BASIC Telephony

•Signaling
•Traffic SWITCH / EXCHANGE

•Off Hook
•Dial Tone
•Ring
•Dialing
Digits •Off Hook &
Conversation
•RBT
•Conversatio
 Compatibility
 Noise Robust
 Increased Capacity & Flexibility
 Use of Standard Open Interfaces
 Improved Security & Confidentiality
 Cleaner Handovers
 Subscriber Identification
 ISDN Compatibility
 Enhanced Range of Services
 Development of the GSM
1982: Groupe Spécial Mobile Standard
(GSM) 1992: Official commercial launch of
created
1984: Description of GSM features
1985: List of recommendations settled
1987: Initial MoU (Memorandum of
Understanding) aside the
drafting of technical
specifications was signed by
network operators of 13
countries:
1988: Validation and trials, of the radio
interface.
1991: First system trials are
demonstrated at the Telecom 91
exhibition.
GSM service in Europe. First
Launch in Finland
1993: The GSM-MoU has 62
signatories in 39 countries
worldwide. First GSM-1800
network launched
1995: Specifications of GSM phase 2
are frozen. First GSM-1900
network launched
1999: GSM MoU joins 3GPP (UMTS)
GPRS Trials begins
2000: 480M GSM subscribers
Worldwide
First GPRS Networks roll out
End 2002:792M GSM subscribers
Worldwide
 GSM Specifications
01 SERIES
12 SERIES GENERAL 02 SERIES
OPERATION AND
MAINTENANCE SERVICE ASPECTS

11 SERIES 03 SERIES
EQUIPMENT AND TYPE NETWORK ASPECTS
APPROVAL SPECIFICATIONS

10 SERIES 04 SERIES
SERVICE INTERWORKING MS-BSS INTERFACE AND
PROTOCOLS

09 SERIES 05 SERIES
NETWORK PHYSICAL LAYER ON THE
INTERWORKING RADIO PATH.

08 SERIES 07 SERIES 06 SERIES

TERMINAL ADAPTERS SPEECH CODING
BSS TO MSC INTERFACES FOR MOBILE STATIONS SPECIFICATIONS
 What are the types in
GSM Network?

GSM-900 (Channels 125 operating band
900Mhz carrier spacing 200khz spacing
45Mhz)

 GSM -1800 (Channels 374 spacing 95Mhz)


GSM -1900(Used in USA)
 Different Standards Worldwide
GSM - 900 Carrier frequency = ARFCN = Absolute Radio Frequency Channel
Number
The term GSM-900 is used for any GSM system which operates in any 900 MHz band.
P-GSM - 900
P-GSM-900 band is the primary band for GSM-900 Frequency band for primary GSM-900 (P-GSM-900) : 2 x
25 MHz
890 – 915 MHz for MS to BTS (uplink)
935 – 960 MHz for BTS to MS (downlink)
E-GSM - 900
In some countries, GSM-900 is allowed to operate in part or in all of the following extension band. E-GSM-
900 (Extended GSM-900) band includes the primary band (P-GSM-900) and the extension band :
880 – 890 MHz for MS to BTS (uplink)
925 – 935 MHz for BTS to MS (downlink)
R-GSM-900
R-GSM-900 (Railway GSM-900) band includes the primary band (P-GSM-900) and the following extension
band:
876 – 890 MHz for MS to BTS (uplink)
921 – 935 MHz for BTS to MS (downlink)

GSM-1800
Frequency band: 2 x 75 MHz
1710 – 1785 MHz for MS to BTs (uplink)
1805 – 1880 MHz for BTS to MS (downlink)
 GSM Band Allocations (MHz)
GSM Uplink Downlink Band Duplex Duplex
systems Spacing channels

GSM 450 450.4- 460.4- 2x7.2 10 35

GSM 480 457.6 467.6 2x7.2 10 35
GSM 850 478.8-486 488.8-496 2x25 45 124
824-849 869-894

GSM 900 890-915 935-960 2x25 45 124

E-GSM (900) 880-915 925-960 2x35 45 174
R-GSM (900) 876-880 921-925 2x04 41 40
Frequencies are in MHz
Carrier frequency = ARFCN = Absolute Radio Frequency Channel
GSM 1800
Number 1710-1785 1805-1880 2x75 95 374
Uplink 450.4 457.6 478.8 486 824 849

GSM 450 GSM 480 GSM 850

Downlink 460.4 467.6 488.8 496 869 894 MHz

915
Uplink
915
876 880 890 915 1710 1785 1850 1910

P-GSM
E-GSM GSM 1800 GSM 1900

R-GSM

921 925 935 960 1805 1880 1930 1990

MHz
960
Downlink
960
 Spectrum variant with 200 kHz ch
Bandwidth:
 GSM900 at 900 MHz
 124 carriers @ 2x25 MHz band
 GSM1800 at 1800 MHz (DCS1800)
 375 carriers @ 2x75 MHz band
 GSM1900 at 1900 MHz (PCS1900)
 300 carriers @ 2x60 MHz band
 Ful (n) = 890.0 + (0.2) *n

dl= 935 to 960

ul= 890 to 915

MHz

MHz
MHz

Fdl (n) = Ful + 45 MHz

 Telecom Service Providers/Operators
 GSM
 CDMA
 Basic-WLL
 Internet Services
 Long Distance
 Vendor
 Telecom Consultancy
 End of 1980’s Analog Systems unable to meet
continuing demands
 Severely confined spectrum allocations
 Interference in multipath fading environment
 Incompatibility among various analog systems
 Inability to substantially reduce the cost of mobile
terminals and infrastructure required
 Spectrum space - most limited and precious resource
 Solution - further multiplex traffic (time domain)
 Can be realized with Digital Techniques only
 Service Provider is not a Equipment Manufacturer.
 The Service Provider has a license to operate in a
geographical boundary (state/circle/ country).
 It buys equipment from OEM Suppliers (Vendors).
 Installs & commissions the equipment thus making it’s own
Network.
 Provides the desired service to it’s subscribers.
 Vendor is a Equipment Manufacturer.
 It supplies Product, Consultancy and Trainings
 Service provider has the option of taking the
Consultancy and Training
 RF
CONCEPTS
CLASSIFICATION OF RADIO
WAVES
 RADIO WAVES

•Ground waves
•Sky waves
•Space waves
 SPACE WAVES

•Waves propagate through space as Transverse

Electro Magnetic waves(TEM)

•The electric field, the magnetic field and the

direction of travel of the wave are all mutually
perpendicular.

•The Polarisation of a wave is the direction of the

electric field vector
Factors affecting RF
propagation

•Free space loss

•Multi path propagation
•Building & vehicle
penetration
•Interference
•Fading of signal
 A directional
antenna
An Omni-directional
antenna
 GSM TIME DIVISION MULTIPLEX
FRAME AND PHYSICAL
Time-slot CHANNELS
TDMA frame TDMA frame
TS TS TS TS TS TS TS TS TS TS TS TS TS TS TS TS
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

(frames repeat
continuously)

Time
0 4.615 ms 9.23 ms

Physical channel # 2 = recurrence of time-slot # 2

Frequency Spectrum

D e s ig n a tio n A b b re v ia tio nF re q u e n c ie s F re e -s p a c e W a v e le n g th s
V e ry L o w F re q u e n c y V L F 9 kH z - 30 kH z 33 km - 10 km
L o w F re q u e n c y LF 30 kH z - 300 kH z10 km - 1 km
M e d iu m F re q u e n c y M F 300 kH z - 3 M H z 1 km - 100 m
H ig h F re q u e n c y HF 3 M H z - 30 M H z 100 m - 10 m
V e ry H ig h F re q u e n c y V H F 3 0 M H z - 3 0 0 M H1z0 m - 1 m
U ltra H ig h F re q u e n c y U H F 3 0 0 M H z - 3 G H z1 m - 1 0 0 m m
S u p e r H ig h F re q u e n c yS H F 3 G H z - 30 G Hz 100 m m - 10 m m
E x tre m e ly H ig h F re q u e nEc Hy F 3 0 G H z - 3 0 0 G H 1z 0 m m - 1 m m
 2 CELLULAR CONCEPT
1 5

4 1

3 7

6 3
 A cellular system links Mobile subscribers to Public

Telephone System or to another Mobile subscribers.

 It removes the fixed wiring used in a traditional telephone

installation.

 Mobile subscriber is able to move around, perhaps can

travel in a vehicle or on foot & still make & receive call.
 Mobility
 Flexibility
 Convergence
 Greater QOS
 Network Expansion
 Revenue/Profit
CONSIDERATIONS
✻ FREQUENCY

✻ SUBSCRIBER Base Station

DENSITY Base Station
Base Station
✻ COVERAGE
Base Station
Base Station
Base Station
 WHY DO WE NEED CELLS?

 FREQUENCY (RESOURCE) SCARCITY

 DEMAND FOR HIGHER CAPACITY

 COST EFFECTIVENESS
 Cellular Radio involves dividing a large service area into
regions called “cells.”
 Each cell has the equipment to switch, transmit and receive
calls.
 Cells - Reduce the need of High powered transmission
 Cells - Conventionally regarded as being hexagonal, but in
reality they are irregularly shaped.
 Cell shape is determined by the nature of the surrounding
area e.g. Hills , tall building etc.
 Large Cells  Small Cells

 35 Km  Near about 1 KM
 Remote Areas  Urban Areas
 High Transmission  Low Transmission
Power Power
 Few subscribers  Many Subscribers
 Coverage
 Percentage of the geographical area covered by

cellular service where mobile telephony is available

 Capacity -
 Number of calls that can be handled in a certain area

within a certain period of time.

 Capacity can also refer to the probability that users

will be denied access to a system due to the simple

unavailability of radio channels.
 Each Cell in the Cellular Network consists of one or
more RF carriers.
 An RF carrier is a pair of radio frequencies
 One used in upward direction by MS - Uplink

 Other used in downward direction by BTS - Downlink

 The transmit and receive frequencies are separated

by a gap of 45 MHz in GSM or 75 MHz in DCS.
 There are 124 carries in GSM Band. With each carrier
carrying 8 timeslots, only 124 x 8 = 992 calls can be
made!
 Frequency Reuse is the solution
 OBJECTIVES
Large subscriber capability:
The system should be capable of serving many thousands of
mobile users within the local serving area with a fixed no. of
channels.

Spectrum utilization:
The multiple uses of the same channels in cells with in
geographical separation ensure that the radio spectrum is used
efficiently.

Nationwide compatibility:
The mobile users should be able to use their equipment also in
other areas that are served by different cellular systems.
Adaptability to traffic density:
Traffic density differs from one point to another in a
cellular coverage area. the capability to cope
with different traffic must be designed as
inherent feature of the cellular system.

Quality of service and affordability:

Since cost and economic considerations play a
major role, it must be affordable for general public.
 But with only a limited spectrum allocated by Regulatory
Authorities only few calls can be supported at a time and all
other subscribers shall have to wait.
 Hence this setup was not suitable for medium/large
customer bases
 The solution lies Frequency Reuse
 Using same frequency channel to serve more than one

call in the same given area

 The concept of CELLS (first time in 70’s)
 Instead of using one
powerful transmitter,
many low-power
transmitters are
placed throughout a
coverage area
 The coverage area of
each such Transmitter
is called a CELL
 by dividing a metropolitan region into one hundred different
areas (cells) with low-power transmitters using 12
conversations (channels) each, the system capacity
theoretically could be increased from 12 conversations—or
voice channels using one powerful transmitter—to 1,200
conversations (channels) using one hundred low-power
transmitters
 Interference problems caused by mobile units using the same
channel in adjacent areas (cells) proved that all channels could
not be reused in every cell.
 Areas (cells) have to be skipped before the same freq channel
could be reused
 CELLULAR COMMUNICATION SYSTEM


It provide wireless 2 7

connection from users to 1 6 2

PSTN or between its 3 1 6

users. 4 5 3

 Uses “cells” in order to 2 7 4 5

increase the total 1 6 2 7

capacity, given a limited 3 1 6 2

spectrum, by re-using 4 5 3 1

the frequency over 2 7 4 5 3

different areas. 6 2
7 4

1 6 2

Uses a Handover 3
1
mechanism to enable an
5 3
5 3
uninterrupted call 7 4
7 4
connection when users 2
6 2
move from one cell to
another.
Cells are defined as individual service areas, each of which has an
assigned group of discrete channels assigned to it from the available
spectrum.

Regular Polygon shapes – Equilateral Triangle, Square, Rectangle and

Hexagon were the main choices initially.

Circular Cells would have no Coverage at all in some areas, unless

heavy overlapping is used.

If the Point of Transmission is at the centre of a Cell, the maximum

Coverage Area is available from a Hexagonal Cell i.e., this layout
needs minimum number of Cells to cover a given Area, hence lesser
number of Transmitting Sites are needed
The actual center to center distance of
the adjacent hexagon is
√ 3R = (2R cos 300),
where R is the center to vertex distance.

The concept of number of cells per

cluster is important for locating co
channel cell with in the cellular
structure.

It can be shown that co channel reuse

ratio
D/R = √ 3N
where N is Cluster size
 CELLULAR CONCEPTS

Q = D/R = √ 3N = { 6 ( S/ I)} -γ

where γ is propagation constant

Much higher level of interference is tolerated if digital
transmission is used.
S / I ≥ 18 dB For Digital Cellular Mobile Systems.

N Q=D/R Higher Q – Less Interference.

1 1.73 Higher N
3 3.00 Larger Cluster Size.
4 3.46
7 4.58 Less Freq./ cell.
9 5.20 Lower Traffic Handling Capacity.
12 6.00
 The same group of channels can be used in different cells that
are far enough away from each other so that their frequencies do
not interfere
No similarly colored cells are adjacent, and therefore there are no
adjacent cells using the same channel.
Three types of frequency reuse patterns
 7 Cell reuse pattern
 4 cell reuse pattern
 3 cell reuse pattern
 c2

c1
c3 b2

b1
a2 b3
a1

a3 c2
c1
Cell Re-use
c3
Actual Frequency Reuse is implemented by dividing the total
Frequency Spectrum into two or more groups of mutually
exclusive Channels.

A mobile handset with higher S/N Ratio is assigned a Channel

with Lower Reuse factor group, while those with lower S/N
Ratio gets a Channel from a Group having higher Reuse
Factor. T

Handsets nearer to the Cell-centre are allocated Channels

from a Low Frequency Reuse factor.
 Performance/Capacity Trade off

• Higher values of N • Lower values of N

• Reduce co channel • Increase co channel
interference interference
• Leads to more • Leads to few
cells/cluster cells/cluster
• Less no. of chls/cells • More no. of chls/cell
• Less traffic handling • More traffic handling
capacity capacity
A Directional Antenna is a better
solution for reducing the Co-
channel Interference

Each Cell is divided into 3 or 6

Sectors and uses 3 or 6
Directional Antennas at the Base
Stations.

In practice, Sectored Cells with

120° Beam Antennas are used
 Omni Directional Cells
 120 degree Sectors
 60 Degree sectors
 Each Sector in a Site has its own allocation of Radio
Carriers
 Advantage
 By frequent reuse of frequency more capacity can be
achieved
Sector Antennas reduce Co-channel Interference and
improve the mean S/N ratio for a given Reuse Factor
(from 18 dB to 24dB).

But it reduces Trunking Efficiency, since each Sector

gets less number of Channels.

Practically, it does not create a problem, since less

Interference can reduce the Reuse factor, thereby
improving the Trunking Efficiency.
 b2

b1
a2 b3

a1 a3
OMNI CELL 120O CELLS
1 ANTENNA a6 a4 3 ANTENNAS

a5

60O CELLS
6 ANTENNAS
A three sectored cell
configuration

Single location

Antennas looking in three

directions
 GSM =
4/12 ;
4 Cell Pattern
& each cell
with 3
sectors

7/21 = 7 Cell
Pattern & each
cell with 3
sectors
7/21
4/12
When the Traffic in a Cell increases to a situation
where the Quality of Service (QoS) is affected, Cells
can be divided in to smaller sizes.

The Cell-splitting concept allows a Low Demand

Area to be served by the Larger Cells and a High
Demand Area to be Split in to Smaller Cells
 HANDOVER
A problem encountered in Cellular Communication is to provide
continuation in Communication for a subscriber, who moves from
one Cell to another Cell.

No two adjacent Cells in a Cluster have the same Radio

Channels.
Channels

So, Re-allocation of Radio channels must be fast and

smooth.
smooth

This process is called Handover.

Processing Load per Subscriber on the system increases when

Subscribers often crosses Boundaries and cause frequent handoff of
Calls between the Cells.

Practically, reduction of Cell Radius by 4 times increases Processing

load approximately by a factor of 10.
 Level at B

RSL
Level which HO occured

time

BS1 BS2

A B
Handovers
Hard Handoff Soft Handoff
Analog, TDMA and CDMA
GSM

Break before Make Make before Break

 The mobile measures up to 32 adjacent cells for
 Signal Strength (RxLevel)

 Signal Quality (RxQual)

 updated every 480 mS and sends to BTS

 Sophisticated Handover based on

 RxLevel

 Interference

 RxQual

 Timing Advance

 Power Budget
Frequency Hopping
 Frequency Hopping
Multipath Fading results in variations in signal strength which is known
as Rayleigh Fading.
Rayleigh Fading phenomenon is dependent on path difference and
hence frequency of reception.
reception
A fast moving mobile may not experience severe effect of this fading
since the path difference is continuously changing.
A slow moving mobile ( or a halted mobile ) may experience severe
deterioration in quality.
But, if the frequency of reception is changed when this problem occurs,
could solve it.
The fading phenomenon is fast and almost continuous,
continuous this means the
frequency change should also be continuous.
This process of continuously changing frequency is known as Frequency
Hopping.
Hopping
Frequency hopping is the technique of improving the S/N in a link by
adding frequency diversity.

The base station commands the mobile station to activate frequency

hopping as the mobile station moves towards the edge of a cell or into
an area of high interference.

When frequency hopping is activated in the mobile station, the base

station assigns the mobile station a set of RF channels, rather than a
single RF channel.

A frequency hopping algorithm is also assigned to the mobile and is used

to inform the mobile of the pattern of the available frequencies it is to
use.

In a GSM/GPRS/EGPRS network, frequency hopping is specified in

individual cells based on the number of frequencies offered by a specific
cell.
Frequency Hopping is done in both Uplink and Downlink .
Frequency is changed in every TDMA Frame
Mobile can Hop on maximum 64 frequencies
The sequence of Hopping can be Cyclic or Non-Cyclic
There are 63 Non-Cyclic Hopping sequences possible
Different Hopping sequence can be used in the same cell.
BCH Timeslot can never HOP, but the remaining Timeslots can
very well hop.
The advantages that frequency hopping offers are:
Improved voice quality and prevention of dropped calls
in GSM
Improved data throughput in GPRS and EGPRS.
 Frequency Hopping
Reduction in Average
★
Interference
With Frequency Hopping consistent interference will become bursty.
★ So even though, both the co-channel cells will be using the same set of ARFCN's
for Hopping, interference will not be continuos.
★ This is because, GSM cells are not Frame synchronized, and change in frequency is
related to Frame nos.
★ If same HSN is used in two cells, then either the interference will be nil , or if a
phase correlation exists then it will be continuos.
★ So the two cells should preferably use different HSN's .
★ Sectorial cells ( controlled by the same BTS) can use same HSN, since the sectors
don't come up at the same time.
★ Cells if they are synchronized, can use same HSN, if each cell has an offset of
some TDMA frames.
★ Offset of TDMA frames is also required to avoid SACCH occurring at the same time
in all synchronized cells, as they kills away the objective of DTX.
Handov
ers 200
197

113
199

187
198
171 70 225
214 201

215 18
20 25

175
181
22
216
7

41 173
44
11
12
218
222
75 71
182

132 69
73 17
221 13 16

213 120
220 80
219 19
8

32
28

24
40
 Multiple Access Technique
 Multiple Access – Achieved by dividing the available radio frequency
spectrum, so that multiple users can be given access at the same
time.
 FDMA - Frequency Division Multiple Access FDMA
 ( eg: GSM each Frequency channel is
Power y
200KHz) T u enc
im eq
e Fr

 TDMA - Time Division Multiple Access TDMA

 ( eg: GSM each frequency channel is
Power
c y
divided into 8 timeslots) Ti
m q u en
e e
Fr

CDMA
 CDMA - Code Division Multiple Access DE
 (eg: IS95- Each User data is coded with a Power
CO nc
y
Ti ue
unique code) m
e
Fr
eq
Powe
r Tim
e

Tim
Powe e
r

FDM Frequenc
y
Powe
A
Tim
r e

CDMA Frequenc
y

TDMA Frequenc
y
 Duplex Technique

 Duplex - How the up link and Down link of a

user is separated
 FDD - Frequency Division Duplex
 (eg: In GSM the up link and down link of a user is
separated by 45MHz )
 TDD - Time Division Duplex
 (the up link and down link of a user will be at the
same frequency but at different Time )
 Uplink Downlink BTS

890 MHz Frequency 915 MHz 935 MHz Frequency 960 MHz

0 channel # 124 0 channel # 124

Example:
Channel 48

Duplex spacing = 45 MHz

Frequency band spectrum = 2 x 25 MHz
Channel spacing = 200 kHz
 GSM FDMA
Frequency Division Multiple
Access
890 915 935 960
25 MHz 25 MHz

0 1 2 0 1 2

Mobile to Base to
Base Mobile
(MHz)
890.2 890. 890.6 935. 935.4 935.
4 2 6
200 kHz
200 kHz
45MHz
Channel layout and frequency bands of operation
 GSM TDMA
(Time Division Multiple Access)

Amplitude

45 MHz

8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
Frequency
F1 F2 F1’ F2’
(Cell Rx) (Cell transmit)
Typical TDMA/ FDMA frame structure
ARCHITECTURE OF A GSM NETWORK

Mobile Sta
 Network Structure

•GSM Service Area

•PLMN Service Area
•MSC Service Area
•Location Area
•Cells
RELATION
BETWEEN
AREAS IN
GSM
 PLMN
SERVICE
AREA
MSC
SERVICE
AREA
CELLS
 SYSTEM ENTITY
FUNCTIONS
Mobile station:

The mobile station represents the

terminal equipment used by cellular
subscriber supported by GSM system
 Functions of Mobile Station

•Voice and data transmission

•Frequency and time synchronization

•Monitoring of power and signal quality of the

surrounding
cells

•Provision of location updates even during inactive

state

•Equalization of multi path distortions

The MS consists of two entities

· Mobile Equipment (ME)

· Subscriber Identity
Module (SIM)
Mobile equipment (ME)
It is the mobile handset.
•The major components of the Handset are –
Transmitter,
Receiver,
Number Alignment Module,
Logic Unit,
Frequency Synthesizer,
 Antenna and
the required software.

– Identified by a unique International Mobile

Equipment Identity (IMEI) (different from the phone
number)
Class Power O/p
1 20 W
2 8W
3 5W
4 2W Typical
Settings
5 0.8 W
Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)
contains subscriber-related information

a smart card that holds information required to

identify a particular
subscription to a mobile service

can be used with any approved GSM handset

Identified by a unique International Mobile

Subscriber Identity (IMSI)
(different from the phone number)
 COMPONENTS OF THE SIM CARD
Central processing unit (CPU)
intelligence of the chip
performs all the mathematical functions
takes all the decisions required by the SIM.

Read Only Memory (ROM):

sufficient memory to store the operating system
(set of
commands that SIM understands)
contents of the ROM are permanent and it is not
possible
to change them.
can be created as part of the manufacturing
process.
 Random Access Memory (RAM):
area of volatile memory
contents are lost each time the power is turned off.
The memory can be at least 256 KB.
Buffers incoming data as a scratch pad for
calculations.

Electrically Erasable programmable Read Only Memory

(EEPROM)
Stores all the application data such as the operator’s
specific parameters and the subscriber’s data.
 MOBILE IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS

i) MSISDN (Mobile subscriber’s ISDN number)

ii) IMSI (International mobile subscriber’s identity)

iii) TMSI (Temporary mobile subscriber’s identity)

iv) MSRN (Mobile subscriber’s roaming number)

v) IMEI ( International Mobile subscriber’s equipment

identity)
 MOBILE SUBSCRIBER’S ISDN NUMBER
The MSISDN is registered in the telephone directory and used by the
calling party for dialing.

Mobile Subscriber
No.

CC--country code(allotted internationally)

NDC--Network destination
code
SN--subscriber number
 International mobile subscriber’s
Identity (IMSI)
The IMSI is an unique identity which is used
internationally and used within the network to
identify the mobile subscribers.

The IMSI is stored on the SIM, the HLR, VLR and

AUC database

IMSI finds its use in call routing.

MCC--Mobile country code -- identifies the country of domicile of the subscriber.
MNC--Mobile network code-- identifies the home GSM PLMN of the mobile
subscriber.number
MSIN--Mobile subscriber identification -- identifies the MS within a GSM PLMN.
Temporary Mobile subscriber’s Identity
(TMSI)

Guarantees the confidentiality of the mobile

subscribers on the air interface for hiding identity.

temporary number provided by VLR

assigned to each mobile subscriber entering the VLR

area
 MOBILE STATION ROAMING NUMBER
(MSRN)
Suitable for the purpose of call processing when the
customer roams in any other VLR area having connectivity
with his home network.

•The HLR of the roaming subscribers request the visited

VLR for allotment of the temporary number.

•Accordingly the visited VLR generates MSRN.

•GMSC (gateway MSC) uses it for routing of calls to this

customer.

•MSRN is stored in visited VLR, HLR.

 INTERNATIONAL MOBILE EQUIPMENT IDENTITY
(IMEI)
•Provided to the mobile equipment through a unique
code for its authentication and identification

•The code is entered in SIM card of the user MS

•Also recorded in the data base of the EIR of mobile

switching sub system.

•During the course of call processing, the IMEI

entered in SIM is compared with the corresponding
IMEI recorded in EIR.
 6 digits 2 digits 6 digits unit length

TAC is 6 digits and approved by a national body.

FAC is 2 digits and is provided by the manufacturer.
SNR is 6 digits provided by manufacturer in serial
sequence.
SP is spare digit of unit length.
 BTS
 BTS is the equipment which facilitates the wireless
communication between user equipments (UE)
and the network.

 BTS is a radio-end which determine a cell

coverage and provide link with MS.

 BTS include Transmitters and Receivers, antenna

and signal processing unit as well as interface.

 BTS communicate with MS via Um (air) interface

 FUNCTION OF BTS

• Encodes, encrypts, multiplexes, modulates and

feeds the
RF signals to the antenna

•Transcoding and rate adaption Functionality

•Time and frequency synchronisation signals

transmission.

•11 power classes from .01 watts (Micro cell) to 320

watts (Umbrella cell)
 A BTS has the following units

TRX : Transceiver--- Quite widely referred to as DRX

(Driver Receiver). Basically does transmission and reception
of signals

Power Amplifier : Amplifies the signal from DRX for

transmission through antenna. May be integrated with DRX

 Combiner :- Combines feeds from several DRXs so that

they could be sent out through a single antenna. Used for
reduction of number of antenna

 Duplexer : For separating sending and receiving signals

to/from antenna. Does sending and receiving signals through
the same antenna ports (cables to antenna)
Antenna : Antenna is considered as part of
BTS

Alarm Extension System : Collects working

status alarms of various units in BTS and extends
them to Operations and Maintenance (O&M)
monitoring stations
 A group of BTSs are connected to a particular
BSC, which manages the radio resources for
them.

The primary function of the BSC is call

maintenance.

 The mobile stations normally send a report of

their received signal strength to the BSC every
480 ms.

With this information the BSC decides to

initiate handovers to other cells, change the BTS
transmitter power, etc.
Base Station Controller (BSC)
– responsible for radio interface
management of
BTS and MS, i.e.channel management
and
handovers

– responsible for communication with the

NSS

– a single BSC typically manages 10-20

BTSs
The functions of the base station are –
1. Radio source control (Channels)
a. Configuration of Radio channels
b.Selection, allocation and de-allocation of radio channels.
c. Monitoring of radio channel busy / idle.
d. Encryption of radio interface.
2. Frequency hopping and power control
a. Assignment of frequency hops sequence and start time.
b. Assignment of effective radiated power (ERP) values to mobile
station.
3. Hand off management
a. Collect signal quality data from adjacent BSSs.
b. Analyze signal quality and determine hand off need.
c. Keep MSC informed regarding hand off activity.
4. Digital signal processing
a. Trans coding and rate adoption.
b. Channel coding and decoding.
BSS functions are partitioned into a BSC and BTS
( a single BSC generally controlling multiple BTS)
 NSS performs the switching functions of
GSM,
as well as databases for Subscriber and
mobility
management

Its main feature is to manage the

communication
between the Mobile Station and other
users of
the Cellular Network.
NSS contains

– Mobile Switching Centre (MSC)

– Gateway MSC (GMSC)

– Home Location Register (HLR) - co-located with GMSC

– Visitor Location Register (VLR) - co-located with MSC/GMSC

– Signalling between MSC, GMSC, HLR, VLR via SS7

signalling
network, using specifically the mobile application part
(MAP) of
Signalling System No 7 (SS7)
 Mobile Service Switching Centre (MSC)
 The Switching part, is controlled by the MSC.

 Acts like a standard exchange in a fixed network and additionally

provides all the
functionality needed to handle a mobile subscriber.

 The main functions are

 registration,
 authentication,
 location updating,
 handovers and
 call routing to a roaming subscriber.

 Connections to external Networks like PSTN, PLMN and Intelligent

Networks etc.
are also controlled by MSC.
 GATEWAY MSC (GMSC)
An MSC, which provides connection to
Networks
outside the area under the MSC, is generally
known
as Gateway MSC.

 Gateway MSC (GMSC)

– gateway to external network
– incoming call is routed to GMSC, which
then
determines MS location
– GMSC function is often in the same
machine
 Home Location Register (HLR)
HLR is the most important Database in the GSM structure

Subscriber relevant data are kept in a Database called

HLR.

It also contains information regarding real time location of

the Roaming Subscriber, which is passed to the MSC for
routing incoming Calls to the Mobile Station.

Administrative updating of the Subscriber Data, by the

Service Provider is kept in HLR.
 IMSI, MSISDN and current VLR Address are also
kept in
HLR.

As soon as the Mobile Station crosses a Cell

boundary
(also known as Location Area), this information is
updated
in the HLR.

The HLR also maintains the services associated

with each
MS

One HLR can serve several MSCs

 VISITOR LOCATION REGISTER (VLR)

Visitor Location Register (VLR) dynamically stores Subscriber

Information, when a Mobile Station is in the Location Area
covered by
the VLR

One VLR may be incharge of one or more LA.

A VLR is connected to one MSC and is normally integrated into

the
MSC's hardware

VLR is updated by HLR on entry of MS its area.

VLR assigns TMSI which keeps on changing

 Whenever a Roaming Subscriber enters in an area
controlled by an MSC, the information is passed to
the VLR, which recognizes the Subscriber as an
outsider for the MSC.

If the Subscriber is allowed to Roam, VLR finds the

original HLR of the Subscriber and downloads all
relevant information for the Subscriber from it.

VLR reduces the number of queries to HLR

 DATA IN VLR
•IMSI & TMSI

•MSISDN

•MSRN.

•Location Area

•Supplementary service parameters

•MS category

•Authentication Key
 EQUIPMENT IDENTITY REGISTER (EIR)
The EIR is a database that stores IMEI for all mobile equipments
registered in the particular MSC and is unique to every ME.

Only one EIR per PLMN.

Any Cell Phone can be used fraudulently by inserting an authentic SIM

Card, but as soon as a report is registered that a handset is stolen or
misplaced, EIR Database can be updated to render the handset useless.

The EIR has three databases

• White list: IMEI, assigned to valid ME.
• Black list: IMEI reported stolen
• Gray list : IMEI having problems like faulty
software, wrong make
of equipment etc.
 AUTHENTICATION CENTRE (AUC)
AUC is a separate entity and physically included in
HLR

It protects User Identity and allows a Secured

Transmission,
i.e., Protect against intruders in air interface

Authentication (Ki) and ciphering(Kc) key are stored

in this
data base.

Keys change randomly with each call

 Operation and Maintenance Centre
(OMC)
It monitors and controls all other components of GSM.

The OMC assists the network operator in Dynamic monitoring and

maintaining satisfactory operation of the GSM network

The OMC is responsible for controlling and maintaining the MSC, BSC
and
BTS.

It can be in charge of an entire PLMN or just some parts of the PLMN.

Its main functions are –

Traffic Monitoring,
Subscriber as well as Security Management and
Status report Generation.