UMTS interview questions:

1) What are the RRC states?

a. Cell DCH
b. Cell FACH
c. Cell PCH
d. URA PCH
2) Describe different RRC States?
a. Cell DCH:
When UE is switched ON, it assumes the CELL_DCH State by default.
It exists when UE really requires UL/DL dedicated resource.
UE is characterized at cell level according to its current Active set.
Logical channels DCCH+DTCH are mapped to transport channel DCH.
E.g. Voice call(CS), Video telephony(CS+PS)
b. Cell FACH:
This happens when,
(1) UE doesnt require continuous circuit connection with n/w, but DL packets will work.
(2) UE is forced to release the n/w resources to decrease the congestion problems (flip-flop between
DCH and FACH).
(3) Eventual location updates to support CELL_PCH and URA_PCH states (flip-flop between FACH
and PCH).
E.g. Call on hold(CS), File downloading(PS)
No dedicated UL/DL is provided. However, UE will keep monitoring to DL common transport
channel FACH continuously and receives packet data meant for UE itself.
When UL transmission is required, it uses RACH for 1-2 frames or CPCH for few more frames,
depending on common access procedures; still UL transmission will be discontinuous.
UE is known on cell level, but this time its based on the last cell update it made.
c. Cell PCH:
This happens when UE doesnt require an active connection(common/dedicated). But still needs to
be connected, as its expecting a n/w initiated or terminated call(CS or PS) in future.
So, no UL transmission is allowed. Selects a PCH(based on algo.) and keep monitoring (receiving)
it in discontinuous mode(DRX).
Can commute only into CELL_FACH state.
E.g. No outgoing call or data receive for long time
UE is still identified on cell level, but now in the cell where UE made its last update, when it was in
CELL_FACH state.
At regular time interval, UE would have to move in CELL_FACH state to update the location area. If
UE is traveling, this update will become frequent because of changing cells.

 In some cases UE can have the transition from CELL_DCH to CELL_PCH, but not vice versa; it
has to go via CELL_FACH.
d. URA PCH:
This can be considered as a general case of CELL_PCH state. Because all the characteristics are
same except one.
That is, UE is known on URA(UTRAN Registration Area) level rather than cell level. It listens to
PCH(and updates URA when required).
If UE is traveling continuously from one cell to another. It would have to transit multiple time to
CELL_FACH state for location update. By assigning URA_PCH state, this condition is avoided, since
1 URA contains one or more cells and vice versa.
3) In which conditions UE will be in Cell FACH state?
This happens when,
UE doesnt require continuous circuit connection with n/w, but DL packets will work.
UE is forced to release the n/w resources to decrease the congestion problems (flip-flop between
DCH and FACH).
Eventual location updates to support CELL_PCH and URA_PCH states (flip-flop between FACH
and PCH).
E.g. Call on hold(CS), File downloading(PS)
4) What is the difference between Cell PCH and URA PCH state?
UE is known on URA(UTRAN Registration Area) level rather than cell level
If UE is traveling continuously from one cell to another. It would have to transit multiple time to
CELL_FACH state for location update. By assigning URA_PCH state, this condition is avoided, since
1 URA contains one or more cells and vice versa
5) What is U-RNTI?
URNTI is a 32bit identity.
SRNC identifier + SRNTI makes URNTI
6) Describe the CELL search procedure?
The Cell Search procedure can be summarised into the following steps:
a. Cell Selection: Determine the cell whose received carrier power is the strongest
b. Slot Synchronisation: the UE reads the P-SCH of the strongest carrier and feeds the
received signal through a matched filter (that is matched to the Primary Synchronisation Code). The
slot timing is detected via detection of peaks in the output of the matched filter.
c. Frame Synchronisation and Scrambling Code Group Identification: the UE reads
the S-SCH of the strongest carrier, and correlates the received signal with all the possible 64
Secondary Synchronisation Codes. The output that gives maximum correlation gives the group of
the Primary Scrambling Code used in the cell. This process also gives the frame timing since the
Secondary Synchronisation Code is different for each slot and the group tells the mapping between
slots and SSCs.

d. Scrambling Code Identification: The UE attempts then to read the P-CPICH so as to

extract the Primary Scrambling Code used in the cell. The P-CPICH is always scrambled by the
Primary Scrambling Code of the cell and is spread a factor 256 and an OVSF whose index is zero.
Since the Primary Scrambling Codes are grouped into 64 groups of 8 Scrambling Codes and the SSCH has
given the Scrambling Code group only 8 possibilities remain. So the P-CPICH is unscrambled
separately withevery possible Scrambling Code (8) in the group and only one output will produce
correct results and the Primary Scrambling Code of the cell is determined.
e. Read Broadcast Information: Since the P-CCPCH is always scrambled by the Primary
Scrambling Code of the cell (which has now been determined) and is always spread using SF=256
with OVSF index=1, The UE can read the P-CCPCH without any problem. The P-CCPCH carries the
BCH where system information blocks are broadcast throughout the entire cell. The UE can acquire
at this stage various information (e.g. Spreading Factors, OVSF indexes and Scrambling Codes
used in other downlink channels, important
parameters for PRACH transmission, Measurement Parameters, Transport Formats etc.) and can
then decodeother downlink channels, initiate a PRACH procedure, performs some specific
measurements etc.
7) Radio bearer configuration mappings?
Signalling radio bearer RB0 shall be used for all messages sent on the CCCH (UL: RLC-TM, DL:
RLC-UM).
Signalling radio bearer RB1 shall be used for all messages sent on the DCCH, when using RLC
unacknowledged mode (RLC-UM).
Signalling radio bearer RB2 shall be used for all messages sent on the DCCH, when using RLC
acknowledged mode (RLC-AM), except for the RRC messages carrying higher layer (NAS)
signalling.
Signalling radio bearer RB3 and optionally Signalling radio bearer RB4 shall be used for the RRC
messages carrying higher layer (NAS) signalling and sent on the DCCH in RLC acknowledged mode
(RLC-AM).
Additionally, RBs whose identities shall be set between 5 and 32 may be used as signalling radio
bearer for the RRC messages on the DCCH sent in RLC transparent mode (RLC-TM).
8) What are the types of hand over?
Here are following categories of handover (also referred to as handoff):
Hard HandoverHard handover means that all the old radio links in the UE are removed before
the new radio links are established. Hard handover can be seamless or non-seamless. Seamless
hard handover means that the handover is not perceptible to the user. In practice a handover that
requires a change of the carrier frequency (inter-frequency handover) is always performed as hard
handover.
Soft Handover
Soft handover means that the radio links are added and removed in a way that the UE always keeps

at least one radio link to the UTRAN. Soft handover is performed by means of macro diversity, which
refers to the condition that several radio links are active at the same time. Normally soft handover
can be used when cells operated on the same frequency are changed.
Softer handoverSofter handover is a special case of soft handover where the radio links that
are added and removed belong to the same Node B (i.e. the site of co-located base stations from
which several sector-cells are served. In softer handover, macro diversity with maximum ratio
combining can be performed in the Node B, whereas generally in soft handover on the downlink,
macro diversity with selection combining is applied.
Generally we can distinguish between intra-cell handover and inter-cell handover. For UMTS the
following types of handover are specified:
Handover 3G -3G (i.e. between UMTS and other 3G systems)
FDD soft/softer handover
FDD inter-frequency hard handover
FDD/TDD handover (change of cell)
TDD/FDD handover (change of cell)
TDD/TDD handover
Handover 3G 2G (e.g. handover to GSM)
Handover 2G 3G (e.g. handover from GSM)