LTE/EPC Overview

Brief mobile communication history

Wireless cellular communication is one of the major
evolutions provided to the telecommunication world,
experiencing an exponential growth in transmission rate
from the early 1990s.

2 remarkable Network systems:

2G mobile cellular system (GSM), which count 2
billions of subscribers on 2006 all over the world.

Wire/ wireless data connectivity system ( xDSL.

WLAN IEEE 802.11a/b/g standards)

Convergence of GSM popularity with higher data rate

of WLAN lead to 3G networks as promote successor in
mobile communication.

Fixe Broadband vs Mobile Broadband

Main 3G Drawbacks
Maximum data bitrate far behin current stat of art
system like 802.11 a/b (WIFI) and xDSL
The latency of user plane traffic (UMTS: >30 ms)
and of resource assignment procedures (UMTS:
>100 ms) is too big to handle traffic with high bit
rate variance efficiently.
The terminal complexity for WCDMA or MCCDMA systems is quite high
Way to LTE ( Long Term Evolution)

What is LTE ?

LTE : Long Term Evolution

Considered as the 1st step 3GPP Next generation
mobile broadband technology

Promises higher data transfer rate even with higher

mobility users

Compete with Wimax 802.16, the IEEE system

Totally new network architecture optimized for All-IP
traffic

Commercialization started since 2010

LTE Advantages

High network throughput

Low latency

Faster data DL/UP

Plug & Play architecture

Low Operating Costs
All-IP network

Response for applications

End-user experience

Higher Spectral Efficacity

for Network Operator

for End-user
6

LTE Advantages:
High network throughput
2G-4G data rate throughput
evolution

3G
2.5 G
2G

LTE

14 Mbps 150 Mbps

4G
1 Gbps

500 kbps

14.4 kbps
2.5 speed based on max offered by EDGE
3G speed based on max offered by HSDP
7

LTE Advantages:
Low Operating Costs

Revenue

$/bit

Traffic volume

Traffic

Profitability
Network
cost

Voice
dominated

Data
dominated

Time

Flat Architecture with less network nodes

Source: Light Reading (adapted)

LTE Advantages:
All-IP network
Flatter All-IP network with fewer Network element.
Increased interoperability between equipment from
different vendors.
Flexibility to handle voice, data and future traffic
requirements.
Open interfaces offer an easier path for development, and
support.

All-IP
Network

SP

Handset

LTE Advantages:
Heterogeneous networks

Heterogeneous networks are comprised of Macro, Pico and Femto

cells.
Having lots of cells provides more opportunities for the user to
connect to a cell with low path loss.
More sophisticated interface management and cancelation
techniques also increase capacity and data rates

10

History and Future of Wireless

1990

2000

2005

2010
time

HIGH

WCDMA/cdma2000
GSM/IS95
AMPS

3G

3GPP
Family

LTE

HSPA

3G Enhacements

3G Evolution

2G

mobility

1G

LOW

WiMAX Family
802.16a/d

WLAN Family

< 200 kbps

802.11

802.11a/b/g

< 1 Mbps < 10 Mbps < 50 Mbps

802.16e

802.11n
data rates

< 100 Mbps

< 1 Gbps

11

LTE: Roadmap into 4G

12

LTE Motivations

Wireline
evolution pushes
Data rates

Wireless data
usage requires
more capacity

Flat rate pricing

pushes efficiency

Other
technologies
push wireless
capacities

LTE Targets

13

HSPA+ and LTE

LTE

Optimized mobile OFDMA solution for new and wider spectrum

Higher peak data rates through wider bandwidth
Boosts data capacity in dense urban deployment
Interoperates seamlessly with 3G through multimode devices

HSPA+

HSPA (High Speed Packet Access) is a UMTS enhancement, commercially available at the

end of 2007.
HSPA+ allow the system to quickly react to data bursts.
Ensure fast adaptation to a change in radio transmission characteristics.

14

LTE architecture vs 3G Architecture

15

LTE Timeline

Release 8
First LTE relese
December 2008

OFDMA Air Interface

MIMO
Scarable Bandwith
All IP network

2009

Release 9
December 2009

Multi-layer beam forming

Vocoder rate adaptation
Improved SON

2010

Release
10
(LTE Advanced)
<2010

Meet 4 G requirements

Peak data rate: DL 1Gbps

Increased transmission
bandwitdth 70 to 100 MHz
Asymmetric DL/UL bandwidth
Relay nodes
Inter-eNodeB MIMO

2010+

16

LTE Release 8 Goals (1/6)

Peak data rate 58 ~ 178Mbps
Max. peak data rate
350

Mbps

300
250

Downlink
Uplink

200
150
100
50
0
HSPA R6

Evolved HSPA
(Rel. 7/8, 2x2
MIMO)

LTE 2x20 MHz

(2x2 MIMO)

LTE 2x20 MHz

(4x4 MIMO)

Enhanced consumer experience:

- drives subscriber uptake
- allow for new applications
- provide additional revenue streams

17

LTE Release 8 Goals (2/6)

Latency:
Control Plan >100ms

User Plan <20ms

Latency (Rountrip delay)*
GSM/
EDGE

LTE IDLE
(no resources)

LTE Active
(w/o resources)

HSPA
Rel6
HSPAevo
(Rel8)

>100ms

LTE

min max

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200 ms

* Server near RAN

Enhanced consumer experience:

- drives subscriber uptake
- allow for new applications
- provide additional revenue streams

18

LTE Release 8 Goals (3/6)

Scalable bandwidth of 1.4 20 MHz
Urban
2.6 GHz

LTE
UMTS

2.1 GHz

or
2.6 GHz

LTE

2006

LTE

UMTS

2.1 GHz
2008

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

Rural

Easy to introduce on any frequency

band: Frequency Refarming
(Cost efficient deployment on lower
frequency bands supported)

UMTS

900 MHz GSM

LTE

or

2006

LTE

GSM

900 MHz

2008

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

19

LTE Release 8 Goals (4/6)

bps/Hz/cell

All cases assume 2-antenna terminal reception

HSPA R7, WiMAX and LTE assume 2-antenna BTS transmission
(2x2 MIMO)
2.0
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0

Downlink
Uplink

OFDMA technology
increases Spectral
efficiency

HSPA R6 HSPA R6 + HSPA R7

UE
equalizer

WiMAX

LTE R8

20

LTE Release 8 Goals (5/6)

Flat Architecture: 2 nodes architecture IP based Interfaces:

Flat, IP based architecture

Access

Core
User plan

Control plan

Internet
Gateway

21

LTE Release 8 Goals (6/6)

Coverage
Throughput, spectrum efficiency, and mobility targets should be met
for 5km cells, and with a slight degradation for cells that are 5 ton30
km. Cell range up to 100km should not be precludes.
Advanced TX schemes and multiple-antenna technologies
MIMO to support diversity
Inter-working with existing 3G and non-3GPP systems
Interruption time of real-time or non-real-time service handover
between E-UTRAN and UTRAN/GERAN shall be less than 300 or
500ms.

22

3G and LTE comparison

23

LTE Release 9 Goals

24

LTE Release 10 Goals

25

LTE: SON

26

A Packet Only Architecture (1/2)

Core Network

PSTN

IP

GMSC

GGSN

MSC/VLR

SGSN

CS domain

PS domain

Access Network

27

A Packet Only Architecture (2/2)

PSTN
PSTN

CS
Access
2G initial
Architecture
(GSM)
(1991)

PSTN

CS

IP

PS

Access
2G packet
Evolution
(GPRS/EDGE)
(2000)

IP

PSTN

IMS

IMS

PS

Packet Core

CS
Access

Access

3G IMS
evolution

EPS
architecture

(2004)

(2008)

28

3GPP PS architecture evolution

3GPP architecture evolution towards at architecture
HSPA

Direct tunnel

I-HSPA

LTE

HSPA R6

HSPA R7

HSPA R7

LTE R8

GGSN

GGSN

GGSN

SAE GW

SGSN
RNC
Node B
(NB)

SGSN

SGSN

MME/SGSN

RNC
Node B
(NB)

Node B +
RNC
Functionality

Evolved
Node B
(eNB)

Control Plan
User Plan
29

LTE/SAE Key Features

EPS(Evolved Packet System)
EUTRAN/LTE

EPC/SAE

IP
Public/Private

OFDMA/SC-FDMA

Evolved Node B /
No RNC

PS Domain only,
No CS Domain

MIMO ( beam-forming/
spatial multiplexing)

IP Transport Layer

IP Transport Layer

HARQ

UL/DL resource
scheduling

Scalable bandwidth

QoS Aware

(1.4, 3, 5, 10, .. 20 MHz)

Self Configuration

QoS Aware
3GPP (GTP) or
IETF (MIPv6)
Prepared for
Non-3GPP Access

EUTRAN/LTE: Evolved UTRAN/ Long Term Evolution

EPC/SAE: Evolved Packet Core/ System Architecture Evolution
30

LTE/SAE Key Features- Air Interface

Uses Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing

(OFDM) for downlink

Uses Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple

Access (SC-FDMA) for uplink

Reduced power consumption

Higher RF power amplifier efficiency (Less battery
power used by handsets)

Support MIMO technology as an option

31

LTE/SAE Key Features EUTRAN 1/2

Evolved NodeB
No RNC is provided anymore
The evolved Node Bs take over all radio management functionality.
This will make radio management faster and hopefully the network
architecture simpler
IP transport layer
EUTRAN exclusively uses IP as transport layer
UL/DL resource scheduling
In UMTS physical resources are either shared or dedicated
Evolved Node B handles all physical resource via a scheduler and
assigns them dynamically to users and channels This provides greater
flexibility than the older system

32

LTE/SAE Key Features EUTRAN 2/2

QoS awareness
The scheduler must handle and distinguish different quality of service
classes
Otherwise real time services would not be possible via EUTRAN
The system provides the possibility for differentiated service
Self configuration
Currently under investigation
Possibility to let Evolved Node Bs configure themselves
It will not completely substitute the manual configuration and
optimization.

33

LTE/SAE Key Features EPC

Packet Switched Domain only
No circuit switched domain is provided
If CS applications are required, they must be implemented via IP
Only one mobility management for the UE in LTE.
3GPP (GTP) or IETF (MIPv6) option
The EPC can be based either on 3GPP GTP protocols (similar to PS
domain in UMTS/GPRS) or on IETF Mobile IPv6 (MIPv6)
Non-3GPP access
The EPC will be prepared also to be used by non-3GPP access
networks (e.g. LAN, WLAN, WiMAX, etc.)
This will provide true convergence of different packet radio access
system

34

Standardization around LTE

Is a collaboration agreement that was established in
December 1998. The collaboration agreement brings
together a number of telecommunications standards
bodies :ARIB, CCSA, ETSI, ATIS, TTA, and TTC.
More in www.3gpp.org
Next Generation Mobile Networks. Is a group of
mobile operators, to provide a coherent vision for
technology evolution beyond 3G for the competitive
delivery of broadband wireless services.
More in www.ngmn.org

LSTI

LTE/SAE Trial Initiative. Is was founded in may 2007

by a group of leading telecommunications companies.
Its aim is to prove the potential and benefits that the
LTE technology can offer.

35

3GPP LTE specification work completed so far

End 2004
March 2005
December 2005
March 2006
September 2006
December 2007
March 2008
December 2008

FEASIBILITY STUDY

2H/2005

3GPP workshop on UTRAN Long Term Evolution

Study item started
Multiple Access selected
Functionality split between radio and core
Study item closed & approval of the work items
1st version of all radio specs approved
3GPP Release 8 Stage 1 specifications were frozen
3GPP Release 8 to be frozen

1H/2006

Multiple Access
Decision
Japan

RAN/CN
functional split

2H/2006

1H/2007

Feasibility study
closed

2H/2007

Radio
specifications
approved

36

3GPP LTE specification schedule

2008

Demonstrate
LTE Air
Interface
Japan
Performance

2009
2010
2011

2009

Operator Trials.
Friendly-use
networks

2010

LTE Networks
Launch:
commercial
solution available

2011 & beyond

Large Scale LTE Networks.

VoIP service optimized.
3GPP R9

2100 and 1700 MHz frequency bands selected

Additional frequency bands added (700 & 2600 MHz). Inter
RAT Mobility. LTE capable devices.
Network Sharing. Self-optimized networks. Part of 3GPP
Release 9.

37

Network Architecture

TS 23.401
TS 23.402
TR 23.882

General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) enhancements for Long Term Evolution (LTE) access
3GPP System Architecture Evolution (SAE): Architecture enhancements for non-3GPP accesses
3GPP system architecture evolution (SAE): Report on technical options and conclusions

Evolved Packet Core

TR 29.803
TR 29.804

3GPP System Architecture Evolution (SAE): CT WG4 aspects

3GPP System Architecture Evolution (SAE): CT WG3 aspects

Evolved UTRAN

TS 36.101
TS 36.104
TS 36.141
TS 36.201
TS 36.211
TS 36.212
TS 36.213
TS 36.214
TS 36.300
TS 36.302
TS 36.304
TS 36.306
TS 36.321
TS 36.322
TS 36.323
TS 36.331
TS 36.401
TS 36.410
TS 36.411
TS 36.412
TS 36.413
TS 36.414
TS 36.420
TS 36.421
TS 36.422
TS 36.423
TS 36.424
TS 36.508
TS 36.521-1
TS 36.521-2
TS 36.523-1
TS 36.523-2
TS 36.523-3
TR 36.801
TR 36.803
TR 36.804
TR 36.938
TR 36.942

User Equipment (UE) radio transmission and reception

Base Station (BS) radio transmission and reception
Base Station (BS) conformance testing
Physical layer; General description
Physical channels and modulation
Multiplexing and channel coding
Physical layer procedures
Physical layer; Measurements
EUTRAN Overall description; Stage 2
Services provided by the physical layer
User Equipment (UE) procedures in idle mode
User Equipment (UE) radio access capabilities
Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol specification
Radio Link Control (RLC) protocol specification
Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) specification
Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol specification
Architecture description
S1 general aspects and principles
S1 layer 1
S1 signalling transport
S1 Application Protocol (S1 AP)
S1 data transport
X2 general aspects and principles
X2 layer 1
X2 signalling transport
X2 Application Protocol (X2AP)
X2 data transport
Common test environments for User Equipment (UE) conformance testing
User Equipment (UE) conformance specification Radio transmission and reception Part 1: conformance testing
User Equipment (UE) conformance specification Radio transmission and reception Part 2: ICS
User Equipment (UE) conformance specification; Part 1: Protocol conformance specification
User Equipment (UE) conformance specification; Part 2: ICS
User Equipment (UE) conformance specification; Part 3: ATS
Measurement Requirements
User Equipment (UE) radio transmission and reception
Base Station (BS) radio transmission and reception
Improved network controlled mobility between LTE and 3GPP2/mobile WiMAX radio technologies
Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Radio Frequency (RF) system scenarios

3GPP LTE/SAE
Specification
Series

38

Major LTE Equipments Vendors

Ericsson
AlcaLu
Huwaei
Motorola
Nokia Siemens Networks
Starent (now Cisco)

39

LTE- Earlier Adopters

In USA
Verizon Wireless
MetroPCS Wireless
U.S. Cellular
In Japan
NTT-DOCOMO
KDDI
In Europe
TeliaSonera
Tele2
Telenor
In Asia
China Mobile
KT & SK Telecom (Korea)
Source: ABI Research, Jun 2009

40

A glance at LTE Market

LTE infrastructure market will grow to $5

billion in 2013 (Source: Infonetics Research. Apr, 2009)
LTE subscribers could exceed 72 million by
2013 if service provider LTE plans (Source: Infonetics
Research. Apr, 2009)

Broadband subscriptions are expected to

reach 3.4 billion by 2014 and about 80
percent of these consumers will use mobile
broadband (Source: Ericsson, 2009)
41

LTE Summary
LTE deployments could start to occur in 2010 (Source:
ABI Research) (Mass deployments would start in 2012
Source: Ericsson)
Devices that could benefit from LTE
mobile phones
Notebooks
Cameras
Camcorders, & many more
LTE will interoperate with legacy wireless
technologies such as GSM, WCDMA/HSPA, TDSCDMA and CDMA.
42

Expert Talk about LTE!

The research that we commissioned

indicates that early 4G mobile networks with
standard configurations will be 3.3 times
(230%) more spectrally efficient than todays
standard 3G networks. To put this in context,
a user on an early 4G network will be able to
download a video in around a third of the
time it takes today on a 3G network. It is
anticipated that this efficiency will increase to
approximately 5.5 times (450%) by 2020,
said Dr Stephen Unger, Chief Technology
Officer at Ofcom.

43