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Overview
Cellular networks use a range of identifiers to distinguish countries, operators, cells and network areas. These identifiers are reported throughout the SNYPER and SENTRY product families and form the foundation for understanding survey results across GSM, UMTS, LTE, 5G, LTE-M, NB-IoT and NTN technologies.
| Product | Description |
|---|---|
| SNYPER-5G Graphyte | 5G NR, 4G LTE, LTE-M, NB-IoT and 2G/GSM Signal Analyser & Datalogger |
| SNYPER-IoT Graphyte | LTE-M, NB-IoT and 2G/GSM Signal Analyser & Datalogger |
| SNYPER-LTE Graphyte | LTE cellular network analyser |
| SNYPER Graphyte Series | Legacy cellular network analysers |
| SENTRY Network Analysers | Embedded cellular monitoring products |
| CloudSURVEY | Cellular survey visualisation platform |
This guide explains:
Expected Result
At the end of this guide the user will understand the core identifiers used by cellular networks and displayed throughout SNYPER survey results.
A cellular network consists of multiple base stations, cells and network areas operated by one or more network operators.
Each element is assigned identifiers that allow equipment to:
SNYPER products display these identifiers to help users understand which networks are available and how those networks are organised.
Technology identifies the radio access technology used by a network.
| Technology | Description |
|---|---|
| GSM | Second generation cellular network |
| GPRS | GSM packet data service |
| EDGE | Enhanced GSM packet data service |
| UMTS | Third generation cellular technology |
| HSPA | Enhanced UMTS packet data service |
| LTE | Fourth generation cellular technology |
| LTE-M | LTE for machine-type communications |
| NB-IoT | Narrowband Internet of Things |
| 5G NSA | Non-Standalone 5G |
| 5G SA | Standalone 5G |
| NTN | Non-Terrestrial Network |
The technology determines:
The operator is the organisation providing the cellular service.
| Country | Example Operators |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | EE, Vodafone, O2, Three |
| Germany | Telekom, Vodafone, O2 |
| France | Orange, SFR, Bouygues |
Different operators may offer:
Country identifies the nation associated with the network operator.
Country information is derived from the Mobile Country Code (MCC).
Country information assists with:
The Mobile Country Code identifies the country associated with a cellular network.
| MCC | Country |
|---|---|
| 234 | United Kingdom |
| 262 | Germany |
| 208 | France |
| 310 | United States |
The MCC forms part of the unique operator identifier used throughout cellular systems.
The Mobile Network Code identifies a specific operator within a country.
| MCC | MNC | Operator |
|---|---|---|
| 234 | 15 | Vodafone UK |
| 234 | 30 | EE |
| 234 | 10 | O2 |
The combination of MCC and MNC uniquely identifies a mobile network operator.
A PLMN uniquely identifies a cellular network operator.
PLMN = MCC + MNC
23415
Represents Vodafone UK.
PLMN information is used during:
A cell is the radio coverage area served by a single base station sector.
A single base station may contain multiple cells.
Each cell can provide:
SNYPER survey results are typically organised by cell.
The Cell ID uniquely identifies a cell within a network.
Cell IDs allow engineers to:
Index is the position of a discovered cell within the survey results list.
| Index | Cell |
|---|---|
| 1 | Strongest cell |
| 2 | Second strongest cell |
| 3 | Third strongest cell |
Index provides a convenient reference when reviewing survey results.
Seen indicates how many times a particular cell was detected during a survey.
| Seen Count | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| 1 | Detected once |
| 5 | Detected repeatedly |
| 10+ | Consistently visible |
Higher values may indicate:
A Location Area Code identifies a geographical area within a GSM or UMTS network.
The LAC assists the network with:
A Tracking Area Code identifies a geographical area within LTE and 5G networks.
The TAC is used by the network to:
A band defines a specific frequency allocation used by a cellular technology.
| Band | Typical Technology |
|---|---|
| Band 20 | LTE |
| Band 28 | LTE / LTE-M / NB-IoT |
| n78 | 5G NR |
| n258 | 5G mmWave |
Frequency bands affect:
A channel number identifies a specific radio carrier frequency within a band.
| Technology | Channel Type |
|---|---|
| GSM | ARFCN |
| UMTS | UARFCN |
| LTE | EARFCN |
| 5G | NR-ARFCN |
Channel numbers allow engineers to determine precisely which frequencies are being used by the network.
Network refers to the complete cellular infrastructure operated by a particular mobile operator.
A network may contain:
Network-wide information helps users compare operators and assess deployment suitability.
| Identifier | Purpose |
|---|---|
| MCC | Country identification |
| MNC | Operator identification |
| PLMN | Complete network identification |
| Cell ID | Individual cell identification |
| LAC | GSM/UMTS location area |
| TAC | LTE/5G tracking area |
| Band | Frequency allocation |
| Channel | Specific carrier frequency |
| Identifier | Used For |
|---|---|
| MCC | Country identification |
| MNC | Operator identification |
| PLMN | Network identification |
| Cell ID | Cell identification |
| LAC | GSM and UMTS location management |
| TAC | LTE and 5G tracking |
| Band | Frequency allocation |
| Channel | Carrier identification |
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