CHAPTER 4

Public Switched Telephone Network

(PSTN) & Public Land Mobile Networks
Contents
Ø Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)
ü PSTN services
Ø Integrated Service Digital Network (ISDN)
Ø Public Land Mobile Networks (PLMN)
ü GSM
ü 3G
ü 4G
ü 5G

PSTN and PLMN by Engineer Matios Z. 0

PSTN
Ø It is the aggregate of the world’s circuit-switched
telephone networks that are operated by national, regional
or local telephony operators, providing infrastructure and
services for public telecommunication.
Ø Originally a network of fixed-line analog telephone
systems, the PSTN is now almost entirely digital in its core
network and includes mobile and other networks, as well
as fixed telephones.
Ø It consists telephone line, transmission facilities, switching
system and signaling systems.

PSTN and PLMN by Engineer Matios Z. 1

Cont.

Fig.1: over view of PSTN

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Cont.
Ø What kind of information can be transmitted through
telecommunication system? Does the figure consider all
those information’s?
üInformation can be voice, computer data, multimedia files and
other types of file such as program files.
üOf course the the figure considered all kinds of information.
ØThe fig shows different voice transmission approaches
1. Analog (wired): through analog local exchanges
2. Digital (wired): through digital local exchanges, ISDN, DSL
3. Mobile (wireless): through mobile exchanges

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Cont.
ØThe fig also shows different internet access technologies
implemented in PSTN network.
ØInternet users are connected to the global Internet via the
hosts of their ISPs.
1. Analog subscriber interface use modem technology to access
internet.
2. Digital PSTN network has several options to access internet
a. ISP can directly connect to LAN
b. DSL technologies
c. ISDN technology
d. Mobile network
e. Digital local exchanges

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Services using PSTN
Telephone
ØTelephone subscribers are able to interconnect globally
through PSTN network.
ØGlobal interconnection of switching systems (exchanges) i.e.
start from local exchanges to international exchanges
including satellite links manages telephony services.
ØThis service can be wired which is fixed line telephony
system or wireless which is cellular (mobile) system.

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Cont.
Internet
Øusers are connected to the global Internet via the hosts of
their Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
ØNetworks of national ISPs are connected and this
interconnection is extended to the networks of ISPs of
neighboring countries, and these networks together make
up the global Internet.
ØThe figure shows a method of accessing internet i.e. ISDN,
DSL, LAN …

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Cont.
Ø For Data communication via an analog/digital network with
analog subscriber interfaces, a modem is required.
Ø It transmits data through a speech channel in voice
frequency tones.

Fig.2: Datacom via modem

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Cont.
IP telephony
ØInstead of using traditional circuit switch system for voice
communication, IP telephony uses packet protocol originally
designed for data communication.

Fig.3: a. Circuit switch system b. Packet switch system

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Cont.
ØWe have 3 possible configurations

Fig.4: Pc to Pc IP telephony

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Cont.
ØPc to Phone

Fig.5: Pc to phone IP telephony configuration

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Cont.
Ø Phone to Phone

Fig.6: Phone to Phone IP telephony configuration

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Cont.
ØIPT uses packet switching at its core network.
ØGetaways are used to interconnect PSTN and IP core.

Fig.7: IPT network

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Integrated Service for Digital Network
Ø ISDN is a set of communication standards for
simultaneous digital transmission of voice, video, data, and
other network services over the traditional circuits of
the PSTN.
Ø The key feature of ISDN is to integrates speech and data on
the same lines.
Ø ISDN is a circuit switch telephone network system, which
also provides access to packet switch network, designed to
allow digital transmission of voice and data over
ordinary telephone coper wires.

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Cont.
Ø It is designed around the concept of common channel
signaling (CCS).
Ø CCS is a digital communications technique that provides
simultaneous transmission of user data, signaling data, and
other related traffic throughout a network.
Ø The ISDN standards define several kinds of access interfaces
ü Basic rate interface (BRI)
ü primary rate interface (PRI)
ü narrowband ISDN (N-ISDN)
ü Broadband ISDN (B-ISDN)

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Cont.
Ø ISDN network

ISDN
interface

ISDN
interface

Fig.8: ISDN network

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ISDN configuration
ØISDN use tow types of channels
ü Information bearing channels called bearer channels (B
channels) are used exclusively for end-user traffic (voice,
data, video).
ü Out-of-band signaling channels, called data channels (D
channels), are used to send signaling and control
information across the interface to end-users.
Ø ISDN accessing interfaces are differ by the number of B
channels and D channels implemented.

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Cont.
Basic rate interface (BRI)
ØBRI is intended to serve small capacity terminals such as,
single line telephones.
ØBRI provides two 64 kbps bearer channels and one 16 kbps
signaling channel, BRI also called (2B+D).
ØA 128 kbps service delivered over a pair of standard
telephone copper wires and 144 kbps overall payload rate.
ØThe payload is divided into two 64 kbps bearer channel (B
channel) and one 16 kbps D channel (signaling channel or
data channel)

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Cont.
Primary rate interface (PRI)
ØPRI is intended for large capacity terminals such as PBXs
and large businesses.
ØThe number of B-channels for PRI varies according to the
nation.
ØPRI provides 23 B-channels (64 kbps bearer channels) and
one 64 kbps signaling channel (23B+D) for North America
and Japan.
ØIn Europe, the primary rate interface provides 30 basic
information channels and one 64 kbps signaling channel
(30B+D).

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Cont.
Broadband ISDN
ØInstead of using the copper media used in ordinary ISDN,
broadband ISDN uses fiber-optic and radio media.
ØBroadband ISDN is designed to use asynchronous transfer
mode (ATM) together with the underlying physical transport
mechanisms of Synchronous Optical Network (SONET).
ØATM cells (packets) have a fixed length of 53 bytes,
consisting of 48 bytes of data and 5 bytes of header
information.
ØATM allows packet switching rates up to 2.4 Gbps and total
switching capacities as high as 100 Gbps.

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Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN)
ØPLMN is a combination of wireless communication services
offered by a specific operator in a specific country.
ØIt used to describe all mobile wireless networks that use
earth-based stations rather than satellites.
ØIt is the mobile equivalent of the PSTN, Such a system can
stand alone, but often it is interconnected with a fixed
system such as the public switched telephone network
(PSTN).
ØThe most familiar example of a PLMN end user is a person
with a cell phone.

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Cont.
ØA PLMN typically consists of several cellular technologies
such as GSM/2G, UMTS/3G, LET/4G, offered by a single
operator within a given country, often referred to as
a cellular network.
ØIt is identified by a globally unique PLMN code, which
consists of a MCC (Mobile Country Code) and MNC (Mobile
Network Code).
ØPLMN code is a five- to six-digit number identifying a
country, and a mobile network operator in that country,
usually represented in the form 001-01 or 001-001.

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Cont.
Ø The IMSI (international mobile subscriber identity), which
identifies a SIM or USIM for one subscriber, typically starts
with PLMN code.
Ø For example, an IMSI belonging to the PLMN 262-33 would
look like 262330000000001.
Ø Mobile phones use this to detect Roaming.
Ø A mobile phone subscribed on a network with a PLMN code
that mismatches the start of the USIM’s IMSI will typically
display an “R” on the icon that indicates connection
strength.

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Cont.
Ø Services of PLMN
ü Emergency calls to local Fire/Ambulance/Police stations.
ü Voice calls to/from any other PLMN or PSTN
ü SMS services to/from any other PLMN or SIP service.
ü MMS services to/from any other PLMN or SIP service.
ü Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) for
operator specific interactions (e.g. dialing “*#100#” to
indicate the current balance).
ü Internet data connectivity

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GSM (Global System for Mobile)
ØGlobal System for Mobile (GSM) is a second-generation
cellular system standard that was developed to solve the
fragmentation problems of the first cellular systems in
Europe.
ØGSM was first introduced into the European market in 1991
and by the end of 1993 several non-European countries
adopted GSM.
ØGSM is the world's first cellular system to specify digital
modulation and network level architectures and services.

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Cont.
Feature of GSM
ØThe most remarkable feature of GSM is the Subscriber
Identity Module (SIM).
ØSIM is a memory device that stores information such as
üSubscriber’s identification number
üNetworks and countries where the subscriber is entitled
to service
üPrivacy keys
üOther user-specific information

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Cont.
ØSecond remarkable feature of GSM is the on-the-air privacy.
ØUnlike analog FM cellular phone systems which can be
readily monitored, it is virtually impossible to eavesdrop on
a GSM radio transmission.
ØThe privacy is made possible by encrypting the digital bit
stream sent by a GSM transmitter, according to a specific
secret cryptographic key that is known only to the cellular
carrier.
ØEvery carrier and GSM equipment manufacturer must sign
agreement before developing GSM equipment or deploying
a GSM system.
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GSM System Architecture

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Cont.
ØThe GSM system architecture consists of three major
interconnected subsystems that interact b/n themselves
and with the users through certain network interfaces.
ØThe subsystems are
1. Base Station Subsystem (BSS)
2. Network and Switching Subsystem (NSS)
3. Operation Support Subsystem (OSS).
ØThe Mobile Station (MS) is also a subsystem, but is usually
considered to be part of the BSS for architecture purposes.

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Cont.
ØThe BSS, also known as the radio subsystem
üprovides and manages radio transmission paths between
the mobile stations and the Mobile Switching Center
(MSC).
ümanages the radio interface between the mobile stations
and all other subsystems of GSM.
üEach BSS consists of many Base Station Controllers (BSCs)
which connect the MS to the NSS via the MSCs.
ØThe NSS manages the switching functions of the system and
allows the MSCs to communicate with other networks such
as the PSTN and ISDN.
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Cont.
ØThe OSS,
üSupports operation and maintenance of GSM
üAllows system engineers to monitor, diagnose, and
troubleshoot all aspects of the GSM system.
üInteracts with the other GSM subsystems and is provided
only for the staff of the GSM operating company which
provides service facilities for the network.
ØOSS supports one or several Operation Maintenance Centers
(OMC) which are used to monitor and maintain the
performance of each MS, BS, BSC, and MSC within a GSM
system.
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GSM Network Elements

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Cont.
Ø MS: A mobile station can be a mobile telephone, or any
device having radio access
Ø BTS: A base transceiver station contains equipment for
transmission and reception, antennas for one or more cells,
plus equipment for encryption/decryption and signal
strength measurement and for communication with the
BSC.
ØBSC: A base station controller, also referred to as the radio
switch, sets up the radio channels for traffic and for
signaling to the MSC and monitors the access network
portion of the connection.
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Cont.
ØA BSC also performs traffic concentration and handles hand-
over between the base stations that it controls.
ØBSCs are only found in the GSM standard, In other
standards, the MSC also handles radio switch functions.
ØMSC: A mobile switching center is a switching node having
the specialized functions required by mobile networks,
notably those relating to handover between MSCs and
between different PLMNs.
ØAn MSC can be likened to the local exchange of a fixed
network, although it does not have any fixed subscribers.

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Cont.
Ø A PLMN can have one or several MSCs, depending on the
size of the network and the number of subscribers.
Ø The cells whose base stations are controlled by a particular
MSC constitute an MSC service area.
Ø A gateway MSC (GMSC) is a specialized MSC that serves as
an interface to other networks.
Ø All connections to and from mobile networks pass through a
GMSC.
Ø A GMSC need not handle subscriber data but must be
capable of handling different signaling standards for its
communication with other networks.

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Cont.
Ø Short message service center (SMS-C): Messaging systems
(in the form of voice mailboxes for short messages and fax
mailboxes) are used to increase accessibility in a PLMN.
Ø Home Location Register (HLR): Mobile subscribers must be
permanently registered somewhere in the system.
Ø In a fixed network, every subscriber belongs to a local
exchange; a mobile subscriber belongs to the network.
Ø That is why mobile networks include one or more databases
(HLRs) for permanent storage of subscriber data.

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Cont.
Ø The HLR keeps continuous track of the location of the
subscriber - whether he is in an MSC service area or in a
different PLMN.
Ø Visitor Location Register (VLR): The VLR contains a copy of
most of the data stored at the HLR.
Ø It is, however, temporary data which exists for only as long
as the subscriber is “active” in the particular area covered
by the VLR.
Ø The VLR database will therefore contain some duplicate
data as well as more precise data relevant to the subscriber
remaining within the VLR coverage.

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Cont.
Ø AUC: The authentication center stores security information
like encryption keys for all subscribers of the network.
Ø The AUC is also used for encryption/decryption.
Ø EIR: The equipment identity register stores information on
the identity of every mobile.
Ø The EIR is used to check that a mobile is not reported as
stolen or barred for some other reason.

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3G Networking
Ø3G is the upgrade for 2.5G and 2.5G GPRS networks, for
faster data transfer.
ØIn 1998, 3G was introduced to provide faster data
transmission speeds to support video
calling and internet access.
Ø3G telecom networks support services that provide data
rate of at least 144 Kbps.
Ø3.5G and 3.75G provide mobile broadband access of
several Mbit/s to smartphones and mobile modems in
laptop computers.

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Cont.
ØFeatures
1. Data rates
ü ITU has definition of the data rate that users can
expect from 3G equipment or providers
2. Security
ü 3G networks offer greater security than their 2G
predecessors.
3. Application
ü The bandwidth and location information available to
3G devices gives rise to applications not previously
available to mobile phone users.
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4G Networking
Ø4G is the current mainstream cellular service offered to cell
phone users, performance roughly 10 times faster
than 3G service.
Ø4G was released in 2008 to support more demanding services
such as gaming services, HD mobile TV, video conferencing,
and 3D TV.
ØOne of the most important features in the 4G mobile networks
is the domination of high-speed packet transmissions.
ØOther features are MIMO, channel dependent scheduling, Link
adaptation (adaptive modulation and error correcting codes),
Mobile IP utilized for mobility and Ip based fentocells.

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5G Networking
Ø5G's performance goals are high data rates, reduced
latency, energy savings, reduced costs, increased system
capacity and large-scale device connectivity.
ØThe main advantage of 5G networks is the data rate is much
higher than the previous cellular network, up to 10Gbit/s.
ØFaster than the current wired Internet and 100 times faster
than the previous 4G LTE cellular network.
ØAnother advantage is lower network latency (faster
response time), less than 1 millisecond, and 4G is 30-70
milliseconds.

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5G Networking
ØFeature
1. Faster internet speed
2. Phone update iteration
3. Extensive application of cloud technology
4. Development of the internet of things
5. The maturity of driverless technology

NOTE: mobile technology details must be covered in mobile

and wireless communication course. This course objective is
to introduce PLMN.

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Basics of Telecom Networks By Engineer Matios Z. 43