1.

Introduction to WCDMA
system
Table of Contents
Topic Page
1.1. Why WCDMA? ................................................................................................. 10
1.1.1. HSCSD ..................................................................................................... 10
1.1.2. GPRS ........................................................................................................ 10
1.1.3. EDGE ....................................................................................................... 11
1.1.4. 3rd generation mobile system .................................................................... 12
1.2. UMTS standardization ..................................................................................... 13
1.3. WCDMA air interface requirements. ............................................................. 15
1.4. UMTS architecture ........................................................................................... 16
1.4.1. Core Network. .......................................................................................... 17
1.4.2. UTRAN .................................................................................................... 18
1.4.3. User Equipment ........................................................................................ 18
1.4.4. External networks ..................................................................................... 18
References ................................................................................................................. 19

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WCDMA Radio Network Planning

1.1. Why WCDMA?

In 1996 Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) phase 2+, which is the
current phase of the GSM system, was put on the market. The most important
services of phase 2+ with respect to increased data service bit rates are:
 High Speed Circuit Switched Data (HSCSD).
 General Packet Radio Services (GPRS).
 Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE).
GSM phase 2+, enables voice and data communication to go wireless with relatively
low bit rate. To transmit voice, circuit switch communication is utilized, while for
data communication, packet switch communication is used

1.1.1. HSCSD
The maximum bit rate for the Circuit Switched (CS) data connection, using a single
physical channel, is 14.4 kbps. High Speed Circuit Switched Data (HSCSD) service
enables the network to establish a data connection with a higher bit rate by allocating
more than one physical channel. The maximum number of channels that can be
allocated for a given connection is 8, resulting in a total bit rate around 115 kbps.
The HSCSD connection can be symmetric or asymmetric. Symmetric HSCSD
connection means, that the same number of channels is used on both uplink and
downlink connection, while in case of asymmetric traffic, the number of channels
allocated in downlink is higher than in uplink direction. The idea of symmetric and
asymmetric HSCSD traffic is presented in Figure 1.1. Moreover there is also a
possibility to increase or reduce the number of channels during the connection,
depending on the subscriber or application needs.

Figure 1.1. HSCSD connection.

1.1.2. GPRS
The GPRS system is implemented inside the existing GSM system to share the same
radio resources. GPRS offers much higher data rate comparing to GSM one. The data

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 1. Introduction to WCDMA system

rate depends on the quality of the radio connection and the coding scheme used.
There are four coding schemes defined, which are presented in Table 1.1.

Max. data rate per timeslot

Channel Coding Scheme Modulation
[kbps]
CS-1 GMSK 8
CS-2 GMSK 12
CS-3 GMSK 14.4
CS-4 GMSK 20

Table 1.1. GPRS coding schemes with corresponding maximum data rates. The maximum data rate
presented in the table is user information data rate. The maxumum data rate is presented in the table and the
actual data rate depends on interference conditions.

In order to support GPRS, multiple channels can be allocated for Packet Switched
(PS) connections. The maximum number of channels allocated is eight resulting in
the bit rate of 820 = 160 kbps. The same as HSCSD, the GPRS system supports
symmetric and asymmetric traffic. Moreover the GPRS system uses the same
Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying (GMSK) modulation scheme as GSM system.

1.1.3. EDGE
Increasing customer demands for higher data rates, growing amount of data traffic,
increase in internet users and sharp need for new flexible communication systems
enhanced the manufacturers and operators to create new opportunities in
telecommunication market. Next approach in increasing the bit rate is Enhanced Data
rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE). This narrowband system is capable to provide the
third generation services within the GSM band with a bit rate up to 500 kbps. EDGE
includes advanced features to improve the spectrum efficiency and to support new
features.
EDGE is in fact a new modulation scheme that is three times more effective than the
currently used GMSK. It offers the higher data rates but at the same time it is more
sensitive to transmission problems. EDGE can be used for PS and CS services. For
CS services EGDE offers three new coding schemes presented in Table 1.2.

Max. bit rate per timeslot

Coding Scheme Modulation
[kbps]
MCS-1 EDGE 28.8
MCS-2 EDGE 32.0
MCS-3 EDGE 43.2

Table 1.2. ECSD coding schemes.

The CS services utilizing EDGE are called Enhanced Circuit Switched Data (ECSD).
ECSD uses EDGE together with HSCSD and then the maximum bit rate for a
connection is around 345 kbps, that is 843.2 kbps.
The new PS services utilizing EDGE are called Enhanced GPRS (E-GPRS). For
E-GPRS nine coding schemes are defined, listed in Table 1.3.

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WCDMA Radio Network Planning

Max. bit rate per timeslot

Coding Scheme Modulation
[kbps]
MCS-1 GMSK 8.8
MCS-2 GMSK 11.2
MCS-3 GMSK 14.8
MCS-4 GMSK 17.6
MCS-5 EDGE 22.4
MCS-6 EDGE 29.6
MCS-7 EDGE 44.8
MCS-8 EDGE 54.4
MCS-9 EDGE 59.2

Table 1.3. E-GPRS coding schemes.

The maximum bit rate for PS connection achieved in E-GPRS is over 470 kbps, that
is 859.2 kbps.

1.1.4. 3rd generation mobile system

Analogue mobile networks like Nordic Mobile Telephone (NMT) are considered to
be the first generation mobile systems. GSM and other digital networks like
Advanced Mobile Phone Systems (AMPS) are considered to be the second
generation systems. The third generation systems are designed for high data rates,
which enable to offer multimedia services. The evolution process of wireless
communications is illustrated in Figure 1.2 and Figure 1.3.

Figure 1.2. Evolution of telecommunication services.

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 1. Introduction to WCDMA system

Figure 1.3. Services and their data rates.

Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) is the most widely adopted
new generation air interface. It is assumed to be flexible and to support a wide
variety of services. The most important ones are the ability to support a high-speed
data transmission and multimedia services.

1.2. UMTS standardization

UMTS was specified within the third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). The
main aim of 3GPP was to create a common standardisation platform uniform for all
telecommunications companies all over the world. In the creation of 3GPP the
following standardisation bodies, presented in Figure 1.4, were involved: European
Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), Association of Radio Industries and
Businesses (ARIB) form Japan, Telecommunications Technology Association (TTA)
from Korea, Standards Committee T1 Telecommunications (T1) from USA, China
Wireless Telecommunications Standard group (CWTS).

Figure 1.4. 3GPP organization bodies.

Beyond the manufacturers and operators also market representation partners

participated in the 3GPP work:
 GSM Association – association of GSM operators and suppliers.
 UMTS Forum – association of mobile operators, suppliers and other bodies
interested in successful realisation of UMTS networks.
 Global Mobile Suppliers Association – organization gathering leading
GSM/3G suppliers.

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WCDMA Radio Network Planning

 IPv6 Forum – organisation promoting IPv6.

 Universal Wireless Communications Consortium – organisation contributed in
3GPP activities.
 Mobile Wireless Internet Forum – organisation, which controls acceptance and
adaptation of mobile wireless system architecture and internet architecture as
structures independent of the access technology.
Four specification groups were set up within 3GPP:
 Radio Access Network Technical Specification Group.
 Core Network Technical Specification Group.
 Service and System Aspects Technical Specification Group.
 Terminals Technical Specification Group.
The most relevant to the WCDMA technology is the Radio Access Network
Technical Specification Group (RAN TSG) divided into four different working
groups as presented in Figure 1.5.
The RAN TSG produced the UTRA air interface specification. Also work on GPRS
and EDGE was moved from ETSI to 3GPP and a new technical specification group
was created, called GERAN TSG.
The standardisation bodies also agreed to harmonise the global third generation
CDMA standard consisting of three modes:
 Multi Carrier (MC) based on the cdma2000 multi-carrier option.
 Direct Spread (DS) based on UTRA Frequency Division Duplex, UTRA FDD.
 Time Division Duplex (TDD) based on UTRA TDD.

Figure 1.5. 3GPP RAN TSG groups.

The UTRA FDD and TDD mode use today the chip rate of 3.84 Mcps instead of
early used 4.096 Mcps. Additionally the TDD mode uses lower chip rate, that is
1.28 Mcps.
Summarising, today there is only one Direct Spread wideband CDMA standard,
WCDMA, often called Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA) TDD and FDD.
The name WCDMA is used to cover both TDD and FDD operation modes.

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 1. Introduction to WCDMA system

Figure 1.6. CDMA modes.

1.3. WCDMA air interface requirements.

The differences in the air interface between GSM and WCDMA reflect the new
requirements of the third generation system specified within 3GPP standardization
body. There are the following third generation system requirements:
 Bit rate up to 2 Mbps.
 Variable bit rate.
 Bandwidth available on demand.
 Multiplexing of services with different quality requirements on a single
connection.
 Delay requirements from delay-sensitive real-time traffic to flexible best effort
packet data.
 Quality requirements range up to 10-6 BER.
 Coexistence of the second and the third generation systems for a better radio
resource management.
 Support of asymmetric uplink and downlink traffic.
 High spectrum efficiency.
 Coexistence of TDD and FDD mode.
The differences in the air interface reflect the new requirements of the WCDMA
system. The most important ones are:
 Carrier spacing. The carrier spacing used in WCDMA is 5 MHz, comparing
to 200 kHz in GSM system. A larger bandwidth of 5 MHz is needed to support
higher bit rates.
 Frequency reuse factor. Frequency reuse factor in the third generation system
is always 1.
 Power control frequency. Power control frequency used is 1500 kHz, while
in GSM system 2 kHz or lower is used.
 Quality control. To enhance a quality control, radio resource management
algorithms are used. It is specially important to maintain the transmission of
variable user bit rates to support the concept of bandwidth on demand, assorted
services and quality requirements. Advanced radio resource management
algorithms are used to maximize the system throughput. In the GSM system

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WCDMA Radio Network Planning

the quality control was reached by means of efficient frequency planning and
radio network planning. .
 Frequency diversity. A 5 MHz frequency bandwidth offers multipath
diversity. The signal components are received and properly detected with Rake
receiver, described in details in chapter 2.
 Packet data transmission. The packet data transmission in WCDMA systems
is realised by a load-based packet scheduling ensuring also non-real time
packet data transmission. In GSM systems a time slot based scheduling was
used.
 Downlink transmission diversity. The downlink transmission diversity is a
new feature supported by the WCDMA system. It is designed to improve the
downlink capacity to support the asymmetric capacity requirements between
uplink and downlink.
For better understanding of the differences between second and third generation
systems, the background principles are summarised in Table 1.4.

GSM WCDMA

Carrier spacing 200 kHz 5 MHz

Frequency reuse factor 1 do 18 1

Power control frequency 2 Hz or lower 1.5 kHz

Quality control Frequency planning RRM algorithms

Multipath diversity with Rake

Frequency diversity Frequency hopping
receiver
Time slot based scheduling with
Packet data transmission Load based packet scheduling
GPRS
Downlink transmission
Not supported by the standard Used for improving DL capacity
diversity

Table 1.4. Main differences between GSM and WCDMA air interface.

WCDMA is designed in conjunction with the GSM system to improve the coverage
and capacity requirements.

1.4. UMTS architecture

The WCDMA radio access network called Universal Terrestrial Radio Access
Network (UTRAN) can be connected to the second generation basic solutions for the
core network, that is GSM core network and GPRS core network. The most typical
connections between the existing core networks and third generation UTRAN
network are depicted in Figure 1.7.
The Core Network (CN) comprises the whole Switching Subsystem infrastructure
from GSM and GPRS backbone network. The most important is an introduction of
UTRAN, that is third generation access network based on WCDMA air interface.

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 1. Introduction to WCDMA system

Figure 1.7. UMTS architecture.

The Mobile Equipment (ME) is designed to support WCDMA air interface and
allows connection to UMTS network for both UMTS subscribers using UMTS SIM
(USIM) card and GSM subscribers using SIM card. The market needs will determine
which combinations will be used by operators. It is expected that the second
generation core network for voice services will remain. Later, it will be possible to
use IP-based core network for all services.

1.4.1. Core Network.

The main elements of the GSM CN and GPRS backbone network are as follows:

MSC/VLR
Mobile services Switching Centre (MSC) associated with a Visitor Location Register
(VLR) performs the telephony switching functions of the circuit switched system for
all users registered within its serving area. It control calls to and from other
telephony and data systems. The VLR is a database containing information about all
MS that are currently located in the MSC serving area.

HLR
Home Location Register node is a database that holds all subscriber relevant
information for every person who has bought a subscription from the operator. The
information includes, for example, supplementary services or authentication
parameters. In addition, the HLR includes information about the location of the MS.

GMSC
Gateway MSC node is responsible for routing all incoming CS connections to a
proper MSC, where a mobile subscriber is currently registered.

SGSN
The Serving GPRS Support Node forwards incoming and outgoing IP packets
addressed to/from an MS that is attached within the SGSN service area. The
functionality of SGSN is similar to that of MSC/VLR but is dedicated for Packet
Switched (PS) services. SGSN also provides ciphering and authentication, session
management, mobility management as well as collects billing information for each
MS related to the radio network usage.

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WCDMA Radio Network Planning

GGSN
The Gateway GPRS Support Node provides the interface towards the external IP
packet networks. From the external IP network’s point of view, the GGSN acts as a
router for the IP addresses of all subscribers served by the GPRS network. GGSN
also collects billing information for each MS, related to the external data network
usage.

1.4.2. UTRAN
UTRAN consists of two elements: Node B and Radio Network Controller (RNC).

Node B
Node B maintains the radio connection to the mobile station. The term “Node B”
from the corresponding 3GPP specifications means exactly the same as the generic
term “Base Station”, which is used interchangeably in the book.

RNC
Radio Network Controller controls the allocated radio resources (connected Nodes
B). It is the services access point for all services, which UTRAN provides the CN,
for example management of connections to the User Equipment (UE).

1.4.3. User Equipment

The User Equipment (UE) also consists of two parts: the Mobile Equipment (ME)
and the UMTS Subscriber Identity Module (USIM).

ME
The Mobile Equipment (ME) is the radio terminal used for radio communication
over the air interface.

USIM
The UMTS Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) is a smart card that holds the
subscriber identity, performs authentication algorithms and stores authentication,
encryption keys and some subscription information.

1.4.4. External networks

The external networks can be divided into two groups:
 Circuit Switch (CS) networks. These networks provide circuit-switched
connections. Examples of CS networks are Public Switched Telephone
Network (PSTN) and Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN).
 Packet Switch (PS) networks. These networks provide connections for packet
data services. En example of the PS network is the Internet.

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 1. Introduction to WCDMA system

References
[1] R. Pirhonen, T. Rautava, J. Penttinen, “TDMA convergence for packet data
services”, IEEE Personal Communications, no. 3, pp. 68-73.
[2] H. Holma and A. Toskala, “WCDMA for UMTS. Radio access for third
generation mobile communications”, edition April 2001, John Wiley & Sons.
Ltd.

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