16r41_a15_RFP_QA_2June16.pdf

FA8751‐16‐R‐0041

Portable Cellular Base Station Questions & Answers – 2 June 2016

1. QUESTION: There are no specific frequency bands specified for any of the Radio Access Technologies (RAT) specified. Are there any further requirements addressing particular bands of operation?

ANSWER: The standard frequency bands for each system are acceptable. This unit will be used as a standalone system on a non‐interfering basis with existing commercial systems. Individual channel configurability is sought.

2. QUESTION: Interoperability – the specs address the ability to place calls between all installed RAT’s. Is there a requirement for Circuit Switched Fallback allowing the LTE network to utilize 3G for voice calls, when the phone does not support VoLTE.

ANSWER: Yes, full capabilities for all systems is required.

3. QUESTION: Is there a requirement for VoLTE?

ANSWER: Yes, full capabilities for all systems is required.

4. QUESTION: LTE functionality – the spec is silent on support for VoLTE, SVRCC, WiFi offloading, and many other features which are part of the LTE specification and in widespread use today. I only ask this, because if the LTE system that is procured does not support these capabilities, and this is to be a system for simulating real networks, then the system may lack the full capability set.

ANSWER: Yes, full capabilities for all systems is required.

5. QUESTION: The spec calls for GPRS support for 3G, however is there a requirement for GPRS support for

GSM?

ANSWER: Yes, full capabilities for all systems is required.

***Questions 6‐10 are regarding the below Specifications: *** •CDMA2000 1xRTT

•EVDO

•GSM

•W‐CDMA (minimum supported Release 7 to include HSPA+) •LTE (FDD & TDD, minimum supported Release 9)

6. QUESTION: Support all technologies simultaneously or only subset? or only one at a time but Software defined ? If so what are the active technologies they want at same time.

ANSWER: All technologies should be usable at the same time.

7. QUESTION: What Band(s) for each technology?

ANSWER: Please include at least one band as appropriate for each technology in the < 1GHZ range (eg 700/800/850/900 MHz) and one band as appropriate in the higher ranges (eg 1800/1900/2100 MHz).

8. QUESTION: What are their requirements for the RF network ; separate Tx/Rx and GPS for each technology or a single Tx/Rx antenna per band (technologies combined etc..)

ANSWER: Separate Tx/Rx antennas per band is sufficient.

9. QUESTION: Single sector or multi‐sectored per technology?

ANSWER: Only a single sector per technology is required.

10. QUESTION: Antennas: is the requirement for a single Omni directional, panel(s)?

ANSWER: The antenna provided is not the focus of this solicitation. Any simple antenna will suffice with the expectation that a suitable directional can be substituted at a future date for a more specific application.

***Question 11 is regarding the below Specifications: *** The Core Network must include all appropriate subsystem component capabilities for network operation. This shall include at a minimum:

•Mobile Switching Center (MSC) •Home Location Registry/Home Subscriber Server (HLR/HSS) •Visitor Location Registry (VLR) •Media Transcoder Process (MTP) •Short Messaging Service Center (SMSC) •Authentication Center (AUC) •3G GPRS Support Node (3G‐GSN including GGSN and SGSN) •Base Station Controller (BSC) •Appropriate Radio Network Controllers (RNC)

11. QUESTION: Is there an expectation to be 3GPP compliant for each component, or simulate this so is transparent to the air interface?

ANSWER: This can be transparent to the air interface as long as functionality of each is preserved. For example, it would be required to have the ability to store a list of UE information that is part of the HLR.

***Question 12 is regarding the below Specifications: *** ‐Cellular formats shall allow interoperability between all installed protocols (I.E. An attached phone using CDMA2000 1xRTT can place a call to another phone on either CDMA2000 1xRTT, W‐CDMA, GSM, or LTE)

12. QUESTION: Is VoLTE a requirement for this or is supporting VOIP call between LTE and EDGE, EVDO etc.

sufficient?

ANSWER: Yes VoLTE is required.