HSDPA is for UMTS what EDGE is for GSM. One hears this rather often. This course will explain what this means.
The participant will learn in which areas of the network HSDPA provides advantages to the network-operating company as well as to the user. HSDPA does not just accelerate the data transmission at the air interface, but also optimises it in UTRAN. A technically-based illustration prepares the participant for the comparison with other data transmission technologies at the end of the course.

Target Group / Requirements

The course is addressed to technical personnel of UMTS network providers who require a detailed knowledge of UMTS characteristics and processes. Prerequisite is a basic understanding of mobile-radio technologies, especially of UMTS. If this basic knowledge is not available, this course can be divided into a sequence of UMTS courses.

Course Content

Introductory overview of UMTS networks

• Overview of the UMTS network
• Introduction to air interfaces

HSDPA

• Introduction to HSDPA
• Overview of the changes in UMTS in order to incorporate HSDPA
• Prerequisites, benefits and limitations of HSDPA

HSDPA technology in detail

• Optimising of data transmission 
  • Scheduling and resource changes 
  • Modulation and coding based on the quality of the connection (QPSK and 16QAM) 
  • Hybrid ARQ (Layer 2 error detection and correction in Node B) leads to a better allocation of the available radio interface qualities

• Changes to the protocol layers 
  • HS-DSCH frame protocol for flow control 
  • The HSDPA MAC-hs Protocol, which controls the subscriber access 
  • Additional channels in the radio interface (HS-SCCH, HS-PDSCH, HS-DPCCH, etc.) and their functions

• Physical implementation of UMTS networkds
  • Requirements of the Node B 
  • Requirements of the RNC

• HSDPA mobility procedures 
  • Cell change 
  • Inward and outward mobility

HSUPA

• Introduction to HSUPA
• Descriptio of new channels for HSUPA (E-DCH, E-DPDCH, E-DPCCH, E-AGCH, E-RGCH, E-HICH)
• Protocol extensions for HSUPA
• HSUPA scheduling
• HSUPA Macro Diversity and Mobility

Comparison with other radio data technologies

• Brief overview of other radio data technologies (WIFI, WIMAX, (Flash) OFDM, UWB, UMTS rel.99)
• Balancing advantages and disadvantages of the various technologies
• Introduction to the fields of application for the different technologies with respect to HSDPA