3G UMTS / WCDMA Basics Tutorial

3GPP UMTS, the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System is the third generation (3G)
successor to the second generation GSM based cellular technologies which also include GPRS, and
EDGE. Although UMTS uses a totally different air interface, the core network elements have been
migrating towards the UMTS requirements with the introduction of GPRS and EDGE. In this way the
transition from GSM to the 3G UMTS architecture did not require such a large instantaneous
investment.

UMTS uses Wideband CDMA (WCDMA / W-CDMA) to carry the radio transmissions, and often the
system is referred to by the name WCDMA. It is also gaining a third name.

3GPP UMTS Specifications and Management

The scope of 3GPP was to produce globally applicable Technical Specifications and Technical
Reports for a 3rd Generation Mobile Telecommunications System. This would be based upon the
GSM core networks and the radio access technologies that they support (i.e., Universal Terrestrial
Radio Access (UTRA) both Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and Time Division Duplex (TDD)
modes).

Since it was originally formed, 3GPP has also taken over responsibility for the GSM standards as
well as looking at future developments including LTE (Long Term Evolution) and the 4G technology
known as LTE Advanced.

3G UMTS capabilities
UMTS uses Wideband CDMA - WCDMA - as the radio transmission standard. It employs a 5 MHz
channel bandwidth. Using this bandwidth it has the capacity to carry over 100 simultaneous voice
calls, or it is able to carry data at speeds up to 2 Mbps in its original format. However with the later
enhancements of HSDPA and HSUPA (described in other articles accessible from the cellular
telecommunications menu page ) included in later releases of the standard the data transmission
speeds have been increased to 14.4 Mbps.

Many of the ideas that were incorporated into GSM have been carried over and enhanced for UMTS.
Elements such as the SIM have been transformed into a far more powerful USIM (Universal SIM). In
addition to this, the network has been designed so that the enhancements employed for GPRS and
EDGE can be used for UMTS. In this way the investment required is kept to a minimum.

A new introduction for UMTS is that there are specifications that allow both Frequency Division
Duplex (FDD) and Time Division Duplex (TDD) modes. The first modes to be employed are FDD
modes where the uplink and downlink are on different frequencies. The spacing between them is
190 MHz for Band 1 networks being currently used and rolled out.

However the TDD mode where the uplink and downlink are split in time with the base stations and
then the mobiles transmitting alternately on the same frequency is particularly suited to a variety of
applications. Obviously where spectrum is limited and paired bands suitably spaced are not
available. It also performs well where small cells are to be used. As a guard time is required between
transmit and receive, this will be smaller when transit times are smaller as a result of the shorter
distances being covered. A further advantage arises from the fact that it is found that far more data
is carried in the downlink as a result of internet surfing, video downloads and the like. This means
that it is often better to allocate more capacity to the downlink. Where paired spectrum is used this is
not possible. However when a TDD system is used it is possible to alter the balance between
downlink and uplink transmissions to accommodate this imbalance and thereby improve the
efficiency. In this way TDD systems can be highly efficient when used in picocells for carrying
Internet data. The TDD systems have not been widely deployed, but this may occur more in the
future. In view of its character, it is often referred to as TD-CDMA (Time Division CDMA).

3G UMTS / WCDMA technologies

There are several key areas of 3G UMTS / WCDMA. Within these there are several key
technologies that have been employed to enable UMTS / WCDMA to provide a leap in performance
over its 2G predecessors.

Some of these key areas include:

 Radio interface: The UMTS radio interface provides the basic definition of the radio signal.
W-CDMA occupies 5 MHz channels and has defined formats for elements such as
synchronisation, power control and the like Read more about the UMTS / W-CDMA radio
interface.

 CDMA technology : 3G UMTS relies on a scheme known as CDMA or code divison

multiple access to enable multiple handsets or user equipments to have access to the base
station. Using a scheme known as direct sequence spread spectrum, different UEs have
different codes and can all talk to the base station even though they are all on the same
frequency Read more about the code division multiple access.

 UMTS network architecture: The architecture for a UMTS network was designed to
enable packet data to be carried over the network, whilst still enabling it to support circuit
switched voice. All the usual functions enabling access toth e network, roaming and the like
are also supported. Read more about the UMTS network architecture.

 UMTS modulation schemes: Within the CDMA signal format, a variety of forms of
modulation are used. These are typically forms of phase shift keying. Read more about
the modulation schemes.

 UMTS channels: As with any cellular system, different data channels are required for
passing payload data as well as control information and for enabling the required resources
to be allocated. A variety of different data channels are used to enable these facilities to be
accomplishedRead more about the physical & logical channels.
  UMTS TDD: There are two methods of providing duplex for 3G UMTS. One is what is
termed frequency division duplex, FDD. This uses two channels spaced sufficiently apart so
that the receiver can receive whilst the transmitter is also operating. Another method is to
use time vision duplex, TDD where short time blocks are allocated to transmissions in both
directions. Using this method, only a single channel is required Read more about the TDD
system.

 Handover: One key area of any cellular telecommunications system is the handover
(handoff) from one cell to the next. Using CDMA there are several forms of handover that are
implemented within the system. Read more about the Handover.

3G UMTS SPECIFICATION SUMMARY

PARAMETER SPECIFICATION
Maximum data rate 2048 kbps low range
384 kbps urban and outdoor
RF channel bandwidth 5 MHz
Multiple access scheme CDMA
Duplex schemes FDD and also TDD

3G UMTS / WCDMA Network Architecture

The UMTS 3G architecture is required to provide a greater level of performance to that of the original
GSM network. However as many networks had migrated through the use of GPRS and EDGE, they
already had the ability to carry data. Accordingly many of the elements required for the WCDMA /
UMTS network architecture were seen as a migration. This considerably reduced the cost of
implementing the UMTS network as many elements were in place or needed upgrading.

With one of the major aims of UMTS being to be able to carry data, the UMTS network architecture
was designed to enable a considerable improvement in data performance over that provided for
GSM.

3G UMTS network constituents

The UMTS network architecture can be divided into three main elements:

1. User Equipment (UE): The User Equipment or UE is the name given to what was previous
termed the mobile, or cellphone. The new name was chosen because the considerably
greater functionality that the UE could have. It could also be anything between a mobile
phone used for talking to a data terminal attached to a computer with no voice capability.
 2. Radio Network Subsystem (RNS): The RNS also known as the UMTS Radio Access
Network, UTRAN, is the equivalent of the previous Base Station Subsystem or BSS in GSM.
It provides and manages the air interface fort he overall network.
3. Core Network: The core network provides all the central processing and management for
the system. It is the equivalent of the GSM Network Switching Subsystem or NSS.

The core network is then the overall entity that interfaces to external networks including the public
phone network and other cellular telecommunications networks.

UMTS Network Architecture Overview

CDMA for UMTS

The choice of CDMA for use with the third generation, 3G UMTS telecommunications system arose
from a variety of technical reasons. It offers significant advantages over the schemes used in the
previous 2G systems that were predominantly TDMA based schemes.

The main benefits of the use of CDMA as a multiple access scheme are:

 Improved spectral efficiency: The use of CDMA as the multiple access technology,
combined with the QPSK modulation format used provides significant improvements in terms
of the spectral efficiency. Figures for the performance improvements gained vary
considerably dependent upon the conditions, but the scheme gives some significant benefits.
 Some calculated estimates give figures as high as three or four times that of technologies
such as GSM, although in reality the benefits may be a bit less.

 Adjacent cells may use the same channel frequency: As a result of the way in which
spread spectrum signals such as CDMA operate.

 Improved handover: Within CDMA it is possible to do what is termed a "soft handover"

where the UE communicates with two base stations at the same time. This significantly
improves handover reliability.

 Enhanced security: The use of spread spectrum and the multiple spreading codes for
CDMA significantly reduces the possibility of eavesdropping, although within GSM
eavesdropping of the transmitted signal was not the problem it was for the original analogue
systems where anyone with a scanner radio receiver could listen to telephone conversations.

UMTS / WCDMA modulation

UMTS modulation schemes
There are several considerations that were taken into account when making the choice for the
overall format for the UMTS WCDMA modulation formats. Some of the considerations were:

 It is necessary to ensure that the data is carried efficiently over the available spectrum, and
therefore maximum use is made of the available spectrum, and hence the capacity of the
system is maximised.

 The modulation scheme should be chosen to ensure that the efficiency of the RF power
amplifier in the handset or UE is made as high as possible. By enabling the power amplifier
to be maximised, less battery power is consumed for the same transmitted power. As battery
power is of particular importance to users, this is a key requirement.

 The modulation format should be chosen to avoid the audio interference caused to many
nearby electronics equipment resulting from the pulsed transmission format used on many
2G systems such as GSM

As the uplink and downlink have different requirements, the exact format for the modulation format
used on either direction is slightly different.

UMTS modulation schemes for both uplink and downlink, although somewhat different are both
based around phase shift keying formats. This provides many advantages over other schemes that
could be used in terms of spectral efficiency and other requirements.
Downlink modulation
The UMTS modulation format for the downlink is more straightforward than that used in the uplink.
The downlink uses quadrature phase shift keying, QPSK.

The QPSK modulation used in the downlink is used with time-multiplexed control and data streams.
While time multiplexing would be a problem in the uplink, where the transmission in this format
would give rise to interference in local audio systems, this is not relevant for the downlink where the
NodeB is sufficiently remote from any local audio related equipment to ensure that interference is not
a problem.

Uplink modulation
However the uplink uses two separate channels so that the cycling of the transmitter on and off does
not cause interference on the audio lines, a problem that was experienced on GSM. The dual
channels (dual channel phase shift keying) are achieved by applying the coded user data to the I or
In-phase input to the DQPSK modulator, and control data which has been encoded using a different
code to the Q or quadrature input to the modulator.

3G UMTS channel structures

3G UMTS uses CDMA techniques (as WCDMA) as its multiple access technology, but it additionally
uses time division techniques with a slot and frame structure to provide the full channel structure.

A channel is divided into 10 ms frames, each of which has fifteen time slots each of 666
microseconds length. On the downlink the time is further subdivided so that the time slots contain
fields that contain either user data or control messages.

On the uplink dual channel modulation is used so that both data and control are transmitted
simultaneously. Here the control elements contain a pilot signal, Transport Format Combination
Identifier (TFCI), FeedBack Information (FBI) and Transmission Power Control (TPC).

The channels carried are categorised into three:

 Logical Channels: The logical channels define the way in which the data will be
transferred

 Transport Channels: The 3G transport channels along with the logical channel again
defines the way in which the data is transferred

 Physical channels: The physical channels carry the payload data and govern the physical
characteristics of the signal.

The channels are organised such that the logical channels are related to what is transported,
whereas the physical layer transport channels deal with how, and with what characteristics. The
MAC layer provides data transfer services on logical channels. A set of logical channel types is
defined for different kinds of data transfer services.
3G UMTS Logical Channels:
The 3G logical channels include:

 Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) (downlink). This channel broadcasts information to

UEs relevant to the cell, such as radio channels of neighbouring cells, etc.

 Paging Control Channel (PCCH) (downlink). This channel is associated with the PICH
and is used for paging messages and notification information.

 Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) (up and downlinks) This channel is used to carry
dedicated control information in both directions.

 Common Control Channel (CCCH) (up and downlinks). This bi-directional channel is used
to transfer control information.

 Shared Channel Control Channel (SHCCH) (bi-directional). This channel is bi-directional

and only found in the TDD form of WCDMA / UMTS, where it is used to transport shared
channel control information.

 Dedicated Traffic Channel (DTCH) (up and downlinks). This is a bidirectional channel
used to carry user data or traffic.

 Common Traffic Channel (CTCH) (downlink) A unidirectional channel used to transfer

dedicated user information to a group of UEs.

3G UMTS Transport Channels:

The 3G UMTS transport channels include:

 Dedicated Transport Channel (DCH) (up and downlink). This is used to transfer data to a
particular UE. Each UE has its own DCH in each direction.

 Broadcast Channel (BCH) (downlink). This channel broadcasts information to the UEs in
the cell to enable them to identify the network and the cell.

 Forward Access Channel (FACH) (down link). This is channel carries data or information
to the UEs that are registered on the system. There may be more than one FACH per cell as
they may carry packet data.

 Paging Channel (PCH) (downlink). This channel carries messages that alert the UE to
incoming calls, SMS messages, data sessions or required maintenance such as re-
registration.

 Random Access Channel (RACH) (uplink). This channel carries requests for service from
UEs trying to access the system

 Uplink Common Packet Channel (CPCH) (uplink). This channel provides additional
capability beyond that of the RACH and for fast power control.
  Downlink Shared Channel (DSCH) (downlink).This channel can be shared by several
users and is used for data that is "bursty" in nature such as that obtained from web browsing
etc.

3G UMTS Physical Channels:

The 3G UMTS physical channels include:

 Primary Common Control Physical Channel (PCCPCH) (downlink). This channel

continuously broadcasts system identification and access control information.

 Secondary Common Control Physical Channel (SCCPCH) (downlink) This channel

carries the Forward Access Channel (FACH) providing control information, and the Paging
Channel (PACH) with messages for UEs that are registered on the network.

 Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) (uplink). This channel enables the UE to
transmit random access bursts in an attempt to access a network.

 Dedicated Physical Data Channel (DPDCH) (up and downlink). This channel is used to
transfer user data.

 Dedicated Physical Control Channel (DPCCH) (up and downlink). This channel carries
control information to and from the UE. In both directions the channel carries pilot bits and
the Transport Format Combination Identifier (TFCI). The downlink channel also includes the
Transmit Power Control and FeedBack Information (FBI) bits.

 Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) (downlink). This channel shares control
information to UEs within the coverage area of the node B.

 Physical Common Packet Channel (PCPCH) This channel is specifically intended to

carry packet data. In operation the UE monitors the system to check if it is busy, and if not it
then transmits a brief access burst. This is retransmitted if no acknowledgement is gained
with a slight increase in power each time. Once the node B acknowledges the request, the
data is transmitted on the channel.

 Synchronisation Channel (SCH) The synchronisation channel is used in allowing UEs to

synchronise with the network.

 Common Pilot Channel (CPICH) This channel is transmitted by every node B so that the
UEs are able estimate the timing for signal demodulation. Additionally they can be used as a
beacon for the UE to determine the best cell with which to communicate.

 Acquisition Indicator Channel (AICH) The AICH is used to inform a UE about the Data
Channel (DCH) it can use to communicate with the node B. This channel assignment occurs
as a result of a successful random access service request from the UE.

 Paging Indication Channel (PICH) This channel provides the information to the UE to be
able to operate its sleep mode to conserve its battery when listening on the Paging Channel
 (PCH). As the UE needs to know when to monitor the PCH, data is provided on the PICH to
assign a UE a paging repetition ratio to enable it to determine how often it needs to 'wake up'
and listen to the PCH.

 CPCH Status Indication Channel (CSICH) This channel, which only appears in the
downlink carries the status of the CPCH and may also be used to carry some intermittent, or
"bursty" data. It works in a similar fashion to PICH.

 Collision Detection/Channel Assignment Indication Channel (CD/CA-ICH) This

channel, present in the downlink is used to indicate whether the channel assignment is active
or inactive to the UE.

By using the logical, physical and transport channels it is possible to carry the data for the control
and payload in a structured manner and provide efficient effective communications. The 3G UMTS
channels are thus an essential element of the overall system.