Introduction to UMTS Network
Jukka Lempiäinen · Kluwer Academic Publishers eBooks · 2006
In this chapter, the most relevant terms and technical aspects of the Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) and Universal Terrestrial Radio Network (UTRAN) are introduced. A short overview of the whole UMTS system and more detailed overview of UTRAN are given, including essential network elements and the interfaces between them. Moreover, a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)-based cellular concept and different major planning strategies of the UTRAN are shortly presented. The technical details of the radio propagation channel are highlighted in order to point out the behavior of the Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) scheme in different radio propagation environments. Finally, a WCDMA-based planning process is defined and multi mode (GSM/UMTS) and multi band (GSM900/GSM1800/UMTS) network evolution challenges are described.