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HSPA+: Features and Testing: by Lynne Patterson
HSPA+: Features and Testing: by Lynne Patterson
HSPA+: Features and Testing: by Lynne Patterson
By Lynne Patterson
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Evolution of 3GPP Standards ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Higher Order Modulation .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 Downlink 2x2 MIMO...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Continuous Packet Connectivity (CPC) ........................................................................................................................................................................ 5 Enhanced CELL_FACH and Improved Layer 2 for Downlink ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Compatible and Incremental ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Where is HSPA+ today? ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Anritsus HSPA+ solution.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 8 MD8480C Signaling Tester...................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 MT8820B Radio Communication Analyzer .............................................................................................................................................................. 9 MS269xA Signal Analyzer ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 MG3700A Vector Signal Generator ....................................................................................................................................................................... 10 ME7873/4F TRX/RRM Conformance Tester.......................................................................................................................................................... 10 Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 10
Introduction
With 85% of all cellular calls in the world set up using 3GPP access technology, 3GPP is the most successful set of telecommunication standards in the world. High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) Evolution or HSPA+ uses Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) technology and higher order modulation to deliver twice the data speed and three times the voice capacity of HSPA, the previous-generation 3GPP standard. HSPA+ also provides a logical path to the next-generation Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard. Telstra launched the first commercial HSPA+ deployment in Australia in December 2008 with other major carriers following Telstras lead. Anritsu offers a complete line of flexible, ready-to-run products designed for HSPA+ testing to support your deployment plans.
Release o o
Features Downlink MIMO Higher order modulation o Uplink: 16-QAM o Downlink: 64-QAM Improved Layer 2 Support for Downlink Data Rates Enhanced CELL_FACH Continuous Packet Connectivity (CPC) Enhanced Fractional DPCH (F-DPCH) Simultaneous MIMO and 64-QAM CS over HSPA Dual Cell HSDPA Improved Layer 2 Support for Uplink Data Rates Enhanced CELL_FACH
3GPP Release 7 o o o o o o o o o
3GPP Release 8
By improving the radio link performance, operators can upgrade to HSPA+ and continue taking advantage of their existing infrastructure. As HSPA+ rolls out, the path is set for the eventual switch to LTE as the implementation of certain aspects of the LTE/SAE (System Architecture Evolution) ensures a logical path to LTE. HSPA+ is backwards compatible with all previous releases of W-CDMA specifications, making the upgrade to HSPA+ simple, and smooth. Even with the next generation of 3GPP standards in the form of LTE well underway, HSPA+ development is not at an end. Going forward, future HSPA+ functionality will include higher-order MIMO and multi-carrier usage. With the introduction of HSPA, the end users mobile broadband experience approached a wired experience for the first time and mobile data usage exploded. New data applications and increased demand for broadband services are the drivers for HSPA+. With HSPA+s improvements, the replacement of wired broadband access with wireless broadband access has become a reality. HSPA increased data speeds with high-speed shared channels, 16-QAM downlink modulation, a reduced transmission time interval, hybrid ARQ, and better scheduling. HSPA+ takes advantage of these techniques and adds 64-QAM, 2x2 Downlink MIMO, and Continuous Packet Connectivity (CPC) to improve support and performance of interactive data services such as picture and video sharing, and Voice over IP (VoIP). Prior to HSPA, 3GPP voice services used dedicated circuit-switched bearers assigned to users for the duration of the voice call. HSPA introduced shared-packet channels with smaller transmission intervals to transfer VoIP packets more efficiently. HSPA+ improves VoIP capacity by introducing enhancements such as CPC. Optimizing air-interface usage provides a doubling of voice capacity increase without Node B interference cancellation and a tripling of voice capacity with Node B interference cancellation. The move from circuit switched voice to VoIP, while invisible to the end-user, is a key aspect of Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC). With the goal of moving all services and traffic to a common all-IP network, FMC will see the end of circuit-switched connections and a significant reduction in costs and network complexity. VoIP offers seamless connectivity regardless of location and provides cost-reducing capacity increases. Enhancement Downlink 2x2 MIMO o o o Higher order modulation o o Uplink: 16-QAM Downlink: 64-QAm o o o Performance Results Doubles peak data rates Increases downlink capacity Uses more bits per symbol to speed transmission 50% higher downlink peak data rate Doubles uplink data peak rate Increases uplink and downlink capacity
Continuous Packet Connectivity (CPC) which includes: o o o o DTX/DRX HS_SCCH Less/HS-SCCH orders New Uplink DPCCH slot format Fractional DPCH (F-DPCH) o o o o
Improves physical layer signaling Improves VoIP capacity Extends talk time by up to 50% Enhances always-on experience
o o
Figure 1: By increasing the number of bits per symbol from four for 16-QAM to six for 64-QAM, HSPA+ increases downlink throughput by 50%.
As it applies to HSPA+, the MIMO implementation is Double Transmit Antenna Array (DTxAA). With D-TxAA, two independent data streams travel simultaneously over the radio channel using the same W-CDMA channel code. With data arriving on two different antennas, the UE must do channel estimation for each radio channel, therefore each transmit antenna sends a different pilot signal. The UE also needs coding information to decode the parallel signals. The High-Speed Shared Control Channel (HS-SCCH) sends this coding information. D-TxAA requires feedback from the UE to assist the base station in selecting the optimum parameters for successful MIMO transmission. The UE sends a Precoding Control Information (PCI), Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) and ACK/NACK information to the Node B via the HS-DPCCH.
Figure 2: MIMO increases throughput by sending two streams of data simultaneously. MIMO and higher-order modulation are both required for maximum data rates, however, simultaneous support of these features is a Release 8 feature. Category 15 (21 Mbps peak data rate) and category 16 (28 Mbps peak data rate) define UEs that support MIMO, but do not support 64-QAM. As stated earlier, categories 17 and 18 support 64-QAM and MIMO, but not simultaneously. Release 8 defines UE categories 19 and 20 for simultaneous MIMO and 64-QAM functionality and theoretical data rates of 42 Mbps.
Synchronized Discontinuous Transmission (DTX) and Discontinuous Reception (DRX) allow the UE to shut off its transmitter and receiver, which improves the UE battery life. DTX and DRX are beneficial for low-rate data applications like VoIP or bursty applications like web browsing, where it is possible to gate off transmission or turn off reception between the data transmissions. Because the UE is off the air during DTX periods (no transmission of the DPCCH), capacity improves due to the reduction of uplink interference at the Node B. In Release 5 HSDPA, the UE monitors the HS-SCCH continuously for downlink data allocations and the receiver is constantly on. In HSPA+, the UE listens only when it needs to based on configurable rules. By switching off the transmitter and receiver, UEs conserve battery power, thus increasing usage time and enhancing the always-on experience of the end user. VoIP produces many small packets and the overhead on the HS-SCCH becomes significant. HS-SCCH-less operation reduces this overhead by removing the HS-SCCH for the first HARQ transmission. UEs using HS-SCCH-less operation decode the downlink data channel without the benefit of the coding format carried on the HS-DSCH. Capacity increases by reducing code usage and the interference associated with the control channel. HS-SCCH orders are small fast commands sent on the HS-SCCH that tell the UE which CPC functions are in effect. A new Uplink DPCCH slot format using only pilot bits and power control bits allows a reduction in DPCCH transmit power because the feedback information (FBI) bits and the transport format combination indicator (TFCI) bits are not sent. Release 6 introduced Fractional DPCH (F-DPCH) to support data-only services. The F-DPCH allows data-only users to code share when transmitting power control information. Code sharing mitigates code limitations; however, the power control bits were restricted to a particular location in the slot. For the power control bits to appear in the correct location, certain timing constraints must be satisfied. These timing constraints reduce the capacity of the F-DPCH to 3-4 users. As CPC significantly increases the number of users, removal of this limitation in Release 7 is mandatory.
Figure 3: HSPA+ features and their dependencies. Dotted lines indicate that the target function must exist to support the dependent function.
Conclusion
HSPA+ puts the plus in HSPA by doubling the data capacity of HSPA. It provides three times more voice capacity by using VoIP and is 100% backwards compatible with all previous W-CDMA based 3GPP standards. Designed to do more than simply coexist with LTE, HSPA+ and LTE enhance and complement one another as HSPA+ provides a clear path to the eventual deployment of LTE. HSPA+ provides mobile broadband with higher data rates, lower latency, faster call set-up time, extended talk time and a true always-on experience. HSPA+ supports downlink peak rates up to 28 Mbps (42 Mbps in 3GPP Release 8) and up to 11 Mbps in the uplink by employing 2x2 MIMO, higher order modulation, CPC, and other enhancements. Anritsus commitment to fast and accurate testing continues with products tailored for HSPA+ measurements. With a portfolio of test equipment that can take products from the design lab to the conformance test lab, Anritsu is ready for HSPA+.
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