Feasibility of 3G and Mobile Broadcasting Networks for Mass Multimedia Services Anssi Korkeakoski Supervisor: prof. Sven-Gustav Häggman Instructors: M.Sc. Niina Laaksonen, Lic.Tech. Jyrki Penttinen February 24, 2019

Contents Background Objectives & Methodology Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service Digital Video Broadcasting – Handheld Evaluation & Conclusions February 24, 2019

Background As the number of simultaneous users increases within the service area, efficient delivery of content becomes more and more crucial Therefore, broadcasting should be favoured to transmit mass services for large audiences in order to decrease the delivery costs per user Different mobile broadcast systems have been designed but this thesis focuses on two solutions with different backgrounds: MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service) and DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcast – Handheld) Unicast Broadcast February 24, 2019

Objectives & Methodology Introduce MBMS and DVB-H Study and compare the main technical constraints of the radio interface of these systems Evaluate the effect of these constraints on the feasible service portfolio as well as user environment Sketch example user scenarios Methodology: Literary study based on 3GPP and ETSI specifications, conference papers and research articles Author’s own experience from DVB-H networks also utilized February 24, 2019

MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service) Specification work of MBMS (Rel 6) in 3GPP is partly unfinished at the moment MBMS is designed for both GSM/EDGE and UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Networks (GERAN/UTRAN) This thesis focuses on UTRAN Two modes: Broadcast mode and multicast mode In multicast mode, either DCH or FACH channel used depending on the number of MBMS users within the cell MBMS provides bidirectional p-t-p correction of erroneous data after the broadcast session Only for services with no strict delay requirements, such as file downloading February 24, 2019

MBMS architecture HLR CBC SGSN GGSN BM-SC Content Provider UTRAN GERAN OSA SCS Other networks e.g. Internet Uu Um Iu Iu/Gb Gr Gn/Gp Gmb Gi Broadcast Multicast Service Centre (BM-SC) is a new network element Enhancements to SGSN, GGSN, UTRAN and UE More or less a vendor-specific issue February 24, 2019

Digital Video Broadcasting - Handheld Specification work of DVB-H is finished in ETSI DVB-H is based on DVB-T(errestrial), but supports handheld portable and mobile reception The main additional features of DVB-H: Time slicing technique to achieve better battery saving percentage MPE-FEC error correction mechanism for additional robustness and mobility 4K-mode for mobility and radio network design flexibility Usually the content delivered in DVB-H network is associated only to mobile TV, but basically also other services, such as file downloading, is viable February 24, 2019

IP Datacasting DVB-H IPDC Network Operator Content IPDC Provider Mobile Network Operator IP transmission IPDC Service Operator Content Provider Platform and Services GSM/GPRS/ E-GPRS/ UMTS Mobile E-GPRS/UMTS Network Inter- action in Uplink DVB-H IPDC = IP Datacasting February 24, 2019

Feasible data rates in MBMS and DVB-H Base station output power consumption limits the bit rates per service in MBMS According to simulations, e.g. in pedestrian environment, at least 15 % fractional BS power (Ec/Ior) required for a 64 kbit/s bearer (1% BLER target, –3 dB geometry) Lower MBMS performance can be expected in macrocellular WCDMA networks due to lower geometry factor values at the cell edge In DVB-H, the overall maximum throughput per carrier is max. ~15 Mbit/s in mobile environment, which is further allocated to different services In practice, the battery saving target limits the maximum feasible bit rate per service February 24, 2019

Error correction mechanisms The implementation of FEC (Forward Error Correction) in MBMS is not yet standardized in 3GPP DVB-H utilizes FEC in two layers Code rates: 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, 5/6 and 7/8 Optional back-up error correction mechanism is implemented in MBMS via unicast links for file delivery services In theory, this solution is scalable only if the repair requests are spread in time and across multiple servers Similar mechanism has not been decided – at least yet – to implement in DVB-H February 24, 2019

User environment E.g. in Finland, UTRAN has been built so far only to largest cities MBMS could also utilize the vast coverage of GERAN In the end, the quality and coverage area of the networks for MBMS and DVB-H services depends on the network operator itself Economic realities guide the decisions more than technical aspects Both MBMS and DVB-H support mobility well, but handovers must be performed more often on average in UMTS network The max. distance between two main transmitters within a SFN (Single Frequency Network) cell can be even 67 km depending on the network parameters February 24, 2019

Other aspects MBMS can utilize the existing GERAN/UTRAN networks (+frequencies) Most likely a dedicated DVB-H network must be built It is possible to use the existing DVB-T networks for DVB-H services, but problems might be encountered in indoor coverage, mobility, capacity etc. New DVB-H infrastructure and frequency licences increase expenditures! Status of the specification work and technology maturity February 24, 2019

Conclusions and future work DVB-H has better capabilities to provide more versatile service portfolio The employment of a dedicated MBMS carrier should be considered based on traffic statistics and service needs Due to utilization of mobile cellular network, local and interactive services with shorter response time are more suitable for MBMS MBMS should not be rolled out until the UMTS customer penetration is dense enough Future work: Studies of other mobile broadcasting systems UMTS radio network measurements (e.g. cumulative distribution function of the geometry factor in real network) in order to better evaluate the MBMS capacity February 24, 2019

The Nordic and Baltic telecommunications leader February 24, 2019