GSM Channels

GSM Channels
Physical Channel
One time slot on one carrier is called physical
channel.

Logical Channel
Information carried by physical channels is called
logical Channels.
Logical channels are mapped on physical channels.

Logical Channels
Traffic channels: Used for speech and data
Full Rate(TCH/F)

Half Rate(TCH/H)

Control channels: Used for signaling .i.e. setting up a

radio connection, call or controlling an MS during
conversation
BCH(Broadcast channels)
CCCH(common control channels)
DCCH(dedicated control channels)

Traffic Channels(TCH)

Traffic Channels(TCH)
TCH/F
(full Rate)

TCH/H
(half Rate)

Control Channels(CCH)
CCH(Control Channel)

BCH

CCH

SCH

CCCH

Synch.
Chanels
FCCH

RACH

CBCH

PCH/
AGCH

DCCH

SDCCH

FACCH

ACCH

SACCH

BCH(Broadcast Channels)
BCCH(Broadcast Control Channels)
Downlink Only.
Broadcast information of the serving cell
(System Information).
Transmitted on timeslot zero of BCCH carrier.
Reads only by idle mobile at least once every
30 secs.

BCH(Broadcast Channels) contd

SCH(Synchronisation Channels)
Downlink Only
Carries information for frame synchronisation.
Contains frame number and BSIC(Base Station
Identity Code).

BCH(Broadcast Channels) contd

FCCH(Frequency Correction Channels)
Downlink Only.
Enable MS to synchronies to the frequency.

CCCH(Common Control
Channel)
RACH(Random Access Channel)
Uplink only.
Used by the MS when making its first access
to the Network.
The reason for access could be initiation of a
call or a page response.

CCCH(Common Control
Channel) contd
AGCH(Assess Grant Channel)
Downlink only.
Used for acknowledgement of the access
attempt sent on RACH.
Used by the network to assign a signaling
cannel upon successful decoding of access
bursts.

CCCH(Common Control
Channel) contd
PCH(Paging Channel)
Downlink only.
The network will page the MS ,if there is a
incoming call or a short Message.
It contains the MS identity number, the IMSI or
TMSI.

DCCH(Dedicated Control
Channel)
SDCCH (Stand-alone Dedicated Control
Channel)
Uplink and Downlink.
Used for call setup, authentication, ciphering
location update and SMS.

DCCH(Dedicated Control
Channel) contd
SACCH(Slow Associated Control Channel )
Downlink and Uplink.
Used to transfer signal while MS have ongoing
conversation on traffic or while SDCCH is being
used.
On the forward link, the SACCH is used to send
slow but regularly changing control information to
each mobile on that ARFCN, such as power
control instructions and specific timing advance
instructions

 SACCH(Slow Associated Control Channel)

contd
The reverse SACCH carries
information about the received signal
strength and quality of the TCH, as
well as BCH measurement results
from neighboring cells.

DCCH(Dedicated Control
Channel) contd
FACCH(Fast Associated Control Channel)
Downlink and uplink.
Associate with TCH only.
It is used to send fast message like hand over
message.
Work by stealing traffic bursts.

Mapping on Physical Channels

The Logical channels are mapped on the
physical channels.
The TDMA frames are grouped together
into multi-frame.
26 TDMA multi-frame for Traffic.
51 TDMA multi-frame for control signal.

Channel Combination
Combined
All the controlling signals are in the time slot 0
of the Multi-frame.

Non Combined
Dedicated controlling signals are in time slot 1
of the Multi-frame.

Combined
Cell with single carrier.
Timeslot 0 :BCCH+CCCH+SDCCH.
Timeslot 1-7 :TCH/FACCH+SACCH.

Non Combined
Cell with Two carrier
Timeslot 0 (of carrier 1) BCCH+CCCH.
Timeslot 1 (of carrier1) SDCCH+SACCH.
Timeslot 2-7 & 0-7(of both carriers)
TCH/FACCH+SACCH.

Combined Multi-frame
Mapping of All Control Channel on
Timeslot 0 of The multi-frame.
BCCH+CCCH+SDCCH in Timeslot 0

BCCH/CCH Combined Multi-frame Downlink

50

101

A1

A2

A0

A3

40

IDEL
SACCH
91

SCH

D3

D3

SDCCH
D2

D2

CCCH
30

81

D1

D1

BCCH

D0

D0

FCCH

20

10

71

61

Mapping of logical channel

0

51

on Timeslot 0

BCCH/CCH Combined Multi-frame Uplink

D2

50

D2

101
SACCH

D1

D1

D0

40

SDCCH

D0

FACH
30

20

A3

A2
A0

10

Mapping of logical channel

on Timeslot 0

A1

D3

D3

51

NON Combined Multi-frame

Mapping of All Control Channels on
Timeslot 0 and 1of The multi-frame.
BCCH+CCCH in Timeslot 0
SDCCH+SACCH in Timeslot 1

BCCH/CCH Non combined Multi-frame

Downlink
50

40

Idle
CCCH

30

SCH
FCCH

20

BCCH

10

Mapping of logical channel

On Timeslot 0
0

BCCH/CCH Non combined Multi-frame

Uplink
50

40

RACH

30

20

10

Mapping of logical Channel

on Timeslot 0

DCCH Non combined Multi-frame Downlink

A3
A2

50
48
44

A7

95
A6

40

91
A5

A1

36
A4

A0

32
D7

D7

28
D6

D6

24
D5

20
D4

16
D3
D2
D1
D0

101
99

12
8
4
0

87

IDLE
SACCH
SDCCH

83
79
75

D5
D4

71
67

D3

63
D2

59
D1
D0

55
51

Mapping of logical channel on

Timeslot 1

DCCH Non combined Multi-frame uplink

A0

50

A4

96

47
D7

D7

92

43
D6

D6

88

39
D5

D5

35
D4

D4

27
D2

23
D1

19
D0

SDCCH

78
D2

74
D1

70
D0

66

15
12
8

A2

4
A1

IDLE
SACCH

D3

D3

84
82

31

A1

101

63
A7

59
A6

55
A5

51

Mapping of logical channel

on Timeslot 1