Universal Mobile Telecommunications System

The Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) is a broadband, packet-based, 3G mobile cellular system based upon GSM standards. The specifications of UMTS covers the entire network system, including the radio access network, the core network and user authentication.

Features

• UMTS is a component of IMT-2000 standard of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), developed by 3GPP.

• It uses wideband code division multiple access (W-CDMA) air interface.

• It provides transmission of text, digitized voice, video and multimedia.

• It provides high bandwidth to mobile operators.

• It gives a high data rate of 2Mbps. For High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) handsets, the data-rate is as high as 7.2 Mbps in the downlink connection.

• It is also known as Freedom of Mobile Multimedia Access (FOMA).

• It encompasses specifications for the entire mobile network system −

  • Radio access network specified by UTRAN (UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network)

  • Core network specified by MAP (Mobile Application Part)

  • Authentication of the users by SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards.