Introduction to 3G network

It's a shame not knowing common knowledge of 3G networks while working in a mobile phone manufacturer. Well, Obviously, some people do not think so. Here's the brief outline of radio network change: from first generation to 2G, 2.5G, and 3G. Although 4G is coming on its way, knowing current technologies will help catching up the new ones.

• Introduction to 3G network
  • History
    • 1G
      • NMT (Nordic Mobile Telephone)
        • NMT-450
        • NMT-900
          • International Roaming is possible
        • Scandinavia, Ecntral and Southern Europe
      • TACS (Total Access Communications System)
        • UK standard, based on AMPS
        • 900 MHz
      • AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone Service)
        • US standard
        • 800 MHz
      • MCS
        • NTT: first cellular network in Japan
    • 2G
      • Feature
        • use digital radio transmission for traffic
        • basic GSM uses 900 MHz
        • 1800 MHz
      • GSM (Global System for Mobile communications)
        • Most successful and widely used 2G system
        • TDMA
      • D-AMPS (digital AMPS)
        • US-TDMA, IS-136, or just TDMA
      • CDMA IS-95 (Code-division Multiple Access)
        • Developed by Qualcomm
        • the only 2G CDMA standard so far
        • IS-95 also called cdmaOne (brand name)
      • PDC (Personal Digital Cellular)
        • Frequency bands
          • 800 MHz
          • 1500 MHz
        • Feature
          • physical layer: similar to D-AMPS
          • protocal stack: resembles GSM
        • Only operated in Japan
      • Digital Cordless systems
        • CT2
        • DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications)
        • PHS (Personal Handyphone System)
    • 2.5G
      • new technologies
        • HSCSD High-speed Circuit-switched Data)
          • allocate 4 time slots for transmisstion (9.6 Kbps or 14.4 x 4)
          • summary
            • Good: software updates to network, and phone; good for real time apps
            • Bad: usage of scarce radio resources
        • GPRS (General Packet Radio Services)
          • up to 115 Kbps
          • packet switched
          • suitable for non real-time apps
          • bursty data is well handled
          • do not guarantee an absolute maximum delay
        • EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution)
          • 3 folds of original GSM speed
          • 8PSK (eight-phase shift keying)
          • + GPRS --> EGPRS
            • 384 Kbps maximum
      • IS-136 + (GPRS || EDGE) --> 2.5G
      • Qualcomm
        • CDMA2000 1xRTT
          • IS-95: 14.4 Kbps, 1xRTT: 64 Kbps
          • IS-95 + IS-95B or upgrade CDMA2000 1xRTT -->2.5G
        • HDR (High Data Rate)
          • 2.4 Mbps
          • standardized in IS-856
          • 1xEV-DO (1x Evolved Data Optimized)
            • Add a TDMA component beneath code component
      • PDC-P (NTT DoCoMo)
        • i-mode
  • 3G standard proposals
    • UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System)
      • Done by ETSI SMG (Special Mobile Group)
      • UMTS Forum was created in 1996
    • new technologies
      • WCDMA
        • the bandwidth is 5 MHz or more (144kbps, 384kbps or even 2Mbps
        • network
          • Synchronous
            • CDMA2000
              • compatible with IS-95
              • manufacturer: Qualcomm, Lucent, Motorola
              • use ANSI-41 core network
              • 3GPP2 (less support than 3GPP)
            • good/not good
              • good: effecient radio interface
              • bad: expensive H/W
          • Asynchronous
            • ETSI/ARIB WCDMA
              • most popular 3G system
              • manufacturer: Ericsson, Nokia, NTT DocoMo
              • rename to UTRAN (FDD)
              • based on GSM MAP network
              • 3GPP
        • feature
          • fast power control
          • vary bit rate, service params on frame by frame basis
      • Advanced TDMA
        • UWC-136 only
      • Hybrid CDMA/TDMA
        • Not supported
        • in fact, it likes UTRAN TDD
      • OFDM
        • spectrum: effecient
        • user: DAB, DVB, 802.11a, 802.11g, ADSL
        • TDMA/CDMA possible
        • good
          • bandwidth effecient
          • resistance to
            • narrow band interference
            • multipath interefrence
    • IMT-2000
      • umbrella spec of all 3G systems (origin from ITU)
      • IMT Direct Spread (IMT-DS)
        • UTRA FDD
        • 3GPP
      • IMT Multicarrier (IMT-MC)
        • CDMA2000
        • 3GPP2
      • IMT Time Code (IMT-TC)
        • UTRA-TDD/TD-SCDMA narrowband TDD
        • 3GPP
      • IMT Single Carrier (IMT-SC)
        • UWC-136
      • IMT Frequency Time (IMT-FT)
        • DECT
  • 3GPP
    • an org that develops spec for 3g system based on UTRA radio interface
    • partners
      • ETSI
      • ARIB
      • TTA
      • TTC
      • CWTS(china wireless telecommunications Standard
    • ULTRA
      • FDD
        • vocabs
          • chip: a bit in a code word
          • spreading factor: chip rate / data bit rate
          • spreading code: a sequence of chips used to modulate the data bits
        • up/down use separate freq bands
        • chip rate: 3.84 Mcps
      • TDD
        • NOrmal: 3.84 Mcps
        • TD-SCDMA: 1.28 Mcps
      • channels
        • physical (air interface)
        • transport
          • between layer 1 and 2
          • define how data is sent over the air
        • logical
          • within layer 2
          • define the type of data to be sent
  • 3GPP2
    • should be backward compatible with IS-95

and here's the Introduction to 3G network in tree view for better reading.