What Is Radio Network Controller?

Radio network controller and mobile technology can be very helpful for a person who has no background in the radio field. Even if you are learning in this field there are a lot of changes that take place on a regular base. So, you need to remain up to date on all the emergency and current terms and mechanisms.

This blog will completely help you to understand what is a radio network controller how it works and its role in governing radio access. Extensive knowledge is necessary of the mechanism of radio technology. We will do our best to provide perfect content without causing any confusion in technical terms.

However, it is not possible to have a full grip on the role of radio access controller but in this blog, the main terms are highlighted to help you to learn about what is an RNC in a simple but comprehensive manner.

Radio Network Controller:

The radio network controller (RNC) is the key element in the UMTS radio access network. RNC is responsible for controlling Node Bs that are attached to it. Radio management works for some of the mobility and resource management functions. At this point, the encoding process occurs only in that before the user data are sent in to or from mobile. The radio network controller is linked to the data switched via the media gateway. Also, via the SGSN in the packet-switched network. The below diagram represents the radio network controller.

Management:

RNC is the charge of the distribution and the use of the radio network system that is linked to it. The function functions of a radio network controller are the management of radio sources, management of mobility, and encoded data and information.

The radio network controller is also responsible for managing the user voice and the traffic data. it also performs the user data that are necessary to have access to the radio barrier. In the universal mobile telecommunication system, it serves as a governing element.  The job of Node B is to stimulate the radio transmission and reception to and for the user equipment in more or more cells.

The best to see how radio network controllers work is via a pyramidal model. In which at the top position of pyramid RNC is placed. At one time One RNC can control hundreds of Nodes Bs. Then these Node Bs communicate with thousands of cells that are designed for tens of thousands of active calls. It means that several hundred and thousands of users in a certain place get support from a single radio network controller.

Logical functions of RNC:

There are three logical functions of radio network controller are given below,

• Drift RNC:

Drift radio network controllers work in such a way that serving RNC connects to the user equipment via an active cell that is managed by the different radio network controllers. The other RNC is controlling RNC for that specific cell and in a synchronized way serve as the drift RNC for the user equipment.

• Controlling RNC:

Each base station has a single RNC that controls all the calls that are associated with it and also responds to Node B.

• Serving radio network controller:

When user equipment is linked to a network it always has a connection to one specific serving radio network controller.

Advantages of radio network controller:

An (RNC) has the following advantages,

• Interface:

In the third generation model, the interface is designed in such a way that no future services affect them as they did in the base station controller (BSC).

• Packet transport network:

The radio network controller introduced a new transmission technology in which packets are used. In packets, larger volumes are packed and get transferred in a very efficient way.

• Management:

The traffic distribution is easily managed by the RNC. Due to the operating and serving functions of the RNC.

Radio network controller Vs base station controller:

The RNC is the improved replacement of the base station controller. The main reason is that the maker did not anticipate how much traffic increase in the future. The aim of making RNC is to manage a complex system that is adjustable by increasing traffic volume.

BSCs are the 2^nd generation cellular system. The industries are expanded at that time due to base station controllers. But BSCs need to separate radio and subscriber features. This indicates that it needs improvement.

A base station controller was introduced to control a single node. When the traffic and function increase they became obsolete. The maker designed a third-generation system that is called a radio network controller.  It is the way it expands the capabilities that are lacking in the base station controllers. It also adds some functions and a few crucial functions.

Up to date:

I am sure if you are reading this blog, you are someone either studying telecommunication or likely to get involved and want to understand and educate yourself about the upgrading features in telecommunication technology.  In the present era technology is constantly evolving and continuously struggling to anticipate future challenges, and they do make a system that meets the changing and increasing demands.

It is a high possibility these challenges are coped with the radio network controller. Although it is impossible to anticipate all the future changes to combat the future.

Frequently Asked Question:

Q no1: what are the new technologies that we must be familiar with by some changes in UMTS?

Ans: UMTS are incorporated to accommodate the 3G cellular system. But now, the world the changing and moved to the 4G network. It offers a great speed, so we will be cautious as the 5G capabilities are introduced worldwide.

Q no2: when was the RNC are introduced?

Ans:  In December 2001 Norway the first UMTS was introduced. over the past two decades, it has become a standard cellular system model.