Dar es Salaam institute of Technology (DIT)

ETU 08213

Cellular and Mobile Communication

Ally, J

jumannea@gmail.com

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GSM Fundamentals

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 Contents
◼ GSM System Overview

◼ GSM Network Structure

◼ Service Area and Number Planning

◼ Channels on the Wireless Interface

◼ Radio Techniques

◼ GPRS & EDGE Introduction

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 GSM system overview
◼ The GSM system is a frequency- and time-division cellular
system, each physical channel is characterized by a carrier
frequency and a time slot number
◼ Cellular systems are designed to operate with groups of
low-power radios spread out over the geographical service
area. Each group of radios serve MSs presently located
near them. The area served by each group of radios is
called a CELL
◼ Uplink and downlink signals for one user are assigned
different frequencies, this kind of technique is called
Frequency Division Duplex (FDD)
◼ Data for different users is conveyed in time intervals called
slots , several slots make up a frame. This kind of technique
is called Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)

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GSM Development

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 Cell Technique-Macro Cell and Micro Cell
◼ A certain radio coverage area formed by a set of
transceivers that connected to a set of antennas is called a
CELL.
◼ Macro Cell
❑ In the beginning , High-Power BTSs are adopted to

provide services. The BTS covers a wider area , but its

frequency utilization is not efficient. So, it can only
provide a few channels for subscribers.
◼ Micro Cell
❑ Later the Low-Power BTS joins the system for getting a
better service area with high capacity . At the same time
it adopts the frequency reuse technique to improve the
efficiency of the frequency utilization and also the whole
capacity of the network.

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 Multiple Access Technique
◼ Multiple Access Technique allows many
subscribers to use the same communication
medium.

◼ There are three kinds of basic Multiple Access

Technique : FDMA , TDMA, and CDMA.

◼ GSM system adopt FDD-TDMA (FDMA and

TDMA together).

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The Frequency Spectrum

Duplex Separation: 45MHz

Channel Bandwidth: 200KHz

Duplex Separation: 95MHz

Channel Bandwidth: 200KHz

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The Frequency Spectrum

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 Frequency Reuse
◼ The frequency resource of mobile system is very limited.
◼ The different Subscribers can use the same frequency in
different places.
◼ The quality of communication must be ensured.

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 Cell Types

Omni-directional Cell Omni

1
120
120 Degree Cell degree 2
3

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 GSM-GPRS Network Component

PSTN
MSC/VLR GMSC ISDN
GSM /GPRS BSS

BSC
MS HLR/AUC
BTS

PCU
SS7
BSC SMS system
MS
BTS
GPRS Backbone Internet,
SGSN Intranet
GGSN

OMC CG BG

Other PLMN

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 Interface Between Different Entities

PSTN
MSC/VLR GMSC ISDN
GSM /GPRS BSS
A
Abis BSC
MS HLR/AUC
BTS C/D/Gs

PCU
SS7
BSC Gb SMS system
MS Um Gr/Gs/Gd/Ge Gc
BTS
GPRS backbone Internet,
SGSN Gi Intranet
Ga GGSN

OMC CG BG
Gp Other PLMN

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 Mobile Station—MS
MS=ME+SIM

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Subscriber Identity Module – SIM

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 Base Station Subsystem – BSS

◼ The Base Station MSC

Controller – BSC
◼ The Base Transceiver BSS
Station – BTS TC/SM
◼ The Trans-coder – TC
and Sub multiplexer BSC
(SM)
BTS

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 Packet Control Unit-----PCU

◼ Packet data
switching
◼ Bridge between
SGSN and BSC
◼ Provide Pb and
Gb interface

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The Network Switching System

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 Mobile-service Switching Center –
MSC
◼ Call Processing

◼ Operations and Maintenance Support

◼ Interface management

◼ Inter-network & Inter-working

◼ Billing

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 Home Location Register – HLR
◼ Subscriber ID (IMSI and MSISDN)

◼ Current subscriber VLR (current location)

◼ Supplementary service information

◼ Subscriber status (registered/deregistered)

◼ Authentication key and AuC functionality

HLR is database used for the management

of subscribers
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 Visitor Location Register – VLR
◼ Mobile Status (IMSI attached / detached / busy
/ idle etc.)

◼ Location Area Identity(LAI)

◼ Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity(TMSI)

◼ Allocating the Roaming Number

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 Equipment Identity Register – EIR

◼ White List
◼ Black List IMEI is Checked In White List
◼ Grey List

If NOT found

EIR focus on the

IMEI is Checked in Black/Grey List
equipment , not the
subscriber!!

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Inter-Working Function – IWF

• Rate Conversion
• Protocol Adaptation
MSC

EC IWF
PSTN

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 Echo Canceller － EC
➢Echo takes place by GSM system delay caused by call
processing, speech encoding and decoding etc.
➢An Echo Canceller is used on the PSTN side of the MSC
for all voice circuits

4-wire
2-wire 2- wire

Hybrid Hybrid

Generation of Echo at 2-wire to 4-wire Interface

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OMC Functional Architecture

Event/Alarm Security
Management Management

MMI
OS DB
Fault
Configuration
Management
Management

Performance
Management

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 Service Area
Service Area
PLMN service area PLMN service area
PLMN service area
MSC service area... MSC service area...

Location area... Location area...

......
cell cell

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 LAI
MCC MNC LAC

Location Area Identification

The LAI is the international code for a location area.

MCC：Mobile Country Code，It consists of 3 digits .

For example: The MCC of Tanzania is "640"
MNC：Mobile Network Code，It consists of 2 digits .
For example: The MNC of Zantel is "03"
LAC： Location Area Code，It is a two bytes BCD code(hex).
The value 0000 and FFFF is invalid.
For example: 640-03-0011

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 CGI
CGI: Cell Global Identification

The CGI is a unique international identification for a cell

The format is LAI+CI

LAI: Location Area Identification
CI: Cell Identity. This code uses two bytes hex code to
identify the cells within an LAI.

For example : 640-03-0011-0001

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 BSIC
BSIC（Base Station Identification Color Code)

NCC BCC

BSIC

NCC: PLMN network color code. It comprises 3 bit. It

allows various neighboring PLMNs to be
distinguished.
BCC: BTS color code. It comprises 3 bit, used to
distinguish different cells assigned the same
frequency!

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 MSISDN
MSISDN: Mobile Station International Standard Data Network

CC NDC SN
National (significant)
Mobile number
Mobile station international
ISDN number

CC: Country Code. For example: The CC of Tanzania is “255".

NDC: National Destination Code. For example: The NDC of
Vodacom is 755, 754, 764.
SN: Subscriber Number. Format:H0 H1 H2 H3 ABCD
Example: 255-764-030690

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 IMSI
Not more than 15 digits
3 digits 2 digits

MCC MNC MSIN

NMSI
IMSI

MCC: Mobile Country Code，It consists of 3 digits .

For example: The MCC of Tanzania is “640"。
MNC: Mobile Network Code，It consists of 2 digits .
For example: The MNC of zantel is "03"。
MSIN: Mobile Subscriber Identification Number. H1H2H3 S ABCDEF
For example: 773-675000
NMSI: National Mobile Subscriber Identification，MNC and MSIN
form it together.
For Example of IMSI : 640-03-773-675000

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 TMSI (Temporary Mobile Subscriber
Identification)
◼ The TMSI is assigned only after successful subscriber
authentication.

◼ The VLR controls the allocation of new TMSI numbers

and notifies them to the HLR.

◼ TMSI is used to ensure that the identity of the mobile

subscriber on the air interface is kept secret.

◼ The TMSI consists of 4 bytes( 8 HEX numbers) and

determined by the operator.

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IMEI (International Mobile Station
Equipment Identification)

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Physical Channel and Logical Channel

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Two types of Logical Channel
Traffic Channel (TCH) :
Transmits traffic information,
include data and speech.

Control Channel (CCH) :

Or Signaling Channel, transmits
all kinds of control information.

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Traffic Channel (TCH)

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Control Channel (CCH)

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 Broadcast Control Channel – BCCH

CCH
The information carried on the BCCH

is monitored by the MS
BCH
periodically when it is in idle mode

BCCH: Broadcast Control Channel

FCCH: Frequency Correction Channel Synch.

BCCH Channels
SCH: Synchronization Channel

SCH FCCH

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 Common Control Channel – CCCH

The CCCH is responsible for CCH

transferring control information
between all mobiles and the
network.
CCCH
RACH: Random Access Channel
PCH: Paging Channel
AGCH: Access Granted Channel RACH CBCH
CBCH: Cell Broadcast Channel uplink downlink

PCH/AGCH
downlink

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 Dedicated Control Channel – DCCH

CCH
DCCH is assigned to a single
wireless connection for
measurement and handover
purpose. DCCH
SDCCH: Stand-alone Dedicated
Control Channel
ACCH: Associated Control Channel
SACCH: Slow Associated SDCCH ACCH
Control Channel
FACCH: Fast Associated Control
Channel

FACCH SACCH

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Uplink Logical channel

CCH
RACH CCCH

SDCCH
SACCH DCCH DCH
FACCH

TCH/F
TCH
TCH/H

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Downlink Logical channel

FCCH
BCCH SCH
CCH BCCH

PCH
CCCH
AGCH

SDCCH
DCCH SACCH
DCH FACCH

TCH/F
TCH
TCH/H

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How to use these channels?

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Packet logic channel

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 GSM Logical Channel Combination
Main BCCH combination – FCCH + SCH + BCCH + CCCH

SDCCH combination – SDCCH/8 + SACCH/8

Combined BCCH – BCCH + CCCH +SDCCH/4 + SACCH/4

TCH/FR combination – TCH/F + FACCH/F + SACCH/F

TCH/HR combination – TCH/H + FACCH/H + SACCH/H

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 Combination of Packet Logic Channel
◼ Packet logic channels (PDCH) can be combined via the
following three modes
❑ Mode 1: PBCCH+PCCCH+PDTCH+PACCH+PTCCH;
❑ Mode 2: PCCCH+PDTCH+PACCH+PTCCH;
❑ Mode 3: PDTCH+PACCH+PTCCH

◼ In case of small GPRS traffic, GPRS and circuit services

use the same BCCH and CCCH in the cell. In this case,
only combination mode 3 is needed in the cell

◼ With the increase of traffic, the packet public channel

should be configured in the cell. Channel combination
mode 1 and mode 2 should be adopted

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 GSM Multi-Frames
TDMA Frames

0 1
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

0 1 2 3 4 46 47 48 49 50

51 – Frame Multi-frames

CONTROL CHANNELS

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 GSM Multi-Frames
TDMA Frames

0 1
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

0 1 2 3 4 21 22 23 24 25

26 – Frame Multi-frames

TRAFFIC CHANNELS

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Power Control

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 DTX and VAD
Discontinuous Transmission – DTX

Voice Activity Detection – VAD

Battery Saving
Interference reduction

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 Timing Advance (TA)
The mobile phone should
send the signal in advance!

TA
Transmission delay t

Transmission delay t

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 Multi-Path Fading

◼ Diversity
◼ Frequency Hopping

Time Dispersion

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 Diversity – What’s Diversity?
◼Receive diversity provides an effective
technique for both overcoming the impact of
fading across the radio channel and
increasing the received signal to interference
ratio.

◼The former is achieved by ensuring

“uncorrelated” (i.e. low enough correlated)
fading between antenna branches i.e. not all
antennas experience fades at the same time.
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 Kinds of Diversity
t
◼ Time diversity
Coding, interleaving
◼ Frequency diversity
f
Frequency hopping
◼ Space diversity

Multiple antennas
◼ Polarization diversity

Dual-polarized
antennas
◼ Multi-path
diversity
Equalizer

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 Frequency Hopping
Frequency

f0

f1

f2

f3

f4

Frame
Time

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GSM Development Evolution
3G
2 Mbps
2.5G IMT-2000
384 kbps

EDGE
115 kbps
2G
57.6 kbps GPRS

9.6 kbps HSCSD

GSM

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 Data rate of EDGE and GPRS
Kbps 59.2
60.0
54.4

50.0 GPRS 44.8

EGPRS
40.0

29.6
30.0
21.4 22.4
20.0 17.6
15.6 14.8
13.4
11.2
9.0 8.8
10.0

0.0
CS-1 CS-2 CS-3 CS-4 MCS-1 MCS-2 MCS-3 MCS-4 MCS-5 MCS-6 MCS-7 MCS-8 MCS-9

GMSK 8PSK

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 ◼ The basic idea of GSM
◼ The frequency spectrum used
in GSM
Summary ◼ The structure of GSM
◼ Certain service area and
numbers
◼ Some radio techniques used in
GSM
◼ Evolution of GSM

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 Thanks!

Technology changes but communication lasts.

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