LTE/LTE-A (E-UTRAN)

Julian Duran 2/14/12 ECE 448

Julian Duran, UIC 02/14/12

LTE Overview
Outline:

Introduction LTE In&Out Technologies that make LTE Performance

Status/Future

Julian Duran, UIC 02/14/12

Introduction

What is LTE?

The 3GPP Long Term Evolution for the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. Covered in series 36 articles of 3GPP.
Started in '04, finished '08 with Release 8. Latest Release 10, still ongoing. Offers operators numerous improvements and all new technologies all across the board.

All IP Packet Core (SAE).

Clean new slate; completely new stnd.

Julian Duran, UIC 02/14/12

Introduction

Julian Duran, UIC 02/14/12

Introduction

Why LTE?

High user demand for higher data rates, better reliability of services.
Provides efficiency gains. Real-time interactive services require very low delays, only achievable through different network architecture (EPC) Improved Capacity Cost Reduction
Cisco Visual Networking Index: Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast Update, Cisco, 9 February 2010.

Julian Duran, UIC 02/14/12

Key parameters
Release 8 parameters

Julian Duran, UIC 02/14/12

LTE In&Out: E-UTRAN

Variable BW channels OFDMA DL SC-FDMA UL

MIMO
eNodeB as node FDD duplex scheme 50ms latency roundtrip Relaying Multicast/Broadcast support Beamforming

Carrier Aggregation
Simplified Architecture/Flatter Network
Julian Duran, UIC 02/14/12

RAN (Radio Access Network)

Flatter and much simpler architecture in contrast with previous standards. Air interface uses both FDD and TDD duplex schemes. OFDMA in DL, SC-FDMA in UL Expected bit rates in the 20 and 30 Mbps.

All IP network, no Circuit Switching support, VoLTE(SIP) and IMS

MIMO mandatory

Julian Duran, UIC 02/14/12

RAN Cont.

Variable BW allows LTE to be scalable and makes it flexible to operators need. Release 10 introduces relaying. This allows simpler less complex nodes to be located in more accessible places and provide constant network operation. Carrier aggregation enables BW increase. Up to five components can be added for a maximum of 100Mhz. This along with MIMO achieves the incredible 1Gbps(theoretical) bit rates.
Julian Duran, UIC 02/14/12

RAN Cont.

In order to combat multipath fading and thus frequency selectivity of the channel at high BW without using unreliable channel equalization, OFDMA was selected for the DL.

Julian Duran, UIC 02/14/12

RAN Cont.

In the Uplink, because of power constraints, SCFDMA is selected since it has a lower avg-to-peak power ratio.
Different radio techniques in DL and UL allow LTE to optimize network and spectrum utilization and provide a better user experience (battery life).

Julian Duran, UIC 02/14/12

Protocol Stack

Very much similar to the TCP/IP stack

MAC controls what to send, performs HARQ (retry) RLC segments and reassembles (TCP) PDCP handles packets and header compression (ROHC)

Julian Duran, UIC 02/14/12

LTE-MIMO

Key to achieving high data rates promised in LTE

Shannon channel capacity theorem:

Theoretical limit using MIMO:

C=BW*M*log2(1+S/N);

Where M is number of antennas in array

Valid when operating in spatial multiplexing mode

Spatial diversity mode increases redundancy, increasing reliability.

Julian Duran, UIC 02/14/12

LTE-MIMO

Julian Duran, UIC 02/14/12

LTE: EPC (Evolved Packet Core)

The network behind LTE

Has been greatly simplified with a reduction in elements

Cost reductions Easier migration from 2G/3G by upgrading system with software. Converged mobility; no need for two different networks for 2G/3G Intelligence moved to tower(eNB)

Julian Duran, UIC 02/14/12

EPC elements

MME (Mobility Management Entity) - key control server. Responsible for idle mode UE tracking and paging. Choosing SGW for UE at initial attach and authentication procedures through HSS.
SGW (Serving Gateway) Routes and forwards user data packets for the intraLTE network. Handles handover between eNBs.

PDN GW External network router. Provides core LTE network with connectivity to external networks (Internet, 3GPP, non-3GPP, etc).

Julian Duran, UIC 02/14/12

EPC elements cont.

PCRF(Policy Charging Rules Function) handles QoS, rating and charging.

HSS(Home Subscriber Server) security, subscriber access, roaming rules and authentication. IMS-IP Multimedia Subsystem enables/controls functions dealing with VoLTE using SIP.

Julian Duran, UIC 02/14/12

3G-4G Network Comparison

Julian Duran, UIC 02/14/12

Performance/Advantages

Can support 200 active data clients at full speed per 5Mhz of BW, per cell; i.e. for 20Mhz 800 data clients on a single cell at full rate. Possible to add more sacrificing speed. Being an all IP core network, substantially reduces latency/delay. Backwards compatible with existing 3G schemes, though through added network elements that were not in the core specifications, thus reducing stability.

Very easy for operators to implement since it allows for flexible BW configs and eases the migration from preexisting 3G
Julian Duran, UIC 02/14/12

Performance/Advantages

Real life test by R&S engineer. Param: 700Mhz band, 10Mhz BW. Prob. Verizon net

Data on sector throughput. Important for net capacity; on avg how much data rate can realistically be achieved in serving all users.

Julian Duran, UIC 02/14/12

Current Status and Future of LTE

LTE is considered the panacea (the remedy, cure) to mobile telco's mess of different technologies.

Is here to say; LTE is expected to be the cellular network standard for the next decade or more!
Represents a big leap from hybrid voice and data to a data-only network (voice considered data) Wireless network technology is likely to become more widely used than traditional wired services(cable, DSL) due to easier access and on par performance.

Julian Duran, UIC 02/14/12

Question?

Resources/Reference:

Thank You

4G LTE/LTE-A for mobile broadband; Erik Dahlman Design Considerations for MIMO radio transcerivers; Yorgos Palaskas LTE Protocol overview; freescale semiconductor whitepaper doc.#LTEPTCLOVWWP LTE: A technical Overview: Motorola whitepaper 3ggp.org; series 36 documents Www.extremetech.com; what is lte

All references available if interested

Wray Castle; LTE and SAE A clearer picture

Rohde & Schwarz: LTE technical overview May 2009

Julian Duran, UIC 02/14/12