In this illustration, we see a base station system similar to one from the previous figure, with three hexagons representing geographic coverage areas, each containing a base transceiver station and sharing mobile subscribers. Rather than connect with a BSC, each base transceiver station connects to a Radio Network Controller, or RNC. Diagonally upwards to the right, the RNC connects to a MSC, which connects to a Gateway MSC (further identified in a key as "Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN)." This Gateway MSC connects to a cloud representing the public telephone network. The RNC also connects, vertically to the right, to a router labeled "SGSN" (further identified in a key as a "Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN)), which connects to a GGSN, which connects to a cloud representing the public Internet.

The area of the BSS is identified as including "Radio Interface (WCDMA, HSPA)." The area from the left-most edge of the BSS to the right-most edge of the RNC is identified as "Radio Access Network, Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN)." The area between the SGSN and the GGSN is identified as the "Core Network, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Core Network." And the area of the public Internet is identified as "Public Internet."