LTE/EPS Overview

Objectives

After completing this module, the participant will be able to:

• List the LTE main requirements
• Underline the LTE key features
• Describe the LTE Network Architecture
• List the key functionalities of the evolved NB
• Describe the protocol stack implemented on EUTRAN interfaces
• Review LTE Terminals categories
• Name LTE Advanced features
• Underline LTE-Advanced Pro features
Contents

• LTE Requirements
• LTE Key Features
• LTE Architecture
• Evolved NB functionalities
• EUTRAN Interfaces
• LTE Terminals
• LTE Advanced
• LTE-Advanced Pro
Contents

LTE Requirements
• LTE Key Features
• LTE Architecture
• Evolved NB functionalities
• EUTRAN Interfaces
• LTE Terminals
• LTE Advanced
• LTE-Advanced Pro
What are the LTE challenges?

The Users’ expectation… ..leads to the operator’s challenges

• Best price, transparent flat rate • reduce cost per bit

• Full Internet • provide high data rate
• Click-bang responsiveness • provide low latency
LTE: lower cost User experience will have an Price per Mbyte has to be reduced
per bit and impact on ARPU to remain profitable
improved end
user Throughput Latency

experience Cost per MByte

HSPA LTE HSPA LTE UMTS HSPA I-HSPA LTE

LTE Main Requirements
Evolution Path to LTE
Opens up future service perspectives for new entrants and CDMA operators

90+% of world radio access market migrating to LTE

Enabling flat broadband architecture
Leverage GSM/WCDMA handset base
I-HSPA LTE / SAE R8

W-CDMA/
HSPA

GSM/
(E)GPRS TD-SCDMA

Greenfield / cdma2000
 Schedule for 3GPP releases

HSUPA LTE-A Pro

UMTS/ HSDPA HSPA+ Emergency and
MBMS Enhancements
WCDMA IMS LTE Studies LTE-A LTE-A LTE-A Security LTE-A Pro
WLAN IW (June 2017)
LTE & EPC studies Enhancements Services (March 2016)

3GPP Rel. 99/4 Rel. 5 Rel. 6 Rel. 7 Rel. 8 Rel. 9 Rel. 10 Rel. 11 Rel. 12 Rel. 13 Rel. 14

2000 2003 2005 2007 2008 2009 2011 2013 2015 2016 2017 year

• LTE have been developed by the same standardization organization. The target has been simple
multimode implementation and backwards compatibility.
• HSPA and LTE have in common:
– Sampling rate using the same clocking frequency
– Same kind of Turbo coding
• The harmonization of these parameters is important as sampling and Turbo decoding are typically
done on hardware due to high processing requirements.
• WiMAX and LTE do not have such harmonization.
Comparison of Throughput and Latency (1/2)

Max. peak data rate

350

300
Downlink
250 Uplink 173 Mbps in DL
57 Mbps in UL
200
Mbps

150

100

50

0
HSPA R6 Evolved HSPA LTE 2x20 MHz LTE 2x20 MHz
(REL. 7/8, 2x2 (2x2 MIMO) (4x4 MIMO)
MIMO)
Comparison of Throughput and Latency (2/2)

USER PLANE Latency: CONTROL PLANE Latency:

Latency (Roundtrip delay)*

GSM/
EDGE

HSPA
ACTIVE
Rel6 IDLE “ECM_
“ECM_Idle” Connected”
HSPAevo
(Rel8) (no (EPS Bearer
resources) allocated)
LTE
min max

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 ms

DSL (~20-50 ms, depending on

* Server near RAN operator) < 100 ms
Scalable Bandwidth

Urban
2.6 GHz LTE
2.1 GHz UMTS
or
2.6 GHz LTE
LTE
2.1 GHz UMTS

2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020

Rural
900 MHz GSM UMTS
LTE
or

900 MHz GSM LTE

2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020

Increased Spectral Efficiency

• All cases assume 2-antenna terminal reception

• HSPA R7, WiMAX and LTE assume 2-antenna BTS transmission (2x2 MIMO)

2.0 ITU contribution from

Downlink WiMAX Forum shows
1.8 downlink 1.3 and uplink 0.8
Uplink
1.6 bps/Hz/cell
1.4
bps/Hz/cell

1.2
1.0
0.8 Simulations show LTE can
0.6 provide:
0.4  >3 times HSPA R6
0.2 spectral efficiency in DL
0.0  >2 times HSPA R6
spectral efficiency in UL
HSPA R6 HSPA R6 + HSPA R7 WiMAX LTE R8
UE
equalizer
Simpler Architecture to reduce OPEX

Flat, IP based architecture

Access Core Control

MME IMS HLR/HSS

Internet

Evolved Node B Gateway

LTE/SAE Requirements Summary

1. Simplify the RAN:

- Reduce the number of different types of RAN nodes, and their complexity.
- Minimize the number of RAN interface types.

2. Increase throughput: Peak data rates of UL/DL 50/300 Mbps (R8)

3. Reduce latency (prerequisite for CS replacement).

4. Improve spectrum efficiency: Capacity 2-4 x higher than with Release 6 HSPA

5. Frequency flexibility & bandwidth scalability: Frequency Refarming

6. Operation in FDD & TDD modes and improved terminal power efficiency

A more detailed list of the requirements and objectives for LTE can be found in TR 25.913.
Contents

LTE Requirements
• LTE Key Features
• LTE Architecture
• Evolved NB functionalities
• EUTRAN Interfaces
• LTE Terminals
• LTE Advanced
• LTE-Advanced Pro
LTE Radio Interface Key Features

LTE Radio
Access Network (EUTRAN) Evolved Packet Core (EPC)

SAE-GW
MME Packet
Data
Network
eNode-B Serving PDN
GW GW

LTE Radio Interface Key Features

• Retransmission Handling (HARQ/ARQ)
• Spectrum Flexibility
• FDD & TDD modes
• Multi-Antenna Transmission
• Frequency and time Domain
scheduling
• Uplink (UL) Power Control
EUTRAN Key Features

LTE Radio
Access Network (EUTRAN) Evolved Packet Core (EPC)

SAE-GW

MME Packet
Data
Network
eNode-B Serving PDN
GW GW

EUTRAN Key Features:

• Evolved NodeB
• IP transport layer
• UL/DL resource scheduling
• QoS Awareness
• Self-configuration
EPC Key Features

LTE Radio
Access Network (EUTRAN) Evolved Packet Core (EPC)

SAE-GW

MME Packet
Data
Network
eNode-B Serving PDN
GW GW

EPC Key Features:

• IP transport layer
• QoS Awareness
• Packet Switched Domain only
• 3GPP (GTP) or IETF (MIPv6) option
• Prepare to connect to non-3GPP access networks
LTE: What is new?

new radio transmission schemes: • new network architecture:

OFDMA in DL – More functionality in the base
station (eNodeB)
SC-FDMA in UL
– Focus on PS domain
MIMO Multiple Antenna Technology – Flat architecture (2-nodes)
– All-IP
New radio protocol architecture:
Complexity reduction
• Important for Radio Planning
Focus on shared channel operation, no dedicated channels – Frequency Reuse 1
anymore
▪ No need for Frequency Planning
– No need to define neighbor lists in
LTE
Contents

LTE Requirements
• LTE Key Features
• LTE Architecture
• Evolved NB functionalities
• EUTRAN Interfaces
• LTE Terminals
• LTE Advanced
• LTE-Advanced Pro
Network Architecture Evolution

Flat architecture: single network element in user plane in radio network and core network
HSPA Direct tunnel I-HSPA LTE
HSPA R6 HSPA R7 HSPA R7 LTE R8

GGSN GGSN GGSN SAE GW

User plane
SGSN SGSN SGSN MME/SGSN
Control Plane

RNC RNC

Node B Node B Node B + Evolved

(NB) (NB) RNC Node B
Functionality (eNB)
Evolved Packet System (EPS) Architecture -
Subsystems

• The EPS architecture goal is to optimize the system

EPS Architecture for packet data transfer.
LTE or eUTRAN SAE or EPC • There are no circuit switched components. The
EPS architecture is made up of:
– EPC: Evolved Packet Core, also referred as
SAE
– eUTRAN: Radio Access Network, also referred
as LTE

• EPC provides access to external packet IP networks

and performs a number of CN related functions (e.g.
QoS, security, mobility and terminal context
management) for idle and active terminals
• eUTRAN performs all radio interface related functions
LTE/SAE Network Elements

Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN) Evolved Packet Core (EPC)

HSS
eNB Mobility
Management
Entity Policy &
Main references to S6a
Charging Rule
architecture in 3GPP Function
specs.: MME S10
X2
TS23.401,TS23.402, S7 Rx+
TS36.300 PCRF
S11

S1-U S5/S8 SGi

PDN
LTE-Uu Serving PDN
Evolved Node B
Gateway Gateway
LTE-UE (eNB)
SAE
Gateway
Contents

LTE Requirements
• LTE Key Features
• LTE Architecture
• Evolved NB functionalities
• EUTRAN Interfaces
• LTE Terminals
• LTE Advanced
• LTE-Advanced Pro
Evolved Node B (eNB)

eNB Functions
Inter-cell RRM: HO, load balancing between cells • Only network element defined as part of eUTRAN.
Radio Bearer Control: setup , modifications and • Replaces the old Node B / RNC combination from
release of Radio Resources 3G.
Connection Mgt. Control: UE State Management, • Terminates the complete radio interface including
MME-UE Connection physical layer.
Radio Admission Control
eNode B Meas. collection and evaluation • Provides all radio management functions
Dynamic Resource Allocation (Scheduler) • To enable efficient inter-cell radio management for
cells not attached to the same eNB, there is a inter-
IP Header Compression/ de-compression eNB interface X2 specified. It will allow to
Access Layer Security: ciphering and integrity coordinate inter-eNB handovers without direct
protection on the radio interface involvement of EPC during this process.
MME Selection at Attach of the UE
User Data Routing to the SAE GW
Transmission of Paging Msg coming from MME
Transmission of Broadcast Info (e.g. System info,
MBMS)
Contents

LTE Requirements
• LTE Key Features
• LTE Architecture
• Evolved NB functionalities
• EUTRAN Interfaces
• LTE Terminals
• LTE Advanced
• LTE-Advanced Pro
LTE Radio Interface & the X2 Interface

NAS LTE-Uu interface

Protocol
(E)-RRC User PDUs .. User PDUs • Air interface of LTE
PDCP • Based on OFDMA in DL & SC-FDMA in UL
RLC TS 36.300 • FDD & TDD duplex methods
MAC
LTE-L1 (FDD/TDD-OFDMA/SC-FDMA) eNB • Scalable bandwidth: 1.4MHz - 20 MHz

LTE-Uu X2 interface
X2-UP • Inter eNB interface
X2-CP (User Plane)
(Control Plane) • X2AP: special signaling protocol (Application Part)
User PDUs
X2-AP GTP-U
• Functionalities:
TS 36.423
SCTP UDP TS 36.424
X2 – In inter- eNB HO to facilitate Handover and provide
TS 36.422 IP IP data forwarding.
TS 36.421 L1/L2 L1/L2 TS 36.421 – In RRM to provide e.g. load information to
neighboring eNBs to facilitate interference
management.
TS 36.420
– Logical interface: doesn’t need direct site-to-site
eNB connection, i.e. can be routed via CN as well
S1-MME & S1-U Interfaces S1-MME
(Control Plane)

S1 interface is divided into two parts: NAS Protocols

MME
S1-MME interface TS 36.413 S1-AP

• Control Plane interface between eNB & MME TS 36.412 SCTP

IP
• S1AP:S1 Application Protocol
L1/L2 TS 36.411
• MME & UE will exchange NAS signaling via eNB through this
S1-U
interface ( i.e. authentication, tracking area updates) (User Plane)
• S1 Flex: an eNB is allowed to connect to a maximum of 16 MME. User PDUs

(LTE2, RL20) eNB GTP-U Serving

TS 36.414 Gateway
UDP
IP
S1-U interface
TS 36.411 L1/L2
• User plane interface between eNB & Serving Gateway.
• Pure user data interface (U=User plane)
TS 36.410
LTE4: Multi-Operator Core Network (MO-CN): An eNB can be connected simultaneously to the different
Evolved Packet Cores (EPCs) of different operators, and shared by them.
Contents

LTE Requirements
• LTE Key Features
• LTE Architecture
• Evolved NB functionalities
• EUTRAN Interfaces
• LTE Terminals
• LTE Advanced
• LTE-Advanced Pro
LTE UE Categories
Cat-M UE Overview
Introduced in 3GPP Rel.13

CAT-M UE complexity reduction may be achieved due to half duplex, single

antenna usage and smaller bandwidth. At the same time it implies smaller data
rates, leading to smaller energy consumption as well as the lower device price

CAT-M device is Release 8 Release 8 Release 12 Release 13 Release 13

characterized by Category 4 Category 1 Category 0 Cat-M1 Cat-NB1
lower complexity, Downlink peak rate 150 Mbps 10 Mbps 1 Mbps 1 Mbps <26 kbps
power Uplink peak rate 50 Mbps 5 Mbps 1 Mbps 1 Mbps <56 kbps
consumption and Number of antennas 2 2 1 1 1
price Full/Half
Duplex mode Full duplex Full duplex Half duplex Half duplex
duplex
UE receive bandwidth 20 MHz 20 MHz 20 MHz 1.4 MHz 200 kHz
UE transmit power 23 dBm 23 dBm 23 dBm 20/23 dBm 23 dBm
Modem complexity 100% 80% 40% 20% 15%
CAT-M1 vs NB-IoT – examining the real differences
LTE for IoT: Application Segmentation
LTE UE Power Classes

Power Class Tx Power (dBm) Tolerance (dB)

1 [+30]

2 [+27]

3 +23 +/-2 dB

4 [+21]
Contents

LTE Requirements
• LTE Key Features
• LTE Architecture
• Evolved NB functionalities
• EUTRAN Interfaces
• LTE Terminals
• LTE Advanced
• LTE-Advanced Pro
LTE becomes LTE-Advanced with 3GPP Rel 10

LTE-A fulfills or exceeds the LTE-Advanced Goals

requirements of Meet and exceed capabilities requested for
IMT-Advanced defined by ITU IMT-Advanced

Meet 3GPP operators’ requirements for LTE

evolution
Mobility
Enhance macro network performance

Enable efficient use of small cells

More Bandwidth available

Able to achieve higher data rates (up to 1

Gbps in downlink for stationary users)

Enhance the coverage by increasing data

rates on the cell edge

Data rates Backward compatibility

System Performance Requirements

Peak data rate

1 Gbps data rate will be achieved by 4-by-4 MIMO and transmission bandwidth wider than
approximately 70 MHz
Peak spectrum efficiency
DL: Rel. 8 LTE satisfies IMT-Advanced requirement
UL: Need to double from Release 8 to satisfy IMT-Advanced requirement

Rel. 8 LTE LTE-Advanced IMT-Advanced

DL 300 Mbps 1 Gbps
Peak data rate 1 Gbps(*)
UL 75 Mbps 500 Mbps
Peak spectrum efficiency DL 15 30 15
[bps/Hz] UL 3.75 15 6.75
*“100 Mbps for high mobility and 1 Gbps for low mobility
LTE-Advanced: First features standardized in 3GPP
Release10

Carrier Aggregation

….. • Carrier Bandwidth extension by carrier aggregation

Carrier1 Carrier2 Carrier n • Downlink: Up to 100 MHz bandwidth with 2 Release 8 carriers from different
frequency bands
8x MIMO 4x • Uplink: Only single band carrier aggregation
• New codebook for downlink (DL) 8TX MIMO
• Feedback enhancements for DL 2TX/4TX Multiuser MIMO
Coordinated Multipoint
• 2TX/4TX Uplink Single/Multiuser MIMO
• Coordinated multipoint transmission (CoMP), also known as cooperative
system
Relaying • Receiving transmission from multiple sectors (not necessary visible for
UE)
• Single Relay Node architecture based on self-backhauling eNB
• Simple intercell interference coordination in time domain
Heterogeneous • Enhancements for office Femto handovers
networks
Bandwidth Extension by Carrier Aggregation

Carrier Aggregation

…..  up to 100 MHz

Carrier1Carrier2 Carrier n

 Flexible component carrier aggregation

8x MIMO 4x  different frequency bands
Component Carrier
 asymmetric in UL/DL(LTE rel. 8 Carrier)
Mobility
Coordinated Multipoint
20 MHz 10 MHz

Aggregated BW: 30MHz

20 MHz 20 MHz 20 MHz 20 MHz 20 MHz

Relaying
in June 2009
Aggregated BW: 5x20MHz =
100MHz

300Mbps 300Mbps 300Mbps 300Mbps 300Mbps

Heterogeneous
networks
1.5Gbps
MIMO Extension

Carrier Aggregation

…..
Carrier1 Carrier2 Carrier n

8x MIMO 4x

Coordinated Multipoint

Relaying

Heterogeneous
networks
Coordinated Multipoint Transmission (CoMP)

Carrier Aggregation

…..
Carrier1 Carrier2 Carrier n

8x MIMO 4x

 Cooperation of antennas of
Coordinated Multipoint multiple sectors / sites
 Interference free
by coordinated
transmission /
reception
Relaying
 Highest
performance
potential

Heterogeneous Service Area

networks
Relaying

Carrier Aggregation

…..
Carrier1 Carrier2 Carrier n

8x MIMO 4x
 Fast deployment
 Coverage with low
infrastructure costs
Coordinated Multipoint

Relaying

Heterogeneous
networks
Heterogeneous Network

Carrier Aggregation

…..
Carrier1 Carrier2 Carrier n

8x MIMO 4x
Heterogeneous Networks – The
Combined Benefit of Wide & Local Area
Coordinated Multipoint
Wide Area sites

Medium Medium
area sites area sites

Relaying
Local Local Local Local Local
area area area area area

WLAN WLAN

Heterogeneous WLAN
WLAN
networks WLAN
Heterogeneous Networks – The Combined Benefit of
Wide & Local Area

Majority of cell sites today

Wide Area sites • > 300 m Macro
• > 5 W output power

Medium area Medium area Share of sites growing

sites sites • 100 – 300 m
Micro
• 1–5W

Share will grow in future

Local Local Local Local Local
• 10 – 100 m,
area area area area area
• < 500 mW
Pico, Access
Femto
Points
License exempt growing & Secondary
WLAN WLAN services emerging
• 10-100 m
• < 100 mW

WLAN WLAN
WLAN

Benefits of Multi-Layer Deployment Tradeoffs involved with Multi-Layer

• Coverage improvement from local area cells in edge or shadowed regions • Co-channel deployment needs no additional spectrum but creates interference between
• Capacity increase from more transmission points in a given area the layers and within the same layer >> this interference needs to be controlled for QoS
LTE-A Improving the Radio Performance

Peak rate Average rate Cell edge rate Coverage

(capacity) (interference) (noise limited)

Carrier aggregation ++ + ++ +

MIMO enhancements ++ ++ ++ o
(o) (+) (+)

CoMP o + + ++

Heterogeneous o ++ ++ +
networks

Relays o o + ++

= clear gain = moderate gain

Contents

LTE Requirements
• LTE Key Features
• LTE Architecture
• Evolved NB functionalities
• EUTRAN Interfaces
• LTE Terminals
• LTE Advanced
• LTE-Advanced Pro
LTE-Advanced Pro boosts Performance
10x Performance for new services

LTE = Releases 8-9

LTE-Advanced = Releases 10-12
LTE-Advanced Pro = Release 13 and beyond

LTE Release 8 LTE Advanced Pro New service capabilities

10x data rate

10x lower latency

- 5G capabilities on top of LTE
150 Mbps 10x larger coverage network: massive IoT and critical
communications
10-20 ms latency 10x battery life - Massive MIMO
- Unlicensed bands
10x lower IoT cost

10x more capacity

LTE-Advanced Pro builds the bridge from 4G to 5G

Enabler for initial 5G and ensures backward

5G radio
compatibility Sub and above 6 GHz

>10 Gbps

<1 ms
Smooth 4G evolution
Sub 6 GHz
LTE-A Pro (Rel.13...)
LTE-A (Rel.10...
LTE (Rel.8) 3 Gbps
1 Gbps
150 Mbps <2 ms
10 ms
10 ms
Backward
compatibility
LTE-A Pro Features

• Advanced carrier aggregation

• 3D/Massive MIMO

• Latency reduction

• LTE based IoT Solutions (LTE-M, NB-IoT)

• LTE Public Safety

• LTE Vehicular Communications

32x Faster Through Evolution of Carrier Aggregation

From 20 MHz to 640 MHz aggregated spectrum to serve a user

LTE 20
MHz
3GPP Releases
8-9 Bandwidth/user

LTE-Advanced 5 x 20 MHz
x32
3GPP Releases
10-12

LTE- 32 x 20 MHz
Advanced+
3GPP Release
13-
Expansion of Usable Spectrum

LTE Licensed
paired and unpaired The world’s first From 700MHz-3GHz to 450MHz-6GHz
3GPP Releases LTE network globally agreed spectrum range
8-9
700 coverage 2.6

LTE-Advanced Licensed
3GPP Releases paired and unpaired
10-12
450 capacity 3.8

LTE- Licensed Unlicensed

Advanced+ paired and unpaired unpaired
3GPP Release
450 3.8 capacity 5.1 5.9
13-
3D/Massive MIMO

* : related to a 2x2 antenna configuration. See next slide for details

Higher Efficiency with 3D MIMO (Full Dimension
MIMO)

Average Spectral Efficiency Evolution • 16x2 gives 2.5x gain over 2x2
350 % • 64x2 gives 3.0x gain over 2x2
300 %
299 % • 64x2 gives +50% gain over 8x2
252 %
250 %
(8)

200 % 194 %

150 % 4 columns of x-pol

antennas assumed
100 % (2)
100 % for 16TX and 64TX

50 %
(1 )

0% Column-1 Column-2 Column-3 Column-4

16 TXRUs 16 TXRUs 16 TXRUs 16 TXRUs
2x2 8x2 16x2 64x2
LTE-Advanced Pro Minimizes User Plane Latency

Below 1 ms One-way
* Delay and Below 2 ms Round Trip Time

UE eNB S-GW

Shorter frame size minimizes latency and enables <2 ms round trip time

*MEC: Mobile Edge Computing

Round Trip Time Evolution

Enhanced end user performance with lower latency

Round trip time evolution • Radio latency is lower with LTE-

25 Advanced+ and 5G
20
• Important to optimize end-to-end
15 latency
ms
10 • Mobile Edge Computing (MEC)
reduces latency by bringing
5 content closer to the radio
0 network. MEC is being
HSPA LTE LTE-A+ 5G standardized in ETSI
LTE Based Internet of Things (IoT) Solutions
Radio Optimizations for LTE IoT

LTE-
NB-IoT
Advanced
Deep indoor coverage with
Coverage 140-145 dB 164 dB
+20 dB link budget
Operation time with Deploy and forget from
1 year 10 years
two AA batteries battery life point of view
Lower cost chip set enables
Device cost Reference -85%
<5 USD (2 USD?) modules
LTE Public Safety

Public safety application can run on top of LTE networks. LTE can bring
excellent data capability, good coverage and efficient operations
compared to separate public safety networks.

Release 12 Release 13
• Proximity services • Enhanced proximity services
• Group communication • Mission critical push to talk
• Isolated operation
LTE Vehicular Communications

LTE technology components for vehicular use case

• Device-to-Device (D2D) for V2V communication
• Local content and local routing with Mobile Edge Computing
• LTE extensive coverage and low latency

Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V)