Communication systems play a major role in the modern society. Since the 1990ies especially wireless communications is of increasing interest worldwide. For the definition of such systems lots of aspects need to be taken into consideration. Among others frequency band allocation, efficient use of radio and network resources, number of sites required to provide radio coverage, targeted user service characteristics like maximum bit rate and quality and last but not least cost of implementation.

After a short presentation of the wireless communications history the characteristics of the terrestrial mobile radio channel are introduced followed by an overview of basic transmission techniques over such channels.

The second part deals with the TDMA based GSM standard. The role of the network elements being part of the overall network architecture and the services available to the users are introduced. Mobility and security aspects, protocol architecture, signalling procedures are further topics. Lower layer specification and related performance which form the basis for cell planning are discussed in detail.

In the third part the UMTS standard which is based on WCDMA is explained. The presentation follows a similar structure as compared to the GSM presentation which allows comparison of both systems.

OFDM is the next topic and it will become evident why it is of special interest in the case of broadband transmission over dispersive multipath channels.

Finally a brief look to market figures concludes the course, thereby demonstrating the huge potential behind the mobile radio market.

1. Walke: Mobile Radio Networks, John Wiley & Sons, 1999
2. ETSI Recommendations for GSM-Standard, www.etsi.org
3. Eberspächer, Vögel, Bettstetter: GSM, Global System for Mobile Communication, Teubner, 2001
4. Holma, Toskala: WCDMA for UMTS, Wiley, 2006
5. Holma, Toskala: HSDPA/HSUPA for UMTS. High Speed Radio Access for Mobile Communications, John Wiley & Sons, 2006
6. Holma, Toskala: WCDMA for UMTS - HSPA Evolution and LTE, John Wiley & Sons, 2007
7. Holma, Toskala: LTE for UMTS - OFDMA and SC-FDMA Based Radio Access, John Wiley & Sons, 2009
8. Holma, Toskala: LTE for UMTS - Evolution to LTE Advanced, John Wiley & Sons, 2011
9. Bossert: Channel Coding for Telecommunications, John Wiley & Sons, 1999
10. Tse, Viswanath: Fundamentals of Wireless Communications, Cambridge University Press, 2005
11. Dahlmann, Parkvall, Sköld, Beming: 3G Evolution, HSPA and LTE for Mobile Broadband, Academic Press, 2007
12. 3GPP Recommendations, http://www.3gpp.org/specs/numbering.htm
13. 3GPP Recommendations for UMTS Long Term Evolution (Evolved UTRA aspects), http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/html-info/36-series.htm

You can get a color printout of the script in the lecture.

Please check this site regularly for any last-minute changes and announcements!

• First lecture: Friday, April 27, 2012

The date for the written exam is Friday, August 3, 2012 from 9:00-11:00.

The exam will take place in room 43.2.101.
It will be based on the lecture material and on the exercises.
Scripts, books, etc. will not be permitted for the exam,
but a (non-programmable) pocket calculator will be allowed.

Registration deadline: July 31, 2012.
Please register (as usual) online or in the Studiensekretariat! If you are an exchange student (ERASMUS,...) and don't have to register there, please register in the Institute of Communications Engineering! E.g. come to the secretaries office (43.2.232) or send an email with your family name, first name and student id to the responsible Assistant(s) (Email).