INTRODUCTION TO GSM GSM Network Components MOBILE SERVICES SWITCHING CENTRE- MSC As its name implies, the MSC

is include in the GSM system for call switching and its overall purpose, therefore, is the same as that of any telephone exchange. However, because of the additional complications involved in the control and security aspects of the GSM cellular system and the wide range of subscriber facilities that it offers, the MSC has to be capable of fulfilling many additional functions. The MSC will carry out several different functions depending upon its position in the network. When the MSC provides the interface between the PSTN and the BSSs in the GSM network it will be known as a Gateway MSC. In this position it will provide the switching required for all mobile originated or terminated traffic. Each MSC provides service to mobiles located within a defined geographic coverage area, the network typically contains more than one MSC. One MSC is capable of supporting a regional capital with approximately one million inhabitants. An MSC of this size will be contained in about half a dozen racks. The functions carried out by the MSC are listed bellow: Call Processing Includes control of data/voice call setup, Inter BSS and Inter MSC Handovers and control of mobility management (subscriber validation and location). Operations and Maintenance Support Includes database management, traffic metering and measurement and a man machine interface. Internetwork Interworking Manages the interface between the GSM network and the PSTN. Billing Collects call billing data We will now look at the other network components of the Network Switching System and see how they are used to carry out the functions listed above. GSM NETWORK OVERVIEW The diagram overleaf shows a simplified GSM network. Each network component is illustrated only once, in reality many of the components will occur several times throughout a network. Each network component is design to communicate over an interface specified by the GSM standards. This provides flexibility and enables a system operator to utilize system components from different manufacturers. For example Motorola Base Station System (BSS) equipment may be coupled with an Ericson Network Switching System. The principle main component groups of a GSM System are:
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The Mobile Station (MS) This consists of the mobile telephone, fax machine etc. This is a part of the network that the subscriber will see. The Base Station System (BSS) This is the part of the network, which provides the ratio inter connection from the MS to the land based switching equipment. The Network Switching System This consists of the Mobile Services Switching Centre (MSC) and its associated system control databases and processors together with the required interfaces. This is the part which provides for inter connection between the GSM network and Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The Operations and Maintenance System This enables the network operator to configure and maintain the network from a central location. MOBILE STATION - MS The Mobile Station consists of two parts, the Mobile Equipment (ME) and an electronic smart card called a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM). The Mobile Equipment is the hardware used by the subscriber to access the network. This may be a telephone, fax machine, computer etc. The hardware has an identity number associated with it, which is unique for that particular device and permanently stored in it. This enables stolen mobile equipment to be detected. This identity number is called an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI). The SIM is a card, which plugs into the Mobile Equipment. This card identifies the mobile 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). Mobile Equipment may be purchased from any store but the SIM must be obtained from the GSM network operator. Without the SIM inserted the mobile equipment will only be able to make emergency calls. Emergency calls on the GSM network are made with the number 112, this the internationally agreed emergency call number.

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By making a distinction between the subscriber identity and the mobile equipment identity, GSM can route cells and perform billing based on the identity of the subscriber rather than the equipment or its location. MOBILE EQUIPMENT - ME The Mobile Equipment is the only part of the GSM network, which the subscriber will really see. There are three main types of Mobile Equipment, these are listed below: Vehicle Mounted These devices are mounted in a vehicle and the antenna is physically mounted outside of the vehicle. Portable Mobile Unit This equipment can be handheld when in operation but the antenna is not connected to the handset of the unit. Handportable Unit This equipment comprises of a small telephone handset not much bigger than a calculator does. The antenna would be connected to the handset. These three mobile types have distinct features which must be known by the network, for example their maximum transmission power and the services they support. The mobile stations are therefore identified by means of classmark. The classmark is sent by the mobile station in its initial message. The following pieces of information are held in the class mark: Revision Level Identifies the phase of the GSM specifications the with. mobile complies to the

RF Power Capability the maximum power the mobile is able to transmit, used for power control and handover preparation. This information is held in the mobile power class number. Ciphering Algorithm Indicates which ciphering algorithm is implemented in the mobile station. There is currently only one algorithm (A5) but GSM phase 2 specifies seven different algorithms (A5/1 A5/7). Frequency Capability Indicates the frequency bands the mobile can receive and transmit on. Currently all GSM mobiles use one frequency band, in the future this band will be extended but not all mobiles will be capable of using it. Short Message Capability Indicates whether the mobile stations is able to receive short messages.
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SUBSCRIBER IDENTITY MODULE - SIM The SIM as mentioned previously is a smart card which plugs into the mobile equipment and contains information about the mobile subscriber hence the name Subscriber Identity Module. This card contains several pieces of information these are listed below: International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) This number identifies the mobile 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 (Ki) This is used to authenticate the SIM card. Mobile Station International Standard Data Network (MSISDN) This is the telephone number of the mobile. It is comprised of a country code, a national code and a subscriber number. Most of the data contained within the SIM is protected against reading (eg. Ki) or alterations (eg. IMSI) after the SIMs time of issue. Some of the parameters (eg. LAI) will be continuously updated to reflect the current location of the subscriber. The SIM card and the high degree of inbuilt system security provide protection for the subscribers information and protection for networks against fraudulent access: SIM cards are designed to be difficult to duplicate. The SIM can be protected by use of Personal Identity Number (PIN) password, similar to credit/bank charge card use, to prevent unauthorized use of the card. The SIM is capable of storing additional information such as accumulated call charges. This information will be accessible to the customer via handset/keyboard key entry. The SIM also executes the Authentication Algorithm, we will look into this in more detail later on. BASE STATION CONTROLLER - BSC As previous mentioned the BSC provides the control for the BSS. One BSC may control approximately 40 BTSs. The functions of the BSC are shown in the table overleaf. Any information required by the BTS for operation will be received via the BSC. Likewise any information required about the BTS (by the OMC for example) will be obtained by the BSC. The BSC incorporates a digital switching matrix, which it uses to connect the radio channels on the air interface with the terrestrial circuits from the MSC. The BSC switching matrix also allows the BSC to perform handovers between radio channels on separate BTSs, under its control, without involving MSC.

BASE TRANSCEIVER STATION BTS The BTS provides the air interface connection with the Mobile, it also has a limited amount of control functionality this reduces the amount of traffic which needs to pass between the BTS and BSC and so makes it faster. The functions of the BTS are shown overleaf. Each BTS cabinet will provide between 3 and 5 RF carries which, in turn, will provide between 20 and 40 simultaneous calls. BSS FUNCTIONALITY CONTROL

TERRESTRIAL CHANNEL MANAGEMENT BSC Channel Allocation RADIO CHANNEL MANAGEMENT Channel Configuration Management Handover Control Frequency Hopping Traffic Channel Management Control Channel Management Encryption BSC/BTS Paging Power Control Transcoding/Rate Adaption Channel Coding/Decoding Timing Advance Idle Channel Observation Measurement Reporting

BSC BSC BSC/BTS BSC/BTS BSC/BTS

BSC/BTS BSC/BTS BTS BTS BTS BTS BTS

Where the BSC and BS are both shown to control a function the control is divided between the two. The BSC will tend to manage the function whereas the BTS will tend to execute the function or carry out measurements to assist the BSC.

BASE STATION SYSTEM BSS The GSM Base Station Sub system is the equipment found at a cell site, it comprises of a combination of digital and RF equipment. The BSS provides the link between the mobile equipment and the Mobile Services Switching Centre.

The BSS communities with the Mobile Station over the digital air interface and with the Mobile Services Switching Centre (MSC) via 2Mbit PCM links. The BSS consists of three major hardware components these are detailed below: The Base Station Controller-BSC The BSC as its name implies provides the control for the BSS. The BSC communicates directly with the MSC. The BSC may control single or multiple BTSs. The Base Transceiver Station-BTS The BTS contains the RF components that provide the air interface for a particular cell. This is the part of the GSM network which communicates with the mobile. The Antenna is included as part of the BTS. The Transcoder XCDR The Transcoder is used compact the signals from the mobile station so that they be more efficiently sent over the terrestrial interfaces. Although the Transcoder is considered to be a part of the BSS it is very often located closer to the MSC. The Transcoder (XCDR) is required to convert the speech or data output from the MSC (64Kb/s Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) into the specified by SMG specifications for transmission over the air interface, that is, between the BSS and MS. The 64kb/s Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) circuits from the MSC, if transmitted on the air interface without modification, would occupy an excessive amount of radio bandwidth. This would use the available radio spectrum inefficiently. The required bandwidth is therefore reduced by processing the 64Kb/s circuits so that the amount of information required to transmit digitized voice falls to 13Kb/s. The Transducer may be located with the MSC, BSC or BTS. If it is located at the MSC, the 13 Kb/s channels are transmitted to the BSS by bit stuffing them to a data transfer rate of 16Kb/s and then fitting four of them into each 64Kb/s terrestrial circuit. Thus each 30 channel 2Mb/s PCM link can carry 120 GSM specified voice channels, with obvious cost savings for the system operator. Therefore, co location with the MSC is expected to be the most common arrangement, as it will reduce the number of 2Mbit/s links required. NETWORK SWITCHING SYSTEM The Network Switching System includes the main switching functions of the GSM network. It also contains the databases required for subscriber data and mobility management. Its main function is to manage communications between the GSM network and other telecommunications networks.
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The components of the Network Switching System are listed below: Mobile Services Switching Centre MSC Home Location Register HLR Visitor Location Register VLR Equipment Identity Register EIR Authentication Centre AUC Interworking Function IWF Echo Cancellor EC

In addition to the more traditional elements of a cellular telephone system, GSM has Location Register network entities. These entities are the Home Location Register (HLR), Visitor Location Register (VLR), and the Equipment Identity Register (EIR). The location registers are database oriented processing nodes which address the problems of managing subscriber data and keeping track of mobile subscribers location as it roams around the network. Functionally, the Interworking Function and the Echo Cancellers may be considered as parts of the MSC since their activities are inextricably linked with these of the switch as it connects speech and data calls to and from the MSs. DISCONTINUOUS RECEPTION DRX DRX allows the mobile station to effectively switch off during times when reception is deemed unnecessary. By monitoring the Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH), the Frequency Correction Control Channel (FCCH) and the synchronization Control Channel (SCCH) the Mobile is aware of the Frame Number and repetition format for Frame Synchronization, it can therefore, after initially locking on to a BCCH, determine when the next relevant information is to be transmitted. This allows the Mobile to go to sleep and listen in only when necessary, with the effective saving in power usage. DRX may only be used when a mobile is not in call.

CONCLUSION VAD, DTX, and DRX result in battery use time being considerably extended and can, for any given power requirement, reduce the effective battery size needed. FEATURES OF GSM Our current cellular telephone systems provide the subscriber and network operator with many advantages over a standard telephone network, but there are still many drawbacks. We will now look at some of these drawbacks and see how the new system GSM overcomes them.

COMPATIBILITY Because of the piecemeal development of cellular in Europe, there are many different cellular system types, which are all incompatible with one another. Europe has become a patchwork quilt of cellular operators, rather against the general tendency towards European technical harmonization! The need for a common standard for mobile telecommunications is therefore obvious. An executive body was set up to co-ordinate the complicated task of specifying the new standardized network. GSM has been specified and developed by many European countries working in co-operation with each other. The result is a cellular system which will be implemented throughout Europe. Eventually you will be able to drive from Germany to Spain without dropping your telephone call. An additional advantage resulting form this is that there will be a large market for GSM equipment. This means that manufacturers will produce equipment in higher quantities, which should make the equipment cheaper. Due to the success of GSM it is now being adopted by countries outside Europe such as Hong Kong and Australia. NOISE ROBUST In the current telephone systems the mobile unit communicates with the cell site by means of analogue radio signals. Although this technique can provide an excellent audio quality (it is widely used for stereo radio broadcasting, for example), it is vulnerable to noise as anyone who has tried to receive broadcast stereo with poor aerial will testify! The noise which interferes with the current system can come from any of the following sources: A powerful or nearby external source ( a vehicle ignition system or a lightening bolt, perhaps); Another transmission on the same frequency (co-channel interference); Another transmission breaking through from a nearby frequency (adjacent channel interference); Background radio noise intruding because the wanted signal is too weak to exclude it.

In order to combat the problems caused by noise it was decided that the new cellular system should use digital signals instead of analogue.

The signals passed over a digital air interface can be protected against errors caused by noise. This protection comes from encoding the signal, mechanisms such as soft-decision and viterbi decoding are used. These mechanisms enable the errors in a signal to be detected and also corrected. The end result is a much more robust air interface. Digital cellular radio is thus able to tolerate far higher levels of noise and interference than current analogue systems, leading to improvements in both quality and efficiency.

USE OF STANDARDISED OPEN INTERFACES The equipment in each of the analogue cellular networks used throughout Europe tends to be produced by one manufacturer. This is because the equipment is only designed to communicate with other equipment made by that manufacturer. This situation is very profitable for the manufacturers as they have great deal of influence over the pricing of their product. Unfortunately for the mobile telephone user and the network operator this means high prices. The situation is very different with GSM, standard interfaces such as: C7 and X.25 are used throughout the system. This means that system planners can select different manufacturers for different pieces of hardware. Competition between manufacturers will therefore increase and prices should fall. In addition, network planners have a great deal of flexibility in where the network components are situated. This means that they can make the most efficient use of the terrestrial links which they operate. Most terrestrial links would be rented from a large network operator eg. BT at a very high cost and therefore money can be saved by co-locating equipment.

IMPROVED SECURITY AND CONFIDENTIALITY Security figures high on the list of problems encountered by some operators of analogue systems. In some of Europes two dozen or so systems, it is virtually non -existent and the unscrupulous were quick to recognize this. With some of the first generation systems, it has been estimated that up to 20% of cellular phone calls are stolen. Extensive measures have been taken when specifying the GSM system to substantially increase security with regard to both call theft and equipment theft. GSM offers high speed and data confidentiality both inherent in the method of transmission over the air interface and the manner in which traffic is processed prior to transmission. Signaling and control data will be encrypted and this, together with sophisticated subscriber authentication techniques, will eradicate call theft. With GSM the mobile equipment can be identified independently from the mobile subscriber. The mobile has an identity number hard coded into it when it is manufactured. This number is stored
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in a central database, therefore when ever a call is made the equipment can be checked to see if it has been reported stolen. The security aspects of any telephone system also relate to privacy. The current systems have no method of ensuring confidentiality built in as part of the system. Equipped with an appropriate analogue receiver, anyone can eavesdrop. If confidentially is required, the subscriber has to provide to himself using some form of scrambling device. The far end subscriber must be similarly equipped. The GSM system provides a high degree of confidentiality for the subscriber, calls will be digitized, encoded and then ciphered (encrypted) when sent over the air. This will make listening to someones call virtually impossible.

CLEANER HANDOVERS Handovers take place as a mobile moves between cells, gradually losing the RF signal of one and gaining that of the other. The call switches from channel to channel and cell to cell as it moves to maintain call continuity. With current analogue systems, handovers are frequently a problem area and the subscriber is only too well aware that a handover has occurred! The GSM system has addressed this problem and the GSM handover will be a much more tightly controlled process. The mobile itself carries out signal strength measurements of up to sixteen adjacent cells, and the quality of the traffic channel is measured by both mobile and the equipment at the cell site. The handover is therefore much more sophisticated and may more factors are taken into account.

ISDN COMPATIBILITY ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) is a standard that most developed countries are committed to implement. This is a new and advanced telecommunications network desiged to carry voice and user data over standard telephone lines. Major telephone companies in Europe, North America, Hong Kong, Australia and Japan are committed to commercial enterprises using ISDN. Currently in the UK you wish to use an ISDN line you must pay extra to receive this service. The GSM network has been designed to operate with the ISDN system and provides features which are compatible with it. Unfortunately GSM can only provide a maximum data rate of 9.6 Kb/s while ISDN provides much higher data rates than this (standard rate 64 Kb/s, primary rate 2.048 Mb/s).

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2B+D This refers to the signals & information which may be carried on an ISDN line. There are effectively three connections, one for signalling (D) and the other two for data or speech (2B).

FLEXIBILITY AND INCREASED CAPACITY The phenomenal success of the current analogue cellular systems means that there is a requirement for not only increased cellular phone capacity in Europe, but ease of expansion as well. The current UK cellular networks (Vodafone and Cellnet) have to some extent become the victims of their own success. So many subscribers have registered on these systems so quickly that it has been difficult to expand their capacity fast enough to satisfy call demand. With the current analogue air interface, every connection between a mobile subscriber and a cell site requires a separate RF carrier and that, in turn, requires a separate hardware at the cell site. Therefore, to expand the capacity of a cell site by a given number of a channels, an equivalent quantity of RF hardware must be added to the cell site equipment. System expansion, tyherefore, is time consuming, expresive and labour intensive. Such operations also involve very intricate RF planning. To operate legally, both networks must use a closely defined range of RF frequencies. This frequency spectrum (872 960 MHz) is obviously limited and, as only a finite number of conversations can be squeezed onto a given a number of radio carriers, there is frequent localized overloading at a time of peak demand. This results in call blocking (the subscribers hears a tone indicating that no system capacity is available) and consequent subscriber dissatisfaction. Once again, the digital air interface used by GSM comes to the rescue. It uses the available radio spectrum more efficiently. Eight simultaneously conversations can now be carried out on one RF carrier. This means that the separate RF hardware is only required for every eight subcsribers and hence, as the systems expands, hardware changes are required less frequently than for the old system. The system also more versatile and it is possible to move capacity from one part of the network to another by reconfiguring the system database.

SUSBSCRIBER IDENTIFICATION With the current analogue system a mobile subscriber is identified by a telephone number which is associated with their mobile equipment. This number is held in the mobile equipment of that subcsriber, therefore if the subscriber wishes to make or receive calls he must take the mobile equipment with him.

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