Advanced Course on Wireless Communications, 5 op

Core content

• Evolution of mobile radio networks:
  - Evolution of radio networks from 2G to 4G and beyond (GSM, UMTS, LTE, 5G)
  - Network architectures and tasks of separate network elements
  - Circuit-switched and packet-switched networks
  -Standardization
  
• LTE radio interface (with insight to differences compared to 5G NR):
  - LTE radio interface
  - Description and main functionalities of layer 1 and layer 2 protocols (PHY, MAC, RLC, PDCP)
  - Differences between the access stratum and non-access stratum
  - User plane and control plane interfaces and procedures
  - Security and integrity
  - Logical channels, transport channels and physical channels
• LTE radio resource management functionalities
  - Radio resource management and modeling
  - Resource allocation, admission control, network access and load control
  - Link adaptation: Power and rate control
  - Handovers and mobility management
  - Scheduling
  - Retransmission protocols (e.g. hybrid ARQ)
  - Interference management
  
  
  LTE network is used as a reference system, but the studied RRM principles are applicable also in many other wireless systems, such as 5G NR. After learning this part of the course, the students are able to assess and possible invent new methods for different radio resource management strategies related to RRM.
• Procedures related to radio resource management and radio resource control protocols
  - states of UE regarding RRC states and EPC related states for connectivity and mobility
  - cell search and synchronization
  - random access procedure
  - connected mode mobility procedures
  - idle mode mobility procedures

Complementary knowledge

• Tasks of separate network elements in 2G and 3G
• General understanding of standardization and 3GPP specifications
• Interfaces and protocol structures between different network elements including the radio access network and core network
• Comparison between different RRM approaches/methods regarding power/rate control, scheduling, retransmission protocols, and interference management
• Signal structures used in RRM functionalities of LTE

Specialist knowledge

• Timeline of 3GPP releases
• Specific 3GPP-specified RRC protocol descriptions for LTE mobility management and connection establishment