Overview
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ABSTRACT
Since the introduction of the UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) in France, the ecosystem of audiovisual and telecommunication has been transformed from a regulatory viewpoint. The third generation of this system has allowed for the extension of the mobile radio network to the mobile broadband and the increase of the radio rate towards the mobile terminal. The Release 6, constituting the 4th generation, has increased the radio rate uplink and freed the frequencies allocated to digital television; The evolution of the UMTS in Release 7 has mainly concerned the quality of the service and taxation. The Release 8 has led to a simplification of the architecture within the access network and the direct tunnel option in the packet domain.
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Jérôme PONS: In charge of the interoperability testing program (IOT) for France Telecom's fixed and mobile networks - Former 3GPP standards delegate in the RAN2 working group
INTRODUCTION
The 3rd generation UMTS mobile radio network was launched in France at the end of 2004, before being extended to mobile broadband in 2006 with HSDPA, which increases radio speeds in the downlink direction (from the network to the mobile terminal). In 2008, the three operators (Bouygues Telecom, Orange France and SFR) completed their migration to HSUPA, which increases radio throughput in the uplink direction and, together with HSDPA, forms the HSPA concept belonging to the fourth version of the UMTS standard, Release 6. The latter is standardized by the 3GPP organization and described in the "Cellular networks" dossier – UMTS system evolutions
In the first part of this dossier, we take a look at the first four versions of UMTS, from Release 99 to Release 6.
Since the introduction of UMTS in France, the audiovisual and telecommunications ecosystem has been turned upside down, not only from a regulatory point of view, with the award of the 4th UMTS license to Free Mobile and the freeing up of frequencies allocated to analog television, but also by the new uses of the mobile Internet brought about by smartphones. The second chapter provides an overview.
In Release 7, 3GPP upgraded the UMTS system, in particular the radio interface, with the evolution of HSPA (HSPA+), and the core network in terms of quality of service and charging, with PCC functionality. Release 8 introduces a simplified "flat" architecture in the access network and the direct tunnel option in the packet domain. These developments in the UMTS system are described in the third chapter, which concludes the first part of this dossier.
At the end of this first part, the reader will find a table of acronyms and abbreviations (table 6 ).
The second part
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Cellular networks
Bibliography
Also in our database
Standards and norms
3GPP – UMTS system (including HSPA+)
- 3GPP, partnership project for a 3rd generation mobile radio network http://www.3gpp.org - 3GPP -
- Overview of 3GPP Release 99. Summary of all Release 99 features, 3GPP http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Information/WORK_PLAN/Description_Releases/ - 3GPP-R99 - 02-10
- Overview of 3GPP Release 4. Summary of all Release 4 features, 3GPP http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Information/WORK_PLAN/Description_Releases/...
Regulations
ARCEP
[ARCEP] ARCEP, Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques et des Postes (French regulatory authority for electronic communications and postal services) http://www.arcep.fr
[ARCEP-900-1800-2100] "Consultation publique sur la réutilisation des fréquences 900 et 1800 MHz pour la 3G et sur la quatrième licence...
Directory
Documentation – Training – Seminar (non-exhaustive list)
3G Americas/4G Americas
[3GAM] 3G Americas, a forum to promote UMTS technologies on the American continent http://www.3gamericas.org
[RYSAVY-MBB-07] "EDGE, HSPA and LTE – The mobile broadband advantage", Rysavy Research/3G Americas
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