COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING

CSE-407
(GSM+CDMA+GPRS)

CSE 8th BATCH

Effat Tazmil Dity
Lecture 19
(GSM+CDMA)

GSM – GLOBAL SYSTEM FOR MOBILE COMMUNICATION

• GSM criteria –
– Good subjective speech quality
– Low terminal and service cost
– Support for international roaming – one system for all of Europe
– Ability to support handheld terminals
– Support for range of new services and facilities
– Enhanced Features
– ISDN compatibility
– Enhance privacy
– Security against fraud
• AMPS – Advanced Mobile Phone System
– analog technology
– used in North and South America and approximately 35 other countries
– operates in the 800 MHz band using FDMA technology
• TACS – Total Access Communication System
– variant of AMPS
– deployed in a number of countries
– primarily in the UK
• NMT – Nordic Mobile Telephone System
– analog technology
– deployed in the Benelux countries and Russia
– operates in the 450 and 900 MHz band
– first technology to offer international roaming – only within the Nordic countries

1
System Architecture
 The Mobile Station (MS) is made up of two entities:
1. Mobile Equipment (ME)
 Produced by many different manufacturers
 Must obtain approval from the standardization body
 Uniquely identified by an IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity)
2. Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)
 Smart card containing the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)
 Allows user to send and receive calls and receive other subscribed services
 Encoded network identification details
 Protected by a password or PIN
 Can be moved from phone to phone – contains key information to activate the phone
 Base Station Subsystem(BSS) is composed of two parts that communicate across the standardized Abis
interface allowing operation between components made by different suppliers
1. Base Transceiver Station (BTS)
 Houses the radio transceivers that define a cell
 Handles radio-link protocols with the Mobile Station
 Speech and data transmissions from the MS are recoded
 Requirements for BTS:
o ruggedness
o reliability
o portability
o minimum costs
2. Base Station Controller (BSC)
 Manages Resources for BTS
 Handles call set up
 Location update
 Handover for each MS

2
 The Network Subsystem(NSS) is made up of five entities:
1. Mobile Switching Center (MSC)
 Switch speech and data connections between:
 Base Station Controllers
 Mobile Switching Centers
 GSM-networks
 Other external networks
 Heart of the network
 Three main jobs:
 connects calls from sender to receiver
 collects details of the calls made and received
 supervises operation of the rest of the network components
2. Home Location Register (HLR)
 Home Location Registers (HLR)
- contains administrative information of each subscriber
- current location of the mobile
3. Visitor Location Register (VLR)
 contains selected administrative information from the HLR
 authenticates the user
 tracks which customers have the phone on and ready to receive a call
 periodically updates the database on which phones are turned on and ready to
receive calls
4. Authentication Center (AUC)
 mainly used for security
 data storage location and functional part of the network
 Ki is the primary element
5. Equipment Identity Register (EIR)
 Database that is used to track handsets using the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity)
 Made up of three sub-classes: The White List, The Black List and the Gray List
 Optional database

3
Basic Features Provided by GSM
• Call Waiting - Notification of an incoming call while on the handset
• Call Hold - Put a caller on hold to take another call
• Call Barring - All calls, outgoing calls, or incoming calls
• Call Forwarding - Calls can be sent to various numbers defined by the user
• Multi Party Call Conferencing - Link multiple calls together
Advanced Features Provided by GSM
• Calling Line ID - incoming telephone number displayed
• Alternate Line Service - one for personal calls & one for business calls
• Closed User Group - call by dialing last for numbers
• Advice of Charge - tally of actual costs of phone calls
• Fax & Data - Virtual Office / Professional Office
• Roaming - services and features can follow customer from market to market
Future -- UMTS (Universal Mobile Telephone System
• Reasons for innovations
- new service requirements
- availability of new radio bands
• User demands
- seamless Internet-Intranet access
- wide range of available services
- compact, lightweight and affordable terminals
- simple terminal operation
- open, understandable pricing structures for the whole spectrum of available
services
Advantages of GSM
• Crisper, cleaner quieter calls
• Security against fraud and eavesdropping
• International roaming capability in over 100 countries
• Improved battery life
• Efficient network design for less expensive system expansion
• Efficient use of spectrum
• Advanced features such as short messaging and caller ID
• A wide variety of handsets and accessories
• High stability mobile fax and data at up to 9600 baud
• Ease of use with over the air activation, and all account information is held in a smart card which
can be moved from handset to handset

4
GSM Architecture and Interfaces

GSM Architecture and Interfaces

 The chapter discusses GSM frequency bands, the GSM Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) and its
objectives and services, GSM architecture and GSM subsystem entities, interfaces, and protocols
between GSM entities.
 We address the mapping between GSM protocols and OSI layers and present the architecture of
the North American PCS-1900.
 We address the mapping between GSM protocols and OSI layers and present the architecture of
the North American PCS-1900.

GSM frequency bands

 The GSM system is a frequency- and time-division system; each physical channel is characterized
by a carrier frequency and a time slot number.
 GSM system frequencies include two bands at 900 MHz and 1800 MHz commonly referred to as
the GSM-900 and DCS-1800 systems.
 For the primary band in the GSM-900 system, 124 radio carriers have been defined and assigned
in two sub-bands of 25 MHz each in the 890–915 MHz and 935–960 MHz ranges, with channel
widths of 200 kHz.
 Each carrier is divided into frames of 8 time slots (for full rate), with a frame duration of about 4.6
ms. For DCS-1800, there are two sub-bands of 75 MHz in the 1710–1785 MHz and 1805–1880
MHz ranges.

GSM PLMN
 Figure 5.1 shows a GSM PLMN. GSM offers users good voice quality, call privacy, and network
security.
 SIM cards provide the security mechanism for GSM. SIM cards are like credit cards and identify the
user to the GSM network.
 They can be used with any GSM handset, providing phone access, ensuring delivery of appropriate
services to that user and automatically billing the subscriber’s network usage back to the home
network.
 Roaming arrangements between most GSM networks in Europe allow subscribers to have access
to the same services no matter where they travel.
 The real gem of GSM is its MAP and its flexibility. This coupled with the SIM tool kit will allow
service providers far more flexibility in the future than anything currently offered even in IS-41.
 A major importance of GSM is its potential for delivering enhanced services requiring multimedia
communication: voice, image, and data.

5
 Several mobile service providers offer free voice mailboxes and phone answering services to
subscribers.
 The key to delivering enhanced services is SS7, a robust set of protocol layers designed to provide
fast, efficient, reliable transfer and delivery of signaling information across the signaling network
and to support both the switched voice and non-voice applications.
 With SS7 on the enhanced services platform and integrated mailbox parameters, subscribers can
be notified about the number of stored messages in their mailboxes, time and source of last
messages, message urgency, and whether the messages are voice or fax.
 Future applications such as fax store-and-forward, and audio text can also use the platform’s voice
and data handling capabilities.

6
OBJECTIVES OF A GSM PLMN
 A GSM PLMN cannot establish calls autonomously other than local calls between mobile
subscribers.
 In most cases, the GSM PLMN depends upon the existing wireline networks to route the calls.
 Most of the time the service provided to a subscriber is a combination of the access service by a
GSM PLMN and the service by some existing wireline network.
 Thus, the general objectives of a GSM PLMN network with respect to services to a subscriber are:

GSM PLMN SERVICES

A telecommunication service supported by the GSM PLMN is defined as a group of communication
capabilities that the service provider offers to the subscribers. The basic telecommunication services
provided by the GSM PLMN are divided into three main groups:
1. Bearer services: These services give the subscriber the capacity required to transmit
appropriate signals between certain access points (i.e., user-network interfaces).
2. Teleservices: These services provide the subscriber with necessary capabilities including
terminal equipment functions to communicate with other subscribers.
3. Supplementary services: These services modify or supplement basic telecommunications
services and are offered together or in association with basic telecommunications services.

7
GSM SUBSYSTEMS
 A series of functions are required to support the services and facilities in the GSM PLMN.
 The basic subsystems of the GSM architecture are (Figure 5.2) the Base Station Subsystem (BSS),
Network and Switching Subsystem (NSS), and Operational Subsystem (OSS).
 The BSS provides and manages transmission paths between the MSs and the NSS. This includes
management of the radio interface between MSs and the rest of the GSM system. The NSS has the
responsibility of managing communications and connecting MSs to the relevant networks or other
MSs.
 The NSS is not in direct contact with the MSs. Neither is the BSS in direct contact with external
networks. The MS, BSS, and NSS form the operational part of the GSM system. The OSS provides
means for a service provider to control and manage the GSM system.
 In the GSM, interaction between the subsystems can be grouped in two main parts:
 + Operational: External networks to/from NSS to/from BSS to/from MS to/from subscriber
 + Control: OSS to/from service provider. The operational part provides transmission paths
and establishes them. The control part interacts with the traffic-handling activity of the
operational part by monitoring and modifying it to maintain or improve its functions.

8
GSM Subsystem Entities
Figure 5.3 shows the functional entities of the GSM and their logical interconnection. We will briefly
describe these functional entities here.
1. MS:
The MS consists of the physical equipment used by the subscriber to access a PLMN for offered
telecommunication services. Functionally, the MS includes a Mobile Termination (MT) and, depending on
the services it can support, various Terminal Equipment (TE), and combinations of TE and Terminal
Adaptor (TA) functions (the TA acts as a gateway between the TE and the MT) (see Figure 5.4). Various
types of MS, such as the vehicle mounted station, portable station, or handheld station, are used.
The MSs come in five power classes which define the maximum RF power level that the unit can transmit.
Tables 5.1 and 5.2 provide the details of maximum RF power for various classes in GSM and DCS-1800.
Vehicular and portable units can be either class I or class II, whereas handheld units can be class III, IV,
and V. The typical classes are II and V. Table 5.3 provides the details of maximum RF power for GSM and
DCS-1800 micro-BSs.

9
10
  Basically, an MS can be divided into two parts. The first part contains the hardware and software
to support radio and human interface functions.
 The second part contains terminal/user-specific data in the form of a smart card, which can
effectively be considered a sort of logical terminal.
 The SIM card plugs into the first part of the MS and remains in for the duration of use.
 Without the SIM card, the MS is not associated with any user and cannot make or receive calls
(except possibly an emergency call if the network allows).
 The SIM card is issued by the mobile service provider after subscription, while the first part of the
MS would be available at retail shops to buy or rent. This type of SIM card mobility is analogous to
terminal mobility, but provides a personal-mobility-like service within the GSM mobile network.
 An MS has a number of identities including the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI),
the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), and the ISDN number.
 The IMSI is stored in the SIM. The SIM card contains all the subscriber-related information stored
on the user’s side of the radio interface.

2. IMSI:
The IMSI is assigned to an MS at subscription time. It uniquely identifies a given MS. The IMSI will be
transmitted over the radio interface only if necessary.
The IMSI contains 15 digits and includes:
 8 Mobile Country Code (MCC)—3 digits (home country)
 8 Mobile Network Code (MNC)—2 digits (home GSM PLMN)
 8 Mobile Subscriber Identification (MSIN)
 8 National Mobile Subscriber Identity (NMSI)

3. Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (TMSI):

The TMSI is assigned to an MS by the VLR. The TMSI uniquely identifies an MS within the area
controlled by a given VLR. The maximum number of bits that can be used for the TMSI is 32.
IMEI: The IMEI uniquely identifies the MS equipment. It is assigned by the equipment
manufacturer.
The IMEI contains 15 digits and carries:
 8 The Type Approval Code (TAC)—6 digits
 8 The Final Assembly Code (FAC)—2 digits
 8 The serial number (SN)— 6 digits
 8 A Spare (SP)—1 digit

11
 4. SIM: The SIM carries the following information :
 IMSI
 Authentication Key (Ki)
 Subscriber information
 Access control class
 Cipher Key (Kc)*
 TMSI*
 Additional GSM services*
 Location Area Identity (LAI)*
 Forbidden PLMN
5. BSS:
 The BSS is the physical equipment that provides radio coverage to prescribed geographical
areas, known as the cells.
 It contains equipment required to communicate with the MS. Functionally, a BSS consists of
a control function carried out by the BSC and a transmitting function performed by the BTS.
 The BTS is the radio transmission equipment and covers each cell. A BSS can serve several
cells because it can have multiple BTSs.
 The BTS contains the Transcoder Rate Adapter Unit (TRAU). In TRAU, the GSM-specific
speech encoding and decoding is carried out, as well as the rate adaptation function for
data.
 In certain situations the TRAU is located at the MSC to gain an advantage of more
compressed transmission between the BTS and the MSC.
6. NSS:
 The NSS includes the main switching functions of GSM, databases required for the
subscribers, and mobility management. Its main role is to manage the communications
between GSM and other network users.
 Within the NSS, the switching functions are performed by the MSC. Subscriber information
relevant to provisioning of services is kept in the HLR. The other database in the NSS is the
VLR.
7. MSC
The MSC performs the necessary switching functions required for the MSs located in an associated
geographical area, called an MSC area (see Figure 5.5).
 The MSC monitors the mobility of its subscribers and manages necessary resources required to
handle and update the location registration procedures and to carry out the handover functions.
 The MSC is involved in the interworking functions to communicate with other networks such as
PSTN and ISDN.

12
 The interworking functions of the MSC depend upon the type of the network to which it is
connected and the type of service to be performed.
 The call routing and control and echo control functions are also performed by the MSC.

 The MSC monitors the mobility of its subscribers and manages necessary resources required to
handle and update the location registration procedures and to carry out the handover functions.
 The MSC is involved in the interworking functions to communicate with other networks such as
PSTN and ISDN.
 The interworking functions of the MSC depend upon the type of the network to which it is
connected and the type of service to be performed.
 The call routing and control and echo control functions are also performed by the MSC.

 The VLR is linked to one or more MSCs. The VLR is the functional unit that dynamically stores
subscriber information when the subscriber is located in the area covered by the VLR.
 When a roaming MS enters an MSC area, the MSC informs the associated VLR about the MS; the MS
goes through a registration procedure.

13
The registration procedure for the MS includes these activities:
 The VLR recognizes that the MS is from another PLMN.
 If roaming is allowed, the VLR finds the MS’s HLR in its home PLMN.
 The VLR constructs a Global Title (GT) from the IMSI to allow signaling from the VLR to the MS’s
HLR via the PSTN/ISDN networks.
 The VLR generates a Mobile Subscriber Roaming Number (MSRN) that is used to route incoming
calls to the MS.
 The MSRN is sent to the MS’s HLR.

14
CELLULAR NETWORKS
Cellular System Overview

Cellular Systems Terms

 Base Station (BS) – includes an antenna, a controller, and a number of receivers

 Mobile telecommunications switching office (MTSO) – connects calls between mobile units
 Two types of channels available between mobile unit and BS
o Control channels – used to exchange information having to do with setting up and
maintaining calls
o Traffic channels – carry voice or data connection between users
Steps in an MTSO Controlled Call between Mobile Users

 Mobile unit initialization

 Mobile-originated call
 Paging
 Call accepted
 Ongoing call
 Handoff
Additional Functions in an MTSO Controlled Call
 Call blocking
 Call termination
 Call drop
 Calls to/from fixed and remote mobile subscriber

15
Mobile Radio Propagation Effects
 Signal strength
o Must be strong enough between base station and mobile unit to maintain signal quality at
the receiver
o Must not be so strong as to create too much cochannel interference with channels in
another cell using the same frequency band
 Fading
o Signal propagation effects may disrupt the signal and cause errors

Handoff Performance Metrics

 Cell blocking probability – probability of a new call being blocked
 Call dropping probability – probability that a call is terminated due to a handoff
 Call completion probability – probability that an admitted call is not dropped before it terminates
 Probability of unsuccessful handoff – probability that a handoff is executed while the reception
conditions are inadequate
 Handoff blocking probability – probability that a handoff cannot be successfully completed
 Handoff probability – probability that a handoff occurs before call termination
 Rate of handoff – number of handoffs per unit time
 Interruption duration – duration of time during a handoff in which a mobile is not connected to
either base station
 Handoff delay – distance the mobile moves from the point at which the handoff should occur to the
point at which it does occur

GSM Network Architecture

 Several providers setup mobile networks following the GSM standard within each
country
 Components
o MS (mobile station)
o BS (base station)
o MSC (mobile switching center)
o LR (location register)
 Subsystems
o RSS (radio subsystem): covers all radio aspects
• Base station subsystem
o NSS (network and switching subsystem): call forwarding, handover, switching
o OSS (operation subsystem): management of the network

16
GSM: elements and interfaces

17
GSM: system architecture

Radio subsystem
 Components
o MS (Mobile Station)
o BSS (Base Station Subsystem):
consisting of
• BTS (Base Transceiver
Station):
sender and receiver
• BSC (Base Station
Controller):
controlling several
transceivers
 Interfaces
o Um : radio interface
o Abis : standardized, open interface with
16 kbit/s user channels
o A: standardized, open interface with
64 kbit/s user channels

18
Mobile Station
 Mobile station communicates across Um interface (air interface) with base station transceiver in
same cell as mobile unit
 Mobile equipment (ME) – physical terminal, such as a telephone or PDA
o ME includes radio transceiver, digital signal processors and subscriber identity module
(SIM)
 GSM subscriber units are generic until SIM is inserted
o SIMs roam, not necessarily the subscriber devices
Base Station Subsystem (BSS)

 BSS consists of base station controller and one or more base transceiver stations (BTS)
 Each BTS defines a single cell
o Includes radio antenna, radio transceiver and a link to a base station controller (BSC)
 BSC reserves radio frequencies, manages handoff of mobile unit from one cell to another within
BSS, and controls paging
Network and switching subsystem

19
Network Subsystem (NS)
 Provides link between cellular network and PSTNs
 Controls handoffs between cells in different BSSs
 Authenticates users and validates accounts
 Enables worldwide roaming of mobile users
 Central element of NS is the mobile switching center (MSC)
Mobile Switching Center (MSC) Databases
 Home location register (HLR) database – stores information about each subscriber that belongs to
it
 Visitor location register (VLR) database – maintains information about subscribers currently
physically in the region
 Authentication center database (AuC) – used for authentication activities, holds encryption keys
 Equipment identity register database (EIR) – keeps track of the type of equipment that exists at the
mobile station
TDMA Format – Time Slot Fields
 Trail bits – allow synchronization of transmissions from mobile units located at different distances
 Encrypted bits – encrypted data
 Stealing bit - indicates whether block contains data or is "stolen"
 Training sequence – used to adapt parameters of receiver to the current path propagation
characteristics
o Strongest signal selected in case of multipath propagation
 Guard bits – used to avoid overlapping with other bursts
GSM Speech Processing
 Speech compressed using a predictive
coding scheme
 Divided into blocks, each of which is
protected partly by CRC and partly by a
convolutional code
 Interleaving to protect against burst
errors
 Encryption for providing privacy
 Assembled into time slots
 Modulated for analog transmission
using FSK

20
Mobile Terminated Call
 1: calling a GSM subscriber
 2: forwarding call to GMSC
 3: signal call setup to HLR
 4, 5: connect with current VLR
 6: forward responsible
MSC to GMSC
 7: forward call to current MSC
 8, 9: get current status of MS
 10, 11: paging of MS
 12, 13: MS answers
 14, 15: security checks
 16, 17: set up connection

Mobile Originated Call

 1, 2: connection request
 3, 4: security check
 5-8: check resources (free
circuit)
 9-10: set up call

Advantages of CDMA Cellular

 Frequency diversity – frequency-dependent transmission impairments have less effect on signal
 Multipath resistance – chipping codes used for CDMA exhibit low cross correlation and low
autocorrelation
 Privacy – privacy is inherent since spread spectrum is obtained by use of noise-like signals
 Graceful degradation – system only gradually degrades as more users access the system
Drawbacks of CDMA Cellular
 Self-jamming – arriving transmissions from multiple users not aligned on chip boundaries unless
users are perfectly synchronized
 Near-far problem – signals closer to the receiver are received with less attenuation than signals
farther away
 Soft handoff – requires that the mobile acquires the new cell before it relinquishes the old; this is
more complex than hard handoff used in FDMA and TDMA schemes.

21
Code Division Multiple Access(CDMA)
What is CDMA?
CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access) refers to any of several protocols used in second-generation (2G)
and third-generation (3G) wireless communications.
As the term implies, CDMA is a form of multiplexing, which allows numerous signals to occupy a single
transmission channel, optimizing the use of available bandwidth.
The technology is used in ultra-high-frequency (UHF) cellular telephone systems in the 800-MHz and 1.9-
GHz bands.
Classification of CDMA Systems

Multiple Access in CDMA:

– Each user is assigned a unique PN code.
– Each user transmits its information by spreading with unique code.
– Direct Sequence spread spectrum is used.
– Users are seperated by code not by time slot and freq slot.
Concept of CDMA
 Users share same bandwidth
 User axis shows cumulative signal strength of all users

22
Comparison between CDMA and TDMA/FDMA:

Approach TDMA FDMA CDMA

Idea Segments sending Segment the Spread the spectrum

time into disjoint frequency band into using orthogonal codes.
time slots disjoint sub bands
demand driven or
fixed patterns.

Terminals All terminals are Every terminal has All terminals can be
active for short its own frequency active at the same place
periods of time on uninterrupted at the same moment
same frequency. uninterrupted.

Signal separation Synchronization Filtering in the Code plus special

in time domain frequency domain. receivers.

Transmission scheme Discontinuous Continuous Continuous

Cell capacity Limited Limited No absolute limit on

channel capacity but it is
an interference limited
system

Advantages Established fully Simple, established, Flexible, less frequency

digital, flexible robust planning needed, soft
handover

Disadvantages Guard space Inflexible, Complex receivers, needs

needed frequencies are more complicated power
(multipath scarce resource control for senders
propagation),
synchronization
difficult

23
Types of Codes used in CDMA:
– Walsh code
• Orthogonal codes
• In IS 95A and IS 95B 64 Walsh codes are used
• In CDMA 2000 128 Walsh codes are used
– Short PN code(16 bit)
• Used to identify the BS and hence the cell
– Long PN code(42 bit code)
• Used to identify mobile station on reverse link
• Other key Factors
– Diversity
• Time diversity
• Frequency diversity
• Space(Path) diversity
– Power Control
– Handoff: It supports Soft Handoff
Sort Handoff

Advantages of CDMA
 Increased cellular communications security.
 Simultaneous conversations.
 Increased efficiency, meaning that the carrier can serve more subscribers.
 Smaller phones.
 Low power requirements and little cell-to-cell coordination needed by operators.
 Extended reach - beneficial to rural users situated far from cells.
 GSM is already used worldwide with over 450 million subscribers.
 GSM's maturity means engineers cut their teeth on the technology, creating an unconscious
preference.
 The availability of Subscriber Identity Modules, which are smart cards that provide secure data
encryption give GSM m-commerce advantages.

Disadvantages of CDMA
 Due to its proprietary nature, all of CDMA's flaws are not known to the engineering community.
 CDMA is relatively new, and the network is not as mature as GSM.
 CDMA cannot offer international roaming, a large GSM advantage.
 Lack of access to burgeoning American market.

24
Comparison between CDMA and GSM
Stands for Code Division Multiple Access Global System for Mobile
communication
Storage Type Internal Memory SIM (subscriber identity
module) Card
Global market 25% 75%
share
Dominance Dominant standard in the U.S. Dominant standard worldwide
except the U.S.
Data transfer EVDO/3G/4G/LTE GPRS/E/3G/4G/LTE
Network There is one physical channel and a special Every cell has a corresponding
code for every device in the coverage network tower, which serves the
network. Using this code, the signal of the mobile phones in that cellular
device is multiplexed, and the same area.
physical channel is used to send the signal.
International Less Accessible Most Accessible
roaming
Frequency Single (850 MHz) Multiple (850/900/1800/1900
band MHz)
Network Handset specific SIM specific. User has option to
service select handset of his choice.
CDMA Network Structure

CDMA2000 1x Network Elements

CDMA network architecture consists of following elements
Mobile Station (MS):
The MS is the mobile subscriber equipment, which can originate and receive calls and communicate with
the BTS.

25
Base Transceiver Station (BTS):
The BTS transmits and receives radio signals, realizing communication between the radio system and the
mobile station.
Base Station Controller (BSC):
The BSC implements the following functions:
Base Transceiver Station (BTS) control and management call connection and disconnection mobility
management stable and reliable radio link provision for the upper-layer services by:
 soft/hard handoff
 power control
 Radio resource management.
Packet Control Function (PCF):
 The PCF implements the R-P connection management. Because of the shortage of radio resources,
some radio channels should be released when subscribers do not send or receive data, but the PPP
connection is maintained continuously. The PCF can shield radio mobility for the upper-layer
services via handoff.
Packet Data Service Node (PDSN):
 The PDSN implements the switching of packet data services of mobile subscribers.
 One PDSN can be connected to multiple PCFs.
 It provides the interface between the radio network and the packet data network.
Home Agent (HA):
 The agent locates at the place where the Mobile Node opens its account; receive the registration
information from MN, Similar as HLR in mobile network.
 Broadcast the accessible information of MN. Setup the tunnel between FA&HA.
 Transfer the data from other computer to the MN via the tunnel.
Mobile Switching Center (MSC):
 The MSC implements the service switching between the calling and called subscribers.
 One MSC is connected with multiple BSCs.
 The MSC can also be connected to the PSTN, ISDN or other MSCs.
 It provides the interface between the radio network and PSTN.
Visitor Location Register (VLR):
 It is a dynamic database, stores the temporary information (all data necessary to set up call
connections) of the roaming subscribers in the local MSC area.
 VLR is used to store the subscriber information of all the MSs in its local area, which can be used to
establish the incoming/outgoing call connections, to support basic services, supplementary
services and mobility management.
Home Location Register (HLR):
 It is a database for mobile subscriber management, the HLR (Home Location Register) is
responsible for storing subscription information (telecom service subscription information and
subscriber status), MS location information, MDN, IMSI (MIN), etc.
 The AC (Authentication Center) is physically combined with the HLR. It is a functional entity of the
HLR, specially dedicated to the security management of the CDMA system.
 It stores the authentication information. It also prevents unauthorized subscribers from accessing
the system and prevents the radio interface data from being stolen.
26
GPRS (General Packet Radio Services)

What is GPRS?
 GPRS provides mobile users access to value-added WAP services and different external packet
switched networks.
 These networks can be, for example, the Internet or corporate intranets.
 The GSM-BSS provides the radio interface, and the GPRS core network handles mobility and access
to external packet networks and services.
This is shown in Figure 1.

GPRS access to packet switched networks

 The GPRS network acts in parallel with the GSM network, providing packet switched connections to the
external networks. The requirements of a GPRS network are the following:
 The GPRS network must use as much of the existing GSM infrastructure with the smallest number of
modifications to it.
 Since a GPRS user may be on more than one data session, GPRS should be able to support one or more
packet-switched connections.
 To support the budgets of various GPRS users, it must be able to support different Quality of Service (QoS)
subscriptions of the user.
 The GPRS network architecture has to be compatible with future 3rd and 4th generation mobile
communication systems.
 It should be able to support both point-to-point and point-to-multipoint data connections.
 It should provide secure access to external networks.

27
Functionalities of GPRS

A GPRS network must provide all of the functionality of a GSM network for packet switched networks and
more.
The GPRS is expected to perform the functions of a traditional mobile communication network and a
traditional packet switched computer network.

These functions are itemized below:

 Capability to separate circuit switched and packet switched traffic from mobile station
(MS)
 Radio resource management, that is, allocation of radio resources to GPRS subscribers
across the air interface
 Interfaces to Internet, intranets, Public Data Networks (PDN), and other Public Land Mobile
Networks (PLMN)
 Authenticate subscriber requests for packet switched resources
 Encrypt data transmitted on the air interface for security purposes
 Data compression for data transmitted over the air interface

Interact with databases (HLR/VLR) containing subscriber information such as IMSI, security data, and
subscription information
 Mobility management as in GSM
 Location management as in GSM
 Handover as a GPRS subscriber moves within a coverage area
 Power control to minimize the transmitted power by the user
 Network management that facilitates GPRS network management
 Generation and collection of network performance statistics
 Generation and collection of charging or billing information
 Signaling links between the GPRS network elements
 Routing of packets to appropriate destination
 Protocol conversion between networks that may use different protocols
 Buffering of data at GPRS nodes
 Allocation of static or dynamic address for packets originating from MS
 Protection of the GPRS network from security threats
 Capability to monitor target subscriber by law enforcement agencies
 Translation between logical names and IP addresses using Domain Name System (DNS)
 Facilitation of roaming subscribers so that they can connect to home networks
 Delivery of SMS messages through the GPRS network
 Redundancy mechanisms if one or more network elements were to fail
 Translation between private and public addresses using NAT and NAPT
 Detection of faulty or stolen GPRS handsets

28
System Architecture of GPRS

The system architecture of GPRS is a GSM system architecture augmented by new network components
in NSS and OSS.

The GPRS network architecture for a single operator is a GSM network architecture augmented with:
1. SGSN = Serving GPRS Support Node,
2. GGSN = Gateway GPRS Support Node, and
3. GR = GPRS Register.

The new GPRS component are:

1. The Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN), which coordinates the data packet exchange with the BSSs.
The role SGSN for packet switched data communication is thus analogous to the role of MSC for circuit
switched data communication

2. The Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN), which is an interface to other packet switched data
communication services, such as X.25 and IP. The GGSN transforms GPRS data packets into packets
corresponding to the other packet switched data communication services and vice versa. The SGSN is
subordinate to a GGSN

3. The GPRS Register (GR), which is analogous to and co-located with the HLR, manages all of the data
related to specific GPRS subscribers. GR stores routing information and maps IMSI to Packet Data
Network (PDN) address, for example an IP address.

29
Protocol Architecture
The user plane consists of a layered protocol structure providing user information transfer, along with
associated information transfer control procedures (e.g., flow control, error detection, error correction
and error recovery), see Figure gprs2.
The needed protocols are:
 SNDCP Subnetwork Dependent Convergence Protocol
 LLC Logical Link Control
 RLC Radio Link Control
 MAC Medium Access Control
 PLL Physical Link Layer
 RFL Physical RF Layer
 BSSGP Base Station System GPRS Protocol
 IP Internet Protocol
 TCP Transmission Control Protocol
 UDP User Datagram Protocol
 GTP GPRS Tunneling Protocol

Figure gprs2: GPRS Protocol Architecture for User Plane

 The transmission plane independence of the Network Subsystem (NSS) platform from the
underlying radio interface is preserved via the Gb interface.
 The Tunnel Identifier (TID) is composed of IMSI and Network Layer Service Access Point
Identifier (NSAPI). TID is unique for user and indicates Packet Data Protocol context.
 In BSS addressing uses the Temporary Logical Link Identifier (TLLI). Mapping between TLLI and
IMSI is unique.
 However user identity is confidential since TLLI is derived derived from the Packet Temporary
Mobile Subscriber Identity (PTMSI).
30
Quality of Service (QoS)

GPRS QoS parameters are:

Service precedence, which gives priority of a service in relation to another service. Priority classes: high,
normal and low.
Reliability, for which Transmission characteristics is required.
Delay, which is defined as the end-to-end delay between two MSs or between a MS and the Gi interface.
Four delay classes are defined.

GPRS interfaces

The GPRS system introduces new interfaces to the GSM network. Figure 4 illustrates the logical
architecture with the interfaces and reference points of the combined GSM/GPRS network.

 Connections from the GPRS system to the NSS part of the GSM network are implemented through
the SS7 network.
 The GPRS element interfacing with the NSS is SGSN. The important interfaces to the NSS are the
SGSN-HLR (Gr), SGSN-EIR (Gf), and SGSN-MSC/VLR (Gs).
 The other interfaces are implemented through the intra-PLMN backbone network (Gn), the inter-
PLMN backbone network (Gp), or the external networks (Gi).

31
The interfaces used by the GPRS system are described below:
o Um between an MS and the GPRS fixed network part. The Um is the access interface the MS uses to
access the GPRS network. The radio interface to the BTS is the same interface used by the existing
GSM network with some GPRS specific changes.

o Gb between a SGSN and a BSS. The Gb interface carries the GPRS traffic and signalling between the
GSM radio network (BSS) and the GPRS network. Frame Relay based network services is used for
this interface.
o Gn between two GSNs within the same PLMN. The Gn provides a data and signalling interface in the
Intra-PLMN backbone. The GPRS Tunnelling Protocol (GTP) is used in the Gn (and in the Gp)
interface over the IP based backbone network.

o Gp between two GSNs in various PLMNs. The Gp interface provides the same functionality as the Gn
interface, but it also provides, together with the BG and the Firewall, all the functions needed for
inter-PLMN networking, that is, security, routing, etc.

o Gr between an SGSN and the HLR. The Gr gives the SGSN access to subscriber information in the
HLR. The HLR can be located in a different PLMN than the SGSN (MAP).

o Ga between the GSNs and the CG inside the same PLMN. The Ga provides a data and signalling
interface. This interface is used for sending the charging data records generated by GSNs to the CG.
The protocol used is GTP', an enhanced version of GTP.
o Gs between a SGSN and a MSC. The SGSN can send location data to the MSC or receive paging
requests from the MSC via this optional interface. The Gs interface will greatly improve the
effectiveness of the radio and network resources in the combined GSM/GPRS network. This
interface uses BSSAP+ protocol.
o Gd between the SMS-GMSC and an SGSN, and between SMS-IWMSC and an SGSN. The Gd interface
is available for more efficient use of the SMS services (MAP).
o Gf between an SGSN and the EIR. The Gf gives the SGSN access to GPRS user equipment
information. The EIR maintains three different lists of mobile equipment: black list for stolen
mobiles, grey list for mobiles under observation and white list for other mobiles (MAP).
o Gc between the GGSN and the HLR. The GGSN may request the location of an MS via this optional
interface. The interface can be used if the GGSN needs to forward packets to an MS that is not
active.
There are two different reference points in the GPRS network. The Gi is GPRS specific, but the R is
common with the circuit switched GSM network:
o Gi between a GGSN and an external network. The GPRS network is connected to an external data
networks via this interface. The GPRS system will support a variety of data networks. Because of
that, the Gi is not a standard interface, but merely a reference point.
o R between terminal equipment and mobile termination. This reference point connects terminal
equipment to mobile termination, thus allowing, for example, a laptop-PC to transmit data over
the GSM-phone. The physical R interface follows, for example, the ITU-T V.24/V.28 or the PCMCIA
PC-Card standards.

32
GPRS Standard
• A standard from ETSI on packet data in GSM systems
• Accepted by TIA for TDMA/ANSI-136
• Supports IP and X.25
• Up to 115 kbps (14.4 kbps x 8)
• Point-to-point and point-to-multipoint services
GPRS Terminals
• Class A – support simultaneous GPRS and GSM voice services with two channels
• Class B – support either GPRS and GSM voice services with simultaneous network attachment
• Class C – support only GPRS service
GPRS G Interfaces
Ga Charging data collection interface between a CDR transmitting unit (e.g., an SGSN or a GGSN) and a
CDR receiving functionality (a CGF).
Gb Interface between an SGSN and a BSS (Base Station System).
Gc Interface between a GGSN and an HLR.
Gd Interface between a SMS-GMSC and an SGSN, and between a SMS-IWMSC and an SGSN.
Gf Interface between an SGSN and an EIR (Equipment Identity Register).
Gi Reference point between GPRS and an external packet data network.
Gn Interface between two GSNs within the same PLMN.
Gp Interface between two GSNs in different PLMNs. The Gp interface allows support of GPRS network
services across areas served by the co-operating GPRS PLMNs.
Gr Interface between an SGSN and an HLR
Gs Interface between an SGSN and an MSC/VLR

Block Diagram of a BTS with one TRX

33