SUDACAD

GSM

History
Early 1980s, country isolated analog cellular telephone systems (interoperability problem) 1982, CEPT (Conference of European Post and Telecommunications ) established a WG to develop a new public land mobile system to span Europe GSM: Groupe Speciale Mobile (French) Proposed criteria Good speech quality Low cost for terminals and service International roaming Handheld terminals Support for introduction of new services Spectral efficiency Compatibility with ISDN

History (cont)
1989, GSM development responsibility transferred to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) 1990, GSM phase 1 published 1991, first commercial service launched WG language changed from French to English, and GSM became Global System for Mobile Communications 1994, phase 2 data/fax services launched 1995, phase 2 standard completed

Technology
GSM uses a TDMA/FDMA combination
More channels of communication are available All channels are digital

GSM uses higher frequency bands

Provides additional capacity And higher subscribers densities

GSM is capable for international roaming through agreements between GSM operators worldwide

GSM Frequency Bands

450 MHz
Upgrade of older analog cellular systems in Scandinavia

900 MHz
Original band used everywhere except NA and most of SA

1800 MHz
New band used everywhere except NA and most of SA

1900 MHz
PCS band used in NA and most of SA

Cells and frequency reuse

Service area divided into cells Available frequencies divided into groups Frequency used per cell Same frequency reused in other far away cell 200 kHz, time shared by 8 users Uplink and downlink separated

Technical data Multiple Access Method Power control

TDMA / FDMA BS to MS frequencies 935960 MHz MS to BS frequencies 890915 Duplexing FDD Channel spacing 200 kHz Modulation GMSK Portable TX power, maximum / average (mW) 1000 / 125 handset and BSS Speech coding and rate (kbps) RPE-LTP / 13 Speech Channels per RF channel 8 Channel rate (kbps) 270.833 Channel coding Rate 1/2 convolutional Frame duration (ms) 4.615 Duplex spacing 45 MHz

Network Elements
Mobile Station (MS) Base Transceiver Station (BTS) Base Station Controller (BSC) Base Station Subsystem (BSS) Mobile Switching Center (MSC) Equipment Identity Register (EIR) Authentication Center (AuC) Home Location Register (HLR) Visitor Location Register (VLR) Network and Switching Subsystem (NSS)

SIM
Subscriber Identity Module or Smart Card Contains a computer chip and some non-volatile memory Inserted into a slot in the base of the handset The memory held info include
Subscriber identity number Telephone number Original network to which the subscriber belongs

Can be moved from one handset to another A handset reads the info off the smart card and transmits it to the network

MS
Mobile Station Starting point of a mobile wireless network Can contain
Mobile Terminal (MT)
GSM cellular handset

Terminal Equipment (TE)

PC or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)

Can be
Two devices (MT & TE) interconnected with a P-t-P interface A single device with both functions integrated

BTS
Base Transceiver Station A subscriber call request is sent by the MS to the BTS Includes all the necessary radio equipment for radio transmission within a cell
Antennas, signal processing devices, amplifiers

Responsible for
Establishing the link to the MS Modulating/Demodulating radio signals between the MS and the BTS

BSC
Base Station Controller The controlling component of the radio network Manages the BTSs Reserves radio frequencies for communications Handles the handoff between BTSs when an MS roams from one cell to another Responsible for paging the MS for incoming calls

BSS
Base Station Subsystem A GSM network is comprised of many BSSs Each BSS is controlled by a BSC The BSS performs the necessary functions for
Monitoring radio connections to the MS Voice coding/decoding Rate adaptation to/from the wireless network

A BSS can contain several BTSs

MSC
Mobile Switching Center A digital switch that sets up connections to the other MSCs and to the BSCs The MSCs form the wired (fixed) backbone of a GSM network and can switch calls to the PSTN An MSC can connect to several BSCs

EIR
Equipment Identity Register A database that stores the international mobile equipment identities (IMEIs) of all the MSs in the network The IMEI is an equipment identifier assigned by the manufacturer of the MS The EIR provide security features such as blocking calls from handsets that have been stolen

HLR
Home Location Register The central database for all users to register to the GSM network Stores subscribers static information such as
International mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) Subscribed services Subscriber authentication key

It also stores dynamic subscriber info such as the current location of the mobile subscriber

AuC
Authentication Center A database associated with the HLR Contains The algorithms for subscribers authentication The necessary encryption keys to safeguard the user input

VLR
Visitor Location Register A distributed database that temporarily stores information about the MSs that are active in the geographic area for which the VLR is responsible A VLR is associated with each MSC in the network When a new subscriber roams into a location area, the VLR copies subscriber info from the HLR to its local database This HLR-VLR relationship avoids
Frequent HLR database update Long distance signaling of the user info Hence allowing faster access to subscriber info

GSM database
The HLR, VLR, and AuC comprise the management database that support roaming (including international roaming) in the GSM network They authenticate calls while the GSM subscribers roam between the private network and the PLMN They store subscriber identities, current location area, and subscription levels

NSS
Network and Switching Subsystem The heart of the GSM system Connects the wireless network to the standard wired network Responsible for calls handoff between BSSs Perform services such as
Charging Accounting Roaming

AuC EIR

Other Network

BSS
HLR

GMSC/VLR

MS

BTS

cell

BSC

MSC/VLR NSS

MS

BSC BTS

cell

GSM network structure

GSM Interfaces (1)

Various interfaces used for communication between network elements A separate interface exists between each pair of elements Each interface requires its own set of protocols Communication over the interfaces occurs in a sequential manner
MS to BTS, BTS to BSC, BSC to MSC

And also to the different databases Communication may traverse multiple MSCs GMSC is the gateway towards other networks

 Um Air interface (MS to BTS) Traffic Voice: 13kbps, Data: 9.6kbps Signaling Link Access Procedure-D mobile (LAPDm) Abis BTS to BSC Traffic 16kbps Signaling LAP-D signaling protocol

Interfaces (2)

Interfaces (3)
TRAU: Transcoder Rate Adapter Unit BSC to MSC A interface Traffic
Translates between the 16 kbps on the BTS side and the 64 kbps on the GMSC side

Signaling
SS7 protocol, which defines call set-up and call services across the interface

 B
MSC-VLR No traffic Signaling

Interfaces (4)

MAP: Mobile Application Part of the SS7 stack

C
MSC-HLR No traffic Signaling
MAP

Interfaces (5)

HLR-VLR No traffic Signaling: MAP

E
MSC-MSC Traffic: 64 kbps Signaling: MAP, ISUP

 F
MSC-EIR No traffic Signaling

Interfaces (6)

G
VLR-VLR No traffic Signaling: MAP

H
HLR-AuC No traffic

Interface to external world

GMSC-PSTN GMSC-ISDN GMSC-PDN Traffic
64 kbps

Signaling
ISUP TUP

GSM interfaces
MS Um BTS Abis VLR C B GMSC A E MSC B F EIR VLR D D AuC

H
HLR

PSTN, ISDN, PDN

BSC

Representation of Cells

Ideal cells

Fictitious cells

Cell size and capacity

Cell size determines number of cells available to cover geographic area and (with frequency reuse) the total capacity available to all users Capacity within cell limited by available bandwidth and operational requirements Each network operator has to size cells to handle expected traffic demand

Cell structure
Implements space division multiplex: base station covers a certain transmission area (cell) Mobile stations communicate only via the base station Advantages of cell structures: higher capacity, higher number of users less transmission power needed more robust, decentralized base station deals with interference, transmission area etc. locally Problems: fixed network needed for the base stations handover (changing from one cell to another) necessary interference with other cells Cell sizes from some 100 m in cities to, e.g., 35 km on the country side (GSM) - even less for higher frequencies

Capacity of a Cellular System

Frequency Re-Use Distance The K factor or the cluster size Cellular coverage or Signal to interference ratio Sectoring

The K factor and Frequency Re-Use Distance

7 6 K= i2 + ij + j2 5 j 7 6 5 1 3 2 i D 1 3 R K = 22 + 2*1 + 12 K=4+2+1 K=7 2

4
D = 3K * R Frequency re-use distance is based on the cluster size K
D = 4.58R

The cluster size is specified in terms of the offset of the center of a cluster from the center of the adjacent cluster

The Frequency Re-Use for K = 4

K = i2 + ij + j2
K = 22 + 2*0 + 02 D K=4+0+0 K=4

D = 3K * R
D = 3.46R

R i

The Cell Structure for K = 7

7 6 1 5 7 6 1 5 4 3 2 4 2 6 1 3 1 7 2 2

7
6 1 5 4 3 5 4 2 6 1 7

5
4 2

Cell Structure for K = 4

1 4 1 4 3 1 4 3 2 4 3 2 4 3 1 2 2 1 4 1 2 4 3 3 1 2 2

Cell Structure for K = 12

9 8 2 7 1 6 9 4 5 9 3 12 6

10
11

8
2 7 1

10
11 3 12 4 5

8
2 7 1 6 5

10
11 3 12 4

8
2 7 1 6

10 11 3 12 4

Increasing cellular system capacity

Cell sectoring
Directional antennas subdivide cell into 3 or 6 sectors Might also increase cell capacity by factor of 3 or 6

Increasing cellular system capacity

Cell splitting
Decrease transmission power in base and mobile Results in more and smaller cells Reuse frequencies in non-contiguous cell groups Example: cell radius leads 4 fold capacity increase

Tri-Sector antenna for a cell

Cell Distribution in a Network

Rural Highway Suburb Town

Optimum use of frequency spectrum

Operator bandwidth of 7.2MHz (36 freq of 200 kHz) TDMA 8 traffic channels per carrier K factor = 12 What are the number of traffic channels available within its area for these three cases
Without cell splitting With 72 cells With 246 cells

Re-use of the frequency

One Cell = 288 traffic channels 8 X 36 = 288

72 Cell = 1728 traffic channels 8 X (72/12 X 36) = 1728 246 Cell = 5904 traffic channels

Concept of TDMA Frames and Channels

c f

GSM combines FDM and TDM: bandwidth is subdivided into channels of 200khz, shared by up to eight stations,
assigning slots for transmission on demand.

GSM uses paired radio channels

890MHz

915MHz

935MHz

960MHz

124

124

GSM delays uplink TDMA frames

The start of the uplink TDMA is delayed of three time slots Downlink TDMA F1MHz TDMA frame (4.615 ms)

R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 Uplink TDMA Frame F1 + 45MHz

Fixed transmit Delay of three time-slots

GSM - TDMA/FDMA
935-960 MHz 124 channels (200 kHz) downlink

890-915 MHz 124 channels (200 kHz) uplink

higher GSM frame structures

time

GSM TDMA frame 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 4.615 ms GSM time-slot (normal burst)

guard space tail user data S Training S user data guard tail space

3 bits

57 bits

1 26 bits 1

57 bits

546.5 s 577 s

LOGICAL CHANNELS

TRAFFIC

SIGNALLING

FULL RATE Bm 22.8 Kb/S

HALF RATE Lm 11.4 Kb/S BROADCAST COMMON CONTROL DEDICATED CONTROL

FCCH

SCH

BCCH PCH RACH AGCH

FCCH -- FREQUENCY CORRECTION CHANNEL SCH -- SYNCHRONISATION CHANNEL BCCH -- BROADCAST CONTROL CHANNEL PCH -- PAGING CHANNEL RACH -- RANDOM ACCESS CHANNEL AGCH -- ACCESS GRANTED CHANNEL SDCCH -- STAND ALONE DEDICATED CONTROL CHANNEL SACCH -- SLOW ASSOCIATED CONTROL CHANNEL FACCH -- FAST ASSOCIATED CONTROL CHANNEL

SDCCH DOWN LINK ONLY UPLINK ONLY

SACCH

FACCH

BOTH UP & DOWNLINKS

Broadcast Channel - BCH

Broadcast control channel (BCCH) is a base to mobile channel which provides general information about the network, the cell in which the mobile is currently located and the adjacent cells Frequency correction channel (FCCH) is a base to mobile channel which provides information for carrier synchronization Synchronization channel (SCH) is a base to mobile channel which carries information for frame synchronization and identification of the base station transceiver

Common Control Channel - CCH

Paging channel (PCH) is a base to mobile channel used to alert a mobile to a call originating from the network Random access channel (RACH) is a mobile to base channel used to request for dedicated resources Access grant channel (AGCH) is a base to mobile which is used to assign dedicated resources (SDCCH or TCH)

Dedicated Control Channel - DCCH

Stand-alone dedicated control channel (SDCCH) is a bi-directional channel allocated to a specific mobile for exchange of location update information and call set up information

Dedicated Control Channel - DCCH

Slow associated control channel (SACCH) is a bi-directional channel used for exchanging control information between base and a mobile during the progress of a call set up procedure. The SACCH is associated with a particular traffic channel or stand alone dedicated control channel Fast associated control channel (FACCH) is a bi-directional channel which is used for exchange of time critical information between mobile and base station during the progress of a call. The FACCH transmits control information by stealing capacity from the associated TCH

LOGICAL CHANNELS

TRAFFIC

SIGNALLING

FULL RATE Bm 22.8 Kb/S

HALF RATE Lm 11.4 Kb/S BROADCAST COMMON CONTROL DEDICATED CONTROL

FCCH

SCH

BCCH PCH RACH AGCH

FCCH -- FREQUENCY CORRECTION CHANNEL SCH -- SYNCHRONISATION CHANNEL BCCH -- BROADCAST CONTROL CHANNEL PCH -- PAGING CHANNEL RACH -- RANDOM ACCESS CHANNEL AGCH -- ACCESS GRANTED CHANNEL SDCCH -- STAND ALONE DEDICATED CONTROL CHANNEL SACCH -- SLOW ASSOCIATED CONTROL CHANNEL FACCH -- FAST ASSOCIATED CONTROL CHANNEL

SDCCH DOWN LINK ONLY UPLINK ONLY

SACCH

FACCH

BOTH UP & DOWNLINKS

Location update from the mobile

Mobile looks for BCCH after switching on RACH send channel request AGCH receive SDCCH SDCCH request for location updating SDCCH authenticate SDCCH authenticate response SDCCH switch to cipher mode SDCCH cipher mode acknowledge SDCCH allocate TMSI SDCCH acknowledge new TMSI SDCCH switch idle update mode

Call establishment from a mobile

Mobile looks for BCCH after switching on RACH send channel request AGCH receive SDCCH

SDCCH send call establishment request

SDCCH do the authentication and TMSI allocation SDCCH send the setup message and desired number

SDCCH require traffic channel assignment

FACCH switch to traffic channel and send ack (steal bits) FACCH receive alert signal ringing sound FACCH receive connect message FACCH acknowledge connect message and use TCH TCH conversation continues

Call establishment to a mobile

Mobile looks for BCCH after switching on Mobile receives paging message on PCH Generate Channel Request on RACH Receive signaling channel SDCCH on AGCH Answer paging message on SDCCH Receive authentication request on SDCCH

Authenticate on SDCCH
Receive setup message on SDCCH Receive traffic channel assignment on SDCCH

FACCH switch to traffic channel and send ack (steal bits)

Receive alert signal and generate ringing on FACCH Receive connect message on FACCH

FACCH acknowledge connect message and switch to TCH

GSM speech coding

AIR INTERFACE
BASE TRANSCEIVER STATION

935 NK NLI W DO
MOBILE

- 960

MHz

0 89 L UP K IN

z MH 15 9 -

Transmit Path

BS Side 8 bit A-Law to 13 bit Uniform 8 K sps

RPE/LTP speech Encoder

To Channel Coder 13Kbps

MS Side 8 K sps, LPF A/D RPE/LTP speech Encoder

To Channel Coder 13Kbps

Sampling Rate - 8K Encoding - 13 bit Encoding (104 Kbps) RPE/LTP - Regular Pulse Excitation/Long Term Prediction RPE/LTP converts the 104 Kbps stream to 13 Kbps

GSM Speech Coding

GSM is a digital system, so speech which is inherently analog, has to be digitized. The method employed by current telephone systems for multiplexing voice lines over high speed trunks and is pulse coded modulation (PCM). The output stream from PCM is 64 kbps, too high a rate to be feasible over a radio link.

GSM Speech Coding

Speech is divided into 20 millisecond samples, each of which is encoded as 260 bits, giving a total bit rate of 13 kbps. Regular pulse excited -- linear predictive coder (RPE--LPC) with a long term predictor loop is the speech coding algorithm.

 The 260 bits are divided into three classes: Class Ia 50 bits - most sensitive to bit errors. Class Ib 132 bits - moderately sensitive to bit errors. Class II 78 bits - least sensitive to bit errors. Class Ia bits have a 3 bit cyclic redundancy code added for error detection = 50+3 bits. 132 class Ib bits with 4 bit tail sequence = 132 + 4 = 136. Class Ia + class Ib = 53+136=189, input into a 1/2 rate convolution encoder of constraint length 4. Each input bit is encoded as two output bits, based on a combination of the previous 4 input bits. The convolution encoder thus outputs 378 bits, to which are added the 78 remaining class II bits. Thus every 20 ms speech sample is encoded as 456 bits, giving a bit rate of 22.8 kbps.

GSM Protocol Suite

SS HLR

MM + CM

MSC VLR

RR
BSC

BTS
Radio interface

Link Layer
LAPDm is used between MS and BTS LAPD is used between BTS-BSC MTP2 is used between BSC-MSC/VLR/HLR

Network Layer
To distinguish between CC, SS, MM and RR protocol discriminator (PD) is used as network address.
CC call control management MS-MSC. SS supplementary services management MS-MSC/HLR. MM mobility management(location management, security management) MS-MSC/VLR. RR radio resource management MS-BSC.

Messages pertaining to different transaction are distinguished by a transaction identifier (TI).

Application Layer protocols

BSSMAP between BSC and MSC DTAP messages between MS and MSC. All messages on the A interface bear a discrimination flag, indicating whether the message is a BSSMAP or a DTAP. DTAP messages carry DLCI(information on type of link on the radio interface) to distinguish what is related to CC or SMS. MAP protocol is the one between neighbor MSCs. MAP is also used between MSC and HLR.

GSM Functional Architecture and Principal Interfaces

Mobile Application Part MAP TCAP CCS7 SCCP CCS7 MTP A Interface Q931 BSSAP SCCP CCS7 MTP Um

Base Station System

Q.921 Radio Interface

Q.931 Q.921

A-Bis Interface

GSM protocol layers for signaling

Um MS
CM MM RR RR LAPDm radio LAPDm radio BTSM LAPD PCM
BSSAP

Abis BTS BSC

A MSC
CM

MM BSSAP
RR BTSM LAPD PCM PCM PCM

SS7

SS7

16/64 kbit/s

64 kbit/s / 2.048 Mbit/s

Protocols involved in the radio interface

Level 1-Physical TDMA frame Logical channels multiplexing Level 2-LAPDm(modified from LAPD) No flag No error retransmission mechanism due to real time constraints Level 3-Radio Interface Layer (RIL3) involves three sub layers RR: paging, power control, ciphering execution, handover MM: security, location IMSI attach/detach CM: Call Control(CC), Supplementary Services(SS), Short Message Services(SMS),

LAPDm on radio interface

In LAPDm the use of flags is avoided. LAPDm maximum length is 21 octets of information. It makes use of more bit to distinguish last frame of a message. No frame check sequence for LAPDm, it uses the error detecting performance of the transmission coding scheme offered by the physical layer

LAPDm Message structure

ADDRESS CONTROL INFORMATION 0-21 OCTETS

SAPI N(S) N(R)

LAPDm on radio interface

The acknowledgement for the next expected frame in the indicator N(R ). On radio interface two independent flows(one for signaling, and one for SMS) can exist simultaneously. These two flows are distinguished by a link identifier called the SAPI(service access point identifier). LAPDm SAPI=0 for signaling and SAPI=3 for SMS. SAP1=0 for radio signaling, SAPI=62 for OAM and SAPI=63 for layer 2 management on the Abis interface. There is no need of a TEI, because there is no need to distinguish the different mobile stations, which is done by distinguishing the different radio channels.

Protocols involved in the A-bis interface Level 1-PCM transmission (E1 or T1)
Speech encoded at 16kbit/s and sub multiplexed in 64kbit/s time slots. Data which rate is adapted and synchronized.

Level 2-LAPD protocol, standard HDLC

Radio Signaling Link (RSL) Operation and Maintenance Link (OML).

Level 3-Application Protocol

Radio Subsystem Management (RSM) Operation and Maintenance procedure (OAM)

Presentation of A-bis Interface

Messages exchanges between the BTS and BSC.
Traffic exchanges Signaling exchanges

Physical access between BTS and BSC is PCM digital links of E1(32) or T1(24) TS at 64kbit/s. Speech:
Conveyed in timeslots at 4X16 kbit/s

Data:
Conveyed in timeslots of 4X16 kbit/s. The initial user rate, which may be 300, 1200, is adjusted to 16 kbit/s

LAPD message structure

FLAG ADRESS CONTROL INFORMATION 0 260 OCT FCS FLAG

SAPI

TEI

N(S)

N(R)

LAPD
The length is limited to 260 octets of information. LAPD has the address of the destination terminal, to identify the TRX, since this is a point to multipoint interface. Each TRX in a BTS corresponds to one or several signaling links. These links are distinguished by TEI (Terminal Equipment Identities). SAPI=0, SAPI=3, SAPI=62 for OAM.

Signaling Protocol Model

Presentation on the A-Interface

BSSMAP - deals with procedures that take place logically between the BSS and MSC, examples: Trunk Maintenance, Ciphering, Handover, Voice/Data Trunk Assignment DTAP - deals with procedures that take place logically between the MS and MSC. The BSS does not interpret the DTAP information, it simply repackages it and sends it to the MS over the Um Interface. examples:

Location Update, MS originated and terminated Calls, Short Message Service, User Supplementary Service registration, activation, deactivation and erasure

Inter MSC presentation

MS CM BTS O A M L A P D O A M L A P D BSC BSSAP R R

D T A P
B S S M A P

NSS

CM MM R R

MM BSSAP DTAP/ BSSMAP SCCP MTP3 MTP2

M A P T C A P
SCCP

SCCP MTP3 MTP2

MTP3 MTP2

MTP1
Um Interface A bis Interface A Interface

Bearer Services
Telecommunication services to transfer data between access points Specification of services up to the terminal interface (OSI layers 1-3) Different data rates for voice and data (original standard) Data service
Synchronous: 2.4, 4.8 or 9.6 kbit/s Asynchronous: 300 - 1200 bit/s

Tele Services
Telecommunication services that enable voice communication via mobile phones. All these basic services have to obey cellular functions, security measurements etc. Offered services. Mobile telephony primary goal of GSM was to enable mobile telephony offering the traditional bandwidth of 3.1 kHz. Emergency number common number throughout Europe (112); Mandatory for all service providers; Free of charge; Connection with the highest priority (preemption of other connections possible). Multinumbering several ISDN phone numbers per user possible.

Performance characteristics of GSM

Communication mobile, wireless communication; support for voice and data services Total mobility international access, chip-card enables use of access points of different providers Worldwide connectivity one number, the network handles localization High capacity better frequency efficiency, smaller cells, more customers per cell High transmission quality high audio quality and reliability for wireless, uninterrupted phone calls at higher speeds (e.g., from cars, trains) Security functions access control, authentication via chip-card and PIN

Disadvantages of GSM
No full ISDN bandwidth of 64 kbit/s to the user Reduced concentration while driving Electromagnetic radiation Abuse of private data possible High complexity of the system Several incompatibilities within the GSM standards

Thank You