OVERVIEW OF GSM/GPRS NETWORKS

BY

ABDULHAKEEM M. LAWAL
6/9/2012
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Outline
Definition and Brief History of GSM. GSM ARCHITECTURE. GSM INTERFACE.

GSM Call Flow.

GSM Protocol ARCHITECTURE.

Overview of GPRS.
GPRS Architecture.
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Definition and Brief History of GSM

GSM was formerly known as Group Special Mobile but now stands for Global System for Mobile communications. It is a digital cellular phone technology based on Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA). It is the leading cell phone standard all over the world. In 1982 it was recognized as a standard for digital wireless communications and was first adopted in Europe and then by Asia, Africa etc. The first system was online in the early 1990s and it enabled roaming across European nations for the first time. Today, more than 1.5 billion GSM customers worldwide can phone each other via roaming agreements between the carriers. GSM provides Teleservices: Voice calls, Videotext, Facsimile, Short Messaging. Bearer Services: Internet Access, Mobile Transfer, etc. Supplementary Services: Caller Identification, Call Forwarding, Call Waiting, Multiparty Conversations, and Barring of Calls, etc.
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GSM Architecture

A GSM system is basically designed as a combination of three major subsystems:

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GSM Architecture
The Network and Switching Subsystem includes the equipment and functions related to end-to-end calls, management of subscribers, mobility and interfaces with the fixed network [PSTN].NSS consists of: Mobile Switching Centre [MSC] Home Location Centre [HLR] Visitor Location Centre [VLR] The Base Station Subsystem includes the equipment and functions related to the management of connection on the radio path. BSS Consists of; Base Station Controller [BSC] Base Transceiver Station [BTS] Transcoder Sub-multiplexers [TSCM] Network Management System [NMS]:The main task of the network management system is to ensure that the running of the network is smooth.
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GSM INTERFACE
The GSM Interfaces are divided into Standard and Common interface. Standard Interface; Abis Interface: between BTS and BSC, primary functions: traffic channel transmission, terrestrial channel management, and radio channel management. Ater Interface between BSC and TCSM.

Common Interface; Um/Air Interface: between MS and BTS, it is the only interface the mobile subscriber is exposed to.

A-Interface: between TCSM and MSC, primary functions: message transfer between different BSCs to the MSC
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GSM CALL FLOW

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GSM CALL FLOW

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GSM Protocol Architecture

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GSM Protocol Architecture

Layer 1 (physical layer): Radio transmission forms this Layer and the following takes place in this layer; Modulation, Channel Coding (convolutional coding), Interleaving, Power control, Time synchronization. Layer 2 (data link layer): Across the Um interface, the data link layer is a modified LAPD, called LAPDm. Across the A interface, the Message Transfer Part layer 2 of Signalling System Number 7 is used

Layer 3 (Network Layer): The layer 3 protocols are used for the communication of network resources, mobility, code format, call-related management and messages between various network entities. This layer is further divided into 3 sub layers: Radio Resource management (RRM) Mobility Management (MM) Connection Management (CM)
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Overview of GPRS
The requirement for bearer services such as multimedia messaging and the sending of data over the air-interface gave birth to GPRS. Basic GPRS capable terminals begin to be available in commercial quantities in early 2001 GPRS stands for General Packet Radio System. GPRS is an emerging GSM phase 2+ packet radio standard. Provides more efficient usage of the radio interface. Direct interworking to Internet networks for point-to-point services and point-to-multipoint services. Concurrent operation with existing GSM services for Circuitswitched Speech, Circuit-switched data and SMS. Supports Data rates from 9.6kbps to 100+kbps

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GPRS Architecture
GMSC
MSC VLR

BSC PCU

SGSN
GGSN

HLR AUC GPRS register

PCU: Packet control unit

SGSN: Serving GPRS support node GGSN: Gateway support node
Gs, Gr, Gc, Gb, Gn: interface & protocol

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GSM Network Element Mobile Station (MS)

GPRS Architecture

Modification or Upgrade Required for GPRS.

New Mobile Station is required to access GPRS services. These new terminals will be backward compatible with GSM for voice calls. BTS A software upgrade is required in the existing base transceiver site. BSC The base station controller (BSC) requires a software upgrade and the installation of new hardware called the packet control unit (PCU). The PCU directs the data traffic to the GPRS network and can be a separate hardware element associated with the BSC. GPRS Support Nodes The deployment of GPRS requires the installation (GSNs) of new core network elements called the serving GPRS support node (SGSN) and gateway GPRS support node (GGSN). Databases All the databases involved in the network will (HLR, VLR, etc.) require software upgrades to handle the new call models and functions introduced
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GPRS Architecture Continue..

SGSN - Serving GPRS Support Node
performs mobility management, authentication procedures and routes packet data. Like the VLR, stores only a subset of subscriber data available at the HLR. Supports the same MAP Interface to HLR as VLR/HLR Interface. SMSC may transfer short messages to the MS using the GPRS (via Gd interface). Option to queue messages at the SGSN for a short time. Required Interface : Gn (to GGSN), Gb (to BSS), Gr (to HLR) Optional Interface : Gd (to SMS-GMSC or SMS-IWMSC to enable GPRS. capable mobiles to send/receive SMs over GPRS radio channels), Gs (to MSC/VLR)

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GPRS Architecture Continue..

GGSN - Gateway GPRS Support Node
Provides similar functionality as GMSC, for packet data. Uses Packet Data Protocol (PDP address) which contains IP routing information. Routing information is used to tunnel PDUs to the current point of attachment (i.e. SGSN). Required Interface : Gn (to SGSN), Gi (to packet network). Optional Interface : Gc (to HLR) (can go via Gn and then Gr)

THANK YOU
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