Introduction to CDMA Technology

Malay Halder
TAC Wireless
NNOC

What is CDMA ??!!

CDMA stands for Code Division Multiple Access
CDMA is a Direct Sequence (DS) Spread Spectrum Modulation Technique, where in, a narrow
band (of less than 10 kHz) user information (voice or data) is transmitted over a wide RF
bandwidth (of 1.23 MHz); with many users occupying the same RF transmission band but are
separated by what are called codes.

CDMA uses orthogonal codes called Walsh Codes to distinguish each individual user in the
system.

CDMA was developed by Qualcomm in the US. This standard quickly found acceptance in
Korea, Japan and many other Asian countries including India.

Comparison of Information and Transmission Bandwidth

Time Domain

Frequency Domain

n/t

n/t

Wide (large time duration) pulses in the time domain result in energy being transmitted over a narrow
frequency range
Shorter pulses (used in CDMA PN spreading sequences) result in energy being transmitted over a wide
range of frequencies

Cellular Access Method

CDMA is Full Duplex

Types of Spread Spectrum Modulation

The types of spread spectrum modulation commonly used in communication systems are classified as:
Direct Sequence
Frequency Hopping
CDMA is a direct sequence system.
Direct Sequence

In direct sequence modulation the carrier frequency is fixed and the bandwidth of the transmitted signal is
larger and independent of the bandwidth of the information signal.

Frequency Hopping

The carrier frequency is varied and the bandwidth of the transmitted signal is comparable to the
bandwidth of the information signal. Information is modulated on top of a rapidly changing carrier
frequency.

Transmit and Receive Processes of Spread Spectrum

Transmitting a spread spectrum signal involves:
1. Modulating the information signal with the spreading PN sequence
2. Modulating the resulting signal with the desired carrier wave
3. Band Pass Filtering the output
4. Transmitting the resulting RF signal.

Receiving a spread spectrum signal involves:

1. Demodulating the signal with the RF carrier,
2. Low Pass Filtering the resulting wide band signal,
3. Demodulating with the signal with the known spreading sequence, and
4. Integrating the despread signal over a bit time to recover the information signal

CDMA Concept

Noise in Narrow Band and Spread Spectrum Communication Systems

-40

-60

-80
Power
(in dBm)

RSL
_ _ _ Wide band
Noise Floor

-100

Narrow band
Noise Floor

-120

12

16

20

Distance in Miles

24

28

32

Some Salient Features in CDMA:

* Spread Spectrum Modulation -- Narrow band information is transmitted over a wide band
RF channel

* N=1 Frequency Reuse -- Multiple users (in adjacent cells) operate on the same frequency.
* Code Division Access -- Each user and base station is associated with a unique code rather
than a frequency or time slot.

* Coherent Reception

-- mobile units coherently combine multi-path components and signals

from multiple base stations.

* Dynamic Power Control

minimum

-- Forward and reverse link transmit power is controlled to the

require to reduce interference and achieve a given capacity.

* Variable Rate Speech Encoding -- Voice is encoded at a slower rates based on when the
user is not speaking in order to minimize transmitted power and system interference

Advantages of CDMA
Frequency Re-use: Higher Capacity is achieved with CDMA's inherent N=1 frequency reuse
pattern.

Coherent Signal Reception: CDMA has the ability to coherently combine signals from multiple
sources. This multiple correlation system employs a RAKE receiver, which combines signals
arriving at a given location, with different time delays, thus taking advantage of multi-path.
In addition, this feature allows the mobile receiver to use signals from multiple base station
transmitters, thus improving cell boundary performance and minimizing dropped calls.
User Privacy: CDMA's spread spectrum modulation technique distributes the user information
over an RF bandwidth that is much larger than the information bandwidth. The resulting power
spectral density (PSD) of the transmitted signal resembles thermal noise making the signal very
difficult to be detected by simple receivers. In addition, a unique address code is required to
recover user information.

Processing Gain
Processing Gain is a term common to all direct sequence spread spectrum systems.
Process gain is defined as the ratio of the Chip Rate (Rc) to the information bit rate (Rb).
This provides a measure of ``spreading'' in the system.

Processing Gain = Rc / Rb
Chip Rate (Rc): The Chip Rate is the rate at which the PN sequence is generated. For CDMA, IS95,
the chip rate is 1.2288 * 10 ^ 6 cps (chips per second).
Bit Rate (Rb): The bit rate is base band user information (i.e. user voice/data) rate. In CDMA, voice
is digitized at different rates depending on the speech activity level. The system parameters
presented in this discussion are based on a maximum bite rate of 9.6 kbps and 14.4 kbps per IS95
For CDMA (IS95A/B):
Rc = 1.2288 Mcps, Rb = 14.4 kbps (max), resulting in a Processing Gain of 85.33 (19.3 dB).

Some Terminology

Eb/No = Ratio of Transmitted energy per bit (Eb) to Thermal Noise (No), expressed in dB.

Eb/Nt = Ratio of Transmitted energy per bit (Eb) to Total Noise (Nt) including thermal, spurious, and
interference from other CDMA users, expressed in dB.

Ec/Nt = Ratio of Transmitted energy per chip (Ec) to Total Noise (Nt), expressed in dB.

Ec/Io = Ratio of Transmitted energy per chip (Ec) to Total Noise including selfinterference (Io)
usually expressed in dB

BER (Bit Error Rate) = Probability that a transmitted bit will be received incorrectly
(i.e. 1 received as a 0 or a 0 received as a 1)

FER (Frame Error Rate) = Probability that a transmitted frame will be received incorrectly

FER to Eb/Nt
10^0
10^-1

Reverse Link FER Performance

10^-2
Good Call Quality

Probab
-ility of
Frame
Error

10^-3
10^-4
10^-5

Forward Link FER

Performance

10^-6

-3

-1

Average Eb / Nt

11

CDMA Nested Spreading Sequences

Summary of Codes
PN Long Code
The Long Code is a PN sequence that is 2^42 1 bits (chips) long. It is generated at a rate of 1.2288 Mbps
(or Mcps) giving it a period (time before the sequence repeats) of approximately 41.4 days. The long code
is used to encrypt user information. Both the base station and the mobile unit have knowledge of this
sequence at any given instant in time based on a specified private ``long code mask'' that is exchanged.
PN Short Code
The Short Code is a PN sequence that is 2 ^ 15 bits (chips) in length. This code is generated at 1.2288
Mbps (or Mcps) giving a period of 26.67 ms. This code is used for final spreading of the signal and is
transmitted as a reference known as the ``Pilot Sequence'' by the base station. All base stations use the
same short code. Base stations are differentiated from one another by transmitting the PN short code at
different ``offsets'' in absolute.
Walsh Codes
CDMA defines a group of 64 orthogonal sequences, each 64 bits long, known as Walsh Codes. These
sequences are also referred to as Wash Functions. These codes are generated at 1.2288 Mbps (Mcps) with
a period of approximately 52 s. These are used to identify users on the forward link. For this reason they
are also referred to as either Walsh Channels or TCH. All base stations and mobile users have knowledge
of all Walsh codes.

One of the CDMA Spreading Scequences : Walsh Codes

Another CDMA Spreading Scequences : The Short PN Code

Third CDMA Spreading Scequences : The Long Code

Putting All Together : CDMA Channels

Code Channels in Forward Direction

Functions of CDMA Forward Channels

Code Channels in Reverse Direction

Functions of CDMA Reverse Channels

CDMA Physical and Logical Channels

Physical Channel
Physical channels are described in terms of a wideband RF channel and code sequence. As defined in
IS95, each RF channel is 1.2288 MHz wide. For each RF channel, there are 64 Walsh sequences (W0
through W63) available for use on the forward link. These Walsh sequences are commonly referred to
as CDMA code channels.

Logical Channel
The physical channel that carry specific types of information are known as logical channels. Logical
channels in CDMA are divided into two categories: Traffic Channels and Control Channels. For the
forward link there are three types of Control/Signaling channels and one Traffic Channel (per user).
For the Reverse Link there is one type Signaling Channel and one Traffic Channel per user.
It is important to note that signals on the forward link are identified by Walsh codes, however, signals
on the reverse link are identified by Long Codes.

Forward Link (Downlink)

The logical channels for the Forward Link must provide identification of the Base station,
timing and synchronization of the transmissions between the base station and mobile station,
paging of mobile units in the area, and the voice/data transmission from the base station to the
mobile unit. The forward link is comprised of:
The Pilot Channel,
Up to one Sync Channel,
Up to seven Paging Channels, and
Up to 55 Traffic Channels

Power Control SubChannel

A Power Control SubChannel is continuously transmitted on the forward traffic channel as part of
the traffic frame. Information on this channel commands the mobile unit to adjust its transmitted
power + 1 dB every 1/16 of a speech frame (800 times per second).

Pilot and Sync and Paging Channels

Pilot Channel
The Pilot Channel allows a mobile station to acquire the timing of the Forward Traffic Channel user
information. It provides a phase reference for coherent demodulation and provides a means for signal
strength comparisons between base stations, which is used to determine when to handoff. It consists of
the un-modulated spreading sequences (PN short codes). The Pilot signal is transmitted continuously
on Walsh 0 by each CDMA base station at the transmitter (cell/sector) level.

Sync Channel
The Synchronization Channel is an encoded, interleaved and modulated spread spectrum signal that is
used with the Pilot Channel to acquire initial system time and synchronization. The sync channel is
always transmitted on Walsh 32.

Paging Channel
The Paging Channel is used for transmission of control information to the mobile. When a mobile is
to receive a call it will receive a ``page'' from the base station. Up to seven (7) channels may be
configured for paging depending on the expected demand. Page channel messaging to each user takes
place in an 80 ms ``slot''. The 80 ms slots are grouped into cycles of 2048 slots (cycle duration
163.84 s) referred to as maximum slot cycles. The base station can limit the maximum slot cycle used
by the mobile.

Reverse Link (Uplink)

The logical channel requirements of the reverse link must provide for the identification and
access request by the mobile unit to the base stations in the area and the voice/data transmission
from the mobile unit to the base station. The reverse link is composed of:
Access Channels and
Traffic Channels.
These channels share the same CDMA center frequency on the reverse link (a different
frequency is used for forward link transmissions). The total number of channels( max 55) is
determined by base station activity. .. The reverse link capability of a given base station is
limited by the number of traffic channels assigned (up to 55) and up to seven (7) access
channels (correlating to a maximum of 7 paging channels). Note that a mobile does not ``tie up''
an access channel, it only borrows it for a short amount of time.

Access and Traffic Channels

Access Channel
The Access Channel is used for the transmission of control information to the base station. When a
mobile is to place a call it uses the ``access'' channel to inform the base station. This channel is also
used when responding to a ``page''. Each Access Channel is identified by a distinct ``Access
Channel Long PN Code ''. An Access Channel is selected randomly by the mobile unit from the
total number of access channels available from the serving cell/sector.

Traffic Channel
The Traffic Channel carries all the calls (voice or data signal) from a given base station to all the
mobile units active in the coverage area or vice versa. Each user has a dedicated TCH, and
corresponding Walsh code, on the down link.
The forward traffic channel message consists of user voice (or data), power control data, and error
correction bits. The message is transmitted as a series of traffic frames. The traffic channel may
also carry signaling information with or in place of user voice (or data). A Walsh code is assigned
by the base station for each Traffic Channel in use.
The Traffic Channel for the reverse link is identical to the forward link Traffic Channel in function
and structure. Each traffic channel is identified by a ``User Long PN Code'' which is unique to each
CDMA user.

Concepts to be kept in mind for CDMA system Engineering

The coverage provided by CDMA system is not static. As the loading on a given base station changes, the
coverage provided by that base station changes inversely. Otherwise stated; just because you have great RF
coverage doesn't guarantee good signal.
2. Holes in coverage may result when there is either insufficient or abundant levels of RF. System coverage
is measured as the ratio of desired signal to all other signals and that the ratio can be unacceptable
regardless of the absolute quantity.
3. CDMA systems allow for the nonsymmetrical simultaneous processing of a call by multiple base
stations. The energy in the forward link is summed to a greater strength than the individual components.
The reverse link employs the shotgun effect in that multiple base stations will receive the transmitted signal
and the probability that the signal will be acceptable for at least one of them is greatly increased.
4. Traffic engineering in a CDMA system requires that in addition to all of the factors associated with
engineering a FDMA or TDMA system, the element of time also be introduced. PN Offset Planning for a
CDMA system requires the careful assignment of 512 available time offsets to the cells/sectors in a system

PN Offset Planning
In general, PN offset planning for a CDMA system is analogous to frequency planning in an FDMA or
TDMA system. For a given CDMA system, PN offset planning is a function of the same basic parameter as
an AMPS channel plan such as:
1. Base Station Locations
2. Propagation Characteristics
3. Topography of the area
As discussed earlier, each base station transmits a pilot signal used for acquisition, system
synchronization, cell selection, and coherent demodulation of the traffic channels. All base stations
transmit a unique pilot signal using the same Pseudo Random Noise (PN or PRN) spreading code (Short
Code) but with different time offsets. There are a total of 512 phase offsets that are used to uniquely
describe a base station. PN offsets can be reused if there is sufficient separation between cells using the
same offset.
PN offsets are selected based upon the relative time delay (signal travel time at the speed of light) between
sites and exact served areas of those sites. The development of a PN offset plan depends upon exact
information on final site locations. There are 512 PN offsets available to allocate to cells / sectors. Each
PN offset is 64 chips.

PN Interference

Since all pilot signals in a system are timeshifted versions of the same bitsequence (short code), a pilot
from any sector can appear to belong to any other sector. When receiver can not distinguish pilots
from different sectors, demodulation is erroneous and it is known as PN interference. There are three
types of PN interference:
1. CoPN interference -- if there is no enough space separation (signal attenuation) between cells that
reuse PN offset.
2. Adjacent PN offset interference -- if there is no enough separation (signal attenuation) between cells
that have adjacent PN offsets (i.e. serving site has PN offset 100 and interferer has a PN offset 101)
3. Handoff confusion -- interference to a neighbor set pilot (i.e. due to time delay, strong pilot appear
to be a strong neighbor list pilot: unnecessary handoff occurs)

The Near-Far Problem and Dynamic Power Control

The ``nearfar'' problem in spreadspectrum systems relates to the problem of very strong signals at a
receiver swamping out the effects of weaker signals located on the edge of the coverage area in a
CDMA system resulting in heavy interference.

Overcoming ``nearfar'' in the mobile environment requires that the reverse link transmit power for all
subscribers be continuously adjusted. The rate and degree of adjustment should depend on the
maximum rate and magnitude of change in required power to maintain a constant received level at the
base station. This is accomplished through the implementation of dynamic power control.

Dynamic Power Control (DPC) is used on the forward and reverse links to avoid the near-far problem.
Using DPC the power of all mobile units is controlled so their transmitted signals arrive at the base
station at an equal and minimum received power level. In addition, the traffic channel power on the
forward link is varied as a function of voice coding rate. In this way, the interference generated from
one mobile unit to another is kept to a minimum resulting in increased system capacity.

Forward Link Base Station Transmit Power Control

Voice data is coded at varying rates based on the level of speech activity. The base station seeks to
transmit signals at a constant Energy per Bit (Eb). Since the bit rate is varying, data coded at a high
rate (Rate 1) must be transmitted at a higher power than data coded at a lower rate (e.g. Rate 1/8) in
order to maintain a constant Eb.
Forward link transmit power control accomplished using a Variable Attenuator which is implemented
immediately following Walsh function modulation.
Voice Coding
Rate

Data Rate (Rb) kbps

(per IS-95)

9.6

Base Station Transmit

Power Attenuation Level
(dB)
0

1/2

4.8

1/4

2.4

1/8

1.2

Base Station Nominal Channel Power Allocation

Logical Channel

Relative Power Allocation

Nominal
Allocation

Pilot

0.2 of total power (linear)

20 %

Sync + Paging + Traffic

Remainder (0.8) of total power (linear)

80 %

Sync

3 dB less than one Traffic Channel;

always 1/8 rate

3%

Paging

3 dB greater than one Traffic Channel;

full rate only

2%

Traffic

Equal power in each Traffic Channel:

full rate only (or specified maximum
per TCH)

75 %

These allocations are not dynamic with time but may be adjusted on a per transmitter basis as
necessary by the operator.

CDMA Capacity
CDMA technology offers a significant capacity advantage over other multiple access systems. The
capacity of FDMA and TDMA systems is limited by the finite amount of spectrum allocated. CDMA
is different in that many users operate on a single wideband RF carrier. This carrier frequency may be
reused by the adjacent cell (N=1 reuse). CDMA capacity is only interference limited, therefore any
reduction in interference converts directly and linearly into an increase in capacity
Interference is introduced from several sources including: Same cell mobile users, Adjacent cell
mobile users, Adjacent cell base stations, as well as Thermal and spurious noise.
CDMA employs several techniques to reduce these interference sources including:
Suppressing or squelching transmissions during quiet periods of each speaker.
Using sectored base station antennas.
Dynamic power control to keep transmit levels to the minimum required to close the link.

Coverage and Capacity Relationship

There is an inverse relationship between the coverage area of a given cell and the loading on that cell
due to a rising of the noise floor induced by the users on that site. This phenomena results in a
``breathing'' and a ``self regulating'' communication system. The average required capacity of a given
base station has to be estimated at the time of design so as to predict both the coverage it will provide
and the interference it will introduce at a given average loading.
On the system level, the design of a network that will provide seamless coverage at 70% theoretical
loading will require a greater number of cells spaced closer together than a network designed to operate
at 50% theoretical loading.
A sensitivity analysis will provide the design engineer with an idea of the extent system performance will
change for increases and decreases in instantaneous traffic loading. This analysis is essentially an overlay
of the coverage provided at the maximum anticipated operating level placed atop the coverage provided
at an average anticipated operating levels. By performing several iterations at various levels, an engineer
will be able to determine the maximum average loading the system can sustain and still meet the design
coverage objectives.

Comparison of Coverage due to change in traffic

(5% to 80% of capacity)

Picture represents the reverse link voice channel coverage provided by a given cell at 5%
and 80% of theoretical capacity. Notice the reduction in effective voice channel coverage
as a result of the increase in system noise due to the increase in traffic at the cell. AMPS
and GSM technologies do not experience changes in effective coverage area due to
increases in traffic demand on the system.

Multipath
Multipath, is the result of reflections and scattering of radio waves off of buildings, mountains and
other objects, etc. Multipath will exist anywhere the incident wave and one or more reflected and/or
defracted waves can reach the receiver
Multipath, in effect, creates ``multiple versions'' of the transmitted signal which arrive at the receiver at
different times
When the components arrive perfectly in phase, the overall Received Signal Level (RSL) will be
stronger than any of the individual components. When they arrive out of phase, as a result of the
reflective / defractive process, the overall received level is less than the strongest individual
component.
Destructive (and constructive) interference due to the arrival of equal amplitude and random phase
multipath components is referred to as Rayleigh Fading. The significance or degree that Rayleigh
Fading affects system operation is determined by the surrounding environment.
In general we would expect to see the greatest effects of Rayleigh fading in the Dense Urban
environment and the least in a Rural Environment. This is due to the greater concentration of scattering
structures in a Dense Urban Environment than in rural areas.

Destructive Interference due to Multipath

Relative
Amplitude

Time

The Rake Receiver

Coherent Combination of Three Strongest Multipath Components

from a Single Transmitter
Magnitude of Coherently
Combined Multipath
A4

h(t)

Received Signals

A2

A2
A4
A1
A5
A3

Time

A1

Effects of Multipath on FDMA, TDMA, and CDMA

The quality of service provided by a FDMA System is a function of the received signal level and proper
frequency planning. Assuming no frequency reuse or the assignment of adjacent channels within the
system, the problem becomes one dimensional as a function of signal strength. In FDMA, the carrier wave
is subjected to the multipath fading (Rayleigh fading) as discussed above and Multipath may greatly impact
voice quality.
Multipath in a TDMA adversely effects the performance in two ways that must be compensated for in the
design and implementation of the system. First, multipath fading of the carrier results in reduced signal
strength. The reduction in signal strength results in increased bit error rate as E b /N t falls below what is
required for acceptable call quality. The second effect of multipath, the time delay in arrival over which
multipath components arrive (delay spread), can be large enough to create Inter Symbol Interference (ISI).
This effect is known as time dispersion. ISI may result in false 1's when a zero is sent or visa versa.

CDMA is less susceptible to the adverse effects of multipath. Specifically, degradation of system
performance due to frequency selective Rayleigh fading is reduced because the signal energy is spread over
1.25 MHz as opposed to 200 kHz for GSM TDMA or 30kHz channels for AMPS TDMA. In effect spread
spectrum is also a form of frequency diversity. Also, by coherently combining multipath components, the
effects of time dispersion and destructive interference are reduced by aligning the three strongest multipath
components in time and combining for a net positive sum greater than any individual component.

Types of Handoffs -1
Soft Handoff
The condition where two cells are in simultaneous communication with the mobile is called Soft Handoff.
Soft Handoff will continue until the pilot signal from one of the contributing cells drops below a
predefined threshold (TDROP ). At that time the call will be transferred to the remaining cell.
Soft Soft Handoff
SoftSoft Handoffs are identical in function and process to that of the soft Handoff, however, SoftSoft
Handoffs entail the simultaneous serving of a mobile unit by three cell sites. Three is the maximum
number of serving signals due to mobile (RAKE) receiver specification.

Softer Handoff
Softer Handoffs are identical in function and process to that of the soft Handoff, however Softer Handoffs
entail the simultaneous serving of a mobile unit by two sectors of the same cell.

Types of Handoffs -2
Soft Softer Handoff
Soft Softer Handoffs are identical in function and process to that of the Soft Handoff, however, Soft
Softer Handoffs are the simultaneous serving of a mobile station by the original sector, an adjacent
sector, and an adjacent or neighboring cell.
Hard Handoff
A hard Handoff occurs when a CDMA call is transferred from one base station to another base station
transmitting on a different carrier frequency. Hard Handoff is analogous to the Handoff procedure that
takes place in standard AMPS Cellular.
The mobile unit will initially seek to perform a soft Handoff. If the cellular network cannot perform a
soft Handoff, a hard Handoff is necessary
CDMA to Analog Handoff
If there are no CDMA channels to Handoff to, then the call would be handed off to an available analog
channel at the serving base station and switched to the analog mode of processing. From that point on,
the call will be handled as any other analog call at that base station.

Handoff - Pilot Search Parameters

Classification

Description

Active Set

The pilots associated with the Forward Traffic Channels

assigned to the mobile station

Candidate Set

The pilots that are not currently in the active set but have been
received by the mobile station with sufficient strength to
indicate that the associated Forward Traffic Channels could be
successfully demodulated.

Neighbor Set

The pilots that are not currently in the Active Set or the
Candidate Set and are likely candidates for Handoff.

Remaining Set

The set of all possible pilots in the current on the current

CDMA frequency assignment, excluding the pilots in the
Neighbor Set, the Candidate Set, and the Active Set.

Handoff Mechanism

Complete Rules of Soft Handoff

Soft Handoff

Softer Handoff

Soft Handoff details

The mobile station typically initiates soft Handoffs. The mobile station continuously searches for pilots
to detect the presence of other CDMA signals that have the same carrier frequency and measures the
strength of the pilots. When the mobile station detects a pilot of sufficient strength that is not associated
with the serving cell, it sends a message to the serving base station. The cellular network decides which
neighbor base stations can be involved in a Handoff and selects an idle Walsh function associated with
the selected BTS, effectively selecting a traffic channel. The selected BTS is given the mobile's long
code mask. The serving base station is directed to send the mobile a message to initiate Soft Handoff.
In Forward link, the mobile receives information from the two forward links and uses the RAKE receiver
to coherently combine the signals using the pilot sequence transmitted by each cell/sector as its reference.
This combination of multiple forward link signals improves overall link performance.
In the case of the Reverse link, both base stations are receiving the transmitted speech frames from the
mobile. The highest quality traffic frame received from among the two base stations is selected on a
framebyframe basis.
During a Soft Handoff, closedloop power control of the mobile user is handled ``jointly between the
serving base stations. The base stations send identical traffic frames with the exception of the power
control bits. If all of the serving base stations request the mobile increase its power, the mobile will
increase its output power by 1 dB (nominal). However if any one of the serving stations request a decrease
in power, the mobile will drop its output by 1 dB. As with the normal closedloop power control process,
adjustments are made for each power control group (1/16 of a 20 ms frame or 800 time per second).

Overall Handoff Perspective

Idle Mode Handoff

CDMA Call Processing

The following is an example of a cellular call: set-up, progress and termination in a CDMA
system. The example describes:

Initial system access

Call initiation and setup,
Soft Handoff, and
Call termination.

Basic CDMA Network Architecture

Messages in CDMA

Initial System Access

When the mobile is first turns on, it must find the best base station with which to communicate. The
mobile unit tunes its receiver to a specified ``primary'' CDMA carrier frequency
The mobile then scans for available pilot signals, which are all on different time offsets of the same PN
short (2 ^ 15 chips) code
The mobile selects the strongest pilot sequence and establishes frequency and time reference with this
signal. If the mobile does not detect any pilot signals of adequate strength, the unit tunes its receive to
another specified CDMA carrier frequency
The mobile then demodulates the sync channel which is always transmitted on Walsh 32. The Sync
Channel provides master clock information by sending the state of the 42 bit shift register, which
generates the long (2 ^ 42 chips) code, 320 ms in the future. The long code, generated in conjunction
with a private user mask, is used for encryption and decryption
The mobile then starts listening to the paging channel and waits for a page directed to its phone number.

Acquiring System : Find CDMA RF Signal

Find Strongest Pilot, Read Sync Channel

Pnone Operation on Access Channel

Registration

Call Initiation, Setup and Termination

The mobile user when decides to make a call, enters the desired phone number. This initiates an access
probe. The mobile uses the access channel and attempts to contact the serving base station
Since no traffic channel has been established, the mobile uses open loop power control. Multiple tries are
allowed at random times to avoid collisions that can occur on the access channel. Each successive attempt
is made at a higher power level. After each attempt, the mobile listens to the paging channel for a response
from the base stations.

Once the access request has been received by the base station, the base station responds with an assignment
to a traffic channel (Walsh code). The base station initiates the land link, and conversation takes place.
Call termination can be initiated either from the mobile or the land side. In either case the transmissions are
stopped, the Walsh code is freed, and the land line connection is broken. The mobile unit resumes
monitoring the page channel of the current serving cell.

Outgoing Call

Receiving Incoming Call

Ending Call