B3.

5-R3: NETWORKING AND MOBILE

COMMUNICATIONS
Previous Question Papers
• Jan 2007
• July, 2005
• july 2006
• Jan, 2006
• January, 2005
• July, 2004
• January, 2004
January 2007

Time: 3 Hours Total Marks: 100

1.
a) Why do not other RF (Radio Frequency) devices interfere with Bluetooth Devices?
b) How does a WAP Gateways act as a bridge between the mobile world and the Internet?
c) What are the different ways in which radio waves can propagate? Mention the role of the
radio wavelength where it is relevant. What causes multi-path interference?
d) What is the difference between a LAN and a PAN? Why is 802.11 inappropriate for a
PAN?
e) In each GSM multi frame, 24 frames are used for traffic and two for associated control
signaling. Considering the detailed burst frame and multi frames infrastructures, explain,
how the effective transmission rate for each GSM voice traffic is 22.8 kbps.
f) How does CDMA system use signals that arrive in the receivers with different time
delays?
g) Compare and contrast the various 2.5G technology paths that each of the major 2G
standards provide. Which path has the highest Internet access speed?
(7x4)

2.
a) How is signaling protocol in GSM structured into layers? What are the specific functions
performed by Layer 3 of the GSM signaling protocol?
b) What are the various strategies implemented to avoid interferences in TDMA, FDMA &
CDMA systems.
c) If a normal GSM time slot consists of six trailing bits, 8.25 guard bits, 26 trailing bits and
two traffic bursts of 58 bits of data, find the frame efficiency.
(9+5+4)

3.
a) Explain the data transfer services that OSI defines for the discrete data components
passed across the interface and between peer entities.
b) What is mobile IP? Explain with the help of a neat diagram how a mobile user remains on
line irrespective of his current position.
(9+9)

4.
rd
a) Summarize the main features of 3 generation mobile phone system. How do they
achieve higher capacities? How does UMTS implement asymmetrical communication
and different data rates?
b) Discuss the problems of hidden and exposed terminals. What happens in the case of
such terminals if ALOHA, slotted ALOHO or MACA is used?
(9+9)

5.
a) Why do we need different MAC schemes for wireless LANS? Explain briefly the hidden
and exposed terminal problem associated with CSMA/CD.
b) Using QPSK modulation and convolutional coding, the IS-95 digital cellular systems
require 3dB < Sr < 9 dB. The bandwidth of the channel is 1.25 MHz., and the
transmission rate is R = 9600 bps. Find the capacity of a single cell IS-95 cell.
c) For a cluster of size N, how many total channels are available if each cell is allocated a
group of k channel is a Cellular System using FDMA?
(6+6+6)

6.
a) Why is TDM/TDMA technology widely used in most of the VSATs installed globally? How
can the frequency carrier be assigned between any two VSATs on a demand basis?
b) Differentiate between Circuit Switched Data Services and Packet Switched Data Services
on Cellular Networks.
c) Explain how VSATs can be used for one-way data systems (only the downlink). For what
application is this useful and why?
(6+9+3)

7.
a) Explain briefly the types of links available with Bluetooth network.
b) Explain why public key encryption requires fewer keys than secret key encryption. Given
two prime numbers p= 37 and q=23, define the private and public key by soliciting
appropriate value of the number e.
c) What are the factors that govern use and reuse of spectrum for WiLL? How does
modulation efficiency influence use and reuse of spectrum?
(4+7+7)

july 2006

Time: 3 Hours Total Marks: 100

1.
a) Why do not other RF (Radio Frequency) devices interfere with Bluetooth Devices?
b) How does a WAP Gateways act as a bridge between the mobile world and the Internet?
c) What are the different ways in which radio waves can propagate? Mention the role of the
radio wavelength where it is relevant. What causes multi-path interference?
d) What is the difference between a LAN and a PAN? Why is 802.11 inappropriate for a
PAN?
e) In each GSM multi frame, 24 frames are used for traffic and two for associated control
signaling. Considering the detailed burst frame and multi frames infrastructures, explain,
how the effective transmission rate for each GSM voice traffic is 22.8 kbps.
f) How does CDMA system use signals that arrive in the receivers with different time
delays?
g) Compare and contrast the various 2.5G technology paths that each of the major 2G
standards provide. Which path has the highest Internet access speed?
(7x4)

2.
a) How is signaling protocol in GSM structured into layers? What are the specific functions
performed by Layer 3 of the GSM signaling protocol?
b) What are the various strategies implemented to avoid interferences in TDMA, FDMA &
CDMA systems.
c) If a normal GSM time slot consists of six trailing bits, 8.25 guard bits, 26 trailing bits and
two traffic bursts of 58 bits of data, find the frame efficiency.
(9+5+4)

3.
a) Explain the data transfer services that OSI defines for the discrete data components
passed across the interface and between peer entities.
b) What is mobile IP? Explain with the help of a neat diagram how a mobile user remains on
line irrespective of his current position.
(9+9)

4.
rd
a) Summarize the main features of 3 generation mobile phone system. How do they
achieve higher capacities? How does UMTS implement asymmetrical communication
and different data rates?
b) Discuss the problems of hidden and exposed terminals. What happens in the case of
such terminals if ALOHA, slotted ALOHO or MACA is used?
(9+9)

5.
a) Why do we need different MAC schemes for wireless LANS? Explain briefly the hidden
and exposed terminal problem associated with CSMA/CD.
b) Using QPSK modulation and convolutional coding, the IS-95 digital cellular systems
require 3dB < Sr < 9 dB. The bandwidth of the channel is 1.25 MHz., and the
transmission rate is R = 9600 bps. Find the capacity of a single cell IS-95 cell.
c) For a cluster of size N, how many total channels are available if each cell is allocated a
group of k channel is a Cellular System using FDMA?
(6+6+6)

6.
a) Why is TDM/TDMA technology widely used in most of the VSATs installed globally? How
can the frequency carrier be assigned between any two VSATs on a demand basis?
b) Differentiate between Circuit Switched Data Services and Packet Switched Data Services
on Cellular Networks.
c) Explain how VSATs can be used for one-way data systems (only the downlink). For what
application is this useful and why?
(6+9+3)

7.
a) Explain briefly the types of links available with Bluetooth network.
b) Explain why public key encryption requires fewer keys than secret key encryption. Given
two prime numbers p= 37 and q=23, define the private and public key by soliciting
appropriate value of the number e.
c) What are the factors that govern use and reuse of spectrum for WiLL? How does
modulation efficiency influence use and reuse of spectrum?
(4+7+7)

JANUARY 2006

NOTE:

1. Answer question 1 and any FOUR questions from 2 to 7.

2. Parts of the same question should be answered together and in the same sequence.

Time: 3 Hours Total Marks: 100

1.a) How do the layers of TCP/IP protocol suite correlate to the layers of the OSI?

b) Compare the performance of slotted aloha with that of pure aloha. What is the
limitation of aloha protocol in general?

c) Explain the concepts of handoff and dropped call rate. What are soft and hard
handoffs.

d) Draw and discuss the conceptual model of DECT (Digital European Cordless
Telephone). Give its application areas.

e) If 20 MHz of total spectrum is allocated for a duplex wireless cellular system, with
Simplex channel has 25KHz RF bandwidth, find the number of duplex channels and
number of channels per cell site, if N=12 cell reuse is used.

f) Compare and contrast the various 2.5G technology paths that each of the major 2G
standards provide. Which path has the highest Internet access speed?

g) Draw and explain the wireless LAN architecture and also explain the terms
infrastructure mode and Adhoc mode.

(7x4)
2.a) What are connection oriented and connectionless services? What are service
primitives? Explain with an example how these are used.

b) Discuss the role of transport layer and data link layer in the OSI model.

c) What is spread spectrum communication. Explain the terms processing gain, pseudo
random code generator and Walsch code.

(6+6+6)

3.a) What are mobile data communication services and name them. Describe the
architecture of HSCSD (High Speed Circuit Switched Data).

b) Draw the detailed block diagram of a cellular system and explain. Also explain the
different strategies implemented to avoid interferences in TDMA, FDMA & CDMA
systems.

(9+9)

4.a) Give an account of radio specifications for cordless telecommunication systems such
as CT2and DECT.

b) What is VSAT? Give the components of VSAT systems.

c) Draw and explain the functional architecture for PACS (Personal Access
Communication System). Discuss the frame structure and its radio aspects.

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5.a) Draw CDMA based mobile system architecture and explain, how it provides reliable
basic phone services. Write the benefits of CDMA to users.

b) Draw the basic reference architecture and signaling interfaces for GSM. Why is Smart
card needed in GSM, while it is not required in AMPS?

(9+9)
6.a) How do you compare D-AMPS and GSM systems in terms of coverage area,
transmitted power and error control system, explain what you can do to address adjacent
channel and co-channel interference.

b) With the help of a neat diagram explain the UMTS (Universal Mobile
Telecommunication System) network architecture. Discuss in detail the logical parts: I)
user equipment and ii) core network. How is the number of handoffs reduced of r the fast
moving traffic?

(9+9)

7.a) Draw and explain the WAP network configuration. Also discuss the WAP protocol
stack.

b) What is frequency management? Discuss different fixed channel assignment strategies.

What are its limitations are compared to non-fixed channel assignment methods.

(9+9)

July, 2005
Note:

1. Answer question 1 and any FOUR questions from 2 to 8.

2. Parts of the same question should be answered together and in the same sequence.

Time: 3 Hours Total ral nomargin:100

1.
1. For a cluster of size N, how many total channels are available if each cell
is allocated a group of k channel in a Cellular System using FDMA?
2. What is the fundamental difference between WML and HTML?
3. Find the co-channel reuse ratio Q if the cluster size N is 9.
4. What is the difference between inter-cell handoff and intra-cell handoff?
5. Which topology is generally deployed by VSATs and why?
6. Assume all stations can hear all other stations. One station wants to
transmit and senses the carrier idle. Why can a collision still occur after
the start of transmission?
 7. What are the important functions of a WAP Gateway?

(7x4)

2.
1. Discuss the major advantages and disadvantages of layered model? How
many layers are used in mobile communication systems? Name them.
2. What do you understand by "broadcast network"? Discuss the need for a
network layer (OSI layer 3) in a broadcast network.

(9+9)

3.
1. Discuss the problems of hidden and exposed terminals. What happens in
the case of such terminals if ALOHA, slotted ALOHA or MACA is used?
2. Differentiate between Circuit Switched Data Services and Packet
Switched Data Services on Cellular Networks.

(9+9)

4.
1. Discuss the make-before-break and break-before-make handoff
procedures. Propose methods that could be used by a base station to
determine the vehicular speed of a mobile user. Are these methods useful
for handoff algorithms?
2. Briefly discuss the operation of a CDMA multiple-access system. In what
ways is it superior to TDMA? Mention the potential applications of
CDMA.

(9+9)

5.
1. If 8 speech channels are supported on a single radio channel and if no
guard band is assumed, what is the number of simultaneous users that can
be accommodated in GSM?
2. Why does WAP define its own security layers and does not rely on the
security provided by the mobile phone network? Discuss the important
functions WSP and WAE.

(9+9)

6.
1. Discuss the working of adhoc WLANs. Under what circumstances ad-hoc
networks are preferred over Infrastructure WLAN?
2. Explain various key characteristics that distinguish third generation
cellular systems from second-generation cellular systems.
 (9+9)

7.
1. Discuss the GSM Reference Architecture in detail. What is the function of
the following:
1. Mobile Station (MS)
2. Base Station System (BSS)
3. HLR
4. VLR
5. Authentication Centre
2. Differentiate between W-CDMA and CDMA-2000 mobile services and
standards.

(10+8)

8.
1. What are the factions that influence small scale fading? What causes
multipath fading? How can Multipath fading be reduced?
2. Write short notes on any two topics
1. GPRS Architecture
2. FHSS vs. DSSS.
3. Blue-tooth Protocol stack
4. WLL Architecture

(8+[5x2])

January, 2005
Note:

1. Answer question 1 and any FOUR questions from 2 to 7.

2. Parts of the same question should be answered together and in the same sequence.

Time: 3 Hours Total ral nomargin:100

1.
1. Explain the relationship between layers at an interface by defining PDU,
SDU and IDU
2. Give four reasons for the failure of many MAC layer(used in wired
networks) protocols being applied to wireless networks
3. Give the relations to calculate transmitted power and co-channel reuse
distance of wireless cellular systems
4. Explain the terms 'Handoff mechanism' and 'Cell splitting'
 5. What is QPSK? How is it used in CDMA?
6. In each GSM multi frame, 24 frames are used for traffic and two for
associated conrol signaling. Considering the detailed burst frame and multi
frames infrastructures, explain how the effective transmission rate for each
GSM voice traffic is 22.8 kbps.
7. Name four major transmission techniques considered for WLAN standards
and give the standard activity associated with each of them.

(7x4)

2.
1. Explain how does Slotted ALOHA work? Compare and contrast the basic
MAC technologies used in FDMA, TDMA and CDMA.
2. Draw the CDMA based mobile system architecture and explain how it
provides reliable basic phone services. Write the benefits of CDMA to
users.

(9+9)

3.
1. Explain WAP stack. Prove the WAP session protocol and WAP
transaction protocol over UDP conserves bandwidt as compared to TCP
over IP.
2. What are the advantages and problems of forwarding mechanisms in
adhoc networks regarding security, powe saving and network stability?
Describe briefly infrastructure requirements of adhoc networks

(9+9)

4.
1. What are four aspects of Network security? Explain why public key
encryption requires fewer keys than secret key encryption. Given two
prime numbers p=37 and q=23, define the private and public key by
soliciting appropriate value of the number e.
2. How Internet may be supported on mobile links. Draw the architecture and
functional components of mobile IP. Describe data transfer from a mobile
node to fixed node and vice-versa.

(9+9)

5.
1. Summarize the main feautres of 3rd generation mobile phone system.
How do they achieve higher capacities? How does UMTS implement
asymmetrical communication and different data rates?
2. What are the bandwidths and chip rates used in CDMA? Why does
WCDMA use walsh codes in forward and reverse channels for separating
 users while in CDMA, one uses them only in forward channel. Assume we
want to support a 19.2 kbps data service with ber(bit error rate) of 10-3(i.e.
1/1000) over WCDMA system. What is the minimum chip rate and
bandwidth needed to support 100 simultaneous users with one carrier?
Assume a performance improvement factor of K=4(6dB).

(9+9)

6.
1. Draw the basic reference architecture and signaling interfaces for GSM.
Why SIM card needed in GSM, while it is not required in AMPS?
2. How do you compare AMPS and GSM systems in terms of coverage area,
transmitted power and error control system? Explain what you can do to
address adjacent channel and co-channel interference.

(9+9)

7. Write short notes on any three of the following

1. Efficient frequency utilization techniques employed in mobile
communications.
2. Wireless in Local Loop.
3. Traditional and mobile transport layer
4. Wireless markup language
5. VSAT Access Schemes.

(3x6)

July, 2004
Note:

1. Answer question 1 and any FOUR questions from 2 to 7.

2. Parts of the same question should be answered together and in the same sequence.

Time: 3 Hours Total ral nomargin:100

1.
1. How can a Bluetooth network have more than 8 nodes? Draw such a
network with 10 nodes and clearly mark the different nodes and parts of
the network.
2. What is the functionality of the W AP gateway? Why is this functionality
required? Draw a simple diagram showing how the W AP gateway
interfaces with wireless devices. What are the different ways in which
 radio waves can propagate? Mention the role of the radio wavelength
where it is relevant. What causes multi-path interference?
3. Give an application as an example, which will find use for the "streaming"
class of QoS offered by UMTS. Also give an example application for the
"interactive" class. Which 2.5G architecture is the UMTS core network
based on?
4. Give an example protocol for each of the following layers in the OSI
network stack: MAC, Network, Transport, Session.
5. Why is security in a wireless network a greater concern than in wired
networks? Describe what is meant by authentication and point out how is
it different from data protection through encryption?
6. Both GSM and DECT are digital wireless communication standards for
voice. What is the difference in terms of the intended coverage area and
mobility supported by the two? Which one of them defines detailed
network architecture for roaming across various providers' networks?

(7x4)

2.
1. Briefly mention as to why control channels are required between a BTS
and a mobile. What is the control channel used by the BTS for passing
information regarding the cell parameters? What is the control channel
used to find out if a particular mobile is present in a cell?
2. Which control channel is used for setting up a mobile originated call?
Why is collision between multiple mobiles possible in this case? What is
the multiple-access protocol used? How is the Access Grant Channel
(AGCH) used to reduce the number of collisions?
3. What is the need of a Fast Associated Dedicated Control Channel
(FACCH)? How is FACCH implemented? When is it used?
4. Draw the GPRS architecture showing the main components. Which is the
component responsible for assignment of an IP address to the mobile?
Why does there need to be a mapping between the mobile's IMSI and its
IP address?

(3+5+3+7)

3.
1. What is the difference between a LAN and a PAN? Why is 802.11
inappropriate for a PAN?
2. The hidden-node problem is specific to wireless networks and no such
problem exists in wired LANs. Why?
3. What is narrow-band interference? Why is this to be avoided? What are
the two spreading techniques in 802.11 to avoid this? Briefly explain how
each of them work. Mention the modulation scheme used by each. Draw
the transmit spectrum before and after spreading for each of the two
techniques.
 4. In an 802.11 system implementing CSMA/CA, suppose the physical layer
header size is H and the MAC/Link layer header size is M. Further, a stop-
and-wait protocol is used at the link layer, with the acknowledgement
packet size being A (including all headers). The size of RTS and CTS
packets (including all headers) are Rand C respectively. For a MAC-level
payload size of P, what is the throughput achieved as a fraction of the raw
physical layer throughput?
(Assume that all portions of the packet and the headers are all transmitted
at the same speed).

(3+2+10+3)

4.
1. What are the advantages of a layered protocol design and implementation?
Suppose a new link layer technology is invented today, explain, how
layering helps in integrating this technology into the current Internet?
2. Can there be a network stack implementation, which does not include all
the layers of the OSI reference model? Explain the significance of the
word "reference".
3. Suppose that you have a simple packet switched network with three nodes
A, Band C connected as A-B-C, with B acting as a router for packets
between A and C. Suppose that both links A-B and B-C have a capacity of
B bytes/sec. The packets from A to C have a payload size of P bytes and a
header size of 40 bytes. What is the maximum throughput possible'
between A and C in terms of P and B?
4. What is the latency experienced by packets between A and C? Assume
that the propagation delays are negligible.
5. Suppose now that each payload is split into two fragments of (P/2) bytes
each. Each fragment thus has a separate header. What is the maximum
throughput possible in this scenario?
6. In the same fragmentation scenario as above, what is the latency seen by
packets between A and C (compute the latency of packets, not each of the
fragments).
7. By comparing your answers in parts (d) and (f) above, determine the value
of payload size P for which the latency is the same even after
fragmentation. How do the two latencies compare for lower values of P
than what you determined for higher values of P?

(4+2+2+1+2+3+4)

5.
1. While measuring the signal strength to decide whether or not to handoff to
an adjacent cell, why is it important to average over time? Is soft-handoff
possible in a GSM network? Why or why not?
2. What is ping-ponging effect in hand off? Does it occur in soft-handoff or
hard-handoff? How can it be prevented?
 3. Differentiate between terminal mobility, personal mobility and service
portability with a brief explanation for each.
4. GSM uses the SIM card to identify a particular user. The user can use the
same SIM card on any cellular phone. Is this an example of terminal
mobility or personal mobility? Why?
5. What is the role of the unique personal number in Universal Personal
Telecommunications (UPT)?

(2+5+6+2+3)

6.
1. What is a VSAT? What are its two main modules in installation and their
functionalities? What are some advantages of using a VSA T?
2. Depict the star topology of VSAT architecture in a simple diagram.
Explain, how the latency of communication between two VSA T nodes
could be high in this configuration. For what kinds of applications is this
inappropriate?
3. How does a mesh topology differ from a star topology? What is its
advantage over a star topology?
4. What is the main difference between TDMA and DAMA access methods
for VSATs? Which is better in terms of cost and why?
5. Explain, how VSATs can be used for one-way data systems (only the
downlink). For what application is this useful and why?

(6+4+2+3+3)

7.
1. What is W-CDMA? What are its advantages over TDMA?
2. Which is the 2G technology, which uses CDMA? How do the three
CDMA variants 1XMC, 3XMC and HDR differ in terms of bandwidth
usage?
3. What is the difference between error-detection and error-correction?
Which requires more overheads?
4. What is Hamming distance? Suppose the Hamming distance between two
codewords in an error-correcting scheme is 4, how many bit errors can this
scheme correct? Why?
5. What are the trade-offs in the use of error-correcting codes as opposed to
using ARQ? For what kind of applications is an error correcting code
more appropriate?
6. What is an error burst? Explain, how this can be countered using block
interleaving.

(2+4+2+3+3+4)
January, 2004
Note:

1. Answer question 1 and any FOUR questions from 2 to 7.

2. Parts of the same question should be answered together and in the same sequence.

Time: 3 Hours Total ral nomargin:100

1.
1. Why is frequency reuse necessary in cellular telephony? Find out the
expression for frequency reuse.
2. Sometimes when a cellular user crosses the boundary from one cell to
another, the current call is abruptly terminated, even though all
transmitters and receivers are functioning perfectly. Why?'
3. How does IEEE 802.11 solve the hidden terminal problem?
4. Why does VSA T operate at slow data rates?
5. Is It possible to transmit a digital signal e.g. coded as square wave as used
inside a computer using radio transmission without any loss? If yes, how
and why?
6. What limits the number of simultaneous users In a TDM/FDM system
compared to a CDMA system? What happens to the transmission quality
of connections if the load gets higher in a cell? How does an additional
user Influence the other users in the cell?
7. What Is likely to happen to a DECT If it is deployed outdoors in an
environment where significant multipath could occur? Explain your
answer and provide qualitative analyses.

(7 x4)

2.
1. What are the main problems of signal propagation? Why do radio waves
not always follow a straight line? Why Is reflection both useful and
harmful?'
2. Discuss the following techniques used to improve capacity in cellular
system:
1. Cell Splitting
2. Sectoring.

Which technique Is more efficient and why?

3. (9+9)
4.
1. Explain various channel assignment strategies used in cellular
communication. Describe how a mobile to wire line call is established In
cellular radio system.
 2. Determine the number of full duplex channels available in a cluster and
the total capacity for a cellular system where there are 10 clusters, each
containing 20 cells with 18 channels in each cell. Also, determine the co-
channel reuse ratio for each cluster.

(9+9)

5.
1. Describe the handoff feature in a cellular radio system. Explain the
difference between soft and hard handoff.
2. What is co-channel interference? List various strategies to reduce co-
channel interference. Explain any two in detail.

(10+8)

6.
1. What Is the fundamental difference between WML and HTML? Why is
this difference important with respect to hand held devices?
2. What are the primary goals of the W AP Forum efforts and how are they
reflected In the WAP protocol architecture? In which situation is WTP not
used? What are the disadvantages of implementing TCPIIP directly over
the mobile network?

(10+8)

7.
1. Describe four major technologies for WLL system. What are the
advantages and disadvantages of these approaches? What are the benefits
of using 15-95 CDMA technology for WLL?
2. What are the basic differences between wireless WANs and WLANs and
what are the common features? Consider mode of operation,
administration, frequencies, capabilities of nodes, services and national
/intematlonal regulations for comparison.

(9+9)

8.
1. Describe the GPRS architecture and protocols. How many of them already
exist In GSM? Compare the channel request procedure in GPRS with that
in GSM.
2. What are advantages and problem of forwarding mechanisms in ad hoc
networks regarding security, power saving and network stability?

(9+9)