INTERVIEW QUESTIONS ON GSM

Questions On GSM
History Of GSM
1) Describe in short the evolution of GSM?
Year Mobile System
1981 Nordic Mobile Telehone !NMT) "#$
198% &merican Mobile 'hone System !&M'S
198# Total &ccess (ommunications System !T&(S)
198) Nordic Mobile telehony !NMT) 9$$
1991 &merican Di*ital (ellular !&D()
1991 Global System for Mobile (ommunications !GSM)
199+ Di*ital (ellular Systems !D(S) 18$$
199" 'ersonal Di*ital (ellular !'D()
199# '(S,19$$ (anada
199) '(S, -nited States
+) .hat are the standard bodies for the develoment and nurturin* of the GSM standard?
(/'T !(onference /uroeenne des 'ostes et Telecommunications)
Mo- !Memorandum 0f -nderstandin*)
((1TT !(omite (onsultatif 1nternational Tele*rahi2ue et telehoni2ue)
General (haracteristics 0f GSM Technolo*y
1) .hat is Time Division Multile &ccess?
TDM& is a di*ital transmission technolo*y3 4hich 4or5s by dividin* a radio fre2uency into time
slots and then allocatin* slots to each user 4ithin each channel6 1n this 4ay3 a sin*le fre2uency
can suort multile3 simultaneous data channels6
+) .hat is 7DM&?
7re2uency Divison Multile access is a scheme in 4hich the entire fre2uency band is divided
into channels3 each channel corresondin* to a articular fre2uency ran*e6 .ith 7DM& each
channel can be assi*ned to one user at a time6
%) Give details of the ulin5 and do4nlin5 band of GSM?
The ulin5 band of GSM is from 89$M89 to 91#M89 and the do4nlin5 band of
is from 9%#M89 to 9)$M89
") .hat is the band*a bet4een the ulin5 and do4nlin5 carrier in GSM?
"# M896
#) .hat is the band*a bet4een + consecutive carriers?
+$$:89
)) 8o4 many carriers are resent in the GSM band and ho4 many channels are there
in each carrier?
1+" carriers and 8 channels er carrier
;) .hat tye of modulation is used in GSM?
Gaussian Minimum Shift :eyin* !GMS:)
8) .hat is &<7(N?
1n cellular mobile communications the radio channels are identified by their
&bsolute <adio 7re2uency (hannel Number6 1n GSM &<7(N 1 to 1+" are used6
GSM Net4or5 &rchitecture
9) .hat are the comonents of the GSM net4or5? Dra4 a schematic dia*ram of the
GSM Net4or5 architecture?
=
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-m =SS &bis &
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The GSM net4or5 architecture consists of the follo4in* comonents
a6 Mobile Station !MS)
b6 =ase Transceiver Station !=TS)
c6 =ase Station (ontroller !=S()
d6 Mobile S4itchin* (enter !MS()
e6 8ome >ocation <e*ister !8><)
f6 ?isitor >ocation <e*ister !?><)
*6 &uthentication (enter !&u()
h6 /2uiment 1dentity <e*ister !/1<)
1$) Describe in brief the functionalities of the =ase Transceiver Station !=TS)?
The =TS is a art of the =ase Station Sub system and is in contact 4ith the MS
throu*h the radio interface6 The =TS is in char*e of mana*ement of transmission and
recetion on the radio interface6
11) Describe in brief the functionalities of the =ase Station (ontroller !=S()?
The =S( is connected on one side to one or several =TSs and on the other side to the
MS(6 The main function of the =S( is allocation and release of radio channels and
the handover mana*ement6
1+) .hat is the function of the Mobile s4itchin* center !MS()?
The MS( erforms the basic function of s4itchin*6 The main function of the MS( is to co,
ordinate the settin* u of calls to and from GSM users and the e@ternal net4or5 The MS( has
interface 4ith the =SS on one side and the e@ternal net4or5 on the other side6
1%) .hat is the function of the 8ome >ocation <e*ister !8><)?
The 8ome >ocation <e*ister !8><) to*ether 4ith the MS(3 rovide the callroutin*
and roamin* caabilities of GSM6 The 8>< contains all the
administrative information of each subscriber re*istered in the corresondin* GSM
net4or53 alon* 4ith the current location of the mobile6
1") .hat is the function of the ?isitor >ocation <e*ister !?><)?
The ?isitor >ocation <e*ister contains roamin* information6 0nce the visited system
detects the mobile3 the ?>< of that system en2uires the 8>< to ma5e sure you are a
valid subscriber6 1t temorarily stores the last location area visited by the MS3 the
o4er the mobile uses3 the secial services the MS is subscribed to and so on6
1#) .hat is the function of the /2uiment 1dentity <e*ister !/1<)?
The /2uiment 1dentity <e*ister !/1<) is a database that stores data related to the
mobile e2uiment6 1t contains a list of all valid mobile e2uiment on the net4or53
4here each mobile station is identified by 1nternational Mobile /2uiment 1dentity
!1M/1)6This is useful 4hen searchin* for stolen mobile e2uiment or 4hen
monitorin* misuse of mobile stations6
1)) .hat is the function of the &uthentication (enter !&u()?
The &uthentication (enter is a database that stores a coy of the secret 5ey
stored in each subscriberAs S1M card3 4hich is used for authentication and ciherin*
of the radio channel6
1;) .hat is the function of the T<&-?
18) .hat is S1M? .hat are the functions of the S1M?
The Subscriber 1dentity Module is a card inside a mobile e2uiment 4hich contains subscriber
related data6 The S1M card contains the 1nternational Mobile Subscriber 1dentity !1MS1) used to
identify the subscriber to the system3 a secret 5ey for authentication3 and other information6
19) Describe ho4 authentication is erformed in GSM?
&uthentication involves t4o functional entities3 the S1M card in the mobile3 and the
&uthentication (enter !&u()6 /ach subscriber is *iven a secret 5ey !:i)3 one coy of 4hich is
stored in the S1M card and the other in the &uthentication (enter6 Durin* authentication3 the &u(
*enerates a random number !<&ND) that it sends to the mobile6 =oth the mobile and the &u(
then use the random number3 in conBunction 4ith the subscriberAs secret 5ey and a ciherin*
al*orithm called &%3 to *enerate a number !S</S) that is sent bac5 to the &u(6 1f the number
sent by the mobile is the same as the one calculated by the &u(3 the subscriber is authenticated6
GSM Air Interface
19) .hat are the t4o tyes of lo*ical channels?
The t4o tyes of lo*ical channels are Traffic (hannels !T(8) and (ontrol (hannels
+$) .hat are the various tyes of (ontrol (hannels?
There are three tyes of control channels mainly broadcast (ontrol (hannels3
(ommon (ontrol (hannels and Dedicated (ontrol (hannels6
+1) .hat are the various tyes of =roadcast (ontrol (hannels?
The three tyes of =roadcast (ontrol (hannels are =roadcast (ontrol (hannel3
Synchroni9ation (hannel and 7re2uency (orrection (hannel6
++) .hat are the various tyes of (ommon (ontrol (hannels?
The three tyes of (ommon (ontrol (hannels are &ccess Grant (hannel3 'a*in*
(hannel and <andom &ccess (hannel6
+%) .hat are the various tyes of Dedicated (ontrol (hannels?
The three tyes of dedicated control channels are Slo4 &ssociated (ontrol (hannel3
7ast &ssociated (ontrol (hannel and Stand &lone Dedicated (ontrol (hannel
+") .hat is the function of the 7((8?
This do4nlin5 channel continuously transmits unmodulated carrier fre2uency for
fre2uency correction of the MS6
+#) .hat is the function of the S(8?
The Synchroni9ation (hannel is used for frame synchroni9ation of the Mobile Station6 1t
contains information about TDM& frame number and the =S1(6
+)) .hat is the function of the =((8?
The =roadcast (ontrol (hannel broadcasts *eneral information about the cell vi96 nei*hbor cell
information3 MS ma@imum transmit o4er on ((8s and local area identification6
+;) .hat is the function of the 7&((8?
The 7&((8 is used as a main si*nalin* lin5 for the transmission of data e*6 8andover
commands6 The 7&((8 is re2uired for every call set u and release6 The 7&((8 is transmitted
in the burst by re,emtin* a ortion of the seechCuser data information bits durin* active call6
+8) .hat is the function of the &G(8?
The &G(8 is used for sendin* access *rant messa*es3 4hich assi*n the MS to an SD((8 or
directly to a T(8 in resonse to a re2uest laced on <&(8 by MS6
+9) .hat is the function of the <&(8?
The <&(8 is used to transfer ulin5 messa*es in resonse to the call initiation re2uest laced by
the MS or in resonse to a a*in* re2uest or automatically as art of a location udate6
%$) .hat is the function of the 'a*in* (hannel !'(8)?
The '(8 is used to a*e the MS durin* mobile terminated call setu6 'a*in* messa*es are sent
to the area 4here the reciient MS is located6
%1) .hat is the function of the SD((8?
The SD((8 carries all si*nalin* bet4een the =TS and the MS 4hen no T(8 is allocated6 1t is
used for service re2uests !e*6 SMS)3 location udates3 subscriber authentication3 ciherin*3
initiation3 e2uiment validation and assi*nment to a T(86
%+) Dra4 and e@lain the rotocol layer bet4een the Mobile Station and the =TS?
-m
%%) .hat are the functions of the <adio resource Mana*ement >ayer in GSM?
The main function of the <adio resource mana*ement layer is to establish and release stable
connections bet4een mobile stations and the MS( for the duration of the call and to maintain the
connection desite user movements6
%") .hat are the functions of the Mobility Mana*ement sub layer in GSM?
The mobility Mana*ement layer mana*es the location udatin*3 handovers3 and re*istration
rocedures6 The machines concerned 4ith mobility mana*ement are mainly the MS3 the 8><
and ?><6 The security function is erformed by the &u(6
%#) .hat are the functions of the (ommunications Mana*ement sub layer in GSM?
(ommunications Mana*ement sub layer terminates at the MS( and contains entities that
currently consist of (( includin* call,related sulementary services3 SMS3 and
call indeendent sulementary services suort !SS)6
%)) .hat is 1dle Mode?
& mobile is said to be in idle mode 4hen it is active !o4ered on) but is not allocated any traffic
channel6 1n the idle mode the MS listens to broadcast channels in order to intercet a*in*
messa*es3 monitor the radio environment in order to evaluate its 2uality and choose the most
suitable base station6
%;) .hat are layer + and % messa*es?
%8) .hat is =ase Station 1dentity (ode?
The =S1( is a color code 4hich the MSs use to be able to discriminate bet4een the cells
transmittin* their beacon channels on the same fre2uency6 Many cells bear the same =S1( and it
is common for nei*hborin* cells to have the same =S1(6
%9) .hat is 1MS1CTMS1?
/very Subscriber is assi*ned an 1MS1 associated 4ith its S1M card6 The 1MS1 is 5no4n only to
the subscriber and is 5et internal and transmitted as rarely as ossible for security reasons
5eein* the identity of the subscriber confidential !in case some one is listenin* on the air
interface)6 The 1MS1 consists of Mobile (ountry code !M(() 4hich identifies home country of
the subscriber3 the Mobile Net4or5 (ode !MN() 4hich identifies the '>MN of the subscriber
and the Mobile Station 1dentification Number !MS1N) 4hich identifies the subscriber 4ithin a
'>MN6
D
The MS(C?>< allocates a TMS1 temorarily to a subscriber resent in the *eo*rahical area
served by the MS(C?><6 0nly the ?>< stores the TMS1 not the 8><6 The TMS1 serves to
identify the MS 4hen it needs to communicate 4ith the net4or56 1t is used instead of the 1MS1 to
avoid transmittin* the 1MS16 Several MS(C?><Es can use the same TMS1
"$) .hat is 1MS1 attach CDetach?
.hen a MS station is s4itched off!or 4hen the S1M is removed by the user)3 call to4ards that
MS station cannot be comleted6 8ence imortant resources are consumed for nothin*6 To
alleviate this load3 the 1MS1 attach and 1MS1 detach rocedure is used6 The subscribers record in
the MS(C?>< contains a binary information indicatin* 4hether or not it is useful to try to
comlete the call to4ard the subscriber6 The 1MS1 detach rocedure 4ill set the binary bit to F
Not -seful To TryG 4hereas the 1MS1 attach rocedure 4ill do the reverse6
"1) .hat is the structure of 1MS1?
% Di*its + Di*its
Mobile (ountry Mobile Net4or5 Mobile Subscriber 1dentification
(ode (ode Number
"+) .hat is MS1SDN?
Mobile Station 1SDN Number This is the subscriber hone number6 1t is the identity of the
subscriber 5no4n by the e@ternal 4orld6 1t is the number dialed 4hen someone needs to call the
mobile subscriber6 The MS1SDN consists of the (ountry (ode !(()3 National Destination (ode
!ND() and Subscriber Number6
"%) .hat is Mobile Station <oamin* Number !MS<N)?
The MS<N is used to identify a subscriber 4hen routin* the call from the GMS( to the visited
MS( for mobile terminatin* calls66 1t is allocated by the MS(C?>< currently servin* the
subscriber on a call basis !temorary assi*nment)
"") .hat is discontinuous <ecetion?
7or the sa5e of battery consumtion in MS3 it is imortant to minimi9e the amount of
information the MS has to receive3 demodulate and analy9e 4hen it is in idle mode6 Therefore
the do4nlin5 common control channel is divided into several a*in* sub channels and all
messa*es ertainin* to a *iven subscriber are sent on the same sub channel6 Such a scheme
allo4s the MS to restrict the monitorin* of a*in* messa*es to their o4n a*in* sub channel3
thereby increasin* the life time of the battery at the e@ense of a small increase in the delay for
the settin* u of incomin* calls6
"#) .hat is Discontinuous Transmission?
Discontinuous transmission !DTH) is a method that ta5es advanta*e of the fact that a erson
sea5s less that "$ ercent of the time in normal conversation by turnin* the transmitter off
durin* silence eriods6 'o4er is conserved at the mobile unit by alin* Discontinuous
Transmission6 .hether DTH should be alied or not is decide by the MS( 4hile its e@ecution
is controlled by the =S(6
")) .hat is >ocation -datin*?
.hen a MS moves to a ne4 location area or is s4itched on in a ne4 location area3 it must
re*ister 4ith the net4or5 to indicate its current location6 & location udate messa*e is sent to the
ne4 MS(C?><3 4hich records the location area information3 and then sends the location
information to the subscriberAs 8><
";) .hat are the various tyes of bursts in GSM?
Normal =urst
Synchroni9ation =urst
Dummy =urst
7re2uency Synchroni9ation =urst6
"8) .hat is the structure of a normal =urst?
"9) Dra4 and /@lain the 'rotocol architecture of the GSM Net4or5?
a6 << Mana*ement sub layer
Mana*es the <adio 1nterface
Terminates at =SS from MS
b6 MM sub >ayer
Terminated at MS(
Messa*es from or to the MS( are relayed transarently from =SS
c6 (ommunications Mana*ement sub >ayer
Terminates at MS(
(ontains entities that consist of (( includin* call related sulementary services3 SMS and call
indeendent Sulementary Services !SS) suort6
d6 T(&' and M&'
These are the interfaces bet4een the MS( and 8><C?><
e6 =SS&'
-sed to imlement all rocedures bet4een the MS( and the =SS that re2uire interretation and
rocessin* of information related to sin*le calls and resource mana*ement6
f6 S((' and MT'
S((' and MT' rotocols are used to imlement the data lin5 layer and layer % transort
functions for carryin* the call control and mobility mana*ement si*nalin* messa*e son the
=SSIMS( lin56
GSM Net4or5 'lannin* J 0timi9ation
1) .hat is the basic rocedure for <7 lannin* usin* <7 lannin* tool in GSM?
'lannin* Tool
>oadin* of di*ital ma data of the city on the lannin* tool3 Model tunin* for roer rediction
on the tool 3Nominal cell lannin* for the covera*e 3fre2uency lannin* and interference study6
7inal system lannin*6
+) .hat are the different tyes of antennas used in a GSM net4or5?
&ntennas of different tyes based on antenna beam4idth and *ain3
1n GSM .e have sace diversity antenna and cross olorised antenna60mni antennas3
%) 8o4 do the o4er3 orientation3 beam4idth3 tilt and hei*ht of the antenna affect the covera*e?
'o4er increases the covera*e3 'roer 0rientation3 =eam4idth and tilt imroves the covera*e of
the lanned area6 1ncrease in antenna hei*ht imroves the covera*e6
") .hat is /1<'? 8o4 is it calculated?
/ffective isotroic radiated o4er is the total oC o4er of =ase station
/1<'K=TS !0C') o4erL&ntenna *ain,cablelosses,other !combiner)losses
#) .hat is fre2uency lannin*? .hy is fre2uency reuse attern used?
7re2uency lannin* is to be done for the GSM net4or5 for a *iven oerator 4ith
& set of GSM fre2uency band67re2uency reuse attern is used for caacity lannin*6
To minimi9e fre2uency interference roblems6
)) .hat are all the atterns available? 8o4 is fre2uency lannin* done on lannin* tool?
"C1+ attern6%C9 attern 6&utomatic fre2uency lannin* can be done in lannin* tool6
;) .hat is co,channel interference and adBacent channel interference?
The interference caused by usin* same channels in a net4or5 is called cochannel interference
and interference caused by adBacent channels of is called adBacent channel interference6
8) 8o4 do you minimi9e co,channel interference?
roer fre2uency lannin* and roer reuse attern6
9) 8o4 do you minimi9e adBacent channel interference?
'roer fre2uency lannin*6
1$) .hat is model tunin*? .hy is it used? 05arama 8atta model?
Model tunin* is done for any lannin* tool to obtain roer rediction e@ected from
lannin* tool
as there 4ill be difference in actual and redicted data for lannin* tool6 0ne of the model is
05arama 8atta
8atta Model is used 4hich considers the si*nal roa*ation losses6
11) .hat is lin5 =ud*et &nalysis used for in GSM?
>in5 bud*et analysis is used for the ath balance bet4een both ulin5 !Transmitter)
Do4nlin5 !<eceiver) art of the net4or56
1+) 8o4 is ath loss ta5en into calculation?
This is the total ath loss occurred due to multiath roa*ation of the si*nal bet4een
transmitted si*nal and the received si*nal level6
1%) .hat is caacity lannin*?
This is rocess of increasin* traffic by addin* Tr@s traffic channels and roer use of fre2uency
reuse attern6 &ddition of =TSs
1") 8o4 is site selection done for lannin* and site ac2uisition?
&fter nominal cell lannin* 4ith the *eo*rahical coordinates identifyin* best site candidate in a
*eo*rahical area is the rocess of site selection6
1#) .hat is otimi9ation? .hat are the tools used for otimi9ation?
0nce GSM net4or5 is inte*rated in order to achieve roer lannin* rediction
<7 arameters 0timi9ation is done6 Drive test tool3'lannin* tool and 'ost rocessin* tools are
-sed for otimi9ation6
1)) 8o4 do 4e use the above antenna atterns for otimi9ation?
'roer antenna orientation and tilts and antenna tyes can be used
for otimi9in* net4or56
1;) 8o4 do 4e handle oor (C13 (C&3 handover roblems and bloc5in*?
(hec5in* roer nei*hbor list3 chan*in* fre2uency lannin* and roer no of radio channels
availability6
18) .hat is system information?
System information is from =TS sent to Mobile for the idle mode and dedicated mode of the call
for call mana*ement6
19) .hat is bench mar5in* in GSM?
=ench Mar5in* used for comarin* erformance of different net4or5 for 2uality and call
erformance arameters6
+$) .hat is /rlan* table?
This is the table for calculatin* Traffic in erlan* for no of channels6
+1) .hat is *rade of service?
Grade of service is the bloc5in* for the *iven traffic channels6
++) 8o4 do you otimi9e a net4or5 usin* 0M(< erformance data?
'roer increase in call success3 and increase in handover success erformance and dro call
reduction erformance6
+%) .hat is daily reort and traffic?
This is the reort obtained in 0M( for the erformce of all =TS about traffic 6
+") .hat is cellIreselectIhysterisis?
This is rocess of handover done by mobile in idle mode from selected cell to another cell6
+#) .hat is ath loss criterion !(1)? 8o4 is it calculated?
This is the si*nal stren*th measured in idle mode for selectin* best servin* channel6
'osted by ramit at +M$) &M