BASIC CELLULAR OVERVIEW

COURSE OUTLINE
Definition of Terms Wireless Telecommunications Concept Evolution of Wireless Communications System

Future Development of Wireless Communications

Telecommunication Standard Bodies

 Definition of Terms
Analog Transmission of voice and images using electrical signals. Analog mobile cellular systems include AMPS, NMT and TACS. The range of frequencies available to be occupied by signals.

Bandwidth

1. In analog systems it is measured in terms of Hertz (Hz). 2. In digital systems in bit/s per second (bit/s). 3. The higher the bandwidth, the greater the amount of information that can be transmitted in a given time.

 Definition of Terms
Base Station A radio transmitter/receiver and antenna used in the mobile cellular network. A radio technology that makes possible transmitting signals over short distances between mobile phones, computers and other devices. The geographical area covered by a single base station in a cellular mobile network.

Bluetooth

Cell

 Definition of Terms
Cellular A mobile telephone service provided by a network of base stations, each of which covers one geographical cell within the total cellular system service area. One of a number of discrete frequency ranges utilized by a base station to transmit and receive information from cellular terminals (such as mobile handsets). Refers to the range of mobile cellular network, measured in terms of geographical coverage or population coverage.

Channel

Coverage

 Definition of Terms
Digital Representation of voice or other information using digits 0 and 1.

1. The digits are transmitted as a series of pulses. 2. Digital networks allow for higher capacity, greater functionality and improved quality.

3. Digital cellular networks include GSM, CDMA and TDMA.

 Definition of Terms
FDMA Frequency Division Multiple Access. A cellular technology that has been used in the firstgeneration analog systems (i.e., AMPS, NMT & TACS)

Frequency

The rate at which an electrical current alternates, usually measured in Hertz (Hz). It is also used to refer to a location on the radio frequency spectrum, such as 800,900 & 1800 MHz.

 Definition of Terms

Frequency reuse

The ability to use the same frequencies repeatedly across a cellular system.

1. As each cell uses radio frequencies only within its boundaries, the same frequencies can be reused in other cells not far away with a limited possibility of interference. 2. The reuse of frequencies is the key concept that enables a cellular system to handle a large amount of calls within a limited number of channels.

 Definition of Terms
Hand-off A central concept of cellular technology, enabling mobility for subscribers. It is a process by which the MTSO passes a mobile phone conversation from one radio frequency in one cell to another radio frequency in another as a subscriber crosses the boundary of a cell. Hertz. The frequency measurement unit equal to one cycle per second.

Hz

MTSO

Mobile Telephone Switching Office. A central point to which base stations of cells in a cluster are connected to, either by landlines or microwave.

 Definition of Terms
Multimedia The combination of various forms of media (texts, graphics, animation, audio, etc.) to communicate information. The term also refers to information products that include text, audio, and visual content. Public Switched Telephone Network. The public telephone network that delivers fixed telephone service. A service allowing cellular subscribers to use their handsets on networks of other operators.

PSTN

Roaming

 Definition of Terms
Radiation The outward flow of energy from any source in the form of radio waves. Time Division Multiple Access. A digital technology that divides frequency into time slots. The word used to describe the science of transmitting voice over a telecommunications network.

TDMA

Telephony

 Cellular Frequency Allocation

FREQUENCY
3-30 Hz 30-300 Hz 300-3000 Hz 3-30 KHz 30-300 KHz 300-3000 KHz 3-30 MHz 30-300 MHz 300-3000 MHz 3-30 GHz 30-300 GHz 300-3000 GHz

CLASSIFICATION

DESIGNATION

Extremely Low Frequency Voice Frequency VF Very Low Frequency Low Frequency Medium Frequency High Frequency Very High Frequency Ultra High Frequency Super High Frequency Extremely High Frequency

ELF

VLF LF MF HF VHF UHF SHF EHF

Cellular Spectrum!

The part of the radio spectrum from 300 to 3000 megahertz which includes TV channels 14-83, as well as many land mobile and satellite services.

 Wireless Telecommunications Concepts

Wireless Communication Any broadcast or transmission which can be received through microwave or radio frequencies without the use of a cable connection for reception. Telecommunications Any transmission, emission or reception of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds or intelligence of any nature by wire, radio, optical or other electromagnetic systems.

Principles of Cellular System

Four key components make up most cellular radio systems: 1. The cellular layout. 2. A carefully engineered network of radio base stations and

antennas.
3. Base station controllers which manage several base stations at a time, 4. A mobile switch, which gathers traffic from dozens of cells and passes it on to the public switched telephone network.

Basic Cellular Diagram

Basic Network Elements / Call Flow

MS or Mobile Station

Antenna / Cellsite

Makes a Call A nearby cell site's antenna picks up the call from the mobile

Basic Network Elements / Call Flow

Base Station Controller

Mobile Switching Center

The call is then routed through the base station's transceiver. Several base stations may be controlled by a base station controller or BSC

The MSC or MTSO gets the call next. It routes the call to the called party.

Basic Network Elements / Call Flow

HLR, VLR, AUC and EIR

PSTN

The mobile switch queries several databases before permitting a call.

The call is processed and routed next to the telephone network at large, also known as the Public Switched Telephone Network.

Basic Network Elements / Call Flow

OMC

At all times an Operations and Maintenance Center monitors the network.

Principles of Cellular System

The area a base station covers is called a cell.

The spot where the base station and antennas are located
is called a cell site. Viewed on a diagram, the small territory covered by each

base station appears like a cell in a honeycomb, hence the

name cellular. Cell sizes range from sixth tenths of a mile to thirty miles in radius for cellular (1km to 50km).

Principles of Cellular System

Each base station uses carefully chosen frequencies to

reduce interference with neighboring cells.

Narrowly directed sites cover tunnels, subways and specific roadways.

The area served depends on topography, population, and

traffic. A base station hierarchy exists, with pico cells covering building interiors, microcells covering selected outdoor areas, and macrocells providing more extensive coverage

to wider areas.

Principles of Cellular System

The macro cell controls the cells overlaid beneath it. A macro cell often built first to provide coverage and smaller cells built to provide capacity.

Fundamental Features of a Cellular System

Frequency Reuse
Frequency reuse distinguishes cellular from conventional mobile telephone service, where only a few frequencies are used over a large area, with many customer's competing to use the same channels.

One high powered transceiver covering large geographical areas.

Frequency Reuse
Cellular relies on a distributed network of cells, each cell site with its own antenna and radio equipment, using low power to communicate with the mobile. In each cell the same frequency sets are used as in other cells. But the cells with those same frequencies are spaced many miles apart to reduce interference.

Thus, in a 21 cell system a single frequency may be used several

times. The lone, important exception to this are CDMA systems. In those, the

same frequencies are used by every cell.

Frequency Reuse
Each base station controls a mobile's power output, keeping it low enough to complete a circuit while not high enough to skip over to

another cell.

Several low powered transceiver covering the same large geographical areas.

The Frequency Reuse Concept

Each honeycomb/ hexagon represents a cell.
Each number represents a different set of channels or paired frequencies. A cellular system separates each cell that shares the same channel set. This minimizes interference while letting the same frequencies be used in another part of the system. A channel is a pair of frequencies, one for transmitting on and one for receiving. Frequencies are described by their place in the radio spectrum, such as 800mHZ, whereas channels are described by numbers, such as channels 334 through 666.

Cell Splitting / Sectorization

Splitting a single cell does not mean that it is broken into smaller cells, but rather into sectors. A previously omni-directional base station antenna, radiating equally in all directions, is replaced by several directional antennas on the same tower. This "sectorizing" divides the previously homogeneous

cell into 3 or 6 distinct areas (120 and 60 degrees around

the site respectively). Each sector gets its own frequencies to operate on.

Cell Splitting / Sectorization

Cell splitting is done to increase traffic capacity

Handoff ( Mobility )
Handoff occurs when the mobile network automatically transfers a call from a radio channel in one base station to another radio channel in an

adjacent base station as the subscribers crosses into the adjacent base
stations cell area.

Modulation Technique

Frequency Modulation (FM) Radio transmission covering 88-108 MHz on the broadcast band. FM is less susceptible to interference than AM broadcasting, and is also used in other frequency bands for two-way communications in land mobile and marine services.

 Transmission Mediums

Microwave Radio

Copper Cable

 Transmission Mediums

Satellite

Fiber optic cables

 Multiplexing Concept

Cellular Access Methods

Power

Time

Time Power

FDMA
Power Time

Frequency

Frequency

CDMA

TDMA

Frequency

 Cellular Applications and Value Added Services

Personalization

Bandwidth On Demand

Preference Selection

Analytic Capability

Prioritization of information and content Location

 Evolution of Wireless Communications System

Global Perspective

Philippine Scenario

Global Perspective

Generation

1G

2G
TDMA GSM CDMA IS-95A

2.5G
GPRS EDGE CDMA IS-95B

3G

Technologies

AMPS TACS NMT

WCDMA CDMA2000

Motivating Factor
Mobility

Roaming Capacity/ Quality

Medium Data Speed

More Capacity Higher Data Speed

Time

Philippine Scenario
TDMA C 96 97 98

A 89

A
90

A 91 92

G 93

G 94

T 95

G 99 00 01

G 2003

3G YY

islacom

 Future Development of Wireless Communications

Industry Convergence

Migration Path

Emerging Wireless Applications and Services

Industry Convergence
COMPUTER (I.T.)
internet access electronic mail real time images multimedia mobile computing Mobility (High Speed Services) -

MEDIA
streaming audio video on demand interactive video services TV/Radio / Data contribution & distribution

IP
Mobility (Wideband Services)

Mobility (Personal Services)

TELECOMMUNICATION
- ISDN services - video telephony - wideband data services

Migration Path
CDMA2000 x1EV

CDMA
IS-95A 14.4K IS-95B 64K

Data Only 2.4 Mbps

CDMA2000 1x 384K

EDGE GSM 9.6K GPRS

384K
Data Only 115K WCDMA 2Mbps

1995

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

Emerging Wireless Applications and Services

Voice

vs.

 Telecommunication Standard Bodies

NTC National Telecommunications Commission. An agency who handles the policies, rules and regulations of Philippine Telecommunications.

ITU

International Telecommunications Union. The worldwide policy, spectrum regulation and standardization body in telecommunications operating under the auspices of the United Nations.

ATO

Air Transportation Office

Local Government