AIR INTERFACE

Physical channel: In GSM is defined by a frequency pair for UL/DL and a Time Slot TS of the TDMA frame.
0 CH 124 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

0 CH 3 0 1 CH 2 0 1 CH 1

Kinds of frame
TDMA Frame:In GSM 8 TS form one TDMA frame (4.615ms), i.e. 8 physical channels are using the same frequency band being cyclically (Every 4.615 ms) allocated to a certain user / application. Multiframes: Multi-frames of physical channels allocated for user traffic (Traffic Channels TCH) are repetition cycles of 26 TDMA frames. Multi-frames of physical channels allocated for signaling data (mostly on one / several of the TS0 of the carrier of one cell) are repetition cycles of 51 TDMA frames. Superframe: 51 Traffic Multi-frames. 26 Control Multi-frames. Time of Super-frame = 51*26*4.615 = 6.12 Sec Hyperframe: 2048 Super-frame. Time of Hyper-frame = 2048*6.12 = 3.5 hours.

logical channels:
Many types of logical channels exists, each designed to carry a different message to or from an MS. All information to and from an MS must be formatted correctly, Logical Channels can carry Traffic or control signals.

Traffic Channels:Once call set-up procedures have been completed on the control physical channel, the MS tunes to a traffic physical channel. It uses the Traffic Channel (TCH) logical channel. Traffic channels are thus up link and down link. There are two types of TCH: Full rate (TCH) Transmits full rate speech (13 Kbits/s). A full rate TCH occupies one physical channel. Half rate (TCH/2) transmits half rate speech (6.5 Kbits/s).

Logical Channel Frequency Correction Channel (FCCH) Synchronization channel (SCH)

Direction Downlink point to multi point Downlink point to multi point

BTS info Transmits a carrier frequency Transmit information about TDMA frame structure in a cell and base-station identity (BSIC) Broad cast some general cell information such as : (LAI) location area identity max output power allowed in the cell ,and the identity of BCCH carrier Transmit a paging message to indicate an incoming call , the paging message contains the mobile identity number of the mobile network wishes to contact Receives a signal from mobile station for signaling channel Assigns a signaling channel SDCCH to MS The BTS switches to the assigned SDCCH. the call setup procedure is performed in idle mode ,also used to transmit text messages and sms Instruct MS to transmitting power and for timing advance

MS info Identifies BCCH carrier by carrier frequency and tune to the frequency Synchronize with the frame structure within particular cell Receives LAI and compare it with existing one in the SIM , MS set the output power based on information of BCCH, finally MS stores BCCH carriers to assist in best hand over

Broadcast Channel

Broadcast control channel (BCCH)

Downlink point to multi point

Common control channels

Paging channels

(PCH)

Downlink point to point

If its identify MSIN then the mobile will respond to the network Answer a paging message by request a signaling channel Receives signal channel assignment SDCCH The MS switches to the assigned SDCCH. The MS Receives TCH assignment information Sends the signal measurement (strength and quality) of its cell and neighboring cells Transmit necessary hand over information in access burst

Random Access Channel (RACH) Access Grant Channel (AGCH)

Downlink point to point Downlink point to point

Dedicated Control Channels

Dedicated Control Channels

Standalone Dedicated Control Channel (SDCCH)

Uplink and Downlink point to point Uplink and Downlink point to point Uplink and Downlink point to point

Slow Associated Control Channel(SACCH)

Fast Associated Control Channel(FACCH)

Transmit hand over information

Table: Illustrate the Logical Control Channels