LTE Signalling

LTE Signalling

The course contains detailed information about the interfaces, protocols and procedures of the Evolved Packet System (EPS) with evolved radio access network (E-UTRAN). Special attention is given to the layer 3 protocols defined for NAS and X2, S1, S11, S5-interfaces. The radio interface layer 3 and layer 2 protocols as well as the physical layer control channels are also covered. The EPS bearer and QoS concepts are introduced. The scheduling mechanisms and Hybrid-ARQ (HARQ) functionality are described. Message flows for selected important signalling procedures are investigated step by step. The course also contains a description of some expected interworking scenarios (e.g. E-UTRAN to UTRAN handover). Basic message-level traffic cases are shown throughout the course to demonstrate important functions and concepts.

EPS Introduction
•    Mobile network evolution: GSM to EPS
•    New network nodes, areas, bearer concepts and identity numbers introduced for EPS
•    EPS interfaces and protocols
•    E-UTRA frequency bands and UE capabilities
•    Current status of the EPS standardisation process

E-UTRAN Protocol Architecture
•    Logical, Transport and Physical channels and their relation to the radio interface protocol stack
•    X2, S1 and S11-interface protocol stacks

NAS
•    Non Access Stratum protocols and procedures (EMM and ESM)
•    Idle mode mobility mechanisms
•    NAS security mechanisms

S1AP and GTP
•    EPS QoS mechanisms: default and dedicated bearers, Traffic Flow Templates and QCI values
•    S1 Application Protocol (S1AP) UE Identities
•    GTP-C and GTP-U, TEID
•    S1AP and GTP procedures

RRC
•    Radio Resource Control (RRC) procedures
•    UE states and state transitions (NAS and RRC)
•    System information
•    Radio Bearer concept

PDCP and RLC
•    PDCP functionality for Control and User Plane
•    Robust Header Compression (RoHC)
•    PDCP ARQ functionality at handover
•    RLC modes and functionality
•    RLC ARQ mechanism

MAC and E-UTRA Scheduling
•    Medium Access Control(MAC)functionality in UE and eNodeB
•    MAC control procedures
•    Scheduling Requests
•    Dynamic scheduling and semi-persistent scheduling
•    Hybrid-ARQ

E-UTRA Physical Layer
•    E-UTRA refresh: modulation, OFDM basics and channel-to-resource mapping
•    Channel coding for the DL-SCH, including Turbo coding and HARQ rate matching
•    UL and DL physical channels for data and L1/L2 control signalling
•    UL and DL physical layer control procedure and HARQ data transfer

The X2 Interface
•    X2 Application Protocol (X2AP) procedures
•    Inter cell interference cooperation
•    Data forwarding and in-order delivery of data PDUs at handover

Interworking
•    Interworking with legacy R8 or pre-R8 3GPP networks
•    Interworking with non-3GPP access networks
•    Overview of various solutions for interworking with the CS domain

E-UTRAN Signalling Procedures
•    The random access procedure
•    RRC connection establishment
•    Attach procedure, including establishment of Default EPS bearer and security associations.
•    Dedicated EPS bearer establishment and interaction with Policy and Charging Control (PCC)
•    Handover with data forwarding via X2-interface
•    Inter-RAT handover with data forwarding via the S12-interface (Direct Tunnel)

The 3 day LTE Signalling training course is developed for telecom professionals working with project and product management, hardware and software development, system engineering, testing and verification.