SKILL LEVEL
Beginner
DURATION
45 hours
CERTIFICATION
After Completion
LANGUAGE
English
OVERVIEW
Get a clear, structured technical overview of cellular technology from 2G (GSM) through 5G, in one package. Covers the most important aspects of each network generation without assuming you already work deep in telecoms engineering, ideal as an orientation before specialising further.
IDEAL FOR
You work in engineering, technical sales, or technical management and need a general overview, not deep specialisation
You're new to telecoms and need to get oriented across all network generations quickly
You need a shared technical vocabulary to work with engineering teams
NOT FOR
You're a working RF or core-network engineer — see 5G Engineering for the deeper technical track
What You’ll Learn
01
Explain the core radio and cellular techniques underlying each network generation
02
Trace the 3GPP release programme and what each generation added
03
Compare GSM, UMTS, LTE, and 5G architectures at a technical level
04
Identify which network generation supports a given use case or requirement
What You’ll Achieve
Leave with clarity, practical tools and a plan for what's next
01
Understand the evolution of mobile networks from 2G to 5G
02
Identify the techniques supporting everything from basic voice and SMS to advanced 5G connection requirements
03
Build a technical vocabulary shared across engineering, technical sales, and management
Selected Programme Modules
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Mobile Networks
• Radio Waves Parameters
• The Radio Spectrum
• Radio Frequency Characteristics
• Radio Bands and Channels
• Licensed and Unlicensed Radio Bands
• Digital Modulation over Radio
• Dealing with Errors in a Mobile Network
• The Cellular Principle
• Cells
• Cell Clusters and Reuse
• Multiple Access Techniques
• Propagation of a Radio Signal
• Multipath Effects
• Noise and Interference
• Typical Cell Site Configuration
• Antenna Configurations
• Increasing Cellular Capacity
• Cell Hierarchies
• Duplex Techniques
• 3GPP – 3rd Generation Partnership Project
• 3GPP Releases
• The GSM Family
• Mobile Evolution and Data Rates
• Generic Cellular Network Architecture
• 2G – 4G Network Evolution
• 2G Network Types
• The GSM – Global System for Mobile Communications
• GSM Frequency Bands
• GSM Network Overview
• The MS – Mobile Stations
• The SIM – Subscriber Identity Module
• SIM Types and Generations
• The Base Station Subsystem – BSS/GERAN
• GSM Cells
• The BTS – Base Transceiver Station
• The BSC – Base Station Controller
• Original GSM Circuit-Switched Core Networks
• The MSC – Mobile-services Switching Centre
• 3GPP Release 4 Circuit-Switched Core Networks
• Release 4 Network Elements
• Visitor Location Register (VLR) and Home Location Register (HLR)
• Authentication Centre (AuC) and Equipment Identity Register (EIR)
• Identifiers MSISDN, IMSI, TMSI
• Identifiers – MSRN, IMEI
• The GSM IMSI Attach Process
• Location Areas
• Example of Location Update Procedure
• Handover
• The GSM Air Interface
• TDMA Principles
• Physical Channel Structure
• GSM Logical Channels
• General Packet Radio Service – GPRS
• GPRS Network Architecture
• PDP Context
• Routing Areas
• EDGE
• EDGE Evolution
• GSM Services
• GSM Supplementary Services
• International Roaming
• TETRA (Terrestrial Trunked Radio)
• The TETRA Standards
• 3G Network Types
• UMTS Introduces a New Radio Access Network
• UTRAN Elements and Interfaces
• UMTS Network Architecture
• UTRAN Functions
• UE – User Equipment
• The UMTS Air Interface
• Air Interface Modes
• Principles of WCDMA
• Spreading and Scrambling Codes
• Code Reuse in UMTS
• Handovers in UMTS
• UMTS Operating Bands and Channels
• UMTS Backhaul
• Core Network Evolution
• High Speed Packet Access – HSPA
• HSPA+
• HSPA UE Categories
• The Need for Fast Power Control in UMTS
• Cell Breathing
• Beamforming and Adaptive Antennas
• The MIMO Concept
• LTE – The Long Term Evolution of Mobile Broadband
• 4G Network Types
• Network Architecture Terminology
• LTE Architecture Overview
• E-UTRAN - Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network
• The eNB – EUTRA Node B
• EPC – Evolved Packet Core
• Evolved Packet Core ‘S’ Interfaces
• LTE Key Technologies
• PDN (Packet Data Network) Connectivity Services
• OFDMA Resource Allocation Strategies
• OFDMA Principles
• Subcarriers and Symbols
• Resource Blocks
• Radio Channel Organization
• LTE Bandwidth Options
• FDD and TDD Variants
• LTE Frequency Bands
• LTE Frequency Modes
• Tracking Areas
• Tracking Area List
• Paging
• Multi-RAT and Multi-Operator RANs
• UE Categories
• UE Categories Release 12 Onwards
• LTE Spectrum Allocations in the UK
• LTE Cell Hierarchies
• Heterogeneous Networks (HetNet)
• Small Cells
• Self Organizing Networks (SON)
• SON and the 3GPP
• LTE Voice Options
• LTE Backhaul
• Areas of Development in Mobile Networks
• Evolved Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (eMBMS)
• LTE-Advanced (LTE-A)
• LTE-Advanced Features
• MIMO Enhancements
• R10/R11 Data Handling Improvements
• Wi-Fi Cellular Interworking
• Key Technologies for Wi-Fi and Cellular Convergence
• Wi-Fi Offload and Network Selection
• Licensed Assisted Access (LAA)
• Beamforming
• Internet of Things (IoT)
• Machine to Machine (M2M) Services
• Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV)
• LTE for Public Safety
• Proximity Services (ProSe)
• Towards 5G