Cellular Packet Communications

One-line summary: Third-generation cellular packet networks will have decentralized handoff control, use microcells, and employ PRMA as a multiplexing method.

Overview/Main Points

• Third-generation networks: cellular networks will evolve towards low-power transmitters, microcells, decentralized call control and call management, and frequent handoffs and call set-up control messages.
• Architecture: A conventional MAN (wireless of wireline) will link together the core components: base-station interface units (BIUs), trunk interface units (TIUs), controller interface units (CIUs), and wireless terminal interface units (WIUs). TIUs are the gateway between the cellular MAN and the long-haul network. WIUs are the interface between the user's terminal or voice information source and the the terminal's radio transmitter. BIUs relay information between the MAN and the terminal radios. CIUs provide centralized network control such as virtual circuit setup and authentication, but are not involved with handoff control.
• Packet Reservation Multiple Access: PRMA is a combination of slotted ALOHA and TDMA. The bitstream consists of frames, subdivided into slots. Terminals contend for available slots using slotted ALOHA with self-imposed transmit probability p; if one in successfully transmits in an available slot, it gains a reservation on that slot. Reservations are revoked if a holder neglects to transmit during a frame.

Relevance

Flaws

• The architecture described is generic and somewhat unsupported within the paper - it is stated as though it is fact, not possibility.
• The paper focuses on voice transmission as the dominant application for cellular packet communications - this is nearsighted, IMHO.
• There is not enough detail about any of the components described in the paper; it is very terse and high level.