Answers in Table format

Cellular concepts

Subjective questions

No. Questions
1. What is Simplex transmission?

In Simplex transmission there is one transmitter, the so called radio station or TV

Station from where information such as news, music etc. is transmitted to the
other receiving devices or receiver equipments .There is only one way of
transmission i.e from radio station to receiving stations.

2. What do you understand by uplink frequency and downlink frequency?

The frequency used for transmission of user data from the base station to the
mobile phone is called downlink frequency(DL).
The frequency used for transmission of user data from mobile phone to the base
station is called uplink frequency(UL).

3. What is location area?

The mobile network operators group cells in administrative units are known as
Location area.
A mobile phone is paged in only one location area.

4. What is the relation between cell and the location area?

The area where the wireless transmission between mobile phones and the base
station can take place, is base station supply area, called as cell. Whereas the
administrative units in which the mobile network operators group cells are
known as Location area.

5. What is meant by handover?

When a subscriber moves during a call from one cell to another ,the subscriber is
actually leaving a cell and in parallel is entering a new cell, then the system
makes new radio resources available in the neighboring cell and then the call is
handed over from one cell to next cell. By doing so , service continuation is
guaranteed, even when the subscriber is moving. This process is called Handover
Fill in the blanks

No. Questions
1. UMTS stands for Universal Mobile Telecommunication System.

2. Downlink frequency range in GSM 900 band is 935-960Mhz.

3. Uplink frequency range for GSM 1800 band is 1710 - 1785.

4. One way transmission is called Simplex transmission.

5. GSM system uses Duplex transmission.

Multiple choice questions

No. Questions
1. What is the basic service unit of cellular telephony?
a) location area
b) cell
c) PLMN service area
d) MSC/VLR service area

2. Right now, GSM is the accepted cellular standard in ____________.

a) Europe
b) South America
c) Southeast Asia
d) all of the above

3. The first commercial wireless car phone telephony service started in

a) 1918
b) 1928
c) 1941
d) 1940

4. The area ,where wireless transmission between mobile phone and the BS takes
place is known as
a) Cell
b) Location area
c) GSM area
d) None of these

5. Paging is done in
a) Cell
b) Location area
c) Handover area
d) Routing area
 Match the following

1. First commercial UMTS network A. DCS (3)

2. First GSM 1900 network B. 890-915 Mhz (uplink) (4)

implementation
3. GSM 1800 band C. Europe (1)

4. GSM 900 band D. 869-894 Mhz (down link) ( 5 )

5. GSM 850 band E. USA (2)

 GSM Architecture

Subjective questions

No Questions
.
1. Name the nodes present in Switching System in GSM.

The network switching subsystem contains the network elements

MSC,GMSC,VLR,HLR,AC and EIR

2. Explain briefly about EIR.

The EIR is used for security reasons. The EIR is responsible for IMEI checking
(Checking the validity of the mobile equipment).The EIR contains three lists the
white list , the grey list and the black list.

3. Draw the block diagram showing the connectivity of A , A-ter , A-bis interfaces.
A A ter A bis
MSC TC BSC BTS

4. What are the functions of MSC?

MSC identify the type of call

MSC identify the destination and the origin of a call.
MSC sets up, supervises , and clears connections.
MSC also involve in locating a particular mobile station in case of mobile
terminated call.

5. What are the main functions of switching subsystem?

The main functions of switching subsystem are :-

Call control
Charging
Mobility Management
Signaling
Subscriber data handling
Fill in the blanks

No. Questions
1. The T of BTS stands for Transreceiver.

2. The access method used in GSM is FDMA +TDMA

3. The interface between MS and BTS is Um interface

4. Speech transcoding is done by TRAU.

5. IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity Number

Multiple choice questions

No. Questions
1. TRAU is the part of
a) MSC
b) BSS
c) GMSC
d) SS

2. EIR check
a) IMSI
b) TMSI
c) IMEI
d) MSRN

3. Which of the following is not performed in the MSC/VLR?

a) Number analysis
b) Locating and handover
c) Ciphering
d) Radio resource allocation.

4. Which of the following is not part of the Switching System?

a) EIR
b) BSC
c) HLR
d) VLR

5. What information is checked by the EIR?

a) The subscription
b) The telephone
c) The subscriber category
d) The roaming data
 Match the following

1. UMTS A. 2G (5)

2. MS B. Grey list (4)

3. Switching system C. SIM (2)

4. EIR D. 3G (1)

5. GSM E. Mobility management (3)

 Overview of GPRS

Subjective questions
No. Questions
1. What is GPRS ?

The existing GSM networks are based on circuit switched techniques which is
insufficient for data services that are based on IP such as e-mail and web browsing.
Therefore General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is introduced which maintains GSM
BSS access technologies but provide packet switched data services to the mobile
stations.

2. Write three main advantages of GPRS for operators and users.

The main advantages of GPRS for user:

Instant access to data as if connected to an office LAN.
Charging based on amount of data transferred.
Higher transmission speed.
The main advantages of GPRS for operators:
Fast network roll-out with minimum investment
Excess voice capacity used for GPRS data.
Smooth path to 3G services

3. Draw the block diagram of GPRS showing all important nodes.

See figure at the end of the page.
4. Write briefly about Class A, Class B & Class C GPRS Mobile sets.

Different GPRS MS classes were introduced to cope with the different needs of
subscribers. The mobiles differ in their capabilities.

Class A Class B Class c

Simultaneous Simultaneous
Attach Attach Pure GPRS or
Activation Activation alternative use of GSM
Monitor Monitor and GPRS only.
Traffic no simultaneous traffic
of GSM and GPRS

5. What are the functions of GGSN ?

The functions of a GGSN are given below:
Routing packet originating from a mobile to the correct external network
Routing mobile destined packets coming from external network to the correct
SGSN.
Collects charging data and traffic statistics.
 Interface to the external IP network.
Fill in the blanks

No. Questions
1. DNS stands for Domain Name Server.

2. SGSN interacts with MSC/VLR , HLR and EIR to retrieve subscription

information.

3. CCU is realized in the BTS to perform the channel coding.

4. PCU separates the circuit switched and packet switched traffic from the user.

5. SGSN do the authentication of GPRS users.

Multiple choice questions

No. Questions
1. This MS we can simultaneously handle voice and data call
a) Class A
b) Class B
c) Class C
d) None of these
2. PCU is the part of
a) MSC
b) BSS
c) GMSC
d) SS

3. Which of the following is not performed in the SGSN?

a) Protocol conversion
b) Ciphering of data
c) Authentication
d) Radio resource allocation.

4. Which of the following is not part of the Switching System?

a) EIR
b) PCU
c) HLR
d) SGSN

5. Which technology is used to interconnect PCU and GPRS core?

a) Direct access
b) Frame relay
c) Circuit switching
d) ARQ
 Match the following

1. LIG A. Class C (5)

2. SGSN B. Interface to external IP network ( 4 )

3. Simultaneous GSM and GPRS C. Interaction with NSS (2)

.
4. GGSN D. Switching system (1)

5. Pure GPRS E. Class A (3)

GPRS Network

MSC/ HLR EIR SMS-

VLR GMSC
Signalling and data

Gr Gf Gd Signalling
Gs

SGSN
BSC
GGSN External
Gb Gn Gi packet
network

Air (Um)
Gn
GGSN Inter-PLMN
Gp GPRS
Backbone
 GSM Services
Subjective questions

No. Questions
1. What is the difference between Teleservices and Bearer services?

Teleservices:-
A teleservices allows the subscriber to communicate (usually via voice ,fax, data
or SMS) with another subscriber. It is a complete system including necessary
terminal equipment.
Bearer services:-
A bearer service transports speech and data as digital information within the
network between user interfaces. A bearer service is the capability to transfer
information and does not include the end user equipment.
2. What is the difference between Basic services and Supplementary services?

Basic services:-
These are available to all subscribers to a mobile network .For example, the
ability to make voice telephone calls is a basic service.

Supplementary services:-
These are additional services that are available by subscription only. Call
forwarding is an example of a supplementary services.
3. What is SMS-Cell broadcast? How it is different from SMS?

The SMS cell broadcast facility is a variation of the short message service. A text
message with a maximum length of 93 characters can be broadcast to all mobiles
within a certain geographical area.
SMS cell broadcast is different from SMS .
The Maximum length SMS is 160 characters whereas SMSCB is 93
characters long.
SMS is point to point service. Whereas SMSCB is broadcast service
4. What is CUG?
The CUG service enables subscribers connected to the PLMN / ISDN and
possibly others networks, to form groups in which access is restricted. For
example , members of a specific CUG can communicate with each other, but
generally not with users outside the group.
5. Explain briefly about Location Based Services.

A location based service (LBS) can be described as an application that is

dependent on a certain location. Two broad categories of LBS can be defined as
triggered and user requested.
Applications of LBS are:-
Communication
Fleet management
Routing
Safety and Security
 Entertainment
Fill in the blanks

No. Questions
1. DTMF stands for Dual Tone Multi Frequency

2. Maximum length of SMSCB message is 93 characters.

3. DGPS stand for Differential Global Positioning System

4. Design of GPS was begun in the year 1978 by United States Department of
Defence.

5. Two broad categories of LBS are Triggered and User Requested

Mark the following services as being Teleservices (T), bearer services (B) or
supplementary services (S):

1) Closed User Group (CUG) Supplementary Services

2) Calling line identification Supplementary Services

3) Emergency calls Teleservices

4) Voice mail Teleservices

5) Advice of charge Supplementary Services

6) Barring of outgoing calls Supplementary Services

7) Call waiting Supplementary Services

8) Traffic to PSTN Bearer services

9) SMS cell broadcast Teleservices

10) Multiparty service Supplementary Services

 Match the following

1. LBS A. Answering machine within the

network (4)

2. GSM cellular locations B. 9600bps (3)

3. PAD C. 2 Mbps (5)

4. Voice mail D. GPS (1)

5. ISDN PRA E. Cell ID (2)