GSM : System Architecture

Prepared by Mehrin Meher

Contents

GSM
Introduction Services
Tele Services
Bearer Services Supplementary services

System Architecture

Contents (continues)
System Architecture
Mobile Station (MS)
Mobile Equipment (ME) Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)

Base Station Subsystem (BBS)

Base Transceiver Station (BTS) Base Station Controller (BSC)

Network Subsystem
Mobile Switching Center (MSC) Home Location Register (HLR) Visitor Location Register (VLR) Authentication Center (AUC) Equipment Identity Register (EIR)

GSM : Introduction
What is GSM?

GSM (Global System for communication) is a digital telephony system

Mobile mobile

Operates at either the 900 MHz or 1800 MHz frequency band. Most widely used cellular system

GSM: Introduction - History

CEPT, a European group began to develop the System for Mobile TDMA system in June 1982. Based on GSM technology were first launched in Finland in 1991. More than 690 mobile networks across 213 countries and 82.4% of all global mobile connections. billion GSM mobile phone users worldwide

GSM : Introduction - objectives

Pan-European roaming, which offers compatibility throughout the European continent.

Integrated Service Digital Network(ISDN), which offers the capability to extend the single-subscriber-line system to a multiservice system. But currently which are offered through diverse telecommunications networks.

GSM: Services

Tele-services

Bearer or Data Services

Supplementary services

GSM: Services - Tele

Services

Provide the service visible to the user Require support by higher layers

GSM: Services - Bearer Services

Provide lower layer access (GSM layers 1-3)

Classified by demands bearer service makes on network In order to provide end-to-end bearer GSM must connect to other networks

PSTN, ISDN, PSPDN, CSPDN

Group 3 fax Voice mailbox Electronic mail

GSM: Services - Supplementary services

(SS)
Supplementary services SS supplement bearer and teleservices Supplementary Services are devided into

Call-related SS Call-independent or non-call related SS Unstructured SS

Offerings of SS depend on which ones the network can technically handle and/or the operator wants to provide to subscribers

GSM: System Architecture

Mobile Station (MS)

Mobile Equipment (ME) Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)

Base Station Subsystem (BBS)

Base Transceiver Station (BTS) Base Station Controller (BSC)

Network Subsystem
Mobile Switching Center (MSC) Home Location Register (HLR) Visitor Location Register (VLR) Authentication Center (AUC) Equipment Identity Register (EIR) Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)

GSM: Network Architecture

GSM : System Architecture - Mobile Station (MS)

The Mobile Station is made up of two entities:
1. 2.

Mobile Equipment (ME) Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)

GSM : System Architecture

- Mobile Station (MS) - Mobile Equipment (MS)

Portable Device. (Handset / Vehicle)

Two types
Vehicle-mounted Handheld

Uniquely identified by an IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) Voice and data transmission 3 Bands
Standard GSM Band: 890-915 MHz Uplink and 935-960 MHz downlink Extended GSM Band: 880-915 MHz Uplink and 925-960 MHz downlink GSM 1800 Band: 1710-1785 MHz Uplink and 1805-1880 MHz downlink

Power level : 0.8W 20 W

GSM : System Architecture

- Mobile Station (MS) - Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)

Integrated circuit that securely stores the IMSI and the

related key used to identify and authenticate subscribers on mobile telephony. Allows user to send and receive calls and receive other subscribed services

Encoded network identification details - Key Ki,Kc and A3,A5 and

A8 algorithms

Two types of passwords:

Personal Identification Number (PIN) Personal Unblocking Code (PUK) for PIN unlocking.

Can be moved from phone to phone contains key information to activate the phone

GSM : System Architecture - Base Station Subsystem (BSS)

The Base Station Subsystem is responsible for managing the radio network, and it is controlled by an MSC. Typically, one MSC contains several BSSs. A BSS itself may cover a considerably large geographical area consisting of many cells (a cell refers to an area covered by one or more frequency resources). Three elements:
1. 2. 3. Base Transceiver Station (BTS) Base Station Controller (BSC) Transcoder and Rate Adaptation Unit (TRAU)

GSM : System Architecture - Base Station Subsystem (BBS) -Base Transceiver Station(BTS)

Functionality:
Encoding, encrypting, multiplexing, modulating, and feeding the RF signals to the antenna.

Voice through full- or half-rate services

Transcoding and rate adaptation Time and frequency synchronizing Random access detection Timing advances

Uplink channel measurements

Decoding, decrypting, and equalizing received signals

GSM : System Architecture - Base Station Subsystem (BBS) -Base Station Controller (BSC)

Functionality:
Control of frequency hopping Performing traffic concentration to reduce the number of lines from the MSC Providing an interface to the Operations and Maintenance Center for the BSS Reallocation of frequencies among BTSs Time and frequency synchronization Power management Time-delay measurements of received signals from the MS

GSM : System Architecture - Base Station Subsystem (BBS) - Transcoder and Rate Adaptation Unit (TRAU)

Performs transcoding function for speech channels and RA (Rate Adaptation) for data channels in the GSM network.
Features
Easy and quick installation Easy and quick commissioning Smooth system expansion Easy maintenance & operation Full rate traffic with Enhanced Full Rate (EFR) Half rate traffic with EFR MCT-Transcodin Rate Adaptation Unit Solution

GSM : System Architecture - Network Subsystem - Mobile Switching Center (MSC)

Heart of the network

Connects calls by switching the digital voice data packets from one network path to
another( called routing )

Billing information and collection Mobility management - Registration - Location Updating - Inter BSS and inter MSC call handoff

MSC does gateway function while its customer roams to other network by using HLR/VLR.

GSM : System Architecture - Network Subsystem - Home Location Registers (HLR)

The Home Location Register or HLR is a central database that contains details of each mobile phone subscriber that is authorized to use the GSM core network. Data stored in an HLR
International mobile subscriber identity. Mobile subscriber international ISDN number (MSISDN). Mobile subscriber category (prepaid or postpaid). Roaming restriction (allowed or not). Supplementary services (allowed or not) Authentication key

GSM : System Architecture - Network Subsystem - Visitor Location Registers (VLR)

Temporary database which updates whenever new MS enters its area, by HLR database

Database contains IMSI, TMSI, MSISDN, MSRN, Location Area,

authentication key

Functions
Works with the home location register and authentication center regarding the mobile subscribers authentication.

Relays cipher key from the home location register to the BSS for encryption and decryption.
Controls allocation of new TMSI numbers. Support paging. Tracks state of all mobile subscribers in its area.

GSM : System Architecture - Network Subsystem - Authentication Center (AUC)

Usually located in the HLR of a GSM system

Provides security function to network

Maintains authentication keys and algorithms and provides security triplets (RAND,SRES,Kc)

GSM : System Architecture - Network Subsystem - Equipment Identity Register (EIR)

A Database, that contains information on the identity of mobile equipment to prevent calls from stolen, unauthorized or defective mobile stations. operators maintain three lists of IMEI in EIR:
grey - GSM mobile phones to be tracked black - barred GSM mobile phones white - valid GSM mobile phones

GSM : System Architecture - Network Subsystem - Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)

The network of the world's public circuitswitched telephone networks. (Basically the normal phone network, or
land line.)

Consists of
Telephone lines Fiber optic cables Microwave transmission links Cellular networks Communications satellites Undersea telephone cables

Routed through the switchboard Unreliable

GSM : System Architecture - Network Subsystem - Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)

A set of communications standards for simultaneous digital transmission of voice, video, data, and other network services over the traditional circuits of the PSTN. A circuit-switched telephone network system Provides
Access to packet switched networks Allow digital transmission of voice and data over ordinary telephone copper wires, resulting in potentially better voice quality than an analog phone can provide. A maximum of 128 kbit/s in both upstream and downstream directions

ISDN b-channels of 3 or 4 bris (6 to 8 64 kbit/s channels) are bonded. Used heavily by the broadcast industry

GSM : System Architecture - Network Subsystem - Gateway Mobile Switching Center (GMSC)

A gateway that interconnects two networks: the cellular network and the PSTN routing calls from the fixed network towards a GSM use. is often implemented in the same machines as the MSC.

GSM : System Architecture - Short message service center (SMSC)

Is a network element in the mobile telephone network which delivers SMS messages routing calls from the fixed network towards a GSM use. Features

Store and forward Responsible for handling the SMS operations When an SMS message is sent from a mobile phone, it will reach an SMS center first Stored SMS temporarily. Delete sms after expiry period. Send sender a status report