LTE System Overview PDF

LTE/SAE System Overview
Training Manual Contents
Contents
1 Network Architecture ................................................................................................................1-1

1.1 Evolution of Cellular Networks .................................................................................................................... 1-2
1.1.1 First Generation Mobile Systems ......................................................................................................... 1-2
1.1.2 Second Generation Mobile Systems .................................................................................................... 1-2
1.1.3 Third Generation Mobile Systems ....................................................................................................... 1-3
1.1.4 Fourth Generation Mobile Systems ..................................................................................................... 1-5
1.2 3GPP Releases............................................................................................................................................... 1-6
1.2.1 Pre-Release 99 ..................................................................................................................................... 1-6
1.2.2 Release 99 ............................................................................................................................................ 1-6
1.2.3 Release 4 .............................................................................................................................................. 1-6
1.2.4 Release 5 .............................................................................................................................................. 1-7
1.2.5 Release 6 .............................................................................................................................................. 1-7
1.2.6 Release 7 .............................................................................................................................................. 1-8
1.2.7 Release 8 .............................................................................................................................................. 1-9
1.2.8 Release 9 and Beyond .......................................................................................................................... 1-9
1.3 E-UTRAN Architecture............................................................................................................................... 1-10
1.3.1 User Equipment ................................................................................................................................. 1-10
1.3.2 Evolved Node B ................................................................................................................................. 1-12
1.3.3 Femto Cells ........................................................................................................................................ 1-13
1.4 E-UTRAN Interfaces and Protocols ............................................................................................................ 1-14
1.4.1 Uu Interface ....................................................................................................................................... 1-14
1.4.2 X2 Interface ....................................................................................................................................... 1-16
1.4.3 S1 Interface ........................................................................................................................................ 1-18
1.5 EPC Architecture ......................................................................................................................................... 1-19
1.5.1 Mobility Management Entity ............................................................................................................. 1-19
1.5.2 Serving - Gateway.............................................................................................................................. 1-20
1.5.3 Packet Data Network - Gateway ........................................................................................................ 1-21
1.6 EPC Interfaces and Protocols ...................................................................................................................... 1-21
1.6.1 S11 Interface ...................................................................................................................................... 1-21
1.6.2 S5/S8 Interface ................................................................................................................................... 1-22
1.6.3 S10 Interface ...................................................................................................................................... 1-23
1.6.4 SGi Interface ...................................................................................................................................... 1-23
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Copyright © Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd
Contents Training Manual
1.6.5 Additional Network Elements and Interfaces..................................................................................... 1-24
2 LTE Air Interface Principles ....................................................................................................2-1

2.1 Radio Interface Techniques ........................................................................................................................... 2-2
2.1.1 Frequency Division Multiple Access ................................................................................................... 2-2
2.1.2 Time Division Multiple Access ............................................................................................................ 2-3
2.1.3 Code Division Multiple Access............................................................................................................ 2-3
2.1.4 Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access ................................................................................ 2-4
2.1.5 Transmission Modes ............................................................................................................................ 2-4
2.2 Principles of OFDM ...................................................................................................................................... 2-5
2.2.1 Frequency Division Multiplexing ........................................................................................................ 2-6
2.2.2 OFDM Subcarriers ............................................................................................................................... 2-6
2.2.3 Fast Fourier Transforms ....................................................................................................................... 2-7
2.2.4 LTE FFT Sizes ..................................................................................................................................... 2-8
2.2.5 OFDM Symbol Mapping ..................................................................................................................... 2-8
2.2.6 Time Domain Interference ................................................................................................................... 2-9
2.2.7 OFDM Advantages and Disadvantages.............................................................................................. 2-11
2.3 LTE Channel Structures .............................................................................................................................. 2-12
2.3.1 Logical Channels ............................................................................................................................... 2-12
2.3.2 Transport Channels ............................................................................................................................ 2-14
2.3.3 Physical Channels .............................................................................................................................. 2-14
2.3.4 Radio Channels .................................................................................................................................. 2-15
2.3.5 Channel Mapping ............................................................................................................................... 2-16
2.4 LTE Frame Structure ................................................................................................................................... 2-17
2.4.1 Type 1 Radio Frames, Slots and Subframes ....................................................................................... 2-17
2.4.2 Type 2 Radio Frames, Slots and Subframes ....................................................................................... 2-19
2.5 Downlink OFDMA ..................................................................................................................................... 2-20
2.5.1 General OFDMA Structure ................................................................................................................ 2-20
2.5.2 Physical Resource Blocks and Resource Elements ............................................................................ 2-20
2.5.3 LTE Physical Signals ......................................................................................................................... 2-22
2.5.4 Downlink Reference Signals .............................................................................................................. 2-23
2.6 Uplink SC-FDMA ....................................................................................................................................... 2-24
2.6.1 SC-FDMA Signal Generation ............................................................................................................ 2-24
2.6.2 OFDMA Verses SC-FDMA ............................................................................................................... 2-26
2.7 Multiple Input Multiple Output ................................................................................................................... 2-26
2.7.1 Spatial Multiplexing........................................................................................................................... 2-27
2.7.2 Space Time Coding ............................................................................................................................ 2-28
2.7.3 Adaptive MIMO Switch ..................................................................................................................... 2-28
2.8 Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service .................................................................................................... 2-28
2.8.1 MBMS Logical Architecture .............................................................................................................. 2-29
2.8.2 MBMS Cell Configuration................................................................................................................. 2-30
3 eNB Product Overview .............................................................................................................3-1
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Training Manual Contents
3.1 The Huawei eNB Family ............................................................................................................................... 3-2

3.1.1 BTS3900(A) LTE ................................................................................................................................. 3-2
3.1.2 DBS3900 LTE ...................................................................................................................................... 3-3
3.2 Products and Application Scenarios .............................................................................................................. 3-5
3.2.1 BTS3900(A) LTE ................................................................................................................................. 3-5
3.2.2 DBS3900 LTE ...................................................................................................................................... 3-5
3.3 Operation and Maintenance .......................................................................................................................... 3-5
3.3.1 The Operations and Maintenance System ............................................................................................ 3-5
3.3.2 Benefits ................................................................................................................................................ 3-6
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Contents Training Manual
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Training Manual Figures
Figures
Figure 1-1 Evolution of Cellular Networks ........................................................................................................ 1-2

Figure 1-2 Second Generation Mobile Systems ................................................................................................. 1-3
Figure 1-3 Third Generation Mobile Systems .................................................................................................... 1-4
Figure 1-4 Fourth Generation Mobile Systems .................................................................................................. 1-5

Figure 1-5 3GPP Releases .................................................................................................................................. 1-6
Figure 1-6 HSDPA (Release 5) ........................................................................................................................... 1-7
Figure 1-7 HSUPA (Release 6) ........................................................................................................................... 1-8
Figure 1-8 HSPA+ (Release 7) ........................................................................................................................... 1-8
Figure 1-9 Release 8 HSPA+ and LTE ............................................................................................................... 1-9
Figure 1-10 Release 9 and Beyond ................................................................................................................... 1-10

Figure 1-11 LTE Reference Architecture .......................................................................................................... 1-10
Figure 1-12 User Equipment Functional Elements .......................................................................................... 1-11
Figure 1-13 Evolved Node B Functional Elements .......................................................................................... 1-13
Figure 1-14 E-UTRAN Interfaces .................................................................................................................... 1-14
Figure 1-15 Uu Interface Protocols .................................................................................................................. 1-15
Figure 1-16 X2 Interface Protocols .................................................................................................................. 1-17
Figure 1-17 S1 Interface Protocols ................................................................................................................... 1-18
Figure 1-18 EPC Architecture and Interfaces ................................................................................................... 1-19
Figure 1-19 MME Functional Elements ........................................................................................................... 1-20

Figure 1-20 S-GW Functional Elements .......................................................................................................... 1-20
Figure 1-21 PDN-GW Functional Elements..................................................................................................... 1-21
Figure 1-22 S11 Interface Protocols ................................................................................................................. 1-22

Figure 1-23 S5/S8 Interface Protocols.............................................................................................................. 1-23
Figure 1-24 S10 Interface Protocols ................................................................................................................. 1-23
Figure 1-25 SGi Interface Protocols ................................................................................................................. 1-24
Figure 1-26 Additional Network Elements and Interfaces ............................................................................... 1-24
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Figures Training Manual
Figure 2-1 Radio Interface Techniques............................................................................................................... 2-2

Figure 2-2 Frequency Division Multiple Access ................................................................................................ 2-2
Figure 2-3 Time Division Multiple Access......................................................................................................... 2-3
Figure 2-4 Code Division Multiple Access ........................................................................................................ 2-3
Figure 2-5 Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access ............................................................................. 2-4
Figure 2-6 Frequency Division Duplex .............................................................................................................. 2-4
Figure 2-7 Time Division Duplex....................................................................................................................... 2-5
Figure 2-8 Use of OFDM in LTE ....................................................................................................................... 2-5
Figure 2-9 FDM Carriers .................................................................................................................................... 2-6
Figure 2-10 OFDM Subcarriers.......................................................................................................................... 2-7
Figure 2-11 Inverse Fast Fourier Transform ....................................................................................................... 2-7
Figure 2-12 Fast Fourier Transform ................................................................................................................... 2-8
Figure 2-13 OFDM Symbol Mapping ................................................................................................................ 2-9
Figure 2-14 OFDM PAPR (Peak to Average Power Ratio) ................................................................................ 2-9
Figure 2-15 Delay Spread................................................................................................................................. 2-10
Figure 2-16 Inter Symbol Interference ............................................................................................................. 2-10
Figure 2-17 Cyclic Prefix ................................................................................................................................. 2-11

Figure 2-18 LTE Channels ............................................................................................................................... 2-12
Figure 2-19 Location of Channels .................................................................................................................... 2-12
Figure 2-20 BCCH and PCH Logical Channels ............................................................................................... 2-13
Figure 2-21 CCCH and DCCH Signaling ........................................................................................................ 2-13
Figure 2-22 Dedicated Traffic Channel ............................................................................................................ 2-13
Figure 2-23 LTE Release 8 Transport Channels ............................................................................................... 2-14
Figure 2-24 Radio Channel .............................................................................................................................. 2-15
Figure 2-25 Downlink Channel Mapping ......................................................................................................... 2-16
Figure 2-26 Uplink Channel Mapping.............................................................................................................. 2-17

Figure 2-27 LTE Frame Structure..................................................................................................................... 2-18
Figure 2-28 Normal and Extended Cyclic Prefix ............................................................................................. 2-18
Figure 2-29 Type 2 TDD Radio Frame ............................................................................................................. 2-19

Figure 2-30 OFDMA in LTE ............................................................................................................................ 2-20
Figure 2-31 Physical Resource Block and Resource Element .......................................................................... 2-21
Figure 2-32 Downlink Cell ID ......................................................................................................................... 2-22

Figure 2-33 PSS and SSS Location for FDD ................................................................................................... 2-22
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Training Manual Figures
Figure 2-34 PSS and SSS Location for TDD ................................................................................................... 2-23
Figure 2-35 SC-FDMA Subcarrier Mapping Concept...................................................................................... 2-24
Figure 2-36 SC-FDMA Signal Generation ....................................................................................................... 2-25
Figure 2-37 SC-FDMA and the eNB ................................................................................................................ 2-26
Figure 2-38 SU-MIMO and MU-MIMO .......................................................................................................... 2-27
Figure 2-39 MIMO Spatial Multiplexing ......................................................................................................... 2-27
Figure 2-40 Spatial Multiplexing Interference Issues ...................................................................................... 2-27
Figure 2-41 MIMO Space Time Coding........................................................................................................... 2-28
Figure 2-42 Adaptive MIMO Switch................................................................................................................ 2-28
Figure 2-43 MBMS Logical Architecture ........................................................................................................ 2-29
Figure 2-44 MBSFN Synchronization Areas.................................................................................................... 2-30
Figure 2-45 MBMS Cell Configuration ........................................................................................................... 2-30
Figure 3-1 BTS3900(A) LTE Architecture ......................................................................................................... 3-2
Figure 3-2 BBU3900 .......................................................................................................................................... 3-2
Figure 3-3 LRFU ................................................................................................................................................ 3-3
Figure 3-4 DBS3900 LTE Architecture .............................................................................................................. 3-4
Figure 3-5 RRU .................................................................................................................................................. 3-4

Figure 3-6 O&M System .................................................................................................................................... 3-6
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Figures Training Manual
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Training Manual Tables
Tables
Table 1-1 2G, 2.5G and 2.75G GSM/GPRS Systems ......................................................................................... 1-3
Table 1-2 IMT Advanced Features ..................................................................................................................... 1-5
Table 1-3 UE Categories................................................................................................................................... 1-12
Table 2-1 LTE Channel and FFT Sizes ............................................................................................................... 2-8

Table 2-2 Type 2 Radio Frame Switching Points.............................................................................................. 2-19
Table 2-3 Downlink PRB Parameters ............................................................................................................... 2-21
Table 2-4 SC-FDMA verses OFDMA .............................................................................................................. 2-26
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Tables Training Manual
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Training Manual 1 Network Architecture
1 Network Architecture
Objectives
On completion of this section the participants will be able to:

1.1 Describe the evolution of cellular networks.
1.2 Summarize the evolution of 3GPP releases, from Release 99 to Release 9 and beyond.
1.3 Explain the logical architecture of the E-UTRAN.
1.4 Describe the interfaces and associated protocols within the E-UTRAN.
1.5 Explain the logical architecture of the EPC.
1.6 Describe the interfaces and associated protocols within the EPC.
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1 Network Architecture Training Manual
1.1 Evolution of Cellular Networks

Cellular mobile networks have been evolving for many years. The initial systems, which are
referred to as “First Generation”, have now been replaced with “Second Generation” and
“Third Generation” solutions. However today, 4G or “Fourth Generation” systems are now
being deployed.
Figure 1-1 Evolution of Cellular Networks
1G (First 2G (Second 3G (Third 4G (Fourth

Generation) Generation) Generation) Generation)
1.1.1 First Generation Mobile Systems

The 1G (First Generation) mobile systems were not digital, i.e. they utilized analogue
modulation techniques. The main systems included:
 AMPS (Advanced Mobile Telephone System) - This first appeared in 1976 in the United
States and was mainly implemented in the Americas, Russia and Asia. Various issues
including weak security features made the system prone to hacking and handset cloning.
 TACS (Total Access Communications System) - This was the European version of
AMPS but with slight modifications including the operation on different frequency
bands. It was mainly used in the United Kingdom, as well as parts of Asia.
 ETACS ((Extended Total Access Communication System) - This provided an improved
version of TACS. It enabled a greater number of channels and therefore facilitated more
users.
These analogue systems were all proprietary based FM (Frequency Modulation) systems and
therefore they all lacked security, any meaningful data service and international roaming
capability.
1.1.2 Second Generation Mobile Systems

2G (Second Generation) systems utilize digital multiple access technology, such as TDMA
(Time Division Multiple Access) and CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access). Figure 1-2
illustrates some of the different 2G mobile systems including:
 GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) - this is the most successful of all 2G
technologies. It was initially developed by ETSI (European Telecommunications
Standards Institute) for Europe and designed to operate on the 900MHz and 1800MHz
frequency bands. It now has world-wide support and is available for deployment on
many other frequency bands, such as 850MHz and 1900MHz. A mobile described as tri
band or quad band indicates support for multiple frequency bands on the same device.
GSM utilizes TDMA and as such, it employs 8 timeslots on a 200kHz radio carrier.
 cdmaOne - this is a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) system based on the IS-95
(Interim Standard 95). It uses a spread spectrum technique which incorporates a mixture
of codes and timing to identify cells and channels. The system bandwidth is 1.25MHz.
 D-AMPS (Digital - Advanced Mobile Phone System) - this is based on the IS-136
(Interim Standard 136) and is effectively an enhancement to AMPS. Supporting a TDMA
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access technique, D-AMPS is primarily used on the North American continent, as well as
in New Zealand and parts of the Asia-Pacific region.
Figure 1-2 Second Generation Mobile Systems
2G (Second
Generation)
GSM Other
cdmaOne D-AMPS
(IS-95) (IS-136)
In addition to being digital, with the associated improvements in capacity and security, these
2G digital systems also offer enhanced services such as SMS (Short Message Service) and
circuit switched data.
2.5G Systems
Most 2G systems have now been evolved. For example, GSM was extended with GPRS
(General Packet Radio System) to support efficient packet data services, as well as increasing
the data rates.
As this feature does not meet 3G requirements, GPRS is therefore often referred to as 2.5G. A
comparison been 2G and 2.5G systems is illustrated in Table 1-1.
2.75G Systems
GSM/GPRS systems also added EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution). This
nearly quadruples the throughput of GPRS. The theoretical data rate of 473.6kbit/s enables
service providers to efficiently offer multimedia services. Like that of GPRS, EDGE is
usually categorized as 2.75G as it does not fulfill all the requirements of a 3G system.
Table 1-1 2G, 2.5G and 2.75G GSM/GPRS Systems
System Service Theoretical Data Rate Typical Data Rate
2G GSM Circuit Switched 9.6kbit/s or 14.4kbit/s 9.6kbit/s or 14.4kbit/s

2.5G GPRS Packet Switched 171.2kbit/s 4kbit/s to 50kbit/s
2.75G EDGE Packet Switched 473.6kbit/s 120kbit/s
1.1.3 Third Generation Mobile Systems

3G (Third Generation) systems, which are defined by IMT2000 (International Mobile
Telecommunications - 2000), state that they should be capable of providing higher

transmission rates, for example: 2Mbit/s for stationary or nomadic use and 348kbit/s in a
moving vehicle.
The main 3G technologies are illustrated in Figure 1-3.These include:
 W-CDMA (Wideband CDMA) - This was developed by the 3GPP (Third Generation
Partnership Project). There are numerous variations on this standard, including
TD-CDMA and TD-SCDMA. W-CDMA is the main evolutionary path from GSM/GPRS
networks. It is a FDD (Frequency Division Duplex) based system and occupies a 5MHz
carrier. Current deployments are mainly at 2.1GHz, however deployments at lower
frequencies are also being seen, e.g. UMTS1900, UMTS900, UMTS850 etc. W-CDMA
supports voice and multimedia services with an initial theoretical rate of 2Mbit/s
however, most service providers were initially offering 384kbit/s per user. This
technology is continuing to evolve and later 3GPP releases have increased the rates to in
excess of 40Mbit/s.
 TD-CDMA (Time Division CDMA) - This is typically referred to as UMTS TDD (Time
Division Duplex) and is part of the UMTS specifications, however it has only limited
support. The system utilizes a combination of CDMA and TDMA to enable efficient
allocation of resources.
 TD-SCDMA (Time Division Synchronous CDMA) - This was jointly developed by
Siemens and the CATT (China Academy of Telecommunications Technology).
TD-SCDMA has links to the UMTS specifications and is often identified as UMTS-TDD
LCR (Low Chip Rate). Like TD-CDMA, it is also best suited to low mobility scenarios
in micro or pico cells.
 CDMA2000 - This is a multi-carrier technology standard which uses CDMA.
CDMA2000 is actually a set of standards including CDMA2000 EV-DO
(Evolution-Data Optimized) which has various “revisions”. It is worth noting that
CDMA2000 is backward compatible with cdmaOne.
Figure 1-3 Third Generation Mobile Systems
3G (Third
UMTS Generation) Other
W-CDMA
UMTS
CDMA2000
TD-CDMA
TD-SCDMA
 WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) - This is another wireless

technology which satisfies IMT2000 3G requirements. The air interface is part of the
IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.16 standard which originally
defined PTP (Point-To-Point) and PTM (Point-To-Multipoint) systems. This was later
enhanced to provide mobility and greater flexibility. The success of WiMAX is mainly
down to the “WiMAX Forum”, an organization formed to promote conformity and
interoperability between vendors.

1.1.4 Fourth Generation Mobile Systems

4G (Fourth Generation) cellular wireless systems need to meet the requirements set out by the
ITU (International Telecommunication Union) as part of IMT Advanced (International Mobile
Telecommunications Advanced). Illustrated in Table 1-2, these features enable IMT Advanced
to address evolving user needs.
Table 1-2 IMT Advanced Features

Key IMT Advanced Features
A high degree of common functionality worldwide while retaining the flexibility to support
a wide range of services and applications in a cost efficient manner.
Compatibility of services within IMT and with fixed networks.
Capability of interworking with other radio access systems.
High quality mobile services.
User equipment suitable for worldwide use.
User-friendly applications, services and equipment.
Worldwide roaming capability.
Enhanced peak data rates to support advanced services and applications (100Mbit/s for high
and 1Gbit/s for low mobility were identified as targets).
The three main 4G systems include:

 LTE Advanced - LTE (Long Term Evolution) is part of 3GPP family of specifications,
however it does not meet all IMT Advanced features, as such it is sometimes referred to
as 3.99G. In contrast, LTE Advanced is part of a later 3GPP Release and this has been
designed specifically to meet 4G requirements.
 WiMAX 802.16m - The IEEE and the WiMAX Forum have identified 802.16m as their
offering for a 4G system.
 UMB (Ultra Mobile Broadband) - This is identified as EV-DO Rev C. It is part of 3GPP2
however most vendors and service providers have decided to promote LTE instead.
Figure 1-4 Fourth Generation Mobile Systems
4G (Fourth
Generation)
LTE UMB
Advanced (EV-DO Rev C)
WiMAX
802.16m

1.2 3GPP Releases

The development of GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSPA and LTE is in stages known as 3GPP
Releases. Hardware vendors and software developers use these releases as part of their
development roadmap. Figure 1-5 illustrates the main 3GPP Releases that included key
enhancements of the radio interface.
Figure 1-5 3GPP Releases
Phase 2+
Release 99 Release 6 Release 8
(Release 97)
GPRS UMTS HSUPA LTE
171.2kbit/s 2Mbit/s 5.76Mbit/s +300Mbit/s
Release 9/10
LTE Advanced
HSPA+
GSM EDGE HSDPA
28.8Mbit/s
9.6kbit/s 473.6kbit/s 14.4Mbit/s
42Mbit/s
Phase 1 Release 99 Release 5 Release 7/8
3GPP Releases enhance various aspects of the network and not just the radio interface. For
example, Release 5 started the introduction of the IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) in the core
network.
1.2.1 Pre-Release 99
Pre-Release 99 saw the introduction of GSM, as well as the addition of GPRS. The main
GSM Phases and 3GPP Releases include:
 GSM Phase 1.
 GSM Phase 2.
 GSM Phase 2+ (Release 96).
1.2.2 Release 99
3GPP Release 99 saw the introduction of UMTS, as well as the EDGE enhancement to GPRS.
UMTS contains all the features needed to meet the IMT-2000 requirements as those defined
by the ITU. It is able to support CS (Circuit Switched) voice and video services, as well as PS
(Packet Switched) data services over common and dedicated bearers. Initial data rates for
UMTS were 64kbit/s, 128kbit/s and 384kbit/s. Note that the theoretical maximum was
2Mbit/s.
1.2.3 Release 4
Release 4 included enhancements to the core network and in particular the notion of it being
bearer independent. Thus the concept of “All IP Networks” was included and service

providers were able to deploy Soft Switch based networks, i.e. the MSC (Mobile Switching
Centre) was replaced by the MSC Server and MGW (Media Gateways). This improved
network utilization in addition to consolidating engineering knowledge and increasing vendor
competition.
1.2.4 Release 5
Release 5 introduces the first major addition to the UMTS air interface by specifying HSDPA
(High Speed Downlink Packet Access) in order to improve both capacity and spectral
efficiency. Figure 1-6 illustrates some of the main features associated with Release 5 and
these include:
 Adaptive Modulation - In addition to the original UMTS modulation scheme of QPSK
(Quadrature Phase Shift Keying), HSDPA also includes support for 16 QAM
(Quadrature Amplitude Modulation).
 Flexible Coding - Based on fast feedback from the mobile in the form of a CQI (Channel
Quality Indicator), the UMTS base station, i.e. the Node B, is able to modify the
effective coding rate and thus increase system efficiency.
 Fast Scheduling - HSDPA includes a 2ms TTI (Time Transmission Interval) which
enables the Node B scheduler to quickly and efficiently allocate resources to mobiles.
 HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request) - In the event a packet does not get through
to the UE (User Equipment) successfully, the system employs HARQ. This improves the
retransmission timing, thus requiring less reliance on the RNC (Radio Network
Controller).
Figure 1-6 HSDPA (Release 5)
HSDPA UTRAN
Adaptive Modulation
Flexible Coding
Fast Scheduling (2ms)
HARQ
Iub
Node B RNC
UE
1.2.5 Release 6
Release 6 adds various features, with HSUPA (High Speed Uplink Packet Data) being of most
interest to RAN development. Even though the term HSUPA is widespread, this 3GPP
enhancement also goes under the term “Enhanced Uplink”. It is also worth noting that
HSDPA and HSUPA work in tandem and thus the term HSPA (High Speed Packet Access) is
now in common use.
HSUPA, like HSDPA adds functionality to improve packet data. Figure 1-7 illustrates the
three main enhancements which include:
 Flexible Coding - HSUPA has the ability to dynamically change the coding and therefore
improve the efficiency of the system.
 Fast Power Scheduling - A key fact of HSUPA is that it provides a method to schedule
the power from different mobiles. This scheduling can use either a 2ms or 10ms TTI.

 HARQ - Like HSDPA, HSUPA also utilizes HARQ. The main difference is the timing
relationship for retransmissions.
Figure 1-7 HSUPA (Release 6)
HSUPA UTRAN
Flexible Coding
Fast Power Scheduling
HARQ
Iub
Node B RNC
UE
Enhancements introduced in Release 6 are not limited to HSUPA. For example, GAN
(Generic Access Network) technologies are also included which enables alternative radio
access technologies such as Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) to be used yet still support true
interworking.
Although no longer the correct terminology, UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) is still in common use to
describe the 3GPP’s GAN technology.
1.2.6 Release 7
The main RAN based feature of Release 7 is HSPA+. This, like HSDPA and HSUPA,
provides various enhancements to improve packet switched data delivery. Figure 1-8
illustrates the main features which include:
 64 QAM - This is available in the DL (Downlink) and enables HSPA+ to operate at a
theoretical rate of 21.6Mbit/s.
 16 QAM - This is available in the UL (Uplink) and enables the uplink to theoretically
achieve 11.76Mbit/s.
 MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) Operation - this is added to HSPA+ Release 7
and offers various benefits including the ability to offer a theoretical 28.8Mbits/s in the
downlink.
Figure 1-8 HSPA+ (Release 7)
HSPA+
64 QAM (DL) UTRAN
16 QAM (UL)
MIMO Operation (DL)
Power Enhancements (DL)
Less Overhead (DL) Iub
Node B RNC
UE
 Power Enhancements -Various enhancements such as CPC (Continuous Packet

Connectivity) have been included. This includes DTX (Discontinuous Transmission),

DRX (Discontinuous Reception) and HS-SCCH (High Speed - Shared Control Channel)
Less Operation etc. Collectively these improve the mobiles battery consumption.
 Less Overhead - The downlink includes an enhancement to the MAC (Medium Access
Control) layer which effectively means that fewer headers are required. This in turn
reduces overhead and thus improves the system efficiency.
1.2.7 Release 8
There are many additions to the RAN functionality in Release 8, such as an enhancement to
HSPA+. However the main aspect is the inclusion of LTE (Long Term Evolution). Figure 1-9
illustrates some of the main features for Release 8 HSPA+ and LTE.
Release 8 HSPA+ enables various key enhancements, these include:
 64 QAM and MIMO - Release 8 enables the combination of 64 QAM and MIMO, thus
quoting a theoretical rate of 42Mbit/s, i.e. 2 x 21.6Mbit/s.
 Dual Cell Operation - DC-HSDPA (Dual Cell - HSDPA) is a Release 8 feature which is
further enhanced in Release 9 and Release 10. It enables a mobile to effectively utilize
two 5MHz UMTS carriers. Assuming both are using 64 QAM (21.6Mbit/s), the
theoretical maximum is 42Mbps. Note that in Release 8, a mobile is not able to combine
MIMO and DC-HSDPA.
 Less Uplink Overhead - In a similar way to Release 7 in the downlink, the Release 8
uplink has also been enhanced to reduce overhead.
Figure 1-9 Release 8 HSPA+ and LTE
HSPA+ UTRAN
64 QAM + MIMO (DL)
Dual Cell Operation
Less Overhead (UL)
Iub
Node B RNC
LTE
Enhanced Techniques UE
Flexible Bandwidth E-UTRAN
Flexible Spectrum Options
High Data Rates
Very Fast Scheduling
Improved Latency
eNB
LTE provides a new radio access technique, as well as enhancements in the E-UTRAN
(Evolved - Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network). These enhancements are further
discussed as part of this course.
1.2.8 Release 9 and Beyond

Even though LTE is a Release 8 system, it is yet further enhanced in Release 9. There are a
huge number of features in Release 9. One of the most important is the support of additional
frequency bands.

Figure 1-10 Release 9 and Beyond
LTE LTE LTE Advanced

Release 8 Release 9 Release 10
Release 10 includes the standardization of LTE Advanced, i.e. the 3GPP’s 4G offering. As
such, it includes the modification of the LTE system to facilitate 4G services.
1.3 E-UTRAN Architecture

In contrast to the 2G and 3G networks defined by the 3GPP, LTE can be simply divided into a
flat IP based bearer network and a service enabling network. The former can be further
subdivided into the E-UTRAN (Evolved - Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network) and
the EPC (Evolved Packet Core) where as support for service delivery lies in the IMS (IP
Multimedia Subsystem). This reference architecture can be seen in Figure 1-11.
Figure 1-11 LTE Reference Architecture
IMS
HSS CSCF Video AS
E-UTRAN EPC
MME
UE
eNB eNB S-GW PDN-GW
Whilst UMTS is based upon W-CDMA technology, the 3GPP developed new specifications
for the LTE air interface based upon OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple
Access) in the downlink and SC-FDMA (Single Carrier - Frequency Division Multiple Access)
in the uplink. This new air interface is termed the E-UTRA (Evolved - Universal Terrestrial
Radio Access).
1.3.1 User Equipment

Like that of UMTS, the mobile device in LTE is termed the UE (User Equipment) and is
comprised of two distinct elements; the USIM (Universal Subscriber Identity Module) and the
ME (Mobile Equipment).
The ME supports a number of functional entities including:

 RR (Radio Resource) - this supports both the Control Plane and User Plane and in so
doing, is responsible for all low level protocols including RRC (Radio Resource Control),
PDCP (Packet Data Convergence Protocol), RLC (Radio Link Control), MAC (Medium
Access Control) and the Phy (Physical) Layer.
 EMM (EPS Mobility Management) - is a Control Plane entity which manages the
mobility management states the UE can exist in; LTE Idle, LTE Active and LTE
Detached. Transactions within these states include procedures such as TAU (Tracking
Area Update) and handovers.
 ESM (EPS Session Management) - is a Control Plane activity which manages the
activation, modification and deactivation of EPS bearer contexts. These can either be
default EPS bearer contexts or dedicated EPS bearer contexts.
Figure 1-12 User Equipment Functional Elements
EPS Mobility Management EPS Session Management

Registration Bearer Activation
Tracking Area Update Bearer Modification
Handover Bearer Deactivation
Control EPS Mobility & EPS

Plane Session Management
UE
User IP Adaptation
Radio Resource
Plane Function
Radio Resource
RRC, PDCP, RLC, MAC &
Phy Layer Protocols
In terms of the Phy layer, the capabilities of the UE may be defined in terms of the
frequencies and data rates supported. Devices may also be capable of supporting adaptive
modulation including QPSK (Quadrature Phase Shift Keying), 16QAM (16 Quadrature
Amplitude Modulation) and 64QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation).
In terms of the radio spectrum, the UE is able to support several scalable channels including;
1.4MHz, 3MHz, 5MHz, 10MHz, 15MHz and 20MHz whilst operating in FDD (Frequency
Division Duplex) and/or TDD (Time Division Duplex). Furthermore, the UE may also
support advanced antenna features such as MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) which is
discussed in at 2.7 .

Table 1-3 UE Categories
UE Category Maximum Number of Maximum Support for

Downlink Downlink Uplink Uplink
Data Rate Data Streams Data Rate 64QAM
1 10.3Mbit/s 1 5.2Mbit/s No
5 302.8Mbit/s 4 75.4Mbit/s Yes
UE Identities
An LTE capable UE will be allocated / utilize a number of identities during operation within
the network. These include:
 IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) - this complies with the standard 3GPP
format and is comprised of the MCC (Mobile Country Code), MNC (Mobile Network
Code) and the MSIN (Mobile Subscriber Identity Number). This uniquely identifies a
subscriber from within the family of 3GPP technologies - GSM, GPRS, UMTS etc.
 IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) - is used to uniquely identify the ME. It
can be further subdivided into a TAC (Type Approval Code), FAC (Final Assembly Code)
and SNR (Serial Number).
 GUTI (Globally Unique Temporary Identity) - is allocated to the UE by the MME
(Mobility Management Entity) and identifies a device to a specific MME. The identity is
comprised of a GUMMEI (Globally Unique MME Identity) and an M-TMSI (MME -
Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity).
 S-TMSI (Serving - Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity) - is used to protect a
subscriber’s IMSI during NAS (Non Access Stratum) signaling between the UE and
MME as well as identifying the MME from within a MME pool. The S-TMSI is
comprised of the MMEC (MME Code) and the M-TMSI.
 IP Address - the UE requires a routable IP address from the PDN (Packet Data Network)
from which it is receiving higher layer services. This may either be an IPv4 or IPv6
address.
1.3.2 Evolved Node B

In addition to the new air interface, a new base station has also be specified by the 3GPP and
is referred to as an eNB (Evolved Node B). These, along with their associated interfaces form
the E-UTRAN and in so doing, are responsible for:
 RRM (Radio Resource Management) - this involves the allocation to the UE of the
physical resources on the uplink and downlink, access control and mobility control.
 Date Compression - is performed in both the eNB and the UE in order to maximize the
amount of user data that can be transferred on the allocated resource. This process is
undertaken by PDCP.
 Data Protection - is performed at the eNB and the UE in order to encrypt and integrity
protect RRC signaling and encrypt user data on the air interface.

 Routing - this involves the forwarding of Control Plane signaling to the MME and User
Plane traffic to the S-GW (Serving - Gateway).
 Packet Classification and QoS Policy Enforcement - this involves the “marking” of
uplink packets based upon subscription information or local service provider policy. QoS
(Quality of Service) policy enforcement is then responsible for ensuring such policy is
enforced at the network edge.
Figure 1-13 Evolved Node B Functional Elements
Radio Resource
Packet Management
Classification
and QoS Policy
Enforcement
Data
Compression
eNB
Routing
Data Protection
Security in LTE is not solely limited to encryption and integrity protection of information passing across
the air interface but instead, NAS encryption and integrity protection between the UE and MME also takes
place. In addition, IPSec may also be used to protect user data within both the E-UTRAN and EPC.
eNB Identities
In addition to the UE identities already discussed, there are a number of specific identities
associated with the eNB. These include:
 TAI (Tracking Area Identity) - is a logical group of neighboring cells defined by the
service provider in which an LTE idle UE is able to move within without needing to
update the network. As such, it is similar to a RAI (Routing Area Identity) used in 2G
and 3G packet switched networks.
 ECGI (Evolved Cell Global Identity) - is comprised of the MCC, MNC and ECI
(Evolved Cell Identity), the later being coded by each service provider.
1.3.3 Femto Cells

In order to improve both network coverage and capacity, the 3GPP have developed a new type
of base station to operate within the home or small business environment. Termed the HeNB
(Home Evolved Node B), this network element forms part of the E-UTRAN and in so doing
supports the standard E-UTRAN interfaces. However, it must be stated that HeNBs do not
support the X2 interface.
The architecture may include an HeNB-GW (Home Evolved Node B - Gateway) which
resides between the HeNB in the E-UTRAN and the MME / S-GW in the EPC in order to
scale and support large numbers of base station deployments.

HeNB Identities
To aid in the efficient operation of both the UE and the network, there are a number of
additional identities which have been introduced by the 3GPP for femto cell operation. These
are:
 CSG (Closed Subscriber Group) Identity - this is used by a UE to determine whether it is
permitted to use the HeNB. The CSG Identity is broadcast in SI (System Information)
messages.
 HeNB Name - is a free text human readable name broadcast by the HeNB to advise
subscribers of the identity of the HeNB they are, or are about to register with.
1.4 E-UTRAN Interfaces and Protocols

As with all 3GPP technologies, it is the actual interfaces which are defined in terms of the
protocols they support and the associated signaling messages and user traffic that traverse
them.
Figure 1-14 E-UTRAN Interfaces
E-UTRAN EPC
Uu
S1-MME
MME
eNB S1-MME
S1-U
X2
S1-U
eNB
S-GW
1.4.1 Uu Interface
The Uu Interface supports both a Control Plane and a User plane and spans the link between
the UE and the eNB / HeNB. The principle Control Plane protocol is RRC while the User
Plane is designed to carry IP datagrams. However, both Control and User Planes utilize the
services of PDCP, RLC and MAC.
Radio Resource Control

RRC deals with all the signaling between the UE and the E-UTRAN in addition to
transporting NAS signaling between the UE and the MME. It also provides the main
configuration and parameters to the lower layer protocols. For example, the Phy Layer will
receive information from RRC on how to configure certain of its aspects. Key responsibilities
of RRC include:
 System Information.

 PLMN and Cell Selection.

 Admission Control.
 Security Management.
 Cell Reselection.
 Measurement Reporting.
 Handovers and Mobility.
 NAS Transport.
 Radio Resource Management.
Packet Data Convergence Protocol

PDCP operates on both the Control Plane and User Plane. In addition to IP header
compression and sequencing / duplicate packet detection, PDCP is also responsible for
security on the air interface. As such, its key responsibilities include:
 Encryption - Control Plane and User Plane.
 Integrity Checking - Control Plane.
 IP Header Compression - User Plane.
 Sequencing and Duplicate Detection - User Plane.
Figure 1-15 Uu Interface Protocols
Uu
UE eNB
Control Plane User Plane
RRC IP
PDCP PDCP
RLC RLC
MAC MAC
PHY PHY
Radio Link Control

As the name would suggest, RLC provides “radio link” control in the UE and eNB and in so
doing, it provides three delivery services to the higher layers. These are:
 TM (Transparent Mode) - this provides a connectionless service and is utilized for some
of the air interface channels e.g. broadcast and paging.
 UM (Unacknowledged Mode) - like that of TM, this also provides a connectionless
service but with additional functionality incorporating sequencing, segmentation and
concatenation.

 AM (Acknowledged Mode) - this supports ARQ (Automatic Repeat Request) thereby

operating in a connection orientated mode.
Medium Access Control

MAC provides the interface between the E-UTRA protocols and the Phy Layer and supports
the following services:
 Mapping - this is the “mapping” of information between the logical and transport
channels.
 Multiplexing - in order to increase system efficiency, information from different Radio
Bearers is multiplexed into the same TB (Transport Block).
 HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request) - provides error correction services over the
air interface. This requires close interworking with the Physical Layer.
 Radio Resource Allocation - this is the scheduling of traffic and signaling to users based
upon QoS.
Physical
The Physical Layer incorporates a number of functions. These include:
 Error Detection.
 FEC (Forward Error Correction) Encoding / Decoding.
 Rate Matching.
 Physical Channel Mapping.
 Power Weighting.
 RF (Radio Frequency) Modulation and Demodulation.
 Frequency and Time Synchronization.
 Radio Measurements.
 MIMO Processing.
 Transmit Diversity.
 Beamforming.
 RF Processing.
1.4.2 X2 Interface
The X2 Interface interconnects two eNBs and in so doing supports both a Control Plane and
User Plane. It also extends the S1 Interface when two or more eNBs lie between the UE and
the EPC. The X2AP (X2 Application Protocol) Control Plane protocol resides on SCTP
(Stream Control Transmission Protocol) where as the IP is transferred over the User Plane
using the services of GTP-U (GPRS Tunneling Protocol - User) and UDP (User Datagram
Protocol).
X2 Application Protocol
The X2AP is responsible for the following functions:
 Mobility Management - this enables the serving eNB to move the responsibility of a
specified UE to a target eNB. This includes Forwarding the User Plane, Status Transfer
and UE Context Release functions.

 Load Management - this function enables eNBs to communicate with each other in order
to report resource status, overload indications and current traffic loading.
 Error Reporting - this allows for the reporting of general error situations for which
specific error reporting mechanism have not been defined.
 Setting / Resetting X2 - this provides a means by which the X2 interface can be setup /
reset by exchanging the necessary information between the eNBs.
 Configuration Update - this allows the updating of application level data which is needed
for two eNBs to interoperate over the X2 interface.
Figure 1-16 X2 Interface Protocols
X2
eNB eNB
X2AP GTP-U
SCTP UDP
IP IP
Layer 2 Layer 2
Layer 1 Layer 1
Stream Control Transmission Protocol

Defined by the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) rather than the 3GPP, SCTP was
developed to overcome the shortfalls in TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and UDP when
transferring signaling information over an IP bearer. Functions provided by SCTP include:
 Reliable Delivery of Higher Layer Payloads.
 Sequential Delivery of Higher Layer Payloads.
 Improved resilience through Multihoming.
 Flow Control.
 Improved Security.
SCTP is also found on the S1-MME Interface which links the eNB to the MME.
GPRS Tunneling Protocol - User

GTP-U tunnels are used to carry encapsulated PDU (Protocol Data Unit) and signaling
messages between endpoints or in the case of the X2 interface. Numerous GTP-U tunnels may
exist in order to differentiate between EPS bearer contexts and these are identified through a
TEID (Tunnel Endpoint Identifier).
GTP-U is also found on the S1-U Interface which links the eNB to the S-GW and may also be used on the
S5 Interface linking the S-GW to the PDN-GW.

1.4.3 S1 Interface
The S1 Interface can be subdivided into the S1-MME interface supporting Control Plane
signaling between the eNB and the MME and the S1-U Interface supporting User Plane traffic
between the eNB and the S-GW.
Figure 1-17 S1 Interface Protocols
S1-MME S1-U
eNB MME eNB S-GW

S1AP GTP-U
SCTP UDP
IP IP
Layer 2 Layer 2
Layer 1 Layer 1
S1 Application Protocol
The S1AP spans the S1-MME Interface and in so doing, supports the following functions:
 E-RAB (Evolved - Radio Access Bearer) Management - this incorporates the setting up,
modifying and releasing of the E-RABs by the MME.
 Initial Context Transfer - is used to establish an S1UE context in the eNB, setup the
default IP connectivity and transfer NAS related signaling.
 UE Capability Information Indication - is used to inform the MME of the UE Capability
Information.
 Mobility - this incorporates mobility features to support a change in eNB or change in
RAT.
 Paging.
 S1 Interface Management - this incorporates a number of sub functions dealing with
resets, load balancing and system setup etc.
 NAS Signaling Transport - the transport of NAS related signaling over the S1-MME
Interface.
 UE Context Modification and Release - this allows for the modification and release of
the established UE Context in the eNB and MME respectively.
 Location Reporting - this enables the MME to be made aware of the UE’s current
location within the network.

1.5 EPC Architecture

In addition to LTE, the 3GPP also defined the SAE (System Architecture Evolution) as part of
the Release 8 framework for an evolution or migration of core network to provide a packet
optimized architecture supporting higher data rates, lower latency and multi RAT connectivity.
Within this architecture, the functionally of the core network is made much “flatter” with
much of the intelligence required to support service delivery being placed within domains
such as the IMS. In essence, this removes much of the call / session control from the core.
Figure 1-18 illustrates the fundamental architecture of the EPC and in so doing identifies the
key interfaces which exist between the network elements. It should be stated however that
there exists additional interfaces which link the EPC with the IMS and legacy 3GPP / Non
3GPP architectures.
Figure 1-18 EPC Architecture and Interfaces
EPC
S1-MME
S10
MME
S11 MME
S1-U S5/S8 SGi
S-GW PDN-GW
1.5.1 Mobility Management Entity

The MME is the Control Plane entity within the EPC and as such is responsible for the
following functions:
 NAS Signaling and Security - this incorporates both EMM (Evolved Mobility
Management) and ESM (Evolved Session Management) and thus includes procedures
such as Tracking Area Updates and EPS Bearer Management. The MME is also
responsible for NAS security.
 S-GW and PDN-GW Selection - upon receipt of a request from the UE to allocate a
bearer resource, the MME will select the most appropriate S-GW and PDN-GW. This
selection criterion is based on the location of the UE in addition to current load
conditions within the network.
 Tracking Area List Management and Paging - whilst in the LTE Idle state, the UE is
tracked by the MME to the granularity of a Tracking Area. Whilst UEs remain within the
Tracking Areas provided to them in the form of a Tracking Area List, there is no
requirement for them to notify the MME. The MME is also responsible for initiating the
paging procedure.
 Inter MME Mobility - if a handover involves changing the point of attachment within the
EPC, it may be necessary to involve an inter MME handover. In this situation, the
serving MME will select a target MME with which to conduct this process.

 Authentication - this involves interworking with the subscriber’s HSS (Home Subscriber
Server) in order to obtain AAA (Access Authorization and Accounting) information with
which to authenticate the subscriber. Like that of other 3GPP system, authentication is
based on AKA (Authentication and Key Agreement).
Figure 1-19 MME Functional Elements
NAS Signaling
and Security
Authentication
S-GW and
PDN-GW
Selection
MME
Inter MME
Tracking Area List
Mobility
Management and
Paging
1.5.2 Serving - Gateway

Figure 1-20 S-GW Functional Elements
Mobility Anchor
GTP/PMIP
Support
Downlink
Packet
Buffering
S-GW
Lawful
Interception Packet Routing
and Forwarding
The S-GW terminates the S1-U Interface from the E-UTRAN and in so doing, provides the
following functions:
 Mobility Anchor - for inter eNB handovers, the S-GW acts as an anchor point for the
User Plane. Furthermore, it also acts as an anchor for inter 3GPP handovers to legacy
networks - GPRS and UMTS.
 Downlink Packet Buffering - when traffic arrives for a UE at the S-GW, it may need to
be buffered in order to allow time for the MME to page the UE and for it to enter the
LTE Active state.
 Packet Routing and Forwarding - traffic must be routed to the correct eNB on the
downlink and the specified PDN-GW on the uplink.
 Lawful Interception - this incorporates the monitoring of VoIP (Voice over IP) and other
packet services.

 GTP/PMIP Support - if PMIP (Proxy Mobile IP) is used on the S5/S8 Interfaces, the
S-GW must support MAG (Mobile Access Gateway) functionality. Furthermore, support
for GTP/PMIP chaining may also be required.
1.5.3 Packet Data Network - Gateway

The PDN-GW is the network element which terminates the SGi Interface towards the PDN
(Packet Data Network). If a UE is accessing multiple PDNs, there may be a requirement for
multiple PDN-GWs to be involved. Functions associated with the PDN-GW include:
 Packet Filtering - this incorporates the deep packet inspection of IP datagrams arriving
from the PDN in order to determine which TFT (Traffic Flow Template) they are to be
associated with.
 Lawful Interception - as with the S-GW, the PDN-GW may also monitor traffic as it
passes across it.
 IP Address Allocation - IP addresses may be allocated to the UE by the PDN-GW. This is
included as part of the initial bearer establishment phase or when UEs roam between
different access technologies.
 Transport Level Packet Marking - this involves the marking of uplink and downlink
packets with the appropriate tag e.g. DSCP (Differentiated Services Code Point) based
on the QCI (QoS Class Identifier) of the associated EPS bearer.
 Accounting - through interaction with a PCRF (Policy Rules and Charging Function), the
PDN-GW will monitor traffic volumes and types.
Figure 1-21 PDN-GW Functional Elements
Packet Filtering
Accounting
Lawful
Interception
PDN-GW
Transport
Level Packet
IP Address
Marking
Allocation
1.6 EPC Interfaces and Protocols

1.6.1 S11 Interface
The S11 Interface links the MME with the S-GW in order to support Control Plane signaling.
In so doing, it utilizes GTPv2-C (GPRS Tunneling Protocol version 2 - Control) which, like
all other interfaces which use variants of GTP use the services of UDP and IP.

GPRS Tunneling Protocol version 2 - Control

GTPv2-C supports the transfer of signaling messages between the MME and the S-GW and as
such is responsible for the exchange of the following message types:
 Path Management - this incorporates Echo Request and Echo Response messages to
ensure ongoing connectivity across the link.
 Tunnel Management - these messages are used to activate, modify and delete the EPS
bearers and sessions spanning the network.
 Mobility Management - these messages ensure mobility is supported through a
combination of relocation and notification procedures.
 CS (Circuit Switched) Fallback - this incorporates suspend and resume procedures
during fallback to circuit switched operation.
 Non 3GPP Access - these messages support the establishment of tunnels to forward
packet data between the 3GPP and Non 3GPP networks.
S11
MME S-GW
Control Plane
GTPv2-C
UDP
IP
Layer 2
Layer 1
GTPv2-C is also found on the S5/S8 Interface between the S-GW and PDN-GW and the S10 Interface
between MMEs. Furthermore, it can also be found on the S3 and S4 interfaces when interconnecting with
an SGSN (Serving GPRS Support Node).
1.6.2 S5/S8 Interface

The S5/S8 Interface links the S-GW with the PDN-GW and supports both a Control Plane and
User Plane. The term S5 is used when these elements reside within the same PLMN (Public
Land Mobile Network) and S8 when the interface spans a HPLMN (Home Public Land
Mobile) / VPLMN (Visited Public Land Mobile network).
The GTPv2-C protocol operates on the Control Plane for both of these interfaces whereas
GTP-U or PMIP is used on the User Plane.
Proxy Mobile IP
Defined by the IETF, PMIP supports mobility when a UE moves from one S-GW to another
during a handover procedure. Data is tunneled between the PDN-GW, which supports HA
(Home Agent) functionality and the S-GW, which acts as the FA (Foreign Agent).

It is anticipated that PMIP will be used by 3GPP2 based networks migrating to LTE as they
already utilize PMIP within their 3G architectures. 3GPP based networks however are
expected to use GTP-U instead.
Figure 1-23 S5/S8 Interface Protocols
S5/S8
S-GW PDN-GW
GTPv2-C GTP-U / PMIP
UDP UDP
IP IP
Layer 2 Layer 2
Layer 1 Layer 1
1.6.3 S10 Interface

The S10 Interface links two MMEs in order to pass Control Plane signaling. In so doing, it
uses the services of GTPv2-C.
S10
MME MME
Control Plane
GTPv2-C
UDP
IP
Layer 2
Layer 1
1.6.4 SGi Interface

The SGi Interface connects the PDN-GW to an external PDN. This could be the public
Internet, Corporate Intranets or a service provider’s network supporting services such as the
IMS. Although defined by the 3GPP, the protocols which operate over the SGi Interface are
defined by the IETF and include TCP, UDP in addition to a host of application specific
protocols.

Figure 1-25 SGi Interface Protocols
SGi
PDN-GW
Applications
TCP / UDP
IP
Layer 2
Layer 1
1.6.5 Additional Network Elements and Interfaces

In addition to the network elements, interfaces and associated protocols discussed so far, the
EPC connects with numerous other nodes and networks. These are illustrated in Figure 1-26.
Figure 1-26 Additional Network Elements and Interfaces
CDMA
2000
S6a HSS
EIR S13
S101
EPC
S10
S3
MME
PCRF
S11 MME
Gx
SGSN
S4
S5/S8 S2a Trusted
Non 3GPP
IP Access
S-GW PDN-GW
S12
S103 S2b
Untrusted
CDMA Wn Non 3GPP
IP Access
RNC 2000
ePDG

These include, but are not limited to the:

 HSS (Home Subscriber Server) - this can be considered a “master” database within the
PLMN. Although logically it is considered as one entity, the HSS in practice is made up
of several physical databases depending upon subscriber numbers and redundancy
requirements. The HSS holds variables and identities for the support, establishment and
maintenance of calls and sessions made by subscribers. It is connected to the MME via
the S6a Interface which uses the protocol Diameter.
 PCRF (Policy and Charging Rules Function) - this supports functionality for policy
control through the PDF (Policy Decision Function) and charging control through the
CRF (Charging Rules Function). As such, it provides bearer network control in terms of
QoS and the allocation of the associated charging vectors. The PCRF downloads this
information over the Gx Interface using the Diameter protocol.
 ePDG (evolved Packet Data Gateway) - which is used when connecting to Untrusted
Non 3GPP IP Access networks. It provides functionality to allocate IP addresses in
addition to encapsulating / de-encapsulating IPSec (IP Security) and PMIP tunnels. It
connects to the PDN-GW via the S2b Interface.
 RNC (Radio Network Controller) - which forms part of the 3GPPs UTRAN (Universal
Terrestrial Radio Access Network), the RNC connects to the S-GW to support the
tunneling of User Plane traffic using GTP-U. The interface linking these network
elements is the S12 Interface.
 SGSN (Serving GPRS Support Node) - this forms part of the 3GPPs 2G and 3G packet
switched core domain. It connects to both the MME and S-GW in order to support
packet switched mobility and uses the GTPv2-C and GTP-U protocols respectively. The
SGSN connects to the MME via the S3 Interface and the S-GW via the S4 Interface.
 EIR (Equipment Identity Register) - this database enables service providers to validate a
particular IMEI (International Mobile Equipment identity) against stored lists. It
connects to the MME via the S13 Interface and uses the Diameter protocol for message
transfer.


Training Manual 2 LTE Air Interface Principles
2 LTE Air Interface Principles
Objectives

2.1 Describe the radio interface techniques used in the uplink and downlink.
2.2 Describe the principles of OFDM.
2.3 Describe the channel structure of the air interface.
2.4 Detail the time-domain structure in the radio interface in uplink and downlink for both
FDD and TDD mode.
2.5 Have a good understanding of the OFDMA principles used in the downlink.
2.6 Have a good understanding of the SC-FDMA principles used in the uplink.
2.7 Describe MIMO.
2.8 Describe briefly the role of MBMS within LTE.

2 LTE Air Interface Principles Training Manual
2.1 Radio Interface Techniques

In wireless cellular systems, mobiles have to share a common medium for transmission. There
are several categories of assignment but the main four are: FDMA (Frequency Division
Multiple Access), TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access), CDMA (Code Division Multiple
Access) and OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access).
Figure 2-1 Radio Interface Techniques
Radio Interface
Techniques
FDMA OFDMA
TDMA CDMA
2.1.1 Frequency Division Multiple Access

In order to accommodate various devices on the same wireless network, FDMA divides the
available spectrum into subbands or channels. The concept of FDMA is illustrated in Figure
2-2. Using this technique a dedicated channel can be allocated to a user, whilst other users
occupy other channels, i.e. frequencies.
In a cellular system, mobiles typically occupy two channels, one for the downlink and one for
the uplink. This does however make FDMA less efficient since most data applications are
downlink biased.
Figure 2-2 Frequency Division Multiple Access
Power Time
FDMA
Each user allocated a
different subband/
channel.
Frequency
FDMA channels also suffer since they cannot be too “close together” as the energy from one
channel affects the adjacent/neighboring channels. To combat this, additional guard bands
between channels are required which reduces the systems spectral efficiency.

2.1.2 Time Division Multiple Access

In TDMA systems, the channel bandwidth is shared in the time domain. Figure 2-3 illustrates
the concept of TDMA. This illustrates how each device is allocated a time on the channel,
referred to as a “timeslot”. These are then grouped into a TDMA frame. The number of
timeslots in a TDMA frame is dependent on the system; for example GSM utilizes eight
timeslots.
Figure 2-3 Time Division Multiple Access
Time
Power
TDMA
different time on the
channel.
Frequency
Devices must be allocated a timeslot; therefore it is usual to have one or more timeslots
reserved for common control and system access.
TDMA systems are typically digital and therefore offer additional features such a ciphering
and integrity protection. In addition, they can employ enhanced error detection and correction
schemes such as FEC (Forward Error Correction). This enables the system to be more
resilient to noise and interference and therefore, they tend to offer greater spectral efficiency
when compared to FDMA systems.
2.1.3 Code Division Multiple Access

The concept of CDMA is slightly different to that of FDMA and TDMA. Instead of sharing
resources in the time or frequency domain, CDMA devices operate on the same frequency
band at the same time. This is possible due to the fact that each transmission is separated
using a unique code.
Figure 2-4 Code Division Multiple Access
Time
Power
CDMA
different code on the
channel.
Frequency
There are two main types of CDMA, FHSS (Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum) and DSSS
(Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) however all the current major cellular systems utilize
DSSS.

In DSSS, the narrowband signal is spread with a wideband code prior to transmission. The
receivers are designed to extract the encoded signal (with the correct code) and reject
everything else as noise.
UMTS, cdmaOne and CDMA2000 all use CDMA. However the implementation of the codes
and the bandwidths used is different. For example UMTS utilizes a 5MHz channel bandwidth,
whereas cdmaOne uses only 1.25MHz.
2.1.4 Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access

OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) is the latest addition to cellular
systems. It provides a multiple access technique based on OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency
Division Multiplexing). Figure 2-5 illustrates the basic view of OFDMA. Here it can be seen
that the bandwidth is broken down to smaller units known as “subcarriers”. These are grouped
together and allocated as a resource to a device. It can also be seen that a device can be
allocated different resources in both the time and frequency domain.
Additional detail on OFDM and OFDMA is provided later in this section.
Figure 2-5 Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access
Time
Power
OFDMA
different resource
which can vary in
time and frequency.
Frequency
2.1.5 Transmission Modes

Cellular systems can be designed to operate in two main transmission modes, namely FDD
(Frequency Division Duplex) and TDD (Time Division Duplex).
Frequency Division Duplex

The concept of FDD is illustrated in Figure 2-6. A separate uplink and downlink channel are
utilized enabling a device to transmit and receive data at the same time (assuming the device
incorporates a duplexer). The spacing between the uplink and downlink channel is referred to
as the duplex spacing.
Figure 2-6 Frequency Division Duplex
Channel Channel
Bandwidth Bandwidth
Frequency
Uplink Downlink
Duplex Spacing

Normally the uplink channel (mobile transmit) operates on the lower frequency. This is done
because higher frequencies suffer greater attenuation than lower frequencies and therefore it
enables the mobile to utilize lower transmit power levels.
Some systems also offer half-duplex FDD mode, where two frequencies are utilized, however
the mobile can only transmit or receive, i.e. not transmit and receive at the same time. This
allows for reduced mobile complexity since no duplex filter is required.
Time Division Duplex

TDD mode enables full duplex operation using a single frequency band with time division
multiplexing for the uplink and downlink signals. One advantage of TDD is its ability to
provide asymmetric uplink and downlink allocations. Depending on the system, other
advantages include dynamic allocation, increased spectral efficiency, and improved use of
beamforming techniques. The later being due to the carrier having the same uplink and
downlink frequency characteristics.
Figure 2-7 Time Division Duplex
Downlink
and Uplink
Frequency
Asymmetric TDD
Allocation
Downlink Uplink Downlink Uplink

Time
TDD Frame TDD Frame
2.2 Principles of OFDM

The LTE air interface utilizes two different multiple access techniques, both of which are
based on OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing). These are:
 OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) - used on the downlink.
 SC-FDMA (Single Carrier - Frequency Division Multiple Access) - used on the uplink.
Figure 2-8 Use of OFDM in LTE
OFDM
(OFDMA)
eNB
OFDM
UE (SC-FDMA)

The concept of OFDM is not new and is currently being used on various systems such as
Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) and WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access).
Furthermore, it was even considered for UMTS back in 1998. One of the main reasons why it
was not chosen at the time however was the handsets limited processer power and the poor
battery capabilities.
LTE was able to choose an OFDM based access due to the fact mobile handset processing
capabilities and battery performance have both significantly improved over the intervening
years. In addition, there is continual pressure to produce ever more spectrally efficient
systems.
2.2.1 Frequency Division Multiplexing

OFDM is based on FDM (Frequency Division Multiplexing) and is a method whereby
multiple frequencies are used to simultaneously transmit information. Figure 2-9 illustrates an
example of FDM with four subcarriers. These can be used to carry different information and
to ensure that each subcarrier does not interfere with the adjacent subcarrier, a guard band is
utilized. In addition, each subcarrier has slightly different radio characteristics and this may be
used to provide diversity.
Figure 2-9 FDM Carriers
Guard Band Subcarrier
Frequency
Channel
Bandwidth
FDM systems are not that spectrally efficiency (when compared to other systems) since
multiple guard bands are required.
2.2.2 OFDM Subcarriers

OFDM follows the same concept as FDM but it drastically increases spectral efficiency by
reducing the spacing between the subcarriers. Figure 2-10 illustrates how the subcarriers can
overlap due to their orthogonally with the other subcarriers, i.e. the subcarriers are
mathematically perpendicular to each other. As such, when a subcarrier is at its maximum, the
two adjacent subcarriers are passing through zero. Furthermore, OFDM systems still employ
guard bands. These are however located at the upper and lower parts of the channel in order to
reduce adjacent channel interference.

Figure 2-10 OFDM Subcarriers
Orthogonal Centre Subcarrier

Subcarriers Not Orthogonal
Frequency
Channel
Bandwidth
The centre subcarrier, known as the DC (Direct Current) subcarrier, is not typically used in OFDM
systems due to its lack of orthogonality.
2.2.3 Fast Fourier Transforms

OFDM subcarriers are generated and decoded using mathematical functions called FFT (Fast
Fourier Transform) and IFFT (Inverse Fast Fourier Transform). The IFFT is used in the
transmitter to generate the waveform. Figure 2-11 illustrates how the coded data is first
mapped to parallel streams before being modulated and processed by the IFFT.
Figure 2-11 Inverse Fast Fourier Transform
Subcarrier
Modulation Inverse Fast
Fourier
Transform
Serial
Coded
to IFFT RF
Bits
Parallel
Complex
Waveform
At the receiver side, this signal is passed to the FFT which analyses the complex/combined
waveform to generate the original streams. Figure 2-12 illustrates the FFT process.

Figure 2-12 Fast Fourier Transform
Subcarrier
Demodulation
Fast Fourier
Transform
Parallel
Coded
Receiver FFT to
Bits
Serial
2.2.4 LTE FFT Sizes

Fast Fourier Transforms and Inverse Fast Fourier Transforms both have a defining size. For
example, an FFT size of 512 indicates that there are 512 subcarriers. In reality, not all 512
subcarriers can be utilized for data transfer due to the channel guard bands and the fact that a
DC (Direct Current) subcarrier is also required.
Table 2-1 illustrates the channel bandwidth options available to LTE, as well as the FFT size
and associated sampling rate. Using the sampling rate and the FFT size, the subcarrier spacing
can be calculated, e.g. 7.68MHz/512 = 15kHz.
Table 2-1 LTE Channel and FFT Sizes

Channel FFT Size Subcarrier Sampling Rate
Bandwidth Bandwidth
1.4MHz 128 1.92MHz

3MHz 256 3.84MHz
5MHz 512 7.68MHz
15kHz
10MHz 1024 15.36MHz
15MHz 1536 23.04MHz
20MHz 2048 30.72MHz
The subcarrier spacing of 15kHz is also used to identify the OFDM symbol duration.
2.2.5 OFDM Symbol Mapping

The mapping of OFDM symbols to subcarriers is dependent on the system design. The first
12 modulated OFDM symbols are mapped to 12 subcarriers, i.e. they are transmitted at the
same time but using different subcarriers. The next 12 subcarriers are then mapped to the next
OFDM symbol period. In addition, a CP (Cyclic Prefix) is added between the symbols.

Figure 2-13 OFDM Symbol Mapping
Time
Modulated
OFDM
Symbol
Amplitude
Cyclic
Prefix
Frequency
OFDM
Symbol
LTE allocates resources in groups of 12 subcarriers. This is referred to as a PRB (Physical Resource
Block).
In the previous example, 12 different modulated OFDM symbols were transmitted

simultaneously. Figure 2-14 illustrates how the combined energy from this will result in either
constructive peaks (when the symbols are the same) or destructive nulls (when the symbols
are different).
Figure 2-14 OFDM PAPR (Peak to Average Power Ratio)
PAPR (Peak to Average

Power Ratio) Issue
OFDM
Amplitude Symbol
Time
2.2.6 Time Domain Interference

The OFDM signal provides some protection in the frequency domain due to the orthogonality
of the subcarriers. The main issue to overcome however is delay spread, i.e. multipath
interference.
Figure 2-15 illustrates two of the main multipath effects, namely delay and attenuation. The
delayed signal can manifest itself as ISI (Inter Symbol Interference), whereby one symbol
impacts the next.

Figure 2-15 Delay Spread
Energy
Delay Spread
Time
ISI is typically combated with “equalizers”. However for the equalizer to be effective, a
known bit pattern or “training sequence” is required. This reduces the system capacity, as well
as impacting on the processing required within the device. Instead, OFDM systems employ a
CP (Cyclic Prefix).
Figure 2-16 Inter Symbol Interference
1st Received
Delayed
Signal
Signal
Interference
Caused
Cyclic Prefix
A Cyclic Prefix is utilized in most OFDM systems to combat multipath delays. It effectively
provides a guard period for each OFDM symbol. Figure 2-17 illustrates the Cyclic Prefix and
identifies its location in the OFDM Symbol. Notice that the Cyclic Prefix is effectively a copy
from the back of the original symbol which is then placed in front to make the OFDM symbol
(Ts).

Figure 2-17 Cyclic Prefix
Frequency
CP CP CP CP
CP CP CP CP
CP CP CP CP
Symbol Period T(s) Time
Cyclic Prefix
Bit Period T(b)
T(g)
Symbol Period T(s)
LTE has two defined Cyclic Prefix sizes, normal and extended. The extended Cyclic Prefix is designed for
larger cells.
The size of the Cyclic Prefix relates to the maximum delay spread the system can tolerate. As
such, systems designed for macro coverage, i.e. large cell radius, should have a large CP. This
does however impact on system capacity as the number of symbols per second is will be
reduced.
2.2.7 OFDM Advantages and Disadvantages

OFDM Advantages
OFDM systems typically have a number of advantages:
 OFDM is almost completely resistant to multi-path interference due to its very long
symbol duration.
 Higher spectral efficiency for wideband channels - 5MHz and above.
 Flexible spectrum utilization.
 Relatively simple implementation using FFT and IFFT.
OFDM Disadvantages
OFDM also has some disadvantages:
 Frequency errors and phase noise can cause issues.
 Doppler shift impacts subcarrier orthogonality.

 Some OFDM systems can suffer from high PAPR (Peak to Average Power Ratio).
 Accurate frequency and time synchronization.
2.3 LTE Channel Structures

The concept of “channels” is not new. Both GSM and UMTS defined various channel
categories, however LTE terminology is closer to UMTS. Broadly there are four categories of
channel.
Figure 2-18 LTE Channels
Logical Transport Physical Radio

Channels Channels Channels Channels
2.3.1 Logical Channels

In order to describe Logical Channels it is best to first identify where logical channels are
located in relationship to the LTE protocols and the other channel types. Figure 2-19
illustrates the Logical Channels located between the RLC (Radio Link Control) and the MAC
(Medium Access Control) layers.
Figure 2-19 Location of Channels
Logical
Channels RLC
Transport
MAC Channels
PHY
Physical
Channels Radio
Channel
Logical Channels are classified as either Control Logical Channels, which carry control data
such as RRC (Radio Resource Control) signaling, or Traffic Logical Channels which carry
User Plane data.
Control Logical Channels

The various forms of these Control Logical Channels include the:
 BCCH (Broadcast Control Channel) - this is a downlink channel used to send of SI
(System Information) messages from the eNB (Evolved Node B). These are defined by
RRC.
 PCCH (Paging Control Channel) - this is a downlink channel used by the eNB to
broadcast paging information.

Figure 2-20 BCCH and PCH Logical Channels
System Information
Messages
BCCH
PCCH
UE Paging eNB
Devices
 CCCH (Common Control Channel) - this is used to establish an RRC Connection or

specifically a SRB (Signaling Radio Bearer). It is also used for re-establishment
procedures. Note, SRB 0 maps to the CCCH.
 DCCH (Dedicated Control Channel) - this provides a bi-directional channel for signaling.
Logically there are two DCCH activated:
− SRB 1 - is used for RRC messages, as well as RRC messages which carry high
priority NAS signaling.
− SRB 2 - is used for RRC carrying low priority NAS signaling. Prior to its
establishment, low priority signaling is sent on SRB1.
Figure 2-21 CCCH and DCCH Signaling
SRB 0 CCCH
SRB 0 CCCH
SRB 1 DCCH
UE eNB
SRB 2 DCCH
Low Priority
NAS Signalling
Traffic Logical Channels

3GPP Release 8 LTE has one type of Logical Channel carrying traffic, namely the DTCH
(Dedicated Traffic Channel). This is used to carry DRB (Dedicated Radio Bearer) information,
i.e. IP datagrams.
Figure 2-22 Dedicated Traffic Channel
DRB DTCH
Carries AM or UM
UE RLC Traffic eNB

The DTCH is a bi-directional channel that can operate in either RLC AM (Acknowledged
Mode) or UM (Unacknowledged Mode). This is configured by RRC and is based on the QoS
(Quality of Service) applied to the E-RAB (EPS Radio Access Bearer).
2.3.2 Transport Channels

Historically, transport channels were split between common and dedicated channels. However,
LTE has moved away from dedicated channels in favor of the common/shared channels
approach due to the associated efficiencies this provides. The main 3GPP Release 8 Transport
Channels include the:
 BCH (Broadcast Channel) - this is a fixed format channel which occurs once per frame
and it is used to carry the MIB (Master Information Block). Note that the majority of
system information messages are carried on the DL-SCH (Downlink - Shared Channel).
 PCH (Paging Channel) - which is used to carry the PCCH, i.e. paging messages. It also
utilizes DRX (Discontinuous Reception) to improve UE battery life.
 DL-SCH (Downlink - Shared Channel) - is the main downlink channel for data and
signaling. It supports dynamic scheduling, as well as dynamic link adaptation. In
addition, it utilizes HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request) operation to improve
performance. As previously indicated, it also facilitates the sending of system
information messages.
 RACH (Random Access Channel) - carries limited information and is used in
conjunction with Physical Channels and preambles to provide contention resolution
procedures.
 UL-SCH (Uplink Shared Channel) - similar to the DL-SCH, this channel supports
dynamic scheduling (eNB controlled) and dynamic link adaptation by varying the
modulation and coding. In addition, it too supports HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat
Request) operation to improve system performance.
Figure 2-23 LTE Release 8 Transport Channels
BCH
PCH
DL-SCH
UE RACH eNB
UL-SCH
2.3.3 Physical Channels

The Phy (Physical) Layer facilitates transportation of MAC Transport Channels, as well as
providing scheduling, formatting and control indicators.
Downlink Physical Channels

Physical Channels on the downlink include the :
 PBCH (Physical Broadcast Channel) - used to carry the BCH.
 PCFICH (Physical Control Format Indicator Channel) - is used to indicate the number of
OFDM symbols used for the PDCCH.

 PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel) - used for resource allocation.

 PHICH (Physical Hybrid ARQ Indicator Channel) - used as part of the HARQ process.
 PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel) - used to carry the DL-SCH.
Uplink Physical Channels

There are a number of Uplink Physical Channels in LTE. These include the:
 PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel) - this channel carries the Random Access
Preamble. The location of the PRACH is defined by higher layer signaling, i.e. RRC.
 PUCCH (Physical Uplink Control Channel) - this carries uplink control and feedback. It
can also carry scheduling requests to the eNB.
 PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel) - which is the main uplink channel and is
used to carry the UL-SCH. It carries both signaling and user data, in addition to uplink
control. It is worth noting that the UE is not allowed to transmit the PUCCH and PUSCH
at the same time.
2.3.4 Radio Channels

The term “Radio Channel” is typically used to describe the overall channel, i.e. the downlink
and uplink carriers for FDD operation and the carrier for TDD operation.
Figure 2-24 Radio Channel
Radio
Channel
TDD
eNB
FDD
Radio
Channel
UE UE

2.3.5 Channel Mapping

There are various options for multiplexing multiple bearers together such that Logical
Channels may be mapped to one or more Transport Channels. These in turn are mapped into
Physical Channels.
Figure 2-25 Downlink Channel Mapping
NAS Layer ESM EMM IP
RRC Layer RRC
Integrity ROHC
PDCP Layer
Ciphering Ciphering
RLC Layer TM TM TM UM/AM UM/AM
Logical
BCCH PCCH CCCH DCCH DTCH
Channels
MAC Layer
Transport
BCH PCH DL-SCH
Channels
Physical Layer Physical

PBCH PCFICH PHICH PDCCH PDSCH
Channels

Figure 2-26 Uplink Channel Mapping
NAS Layer ESM EMM IP
RRC Layer RRC
Integrity ROHC
PDCP Layer
Ciphering Ciphering
RLC Layer TM UM/AM UM/AM
Logical
CCCH DCCH DTCH
Channels
MAC Layer
Transport
RACH UL-SCH
Channels
Physical Layer Physical

PRACH PUCCH PUSCH
Channels
In order to facilitate the multiplexing of Logical Channels to Transport Channels, the MAC
Layer typically adds a LCID (Logical Channel Identifier).
2.4 LTE Frame Structure

In LTE, devices are allocated blocks of subcarriers for a period of time. These are referred to
as a PRB (Physical Resource Block). The resource blocks are contained within the LTE
generic frame structure of which two types are defined; Type 1 and Type 2 radio frames.
2.4.1 Type 1 Radio Frames, Slots and Subframes

The Type 1 radio frame structure is used for FDD and is 10ms in duration. It consists of 20
slots, each lasting 0.5ms. Two adjacent slots form one subframe. For FDD operation, 10
subframes are available for downlink transmission and 10 subframes are available for uplink
transmission, with each transmission separated in the frequency domain.
Figure 2-27 illustrates the FDD frame structure, as well as highlighting the slots and subframe
concept. In addition, it illustrates how the slots are numbered 0 to 19.

Figure 2-27 LTE Frame Structure
Slot (0.5ms) Subframe (1ms)

Tslot = 15360 x Ts
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Radio Frame Tf = 307200 x Ts = 10ms
Ts = 1/(15000x2048)
= 32.552083ns
LTE Time Unit

The LTE time unit is identified as Ts and is calculated as 1/(15000×2048) which equates to
approximately 32.552083ns. Various aspects of LTE utilize this parameter, or multiples of it,
to identify timing and configuration information.
Cyclic Prefix Options

The concept of a CP (Cyclic Prefix) within OFDM systems has already been discussed. In
LTE, two different cyclic prefix sizes, namely “Normal” and “Extended” were selected. In
order to facilitate these, two different slot formats are required. Figure 2-28 illustrates the
seven and six ODFM symbol options. Obviously, to facilitate a larger cyclic prefix, one of the
symbols is sacrificed, thus the symbol rate is reduced.
Figure 2-28 Normal and Extended Cyclic Prefix
Radio Frame = 10ms
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Ts
7 OFDM
Symbols (Normal 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Cyclic Prefix)
Ts
6 OFDM Symbols
(Extended Cyclic 0 1 2 3 4 5
Prefix)
CP (Cyclic
Prefix)
The use of the extended cyclic prefix is intended for scenarios where the range of the cell
needs to be extended, e.g. for coverage planning purposes or when multicast services are
being employed in the cell.

2.4.2 Type 2 Radio Frames, Slots and Subframes

The Type 2 radio frame structure is used for TDD. One key addition to the TDD frame
structure is the concept of “special subframes”. This includes a DwPTS (Downlink Pilot Time
Slot), GP (Guard Period) and UpPTS (Uplink Pilot Time Slot). These have configurable
individual lengths and a combined total length of 1ms.
For TDD operation, the ten subframes are shared between the uplink and the downlink. Both
5ms and 10ms switch-point periodicity is supported however subframes 0 and 5 must be
allocated to the downlink as these contain the PSS (Primary Synchronization Signal) and SSS
(Secondary Synchronization Signal), as well as the broadcast information in subframe 0.
Figure 2-29 Type 2 TDD Radio Frame
Special GP (Guard Period)

Subframe
DwPTS (Downlink
UpPTS (Uplink
Pilot Time Slot)
Pilot Time Slot)
0 2 3 4 5 7 8 9
Type 2 Radio Frame Tf = 307200 x Ts = 10ms
There are various frame configuration options available for TDD operation. Table 2-2
illustrates these different options. Configuration options 0, 1, 2 and 6 have a 5ms switching
point and therefore require two special subframes. The remainder are based on a 10ms
switching point. In the table, the letter “D” is reserved for downlink transmissions, “U” uplink
transmissions and “S” denotes a special subframe with the three fields DwPTS, GP and
UpPTS.
Table 2-2 Type 2 Radio Frame Switching Points

Configuration Switching Subframe Number
Point
Periodicity 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
0 5ms D S U U U D S U U U
1 5ms D S U U D D S U U D
2 5ms D S U D D D S U D D
3 10ms D S U U U D D D D D
4 10ms D S U U D D D D D D
5 10ms D S U D D D D D D D
6 5ms D S U U U D S U U D
The DwPTS and UpPTS in a special frame can be used to carry information. For example the DwPTS can
include scheduling information and the UpPTS can be configured to facilitate random access bursts.

2.5 Downlink OFDMA

2.5.1 General OFDMA Structure
The E-UTRA downlink is based on OFDMA. As such, multiple devices are able to receive
information at the same time but on different portions of the radio channel. In most OFDMA
systems, this is referred to as a “Subchannel”, i.e. a collection of subcarriers. However, in
E-UTRA, the term “Subchannel” is replaced with the term PRB (Physical Resource Block).
Figure 2-30 illustrates the concept of OFDMA, whereby different users are allocated one or
more resource blocks in the time and frequency domain thereby enabling the efficient
scheduling of the available resources.
Figure 2-30 OFDMA in LTE
Frequency
Device is allocated one

or more PRB (Physical
Resource Blocks)
Channel OFDMA
Bandwidth
E.g. 3MHz
PRB consists of 12
subcarriers for 0.5ms
Time
It is also worth noting that a device is typically allocated 1ms of time, i.e. a subframe, and not
an individual PRB.
2.5.2 Physical Resource Blocks and Resource Elements

A PRB (Physical Resource Block) consists of 12 consecutive subcarriers and lasts for one slot,
i.e. 0.5ms.
Figure 2-31 illustrates the size of a PRB. The NRBDL parameter is used to define the number of
RB (Resource Block) used in the DL (Downlink). This is dependent on the channel bandwidth.

In contrast, NRBUL is used to identify the number of resource blocks in the UL (Uplink). Each
Resource Block consists of NSCRB subcarriers, which for standard operation is set to 12. In
addition, another configuration is available when using MBSFN (Multimedia Broadcast
Multicast Service Single Frequency Network) and a 7.5kHz subcarrier spacing.
The PRB is used to identify an allocation. It typically includes six or seven symbols,
depending on whether an extended or normal cyclic prefix is configured.
The term RE (Resource Element) is used to describe one subcarrier lasting one symbol. This
can then be assigned to carry modulated information, reference information or nothing.
Figure 2-31 Physical Resource Block and Resource Element
Radio Frame = 10ms
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Subframe
Slot 8 Slot 9
Physical Resource
Block
NSCRB Subcarriers = 12
NRBDL
Resource
Element
The different configurations for the downlink E-UTRA PRB are illustrated in Table 2-3.
Table 2-3 Downlink PRB Parameters
Configuration NSCRB NSymbDL
Normal Cyclic Prefix ∆f = 15kHz 7

12
Extended Cyclic ∆f = 15kHz 6
Prefix
∆f = 7.5kHz 24 3
The Uplink PRB configuration is similar to that shown; however the 7.5kHz option is not available.

2.5.3 LTE Physical Signals

In order for the UE to be able to access the network, the eNB must broadcast various
downlink signals. As the downlink is scalable from 1.4MHz to 20MHz and the device may
not be aware of the eNB configuration, the method of finding the system needs to be
consistent. Consequently synchronization and cell identity information must appear on the
downlink in a fixed location irrespective of the radio spectrum configuration. Figure 2-32
illustrates the structure of the NIDcell (Cell Identity).
Figure 2-32 Downlink Cell ID
ls
atio n Signa
nk Synchroniz
Downli
Ncell (1) (2) eNB

ID = 3NID + NID
Where: NID(1) = 0,…..167

UE NID(2) = 0, 1, or 2
In LTE, there are two synchronization sequences. These are referred to as the PSS (Primary
Synchronization Signal) and the SSS (Secondary Synchronization Signal). The location of
these is dependent on the transmission mode, i.e. FDD or TDD, as well as the use of the
normal or extended cyclic prefix.
Figure 2-33 PSS and SSS Location for FDD
Extended CP 0 1 2 3 4 5
PSS (Primary
Bandwidth Synchronization
Sequence)
Normal CP 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 72
62
Subcarriers
Bandwidth
SSS (Secondary
Synchronization
Sequence)
Slots 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Radio Frame
Repeated in
slots 0 and 10

Figure 2-34 PSS and SSS Location for TDD
Extended CP 0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 4 5
Bandwidth
Normal CP 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Bandwidth
Slots 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Radio Frame
Primary Synchronization Signal

The PSS provides downlink synchronization information for the UE. The signal sent is one of
three ZC (Zadoff-Chu) sequences. This provides a pseudo noise pattern which devices can
correlate, whilst at the same time enabling adjacent cells/sectors on the eNB to utilize
different synchronization signals. The NID (0,1 or 2) is mapped to a Zadoff-Chu root index
which is used in the sequence generation process
Secondary Synchronization Signal

The SSS is generated from the interleaved concatenation of two 31 bit binary sequences
which are cyclic shifted based on the value of NID.
2.5.4 Downlink Reference Signals

Unlike other systems, the LTE air interface does not employ a frame preamble. Instead it
utilizes various RS (Reference Signal) to facilitate coherent demodulation, channel estimation,
channel quality measurements and timing synchronization etc. Fundamentally there are three
types of downlink reference signals:
 Cell Specific (non-MBSFN).
 MBSFN (Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service Single Frequency Network).
 UE Specific.
Cell Specific Reference Signals

In LTE, the cell-specific reference signals are arranged in a two dimensional lattice of time
and frequency. This has been done so that they are equidistant and therefore provides a
minimum mean squared error estimate for the channel. In addition, the timing between the

reference symbols is an important factor for channel estimation and relates to the maximum
doppler spread supported, i.e. speed. In LTE, this works out at two reference symbols per slot.
The spacing in frequency domain is also an important factor, as this relates to the expected
coherence bandwidth and delay spread of the channel. In LTE there is a six subcarrier
separation of reference signals, however these are staggered in time such that they appear
every three subcarriers.
MBSFN Reference Signals

The LTE system also defines a set of reference signals for MBSFN. These are only present
when the PMCH (Physical Multicast Channel) is present and uses the extended cyclic prefix.
UE Specific Reference Signals

UE Specific Reference Signals are supported for single antenna port transmission on the
PDSCH and are transmitted on antenna port 5. It is typically used for beamforming when
non-codebook based pre-coding is applied.
2.6 Uplink SC-FDMA

The uplink in LTE, as previously mentioned, is based on SC-FDMA (Signal Carrier -
Frequency Division Multiple Access). This was chosen for its low PAPR (Peak to Average
Power Ratio) and flexibility which reduced complexity in the UE and improved power
performance and battery life. SC-FDMA tries to combine the best characteristics of single
carrier systems such as low peak-to-average power ratio, with the advantages of multi carrier
OFDM and as such, is well suited to the LTE uplink.
2.6.1 SC-FDMA Signal Generation

Figure 2-35 SC-FDMA Subcarrier Mapping Concept
Time Domain Frequency Domain Time Domain
0
0
0
0
Subcarrier CP
DFT IDFT
Symbols Mapping Insertion
0
0
0
The basic transmitter and receiver architecture is very similar (nearly identical) to OFDM, and
it offers the same degree of multipath protection. Importantly, because the underlying

waveform is essentially a single carrier, the PAPR is lower. It is quite difficult to visually
represent SC-FDMA in the time and frequency domain however this section aims to illustrate
the concept.
In Figure 2-35, the SC-FDMA signal generation process starts by creating a time domain
waveform of the data symbols to be transmitted. This is then converted into the frequency
domain, using a DFT (Discrete Fourier Transform). DFT length and sampling rate are chosen
so that the signal is fully represented, as well as being spaced 15kHz apart. Each subcarrier
will have its own fixed amplitude and phase for the duration of the SC-FDMA symbol. Next
the signal is shifted to the desired place in the channel bandwidth using the zero insertion
concept, i.e. subcarrier mapping. The signal is then converted to a single carrier waveform
using an IDFT (Inverse Discrete Fourier Transform) in addition to other functions. Finally a
cyclic prefix can be added. Note that additional functions such as S-P (Serial to Parallel) and
P-S (Parallel to Serial) converters are also required as part of a detailed functional description.
Figure 2-36 illustrates the concept of the DFT, such that a group of N symbols map to N
subcarriers. However depending on the combination of the N symbols into the DFT, the
output will vary. As such, the actual amplitude and phase of the N subcarriers is more like a
“code word”.
Figure 2-36 SC-FDMA Signal Generation
N symbols sequence DFT Output

produces N subcarriers
N Symbols
DFT
Modulated and
Coded Symbols
N Symbols
DFT
Different input sequence

produces different output
At the eNB, the receiver takes the N subcarriers and reverses the process. This is achieved
using an IDFT (Inverse Discrete Fourier Transform) which effectively reproduces the original
N symbols. Figure 2-37 illustrates the basic view of how the subcarriers received at the eNB
are converted back into the original signals.
Note that the SC-FDMA symbols have a constant amplitude and phase and like ODFMA, a
CP (Cyclic Prefix) is still required.

Figure 2-37 SC-FDMA and the eNB
Time Second N Symbols
IDFT
Power
Cyclic
Prefix First N Symbols
IDFT
N Subcarriers
2.6.2 OFDMA Verses SC-FDMA

The main reason SC-FDMA was specified for the uplink was because of its PA (Power
Amplifier) characteristics. Typically, the SC-FDMA signal will operate with a 2-3 dB lower
PAPR. This makes the system more efficient, thus increasing the UE’s battery life. SC-FDMA
also performs better when in larger cells.
It must be noted that OFDMA is better in a number of areas, such as Inter-symbol
orthogonality and the ability to provide a more flexible frequency domain scheduling
mechanism. This increases the system performance. In addition, OFDMA is more suitable for
uplink MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) operation and its associated high date rate
services.
Table 2-4 highlights three main features and indicates which technology is best suited.
Table 2-4 SC-FDMA verses OFDMA

Feature SC-FDMA OFDMA
Low PAPR Y X
Performance X Y
Uplink MIMO X Y
2.7 Multiple Input Multiple Output

MIMO relates to the use of multiple antennas at both the transmitter (Multiple Input) and
receiver (Multiple Output). The terminology and methods used in MIMO can differ from
system to system, however most fall into one of two categories:
 SU-MIMO (Single User - Multiple Input Multiple Output) - this utilizes MIMO
technology to improve the performance towards a single user.
 MU-MIMO (Multi User - Multiple Input Multiple Output) - this enables multiple users
to be served through the use of spatial multiplexing techniques.

Figure 2-38 SU-MIMO and MU-MIMO
Increases capacity since a

single user benefits from
multiple data streams. MU-MIMO
SU-MIMO
eNB
eNB UE
Increases sector
capacity by allowing
UE users to share streams. UE
2.7.1 Spatial Multiplexing

The most common MIMO category is referred to as SM (Spatial Multiplexing). This enables
multiple modulation symbol streams to be sent to a single UE using the same time and
frequency parameters. The differentiation of signals is achieved by the different reference
signals which were sent as part of the PRB (Physical Resource Block). Figure 2-39 illustrates
the concept of Spatial Multiplexing using a 2×2 MIMO system.
Figure 2-39 MIMO Spatial Multiplexing
2x2 SM (Spatial
Multiplexing)
TB eNB Port 0 TB
MIMO
TB TB
Port 1 UE
The main issue with Spatial Multiplexing in a cellular system is the high levels of interference
which may be experienced, especially at the cell edge. Unfortunately, this can affect both
spatial streams thereby introducing twice as many errors. For this reason, Spatial Multiplexing
is typically used close to the eNB, i.e. not at the cell edge.
Figure 2-40 Spatial Multiplexing Interference Issues
Interference
causes twice
as may errors
TB eNB Port 0 TB
MIMO
TB TB
Port 1 UE
Interference

2.7.2 Space Time Coding

If a UE was at the cell edge it could still benefit from MIMO. However it would rely on
different implementations, such as STC (Space Time Coding). Figure 2-41Figure 2-41
illustrates the basic concept of STC in a MIMO system.
Figure 2-41 MIMO Space Time Coding
Increased
Robustness
Form of
STC
TB eNB Port 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 MIMO TB
Port 1 3 6 5 2 1 4 UE
Interference TB Still
Recoverable
2.7.3 Adaptive MIMO Switch

To truly optimize the channel efficiency, some systems offer the ability to support AMS
(Adaptive MIMO Switch). Figure 2-42Figure 2-42 illustrates how a system could utilize a
mixture of Spatial Multiplexing and Space Time Coding, to optimize the eNB performance.
Figure 2-42 Adaptive MIMO Switch
Spatial
Multiplexing
Efficiency
AMS Point
Space Time
Coding
eNB
UE
Low SNR High SNR
2.8 Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service

MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service) is a point-to-multipoint service in which
data is transmitted from a single source to multiple recipients. This provides a more efficient
mechanism for the delivery of services such as Mobile TV and text streams etc.

2.8.1 MBMS Logical Architecture

To support MBMS, a number of additional functions are required within the LTE architecture.
This includes:
 BM-SC (Broadcast Multicast - Service Centre) - provides functions for the MBMS user
service provisioning and delivery. In may be used as an entry point for external content
providers in addition to authorizing and initiating MBMS bearer services etc.
 MBMS-GW (Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service - Gateway) - supports the transfer
of Control Plane and User Plane information from the BM-SC to the MME and eNB
respectively. It also allocates an IP multicast address to the eNB which should be used to
receive the MBMS data.
Figure 2-43 MBMS Logical Architecture
UE M3
MME
Sm SGmb
BM-SC
eNB SGi-mb
M1
UE MBMS-GW
 MCE (Multi-cell / multicast Coordination Entity) - this function is responsible for

admission control and the allocation of the radio resources used be the eNBs in the
MBSFN (MBMS over Single Frequency Network) area. Although the specifications do
not preclude the positioning of the MCE in any network element, it is envisaged that it
will form part of the eNB.
If the MCE does not form part of the eNB, the M2 Interface will be present to link the MCE with the eNB.
The M3 Interface will still exist between the MME and the MCE.
In addition to the network elements and associated functions already discussed, MBMS also
utilizes a number of “areas”. These include the:
 MBSFN Synchronization Area - this is an area within the network where all eNBs can be
synchronized and perform MBSFN transmissions. These transmissions can further be
defined as a simulcast transmission of identical waveforms at the same time from
multiple cells. As such, these are seen as a single transmission with respect to the UE.
MBSFN Synchronization Areas are capable of supporting one or more MBSFN Areas.
 MBSFN Area - this consists of a group of cells within an MBSFN Synchronization Area
which are coordinated to achieve an MBSFN transmission. A cell within a MBSFN
Synchronization Area can only belong to one MBSFN Area.
 MBSFN Area Restricted Cell - this is a cell within the MBSFN Area which does not
contribute to the MBSFN transmission. It may be able to transmit for other services but
this will be at a reduced power and the resource allocated for the MBSFN transmission.

Figure 2-44 MBSFN Synchronization Areas
MBSFN Synchronization Area
MBSFN MBSFN Area MBSFN

Area Area
eNB eNB eNB

eNB eNB
MBSFN Transmission
UE MBSFN Area
Reserved Cell
User data flow synchronization on the air interface is achieved using the SYNC protocol on
the M1 Interface. As part of these procedures, the BM-SC includes a timestamp alongside the
SYNV PDU packets which is used to ensure all the eNBs within the MBSFN Synchronization
Area use a common reference.
2.8.2 MBMS Cell Configuration

In accordance with the 3GPP’s Release 9 specifications, MBMS dedicated cell is now void
and as such, support for MBMS services will only be present on carriers alongside unicast
traffic. MBMS is not supported however in HeNB (Home Evolved Node B). Furthermore,
single cell MBMS transmission is no longer supported which restricts MBMS operation to
multi cell mode only. This concept is illustrated in Figure 2-45.
Figure 2-45 MBMS Cell Configuration
Unicast
Transmission Multi-cell MBMS Transmission
eNB eNB
UE UE
UE
MBMS/Unicast Mixed Cell
MBSFN Reference Signals are only transmitted when the PMCH (Physical Multicast Channel) is present.
Furthermore, these reference signals are defined for the Extended Cyclic prefix only.

Training Manual 3 eNB Product Overview
3 eNB Product Overview
Objectives

3.1 Describe the Huawei eNB product family.
3.2 Describe the Huawei eNB products and application scenarios.
3.3 Describe the Huawei eNB operation and maintenance system.

3 eNB Product Overview Training Manual
3.1 The Huawei eNB Family

The Huawei eNB (Evolved Node B) product family consists of two core products; the
BTS3900(A) LTE and the DBS3900 LTE which focus on customer innovations. The former
comes in two versions, the BTS3900 LTE is a compact indoor macro eNB where as the
BTS3900A LTE is an outdoor version. The DBS3900 however has a distributed architecture
enabling the radio unit to be installed at the mast head close to the antennas thereby reducing
feeder loss and improving system coverage.
3.1.1 BTS3900(A) LTE

The BTS3900(A) LTE features a distributed architecture and consists of two basic modules;
the BBU3900 (Baseband control Unit) and the LRUF (LTE Radio Frequency Unit). These are
interconnected through a CPRI (Common Public Radio Interface) using electrical cables.
Flexible combinations of these two basic modules and auxiliary devices, provides diverse site
solutions that are applicable in different scenarios.
Figure 3-1 BTS3900(A) LTE Architecture
RF Antenna
Cabinets
BBU3900 LRFU
(BaseBand control Unit) CPRI (LTE Radio Frequency
Unit)
Baseband Control Unit
Figure 3-2 BBU3900
The BBU3900 performs the following functions:

 It provides support for connection between the eNB and the MME (Mobility
Management Entity) or S-GW (Serving Gateway).

 It provides CPRI ports for communication with the LRFU and processes uplink and
downlink signals.
 It performs centralized management of the entire BTS3900(A) LTE and DBS3900 LTE
in terms of O&M (Operations and Maintenance) and signaling processing.
 It provides an O&M channel for connection to LMT (Local Maintenance Terminal) or
iManager M2000.
 It provides the clock port, alarm monitoring port and USB (Universal Serial Bus) port.
LTE Radio Frequency Unit

The LRFU performs modulation, demodulation, data processing and combining and dividing
for baseband signals and RF signals. The LRFU supports double feeders (2Tx + 2Rx) as well
as four feeders (4Tx + 4Rx) through a combined installation of two LRFUs.
Figure 3-3 LRFU
Cabinets
The indoor macro cabinet BTS3900 LTE houses the BBU3900 and up to six LRFUs. In
addition, it also provides functions such as power distribution, heat dissipation and surge
protection.
The outdoor separated macro cabinet BTS3900A LTE consists of the RFC (Radio Frequency
Cabinet) and APM30H (Advanced Power Module with Heat exchanger cooling) which are
installed in stack mode.
Other configurations are available according to customer requirements.
3.1.2 DBS3900 LTE

The DBS3900 LTE features a distributed architecture. The two basic modules of the
DBS3900 LTE consist of the BBU3900 and RRU3201 (Remote Radio Unit) These are
interconnected through a standardized CPRI using optical cables.

Figure 3-4 DBS3900 LTE Architecture
RF Antenna
BBU3900 RRU3201
(BaseBand control Unit) CPRI (Radio Remote Unit)
Auxiliary Devices
APM30H / IBBS200D&T / TMC11H
The Auxiliary Devices are the supporting elements to the BBU3900 and RMU3201. These
provide installation space for the BBU3900 and supply power to the BBU3900 and RRU3201.
Examples of auxiliary devices include the AMP30H, IBBS200D (Integrated Battery Backup
System with direct cooler), IBBS200T (Integrated Battery Backup System with TEC cooler)
and TMC11H (Transmission Cabinet with heat exchanger cooler).
Remote Radio Unit
Figure 3-5 RRU
The RRU3201 is a remote radio unit which performs modulation, demodulation, data
processing and combining and dividing for baseband signals and RF signals. The RRU3201
supports double feeders (2Tx + 2RX) and can also support four feeders (4Tx + 4Rx) through
combined installation of two RRU3201s. It can support a maximum of three cascading levels,
thus meeting the fast capacity expansion requirements of service providers.
Auxiliary Devices
The auxiliary devices provided by Huawei can be combined with the basic modules in a
flexible manner to support device installation scenarios. Examples include the:
 AMP30H - this is a power system for outdoor applications including power supply and
battery backup. It also provides space to house the BBU3900.

 IBBS200D&T - this is a long duration integrated battery backup system.

 TMC11H - used when greater space is required for transmission equipment. It is utilized
in outdoor environments and can house both the BBU3900 and transmission equipment.
3.2 Products and Application Scenarios

With continuous capacity expansion required with mobile networks, site selection for the eNB
has turned into a bottleneck during network deployment. Site selection becomes increasingly
complex to implement and requires additional investment in network deployment.
3.2.1 BTS3900(A) LTE

The BTS3900(A) LTE is a compact indoor / outdoor macro eNB providing the following
features:
 The BBU3900 and LRFU are installed in the BTS3900 LTE in a centralized mode which
helps to reduce the cost of maintenance on the tower.
 The BTS3900 LTE is low weight and compact in size yet provides excellent scalability
in that it supports stack installation of two BTS3900s.
 The BTS3900 family (LTE, UMTS and GSM) can share one indoor macro cabinet which
saves installation space and facilitates smooth technology evolution.
3.2.2 DBS3900 LTE

The DBS3900 LTE is characterized by its small footprint, easy installation and low power
consumption thus enabling it to be installed in the spare space at an existing cell site. The
RRU is also compact and light allowing it to be installed close to the antenna to reduce feeder
loss and thus improve system coverage. Thus the DBS3900 LTE enables service providers to
efficiently deploy a high performance LTE network with a low TCO (Total Cost of Ownership)
by minimizing the investment in power, space and manpower.
3.3 Operation and Maintenance

The BTS3900(A) LTE and DBS3900 LTE has the same O&M functions and thus is supported
by the same O&M system.
3.3.1 The Operations and Maintenance System

The O&M System consists of the LMT (Local Maintenance Terminal) and the iManager
M2000. The LMT is used to maintain a single eNB via an Ethernet cable for local
maintenance or via an IP network when remote maintenance is required. The iManager
M2000 is used to remotely maintain multiple eNBs with different software versions. O&M
functions thus include:
 LMT performs data configuration, alarm monitoring, commissioning and software
upgrades.
 The iManager M2000 performs data configuration, alarm monitoring, performance
monitoring and software upgrades

Figure 3-6 O&M System
iManager M2000
IP
Network
eNB
LMT
LMT
3.3.2 Benefits
The O&M system from Huawei offers the following benefits:
Configuration Management
Configuration management of the eNB encompasses a number of key features. These include
easy accessibility through the user friendly GUI which provides scenario specific
configuration wizards. Furthermore, service providers using the Huawei network planning
tool iPlan are able to import data thus lowering the time needed by network planners and site
optimization engineers.
High reliability is also ensured through a number of key features. These support data
configuration, query, export backup and restoration in addition to being able to rollback in
batches.
Finally, configuration management is also supported through a “northbound” NMS (Network
Management System) with the ability to add, modify and remove eNB configurations through
MML (Man Machine Language) commands.
Fault Management
Fault management within the eNB provides easy fault localization, high reliability in addition
to various tracing and monitoring methods.
Easy fault localization is supported through a number of features including alarm handling
suggestions and alarm correlation. This ensures KPI (Key Performance Indicator) service
level failures can be rectified quickly and accurately.
High reliability is also ensured through the inclusion of a comprehensive fault detection
system which operates over all aspects of the eNB; hardware, software, antenna, transmission
etc. Moreover, fault detection also extends to door status control, smoke, water damage and
temperature.

The eNB supports various tracing functions to check the compatibility of the interfaces. It also
supports real-time performance monitoring in GUI mode thus enabling the engineers to locate
performance failures quickly.
Performance Management
Performance management features multiple monitoring and reporting periods, and the
appropriate measurement point allocation. For example, the eNB can collect performance
counters every 15 or 60 minutes in addition to supporting real-time monitoring of KPIs for a
duration of one minute.
With regards point allocation, the eNB can support performance measurement at system level
or cell level, of neighbor cells, on interfaces and device usage. This aids the engineer in fault
finding.
Security Management
Security management supports both network level and user level security services. These
include; encryption of key information regarding the user, user account management and
authentication, access right control and support for industry standard security protocols - sFTP
(Secure File Transfer Protocol), SSL (Secure Socket Layer) and IPSec (IP Security).
Software Management
Software management within the eNB encompasses a number of key features. These include
easy accessibility, high efficiency and the minimizing of disruption to services during
software upgrades.
Deployment Management
The eNB deployment solution consists of automatic identification of the eNB through GPS
binding and unique binding and initial configuration through a USB drive. In addition, local
commissioning is not required as this function can be carried out remotely at the NMC.
Equipment / Inventory Management

The equipment management function incorporates a number of functions such as inventory
reporting for the main equipment (mechanical and electrical) through the iManager M2000.


Training Manual 4 Glossary
4 Glossary
Numerics CQI (Channel Quality Indicator)

CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check)
16 QAM (Quadrature Amplitude C-RNTI (Cell - Radio Network
Modulation Temporary Identifier)
2G (Second Generation) CS (Circuit Switched)
3G (Third Generation) CS (Cyclic Shift)
3GPP (Third Generation CSG (Closed Subscriber Group)
Partnership Project)
4G (Fourth Generation) D
A DAI (Downlink Assignment
Index)
ACK (Acknowledgement) D-AMPS (Digital - Advanced
AM (Acknowledged Mode) Mobile Phone System)
AMPS (Advanced Mobile DC (Direct Current)
Telephone System) DCCH (Dedicated Control
AMS (Adaptive MIMO Channel)
Switching) DC-HSDPA (Dual Cell - HSDPA)
APN (access Point Name) DCI (Downlink Control
ARQ (Automatic Repeat Request) Information)
AS (Access Stratum) DCS (Digital Cellular Service)
AWS (Advanced Wireless DFT (Discrete Fourier Transform)
Services) DL (Downlink)
B DL-SCH (Downlink - Shared
Channel)
BCCH (Broadcast Control DL-SCH (Downlink Shared
Channel) Channel)
BCH (Broadcast Channel) DRB (Dedicated Radio Bearer)
DRS (Demodulation Reference
C Signal)
CATT (China Academy of DRX (Discontinuous Reception)
Telecommunications Technology) DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread
CC (Chase Combining) Spectrum)
CCCH (Common Control DTCH (Dedicated Traffic
Channel) Channel)
CCE (Control Channel Element) DTX (Discontinuous
CDD (Cyclic Delay Diversity) Transmission)
CDMA (Code Division Multiple DwPTS (Downlink Pilot Time
Access) Slot)
CFI (Control Format Indicator)
CP (Cyclic Prefix)
CPC (Continuous Packet
Connectivity)

4 Glossary Training Manual
E H
EARFCN (E-UTRA Absolute HARQ (Hybrid ARQ)
Radio Frequency Channel HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat
Number) Request)
EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for HeNB (Home eNB)
Global Evolution) HI (HARQ Indicator)
E-GSM (Extended GSM) HPLMN (Home PLMN)
EMM (EPS Mobility HSDPA (High Speed Downlink
Management) Packet Access)
eNB (Evolved Node B) HSPA (High Speed Packet
EPC (Evolved Packet Core) Access)
EPLMN (Equivalent HPLMN) HS-SCCH (High Speed - Shared
EPS (Evolved Packet System) Control Channel)
E-RAB (EPS Radio Access HSUPA (High Speed Uplink
Bearer) Packet Data)
ESM (EPS Session Management)
ETACS (Extended Total Access I
Communication System) IDFT (Inverse Discrete Fourier
ETSI (European Transform)
Telecommunications Standards IEEE (Institute of Electrical and
Institute) Electronics Engineers)
E-UTRA (Evolved - Universal IFFT (Inverse Fast Fourier
Terrestrial Radio Access) Transform)
E-UTRAN (Evolved - Universal IMEI (International Mobile
Terrestrial Radio Access Equipment Identity)
Network) IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem)
EV-DO (Evolution-Data IMSI (International Mobile
Optimized) Subscriber Identity)
F IMT Advanced (International
Mobile Telecommunications
FDD (Frequency Division Advanced)
Duplex) IMT2000 (International Mobile
FDM (Frequency Division Telecommunications - 2000)
Multiplexing) IP (Internet Protocol)
FDMA (Frequency Division IR (Incremental Redundancy)
Multiple Access) IS-136 (Interim Standard 136)
FEC (Forward Error Correction) ISI (Inter Symbol Interference)
FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) ITU (International
FHSS (Frequency Hopping Telecommunication Union)
Spread Spectrum)
FM (Frequency Modulation) L
FSTD (Frequency Shift Time LCID (Logical Channel
Diversity) Identifier)
G LCR (Low Chip Rate)
LTE (Long Term Evolution)
GF(2) (Galois Field (2))
GP (Guard Period) M
GPRS (General Packet Radio MAC (Medium Access Control)
System) MBSFN (MBMS over Single
GSM (Global System for Mobile Frequency Network)
communications) MCS (Modulation and Coding
GSMA (GSM Association) Scheme)
GUTI (Globally Unique MGW (Media Gateways)
Temporary Identifier) MIB (Master Information Block)

MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple PRB (Physical Resource Block)

Output) PS (Packet Switched)
MME (Mobility Management P-S (Parallel to Serial)
Entity) PSS (Primary Synchronization
MSC (Mobile Switching Centre) Signal)
Msg3 (Higher Layer Message) PTM (Point-To-Multipoint)
MU-MIMO (Multi User - MIMO) PTP (Point-To-Point)
PUCCH (Physical Uplink Control
N Channel)
NACK (Negative PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared
Acknowledgement) Channel)
NAS (Non Access Stratum) Q
NDI (New Data Indicator)
QoS (Quality of Service)
O QPP (Quadratic Permutation
OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Polynomial)
Division Multiplexing) QPSK (Quadrature Phase Shift
OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Keying)
Division Multiple Access) R
P R (Cell Ranking)
PAPR (Peak to Average Power RA (Random Access)
Ratio) RACH (Random Access Channel)
PBCH (Physical Broadcast RAN (Radio Access Network)
Channel) RAPID (Random Access
PCCH (Paging Control Channel) Preamble Identifier)
PCFICH (Physical Control RA-RNTI (Random Access -
Format Indicator Channel) RNTI)
PCH (Paging Channel) RB (Radio Bearer)
PCS (Personal Communications RB (Resource Block)
Service) RBG (Resource Block Groups)
PDCCH (Physical Downlink RE (Resource Element)
Control Channel) REG (Resource Element Group)
PDCP (Packet Data Convergence R-GSM (Railways GSM)
Protocol) RI (Rank Indication)
PDN-GW (Packet Data Network - RIV (Resource Indication Value)
Gateway) RLC (Radio Link Control)
PDSCH (Physical Downlink RNC (Radio Network Controller)
Shared Channel), RRC (Radio Resource Control)
PF (Paging Frame) RS (Reference Signals)
P-GSM (Primary GSM) RSRP (Reference Signal Received
PH (Power Headroom), Power)
PHICH (Physical Hybrid ARQ RSRQ (Reference Signal
Indicator Channel) Received Quality)
PHR (Power Headroom Report), RSSI (Received Signal Strength
2-85 Indicator)
PHY (Physical Layer) RV (Redundancy Version)
PL (Pathloss) S
PLMN (Public Land Mobile
Network) S (Cell Selection)
PMI (Precoding Matrix Indicator) SAW (Stop And Wait)
PO (Paging Occasion) SC-FDMA (Single Carrier -
PRACH (Physical Random Frequency Division Multiple
Access Channel) Access)

4 Glossary Training Manual
SFBC (Space Frequency Block UM (Unacknowledged Mode)

Coding) UMB (Ultra Mobile Broadband)
SFN (System Frame Number), UpPTS (Uplink Pilot Time Slot)
S-GW (Serving Gateway) USIM (Universal Subscriber
SI (System Information) Identity Module)
SIB (System Information Block)
SIB 1 (System Information Block V
Type1) VRB (Virtual Resource Block)
SI-RNTI (System Information -
Radio Network Temporary W
Identifier)
SM (Spatial Multiplexing) WCDMA (Wideband CDMA)
SMS (Short Message Service) WiMAX (Worldwide
S-P (Serial to Parallel) Interoperability for Microwave
SR (Scheduling Request) Access)
SRB (Signaling Radio Bearer) Z
SRS (Sounding Reference Signal)
SSS (Secondary Synchronization ZC (Zadoff-Chu)
Signal)
STC (Space Time Coding)
SU-MIMO (Single User - MIMO)
T
TA (Timing Alignment)
TAC (Tracking Area Code)
TACS (Total Access
Communications System)
TAI (Tracking Area Identity)
TB (Transport Block)
TBS (Transport Block Set)
TBS (Transport Blok Size)
TD (Transmit Diversity)
TD-CDMA (Time Division
CDMA)
TDD (Time Division Duplex)
TDMA (Time Division Multiple
Access)
TD-SCDMA (Time Division
Synchronous CDMA)
TF (Transport Format)
TFT (Traffic Flow Template)
TM (Transparent Mode)
TPC (Transmit Power Control)
TPMI (Transmitted Precoding
Matrix Indicator)
TTI (Time Transmission Interval)
TX (Transmit)
U
UCI (Uplink Control Information)
UE (User Equipment)
UL (Uplink)
UL-SCH (Uplink Shared
Channel)



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LTE System Overview PDF

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LTE/SAE System Overview

Training Manual Contents

1 Network Architecture ................................................................................................................1-1

Issue 01 (2010-05-01) Huawei Proprietary and Confidential i

1.6.5 Additional Network Elements and Interfaces..................................................................................... 1-24

2 LTE Air Interface Principles ....................................................................................................2-1

3 eNB Product Overview .............................................................................................................3-1

ii Huawei Proprietary and Confidential Issue 01 (2010-05-01)

3.1 The Huawei eNB Family ............................................................................................................................... 3-2

Issue 01 (2010-05-01) Huawei Proprietary and Confidential iii

iv Huawei Proprietary and Confidential Issue 01 (2010-05-01)

Figure 1-1 Evolution of Cellular Networks ........................................................................................................ 1-2

Figure 1-4 Fourth Generation Mobile Systems .................................................................................................. 1-5

Figure 1-10 Release 9 and Beyond ................................................................................................................... 1-10

Figure 1-19 MME Functional Elements ........................................................................................................... 1-20

Figure 1-22 S11 Interface Protocols ................................................................................................................. 1-22

Issue 01 (2010-05-01) Huawei Proprietary and Confidential v

Figure 2-1 Radio Interface Techniques............................................................................................................... 2-2

Figure 2-17 Cyclic Prefix ................................................................................................................................. 2-11

Figure 2-26 Uplink Channel Mapping.............................................................................................................. 2-17

Figure 2-29 Type 2 TDD Radio Frame ............................................................................................................. 2-19

Figure 2-32 Downlink Cell ID ......................................................................................................................... 2-22

vi Huawei Proprietary and Confidential Issue 01 (2010-05-01)

Figure 3-5 RRU .................................................................................................................................................. 3-4

Issue 01 (2010-05-01) Huawei Proprietary and Confidential vii

viii Huawei Proprietary and Confidential Issue 01 (2010-05-01)

Table 2-1 LTE Channel and FFT Sizes ............................................................................................................... 2-8

Issue 01 (2010-05-01) Huawei Proprietary and Confidential ix

x Huawei Proprietary and Confidential Issue 01 (2010-05-01)

On completion of this section the participants will be able to:

Issue 01 (2010-05-01) Huawei Proprietary and Confidential 1-1

1.1 Evolution of Cellular Networks

Figure 1-1 Evolution of Cellular Networks

1G (First 2G (Second 3G (Third 4G (Fourth

1.1.1 First Generation Mobile Systems

1.1.2 Second Generation Mobile Systems

1-2 Huawei Proprietary and Confidential Issue 01 (2010-05-01)

Figure 1-2 Second Generation Mobile Systems

Table 1-1 2G, 2.5G and 2.75G GSM/GPRS Systems

System Service Theoretical Data Rate Typical Data Rate

2G GSM Circuit Switched 9.6kbit/s or 14.4kbit/s 9.6kbit/s or 14.4kbit/s

1.1.3 Third Generation Mobile Systems

Issue 01 (2010-05-01) Huawei Proprietary and Confidential 1-3

Figure 1-3 Third Generation Mobile Systems

 WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) - This is another wireless

1-4 Huawei Proprietary and Confidential Issue 01 (2010-05-01)

1.1.4 Fourth Generation Mobile Systems

Table 1-2 IMT Advanced Features

The three main 4G systems include:

Figure 1-4 Fourth Generation Mobile Systems

Issue 01 (2010-05-01) Huawei Proprietary and Confidential 1-5

1.2 3GPP Releases

Figure 1-5 3GPP Releases

1-6 Huawei Proprietary and Confidential Issue 01 (2010-05-01)

Figure 1-6 HSDPA (Release 5)

Issue 01 (2010-05-01) Huawei Proprietary and Confidential 1-7

Figure 1-7 HSUPA (Release 6)

Figure 1-8 HSPA+ (Release 7)

 Power Enhancements -Various enhancements such as CPC (Continuous Packet

1-8 Huawei Proprietary and Confidential Issue 01 (2010-05-01)

Figure 1-9 Release 8 HSPA+ and LTE

1.2.8 Release 9 and Beyond

Issue 01 (2010-05-01) Huawei Proprietary and Confidential 1-9