GSM Architecture

GSM (Global System for Mobile)

• GSM stands for Global System for Mobile
Communication and is an open, digital cellular
technology used for transmitting mobile voice and
data services.
• It's a Second generation cellular system standard and
was developed to replace incompatible Analog
System.
• GSM makes use of narrowband Time Division Multiple
Access (TDMA) technique for transmitting signals.
• The GSM is a circuit-switched system that divides
each 200kHz channel into eight 25kHz time-slots.

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 1.3. GSM Specifications
Frequency bands:

– GSM 900:
• 890 – 915 MHz: Uplink (MS transmit)
• 935 - 960 MHz: Downlink (MS receive)

– GSM 1800:
• 1710 - 1885 MHz: Uplink
• 1805 - 1880 MHz: Downlink
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 1.4. GSM network areas:
In a GSM network, the following areas are defined:

 Cell: Cell is the basic service area: one BTS covers one cell. Each cell is
given a Cell Global Identity (CGI), a number that uniquely identifies the cell.

 Location Area: A group of cells form a Location Area. This is the area that
is paged when a subscriber gets an incoming call. Each Location Area is
assigned a Location Area Identity (LAI). Each Location Area is served by one
or more BSCs.

 MSC/VLR Service Area: The area covered by one MSC is called the
MSC/VLR service area.

 PLMN: The area covered by one network operator is called PLMN. A PLMN
can
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 1.5. GSM SERVICE AREA
The GSM service area is the entire geographical area in which a
subscriber can gain access to a GSM network. The GSM service
area increases as more operators sign contracts agreeing to work
together.
International roaming is the term applied when an MS moves from
one PLMN to another.

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 2.1. What is Cell Planning?

•Cell planning means building a network able

to provide service to the customers wherever
they are.
•The main issue of the cellular network
Planner is achieving the maximum capacity
whilst maintaining an acceptable grade of
service and good speech quality.

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 Three types of cells are used in cell planning :
• Macro cells :Have a typical coverage range
from 1to 35 km. Normally the site location is
on a hilltop or a rooftop.
• Micro cells :Have a typical coverage range
from 0.1 to 1 km , it can maintain indoor
coverage in the lower levels of a building.
• Pico cells :It supplies coverage in indoor
environment. Pico cells are used when the
capacity need is extremely high in certain hot
spots.

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2.3. Cell Planning Process

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 • There are four steps in cell planning:
1.Traffic And Coverage Analysis
2.Nominal Cell Plan
3.Surveys
4.System Design

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 Multiplexing
 is sending multiple signals or streams of
information on a carrier at the same
time in the form of a single, complex
signal and then recovering the separate
signals at the receiving end.

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 Multiplexing Methods
• FDM : Frequency Division Multiplexing
– FDMA: Frequency Division Multiple Access

• TDM : Time Division Multiplexing

– FDMA: Time Division Multiple Access

• CDM : Code Division Multiplexing

– CDMA: Code Division Multiple Access

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 FDMA
• FDM divides the transmission frequency
range (Bandwidth) into narrower bands called
(subchannels).
• The subchannels are smaller frequency bands
and each band is capable of carrying a
separate voice or data signals!
• Guard bands are used to prevent
interference on the receiving end of the
signal (Accommodate the
delay of the near-far-problem)

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 FDM
Frequency Band

Frequency Band

Frequency Band

Frequency Band

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 TDMA
 in TDM the entire bandwidth of the radio
channel is used but is divided into time slots
that are periodically allocated to each station
for the duration of the call
 Each channel is divided into timeslots, each
conversation uses one timeslot.
• Many conversations are multiplexed into a
single channel.
• Used in GSM

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 Slot 1

Slot 2

Slot 3
TDM

Slot 4

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 CDMA
• Code Division Multiple Access
• Advanced technique that allows multiple
devices to transmit on the same frequencies
at the same time
• To pick out the signal of specific user, this
signal is modulated with a unique code
sequence.
• Each mobile device is assigned unique 64-bit
code

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CDMA

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 WHAT IS GPRS?

It is new non voice value added

services that allows information to be
sent and received across a mobile
telephone network.

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 GSM FREQUENCIES

FREQUENCY RANGE
GSM900 890-915 MHz paired with 935-960MHz

GSM1800 1710-1785MHz paired with 1805-1880MHz

GSM1900 1850-1910MHz paired with 1930-1990MHz

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 GSM Architecture
• GSM system is basically designed as
combination of 3 subsystems:
– Switching subsystem
– Radio subsystem
– Operation and maintenance subsystem

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GSM Architecture (Cont.)

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GSM Architecture (Cont.)

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 Components of RSS
• RSS consist of :
– Mobile equipment
• Mobile set
• SIM
– Base station
• Base transceiver station (BTS)
• Base station controller (BSC)
– Radio Interface (Um)

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 The Mobile Station (MS)
• The MS consists of two parts, the Mobile Equipment (ME)
and an electronic ‘smart card’ called a Subscriber Identity
module (SIM).
• The ME is the hardware used by the subscriber to access
the network. The hardware has an identity number
associated with it, which is unique for that particular
device and permanently stored in it.
• This identity number is called the International Mobile
• Equipment Identity (IMEI) and enables the network
operator to identify mobile equipment which may be
causing problems on the system.
• The SIM is a card which plugs into the ME. This card
identifies the MS subscriber and also provides other
information regarding the service that subscriber should
receive.
• The subscriber is identified by an identity number called
the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI).

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 Functions of a Mobile Station
• Radio transmission termination.
• Radio Channel Management.
• Speech Encoding/Decoding
• Radio Link error Protection.
• Flow control of data.
• Mobility Management

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 SIM
The SIM contains several pieces of information:
International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)
This number identifies the MS subscriber. It is only transmitted
over the air during initialization. The IMSI identifies the
subscriber within the GSM network while the MS
Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (TMSI)
This number identifies the subscriber, it is periodically changed
by the system management to protect the subscriber from being
identified by someone attempting to monitor the radio interface.
Location Area Identity (LAI)
Identifies the current location of the subscriber.
Subscriber Authentication Key
This is used to authenticate the SIM card.
Mobile Station International Services Digital Network (MSISDN)
This is the telephone number of the mobile subscriber. It is
comprised of a country code, a network code and a subscriber
number.

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BASE STATION SYSTEM (BSS) :- (BSC+BTS)
The BSS is responsible for communicating with mobile
stations in cell areas. It consists of BSC & one or
more BTS
• Base transceiver station
– The BTS contains the RF components that provide the air
interface for a particular cell.
– Or contains the equipment for transmitting and receiving radio
signals (transceivers), antennas, and equipment for encrypting and
decrypting communications with the base station controller (BSC).
• Base Station Controller
– BSC control the multiple BTS units & manage the handoff of
a mobile unit from one cell to another (BTS to BTS) within
BSS & control paging. BSC reserve radio frequency. BSC
handles allocation of radio channels.

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 BSS Interfaces
• UM
– The air interface between the
mobile station (MS) and the
BTS. This interface uses LAPDm
protocol (LAPDm is a data link
layer protocol used in GSM
cellular networks) for
signaling, to conduct call
control, measurement
reporting, handover, power
control, authentication,
authorization, location update
and so on.

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• Abis
– The interface between the BTS and BSC

• A
– The interface between the BSC and MSC. It
is used for carrying traffic channels

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• E, B, D
– The interface between two Mobile Switching
Centers (MSC) is called the E Interface
– The interface between the MSC and the VLR is
known as the B Interface and the interface
between the VLR and the HLR is known as the D
Interface. The interface between two VLRs is
called the G Interface

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 Components of SSS
• SSS consists of:
– Mobile service switching center(MSC)
– Home location Register(HLR)
– Visitor Location Register(VLR)
– Authentication Center(AC)
– Equipment Identification Register(EIR)

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Mobile service switching center(MSC)
• A mobile switching center (MSC) is the central
element of a network switching subsystem
(NSS). The MSC is mostly associated with
communications switching functions, such as
call set-up, release, and routing.
• The MSC sets up and releases the end-to-end
connection, handles mobility and hand-over
requirements during the call and takes care of
charging and real time pre-paid account
monitoring.
• Manages the interface between the GSM
network and the PSTN.

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 Home location Register (HLR)
• The Home Location Register (HLR) is the main
database of permanent subscriber information for a
mobile network.
• Identity of mobile subscriber.
• A HLR contains user information such as account
information, account status, user preferences,
features subscribed to by the user, user’s current
location etc.
• HLRs are used by the Mobile Switching Centers
(MSCs) to originate and deliver arriving mobile calls.
• HLR contains IMSI,MSISDN,VLR add.,Subscriber data.

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 Visitor Location Register (VLR)
• A VLR is a database, similar to a HLR, which
is used by the mobile network to temporarily
hold profiles of roaming users (users outside
their home area). This VLR data is based on
the user information retrieved from a HLR.
• The primary role of the VLR is to minimize the
number of queries that MSCs have to make to
the home location register (HLR), which holds
permanent data regarding the cellular
network’s subscribers.

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 VLR (cont..)

HLR

MSC VLR VLR MSC

• MSC communicates with HLR for

subscribers coming from different MSCs. If
the subscriber is found valid, then it
registers the subscriber in the VLR
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 Authentication Center(AC)
• The Authentication is a process to verify the subscriber SIM that
attempts to connect to the GSM core network (typically when the
phone is powered on).
• Secret data & verification algorithm are stored in to the AUC.
• Once the authentication is successful, the HLR is allowed to manage
the SIM and services described above.
• AUC & HLR combined to authenticate the Subscribers.
• An encryption key is also generated that is subsequently used to
encrypt all wireless communications (voice, SMS, etc.) between the
mobile phone and the GSM core network.
MSC

AUC
HLR

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 EIR (Equipment Identity Register)
• EIR is the Mobile Equipment Database
which has a series of IMEIs
• MSC asks the Mobile to send its IMEI
• MSC then checks the validity of IMEI
with the EIR
• All IMEIs are stored in EIR with
relevant classifications

EIR
MSC
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Equipment Identification Register(EIR)
• GSM network operators maintain three lists of
international mobile equipment identities
(IMEI) in their equipment identity register
(EIR):
• grey - GSM mobile phones to be tracked. List
of IMEIs which are to be evaluated before
they are put in black list
• black - barred GSM mobile phones. List of
IMEIs which should be disqualified because
either they are stolen or are not functioning
properly
• white - valid GSM mobile phones. This
contains the IMEI of type approved mobiles.
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 OMC – Operations and
Maintenance Centre
• Also called the NOC (Network Operations
centre)
• It is the central monitoring and remote
maintenance centre for all network
elements
• OMC has links to BSCs and MSCs

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 OMC

BTSs BSC

BSC OMC System

BTSs

BTSs BSC

OMC Terminals 41
 Operation & Maintenance Center (OMS)

• The Operation and maintenance Center (OMC) is the centralized

maintenance and diagnostic heart of the base station system
(BSS).
• It allows the network provider to operate, administer , and
monitor the functioning of the BSS.
• This enables the network provider to configure and maintain
the network from a central location.
• Includes database management, traffic metering and
measurement, man–machine interface.
• OMS consists of one or more operation & maintenance center.
• The implementation of OMC is called the operation and support
(OSS)
• The OSS is the functional entity from which network operator
controls the system

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 Function of OSS
• Management of status reports
• Traffic monitoring
• Subscriber security management
• Accounting and billing
• Network configuration, Operation and
Performance Management.
• Maintenance Tasks.
• important function of OSS is to provide a
network overview and support the
maintenance activities of different operation
and maintenance organizations.

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44
Mobility Management

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Network Management Centre

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NMC

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 abbreviation
• ME = Mobile Equipment
• BTS = Base Receiving Station
• BSC = Base Station Controller
• MSC = Mobile Switching Center
• VLR = Visitor Location Register
• OMC = Operation and Maintenance Center
• AuC = Authentication Center
• HLR = Home Location Register
• EIR = Equipment Identity Register

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GSM Channels

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 GSM Channels
• Physical Channel
– One time slot on one carrier is called
physical channel.
– Using TDM each carriers is divided into
eight time slots.
– One TS on TDMA frame is called a physical
channel.
– The path used to carry information
between mobile station & aBTS is known
as the physical channel.
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 Logical Channel

– Information carried by physical channels is

called logical Channels.
– Logical channels are mapped on physical
channels.
– Each logical channel is used for specific
purpose such as paging, call setup and
speech.

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GSM Channels

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Traffic Channels(TCH)

Traffic Channels(TCH)

TCH/F TCH/H
(full Rate) (half Rate)

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 Logical Channels
• Traffic channels: Used for speech and data
– Full Rate(TCH/F)
• This channel carries information at gross rate
of22.8 kbit/s. dedicates one slot per frame
for a communication channel between a user
and the cellular system.

– Half Rate(TCH/H)
• This channel carries information at gross rate of
11.4 kbit/s. dedicates one slot per every two
frames for a communication channel between
a user and the cellular system.
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 Signaling Channels
• The signaling channels on the air interface are used
for call establishment, paging, call maintenance,
synchronization, etc.
• Carry signaling information. Used by the MS to locate
a BTS, synchronize itself with the BTS & receive
information required to perform call setup.
• Signaling channels subdivided into three catagories:

– BCH(Broadcast channels)
– CCCH(common control channels)
– DCCH(dedicated control channels)

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 Broadcast Channels
• Carry only downlink information and are
responsible mainly for synchronization and
frequency correction.
– Broadcast information of the serving cell.
– The broadcast channel provides system
information, system configuration information and
lists of neighboring radio channels to all mobile
devices operating within its radio coverage area.
– The BCHs include the following channels:

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 Broadcast control channel
(BCCH)
• The Broadcast Control Channel is
transmitted by the BTS at all times.
• The MS monitors the information carried
on the BCCH periodically (at least every
30 secs), when it is switched on and not
in a call.
• Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH):
Carries the following information

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• Location Area Identity (LAI).
• List of neighboring cells that should be
monitored by the MS.
• List of frequencies used in the cell.
• Cell identity.
• Power control indicator.
• Access control (i.e., emergency calls, call
barring ... etc.).
• The MS receives signals via the BCCH from
many BTSs within the same network and/or
different networks.

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 Frequency correction channel
(FCCH)
• Downlink only;
• allows the mobile to synchronize its
own frequency to that of the
transmitting base site.

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synchronization channel (SCH)
• Downlink only
• Contains frame number and BSIC(Base
Station Identity Code).
• By listening the SCH, the MS receives information
about the TDMA frame number and identification of
base station.
• By using FCCH, SCH, BCCH the MS tunes to a BTS
and synchronized with frame structure in that cell.
The BTSs not synchronized to each other. Therefore
every time the MS camps on other cell, it must listen
to FCCH, SCH, BCCH.

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 Common Control Channels
• The Common Control Channel (CCCH) is
responsible for transferring control
information between all mobiles and the
BTS. This is necessary for the
implementation of “call origination” and
“call paging” functions
• . The CCCHs include the following
channels:
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 Paging channel (PCH)
• Downlink only;
• Used by the BTS to page MS
• the MS is informed by the BTS for
incoming calls via the PCH.
– 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.

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 Access grant channel (AGCH)
• Downlink only;
• Used by the BTS to assign a dedicated control
channel to a MS in response to an access
message received on the Random Access
Channel.
• The MS will move to the dedicated channel in
order to proceed with either a call setup,
response to a paging message

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Random access channel (RACH)
– Uplink only.
– Used by the MS when making its first
access to the Network.
– Used by the mobile when it requires
gaining access to the system. This occurs
when the mobile initiates a call or responds
to a page.

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 Dedicated control channels
(DCCH)
• are communication channels that
transfer signaling messages to specific
devices
• Responsible for e.g.roaming,
handovers, encryption, etc.
• The DCCHs include the following
channels:

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 stand-alone dedicated control
channel (SDCCH)
• Uplink and Downlink.
• The SDCCH is used for most short
transactions, including initial call setup
step, authentication, registration and
SMS transfer.

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slow associated control channel
(SACCH)
– Downlink and Uplink.
– Used to transfer signal while MS have
ongoing conversation on traffic or while
SDCCH is being used.

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Fast associated control channel
(FACCH)
– Downlink and uplink.
– Associate with TCH only.
– The FACCH is used to carry out user
authentication, handovers and immediate
assignment.

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 Handover

Cell 1 Cell 2

Handover is a GSM feature by which the

control/communication of a Mobile is transferred
from one cell to another if certain criteria’s are
met. It is a network initiated process.
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 Criteria for Handover
• Receive Quality (RXQUAL) on uplink and
downlink
• Receive Signal Strength (RXLEV) on
uplink and downlink
• Distance (Timing Advance)
• Interference Level
• Power Budget

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 Types of Handovers
• INTRA-CELL HANDOVERS
• INTER-CELL HANDOVERS
• INTRA-BSC HANDOVERS
• INTER-BSC HANDOVERS
• INTER-MSC HANDOVERS

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 INTRA-CELL HANDOVER

C1

C0

In intra-cell handoff the source and target are one and the same
cell and only the used channel is changed during the handoff. The
purpose of intra-cell handoff is to change a channel, which may be
interfered.
Handover between different frequencies of the same cell (to
reduce interference)
MSC is not aware about this 73
 Inter-cell Handover

BTS
Cell 1 Cell 2

Handover between cells of the same BTS

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 Inter-cell Handover
• In inter-cell handoff the source and the
target are different cells (even if they
are on the same cell site). The purpose
of the inter-cell handoff is to maintain
the call as the subscriber is moving out
of the area of the source cell and
entering the area of the target cell

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 Inter-cell Handover (cont..)
• MSC is told about HO
• BTS -> BSC -> MSC
• Why MSC is informed?
– In case of change of LA, MSC may need LAC
for paging. As MS is busy, a link already
exists. So, MSC can send a tone in case of call
waiting, and does not need to page again.
– This is needed also for billing and call tracing

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 INTRA-BSC Handover

BTS

MSC BSC

BTS

This HO takes place if the cell to which handover

is to be done belongs to the same BSC
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 Inter BSC Handover
BSC BTS

MSC

BSC BTS

The MSC is completely involved in this Handover

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 INTRA-BSC Handover

BTS

MSC BSC

BTS

This HO takes place if the cell to which handover

is to be done belongs to the same BSC
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 Inter BSC Handover
BSC BTS

MSC

BSC BTS

The MSC is completely involved in this Handover

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 Inter MSC Handover

MSC BSC BTS

GMSC/
PSTN/
Backbone

MSC BSC BTS

In this case the handover takes place through the

interconnecting element which can be GMSC or
PSTN or private Backbone between the MSCs 81
 Cell Barring
BTS

Cell Barring is a GSM feature by which certain

mobiles could be barred access to certain cells
Cell barring is activated/deactivated at BTS level
Cell barring is done for mobile categories and
priorities

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 Cell Barring
• Every mobile has an access class
• The access class is stored in the SIM
– Classes 0-9 are termed normal calsses
– Classes 11-15 are emergency classes

 Every cell has a set parameter which

defines which access classes are barred
for the particular cell. This parameter is
broadcasted on the BCCH
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