GSM Channels

GSM Channels
Physical Channel
One time slot on one carrier is called physical
channel.
Logical Channel
Information carried by physical channels is
called logical Channels.
Logical channels are mapped on physical
channels.



Logical Channels
Traffic channels: Used for speech and data
Full Rate(TCH/F)
Half Rate(TCH/H)
Control channels: Used for signaling .i.e.
setting up a radio connection, call or controlling
an MS during conversation
BCH(Broadcast channels)
CCCH(common control channels)
DCCH(dedicated control channels)


Traffic Channels(TCH)
TCH/F
(full Rate)
TCH/H
(half Rate)
Traffic Channels(TCH)
Control Channels(CCH)
CCH(Control Channel)
BCH CCCH DCCH
CCH RACH CBCH SDCCH ACCH Synch.
Chanels
SACCH FACCH
PCH/
AGCH
FCCH SCH
BCH(Broadcast Channels)
BCCH(Broadcast Control Channels)
Downlink Only.
Broadcast information of the serving cell
(System Information).
Transmitted on timeslot zero of BCCH carrier.
Reads only by idle mobile at least once every
30 secs.

BCH(Broadcast Channels) contd
SCH(Synchronisation Channels)
Downlink Only
Carries information for frame synchronisation.
Contains frame number and BSIC(Base Station
Identity Code).

BCH(Broadcast Channels) contd
FCCH(Frequency Correction Channels)
Downlink Only.
Enable MS to synchronies to the frequency.

CCCH(Common Control
Channel)
RACH(Random Access Channel)
Uplink only.
Used by the MS when making its first access
to the Network.
The reason for access could be initiation of a
call or a page response.

CCCH(Common Control
Channel) contd
AGCH(Assess Grant Channel)
Downlink only.
Used for acknowledgement of the access
attempt sent on RACH.
Used by the network to assign a signaling
cannel upon successful decoding of access
bursts.

CCCH(Common Control
Channel) contd
PCH(Paging Channel)
Downlink only.
The network will page the MS ,if there is a
incoming call or a short Message.
It contains the MS identity number, the IMSI or
TMSI.

DCCH(Dedicated Control
Channel)
SDCCH (Stand-alone Dedicated Control
Channel)
Uplink and Downlink.
Used for call setup, authentication, ciphering
location update and SMS.

DCCH(Dedicated Control
Channel) contd
SACCH(Slow Associated Control Channel)
Downlink and Uplink.
Used to transfer signal while MS have ongoing
conversation on traffic or while SDCCH is
being used.
On the forward link, the SACCH is used to
send slow but regularly changing control
information to each mobile on that ARFCN,
such as power control instructions and specific
timing advance instructions


SACCH(Slow Associated Control Channel)
contd
The reverse SACCH carries information
about the received signal strength and
quality of the TCH, as well as BCH
measurement results from neighboring
cells.
DCCH(Dedicated Control
Channel) contd
FACCH(Fast Associated Control Channel)
Downlink and uplink.
Associate with TCH only.
It is used to send fast message like hand over
message.
Work by stealing traffic bursts.

Mapping on Physical Channels
The Logical channels are mapped on the
physical channels.
The TDMA frames are grouped together
into multi-frame.
26 TDMA multi-frame for Traffic.
51 TDMA multi-frame for control signal.

Channel Combination
Combined
All the controlling signals are in the time slot 0
of the Multi-frame.
Non Combined
Dedicated controlling signals are in time slot 1
of the Multi-frame.
Combined
Cell with single carrier.
Timeslot 0 :BCCH+CCCH+SDCCH.
Timeslot 1-7 :TCH/FACCH+SACCH.
Non Combined
Cell with Two carrier
Timeslot 0 (of carrier 1) BCCH+CCCH.
Timeslot 1 (of carrier1) SDCCH+SACCH.
Timeslot 2-7 & 0-7(of both carriers)
TCH/FACCH+SACCH.
Combined Multi-frame
Mapping of All Control Channel
on Timeslot 0 of The multi-frame.
BCCH+CCCH+SDCCH in Timeslot 0


BCCH/CCH Combined Multi-frame Downlink

A1
A0
D3
D2
D1
D0
A2
A3
D3
D2
D1
D0
0
10
20
30
40
50
51
61
71
81
91
101
IDEL
SCH
CCCH
BCCH
SACCH
SDCCH
FCCH
Mapping of logical channel
on Timeslot 0
BCCH/CCH Combined Multi-frame Uplink

D2
D1
D0
A3
A1
D3
51
101
D2
D1
D0
D3
A0
A2
0
10
40
50
30
20

SACCH
SDCCH
FACH
Mapping of logical channel
on Timeslot 0
NON Combined Multi-frame
Mapping of All Control Channels on
Timeslot 0 and 1of The multi-frame.
BCCH+CCCH in Timeslot 0
SDCCH+SACCH in Timeslot 1


BCCH/CCH Non combined Multi-frame
Downlink
0
10
20
30
40
50
FCCH
Idle
CCCH
SCH
BCCH
Mapping of logical channel
On Timeslot 0
BCCH/CCH Non combined Multi-frame
Uplink
RACH
0
50
10
20
30
40
Mapping of logical Channel
on Timeslot 0
DCCH Non combined Multi-frame Downlink
A3
A2
A1
A0
D7
D6
D5
D4
D3
D2
D1
D0
0
4
8
12
16
20
24
28
32
36
40
44
48
50
A7
A6
A5
A4
D7
D6
D5
D4
D3
D2
D1
D0
51
55
59
63
67
71
75
79
83
87
91
95
99
101
SACCH
IDLE
SDCCH
Mapping of logical channel on
Timeslot 1
DCCH Non combined Multi-frame uplink

A2
A1
A0
D7
D6
D4
D5
A1
D3
D2
D1
D0
D0
A7
A6
A5
A4
D7
D6
D5
D4
D3
D2
D1
IDLE
SDCCH
4
8
12
15
19
23
27
31
35
39
43
47
50
84
55
59
63
66
70
74
78
82
88
92
96
101
51
3
Mapping of logical channel
on Timeslot 1
SACCH