LTE/SAE Engineering Overview

Overview

The adoption of the EPS is an essential long-term evolutionary path for many network operators. It is therefore vitally important that engineers and technical staff have the advance knowledge necessary to plan for its introduction. This Wray Castle course is designed to provide engineering and technical management staff with a technical preview of the technologies and techniques employed in the E-UTRAN and the EPC, and to explain how they operate together as an EPS network.

This course is also very useful for engineers working in areas related to UMTS and EPS operation. This includes database management, billing, service developers, base station management, Government security or forensic specialists, service developers, legal professionals supporting operators or local authorities, various support staff and those in technical management roles.

On completion of this course the delegate will be able to:

• outline the architecture and interfaces of the E-UTRAN and the EPC
• characterize the performance capabilities of an LTE/SAE system
• describe the E-UTRA protocol stack and assign layer functions to the correct network entities
• outline the general structure of the E-UTRA physical layer
• outline the functions of the E-UTRA uplink and downlink physical channels
• outline the properties of an EPS bearer
• identify the set of network elements and interfaces that comprise an EPC and describe their functions
• list the key protocols used for signalling and traffic transmission within the all-IP infrastructure and justify their inclusion
• explain the procedures for the establishment of EPS bearers and outline their relationship with the service data flow
• outline the QoS concepts employed by the EPC and relate these to potential services and EPS bearers
• list the options available to support real-time services in an EPC environment and for interworking with dedicated circuit-switched infrastructure
• outline the connection establishment procedures for real time and non-real-time services as well as resource management and mobility management procedures for LTE/SAE

In addition to gaining a good understanding of the LTE/SAE, attending this course will enable the delegate to deliver operational improvements and generate cost savings or reduce project timelines by:

• improving network design, planning, operations and maintenance
• avoiding the laborious search through specifications, standards and white papers, while benefiting from a
• practical analysis and interpretation of such documentation by experienced engineers
• knowing better where to look to accelerate research and fact finding and facilitate earlier project completion
• improving the equipment procurement process by better analysis and challenge of technical specifications and supplier responses, thus giving greater certainty to on-target performance and value-for-money purchasing
• shortening the learning curve and speeding productive inputs from new team members and freeing more experienced employees’ time
• evaluating a system’s capabilities effectively through improved knowledge, leading to superior operations and maintenance performance
• providing greater confidence in the sale of equipment by anticipating customers’ technical requirements and being able to promote relevant superior equipment performance

and, after the course, Wray Castle’s unrivalled post-course support comes into effect.

Section 1 – 1 hour   Introduction to LTE
LTE overview
Broadband access with LTE
Architecture terminology
LTE development and design goals
LTE standards development
LTE key technologies
Access networks and the eNB (evolved Node B)
X2 interface
The EPC (Evolved Packet Core)
S1 interface
Evolved packet core ‘S’ interfaces
Data rates and services
E-UTRA protocols

Section 2 – 1 hour   OFDMA Principles
Orthogonal radio carriers
Variable channel bandwidth
Factors affecting data rate
FFT (Fast Fourier Transform)
New air interface technologies
OFDM concepts
The cyclic prefix
Subcarrier assignment
OFDM and OFDMA
OFDMA operation
SC-FDMA concept
SC-FDMA operation
SC-FDMA multiple access

Section 3 – 2.5 hour   The LTE Radio Interface
Physical layer functions
Channel bandwidths
Physical layer parameters for LTE
Timing units
LTE frequency bands
The physical layer frame structure
Resource descriptions
Error protection and modulation schemes
Downlink and uplink reference signals
Air interface synchronization
Timing and power control
LTE radio measurement types
Downlink physical channels
Downlink transmission structure
Uplink physical channels
Uplink transmission structure
Advanced antenna options

Section 4 – 2 hours   Radio Access Protocols
SCTP (Stream Control Transmission Protocol)
PDCP and RRC
MAC PDU structure
MAC random access procedure
MAC scheduling functions
QoS and priority handling
HARQ operation
RLC modes and PDU structure
PDCP operation
RRC functions and states
Radio resource management functions
Network nodes and areas
Attach procedures
Idle mode procedures
LTE handover types

Section 5 – 2.5 hour   Evolved Packet Core
EPS network functions and logical structure
MME (Mobility Management Entity)
S-GW and PDN-GW (Serving and PDN Gateways)
PCRF (Policy and Charging Rules Function)
Interface naming convention
S1 interface
GTP interfaces
Diameter-based interfaces
Interface to CS networks
EPS area and node identities
Subscriber identities
Default and dedicated EPS bearers
EPS quality of service
CS fallback
VCC (Voice Call Continuity)
CS service provision via a GANC
EPC security functions

Section 6 – 1 hour   Major Protocols
EPS major protocols
IETF dependence
IP in the EPS/IMS
3GPP protocols
GTP in the EPS
S1AP (S1 Application Protocol)
X2AP (X2 Application Protocol)

Section 7 – 2 hours   EPC and IMS Operations
State management
Active/inactive EPS bearers and bearer contexts
Attach and registration requirements
Default bearer establishment
UE idle mode functions
TAU (Tracking Area Update)
Paging
IMS functions in idle mode
Service request
Dedicated bearer creation
IMS connection establishment
Charging capture points
Connected mode procedures
Intra-E-UTRAN handover
S-GW/MME relocation
Inter-RAT handover
IMS procedures

This course has been developed for staff requiring a broad overview of a technology area. It assumes some underlying technical ability and may require general knowledge of telecommunications and of network operation. It also assumes general engineering skills and knowledge appropriate to the course topic.

Along with a paper copy of comprehensive course notes the delegate will receive an electronic version on CD. This provides delegates with an easily transportable and fully searchable reference tool, including all the colour detail of the course presentation.

Following attendance on any Wray Castle course the delegate will automatically become eligible for free post-course support. If a delegate has any questions relating to the course content, this service puts the delegate in direct e-mail contact with a Wray Castle expert.

This course is designed for instructor-led training. The practical and/or complex nature of the course is best delivered in a class where the Wray Castle expert trainer can demonstrate and explain the content using a variety of specialist delivery techniques.

This course may be followed by more specialized courses including LTE Air Interface, LTE Radio Access Network or the LTE Evolved Packet Core Network. Others may find associated technology training useful including Next Generation Transmission, IMS and SIP, Hands-on IP or other courses from the Wray Castle IP portfolio. Delegates involved in planning and optimization should also attend Planning for LTE Networks and Introduction to LTE Optimization.

Since its introduction at Release 99 of the 3GPP technical standards UMTS has evolved considerably, especially with the introduction of HSPA. 3GPP Release 8 specifications introduce the Evolved Packet System (EPS) – the next very important evolutionary step for UMTS networks. The EPS has emerged from the 3GPP projects to define the Long Term Evolution (LTE) of the access network and System Architecture Evolution (SAE) for the core network.

This course provides an insight into the design aims, structure and operation of both the new radio access network, the E-UTRAN, and the new core network, the EPC. This wide ranging two-day course comprises eight sections. The course begins with an overview of LTE and SAE as a whole. This leads into more detailed treatment of the radio access network, its interfaces and key protocols. The OFDM concept is then developed and related to an outline of the LTE air interface structure and operation. The course then turns to the evolved packet core starting with the architecture and interfaces in the EPC. This is then developed in the remaining sections, which summarize the key protocols and procedures used in the EPC for connection establishment and for mobility management.

Prerequisites

Delegates attending this course are assumed to have a good understanding of legacy 2G and 3G cellular networks. Some knowledge of radio systems, common transmission technologies and service delivery platforms would be an advantage.