GSM Overview

May 2000

Slide 1

Contents
Evolution of Cellular Communication
Standards
Analog Standards
Digital Standards

GSM Introduction
GSM Concepts

Cell Structure
Transmission Direction
Frequency band
Access Techniques

Network Structure
May 2000

Slide 2

Contents ...
Security Parameters
Functional Plane of GSM

May 2000

Transmission Layer
Radio Resource Management
Mobility Management
Communication Management

Mobile Registration
Mobile Originated Call Flow
Mobile Terminated Call Flow
General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)
Slide 3

Evolution of Cellular communication

standards
Analog standards
Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS)

US, 800 MHz band

Total Access Communication System

(TACS)

UK, based on AMPS in 900 MHz band

Nordic Mobile Telephone System(NMT)

May 2000

Scandinavian, Both in 450 MHz and 900 MHz

band

Slide 4

Evolution of Cellular communication

standards ...
Digital Standards
Dual mode AMPS (D-AMPS)

US, Analog signaling and Digital voice

coding

IS-95

US, CDMA based

Global Systems for mobile communications

(GSM)

May 2000

European standard, 890 MHz - 960 MHz

band

Slide 5

GSM Introduction
Digital Cellular communication
standard
Co-operative effort of international
telecom industry, ETSI
Features include, global roaming, good
quality speech, in-expensive handsets,
high volume of users
GSM network present in 105 countries,
25% of world cellular network

May 2000

Slide 6

GSM Concepts - Cellular Structure

Cellular

2
2
7

3
1

6
5

May 2000

1
6

Networking
technology that
breaks geographic
area into cells
shaped like honey
comb

Cell

Area of coverage
provided by one or
more Radio
terminals

Slide 7

GSM Concepts - Network Structure

MS
Um
BTS

HLR

VLR
BSC
Abis

MSC
A

AuC

MS

GMSC

BTS
Abis
A

EIR
MSC
PSTN

BSC
Um
BTS
VLR

OMC Server
May 2000

Slide 8

GSM Concepts - Transmission

Direction
Uplink Transmission
Transmission from Mobile to Radio Terminal

Down Link Transmission

Transmission from Radio Terminal to Mobile
Uplink and Downlink channels separated
by 45 MHz

May 2000

Slide 9

GSM Concepts - GSM Frequency

band
Uplink 890 MHz to 915 MHz
Down Link 935 MHz to 960 MHz
25 MHz divided into 125 channels of
200 KHz bandwidth

UP

890.0

890.2

890.4

914.8

915.0

DOWN 935.0

935.2

935.4

959.8

960.0

May 2000

Slide 10

GSM Concepts - Access Techniques

Frequency Division Multiple Access
(FDMA)
Uplink/Downlink bands divided into 200KHz
bandwidth of 125 carrier frequencies
Mobile and BTS in a cell communicate in a
particular carrier frequency

UP

890.0

890.2

890.4

914.8

915.0

DOWN 935.0

935.2

935.4

959.8

960.0

May 2000

Slide 11

GSM Concepts - Access Techniques

Time Division Multiple Access
Each carrier frequency subdivided in time
domain into 8 time slots
Each mobile transmits data in a frequency,
in its particular time slot - Burst period =
0.577 milli secs.
8 time slots called a TDMA frame. Period
is .577 * 8 = 4.616 milli secs
0.577 ms
0

4.616 ms
May 2000

Slide 12

GSM Network Structure

MS
Um
BTS

Mobile Station
Subscriber
Identity
(MS)Module (SIM)
Portable
Smartunit
Card
with memory
Visitor
Location RegisterBSC
(VLR)
Hand portable

VLR

HLR

Static InformationIdentity of MobileAbis

MSC
Subscriber
Frequency and Time
International Mobile Subscriber
Synchronization
Copy of subscriber data from HLRA
Home Location Register (HLR)
AuC
MSIdentity(IMSI) (MCC + MNC +
Voice encoding and
transmission
Generates
and allocates a Temporary Mobile
Stores user data of all Subscribers
related to the
GMSC
MSIN)
BTS
Subscriber
Identity(TMSI)
GMSC
Voiceencryption/decryption
Personal Identification Number
functions
Location Area Code
International
Mobile Subscriber
(PIN)
Authentication
Centre (AuC)
Abis
Base
Station
Controller
(BSC)
PowerAuthentication
Identity(IMSI)
Key
(Ki)
measurements
of
adjacent
Provides
necessary data when mobile originates
call Stores Subscriber authentication data
EIR
Base
Transceiver
Station
(BTS)

cells
External Interfaces
Userscalled
Dynamic Information
telephone
Ki number (MS ISDN)
A
Gateway
Mobile
Services
Switching
Consists
of onemessages
or
more Subscriber
radio terminals for
Display
MSC
of short
Subscription
Temporary
Abis
information
and
services
Mobile
interface
towards
the related
BTS
Generates
security
parameters to
Centre (GMSC)
transmission
and reception
International
Identity(TMSI)
Mobile
Equipment
VLR authorize
a subscriber
(SRES)
address
A interface
towards
the
MSC

Interface
of
the
cellular
network to PSTN
PSTN

Each
Radio
terminal
represents
an
RF
Channel
Identifier
(IMEI) Area Identity (LAI) BSC
Location

Generates
unique
data
pattern
called
Reference
to
Authentication
centre
for
key
Routesseveral
Monitors and controls
calls between
BTSsPLMN and PSTN
TRX
and
MS
communicates
over
Um
interface
Cipher
key
(Kc)
for user
data
encryption
Um
(Ki)
Phone memories, billing information
Queries HLR when
calls
come
from PSTN to

Management
of
channels
on
the
radio
interface
Received
data
transcoding
BTS

Ability
Referred when
call user
comes from public land
to store Short Messages
mobile

Voice
Alarm
handling
from
the
encryption/decryption
network VLR
received
Inter-BSCexternal
handoverinterfaces
Performs
Signal processing functions of the radio
call switching
Performs inter-cell
handover
OMC Server
Paging
interface
Switching from Abis link to the A link
Billing
Uplink Radio channel power measurements
May 2000

Interface to OMC for BSS management

Slide 13

Security Parameters
MS

Authentication

RAND

Ki

A3
SRES
MS

BTS

AuC

RAND
SRES
SRES

Authentication center
provides RAND to
Mobile
AuC generates SRES
using Ki of subscriber
and RAND
Mobile generates
SRES using Ki and
RAND
Mobile transmits
SRES to BTS
BTS compares
received SRES with
one generated by
AuC

Auth Result
May 2000

Slide 14

Security Parameters
MS
Ki

Ciphering

RAND

Data sent on air

interface ciphered
for security
A5 and A8
algorithms used to
cipher data
Ciphering Key is
never transmitted
on air

A8

Kc

Um interface

MS

Network
Kc

Data

A5

May 2000

Kc
Ciphered
Data

A5

Data

Slide 15

Functional Plane of GSM

MS

BTS

BSC

MSC/VLR

HLR

MSC/
VLR

HLR

GMSC

CC

MM

RR

Trans
MS
May 2000

BTS

BSC

GMSC
Slide 16

Functional Plane of GSM

Transmission Layer
Provide means to carry user
information
Means for carrying Signaling
information
Includes Link Layer functionality's
Performs modulation, coding,
multiplexing

May 2000

Slide 17

Functional Plane of GSM

Radio Resource Management (RR)
Establish and Release stable
connections between MS and MSC
Manage Limited Radio and Terrestrial
resources
Handover process is the sole
responsibility of the RR Layer
Functions of RR layer are performed
by MS and BSC and partly by MSC

May 2000

Slide 18

Radio Resource - Logical Channels

Traffic Channel (TCH)
Full rate at 16 Kbps
Half rate at 8 Kbps

Broad Cast Channels

Broad cast control channel (BCCH )

Informs MS about network ID, LAC,

Frequencies of neighboring cells

Frequency correction channel (FCCH)

May 2000

Provides MS with frequency reference of the

system

Slide 19

Logical Channels
Common Control Channel (CCCH)
Random access channel (RACH)

Used by MS to request dedicated channel

from n/w for communication

Paging channel (PCH)

Base station calls individual MS on this

channel

Access grant channel (AGCH)

May 2000

MS gets information from BSC on which

dedicated channel it should communicate
further

Slide 20

Logical Channels
Dedicated Control Channels
Standalone Dedicated Control Channel
(SDCCH)

Intended for transfer of signaling

information between MS and BSS, like
timing advance, request for call setup, LUP

Slow Associated Control Channel

May 2000

Its always allocated in association with TCH

or SDCCH
Used for Channel maintenance
Carries measurement reports performed
with the neighboring cells

Slide 21

Logical to Physical Channel Mapping

TDMA Frames
0

..

TS 0 - FCCH + BCCH + CCCH

TS 1 - SDCCH + SACCH
TS 2-7 - TCH

May 2000

Slide 22

Radio Resource - Handover

Means to continue a call even when a mobile
crosses the border of one cell to another
Procedure which made the mobile station really
roam
Handover criteria
Quality of signal as reported by MS to BSC/MSC
Load balancing

Handover performed by
BSC - Inter BTS handover
MSC - Inter BSC handover
GMSC - Inter MSC handover

May 2000

Slide 23

Radio Resource - Handover

CELL 1
BSC

Handover Complete

LUP Req
Reply

LUP
Meas
Rep
+ Handover
Cell
to CELL 1
MeasAcc
LUP
Req
Rep
Cell 2121

CELL 2

May 2000

Slide 24

Functional Plane of GSM

Mobility Management (MM)
Location updating
Paging
Security Management
Preventing unauthorized users
Maintaining Privacy of users

Providing roaming facility

MM functionality mainly handled by
MS, HLR, MSC/VLR.

May 2000

Slide 25

Mobility - Location updation Vs

Paging
Location Area Code (LAC)
Group of cells are given a Location Area
Code

Location updation (LUP)

Procedure initiated when MS crosses from
one Location area to another
Forced by network while registration

Paging
Paging performed for a subscriber in his/her
Location Area

Location update and Paging is a tradeoff based on performance

May 2000

Slide 26

Functional Plane of GSM

Communication Management (CM)
Setup of calls between users on
request
Routing function i.e. Choice of
transmission segments linking users
Point to Point Short message services

May 2000

Slide 27

MS registration in network
MS scans complete GSM frequency
band for highest power
Tunes to highest powered frequency
and looks for FCCH. Synchronizes in
frequency domain
Get training sequence from SCH which
follows FCCH. Synchronizes in time
domain.
Accesses BCCH for network id,
location area and frequencies of the
neighboring cells
May 2000

Slide 28

MS registration in network
MS

BTS

BSC

(G)MSC

VLR

HLR

Action
Channel Request (RACH)
Channel Assignment (AGCH)
Location Update Request (SDCCH)
Authentication Request (SDCCH)
Authentication Response (SDCCH)
Comparison of Authentication params
Accept LUP and allocTMSI (SDCCH)
Ack of LUP and TMSI (SDCCH)
Entry of new area and identity into
VLR and HLR
Channel Release (SDCCH)
May 2000

Slide 29

Mobile Originated Call

MS
HLR

BTS
BSC

VLR

AuC

MS
BTS

Authentication response
(SDCCH) Call
Exchange
release
of
Call
Connected
Setup
Communication

GMSC

EIR
Assignment
Alerting
Connected
of TCH
(AGCH) (TCH)
Call release
Assignment
Alerting
Connected
Exchange
of
communication
TCH
Req establishment
Alloc
Call
Authentication
Ciphering
for
ofof
dedicated
dedicated
response
command
response
request
channel
channel
request BSC
(AGCH)
(TCH)
for communication (RACH)
(AGCH)
(SDCCH)

MSC

Call release
Alerting
Connected
Exchange
Setupof
Communication
PSTN

BTS

May 2000

Slide 30

Mobile Terminated Call

MS
Paging

HLR

BTS
Paging

BSC

VLR
Query for
HLR info

MS

Query VLR
for LAC and
TMSI

BTS
Paging
the area

MSC
BSC

GMSC

AuC
Reply

EIR

Route
to MSC
PSTN

BTS
Land to
Mobile call

May 2000

Slide 31

GPRS
It is a Wireless Packet Based Network
Economical to the User
- Multiple Users on same channel(s)
- Billed for amount of information transferred, not attach
time
Profitable to the Operator (value added service, efficient use
of channels)
Offers Point-to-Point PTP, and Multipoint PTM Packet Services
Will be the Industry Standard Interface for Mobile Packet
Systems
Supports Variable Data Transfer Rates

May 2000

Slide 32

GPRS promises
Better data rates
from current 0.8 kbps per user to 141.92
kbps per user

Better QoS
from current 0.5 - 50s transit delay per 128
byte packet to 2 - 75s delay per 1024 byte
packet

Advantages for the user

no call set up time, no charge for connect
time
charge by data volume/QoS
variable data rates
May 2000

Slide 33

GPRS Network Structure

HLR
R
Laptop

GPRS
PCMCIA
Card

MSC

BSC

PCU

FR
Network

Gs
VLR

Um

Standard
GSM
Mobile

GPRS Mobiles
GPRS capable

BTS

Gb

BTS

mobiles that can

BTS
operate in both
Other
Circuit switched BSC Modifications
PLMN
mode and Packet
Packet Control Unit (PCU)
switched mode
functionalityGateway GPRS Support
communication
Gb interface
unit (GbIU)
Node
(GGSN)
functionalityGateway
to Framebetween
Relay GBS and PDN
Network connecting
Routing BSSs
towards GPRS users
and SGSNsFirewall to the network

May 2000

SGSN

Gn
GPRS backbone
network

Packet Gateway between BSS

and GBS
Responsible for delivering data
packets to MS in its service area
IP
Network Enables Mobility of the GPRS
subscriber
Authentication of the GPRS
subscriber
Paging of GPRS subscriber
Gp

GGSN

Public
Packet Data
Netwrork

Serving GPRS Support

Node (SGSN)

Gi

GGSN

Slide 34

Session - Summary
Evolution of Cellular Communication
Standards
Analog Standards
Digital Standards

GSM Introduction
GSM Concepts

Cell Structure
Transmission Direction
Frequency band
Access Techniques

Network Structure
May 2000

Slide 35

Session - Summary
Security Parameters
Functional Plane of GSM

May 2000

Transmission Layer
Radio Resource Management
Mobility Management
Communication Management

Mobile Registration
Mobile Originated Call Flow
Mobile Terminated Call Flow
General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)
Slide 36

References
An Introduction to GSM
Siegmund M Redl
Matthaias K Weber
Malcolm W Oliphant

GSM System Engineering

Asha Mehrotra

The GSM System for Mobile

Communications
Michel Mouly
Marie-Bernadette Pautet

May 2000

Slide 37

Thank You for your time

May 2000

Slide 38