This document provides an introduction and course outline for a Wireless Communications course. It outlines 5 sections that will be covered: Basics of Wireless Communications, Radiowave propagation characteristics, Fundamentals of Cellular Communication, Mobile Communication Systems (2G-4G), and Wireless Communications of the future. It discusses why wireless communication is important and provides an overview of the history and applications of wireless technologies. It also highlights the growth of mobile data usage and the increasing importance of wireless networks. Students will complete an independent study project on an application of wireless communications.
1. Introduction to Course & Course Outline
WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS
First Semester, Final Year
14TL Batch
2. Course layout
Section 1 - Basics of Wireless
Communications
Systems, Services & Requirements
… what is all the hype about?
Section 2 - Radiowave propagation
characteristics
How the wireless channel behaves!
… and why does it matter?
2
3. Course layout
Section 3 – Fundamentals of Cellular
Communication
Why cellular? How mobile?
How users connect “wirelessly”?
… how it all works?
Section 4 – Mobile Communication Systems
GSM, GPRS and EDGE (2G, 2.5G)
UMTS, HSPA, WiMAX, LTE (3G)
LTE-Advanced (4G)
3
5. Reading material
Text book
“Wireless Communication: Principles and Practice” by
T. S. Rappaport, Prentice Hall, 2nd Ed. 2003.
Research papers
Lectures notes and tutorials
5
6. Why, this subject…?
6
Wireless Communications is a fundamental
course of Telecommunications
Defines modern telecommunications!
A good number of jobs in Pakistan and
worldwide are related to WComs
Your FYP will most probably be related to
WComs, directly or in directly…
MARKs – final year contributes 40% to your
BE. academic grade…
8. A brief history…
8
1793 Claude Chappe invents the first optical telegraph
1902 Guglielmo Marconi transmits radio signals from Cornwall,
UK to Newfoundland, USA i.e. the first radio signal across the
Atlantic ocean.
1927 First television broadcast in UK
1930 “Golden Age of Radio”
First television broadcast in USA
1957 USSR launches Sputnik-1 satellite in space
1958 USA launches Score satellite in space
1963 The first communications geostationary satellite Syncom 2,
was launched by NASA.
1979 First cellular phone communication starts in Japan
1983 Cellular phone communication starts in USA
1991 First GSM call made in Finland
1992 First SMS made
9. Why wireless?
9
We want “mobile” communication system!
Wireline communication can be a hassle
Wireline communication isn’t always the best
option!
Doesn’t make sense to provide each and every
person with a wireline connection
Would you lay down a core network for just 5 users?
10. … and why not?
10
Wireless channel is unpredictable!
Can have obstructions, severe attenuation for the
signal…
Designing Wireless Communication system is
not an easy task
Limited frequency spectrum!
But we still want to use it!
11. Wireless Communications
11
Advantages
Mobility
A wireless communication network is a solution in
areas where cables are impossible to install (e.g.
hazardous areas, long distances etc.)
Easier to maintain
Disadvantages
Has security vulnerabilities
High costs for setting the infrastructure
Unlike wired comm., wireless comm. is influenced by
physical obstructions, climatic conditions, interference
from other wireless devices
12. WC for different services?
12
Voice Data Video
Delay < 100 ms - < 100 ms
Packet loss < 1% 0 <1%
BER 10^-3 10^-6 10^-6
Data Rate 8-32 kbps 1-100 Mbps 1-20 Mbps
Traffic Continuous Bursty Continuous
Notice how different services have unique requirements!
13. Radio waves
13
Radio waves are a type of EM waves in a
specific frequency band
According to ITU, between 9 KHz and 275 GHz
Radio waves radiate from the transmitter
antenna, propagate over the channel, and are
collected by the receiver antenna
Noise, interference, attenuates, absorbed by rain
14. Frequency and Wavelength
14
Frequency Wavelength System
60 Hz 5,000 km AC current
100 MHz 3 m FM radio
900 MHz 33 cm Cellular
20 GHz 15 mm Ka band satellite
1015 Hz 10-7 m Ultraviolet light
What frequency do you want to use for wireless
communications?
15. Which frequency should we
use?
15
We don’t always get to use our “desired”
frequency band
Why?
Regulation
Propagation characteristics
Licensed and Unlicensed frequency bands
16. Licensed and Unlicensed bands
16
Licensed
88 – 108 MHz for FM
890 – 960 MHz for GSM
Unlicensed
Industry, Scientific, Medical (ISM) radio bands
2.4 - 2.5 GHz
5.725 - 5.875 GHz
Used “freely” by Wireless LANs, Wireless Sensor
Networks, Bluetooth etc.
18. Outlook for Wireless Comms
18
Global mobile data traffic grew 70% in 2012
(from 2011)
Mobile video traffic exceeded 50% for the first
time in 2012
Average smartphone usage grew 81% in 2012
19. Outlook for Wireless Comms
19
Smartphones represented only 18% of total
global handsets in use in 2012, but
represented 92% of total global handset traffic
Qmobile and other brands providing cost-effective
(relatively cheap) smartphones, provides the
motivation to implement 4G Wireless
Communication Systems in Pakistan
Android is now higher than iPhone levels of
data use
20. Outlook for Wireless Comms
20
Globally, 33% of total mobile data traffic was
offloaded onto the fixed network through Wi-Fi
or Femtocell in 2012
Femtocell = imagine a Base Station was as small
as a Wi-Fi access point
There were 161 million laptops on the mobile
network in 2012, and each laptop generated 7
times more traffic than the average
smartphone
21. Outlook for Wireless Comms
21
Forecast
Monthly global mobile data traffic will surpass 10
exabytes in 2017
The number of mobile-connected devices will exceed
the world’s population in 2013
The average mobile connection speed will surpass 1
Mbps in 2014
Due to increased usage on smartphones, handsets
will exceed 50 percent of mobile data traffic in 2013
Monthly mobile tablet traffic will surpass 1 exabyte per
month in 2017
Tablets will exceed 10 percent of global mobile data
traffic in 2015
22. Independent Study
22
Think of an application where wireless
communications can be used!
Throughout this semester, your group can explore that
selected application (I’ll help you out)
Deliver presentation to your class
Worth 5 marks
Sample topics
Broadband Wireless Access, Smart agriculture, Smart
cities, Wireless Communications for e-health/e-
learning, Wireless Communications for Smart Grids,
Wireless Sensor Networks, Visual Sensor Networks,
Cognitive Radios, Wireless Channel Characterisation
etc.