Channels on Air Interface

The GSM radio interface

The radio interface is the interface between

the mobile stations and the fixed
infrastructure. It is one of the most important
interfaces of the GSM system.
One of the main objectives of GSM is roaming.
Therefore, in order to obtain a complete
compatibility between mobile stations and
networks of different manufacturers and
operators, the radio interface must be
completely defined.

---The spectrum efficiency depends on the radio

interface and the transmission, more
particularly in aspects such as the capacity of
the system and the techniques used in order
to decrease the interference and to improve
the frequency reuse scheme.
The specification of the radio interface has then
an important influence on the spectrum
efficiency.

Frequency allocation
Two frequency bands, of 25 MHz each one, have
been allocated for the GSM system:
The band 890-915 MHz has been allocated for
the uplink direction (transmitting from the
mobile station to the base station).
The band 935-960 MHz has been allocated for
the downlink direction (transmitting from the
base station to the mobile station).

GSM Band

GSM Bands in Pakistan (From Frequency Allocation Board,

Pakistan)

Definition of Channels
Logical Channel
Type of information to be transmitted e.g., traffic or control logical channels.
Transport Channel
How and with what format data is transmitted through physical links.
Physical Channel
Unit of radio resource of a radio system e.g., frequency band, time slot, code, etc.
RF Channel
Fixed frequency band of a radio system.
The MAC sub-layer is responsible for mapping logical channels onto transport
channels.
The physical layer is responsible for mapping transport channels onto physical
Channels.
7

GSM Physical Channel

GSM physical channel relates to the recurrence
of one burst in every frame.
This channel is characterized by both its
frequency and its position within the TDMA
frame.

GSM Physical Channel Cntd....

GSM Logical Channel

The logical channels consist of the information
carried over the physical channel.
There are two major categories of GSM
Logical channels
1. Traffic channels
2. Control channels.

10

GSM Physical Channel (in detail)

A single GSM Carrier is divided into eight
timeslots.
Therefore can support up to eight MS
subscribers simultaneously.
The timeslots are arranged in sequence and are
conventionally numbered 0 to 7.
Each repetition of this sequence is called a
TDMA frame.
11

GSM Physical Channel Cntd....

BURST:

The information carried in one timeslot is called a burst.

The timing of the burst transmissions to and from the
mobiles is critical.
Each time slot of a TDMA frame lasts for duration of
156.25 bit periods or
576.9 sec or 0.576 ms
so a frame takes 4.615 ms
GSMs data transmission rate is 270.83 kbps per carrier
frequency.
Therefore one bit duration is 3.692 sec
12

Burst structure
As it has been stated before, the burst is the unit in time
of a TDMA system. Four different types of bursts can be
distinguished in GSM:
The frequency-correction burst is used on the FCCH. It
has the same length as the normal burst but a different
structure.
The synchronization burst is used on the SCH. It has the
same length as the normal burst but a different
structure.
The random access burst is used on the RACH and is
shorter than the normal burst.
The normal burst is used to carry speech or data
information. It lasts approximately 0.577 ms and has a
length of 156.25 bits.

Norml burst (NB)

Frequency Correction Burst (FB)

Synchronization burst (SB)

Access burst (AB)or RACH

TB
000

Data

Training seq.

58 bit

26 bit

TB

Data

Sync. seq.

39 bit

TB

Sync. seq.

000

000

Data

64 bit

41 bit

TB

GP
8.25 bit time

TB

142 bit

000

000

58 bit

000...0

000

TB

Data

39 bit

Data
36 bit

GP
8.25 bit time

TB
000

GP
8.25 bit time

TB

GP

000

68.25 bit time

GSM Logical Channels

There are two main groups of logical channels,
traffic channels and control channels.
Run over a physical channel, but not necessarily in
all its time slots
Have to be managed: set up, maintenance, tear
down.
Traffic & Control channels are further classified
into groups.
16

GSM Traffic Channels

17

Traffic Channels
A traffic channel (TCH) is used to carry speech and
data traffic.
TCHs for the uplink and downlink are separated in
time by 3 burst periods.
Therefore MS does not have to transmit & receive
simultaneously, thus simplifying the electronics.
In addition to these full-rate TCHs, there are also halfrate TCHs defined.
Half-rate TCHs will effectively double the capacity of
a system at the cost of voice quality.
18

Traffic Channels Cntd....

Traffic channels can carry either
1. Speech or
2. Data

Speech channels are supported by two different

methods of coding known as
1. Full Rate (FR)
2. Enhanced Full Rate (EFR)

19

Traffic Channels Cntd....

Enhanced Full Rate coding provides a speech
service that has improved voice quality from
the original Full Rate speech coding.
EFR employs a new speech coding algorithm
and additions to the full rate channel coding
algorithm to accomplish this improved speech
service.
it is only supported by Phase 2+ mobiles
onwards.
20

Traffic Channels Cntd....

Full Rate TCH

Half Rate
TCH
TCH/HR

TRAFFIC
CHANNELS

TCH/FR
TCH/F 9.6
TCH/F 4.8
TCH/F 2.4

TCH/H4.8
TCH/H2.4

Full Rate Traffic Channels

Half Rate Traffic Channels

Name

Type

Data Rate

NAME

Type

Data Rate

TCH/FR

Speech

22.8 kbps

TCH/HR

Speech

11.4 kbps

TCH/F9.6

Data

22.8 kbps

TCH/H9.6

Data

11.4 kbps

TCH/F4.8

Data

22.8 kbps

TCH/H4.8

Data

11.4 kbps

TCH/F2.4

Data

22.8 kbps

21

22

GSM Control Channels

23

GSM CONTROL CHANNELS (CCH)

There are three main control channels in the

GSM system
1. Broadcast Channel (BCH)
2. Common Control Channel (CCCH)
3. Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH)

Each control channel consists of several

logical channels having different Control
Functions.
24

GSM CONTROL CHANNELS (CCH)

25

26

Broadcast Channels (BCH)

The broadcast channel operates on the forward
link of a specific ARFCNs
It transmits data only in (TS 0) of certain
ARFCNs. Other TSs are available for TCHs.
The BCH provides synchronization for all
mobiles within the cell.
It is also monitored by mobiles in neighboring
cells so that the received power and MAHO
decisions can be made by out-of-cell users.
27

i) BROADCAST CONTROL CHANNEL (BCCH)

BCCH is a forward control channel.

information such as cell and network identity.
The BCCH is transmitted by the BTS at all times.
The RF carrier used to transmit the BCCH is referred
to as the BCCH carrier.
Information on BCCH is monitored by the MS
periodically (at least every 30 secs), when switched
on & not in a call.
The BCCH is transmitted at constant power at all
times, and its signal strength is measured by all MS
which may seek to use it.
28

BROADCAST CONTROL CHANNEL Cntd.

BCCH Carries the following information (this is only a partial

list):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Location Area Identity (LAI).

List of neighboring cells which should be monitored by the
MS.
List of frequencies used in the cell.
Cell identity.
Power control indicator.
DTX permitted.
Access control (for example, emergency calls, call barring).
CBCH description.
List of Channels currently in use within a cell.

29

ii) FREQUENCY CORRECTION CHANNEL

(FCCH)

FCCH is a forward control channel.

It is transmitted on same ARFCN i.e. of BCCH
The FCCH allows each subscriber unit to
synchronize its internal frequency standard
(local oscillator) to exact frequency of the base
station

30

iii) SYNCHRONIZATION CHANNEL (SCH)

Its also a Downlink Channel.
SCH allows each mobile to frame synchronize with the base
station.
It transmits two Important Information
1.
2.

Frame number.
Base Site Identity Code (BSIC).

The frame number (FN) ranges from 0 to 2715647.

The BSIC is uniquely assigned to each BTS in a GSM system.
The BS issues course timing advancement command to the
mobile station over the SCH

31

COMMON CONTROL CHANNEL (CCCH)

The common control channels occupy TS 0

of every GSM frame that is not otherwise
used by the BCH.
CCCH consist of three different channels.
These channels are described in following
slides
32

i) PAGING CHANNEL (PCH)

It exists only on downlink (Forward channel).
The paging channel (PCH) provides paging signals to
all mobiles.
notifies a specific mobile of an incoming call which
originates from the PSTN.
The PCH transmit the IMSI of the target subscriber,
along with a request for acknowledgment from the
mobile unit.
the PCH is also used to provide cell broadcast ASCII
text messages to all subscribers, as part of the SMS
feature of GSM
33

ii) RANDOM ACCESS CHANNEL (RACH)

The RACH is the only reverse link (uplink) channel.

MS acknowledges a page from the PCH on RACH.
RACH is also used by mobiles to originate a call.
The RACH used a slotted ALOHA access scheme.
At the BTS, every frame (even the idle frame) will
accept RACH transmissions from mobiles during TS
0

34

iii) ACCESS GRANT CHANNEL (AGCH).

AGCH is used by the BS to provide forward

link communication.
The AGCH is used by the BS to respond to a
RACH sent by a mobile station.
It carries data for MS to operate in a particular
physical channel (time slot and ARFCN).
The AGCH is the final CCCH message sent by
the base station before a subscriber is moved
off the control channel.
35

iv) CELL BROADCAST CHANNEL (CBCH)

CBCH is used to transmit messages to be

broadcast to all MSs within a cell.
it is considered a common channel because
the messages can be received by all mobiles
in the cell.

36

DEDICATED CONTROL CHANNELS

(DCCH)

There are three types of Dedicated Control

Channels in GSM.
like Traffic Channels they are bidirectional.
same format and function in both the forward
and reverse links.
DCCHs may exist in any time slot and any
ARFCN except TS 0 of the BCH ARFCN.
37

i) STAND-ALONE DEDICATED
COTROL CHANNEL (SDCCH)

The SDCCH carries signaling data following

the connection of the MS with the BTS just
before a TCH assignment.
The SDCCH ensures the Connection b/w MS
and BS during the verification of subscriber
unit & allocation of resources for the MS.
It is a dedicated point-to-point signaling
channel which is not tied to the existence of a
TCH (stand-alone),
38

i) STAND-ALONE DEDICATED
COTROL CHANNEL (SDCCH)

The SDCCH is requested from the MS via the

RACH and assigned via the AGCH.
The SDCCH can be thought of as an
intermediate and temporary channel.
A SDCCH may also be used for
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

call setup,
Authentication
location updating
SMS point to point
e-Fax

39

ii) SLOW-ASSOCITED CONTROL CHANNEL

(SACCH)

The SACCH is always associated with a TCH or a

SDCCH and maps onto the same physical channel.
Each ARFCN systematically carries SACCH data for
all of its current users.
On the downlink, SACCH sends slow but regularly
changing control information to the mobile station.
1.

transmit power level instruction.

2.

and specific timing advance instruction.

40

ii) SLOW-ASSOCITED CONTROL CHANNEL

(SACCH)..

On reverse channel SACCH sends

1. received signal strength (form Serving BTS).
2. quality of the TCH.
3. BCH measurement results (from neighboring
cells)

The SACCH is transmitted during the 13th

frame of every speech dedicated control
channel
41

iii) FAST-ASSOCIATED CONTROL CHANNEL

(FACCH)

FACCH carries urgent messages, and contains

essentially the same type of information as the
SDCCH.
A FACCH is assigned whenever a SDCCH has
not been dedicated for a particular user and
there is an urgent message (e.g. handoff
request).
The FACCH gains access to a time slot by
stealing frames from the traffic channel to
which it is assigned
42

GSM Basic Call Sequence

43

44

Call Setup Procedure

45

46

Speech coding
The transmission of speech is, at the moment, the most important service of a
mobile cellular system. The GSM speech codec, which will transform the
analog signal (voice) into a digital representation, has to meet the
following criterias:

A good speech quality, at least as good as the one obtained with previous
cellular systems.
To reduce the redundancy in the sounds of the voice. This reduction is essential
due to the limited capacity of transmission of a radio channel.
The speech codec must not be very complex because complexity is equivalent to
high costs.

The final choice for the GSM speech codec is a codec named RPE-LTP (Regular
Pulse Excitation Long-Term Prediction). This codec uses the information
from previous samples (this information does not change very quickly) in
order to predict the current sample. The speech signal is divided into
blocks of 20 ms. These blocks are then passed to the speech codec, which
has a rate of 13 kbps, in order to obtain blocks of 260 bits.

Discontinuous transmission (DTX)

This is another aspect of GSM that could have been
included as one of the requirements of the GSM speech
codec. The function of the DTX is to suspend the radio
transmission during the silence periods. This can become
quite interesting if we take into consideration the fact
that a person speaks less than 40 or 50 percent during a
conversation. The DTX helps then to reduce interference
between different cells and to increase the capacity of
the system. It also extends the life of a mobile's battery.

The DTX function is performed

thanks to two main features:

The Voice Activity Detection (VAD), which has to determine

whether the sound represents speech or noise, even if the
background noise is very important. If the voice signal is
considered as noise, the transmitter is turned off producing
then, an unpleasant effect called clipping.
The comfort noise. An inconvenient of the DTX function is
that when the signal is considered as noise, the transmitter is
turned off and therefore, a total silence is heard at the
receiver. This can be very annoying to the user at the
reception because it seems that the connection is dead. In
order to overcome this problem, the receiver creates a
minimum of background noise called comfort noise. The
comfort noise eliminates the impression that the connection
is dead.

Timing advance
The timing of the bursts transmissions is very important.
Mobiles are at different distances from the base stations.
Their delay depends, consequently, on their distance.
The aim of the timing advance is that the signals coming
from the different mobile stations arrive to the base
station at the right time. The base station measures the
timing delay of the mobile stations. If the bursts
corresponding to a mobile station arrive too late and
overlap with other bursts, the base station tells, this
mobile, to advance the transmission of its bursts.

Power control
At the same time the base stations perform the timing
measurements, they also perform measurements on the
power level of the different mobile stations. These power
levels are adjusted so that the power is nearly the same
for each burst.
A base station also controls its power level. The mobile
station measures the strength and the quality of the
signal between itself and the base station. If the mobile
station does not receive correctly the signal, the base
station changes its power level.

Discontinuous reception
It is a method used to conserve the
mobile station's power. The paging
channel is divided into subchannels
corresponding to single mobile
stations. Each mobile station will
then only 'listen' to its subchannel
and will stay in the sleep mode
during the other subchannels of the
paging channel.

Multipath and Equalization

At the GSM frequency bands, radio waves reflect from

buildings, cars, hills, etc. So not only the 'right' signal (the
output signal of the emitter) is received by an antenna, but
also many reflected signals, which corrupt the information, with
different phases.
An equalizer is in charge of extracting the 'right' signal from
the received signal. It estimates the channel impulse response
of the GSM system and then constructs an inverse filter. The
receiver knows which training sequence it must wait for. The
equalizer will then comparing the received training sequence
with the training sequence it was expecting, compute the
coefficients of the channel impulse response. In order to
extract the 'right' signal, the received signal is passed through
the inverse filter.