Mobile & Wireless Communication

Lecture 6
Multiple Access Techniques

Dr. Muhammad Rizwan

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 Outlines

➲ FDMA
➲ TDMA
➲ CDMA
➲ Random Access
► ALOHA
► Slotted ALOHA
► Reservation-based ALOHA

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 Multiple Access Techniques

● Frequency Division Multiple Access

(FDMA)
● Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)
● Random Access
● Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)

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 FDMA

➲ FDMA was the initial multiple-

access technique for cellular
systems
➲ Separates large band into
smaller channels.

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➲ Each channel has the ability to User
User
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support user. User
User 1 2
3

➲ Guard bands are used to

separate channel preventing co-
channel interference Tim
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➲ Narrow bandwidth (30 khz).

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 Advantages/Disadvantages

➲ Advantages
► Simple to implement in terms of hardware.
► Fairly efficient with a small base population
and with constant traffic.
➲ Disadvantages
► Network and spectrum planning are intensive
and time consuming. (Centralized )
► Channels are dedicated for a single user, idle
channels add spectrum inefficiency.
Spectrum relates to the radio frequencies
allocated to the mobile industry and other
sectors for communication over the airwaves.
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 TDMA

➲ Entire bandwidth is available to

the user for finite period of time.
➲ Users are allotted time slots for a
channel allowing sharing of a
single channel.

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de
➲ Requires time synchronization.
➲ Each of the user takes turn in

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transmitting and receiving data in

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Us

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a round robin fashion.
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 How it works?

➲ User presses Push-to-Talk (PTT) button

➲ A control channel registers the radio to the
closest base station.
➲ The BS assigns an available pair of channels.
➲ Unlike FDMA, TDMA system also assigns an
available time slot within the channel.
➲ Data transmission is not continuous rather sent
and received in bursts.
➲ The bursts are reassembled and appear like
continuous transmission.

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➲ Advantages
► Extended battery life and talk time
► More efficient use of spectrum, compared to FDMA
► Will accommodate more users in the same spectrum space
than an FDMA system
➲ Disadvantages
► Network and spectrum planning are intensive
► Multipath interference affects call quality (time
synchronization) error can cause overlap of time slots which
faces interference.
► Dropped calls are possible when users switch in and out of
different cells.
► Too few users result in idle channels (rural versus urban
environment)
► Higher costs due to greater equipment sophistication

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 CDMA

➲ CDMA is a spread
spectrum technique
used to increase

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spectrum efficiency. User
4
➲ SS has been used in User
4
military applications User

due to anti-jamming
3
User

and security.
2
User 1
Tim
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 Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA)

➲ Basic Principles of CDMA

► D = rate of data signal
► Break each bit into k chips
• Chips are a user-specific fixed pattern
► Chip data rate of new channel = kD

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 CDMA Example

➲ If k=6 and code is a sequence of 1s and -1s

► For a ‘1’ bit, A sends code as chip pattern
• <c1, c2, c3, c4, c5, c6>
► For a ‘0’ bit, A sends complement of code
• <-c1, -c2, -c3, -c4, -c5, -c6>
➲ Receiver knows sender’s code and performs
electronic decode function
• <d1, d2, d3, d4, d5, d6> = received chip pattern
• <c1, c2, c3, c4, c5, c6> = sender’s code

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 CDMA Example

➲ User A code = <1, –1, –1, 1, –1, 1>

► To send a 1 bit = <1, –1, –1, 1, –1, 1>
► To send a 0 bit = <–1, 1, 1, –1, 1, –1>
➲ User B code = <1, 1, –1, – 1, 1, 1>
► To send a 1 bit = <1, 1, –1, –1, 1, 1>
➲ Receiver receiving with A’s code
► (A’s code) x (received chip pattern)
• User A ‘1’ bit: 6 -> 1
• User A ‘0’ bit: -6 -> 0
• User B ‘1’ bit: 0 -> unwanted signal ignored

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 Advantages/Disadvantages

➲ Advantages
► Greatest spectrum efficiency:
► CDMA improves call quality by filtering out background noise,
cross-talk, and interference
► Simplified frequency planning - all users on a CDMA system
use the same radio frequency spectrum.
► Random Walsh codes enhance user privacy; a spread-
spectrum advantage
► Precise power control increases talk time and battery size for
mobile phones
➲ Disadvantages
► Backwards compatibility techniques are costly
► Currently, base station equipment is expensive
► Low traffic areas lead to inefficient use of spectrum and
equipment resources

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 Random Access

➲ Random Access Methods

► more efficient way of managing medium
access for communicating short bursty
messages
• in contrast to fixed-access schemes, each user
gains access to medium only when needed -has
some data to send
• drawback: users must compete to access the
medium (‘random access’)
• collision of contending transmissions
➲ Random Access Methods in Wireless
Networks
► can be divided into two groups:
• ALOHA based -no coordination between users
• carrier-sense based-indirect coordination -users 14

sense availability of medium before transmitting

 Random Access

Collision
Period
User
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User
3
User reschedul
2 ed
User 1

Tim
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 ALOHA-based Random Access
➲ user accesses medium as soon as it has a
packet ready to transmit
► after transmission, user waits a length of time > round-
trip delay in the network, for an ACK from the receiver
► if no ACK arrives, user waits a random interval of time
(to avoid repeated collision) and retransmits
➲ advantages:
► simple, no synchronization among users required
➲ disadvantages:
► low throughput under heavy load conditions
► probability of collision increases as number of users
increases
➲ max throughput = 18% of channel capacity
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Pure-ALOHA

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 Slotted ALOHA

➲ time is divided into equal time slots –when a

user has a packet to transmit, the packet is
buffered and transmitted at the start of the
next time slot
► BS transmits a beacon signal for timing, all users must
synchronize their clocks
➲ advantages:
► partial packet collision avoided
➲ Disadvantages
► throughput still quite low!
► there is either no collision or a complete collision
➲ max throughput = 36% of channel capacity

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Slotted ALOHA

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 Example

➲ slotted ALOHA in GSM

► Two types of channels in GSM:
• Traffic channels (TCH): used for transmission of user
data –based on FDMA/TDMA
• Signalling channels, used for control and
management of a cellular network
• Random Access Channel (RACH): signalling channel
for establishing access to the network (i.e. BS)
• employs Slotted ALOHA
• only channel in GSM where contention can occur

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 Reservation ALOHA
➲ Time slots are divided into reservation and
transmission slots / periods
► during reservation period, stations can reserve future
slots in transmission period
► reservation slot size << transmission slot size
► collisions occur only in reservation slots
➲ advantages:
► higher throughput under heavy loads
► max throughput up to 80% of channel capacity
➲ disadvantages:
► more demanding on users as they have to obtain /
keep ‘reservation list’ up-to-date
➲ R-Aloha is most commonly used in satellite
systems
➲ satellite collects requests, complies ‘reservation
list’ and finally sends the list back to users 21
R-ALOHA

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 Summary

➲ FDMA
➲ TDMA
➲ CDMA
➲ Random Access
► ALOHA
► Slotted ALOHA
► Reservation-based ALOHA
➲ Next Lecture
► Carrier-sense based random access
► Spread Spectrum
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