Multicast-Broadcast Single Frequency Network

Multicast-Broadcast Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) is a communication channel defined in the fourth-generation cellular networking standard called Long Term Evolution (LTE). It can deliver services such as mobile TV using the LTE infrastructure, and is expected to compete with dedicated mobile/handheld TV broadcast systems such as DVB-H[1] [2] . This enables network operators to offer mobile TV without the need for additional expensive licensed spectrum and without requiring new infrastructure and end-user devices.

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Technical Details

LTE's Enhanced Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Services (E-MBMS) provides transport features for sending the same content information to all the users in a cell (broadcast) or to a given set of users (subscribers) in a cell (multicast). It must not be confused with IP-level broadcast or multicast, which offer no sharing of resources on the radio access level. In E-MBMS it is possible to either use a single eNode-B or multiple eNode-Bs for transmission to multiple UEs. MBSFN is the definition for the latter[3].

MBSFN is a transmission mode which exploits LTE's OFDM radio interface to send multicast or broadcast data as a multicell transmission over a synchronized single-frequency network (SFN). The transmissions from the multiple cells are sufficiently tightly synchronized for each to arrive at the UE within the OFDM Cyclic Prefix (CP) so as to avoid Inter-Symbol Interference (ISI). In effect, this makes the MBSFN transmission appear to a UE as a transmission from a single large cell, dramatically increasing the Signal-to-Interference Ratio (SIR) due to the absence of inter-cell interference [4].

Commercial Adoption

LTE deployment is in its infancy at the time of writing, and there is no known commercial deployment of MBSFN.

Reference

  1. ^ "Long Term Evolution (LTE): A Technical Overview". Motorola Technical White Paper. p. 10. http://www.motorola.com/web/Business/Solutions/Industry%20Solutions/Service%20Providers/Wireless%20Operators/LTE/_Document/Static%20Files/6834_MotDoc_New.pdf. 
  2. ^ Turner, Lorraine. "3G evolution to rival DVB-H, WiMAX - Analysys". Total Telecom. http://www.totaltele.com/view.aspx?ID=363424. Retrieved 09 February 2006. 
  3. ^ Lescuyer, Pierre (2008). Evolved Packet System (EPS): The LTE and SAE Evolution of 3G UMTS. Wiley. p. 140-143. ISBN 978-0470059760. http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470059761.html. 
  4. ^ Sesia, Stefania (2009). LTE - A Pocket Dictionary of Acronyms. Wiley. p. 45. ISBN 978-0-470-69716-0. http://lte.alcatel-lucent.com/locale/en_us/downloads/LTE-A_Pocket_Dictionary_of_Acronyms.pdf. 

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