S OF

T AL
M E N S
ND A T IO N
FU N I CA
M MU
CO
  Basic c
comp
 MS /
onents
of GS

GSM
SIM M
 MSC / / ME
/ BTS
/ / BSC
/ EIN VLR / HL
 Basic
P
R / IN
/ AuC
roces
 Hand
over
ses o
f GSM
 Paging
 Locati
on U
 Incom pdating
ing /
Outg
oing
Call
Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
 Basic Components of GSM
AuC

HLR VLR

BTS other BSSs

Mobile
Services
BSC Switching
BTS Centre IN Fixed line
(MSC)
telephone
BTS network

other MSCs
MS including SIM MS: Mobile Station
SIM: Subscriber Identity Module
BTS: Base Transceiver Station
BSC: Base Station Controller
HLR: Home Location Register
Fund VLR: Visited Location Register
amen
tals of Co AuC: Authentication Centre
mmu
ni cation IN: Interrogating Node
s
  MS i s
t
equip he physic

ta tio n
ment al
subsc used
riber by a
hand (their GSM
set’). ‘mob
bil e S
 It comp ile
rises
 a Subs two p
a rts:
(S c r ib e r
1. Mo

I M) a Ident
nd ity M
 the M
obile
odule
Equip
ment
(ME
).
Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
  (SIM
subsc ) is a sm
Majo riber spe art card w
an M r functio cific info hich car

nti ty
confi S and to ns are to rmation ries all th

le
locat dentialitytake part identify t used by a e
infor ion data a procedu in securi he curren n MS.
dialli mation fo nd may res. It als ty and t u se r

M odu
n r a l o of
funct g codes the use so store stores
i o ns r r
inclu (telephon such as apersonal ecent
e r Id e
 Perm de: e d ir e b
ctory breviated
). Spe
Inter anent st cific
n
(IMS ational rage of o
 Semi I) and AutMheonbtiile Saubsuscbrscriber’s
infor perman catio
m e n keyiber Iden
Iden a t i on e nt stora (Ki) tity
t .
b scri b

i ty
of pre (LAI curren of sys g . g e
 Semi ferred / fo),rbeindcdryptitonLokceatiotnemAre
‘telep permane en GS y Kc
M ne and li
a
hone n t s to
 Partic d i r ec
t o r
rage
y’, sh o f user
twork sts
s
use r i p a t i on o rt m d
key, iauthentic in mobilit essagata,
es
 Prote nstigationatoiof nlo, geneyrpatrioocedures e.
2. S u

ct ed catio n g
by PI n u pd o f c i p h e .
N ates. ring

Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
  (ME
)
proce provides
GSM ssing need the radio
a
interf network, ed to acce nd

me nt
acces ace MMI plus a ma ss the
s serv t o en n ma
 radio ces. Specif le the uscehr ine
i a b
proce transceiv ic fun t
ssing ing a ction o
 s
Eq ui p
radio nd s ignal
contr re late
ol; tim d operati
transm i ng a ons: p
hopp ssion (D vance; ower
i d
ing (S TX); disco
 Call h F H ). s low fr ntinuous
equen
andli
 ng cy
ob ile

man -
keyp machine
ad, s i
 peech nterface,
interf trans displ
lapto a c e s to e ducers ay,
ps / p xt .
almto ernal equi
3. M

ps pmen
t e .g .

Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
  (BTS
cover ) provide
radio age with s GSM r

iver
equip transmit in a cell. adio

on
assoc ment (in ting and r It compr
‘soph iated sig cluding a eceiving ises
Stati Speci isticated nal proce ntennas)
a nsce
fic fu ’ radio ssing. an d
n
 anten ctions incmodem. A
 rad nas (with div lude:
i ersity
proceo transce )
ssing iving

se Tr

sendi and s
ignal
instru ng TDM
 imple
ction A
s to Mtiming a
S dvan
o pe m e n tat ce
r i
(SFHations: sloon of radi
4. Ba

(DTX ); discon w frequeo related

contr ); cipher tinuous t ncy hop
ol. in g a r p
nd poansmissio ing
w er n
Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
 r
on
s c e iv e
Stati
Tra n
Ba s e

Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
  (BSC
enhan ) is a sm
acts a ced proc all switch

a tio n
and p s a local essing ca with

ol ler
effec rovides l concentr pability.
of BTt handove ocal swit ator of tr It
chann Ss. It ma r betwee ching to affic
varie el and u nages th n a numb
se S t
Co ntr
ensur ty of radi ndertakes e radio er
main ing that r o related control
inclu tained. It eliable ra procedur of a
de: s resp dio li es
5. Ba

 co-or onsibil n k s are

iti es
nu dinati
mb e r on
 of BT and con
traffi Ss trol o
c con fa
 low l
evel s
c e n tratio
n
 netw
o
w i tchin
g ope
radio r k mana ration
elem geme s
ents nt int
erfac
e to a
ll
Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
 n
ol ler
S ta tio
Co ntr
Base

Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
  radio
c
 hando hannel manage
doma over betw ment

a tio n
in een B


2
sched T Ss w
uling ithin
its
 of pa

ol ler…
passi ging
ng sy reque
(Loca stem st
onwa tio n A i nf o rm
se S t
rd tra rea Ident ation e.g
 queu
ing
nsmi i
ssion ty) to BT . LAI
S s fo
 contr
o
r
slow l of radio
Co ntr

disco frequency related op

5. Ba

n
ciphe tinuous t hopping erations:
ring a ransm (SFH
 servi n d powe is
r con
s ion (D );
c
inter e transco trol TX);
f
conv ace rates ding, cha
e
64 kb rting spe to netwo nging air
it/s ec h f r
rom k rates e.
13 kb g
it/s to .

Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
  (MSC
(sign ) is an I
capabificantly) SDN swi

h in g
of BS ility. An enhance tch with

e
of the Cs. Resp MSC wi d process
doma mobile onsible f ll parent ing

Ce n t r
charg in; this insubscribe or call haa number
respo ing recor cludes g rs within ndling
Swit c
n si b i ds (fo enera its
 call c l it ie s of t r b i ti ng
ontro he Mlling). Sp call
 gener l SC in ecific
clude
a ti o n :
 suppl of ca
ll rec
emen ords
 inter ta r y se r
 Whil SC a B
nd in
vic
ce
execu
o bi le

s te r M t ion
entit t th ey a SC h
Mobiies withinre identifi ando
v er
Visito le-servic the spec ed as dis
invar r Locatioes Switchifications tinct
MSC iably imp n Regist ing Cent , the
/VLR le er re
unit. mented a (VLR) ar and
6. M

s a si
ngle e

Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
 g
e
it ch in
Ce n t r
i le Sw
Mo b

Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
 (VLR)
funct is
ion. I an intelli
infor
matio t stores (o gent datab

tio n
by M n nee n a te ase a

ste r
(prim S s re d ed to ha m p o rary b nd service
gister n
inclu arily those ed with it dle calls asis) the control
d s
Ident es their I associate and contr et up or r
Lo ca
i n o e
Reg i (LAI ties (IMS ternation d with ou ls certain ceived
s I a t
Resp ) and sup ), current l Mobile going cal services
onsib p S ls
ilities lementary Location A ubscriber ). This
 execu of the servi
c
rea Id
t
calls ing supp
V L R inc e e ntitle entities
barre lemen lude: ment
 d ) t ary s s.
sitor

initia servic
ting a e pro
 initia
ting p
uthen
ticati
on an
gram
s (ou
tgoin
 mapp
aging d cip
herin
g
g
MSR ing of var
N) i ou s i
7. Vi

 passi
ng lo
denti
ties (
MSIS
catio DN, I
n info MSI,
rmati TMS
on to I,
HLR

Fund
amen
tal s of C
om m
unica
tions
  (IN) is
s the
boun t
d for arget for c

Nod e
respo GSM alls
n u
the lo sible for d sers. It is
c e
subsc ation of a termining
r c
calls iber and fo alled
a tin g
ac r
comm cordingly routeing
o .
MSC nly comb The IN is
f in
as a G orming w ed with a
e rro g

at e w a hat is n
y MS kn
C (G own
M SC
).
8 . In t

Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
  (HLR
servic ) is an in

on
mana e contro telligent

ter
and c gement o l function database
oca ti those ontrol of f each su respons and
carrie associat certain s bscriber ible for

Re gi s
subsc s subscri ed with inervices (p’s records
enabl riber and ption det coming rimarily
towa ing the ro location ails for a calls). It
MSC rds the su uteing o informa
Resp /VLR cu bscriber, f incomintion
me L

onsib rrentl i.e. th g call

 mana il i t i e s of ty s erving e s
he th
 mapp gement of serv HLR incleuM S.
de:
(MIS ( ing ice
profi
DN, Iof subscr les
 s u p pl M S I) ibe r i
d
9. H o

entit
upda ementary ie s
t es servi
 execu ce c o
ntrol
e.g. i tion of s an d p
rofile
n co m upple
 passi i n g cal l m e
s bar ntary serv
ng s u red. ice lo
bscri g ic
ption
recor
ds to
VLR
Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
  (AuC
with ) is an in
ensur the regul telligent
those ing that sation of a database
acces who are ervices c ccess to concerne

on
an be the ne

re
s is a entitl d
 The p ch i eved ed
in a s
to do used on twork
l
t icati have rinciple i ecureso and thay by

Ce n t
whic a unique s that the way. t the
respo h is used key for e AuC and
(RANnse (SREas the ba very sub the SIM
SIM D) gene S) to a r sis for ge scriber (K
respo will be abrated by andom nu nerating i )
n se a le to th e A mber a
 n d g u C
u then

The A thus g e n erate . Only

HLR u C i ai n a t he corre the true
. s g e cc e s s to t
neral
ly int he nect
egrat twork
ed wi .
th the
 [Also
anoth EIR the
10 . A

equip er databa Equipm

white ment ide se that h ent Identi
/ grey ntities olds a ty
/ blac , i.e. M list of Register -
k lists E num ‘allow
] bers: ed’

Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
 atio n
re
Ce n t
ent ic
Au t h

Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
  Hando
ver
 brief in

ess es
Pagin
g
ntrod
uctio
n
Pro c  Locati
on Ar
 Locati ea
on U
 Locati pdate
o
Sequ n Area M
GS M

ence
 Incom
in g C
a s exam
essag
ple
e

 Outgoi all
ing C
all
Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
  Han
call wdover is th
cover hen a us e means

ov er
age a er mo of ma
 The c re a of the v e s outsi intaining
a
altern ll must servi de the a
a b e ng ce
autom tive cel switch ll .
a
servic tically l to p e d t
e. and wrovide seo an

Hand Hand ithou rvice,
t loss
synch over is a of
r
mobi onisatio omplex c
l e st a n of e proce
 In pa t i on and t v en t s b e
ss req
tween uiring
the carticular, t he ne
tw ork. th e
can b ll to the here is th
old c e effecte new cell e need to
is kno onnectio d whilst mbefore ha route
wn to n unti aintai ndove
 Hand h a ve su l
cceed
t h e n e w
ning
t he
r
requi over is a e d .
conn
ection
r
existi ing actio time crit
exten ng radio n to be t ical proce
t that li ak s
the cank degrad en befores
ll i s l e
ost. s to such the
an
Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
  Pagin
mess g is a pro
to takage whic cess of b
there e some a h alerts a roadcast

g
recei is an inc ction, fo specific ing a

P agin
ved . omin r exa mobi
 If the g c a ll to b m ple if
le
preci system d e
locat se cell in oes not k
numbed it mus which a now the
er of t perf mobi
 An ex c e lls. o r m l
pagine is
unde treme ap g in a
r t
cover ake pag roach w p
when age area ing throu ould be
howe ever a m of a cellu ghout the to
syste ver, in anobile is to lar syste entire
valua m this wo ything b be alert m
partic ble signa uld be w ut the sm ed;
ularly lling astefu allest
 The p o v c
er the acity, l of
ap
of loc roblem i air in
terfac
a s
updat tion are address e.
ing. a s an ed by
d loc
ation the use
Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
  Loca
area otion upda
unde ver whic ting is us
rtake
 n in ah paging ed to redu

ng
The c cellu must b ce the
e l
into a ular col lar sy e
numb v s te m
 er of erage area .

p da ti
All c locat
Loca ells broad ion a is divided
tion A cast t reas. up
 Each re a (LAI
)
h e i denti
ty of
it has t im eam . their
infor moved i obile sta
locat ms the ne nto a newtion obse
t ion U

to pe ion updat twork by locationrves that

than rform page; this en perform area it
woul
 d oth ing over ables the ing a
In the erwis a sma netw
locat e xtreme e b e nec ller area ork
very ion area, case eac essar
y.
the e p re cisely th e s yste h c e ll co
Lo ca

locatixpense of where a m would uld be a

comp on updat a very h mobile w know
defin romise loe signall igh level as but at
ed as c in o
a gro ation are g. As a f
up of as
cells. are gene
rally
Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
 Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN)

re a
MSC / VLR Area
ti on A Location Area

Cell
Lo ca

 GSM Network Areas... Fund

amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
  Publi
c Lan
 the are d Mobile N

re as
Vodaf a served etwor
k
 MSC
one /
/ VLR
O
by on
range e o
etc. perator, e.
g.
ork A  a grou Area
MSC p of Loc
that M/ VLR, i. ation Area
 Locat
ion A
SC / V e. all th s serv
LR e cell ed
s con by one
re a necte
 a Gro d to
Net w

Area up of Cel
(LAI) identified ls within
 Cell
by its one M
Locat SC/VL
ion A
rea IdR
 identi entity
numb fied by it
GSM

cover er (CGI) s Cell Glo

ag e a c
re of orrespondbal Identit
one b s y
ase tr to the rad
ansce
iver sio
Fund
amen
tation
tal
s of C
omm
unica
tions
  The
locat MS detec
knowion area bts that it h

pd ate
informn LA (sto y compa as entere
ation red on ring th d a ne
 The M broad
c a
the S e last
I M
w
and r S gains s t b y th ) w
eques acces e loc ith the
 If the ts a locatios to a radio al cell.
n upd
tio n U
netwo serving
r k M S ate. channel
M an imca /C
 n o
S an d
t mediVLR is un
If the e the c ately a chang
M hang u
MSC S has e of Lthenticated the
HLR /VLR a m oved A. e t he
R. ddres M
 ses a SC/VLR
The H mess , the
and d L R a g e to the
notes
Loca

allow o w n load th e ne
mobi the netws securityw location
detai le, it also ork to au parame (VLR)
infor ls of the u passes o thenticatters to
ms th n e
e old ser to the subscrip the
VLR n ti
to deew VLR aon
l e te i
ts recnd
ords.
Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
Fund
am ental
so f Com
muni
catio
ns
  MS t
o NE
 New WM

age
SC (v
ia B S

en c e
MSC S) –
 New t o NEW
VLR
locati
o n up
VLR – u pd d at i n
M ess  HLR t o HLR
– up d
ate lo
ca t i o n
g req
u es t
to OL at e l o a rea
S equ  OLD D VL
R– ca
nc
cation
V
 HLR LR to HLR– can el location
t o NE cel lo
 NEW W V LR– 
i n s er t
cation
ACK
VLR
pd ate

s
 HLR t o HL
R– in
u bscrib
er dat
t o NE s er t s a
 NEW W VL
R– up
ubscr
i b er d
at a A
VLR date l CK
 NEW t o N EW M
SC– u
o ca t io n A
CK
VLR
 ACK t o p d
LA U

MS– ate lo
= ac k loca ation c at i on a r ea
nowl u pd a t ACK
edge i ng a
cc e p t

Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s
  Compo
Syste nents of G

sio n
m SM
 Hando
Revi ver
 Locatio
n Are
 Locatio as
n Are
 Locatio a Upd
at e
Mess n Area
age S Upda
equen te
ce

Fund
amen
tals of Co
mmu
ni cation
s