Asia Pacific

9. What is the commonly used abbreviation for subscriber phone number?

MSISDN - mobile station integrated services digital network number. It is the

format most phone numbers use. It is limited to 15 digits and is composed of
the country code (CC), National Destination Code (NDC) and subscriber
number (SN).

10. What is the IMSI and what is it used for? c/o Kevin - For Review
IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) is the identification of the
subscriber and the card (UICC) that is used by the subscriber. It is used for
bookkeeping purposes.
11. Can you describe the DRNC role and when it used?
Uses the Iur interface to carry mobile specific traffic and signaling message
between the Node B and the serving RNC.
When a serving RNC may not actually control the Node B that a mobile is
communicating with.

12. What is the interface between NodeB and RNC?

Iub interface
13. What is the interface between two RNCs?
Iur interface
14.Describe what is the control plane and what is the user plane and
what is the difference.

Control Plane

signaling functions

carries signaling messages that are only of interest to the network

Example:
Signaling system 7 (SS7) - handles signaling messages in fixed line
telephone networks all over the world

User Plane

data transfer
carries information intended for the user such as voice or packet data

(Additional, third control plane) Transport Control Plane

if the data are being transported using ATM

Common Info/Additional

Both are in the Application layer of protocol stack of protocol stack