LTE/EPC System Overview

Course overview: The LTE/EPC System Overview course offers a comprehensive – yet easily understandable – overview of the basic functionality of the Evolved Packet System (EPS). EPS consists of the evolved Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) and the Evolved Packet Core (EPC) as defined in the 3GPP Release 8 and 9 standardisation projects ‘Long Term Evolution’ and ‘System Architecture Evolution’.

The course focuses on the network architecture, nodes and mode of operations of the Evolved Packet System (EPS). It accounts for EPS’ relation to – and interoperability with - the legacy 2G/3G network as well as non-3GPP networks. The course outlines key radio technologies selected for LTE e.g. OFDM and MIMO. Basic message-level traffic cases are shown throughout the course to demonstrate important functions and concepts.

Pre-requisites:

General knowledge about the architecture, terminology and modes of operation of the GSM/UMTS radio access and core networks is highly recommended. Basic knowledge of the Internet Protocol (IP) family is useful. For required background knowledge, the Apis course GSM/GPRS/UMTS System Overview is recommended.

Course contents:

EPS (LTE/EPC) System Overview

• Evolution history of the 2G and 3G networks in operation today

• EPS architecture and nodes, overall mode of operation

• Basic Concepts: EPS Bearers, PDN Connections, Quality of Service etc

• Relation to legacy 3GPP networks and other networks

E-UTRAN – the evolved radio network

• E-UTRAN nodes and mode of operation

• E-UTRAN radio interface characteristics and frequency bands

• E-UTRAN Traffic cases

OFDM Basics

• OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) principles

• The use of OFDM in E-UTRAN

• What is MIMO and what can it do?

Layer 2 and 3 protocols

• E-UTRAN Protocol stack

• NAS – Non Access Stratum protocols

• RRC – Radio Resources Control

• Layer 2: PDCP, RLC and MAC functions

• Traffic case

E-UTRAN Channel Architecture

• E-UTRAN channel architecture

• Logical, Channels, Transport Channels and Physical Channels

• Mapping of channels on to Radio Resources

Radio Resource Sharing principles

• Resource allocation considerations and principles

• Resource Scheduling in eNB

EPC – the evolved core network

• Core network architecture

• EPC nodes – MME, SGW, PGW and HSS

• EPS Security

• Context storage and context transfer

• Bearers , tunnelling and Quality of Service (QoS)

EPC Protocols

• S1AP – the S1 Application Protocol

• GTP – GPRS Tunnelling Protocol

• Diameter

• Relevant Procedures

Mobility in EPS

• Pool concept for MME and SGW

• Idle mode mobility scenarios

• Connected mode mobility scenarios

Interworking with other Radio Access Technologies (RATs)

• Mobility principles between E-UTRAN and GERAN/UTRAN

• Selected traffic cases with interworking between E-UTRAN and GERAN/UTRAN

• CS Domain interworking – Voice Call Continuity and CS Fallback

• Interworking with Non-3GPP IP-access

• Selected signalling flows

IMS – the IP Multimedia Subsystem

• Multimedia over IP using SIP

• IMS architecture and basic traffic cases

• IMS relation to EPS

PCC – Policy and Charging Control

• What is Policy and Charging Control?

• PCC architecture

• The PCRF and the PCEF

• Handling of user data / traffic using PCC

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