Introduction to Mobile communications

History of communication
archaic mobile communication
optical

transmission
(smoke/light signals,..)
acoustic transmission (drums,
alpine horns,...)

Early telecommunications
involved smoke, flags, drums,
and other such methods
to relay messages and
information.

What is communication
Basic Communications System Elements
Source
Destination

Transmission
Medium
Networ
Source
k

Transmission Medium

Destination

Transition medium
Transmission Medium

Wire

Twisted-pair cable

Coaxial cable

Wireless

Fiber-optic cable

LOS

Non-LOS

What Wireless?

Why Wireless?

Drawbacks of wireless communication

Types of communication systems

TX

TX+RX

TX+RX

RX

TX +RX

TX +RX

Duplex Transmission

Multiple-Access
Three ways to separate signals.

Code

Frequency
Time
Code

Frequency

Multiple Access

Most modern systems use combinations:

TDMA/FDMA
CDMA/FDMA

FDMA
Frequency-division multiple-access.
Each user is assigned one frequency

Channel 1

guard
30 kHz

band

frequency

TDMA
Time-division multiple-access
All users transmit at same frequency.
Each user transmits at a different time.

User 1

User 1

20 msec
time slot

time

User 2

User 2

guard
time

User 3

User 3

Wave Properties
Lower frequencies, with longer
wavelengths, are better suited to
transmission over large distances,

Higher frequencies, with shorter

wavelengths, are better suited to
transmission over small distances,

Fading
dip
point
n

Questions ?

GSM system overview

Spectrum Allocation (GSM 900)

Downlink 935 960 MHz

Uplink 890 915 MHz

200 KHz
890.2 890.6
1 2 3 4
890

935

121 122 123 124

121

915 F (MHz)

890.4

935.2 935.6
1

Uplink

Downlink
121 122 123 124
121

960 F (MHz)

935.4

GSM 900 Frequency Allocation

ARFCN

Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number

Spectrum Allocation (GSM 1800)

Downlink 1805 1880 MHz

Uplink 1710 1785 MHz

200 KHz
1710.2 1710.6
1

Uplink

371 372 373 374

1710 1710.4

1785 F (MHz)

1805.2 1805.6
1

Downlink

371 372 373 374

1805 1805.4

1880 F (MHz)

GSM 1800 Frequency Allocation

GSM 900 Band

935 M Hz

960 M Hz

947.5 M Hz
VODAFONE

Mobinil

12.5 MHz

12.5 MHz
902.5 M Hz
915 M Hz

890 M Hz

25 MHz

GSM Coverage
Plan

To provide coverage for a large service are of a mobile

network we have 2 Options:
(A) Install one transceiver with
high radio power at the center of
the service area
Drawbacks
The mobile equipments used in this
network should have high output power
in order to be able to transmit signals
across the coverage area.
The usage of the radio resources would
be limited.

(B) Divide the service area into

smaller areas (cells)

Advantages
Each cell as well as the mobile
handsets will have relatively small
power transceivers.
The frequency spectrum might be
reused in two far separated cells,
Unlimited capacity of the system.
Good interference characteristics

Frequency Reuse
Why do we need frequency reuse?
Total no of channels (frequencies) = 124
Every channel can be shared between 8 subscribers max.
Maximum no of simultaneous calls = 8 X 124 = 992
!!
The frequency reuse is performed by dividing the whole available
frequencies between a group of neighboring cells which is called frequency
reuse pattern or a Cluster, and then repeat this cluster over the whole
network on 2 conditions:
The group of frequencies allocated to a given cell must not be used in the adjacent
cells.
Enough distance between the cells in which the same group of frequencies are
reused.

A3
A2

Frequency Reuse
A3

A1
B3

A2
A1
A3

B3
A2

A1

B1
C3
C2
C1

A3

A1
B3

A2
A1

B2

C3

A3

A1
C3

C2
C1

A3

B3
A2

C2
C1

B1

B2

C3

A1

B2
B1

C3
C2

C1

B2

C3

B1

B2
B1

A1

A2

B3

B3
A2

B3

A1

A2

A3

C1

C2

C2
C1

C2

A3

C1

C2
C1

B1

B1

B2

C3

B2

C3

B1

B2

C3

B1

A2

B3
A2

A1
B3

A1

B3
A2

C2

A3

C1

A3

C1

C2

A3

B1

B2

C3

B2

C3

B1

B2

B3

C2

C1

Cell Geometry

Dead Spots

Problem of omni directional antennas

Cell Geometrical
Shape
To solve the dead spot problem

Tradeoffs

The number of cells required to cover a given area.

The cell transceiver power.

Transceiver
Antenna

Sectorial Antenna

Omni-Directional Antenna

Sectorial Antenna

Sectorial Antenna
The cells will take the form of overlapping circles.

Due to the obstacles in the coverage area the actual shape of t

cells would be Random.

cell sectorization

Sectorized Antennas

Further interference reduction by using sectorized

antennas.

Global
Suburban
& rural

Urban
In-building
Pico-Cell

Satellite Macro-Cell Micro-Cell

Pico-Cell

Questions ?

GSM Architecture

GSM Complete Model

SS

AUC

PLMN
ISDN
PSTN

H LR

SMSC-GMSC
SMS-IWMSC

SC

GWMSC
MIN

EIR
MSC/VLR

BGW

BSS
BSC

OSS
BTS

The Mobile Station MS

MS = ME + SIM
Mobile Equipment (ME):
it is the terminal used by the user.

Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)

It is an electronic microchip for storing
information about the subscription.

Function of a Mobile Station

Radio transmission termination.
Radio channel management.
Speech encoding / decoding.
Flow control of data.
Mobility management.
Call control.
Performance measurement of radio link.

International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI)

TAC

FAC

SNR

IMEI

TAC = Type Approval

Code
FAC = Final Assembly
Code
SNR = Serial Number

Identifies the Type

Identifies the manufacturer

ME is uniquely identified by the IMEI

TAC

FAC

SNR

SVN

(6 digits) (2 digits) (6 digits) (2 digits)

Final Assembly Codes (FAC)

01 ,02 AEG

TAC: Type Approval Code

07 ,40 Motorola

Places that is centrally assigned by

a GSM body.

10 ,20 Nokia

SNR: Serial Number

Unique serial number assigned by
the manufacturer

SVN: Software version Number

Refer to the version of software

40,41,44, Siemens
47 Optional International
51 Sony
51 Siemens
51 Ericsson
60 Alcatel

Stores user addresses

IMSI,MSISDN,TMSI, rooming, etc

authentication and encryption features

subscribers secret authentication key (Ki)
Authentication algorithm (secret algorithm A3 not unique)
Cipher key generation algorithm (A8)
Personalization
SIM stores user profile (subscribed services)
RAM available for SMS, short numbers, users
directory, etc
Protection codes PIN ,PUK

The Mobile Subscriber ISDN Number (MSISDN)

CC

NDC

SN

(2-3 digits)

(2-3 digits)

(max. 10 digits)

CC: Country Code

NDC: National Destination Code
SN: Subscriber Number

The International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)

MCC

MNC

MSIN

(3 digits)

(2 digits)

(10 digits)

MCC: Mobile Country Code

International standardized

MNC: Mobile Network Code

Unique Identification of mobile networks within a country.

MSIN: Mobile Subscriber Identification Number

Identification of subscriber in his mobile home network

The Mobile Station Roaming Number (MSRN)

CC

NDC

SN

(2-3 digits)

(2-3 digits)

(max. 10 digits)

Used by the HLR for rerouting calls to the MS.

It is assigned upon demand by the HLR on a per call basis.
CC: Country Code
Of the visited network
NDC: National Destination Code
Of the visited network
SN: Subscriber Number
Assigned by the current VLR and is unique in the current mobile
network

Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (TMSI)

Used in place of the IMSI for
define identification and
addressing of the MS.
The purpose is to keep
subscriber information confidential
on the air interface.
The TMSI is relevant on the local
MSC/VLR level only
Changed at new MSC/VLR area
or at time intervals (ID hopping)

Base Station Subsystem (BSS)

BSS

T
R
A
U
BTS

BSC

MS

The Base Station Sub-system (BSS) is responsible for all the

radio-related functions in the system.

Function of BTS
Ciphering using the ciphering key.
Channel coding and interleaving.
Records and passes to the BSC
the Signal strength measurements.
Modulation and demodulation

Function of BSC
Paging
Channel allocation
Dynamic power control in MS and BTS
Locating the MS

Handover
Frequency Hopping

Network Switching Subsystem (NSS)

NSS
HLR

AUC
BTS

BSC

BTS

MSC/VLR

Function of MSC

Switching and call routing to or from MS.

Charging.

Service provisioning.

Control of connected BSCs.

Access to PSTN.

Provides the gateway functionality to

other networks.

One MSC controls more than one BSC.

Its function is to connect the PLMN to the PSTN or to the other PLMN existing
in the country.

The HLR is a centralized network database that stores and manages all
mobile subscriptions.
Permanent information
IMSI, MSISDN

Services subscribed
Service restrictions (e.g. roaming restrictions)
Parameters for additional services

info about user equipment (IMEI)

Authentication data

Temporary information

Link to current location of the user:

Current VLR address (if avail)

Current MSC address (if avail)
MSRN (if user outside PLMN)

MSC/VLR

 Eventually integrated with HLR

Triplets
Authentication Center
RAN
D

SRE
S

Kc

Triplet
Home Location Register
RAN
D

SRE
S

Kc

Triplet
Visitor Location Register
RAN
D

SRE
S

Kc

The Authentication Procedure

Rand

SRES AUC

Visitor Location Register

Kc

SRES AUC

VLR

Access

SRES MS

Barred

Base Station Subsystem

Rand

SRES MS

SRES MS

SIM Card

Rand

A3

Ki

Rand

A8

Kc

The Ciphering Procedure

To the BSC

From the BSC

DATA

DATA

Base Transceiver Station

Kc

Encrypted
DATA

TDMA
Frame Number

Encryption
Algorithm A5
Encrypted
DATA

Decryption
Algorithm A5

Air Interface
Mobile Station

Encryption
Algorithm A5

Kc
TDMA
Frame Number

DATA

Decryption
Algorithm A5
DATA

Mobile Calls
Mobile Terminating Calls
Mobile Originating Calls

Mobile Originating
Calls
1.

2.

PSTN

MSC

3.

4.
BSC

5.

6.

The mobile sends a call request along with its

IMSI to its serving MSC/VLR which will mark the
mobile as busy.
Authentication is performed by the MSC to
verify the mobile access to the network, and
then ciphering is initiated in order to protect the
mobile call on the radio path.
The mobile sends a call setup message to the
MSC with information about the call type,
services required and the dialed number.
MSC checks the categories of the mobile
subscriber to verify that he is authorized to use
the required services, and then a link is
established between the MSC and BSC.
BSC checks the mobile serving BTS for an idle
traffic channel and then orders that BTS to seize
this channel for a call.
The BSC informs the MSC when the traffic
channel assignment is complete, and then the
MSC/VLR starts to analyze the dialed number
and sets up a connection to the called
subscriber.

Mobile Terminating
Calls
1
HLR

PSTN

5
2
4

6
GMSC

MSC

BSC

Transcoding and Rate Adaptation

We put TRAU at BSC side to save air resources

Questions ?