Wireless Communication

What is Wireless Communication ?

 Term wireless refers to communication without wires. In order to transmit information (voice or data)
using wireless communication we need antenna. The antenna is the device which couples RF energy
from one medium (i.e. waveguide, transmission line etc.) to the other medium (i.e. air). We require two
systems viz. transmitter and receive to complete end to end wireless link.

 Wireless communication uses electromagnetic waves as medium for carrying the information through the
channel between transmitter and receiver.

 Electromagnetic waves
 Travel at speed of light (c = 3x10 m/s)
8

 Has a frequency (f) and wavelength ()

 c = f x 

 Higher frequency means higher energy photons

 The higher the energy photon the more penetrating is the radiation
Types of wireless communication

celullar wireless computer network radio service

Electromagnetic radiation spectrum

< 30 KHz VLF

30-300KHz LF
300KHz – 3MHz MF
3 MHz – 30MHz HF
30MHz – 300MHz VHF
300 MHz – 3GHz UHF
3-30GHz SHF
> 30 GHz EHF
 Name of Sub-band Abbreviation Frequency Range Applications
Extremely Low Frequency ELF 3 – 30 Hz Detection of Buried Metal Objects

Super Low Frequency SLF 30 – 300 Hz Underwater Communication

Ultra-Low Frequency ULF 300 – 3,000 Hz Audio signals on Telephone

Very Low Frequency VLF 3 – 30 kHz Navigation and Position Location

Weather Broadcast Stations for Air
Low Frequency LF 30 – 300 kHz
Navigation
Medium Frequency MF 300 – 3,000 kHz AM Broadcasting
High Frequency HF 3 – 30 MHz Short Wave Broadcasting

Very High Frequency VHF 30 – 300 MHz FM Broadcasting, Air Traffic Control

Ultra-High Frequency UHF 300 – 3,000 MHz Microwave Ovens, Cellular Telephones
Satellite Communication, Remote
Super High Frequency SHF 3 – 30 GHz
Sensing
Extremely High Frequency EHF 30 – 300 GHz Radar, Radio Astronomy
Types of electromagnetic carriers

 When the distance between the sender and receiver is short (e.g. TV box
and a remote control) infrared waves are used

 For long range distances between sender and receiver (e.g. TV broadcasting
and cellular service) both microwaves and radio waves are used

 radio waves are ideal when large areas need to be covered and obstacles exist in the
transmission path

 microwaves are good when large areas need to be covered and no obstacles exist in the
transmission path
 Frequency Carries/Channels

 The information from sender to receiver is carrier over a well defined frequency
band.
 This is called a channel
 Each channel has a fixed frequency bandwidth (in KHz) and Capacity (bit-rate)
 Different frequency bands (channels) can be used to transmit information in
parallel and independently.
 Advantages and disadvantages of wireless communication

 Advantages:
 Wireless network can be accessed from anywhere anytime, which increase productivity.

 a wireless communication network is a solution in areas where cables are impossible to install (e.g. hazardous
areas, long distances etc.)

 Wireless networks are easy to install and easy to maintain compare to messy wired counterparts.

 Data is transferred faster and at high speed.

 Better or Global Coverage: Wireless network support unlimited customers by Easier network expansion.

 As wireless frequency penetrates the walls, wireless networks are easy to install anywhere based on choice.
This flexibility is one of the great benefits of wireless network where wired cable can not be installed.

 Less cost for cabling infrastructure and device.

 Mobile and portable.

Flexibility and Modularity
Wireless communication is said to be flexible and modular. This means that the addition of more and more users into
the network is a seamless and effortless process that doesn’t require any additional infrastructure to be set up (other
than getting the user a unique identification entity, such as SIM cards in cellular networks), unlike wired
communication systems.
Cost-effectiveness
Adding to the previous factor of flexibility, the absence of the need for additional infrastructure for every new member
of the network implies a lower installation cost per person. Maintenance costs are also quite low as a majority of the
components of the wireless systems are not physical entities that could fall victim to wear and tear.

Convenience
A major advantage of wireless communication is its ability to provide user mobility, meaning that unlike wired
communication, the destination address doesn’t mean a fixed destination location. This effectively boils down to the
fact that the user can be anywhere across the world (obviously somewhere where he’s able to wirelessly access the
network), and he’d still be able to communicate.
Speed
Recent advances in the field of cellular wireless communication, such as the advent of 4G technology and Voice-
over-LTE, have enabled higher rates of data transfer to a wider audience, without sacrificing the connectivity
strength.
Constant Accessibility
The wireless networks are up most of the time and can be accessed by any authorized person, from any place of
his/her choice. Wireless systems also ensure that people in areas where wired communication is not possible, such
as rocky terrains where laying ground lines are tough, remain connected.
 Disadvantages:
 has security vulnerabilities

• Wireless networks require careful radio frequency planning at the beginning of the installation.

 high costs for setting the infrastructure

 unlike wired comm., wireless comm. is influenced by physical obstructions, climatic conditions,
interference from other wireless devices
HISTORY
•In 1873, Maxwell proposed the idea of using electromagnetic waves to propagate the
transmission of message signals, which is the underlying concept behind wireless
communication.
• Guglielmo Marconi invented the first wireless device, the wireless Telegraph, in 1896 and was
awarded the patent for his radio the same year. The very next year, the first wireless message
was sent, which read “Are you ready?”, across a distance of 6km.
•Soon, advancements in radio broadcasting took place and in 1933, the first FM radio station
was built in the United States.
•In 1946, the first commercial telephone service was set up by AT&T and Southern Bell in Saint
Louis, Missouri, USA, and the service was made available to private customers as well.
•In 1947, a tiny device that revolutionized the computing industry was invented. The transistor,
which replaced the much bigger vacuum tubes, made possible the marriage of computers and
communications and also brought compactness into the picture.
•In 1954, the first among a line of transistor radios were built, which could fit in one’s pocket
comfortably.
•During the 1970s and 1980s, various companies such as Bell industries and Motorola came up
with their idea of a commercial cellular phone for the masses, available for the public, which
also initiated the first generation(1G) of mobile telephony.
•In the 1990s, GSM came into the picture, connecting many more people, and brought
about the second generation of mobile telephony(2G).
•Wireless Fidelity(WiFi) came into existence in the late 1990s.
•Soon after, in the year 2000, Bluetooth was invented along with the release of the third-
generation (3G) of mobile telephony. These two technologies revolutionized the way
people shared messages, bringing more into the wireless world.
•In 2007, Apple released its first iPhone (the first “actual smartphone”), which lead to an
exponential increase in the number of smartphones in the market.
•In 2010, the fourth generation(4G) of mobile telephony rolled out, which provide
facilities such as Voice over LTE
 Example of Mobile Radio Systems
• Examples
– Cordless phone
– Remote controller
– Hand-held walkie-talkies
– Pagers
– Cellular telephone
– Wireless LAN

• Mobile - any radio terminal that could be moves during operation

• Mobility means changing point of attachment to the network online

• Portable - hand-held and used at walking speed

– Portability means changing point of attachment to the network offline

• Subscriber - mobile or portable user

•Classification of mobile radio transmission system
–Simplex: communication in only one direction
–Half-duplex: same radio channel for both transmission and reception (push-to-talk)
–Full-duplex: To enable two-way communication or simultaneous radio transmission and
reception (FDD, TDD)

•Frequency division duplexing uses two radio channel

–Forward channel: base station to mobile user (DOWNLINK FREQUENCY)
–Reverse channel: mobile user to base station (UPLINK FREQUENCUY)

•Time division duplexing shares a single radio channel in time.

Forw ard C hannel

R everse C hannel
Duplex Communication - FDD
 FDD: Frequency Division Duplex

Mobile Forward Channel Base Station

Terminal
Reverse Channel B
M

Forward Channel and Reverse Channel use different frequency bands

 TDD: Time Division Duplex

M Base Station
B M B
B

A singe frequency channel is used. The channel is divided into time

slots. Mobile station and base station transmits on the time slots
alternately.
Simplex Examples:
This style of communication is vastly used in Radio and TV where we can see and hear or receive
data only but we can not send any information data by the same channel

Entire BW is used during the tx.

Example 1:Paging
Example 2:Radio stations
 Paging Systems
•COMMUNICATION system that send brief messages to a subscriber
•Modern paging system: news headline, stock quotations, faxes, etc.
•Simultaneously broadcast paging message from each base station (simulcasting)
•Large transmission power to cover wide area.
•Paging receivers are simple and inexpensive, but the transmission system required
is quite sophisticated. (simulcasting)

•designed to provide ultra-reliable coverage, even inside buildings

•Buildings can attenuate radio signals by 20 or 30 dB, making the choice of base
station locations difficult for the paging companies.

•Small RF bandwidths are used to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio at each paging
receiver, so low data rates (6400 bps or less) are used.

•2-5 km range.
 Half duplex :
This style of communication is vastly used in Radio and TV where we can see and hear or receive data only but
we can not send any information data by the same channel
Example 1: Walkie Talkie
Example 2:Intercom
This is cheap since only one channel is used.
When we talk with walkie‐talkie or intercom we can talk only one way that means one can speak at a time and
another should hear on that time and after hearing he has to say over to start speaking from other end.
Walkie talkie has push to talk button which can be used to turn on transmission but turn off the rcvr. Once u
push the button, u cant hear the person talking to but ur partner can hear u.
Wireless System Definitions
Mobile Station (MS) − The Mobile Station (MS) communicates the information with the user and
modifies it to the transmission protocols of the air interface to communicate with the BSS. The user
information communicates with the MS through a microphone and speaker for the speech, keyboard
and display for short messaging and the cable connection for other data terminals. The mobile station
has two elements Mobile Equipment (ME) and Subscriber Identity Module (SIM).

Mobile Equipment (ME) − ME is a piece of hardware that the customer purchases from the
equipment manufacturer. The hardware piece contains all the components needed for the
implementation of the protocols to interface with the user and the air-interface to the base stations.

Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) − This is a smart card issued at the subscription to identify the
specifications of a user such as address and type of service. The calls in the GSM are directed to the
SIM rather than the terminal.
SMS are also stored in the SIM card. It carries every user's personal information which enables a
number of useful applications.

Base Station (BS) − A base station transmits and receives user data. When a mobile is only
responsible for its user's data transmission and reception, a base station is capable to handle the
calls of several subscribers simultaneously.
Base Transceiver Station (BTS) − The user data transmission takes place between the mobile phone and the
base station (BS) through the base transceiver station. A transceiver is a circuit which transmits and receives, i.e.,
does both.

Mobile Switching Center (MSC) − MSC is the hardware part of the wireless switch that can communicate with
PSTN switches using the Signaling System 7 (SS7) protocol as well as other MSCs in the coverage area of a
service provider. The MSC also provides for communication with other wired and wireless networks as well as
support for registration and maintenance of the connection with the mobile stations.
Channels − It is a range of frequency allotted to particular service or systems.

Control Channel − Radio channel used for transmission of call setup, call request, call initiation and other beacon
or control purposes.

Forward Control Channel(FCC) − Radio channel used for transmission of information from the base station to
the mobile.

Reverse Channel(RC) − Radio channel used for transmission of information from the mobile to base station.

Voice Channel(VC) − Radio channel used for voice or data transmission.

Handoff − It is defined as the transferring a call from the channel or base station to another base station.

Roamer − A mobile station which operates in a service area other than that from which service has been
subscribed.

Transceiver − A device capable of simultaneously transmitting and receiving radio signals.