LTE System Overview

3 days

Download brochureThe course provides an end-to-end overview perspective of the LTE system, including the Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN) and the Evolved Packet Core (EPC). It begins with a detailed presentation of the architecture of E-UTRAN and EPC. Then, E-UTRAN fundamentals are considered with explanation of OFDMA, SC-FDMA and MIMO. Subsequently QoS topic is used as a transition into EPC topic, where NAS protocols and signaling, security and cooperation with IMS are addressed. The course outlines all the key LTE cross-system procedures such as network attach / detach, handover, paging, call setup etc. The final chapters outline roadmaps for the new releases and address the interworking issues.

Introduction to Evolved Packet System (EPS)

• Evolution steps of the 3GPP systems, the goals for LTE
• LTE bandwidths, bit rates and UE categories
• Summary of radio access techniques

EPS Network Architecture and Interfaces

• E-UTRA and Evolved Packet Core network architecture
• Nodes: UE, eNB, SGW, MME, PGW, PCRF
• Interfaces: Uu, X2, S1, S11, S5, Gx, S6a, SGi, Rx
• IP connectivity, user plane and control plane
• Access Stratum signaling and Non-Access Stratum signaling

OFDMA, SC-FDMA and MIMO

• Fundamentals of multipath propagation (selectivity in time, frequency and space)
• Serial vs. parallel transmission, multicarrier transmission
• OFDM subcarriers and subcarrier separation, cyclic prefix, IFFT/FFT processing
• OFDM transceiver processing
• Multiuser diversity and OFDMA
• SC-FDMA as a subclass of OFDMA, comparison between SC-FDMA and OFDMA
• Multiple access with OFDMA and SC-FDMA
• Multiple antenna concept
• Open and closed loop spatial multiplexing
• Multi-user MIMO

E-UTRA and E-UTRAN

• E-UTRAN protocol stack and channel architecture
• Downlink FDD frame structure and its elements (sub-frames, slots, resource elements, physical resource blocks, PHY channels and signals)
• Adaptive Modulation and Coding, QPSK, 16-QAM, 64-QAM
• Use of MIMO in 3GPP-LTE Release 8
• Uplink FDD frame structure and its elements (sub-frames, slots, resource elements, physical resource blocks, PHY channels and signals)
• E-UTRAN L3 and L2 protocols: RRC, PDCP, RLC, MAC

Quality of Service in LTE

• Bearer architecture including EPS bearer and end-to-end service
• Guaranteed and Non-Guaranteed Bit Rate Bearer
• QoS Classes and QoS Class Identifier
• Allocation and Retention Priority
• Bit Rate limitations
• Bearer setup, service data flows and traffic flow templates

Evolved Packet Core

• Overview of EPS protocols: PDCP, RRC, GTP, X2AP, S1-AP, S1-MME, GTP, Diameter
• NAS protocols (EMM and ESM)
• UE states (LTE-idle, LTE-active, LTE-detached)
• Subscriber identities and their relations (IMEI, IMSI, GUTI, S-TMSI, RNTIs)
• Security and keys' derivation
• IMS network and nodes (CSCF, AAA, DNS, AS, HSS)
• Call establishment via IMS
• Voice in LTE (CS Fallback, Voice Call Continuity, VoLGA)

LTE Cross-system Procedures

• Network Attach and Detach
• Call setup (Dedicated bearer establishment)
• Tracking Area Update
• Paging
• Handover over X2
• Handover over S1

LTE Features Roadmap (Rel. 8-10)

• Overview of features in the 3GPP E-UTRAN Release 8
• Enhancements expected in 3GPP E-UTRAN release 9 including MBMS
• Features in 3GPP E-UTRAN Release 10 i.e., LTE Advanced: spectrum aggregation, relay concept, MIMO improvements

LTE Interworking Considerations

• Roaming
• Inter-working with 3GPP and non-3GPP networks