An Analysis of Traffic and Throughput for UMTS Packet Core Networks

Mobile packet services are penetrating mobile markets rapidly. The mobile industry relies heavily on data services to replace traditional voice services. Designing a reliable packet service network is critical to the mobile operators' ability to maintain their core competence in a data service market. The current literature provides many practical tools and theoretical methods to design, plan and dimension Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) radio networks but overlooks the algorithms of network plan and dimensioning for the core networks. This paper introduces the algorithms to dimension the throughput for packet switched domain of a UMTS network. The analysis is based on the traffic and data throughput generated and absorbed in the interfaces of network entities in UMTS PS network. A case study is provided to verify the algorithms created for UMTS PS network. This paper provides UMTS PS network operators an optimum network size and network structure to deliver an optimum quality of service for users.