Mobile Communications

Jose Antonio
Portilla
Figueras

Mobile Communications
Jose Antonio Portilla Figueras

November 17, 2009

Agenda
Mobile Communications
Jose Antonio
Portilla
Figueras

Topic 2: Case Study: The GSM Network

1

GSM System General Architecture

GSM Access network.

Traffic Models for the Air interface

Models for the BSS design.

UMTS and the path towards 4G

UMTS cell design

Study Case for GSM

Mobile Communications
Jose Antonio
Portilla
Figueras

A very important point in the study of a GSM system is

the the network planning which is divided into Radio
Network Planning,Access Network Planning and Core
Network planning.
However there is another important point which is to
know about how the network works.
We will focus on:
Interfaces
Traffic Cases
Core Network Configurations

GSM Case Study

UM Interface: Radio
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The Um interface is the interface between the MS and the

BTS. Here the communication is carried out using radio
waves.
The frequencies band for GSM are shown in the figure.

GSM Case Study

UM Interface: Radio
Mobile Communications
Jose Antonio
Portilla
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As you remember in the GSM system the BW is 200 KHz

then we have:
124 pairs of carriers in the GSM 900 band
374 pairs of carriers in the GSM 1800 band
pairs of carriers in the GSM 1900 band

Each carrier is divided into eight Times Slots (TS).

A TS has a duration of 3/5200 seconds (577 ms).
Eight TSs form a TDMA frame, with approximately 4.62
ms duration.
Note: We are in a synchronous system, so the frames has
to be aligned in the uplink and in the downlink;

GSM Case Study

UM Interface: Radio
Mobile Communications
Jose Antonio
Portilla
Figueras

The following figure shows the Um frame.

This structure, and the synchronous feature of the GSM

system makes that if the mobile wants to use the same
time slot for the uplink and the downlink it has to
transmit and to receive simultaneously.
To avoid this, the uplink frame is delayed three time slots
(TS)

GSM Case Study

Um Interface: Radio
Mobile Communications
Jose Antonio
Portilla
Figueras

GSM Case Study

Frames Structure
Mobile Communications
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Portilla
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I think that in this point is important to make a break to

study the GSM Frame Structure
As you can suppose the synchronous feature of the system
does not end in the basic frame.
At higher levels the frames are grouped into Signalling
Multiframes (MF51) or Traffic Multiframes (MF26)
depending on the content of the time slots.
26 MF51 or 51 MF26 compound a Superframe.
2048 Superframes form a Hiperframe which is the
maximum period.
Note that a Hiperframe has 2048 51 26 = 2715648
frames, which means 1566 s.
This structure is performed in this way to handle with the
different speed of the channels.

GSM Case Study

Um Interface: Radio
Mobile Communications
Jose Antonio
Portilla
Figueras

GSM Case Study

Um Interface: Logical Channels
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The Radio Interface between the MS and the BTS is

structured using logical channels.
The figure shows the division of the channels.

GSM Case Study

Um Interface: Logical Channels
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Logical channels can be separated into two categories:

Traffic and signaling/control channels.
There are two forms of Traffic CHannels (TCH):
1
2

Full rate TCH (TCH/F).

Half rate TCH (TCH/H)).

Signaling channels are subdivided into three categories:

Broadcast CHannels, BCH
Common Control CHannels, CCCH
3 Dedicated Control CHannels, DCCH
1
2

GSM Case Study

Um Interface: Broadcast Channels
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Frequency Correction CHannel (FCCH): Allow the MS to

synchronize to the frequency. Only downlink on carrier 0
in TS 0.
Synchronization CHannel (SCH)The MS needs to
synchronize to the time-structure within this particular
cell. Listening to the SCH, the MS receives information
about the frame number of the chosen BTS. Only
downlink on carrier 0 TS 0.
Broadcast Control CHannel (BCCH)The MS must receive
some general information concerning the cell in order to
start roaming, waiting for calls to arrive or making calls.
Only downlink on carrier 0 in TS 0.

GSM Case Study

Um Interface: Common Control Channels
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Portilla
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Paging CHannel (PCH) At certain time intervals the MS

listens to the PCH to check if the network wants to make
contact with the MS for an incoming call or an incoming
short message. Is downlink on TS0.
Random Access CHannel (RACH) When the MS is being
paged, it replies by requesting a signaling channel on the
RACH. RACH can also be used if the MS wants to
contact the network. RACH is transmitted uplink on TS0
Access Grant CHannel (AGCH) To grant the access to the
mobile, the networks assigns a signaling channel (the
Stand alone Dedicated Control CHannel, SDCCH) to the
MS. This assignment is performed on the AGCH. AGCH is
transmitted downlink on TS0.

GSM Case Study

Um Interface: Dedicated Control Channels
Mobile Communications
Jose Antonio
Portilla
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Stand alone Dedicated Control CHannel (SDCCH) The call set-up

procedure is performed on this channel as well as all the signalling
over the connection done by the MS and the BTS SDCCH is
transmitted both uplink and downlink.
Slow Associated Control CHannel (SACCH) The SACCH is
associated with SDCCH or TCH (i.e. sent on the same physical
channel). On the uplink, the MS sends averaged measurements on its
own BTS (signal strength and quality) and neighboring BTSs (signal
strength). On the downlink, the MS receives information concerning
the transmitting power to use and instructions on the timing
advance. SACCH is transmitted both uplink and downlink.
Fast Associated Control CHannel (FACCH) If a handover is required
the FACCH is used. FACCH works in stealing mode meaning that
one 20 ms segment of speech is exchanged for signaling information
necessary for the handover.

GSM Case Study

Um Interface: Channel Combinations
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Only certain combinations of logical channels are

permitted according to the GSM recommendations.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

TCH/F + FACCH/F + SACCH/TF

TCH/H(0.1) + FACCH/H(0.1) + SACCH/TH(0.1)
TCH/H(0) + FACCH/H(0) + SACCH/TH(0) + TCH/H(1)
FCCH + SCH + BCCH + CCCH
FCCH + SCH + BCCH + CCCH + SDCCH/4(0...3) +
SACCH/C 4(0...3)
BCCH + CCCH
SDCCH/8(0...7) + SACCH/C 8(0...7)

item Where CCCH = PCH + AGCH + RACH

GSM Case Study

Um Interface: Channel Combinations, FCCH + SCH + BCCH + CCCH
Mobile Communications
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GSM Case Study

Um Interface: Channel Combinations, SDCCH + SACCH
Mobile Communications
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GSM Case Study

Um Interface: Channel Combinations, SDCCH + SACCH
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GSM Case Study

Um Interface: Protocol Stack
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Our next step is to analyze the protocol stack in the

interfaces of the Access Radio Network
Note that as it is shown in the figure, each interfaces has
two faces, and the functions may not be the same in both
sides.

GSM Case Study

Um Interface: Um Air Interface Now from the side of the Mobile Station
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GSM Case Study

Um Interface: Um Air Interface Now from the side of the Base Station
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GSM Case Study

Abis Interface: Introduction
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It is the interface between the BTS and the BSC.

The physical level is implemented by 2Mbps links following
the recommendation G.703 of the GSM.
The links are composed by 32 channels of 64 Kbps.
There are only three feasible configurations.
BTS with a single TRX.
BTS with several TRX and a single link to the BSC
3 BTS with several TRX each one with a particular link to
the BSC.
1
2

GSM Case Study

Abis Interface: Channels
Mobile Communications
Jose Antonio
Portilla
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There are two types of channels in the Abis Interface.

Communication Channels
Traffic Channels: With speeds of 8, 16 or 64 Kbps, they
carry voice or data of the corresponding traffic channel.
Considering that the TCH has a maximum speed of 13
Kbps, with four channels, there is a remaining capacity in
the digital circuit of 12 Kbps. This remaining capacity is
used for synchronization between the BTS and a network
element named TRAU.
2 Signalling Channels: With Speeds of 16, 32 or 64 Kps, they
carry user signalling information of MS, BTS and BSC.
1

GSM Case Study

Abis Interface: Channels
Mobile Communications
Jose Antonio
Portilla
Figueras

For the signalling in the Abis interface the protocol of

layer 2 , LAPD.
In each LAPD message, in the addressing field there is the
BTS the message refers to.
The specification defines the following logical links.
Radio Signalling Link (RSL): Used for message interchange
about the traffic management procedures between the MS
and the network. There is a RSL per TRX of the BTS.
2 Operation and Management Link (OML): Used for
management information exchange. There is a OML per
TRX and BCF.
3 Layer 2 Management Link: It is the management link of
layer 2. There is a OML per TRX and BCF.
1

GSM Case Study

Abis Interface: Abis from the BTS
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GSM Case Study

Abis Interface: Abis from the BSC
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GSM Case Study

Conclusion
Mobile Communications
Jose Antonio
Portilla
Figueras

At this point we have ended a very hard part that deals

with the inner and deeper part of the GSM access
network, protocols, channels and frame structure
Our next step is dedicated to try to understand how the
network works in a limited set of important scenarios.