What is Carrier Aggregation?

What is Carrier Aggregation?Combining (using) multiple LTE carriers together in order to increase data throughput

Extends the maximum transmission bandwidth, up to 100 MHz, by aggregating up to five LTE carriers a.k.a component carriers (CCs)

To preserve compatibility with existing devices, all aggregated carriers look exactly like R8/R9 carriers.

Can be supported in Downlink only or both in Downlink and Uplink

Supported for FDD and TDD modesWhy Carrier Aggregation?

Lte Advanced Carrier Aggregation

Carrier Aggregation Modes

Carrier Aggregation Combinations

PCC (Primary Component CarrierRandom access procedure Handles the RRC/NAS connection procedures Measurement and mobility (handovers) procedures based on PCCSCC (Secondary Component Carrier)Activated only when in CONNECTED mode(can you guess why this req?) Can be dynamically activated/deactivated (through MAC PDU) PUSCH is optional (asymmetric CA, only on DL

CA Deployment Scenarios

UE Categories

New UE CategoriesCombinations of Carrier Aggregation and LayersThere are multiple combinations of CA and layers that can meet the data rates for the new and existing UE categoriesThe following tables define the most cases for which performance requirements may be developed

Generic inter-working solution is based on the S2 Interface. There are currently several variants of this interface.No interfaces between the Access Networks (ANs).Trusted non-3GPP AN: the network can run the 3GPP defined authentication procedure (AKA: Authentication and Key Agreement). Otherwise it is considered an un-trusted non-3GPP AN.The trusted non-3GPP AN is connected to EPC using S2a interface. Example of trusted non-3GPP AN: cdma2000Un-trusted non-3GPP AN is connected to EPC using S2b interface. Example of untrusted non-3GPP AN: WLAN (IEEE 802.11)Both S2a & S2b use network controlled IP layer mobility with the PMIP protocol.For networks that do not support PMIP, Client MIPv4 Foreign Agent Mode is available as an option for S2a.In addition to mobility functions, the architecture includes interfaces for authenticating the UE and also Policy and Charging Control (PCC) functionalities via the Gxa and Gxb interfaces towards the PCRF24

In order to deploy LTE in countries currently using cdma2000 systems (primarily the United States), some ability to handover between LTE and cdma2000 networks is indicated. To meet this requirement, 3GPP has explicitly adopted a number of requirements to support interworking between E-UTRAN and 3GPP2 radio access technologies.These requirements are as follows.- Bidirectional data service interworking shall be supported between cdma2000 1xRTT Revision A and LTE. There are no requirements that this be seamless.- Seamless voice service continuity shall be supported to/from LTE to cdma2000 1xRTT Revision A.- Bidirectional seamless service continuity shall be supported between cdma2000 HRPD Revision A and LTE for both best effort and real time applications.- Bidirectional seamless service continuity shall be supported between cdma2000 HRPD Release 0 and LTE for best effort applications only. Note: LTE to cdma2000 has a higher priority with operators and this is reflected in standards, cdma200027