- Review of the 3GPP UMTS and HSPA Evolution
- UMTS architectural components
- Migration to all-IP packet mode
- HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+
- Problems with the UMTS approach
- Competing/complementing alternatives: WiMAX
- The LTE approach
- What LTE is Designed to Achieve
- The drivers for LTE
- Architectural considerations
- Capability goals and performance aims
- Complexity considerations
- Migration considerations
- LTE Access Network
- Evolved NodeB (eNodeB)
- eNodeB functionality
- Radio resource management
- Radio bearer control
- Radio admission control
- Connection mobility control
- Dynamic resource allocation
- The radio interface requirements
- Interfaces: X2, S1
- Backhaul options
- Coexistence and interworking with:
- 3GPP radio access technologies
- Non-3GPP radio access technologies
- LTE Core Network
- Why change the UMTS core?
- EPC entities and functionality
- Interfaces
- All IP Platform
- LTE Radio Concepts
- Frequency spectrum and bandwidth
- Spread spectrum method and purpose
- Modulation schemes and error correction
- Multiple antenna principles
- MIMO, diversity, spatial multiplexing, beamforming
- Spectrum efficiency, spectrum flexibility
- Peak data rates
- Simulator results: Curves and recommended figures
- Exercises: Excel-based practical tool
- LTE Air Interface: Physical Layer
- OFDM in the downlink
- SC-FDMA in the uplink
- Radio frame structure, subframe, timeslot, symbols
- Resource blocks
- Reference signals and other control signals
- Scheduling considerations
- Resource allocation in the downlink and uplink
- Physical, logical, and transport channels
- Radio channels and their usage
- Maximum throughput estimations
- Maximum throughput conditions
- Exercises: Theoretical estimations
- LTE Air Interface: Signaling and Protocols
- The protocol stack
- Medium Access Control (MAC)
- Radio Link Control (RLC)
- Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP)
- Radio Resource Control (RRC)
- ARQ and HARQ
- LTE Operations and Procedures
- System acquisition
- Radio resource and access procedures
- Idle mode operations
- Cell search and random access
- RRC connection establishment
- Bearer setup and handover
- Power control
- MME registration
- Mobility
- LTE Rollout and Advanced Releases
- LTE deployment: Where are we now?
- LTE Advanced: What it is, what it promises
- Wrap-up: Course recap, Q/A, and Evaluations