8/18/2015

GSMSlot&Burst|GSMRadioAirInterface|RadioElectronics.com

GSMslotstructureandmultipleaccessscheme
GSMusesacombinationofbothTDMAandFDMAtechniques.TheFDMAelementinvolvesthedivisionby
frequency of the (maximum) 25 MHz bandwidth into 124 carrier frequencies spaced 200 kHz apart as
alreadydescribed.
Thecarriersarethendividedintime,usingaTDMAscheme.Thisenablesthedifferentusersofthesingle
radio frequency channel to be allocated different times slots. They are then able to use the same RF
channelwithoutmutualinterference.Theslotisthenthetimethatisallocatedtotheparticularuser,and
theGSMburstisthetransmissionthatismadeinthistime.
EachGSMslot,andhenceeachGSMburstlastsfor0.577mS(15/26mS).Eightoftheseburstperiodsare
groupedintowhatisknownasaTDMAframe.Thislastsforapproximately4.615ms(i.e.120/26ms)andit
forms the basic unit for the definition of logical channels. One physical channel is one burst period
allocatedineachTDMAframe.
There are different types of frame that are transmitted to carry different data, and also the frames are
organisedintowhataretermedmultiframesandsuperframestoprovideoverallsynchronisation.

GSMslotstructure
These GSM slot is the smallest individual time period that is available to each mobile. It has a defined
formatbecauseavarietyofdifferenttypesofdataarerequiredtobetransmitted.
Although there are shortened transmission bursts, the slots is normally used for transmitting 148 bits of
information.Thisdatacanbeusedforcarryingvoicedata,controlandsynchronisationdata.

GSMslotsshowingoffsetbetweentransmitandreceive
ItcanbeseenfromtheGSMslotstructurethatthetimingoftheslotsintheuplinkandthedownlinkarenot
simultaneous, and there is a time offset between the transmit and receive. This offset in the GSM slot
timingisdeliberateanditmeansthatamobilethatwhichisallocatedthesameslotinbothdirectionsdoes
not transmit and receive at the same time. This considerably reduces the need for expensive filters to
isolatethetransmitterfromthereceiver.Italsoprovidesaspacesaving.

data:text/htmlcharset=utf8,%3Ch2%20style%3D%22boxsizing%3A%20borderbox%3B%20fontfamily%3A%20'Droid%20Sans'%2C%20sansserif%3B%2

1/4

8/18/2015

GSMSlot&Burst|GSMRadioAirInterface|RadioElectronics.com

GSMburst
The GSM burst, or transmission can fulfil a variety of functions. Some GSM bursts are used for carrying
datawhileothersareusedforcontrolinformation.AsaresultofthisanumberofdifferenttypesofGSM
burstaredefined.
Normalburstuplinkanddownlink
Synchronisationburstdownlink
Frequencycorrectionburstdownlink
RandomAccess(ShortenedBurst)uplink

GSMnormalburst
This GSM burst is used for the standard communications between the basestation and the mobile, and
typicallytransfersthedigitisedvoicedata.
The structure of the normal GSM burst is exactly defined and follows a common format. It contains data
thatprovidesanumberofdifferentfunctions:
1. 3tailbits:ThesetailbitsatthestartoftheGSMburstgivetimeforthetransmittertorampupits
power
2. 57databits:Thisblockofdataisusedtocarryinformation,andmostoftencontainsthedigitised
voice data although on occasions it may be replaced with signalling information in the form of the
FastAssociatedControlCHannel(FACCH).Thetypeofdataisindicatedbytheflagthatfollowsthe
datafield
3. 1bitflag:ThisbitwithintheGSMburstindicatesthetypeofdatainthepreviousfield.
4. 26 bits training sequence: This training sequence is used as a timing reference and for
equalisation. There is a total of eight different bit sequences that may be used, each 26 bits long.
The same sequence is used in each GSM slot, but nearby base stations using the same radio
frequencychannelswillusedifferentones,andthisenablesthemobiletodifferentiatebetweenthe
variouscellsusingthesamefrequency.
5. 1bitflagAgainthisflagindicatesthetypeofdatainthedatafield.
6. 57databitsAgain,thisblockofdatawithintheGSMburstisusedforcarryingdata.
7. 3tailbitsThesefinalbitswithintheGSMburstareusedtoenablethetransmitterpowertoramp
down.Theyareoftencalledfinaltailbits,orjusttailbits.
8. 8.25 bits guard time At the end of the GSM burst there is a guard period. This is introduced to
preventtransmittedburstsfromdifferentmobilesoverlapping.Asaresultoftheirdifferingdistances
fromthebasestation.

GSMNormalBurst

data:text/htmlcharset=utf8,%3Ch2%20style%3D%22boxsizing%3A%20borderbox%3B%20fontfamily%3A%20'Droid%20Sans'%2C%20sansserif%3B%2

2/4

8/18/2015

GSMSlot&Burst|GSMRadioAirInterface|RadioElectronics.com

GSMsynchronisationburst
ThepurposeofthisformofGSMburstistoprovidesynchronisationforthemobilesonthenetwork.
1. 3tailbits:Again,thesetailbitsatthestartoftheGSMburstgivetimeforthetransmittertoramp
upitspower
2. 39bitsofinformation:
3. 64bitsofaLongTrainingSequence:
4. 39bitsInformation:
5. 3tailbitsAgainthesearetoenablethetransmitterpowertorampdown.
6. 8.25bitsguardtime:toactasaguardinterval.

GSMSynchronisationBurst

GSMfrequencycorrectionburst
With the information in the burst all set to zeros, the burst essentially consists of a constant frequency
carrierwithnophasealteration.
1. 3tailbits:Again,thesetailbitsatthestartoftheGSMburstgivetimeforthetransmittertoramp
upitspower.
2. 142bitsallsettozero:
3. 3tailbitsAgainthesearetoenablethetransmitterpowertorampdown.
4. 8.25bitsguardtime:toactasaguardinterval.

GSMFrequencyCorrectionBurst

GSMrandomaccessburst
ThisformofGSMburstusedwhenaccessingthenetworkanditisshortenedintermsofthedatacarried,
havingamuchlongerguardperiod.ThisGSMburststructureisusedtoensurethatitfitsinthetimeslot
regardlessofanyseveretimingproblemsthatmayexist.Oncethemobilehasaccessedthenetworkand
timinghasbeenaligned,thenthereisnorequirementforthelongguardperiod.
1. 7 tail bits: The increased number of tail bits is included to provide additional margin when
accessingthenetwork.
2. 41trainingbits:
3. 36databits:
4. 3tailbitsAgainthesearetoenablethetransmitterpowertorampdown.
data:text/htmlcharset=utf8,%3Ch2%20style%3D%22boxsizing%3A%20borderbox%3B%20fontfamily%3A%20'Droid%20Sans'%2C%20sansserif%3B%2

3/4

8/18/2015

GSMSlot&Burst|GSMRadioAirInterface|RadioElectronics.com

5. 69.25 bits guard time: The additional guard time, filling the remaining time of the GSM burst
providesforlargetimingdifferences.

GSMRandomAccessBurst

data:text/htmlcharset=utf8,%3Ch2%20style%3D%22boxsizing%3A%20borderbox%3B%20fontfamily%3A%20'Droid%20Sans'%2C%20sansserif%3B%2

4/4