Mobile Communication System (MCS) Past Year Questions (2023–2025)
Mobile Communication System (MCS) Past Year Questions
Compiled from Exam Papers (2023–2025)
October 22, 2025
Module 1.0: Fundamentals of Mobile Communication
Question Marks Exam Year/Month
Q1 (A) Explanation: Explain the concept of frequency reuse with [5] Dec 2024
suitable example.
Q1 (a) Justification: Why the shape of the cell is hexagaon? [5] May 2024
Q.2 (A) Capacity: List the methods used to increase the system [10] Dec 2023
capacity. Explain any one in detail with advantages and disadvantages.
Q5 (b) Problem: Consider that a geographical service area is 4200 km2 . [10] May 2023
A total of 1001 radio channels are available. Area of cell is 12 km2 . 1)
How many times would the cluster of size 7 have to be replicated? 2)
Calculate the number of channels per cell and the system capacity.
3) If the cluster size is decreased from 7 to 4, does it result into increase in
system capacity?
Q.2 (a) Problem (Traffic Theory): A hexagonal cell within a 4-cell [10] Dec 2024
system has a radius of 1.387 km. 60 channels are used. Load per user is
0.029 Erlangs, and λ = 1 call/hour. Compute for an Erlang C system (5%
probability of delayed call): i) users per square kilometer ii)
probability delayed call waits > 10 s iii) probability call is delayed
> 10 s.
Q3 (a) Explanation: What is Handoff, explain Handoff procedure [10] Dec 2023
with neat diagram and also, explain Mobile assisted and Base
assisted Handoff.
Q.1 (f ) Explanation: List the various types of handoffs. Explain [4] May 2023
Mobile assisted handoff, soft handoff and hard handoff.
Q.1 (c) Explanation: What is handoff ? state its types. [5] May 2024
Q.1 (c) Explanation: Explain mobile assisted handoff. [5] May 2024
Q.1 (E) Explanation: Explain handoff process with diagram, also [10] May 2025
explain soft and hard handoff.
Q3 (a) Problem (Erlang): A 40MHz band is allocated for Mobile [10] Dec 2023
communication with simplex BW of 30Khz per user. Calculate no. of
duplex channels. Also calculate number of voice channel and number
of control channel if 10% channels are dedicated for control information.
Q.2 (a) Explanation: Explain Traffic Theory with respect to mobile [10] May 2023
cellular networks.
Module 2.0: Mobile Radio Propagation and Multiple Access
Mobile Radio Propagation
Question Marks Exam Year/Month
Q3 (B) Explanation: Explain following terms related to fading: 1. [10] May 2025
Coherence BW 2. Doppler spread 3. Multipath propagation.
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Mobile Communication System (MCS) Past Year Questions (2023–2025)
Q3 (b) Derivation: Derive the relation for Doppler shift to the mobile [10] Dec 2024
velocity and the spatial angle between the direction of motion of the
mobile and the direction of arrival of the wave. What are the fading
effects due to Doppler spread?
Q4 (a) Problem (Doppler): Consider a transmitter which radiates [10] May 2024
sinusoidal carrier frequency of 1850MHz. For a vehicle moving 60 mph,
compute the received carrier frequency if the mobile is moving (a)
directly towards the transmitter (b) directly away from the transmitter (c)
in a direction which is perpendicular to the direction of arrival of the
transmitted signal.
Q4 (B) Problem (Doppler): Mobile system is operating at 900MHz. [10] Dec 2023
For a user moving at a speed of 72km/h, calculate the received carrier
frequency if the user is moving (1) Directly away from the BS (2)
Directly towards the BS (3) 600 to the direction of arrival (4) Direction
perpendicular to the direction of arrival.
Q.1 (b) Differentiation: Differentiate between Rayleigh distribution [5] May 2024
and Ricean distribution.
Q3 (b) Discussion: Discuss factors influencing small scale fading. [10] May 2024
Q.1 (D) Explanation: Explain large scale and small-scale fading. [10] May 2025
Q.1 (d) Merits/Demerits: Explain the merits and demerits of a [5] May 2024
millimeter bands.
Q.1 (d) Justification: Why millimeter wave communication is not [5] Dec 2024
preferred for long distance communication? State its merits.
Q.1 (d) Problem (Free Space/2-Ray): Determine the received [10] May 2025
signal power by a mobile at 10km from a 50W cell-site transmitter
(1900Mhz). GT = 1, GR = 2. Assume free-space propagation
conditions.
Q2 (a) Problem (2-Ray): A mobile is 5km from BS, λ/4 antenna [10] Dec 2024
GR = 2.55dB. E-field at 1km is 10−3 V /m. fc = 900MHz. i) Find the
length and gain of Rx antenna. ii) Find the **received power using the
2-ray ground reflection model** (ht = 50m, hr = 1.5m).
Q.2 (a) Problem (Free Space): If a transmitter produces 50 watts, [10] May 2024
express in (a) dBm and (b) dBW. If 50 watts is applied to a unity gain
antenna (900MHz), find a **receiver power in dBm at a free space
distance of 100m**. What is Pr (10km)?
Q.6 (b) Derivation: Explain Friis Free Space Propagation Model. [10] May 2023
Derive an expression for received power and path loss at a distance
’d’. State advantages and drawbacks.
Multiple Access Techniques
Question Marks Exam Year/Month
Q3 (A) Comparison: Compare multiple access techniques SDMA, [10] May 2025
TDMA, FDMA and CDMA.
Q3 (A) Comparison: Compare multiple access techniques SDMA, [10] Dec 2023
TDMA, FDMA and CDMA.
Q6 (a) Explanation: What is CDMA? State its types. How it works? [10] Dec 2024
Q1 (B) Explanation: Explain FHSS with diagram. [5] May 2025
Q2 (A) Explanation: Explain Orthogonal Frequency Division [10] May 2023
Multiple Access (OFDMA) with neat diagrams. Also state its
advantages and drawbacks.
Module 3.0: 2G Technologies
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Mobile Communication System (MCS) Past Year Questions (2023–2025)
Question Marks Exam Year/Month
Q2 (A) Architecture: Draw GSM architecture and explain working [10] May 2025
of it.
Q.2 (B) Architecture: Draw GSM architecture and explain working [10] Dec 2023
of it.
Q.5 (a) Architecture: Draw and explain GSM signaling protocol [10] May 2024
architecture.
Q.1 (a) Architecture: Draw GSM Network Architecture and [4] May 2023
explain the use of: 1) HLR 2) VLR 3) EIR and 4) AUC.
Q.4 (B) Explanation: Explain speech signal processing in GSM. [10] May 2025
Q.1 (E) Explanation: Explain GSM features and services. [10] (Part of Q1) Dec 2023
Q.6 (a) Short Note: Write a note on GSM frame structure. [5] May 2024
Q.1 (C) Specifications: State radio specifications of GPRS & [5] Dec 2024
EDGE.
Q.6 (D) Architecture: Explain architecture of EDGE technology, [20] (Part of Q6) Dec 2023
how EDGE technology enhances data rate.
Q.1 (D) Receiver: Explain RAKE receiver. [5] May 2025
Q.5 (b) Receiver: Explain RAKE receiver. [10] May 2024
Q.6 (A) Receiver: How RAKE receiver improves gain in the [20] (Part of Q6) Dec 2023
presence of multipath fading.
Q.6 (A) Channel: Explain reverse link traffic channel of IS 95 [20] (Part of Q6) May 2025
CDMA system.
Q.1 (C) Codes: Explain Various codes used in IS-95 CDMA [10] (Part of Q1) Dec 2023
system.
Module 4.0: 3G Technologies
Question Marks Exam Year/Month
Q.4 (A) Architecture: Draw UTRAN block diagram and explain [10] May 2025
function of each block.
Q.2 (B) Architecture: Draw UMTS network architecture with [10] May 2024
interfaces and explain. Give specifications.
Q.4 (A) Architecture: Draw UMTS block diagram and explain [10] Dec 2023
function of each block.
Q.5 (b) Architecture: Draw a neat diagram of UMTS system [10] May 2023
architecture and explain in details.
Q.2 (b) Channels/Specs: State and explain UMTS channels. Give [10] Dec 2024
air interface specifications.
Q.6 (a) Attributes/Channels: What are the attributes of WCDMA [10] May 2024
system. Explain WCDMA channels.
Q.1 (A) Power Control: Explain power control process in [5] May 2025
WCDMA.
Q.1 (A) Power Control: Explain power control process in [10] (Part of Q1) Dec 2023
WCDMA.
Q.1 (e) Power Control: How power control is achieved in [5] May 2024
CDMA-2000 technology.
Q.1 (B) Differentiation: Differentiate between CDMA 2000 and [5] Dec 2024
WCDMA.
Q.3 (b) Comparison: Compare IS-95, CDMA-2000 and WCDMA. [10] May 2023
Q.4 (B) Architecture: Illustrate 3GPP core network architecture [10] Dec 2024
and explain functions of each block in detail.
Q.4 (b) Architecture: Illustrate 3GPP core network architecture [10] May 2024
and explain functions of each block in detail.
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Mobile Communication System (MCS) Past Year Questions (2023–2025)
Module 5.0: 3GPP LTE
Question Marks Exam Year/Month
Q.5 (B) Architecture: Draw and explain 3GPP LTE architecture. [10] May 2025
Q.5 (B) Architecture: Draw and explain 3GPP LTE architecture. [10] Dec 2023
Q.4 (a) Architecture: Draw LTE network architecture and Discuss [10] May 2023
in details.
Q.5 (a) Physical Layer: Explain frames, slots and symbols used in [10] Dec 2024
physical layer of 3GPP LTE.
Q.1 (C) Preference: Explain why OFDMA is preferred for [4] May 2023
downlink and SC-FDMA for uplink in LTE.
Module 6.0: Advanced techniques and Beyond
Question Marks Exam Year/Month
Q.1 (C) MIMO: How MIMO increases data rate? [5] May 2025
Q.3 (a) MIMO: What is MIMO? How Massive MIMO systems are [10] Dec 2024
influencing future?
Q.3 (a) MIMO: What is MIMO? State and explain its types with [10] May 2024
suitable diagram.
Q.5 (A) MIMO: How MIMO system increases reliability and data [10] Dec 2023
rate.
Q.5 (a) MIMO: What is MIMO? What are its advantages. Explain [10] May 2023
MIMO with respect to 4G Technology.
Q.6 (D) Comparison: Compare 1G, 2G, 3G and 4G. [20] (Part of Q6) May 2025
Q.6 (C) Comparison: Compare 1G, 2G, 3G and 4G. [20] (Part of Q6) Dec 2024
Q.6 (C) Comparison: Compare 1G, 2G, 3G and 4G. [20] (Part of Q6) Dec 2023
Q.6 (a) Comparison: Compare 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G w.r.t speed, [10] May 2023
applications, bandwidth, spectral efficiency and handoff.
Q.5 (A) 5G: Explain technologies enabling 5G. [10] May 2025
Q.1 (d) 5G: List the features of 5G. [4] May 2023
Q.6 (B) Short Note: Write short note on Software Defined Radio. [20] (Part of Q6) May 2025
Q.1 (e) SDR: What is software defined radio? State two applications. [5] Dec 2024
Q.6 (B) Short Note: Write short note on Software Defined Radio. [20] (Part of Q6) Dec 2023
Q.1 (e) Cognitive Radio: What is Cognitive Radio? State its [4] May 2023
advantages.
Q.6 (b) Short Note: Explain Cognitive Radio. [10] (Part of Q6) Dec 2024
Q.6 (b) Short Note: Explain PAPR in OFDM. [5] May 2024
Q.6 (b) Short Note: Explain PAPR in OFDM. [10] (Part of Q6) Dec 2024
Q.6 (b) Short Note: Explain NOMA. [10] (Part of Q6) Dec 2024
Q.6 (b) Short Note: Explain Beamforming. [5] May 2024
