Cellular Network: Concept of Cell,
Cluster and Cell Splitting
Lecture 4 (Part 2)
Prepared By
Rumana Tasnim
Cell Splitting
It is the process of subdividing a congested cell
into smaller cells, each with its own base station
and a corresponding reduction in antenna height
and transmitter power.
Cell Splitting
Cell splitting increase the capacity of the cellular
system since it increases the number of times
that channels are reused.
By defining new cells which have a smaller radius
than the original cells and by installing these
smaller cells (microcells) between the existing
cell, capacity increases due to additional
channels/ unit area.
Cell Splitting
An example of cell splitting is shown in the Figure.
The base station are placed in corners of the cells, and
area served by base station A is assumed to be
saturated with traffic.
New base stations are therefore needed in the region
to increases the number of channels in the area and to
reduce the area served by the single base station.
Cell Splitting
Cellular Network
Overview of Location Services
Base transceiver station (BTS) is a piece of equipment that
facilitates wireless communication between mobile and a
network.
Cell-id based location
Assigned an id of the cell that a person is in.
Cell-id is stored in a database.
As a person moves from one cell to another, he is assigned
a different cell-id and the location database is updated.
Most commonly used in cellular networks. (HLR, VLR)
HLR and VLR
In general HLR contains information about all
subscribers within a network
while VLR contains more dynamic information
relevant to subscribers roaming within
the VLR area.
HLR acts as a fixed reference point to a given
mobile station (subscriber) while his VLR can
vary depending on the mobility.
Operation of Cellular Systems
Base station (BS) at center of each cell
– Antenna, controller, transceivers Controller handles call
process
BS connected to mobile telecommunications switching office (MTSO)
– One MTSO serves multiple BS
– MTSO to BS link by wire or wireless
MTSO:
– MTSO contains switching equipment or Mobile Switching
Centre (MSC) for routing mobile phone calls.
– Connects calls between mobile units and from mobile to fixed
telecommunications network
– Assigns voice channel and performs handoffs
– Monitors calls (billing)
Overview of Cellular System
Figure : Cellular Network
Typical Call in Single MTSO Area
Mobile unit initialization
– Scan and select strongest set up control channel
–
Automatically selected BS antenna of cell
Mobile originated call
– Check if set up channel is free
Monitor forward channel (from BS) and wait for idle
Paging: Paging is the one-to-one communication between the mobile and the
base station
– MTSO attempts to connect to mobile unit
– Paging message sent to BSs depending on called mobile number
–
Typical Call in Single MTSO Area
Call accepted
– Mobile unit recognizes number on set up channel
– Responds to BS which sends response to MTSO
– MTSO sets up circuit between calling and called BSs
– MTSO selects available traffic channel within cells and notifies BSs
– BSs notify mobile unit of channel
Ongoing call
– Voice/data exchanged through respective BSs and MTSO
Handoff
– Mobile unit moves out of range of cell into range of another cell
Without interruption of service to user
Other Functions
Call blocking
– During mobile-initiated call stage, if all traffic channels are busy,
mobile tries again
– After number of fails, busy tone returned
Call termination
– User hangs up
– MTSO informed
Call drop
– BS cannot maintain required signal strength
– Traffic channel dropped and MTSO informed
Calls to/from fixed and remote mobile subscriber
– MTSO connects to PSTN
– MTSO can connect mobile user and fixed subscriber via PSTN
– MTSO can connect to remote MTSO via PSTN or via dedicated lines
Call Stages
THANK YOU
