Wireless and Mobile

Communication
EEng:- 4283

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 Overview on Communication
• Process describing transfer of information, data, instructions
between one or more systems through some media
– Examples
• people, computers, cell phones, etc.
• Computer communication systems
• Provide for electronic exchange of multimedia data
– Voice, data, video, music, email, web pages, etc.

• Signals passing through the communication channel can be

Digital, or analog
– Analog signals: continuous electrical waves
– Digital signals: individual electrical pulses (bits)
• Receivers and transmitters: desktop computers, Laptops,
cellphone, etc.
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Communication Systems

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 Block Diagram of A Communication System
 All communication systems contain three main sub systems:
1. Transmitter
2. Channel
3. Receiver

Transmitter Receiver

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TRANSMITTER:
 The signal-processing block is used for more efficient transmission.
Examples:
• In an analog system, the signal processor may be an analog low-
pass filter to restrict the bandwidth of m(t).
• In a hybrid system, the signal processor may be an analog-to-digital
converter (ADC) to produce digital signals that represent samples
of the analog input signal.

 The transmitter carrier circuit converts the processed base band signal
into a frequency band that is appropriate for the transmission medium
of the channel.
Channel:
 Channels represents the path in which signals travel from transmitter
to receiver. Very general classification of channels are:

• Wire: Twisted-pair telephone line, coaxial cable, waveguide, and

fiber-optic cables.
• Wireless: Air vacuum, and seawater.
In general, the channel medium attenuates the signal. The channel noise may
rise from natural electrical disturbances or from artificial sources.
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Receiver:
 The receiver takes the corrupted signal at the channel output
and converts it to be a base band signal that can be handled
by the receiver’s base band processor.

 The base band processor cleans up this signal and delivers an

estimate of the source information m(t) to the
communication system output.

 In digital systems, the measure of signal deterioration is

usually taken to be the probability of bit error P(e) – also
called Bit Error Rate (BER) of the delivered data m(t).

 In analog systems, the performance measure is usually taken

to be the Signal-to-noise Ratio (SNR) at the receiver output.

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 Chapter One
Overview of Wireless and
Mobile Communications

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Topics:
• Introduction to Wireless Communication
Systems
• History of Wireless Communication Systems
• Types of wireless communication systems

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 Introduction to Wireless and mobile Communication Systems

• Any electrical communication system that uses a naturally occurring

communication channel, such as air, water, earth and supports some form
of user mobility
• In wireless communications:
– information is transmitted by radiating a modulated electromagnetic
wave at a certain carrier frequency by means of a transmit antenna
and picking up energy of the radiated wave by means of a receive
antenna.
• Mobile radio communication shows rapid growth

 Digital and R.F fabrication improvements

 New large scale circuit integration
 Smaller , cheaper and more reliable
 Digital switching technology - Facilitated large scale deployment of
affordable, easy to use radio communication
 Driven by consumer demand.
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Introduction ……………….

Advantages of Wireless
• Constant connection
• Access to up-to-date information
• Minimum installation issues
• Scalability
• No cables
• Extensibility e.g remote areas with satellite
Disadvantages of Wireless
• Careful planning of network essential
• Security
• spectrum licenses
• poor data rates

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Introduction…..

Wireless link implications

– communications channel is the air
• poor quality: fading, shadowing, weather, etc.
• data rate and coverage vary
– regulated by governments
• frequency allocated, licensing, etc.
– limited bandwidth
• low bit rate, frequency planning and reuse, interference
– power issues
• Power levels regulated, conserve mobile terminal battery
life
– security issues
• wireless channel is a broadcast medium!

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 History of Wireless Communication Systems
Wired Communications
• 1834 − Gauss and Weber build telegraph system in Germany
• 1844 − Morse connects Baltimore and Washington by telegraph
• 1858 − First transatlantic telegraph cable laid
• 1876 − Alexander Bell demonstrates telephone
• 1911 − New York can telephone Denver

♦ Wireless Communications → Not so “new”

• had slow growth at first compared to other inventions.
• But now is growing very rapidly.
• 1899 − Marconi sends first radio message across Atlantic
• 1905 − Hulsmeyer detects ships with radar
• 1927 − US & Europe telephones linked by HF radio
• 1934 − AM mobile police radios for public safety widely used

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• 1935 − Edwin Armstrong demonstrates FM radio system,
which became the primary modulation technique.
• 1940 − First microwave radar
• 1965 − First commercial communication satellite
• 1983 − Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
allocates spectrum for analog cellular service (AMPS)
• 1990 − GSM digital cellular service introduced in Europe
• 1995 − FCC auctions new Personal Communication
Service (PCS) licenses in U.S. for digital services
• 1998 − 40 million cellular phone users in U.S.
• 2000 − In some countries, mobile users outnumber
conventional wireline customers.

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• 2001 − 630 million subscribers worldwide (as compared to 1
billion wired phone lines).
• 2001 − Over 1% of worldwide wireless subscribers have
abandoned wired telephone service for home use.
• 2005 − Over 130 million cellular phone users in U.S. (out of
population of 300 million including children).

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• Flow of gradual growth:
– Telegraph
– Telephone
– Radio message in ships (English Channel)
– Ship detection with radar
– US & Europe telephone link by HF radio
– AM mobile police radio for public safely
– FM radio
– First microwave radar, first commercial communication Satellite.
– 1G: Cellular phone (analog)
– 2G: GSM(digital)
– 2.5G: GPRS
– 3G:WCDMA (multimedia support)
– 4G: IP packet switched networks giving mobile gigabit speed access
– 5G

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 Types of wireless communication systems

1. Paging system:
• Sends a brief message to another subscriber.
• Types of message: Numeric, alpha numeric and voice.
• Objective:
– To notify a subscriber of the need to call a particular telephone
number. Or
– Travels to a known location to receive further instruction.
– Modern paging system has facilities like- news headlines, stock
quotations and faxes
– Method:
– Dial via paging system access number with a telephone key pad or
modem.
• Issued message called page
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Paging system….
The paging system then transmit the page through out the service area
using Base Station which broadcast the page on a radio carrier.

Range:
• Simple paging system – 2 to 5 km.
• Wide area paging system :
– Provides world wide coverage.
– Wide area paging system consist of:
- Network of telephones lines
- Many BS
- Large powerful transmitter & a receiver

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2. Cordless Telephone system:
- Full duplex communication system.
- Uses radio to connect a portable handset to dedicated BS.
- Which then connected to dedicated telephone line with specific
telephone number on PSTN.

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 Cordless Telephone system……..

1st generation BS
- Manufactured in 1980.
- Portable unit communicates with dedicated base units.
- Only over short distance (few meters).
- Just an extension of wired telephone lines to a transceiver connected a
subscriber line on the PSTN.
- Primarily for home use.

2nd generation BS
- Allows subscriber to use their handset at many outdoor locations within
urban centers.
- Modern cordless combine with paging system
– Subscriber may first be paged, then response to the page using
cordeless telephone.
– Has limitation on mobility over a larger distance.
- Coverage up to few hundred meters.

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3. Cellular Telephone Systems:
• Provides wireless connection to the PSTN for any user location within the
range of the system.
• Accommodates large number of user over the large geographical areas.
• With limited frequency spectrum.
• Quality Of Service
– High as compared to landline.
– High capacity is achieved by limiting the coverage of BS to a small
geographical area.
– Uses frequency reuse concept.

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Cellular Telephone Systems………….

- Basic cellular system consist of:

– Mobile station.
– Base station.
– MSC(mobile switching center) OR mobile switching telephone
office(MTSO).
Mobile station:
• Each mobile communicates via radio with BS.
• Contains transceiver, an antenna and control circuitry.
• May be mounted in a vehicle or used a handheld portable unit.
Base Station (BS)
• Consists of several Transmitter and receiver which simultaneously handle full
duplex communications.
• Generally have tower which support transmitting and receiving antennas.
• BS serves as a bridge between all mobile users in the cell and connects the
simultaneous mobile calls via telephone lines or microwave links to MSC.

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Cellular Telephone Systems………….
Mobile Switching System (MSC):
- It coordinates the activities of all the BS and Connects the entire cellular system
to the PSTN.
- It handles multiple subscribers, various simultaneous conversations at a time.
- Accommodates all billing and system maintenance function.
- In large cities several MSCs are used by the single carrier.
Common Air interface (CAI):
• Communication between base station and mobile is defined by CAI that
Specifies four different channels. 2 for voice and 2 for control.
• Channels used for voice channels are forward voice channel (FVC) and reverse
voice channel (RVC).
• Channels used for initiating calls forward control channel (FCC) and reverse
control channel(RCC). Often called setup channel.
– Control channel transmit and receives data message for call initialization and
service request.
• FCC – broad cast all traffic requests for all mobiles in a system.
• RCC- sends acknowledgement.

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Cellular phones- Scans for strongest channel, once found stayed “camped”
to particular FCC

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Cellular Telephone Systems………….

How the cellular call is made?

- When a Cellular phone is turned on but not yet engaged in a call, it first
Scans the group of forward control channel (FCC) for strongest signal.
- Then monitors the control channels until the signal drops below a usable
levels.
- Again scan the control channel in search of strongest BS signal.
- Control channels occupies 5% of the total number of channels available
and 95% dedicated to voice and data for end users.
- When the telephone call is placed to a mobile user MSC dispatches the
requests to all the BS.
- MIN (mobile identification number) is then broadcast as a paging
message over all FCC.
- Mobile receives the paging message sent by the BS which monitors and
responds by identifying itself over RCC.
- The BS relays the acknowledgement sent by mobile and informs MSC of
the handshake.
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Cellular Telephone Systems………….

• MSC instructs BS to move the call to an unused voice

channel within the cell.
• Here , BS signals the mobile to change frequency to an
unused VC and RVC.
• Using another data message instruct the mobile to ring
then instructing the user to answer the phone.
• Once the call is in progress MSC adjusts the transmitter
power of the mobile unit and BS to maintain call
quality as the subscriber moves in and out of range of
each base station which is called handoff.

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When the mobile originates a call:
• A call initiation request is sent over the reverse control
channel (RCC).
• With this request Mobile unit transmit:
– MIN (mobile identification number) and ESN
(electronic serial no).
– Also transmits station class indicator mark
– transmit power level for particular user.
• BS receives this and sends to MSC.
• MSC validates requests.
• Makes connections to the called party PSTN.
• Instructs unused FVC and RVC for communication.

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Time diagram illustrating how a call to a mobile user is initiated by a land line
user is established

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Time diagram illustrating how a call initiated by a mobile user is established

4. Locates the
3. Receives a Call
Called Party, 7. Connects the
Initiation Request from
Allocates a VFPs Called Party[on
MSC Base Station, and
and Instructs the PSTN]/Mobile to the
Verifies that User has a
Base Stations via Mobile
Valid MIN & ESN pair
FCC
5. Pages for the Called
Mobile, the Mobiles are
FCC instructed to move to the
Allocated VFPs
respectively
2. Receives a Call
Base Station Initiation Request, with
RCC
MIN, ESN, SCM and
Called Part Number

FVC
8. Begins Voice
Transmission

RVC
8. Begins Voice
Reception
6. Receives [Called
Mobile] the Page and
Matches the MIN, the
FCC
Mobiles get ready to
move to the respective
Allocated VFPs

Mobile 1. Makes a Call Initiation

RCC Request, with MIN and
Called Part Number

FVC
8. Begins Voice
Reception

RVC
8. Begins Voice
Transmission
TIME Tawetu A. June, 2024 28
4. Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN’s)

• Local Area Networks on the order of 100 meters or less in diameter.

• Use unlicensed spectrum.

– So owner does not need a license to set up a WLAN.
– Unlicensed use has been encouraged through lots of spectrum allocation at several
frequency levels (900 Mhz, 2.4Ghz, 5.7Ghz.).
• IEEE 802.11
– Uses CDMA.
– 802.11 – 2Mbps in 2.4 GHz band.
– 802.11b – 11Mbps, 5.5 Mbps, in addition to 2 Mbps in 2.4 Ghz band .
• Named Wi-Fi by the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance.
• Goal is to promote interoperability between vendors (interoperability between one
vendor’s wireless card and a different vendor’s wireless access point).

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Types of WLAN
1. Infrastructure based (most popular) Connect users to a wired infrastructure network
Wireless access network like cellular phone system, IEEE 802.11, a, b, g , etc.
2. Ad-Hoc based networks
– Provide peer to peer communication – mobiles communicate between each other
directly
– Rapid Deployment (conference room)
3. Point – to – Point (cable replacement)

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5. Bluetooth and Zigbee
• There is a lot in common between Zigbee and Bluetooth, like both operating in the same
frequency band of 2.4 GHz and belonging to the same wireless private area network (PAN)(IEEE
802.15).
1. Bluetooth
– Designed for medium data-rate networks
 Computer cable replacement
 Headphone cables
 Mobile device file transfer
– Fairly low power, Device power lifetime is measured in weeks to months
 Basic 10m range(1mW)
 Extended 100m range(100 mW)
– Uses an Ad-hoc network approaches.
• In “ad hoc networks” devices talk to whatever other devices they can talk to.
– Ad hoc – Formed for or concerned with one specific purpose (usually also
considered temporary ).
– Networks of devices that are all peers and talk to whoever is near enough.
– As devices move, they change their connections with other devices.
– May have to send data through a sequence of neighbors to reach and end destination.
 No “base station” concept.
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Low Cost Low Power Radios: Bluetooth and Zigbee ……..

2. ZigBee
• Designed for low cost , low power consumption and low data-rate
than Bluetooth
– Lighting
– Heating/Cooling
– Appliances
– Sensor network for information gathering

• Devices have lifetime measured in years

• Operates in the same band(2.4 Ghz) as Bluetooth
• It is capable of connecting 255 devices per Network
• Data rate: from 20kbps to 250kbps up to 30m
• Data rate is slower than Bluetooth, but consumes less power with
large transmission range
• Goal: provide radio operation for months or years without recharging.
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Appln: for sensor NWs, medical data collection, interactive toys, remote controls.

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6. Broadband Wireless Access
• Provides high rate wireless communication b/n a fixed access point
and multiple terminals.
• Initially proposed to interactive video service to the home, but later
shifted to provide high speed data access (tens of MBPS) to the
Internet, the WWW, and for both homes and business.
• Appln: for TV and telecommunication delivery system
WiMAX
is Broadband Wireless technology (IEEE 802.16)
– Operating frequency b/n 10Ghz and 66Ghz.
– Data rate: 40Mbps for fixed users and 15Mbps for mobile users.
– Range: several kms.
– Used for constant Internet access and email exchange.
– The challenge on it will depend on its relative performance and cost

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