Mobile Network Elements !!!

MSC - Mobile-services Switching Center: Its basically an ISDN (International Subscriber Digital Number) Switch, coordinating and setting up calls to and from MSs. It performs the switching functions for all mobile stations located in the geographic area covered by its assigned BSSs. Functions performed include interfacing with the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) as well as with the other MSCs and other system entities, such as the HLR, in the PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network). Functions Call handling Management of required logical radio-link channel during calls Management of MSC-BSS signaling protocol Handling location registration and ensuring inter-working between Mobile Station and VLR Control of inter-BSS and inter-MSC handovers Acting as a gateway MSC to interrogate the HLR. HLR Home Location Register Its a database used to store permanent and semi-permanent subscriber data. The HLR will always know in which location area the MS is (assuming the MS is in a coverage area), and this data is used to locate an MS in the event of a MS terminating call set-up. It contains the identities of mobile subscribers called IMSIs (International Mobile Subscriber Identities), their service parameters, and their location information. It contains, Identity of mobile subscriber ISDN directory number of mobile station Subscription information on teleservices and bearer services Service restrictions (if any) Supplementary services Location information for call routing VLR - Visitor Location Register: The VLR contains all the subscriber data, both permanent and temporary, which are necessary to control a MS in the MSCs coverage area. It contains the subscriber parameters and location information for all mobile subscribers currently located in the geographical area (i.e., cells) controlled by that VLR. It contains, Identity of mobile subscriber Any temporary mobile subscriber identity ISDN directory number of mobile

 A directory number to route calls to a roaming station Location area where the mobile station is registered Copy of (part of) the subscriber data from the HLR EIR - Equipment Identity Register: Its database contains information on the MS and its capabilities. The IMEI (International Mobile Station Equipment Identity) is used to interrogate the EIR. It is accessed during the equipment validation procedure when a mobile station accesses the system. It contains the identity of mobile station equipment which may be valid, suspect, or known to be fraudulent. This contains: White or Valid list - List of valid MS equipment identities Grey or Monitored list - List of suspected mobiles under observation Black or prohibited list - List of mobiles for which service is barred AuC - Authentication Center: Its database contains the subscriber authentication keys and the algorithm required to calculate the authentication parameters to be transferred to the HLR. Contains subscriber authentication data called Authentication Keys (Ki) Generates security related parameters needed to authorize service using Ki Generates unique data pattern called a CipherKey (Kc) needed for encrypting user speech and data OMC - Operations and Maintenance Center: It is the centralized maintenance and diagnostic heart of the Base Station System (BSS). It allows the network provider to operate, administer, and monitor the functioning of the BSS. BSS (Base Station Subsystem) - Its a combination of a BSC and one or more BTSs. Characteristics of the BSS are: It is responsible for communicating with mobile stations in cell areas. One BSC controls one or more BTSs and can perform inter-BTS and intra-BTS handovers. The BTS serves one or more cells in the cellular network and contains one or more TRXs (Transceivers or radio units). The TRX serves full duplex communications to the MS. In the GSM network implementation, the BSC includes the TRAU (Transcoder/Rate Adapter Unit). The TRAU adapts the transmission bit rate of the A-interface (64 kbit/s) to the Abis-interface (16 kbit/s).

MS - Mobile Station: It represents the terminal equipment used by the wireless subscriber supported by the GSM Wireless system. The MS consists of two entities, each with its own identity: Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Mobile equipment The SIM may be a removable module. A subscriber with an appropriate SIM can access the system using various mobile equipments. The equipment identity is not linked to a particular subscriber. Validity checks made on the MS equipment are performed independently of the authentication checks made on the MS subscriber information. Functions of a SIM: Authentication of the validity of the MS when accessing the network User authentication Storage of subscriber-related information, which can be: data fixed during administrative phase (e.g., subscriber identification), and temporary network data (e.g., cell location identity). Functions of a Mobile Station: Radio transmission termination Radio channel management Speech encoding/decoding Radio link error protection Flow control of data Rate adaptation of user data to the radio link Mobility management Performance measurements of radio link Types of Mobile Stations: Mobile stations can come in different power classes, which define the maximum RF power level that the unit can transmit. For GSM-900 there is five powers classes, for GSM-1800 there are three power classes. The mobile station maximum output power is specified in GSM.

GSM System Architecture

Mobile-services Switching Center (MSC) Home Location Register (HLR) Visitor Location Register (VLR) Equipment Identity Register (EIR) Authentication Center (AUC) Base Station System (BSS)Base Transceiver Station (BTS)Base Station Controller (BSC) Mobile Station (MS) Operation and Maintenance Center (OMC) Interfaces - A,B,C,D,E,F,G,Um,Abis

HANDOVER :In a mobile communications network, the subscriber can move around freely, & to maintain the constant connection with subscriber, so that he can use all his services without any disturbance is done with the help of Hand-Over.

The basic concept is simple - when the subscriber moves from the coverage area of one cell to another, a new connection with the target cell has to be set up and the connection with the old cell has to be released. There are two reasons for performing a handover: 1. Handover due to measurements - It occurs when the quality or the strength of the radio signal falls below certain parameters specified in the BSC. The deterioration of the signal is detected by the constant signal measurements carried out by both the mobile station and the BTS. As a consequence, the connection is handed over to a cell with a stronger signal. 2. Handover due to traffic reasons - It occurs when the traffic capacity of a cell has reached its maximum or is approaching it. In such a case, the mobile stations near the edges of the cell may be handed over to neighbouring cells with less traffic load. The decision to perform a handover is always made by the BSC that is currently serving the subscriber, except for the handover for traffic reasons. In the latter case the MSC makes the decision. There are four different types of handover

Intra cell - Intra BSC handover - The smallest of the handovers is the intra cell handover where the Subscriber is handed over to another traffic channel (generally in another frequency) within the same cell. In this case the BSC controlling the cell makes the decision to perform handover.

Inter cell - Intra BSC handover - The subscriber moves from cell 1 to cell 2. In this case the handover process is controlled by BSC. The traffic connection with cell 1 is released when the connection with cell 2 is set up successfully.

Inter cell - Inter BSC handover - The subscriber moves from cell 2 to cell 3, which is served by another BSC. In this case the handover process is carried out by the MSC, but, the decision to make the handover is still done by the first BSC. The connection with the first BSC (and BTS) is released when the connection with the new BSC (and BTS) is set up successfully.

Inter MSC handover - The subscriber moves from a cell controlled by one MSC/VLR to a cell in the domain of another MSC/VLR. This case is a bit more complicated. Considering that the first MSC/VLR is connected to the GMSC via a link that passes through PSTN lines, it is evident that the second MSC/VLR can not take over the first one just like that. The MSC/VLR currently serving the subscriber (also known as the anchor MSC), contacts the target MSC/VLR and the traffic connection is transferred to the target MSC/VLR. As both MSCs are part of the same network, the connection is established smoothly. It is important to notice, however, that the target MSC and the source MSC are two telephone exchanges. The call can be transferred between two exchanges only if there is a telephone number identifying the target MSC. Such a situation makes it necessary to generate a new number, the Handover Number (HON).