Mobile Telephony Course

Lesson 1 • Core Concepts of Cellular Architecture

Explains cells, frequency reuse, and handover as the structural pillars of mobile networks. Connects spatial design principles to capacity and coverage outcomes.

Lesson 2 • Mobile Network Stakeholders and Roles

Identifies operators, regulators, equipment vendors, and end users as key actors. Maps each stakeholder's responsibilities to network deployment and service delivery.

Lesson 3 • Key Standards Bodies and Specifications

Introduces 3GPP, ITU, and ETSI as the primary standards organisations shaping mobile technology. Explains how specifications translate into interoperable commercial products.

Lesson 1 • Radio Wave Propagation

Examines path loss, reflection, diffraction, and scattering as propagation mechanisms. Links each mechanism to real-world coverage planning challenges.

Lesson 2 • Electromagnetic Spectrum and Frequency Bands

Covers frequency, wavelength, and the spectrum segments allocated to mobile services. Establishes why band selection determines propagation range and data capacity.

Lesson 3 • Interference and Signal Quality Metrics

Defines SINR, RSRP, and RSRQ as the primary indicators of signal health in LTE and 5G. Teaches how interference sources degrade these metrics and how to address them.

Lesson 1 • Core Network Functions in 4G EPC

Explains MME, SGW, PGW, and HSS as the control and data plane entities of LTE. Traces how each function handles authentication, mobility, and bearer management.

Lesson 2 • 5G Core and Service-Based Architecture

Introduces AMF, SMF, UPF, and the service-based interface model of the 5G core. Contrasts the cloud-native design with the 4G EPC to highlight architectural advances.

Lesson 3 • Radio Access Network Structure

Details base station types, fronthaul, and the RAN's role in connecting devices to the core. Positions RAN design decisions within overall network performance.

Lesson 1 • 5G NR Air Interface Enhancements

Covers numerology, flexible slot structure, and massive MIMO as 5G NR innovations. Shows how these features enable ultra-low latency and high-throughput use cases.

Lesson 2 • LTE Air Interface and Frame Structure

Details the LTE radio frame, subframe, and resource block as the units of scheduling. Connects frame structure knowledge to understanding throughput and latency calculations.

Lesson 3 • Device Attachment and Session Procedures

Walks through registration, authentication, and PDU session establishment step by step. Grounds protocol knowledge in the sequence of messages exchanged during device connection.

Lesson 1 • SMS and Messaging Protocols

Covers SMS delivery via SMSC, concatenation, and encoding standards for text messaging. Connects legacy SMS to modern IP-based messaging evolution.

Lesson 2 • Circuit-Switched Voice Fundamentals

Explains how 2G and 3G networks dedicate channels for voice using circuit switching. Provides baseline for comparing with packet-based voice delivery in later sections.

Lesson 3 • Voice over LTE Architecture

Details IMS, P-CSCF, and dedicated bearers as the building blocks of VoLTE service. Traces a VoLTE call from SIP registration through media path establishment.

Lesson 1 • Traffic Management and Optimisation

Covers congestion management, header compression, and offload strategies for efficient data delivery. Applies optimisation techniques to real-world scenarios of network congestion.

Lesson 2 • Mobile Data Architecture and APNs

Explains how APNs route device traffic to the correct external network or enterprise system. Connects APN configuration to data service activation and policy enforcement.

Lesson 3 • Quality of Service Framework

Defines QCI, GBR, and MBR as the parameters that govern traffic treatment in LTE and 5G. Maps QoS classes to application types such as video, VoIP, and best-effort browsing.

Lesson 1 • Coverage and Capacity Planning

Introduces link budget analysis, propagation modeling, and traffic forecasting as planning inputs. Produces a site layout that meets coverage and capacity targets simultaneously.

Lesson 2 • Optimization Techniques and Automation

Covers SON, load balancing, and interference coordination as automated optimization methods. Evaluates when manual tuning is needed versus when automation delivers better outcomes.

Lesson 3 • Key Performance Indicators and Monitoring

Defines accessibility, retainability, and mobility KPIs used to assess network health. Teaches how to read performance dashboards and identify degraded cells for action.

Lesson 4 • Drive Testing and Field Measurement

Explains drive test methodology, log collection, and post-processing as field validation tools. Links measurement results back to planning assumptions and optimization actions.

Lesson 1 • Authentication and Encryption in 4G and 5G

Details AKA, SUPI concealment, and NAS/AS security as the mechanisms protecting subscriber identity and data. Compares 4G and 5G security improvements to show the evolution of protection.

Lesson 2 • Mobile Network Threat Landscape

Catalogs SS7 vulnerabilities, IMSI catchers, and signaling attacks as the primary threat vectors. Establishes the risk context that motivates all subsequent security controls.

Lesson 3 • Roaming Security and Interconnect Protection

Addresses IPX security, signaling firewalls, and SMS home routing as defenses for roaming interfaces. Connects interconnect vulnerabilities to subscriber fraud and data exposure risks.