UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

TEST 1: 22 MARCH 2022

MOBILE AND WIRELESS NETWORKS

EEE4121F MODULE A

SOLUTION
___________________________________________________________

EXAMINER: ASSOC PROF O. FALOWO

___________________________________________________________

TIME ALLOWED: 45 MINUTES

TOTAL MARK: 40
INSTRUCTION: ANSWER THE TWO QUESTIONS
QUESTION 1

(1.1) Explain how the value of the frequency reuse factor affects
(a) the capacity of each cell in a cellular network . [1.5 marks]
When the frequency reuse factor is high, the bandwidth available per cell is high, and hence
the capacity per cell is high. On the other hand, when the frequency reuse factor is low, the
bandwidth available per cell is low, and thus, the capacity per cell is low.
(b) the quality of service in each cell of a cellular network. [1.5 marks]
When the frequency reuse factor is high, the distance between co-channels cells is low, and
hence, interference between co-channel cells is high. On the other hand, when the frequency
reuse factor is low, the distance between co-channels cells is high, and hence, interference
between co-channel cells is low.
(1.2) In a homogenous cellular network, traffic may build up in certain cells of the network as
more customers subscribe to the network services, resulting in high call blocking/dropping
probability. Explain three approaches that can be used to increase capacity in congested cells
of a cellular network. [6 Marks]
(i) Adding new channels.
(ii) Frequency borrowing: in the simplest case, frequency channels are taking from adjacent
cells by congested cell.
(iii) Cell splitting: cells in areas of high usage can be split into smaller cells.
(iv) Cell sectoring.
(v) Using small cells for traffic offloading.

(1.3) A cellular network has a frequency reuse factor of 12, and each cell in the network has 6
sectors. If the diameter of a cell is 4km, what is the minimum distance between the centres
of two cochannel cells? [4 Marks]

Diameter = 4km, Radius = 2 km, Reuse factor = 12

Minimum distance between the centres of two cochannel cells, D

D= 12km

Department of Electrical Engineering 2 University of Cape Town

 (1.4) If a total of 66 MHz of bandwidth is allocated to a particular FDD cellular telephone system
which uses two 25 kHz simplex channels to provide full duplex voice. Compute the number
of channels available per sector of a cell in the cellular network if it uses a reuse pattern of:
(i) 3/7 and (ii) 3/4. [7 marks]
Total bandwidth = 66 MHz
Channel bandwidth = 25 kHz × 2 simplex channels

= 50 kHz/duplex channel
 Total available channels = 66,000/50 = 1320 channels

(i) For N = 7, total number of channels available per cell = 1320/7 ≈ 188 channels.
Total number of channels available per sector = 62 channels
(ii) For N = 4, total number of channels available per cell = 1320/4 =330 channels.
Total number of channels available per sector = 330/3 = 110 channels

QUESTION 2

(2.1) Explain the difference between the spectrum overlay and spectrum underlay in dynamic
spectrum management. [3 marks]
In the spectrum overlay, a secondary user opportunistically exploits holes in the spectrum of
the primary user. The secondary user accesses the spectrum of the primary user when it is idle
and vacates the spectrum within a time bound on the return of the primary user. In spectrum
underlay, the primary user and the secondary user use the same spectrum at the same time and
in the same place. The secondary user transmits at low power such that the inference of the
secondary user is less than the inference threshold for the primary user.
(2.2) With the aid of a diagram, explain why the visitor location register (VLR) is regarded as a
distributed home location register (HLR) in cellular networks. [3 marks]
The HLR contains information (such as service profile) about mobile stations in the entire
network. The VLR contains information about mobile stations, (MS) that are currently located
in the MSC location area and supports the MSC retrieval of the data of subscribers. When an
MS roams into a new MSC location area, the VLR of that MSC requests data about the MS
from the HLR and stores the data. So, if the MS makes a call at any time, the necessary
information for the call set up is available immediately. Thus, the information contained in the
HLR is distributed among the VLRs in the network. Therefore, the VLR can be regarded as a

Department of Electrical Engineering 3 University of Cape Town

 distributed HLR. The figure below shows the information of ten subscribers distributed among
three VLR.

HLR
1 2 6 10
5
3 4 8 9
7

VLR1 VLR2 VLR3

1 7 5 6 2
8 4
10 9
3

(2.3) Using relevant diagram(s), explain the sequence of interactions between the various elements
required to setup a voice call from a mobile station connected to the MTN 3G network to
another mobile station connected to the Cell-C 3G network. [5 marks]

HLR1 HLR2 VLR2

Node B 1 RNC 1 3G MSC 1 GMSC1 GMSC2 3G MSC2

VLR 1
Node B 2 RNC 2

Mobile handset
initiating a call

Mobile handset
receiving a call

(2.4) A network operator may choose to deploy the LTE network in the FDD or the TDD mode. State
three advantages of deploying the LTE network in the TDD mode. [3 marks]
- Flexible allocation of bandwidth in uplink and downlink channels, efficient for asymmetric
services.
- Only one frequency band (5MHz) is required instead of a pair of frequency bands required for
FDD mode (2×5MHz)
- Reduce the cost of obtaining spectrum: reduce the cost of rolling out a network

Department of Electrical Engineering 4 University of Cape Town

(2.5) Suppose an 802.11b station is configured to always reserve the channel with the RTS/CTS
sequence. Suppose this station suddenly wants to transmit 2,000 bytes of data, and all other
stations are idle at this time. As a function of SIFS and DIFS, and ignoring propagation delay
and assuming no bit errors, calculate the time required to transmit the frame and receive the
acknowledgment. [6 marks]

A frame without data is 32 bytes long. Assuming a transmission rate of 11 Mbps, the time to
transmit a control frame (such as an RTS frame, a CTS frame, or an ACK frame) is (256 bits)/
(11 Mbps) = 23 usec.

The time required to transmit the data frame is (16256 bits)/ (11 Mbps) = 1478
DIFS + RTS + SIFS + CTS + SIFS + FRAME + SIFS + ACK
= DIFS + 3SIFS + (3*23 + 1478) usec = DIFS + 3SIFS + 1547 usec

Department of Electrical Engineering 5 University of Cape Town