Mobile Communication Networks

Introduction, mobile networking basics:
•    motivations, informations about the specialization, logical architecture of the specialization, interdependencies among subjects
•    broader context of mobile networking as a profession: national and global data regarding this profession: estimate of number of enterprises, number of employees , gross income, share from GDP and short term forecast of these
•    overview of the contents of this semester, explanation of the logical structure of this subject, short introduction of corresponding lab practices
•    general architecture of mobile networks, paradigm of frequency reuse, cellular theorem
•    logical and physical mobile network topologies, examplified through real networks
•    problems of user mobility, draft solutions: handover, mobility management
o    location update, location tracking, location prediction, application in real networks
o    types of handovers, typical use cases and characterisation of handover types
•    basic concepts of wireless transmission at the level of introduction/refreshment of previously learned: bandwidth, carrier frequency, noise/interference, Shannon capacity, attenuation, fading, modulation, error correction coding, amplification, etc.
GSM rendszer
•    basic operation of GSM radio interface at a level that is necessary to understand the network: slot and frame structure, logical channels
•    architecture and logical architecture of the network, role of equipment
o    draft BTS functions
o    functions of BSC, architecture
o    MSC/GMSC functions and architecture
o    network databases (HLR, VLR, AuC, EIR) functions, roles, stored data, types, amounts
•    overview of GSM network protocols
o    Abis interface
o    A interface
•    change of the architecture and protocols, over original GSM
o    Abis over Internet Protocol
o    new MSC and Release 4 core network architecture
•    prectical implementations , possible configurations, vendor specific solutions
•    GSM processes
o    mobility management in GSM
o    paging and location update processes
o    handover in GSM
o    registration to network
•    issues of network management and maintenance
o    typical architecture and role of OMC
o    typical mobile (through GSM example) network KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)
    definitions, evaluations
o    fault detection and analysis through measured parameters
Development of GSM: packet switched mobile networks
•    GPRS radio interface and its basic operation slot and frame structure, logical channels
•    architecture of GPRS system, role of new elements, logical architecture
o    PCU functions
o    SGSN/GGSN functions, architecture
•    GPRS network protocols
o    new paradigm: packet switching and use of Internet Protocol
o    how GPRS uses IP, modifications
•    review of mobile IP
•    comparison of mobile IP and GPRS
o    GTP protocol
•    mobility management and handover in GPRS network
•    mobile terminal states, session management in GPRS
3G systems
•    basics of 3G radio interface
o    available bitrates, channels, packet- and circuit switched solutions
o    overheads, practical bitrates
o    UMTS -> HSPA -> HSPA+ developments
•    3G network architecture, role and operation of network elements
o    new equipment in the UMTS  radio access network (UTRAN): RNC
o    its functions, architectures
•    network examples and concrete implementations based on the logical architecture given in the standards
o    change of network architecture during the mobile network evolution, some vendor specific solutions
•    effect of HSPA on 3G architecture
•    UTRAN network topology and configuration options and solutions
•    UMTS network protocols
o    evolution of protocol architecture, role of layers
o    currently used solutions
•    UMTS QoS classes and their implementation
o    QoS support in HSPA
o    QoS implementation: scheduling and resource management
•    typical operational processes in 3G systems
o    handover process, mobility management
o    soft handover and its conseqences
LTE systems
•    basics of LTE radio interface
o    OFDM basics
o    available bitrates, channels, solutions
o    overheads, practical bitrates
o    LTE -> LTE Advanced developments
•    LTE network, role and architecture of elements
o    new elements in the core network
o    architectures, software/hardware components
•    network examples and concrete implementations based on the logical architecture given in the standards
o    based on the 3G example discussed earlier, shown as evolution/development, show motivations
operation of LTE systems
•    LTE protocol architecture
o    LTE stack
o    description of S1
o    description of X2
o    description of core network interfaces
o    practical implementations
•    typical operational processes in LTE
o    handover process
o    mobility management processes
o    session management
•    novelties in LTE-Advanced about system operation
Network management and maintenance in packet switched mobile networks
•    the effect of UMTS->HSPA->LTE evolution on network supervision systems
•    typical mobile data traffic parameters
•    meaning of general packet switched KPIs, evaluation, interpretation
•    special KPIs for given particular systems, their interpretations
Measurement and testing for mobile networks
•    LTE/LTE-Advanced protocol conformance testing based on the standards
•    base station testing methods
•    user terminal testing methods
Special development requirements over wireless systems
•    TCP shortcomings in wireless environment
•    some possible solutions, TCP variants for wireless
o    introduction of TCP wireless variants
o    available implementations and support
•    special requirements for applicatipon layer in wireless environment
o    case studies: some typical application layer solutions of these
•    special advantages and auxiliary possibilities for applications in mobile environments
Local and infrastructure-less networks
•    802.11 WiFi networks
o    802.11b,g,a,n,ac physical layers from available bitrates and performance perspectives
o    802.11e QoS enabled medium access protocol
•    802.11 networking solutions
o    802.11 mesh mesh network, 802.11 as backbone
o    use and possibilities of WiFi wireless distribution system
•    ad-hoc networks, classification, use cases
o    medium access and routing in ad-hoc networks
•    use case: ad-hoc networks based on WiFivel
•    Bluetooth networks
o    network forming, main Bluetooth processes
o    Bluetooth development kits and available support
o    Bluetooth versions
Personal area networks
•    Vimedia (wireless USB)
o    operation
o    development devices and support
•    NFC
o    operation
o    use of NFC, possibilities, bitrates
o    available development environments, support
Speciális networking solutions in industrial environment
•    industrial networks, onboard vehicular networks
•    main differences to user networks
o    from networking and radio point of view
•    industrial Internet networks
Future mobile/wireless networks
•    5G networks, current standardisation status
o    changes in system architecture
o    increased traffic, capacity cube, possible means of serving this increase
o    attocell networks, use of higher bands 60GHz, 120 GHz
o    Massive MIMO systems, coordinated multipoint communications, possibilities and constrains
•    impelemtation of networking equipment over generic hardware platform, cloud mobile core network
•    visible light based systems, LiFi
•    quantum communications: possibilities and current developments