GSM

Global System for Mobile

Communications
Background & History
• The development of GSM started in early
1980’s for Europe's Mobile infrastructure.

• The first was to establish a team with the

title "Group Special Mobile" (hence the
term "GSM", which today stands for Global
System for Mobile Communications) to
develop a set of common standards.
Cellular Mobile Systems
• 1986 - A decision was reached to
implement a digital transmission system.

• Three Phases of the GSM Standard

GSM Phase1 Completed in 1990

GSM Phase2 Completed in 1994
GSM Phase2+ Being Standardized
Frequency Bands and Bandwidth
• Uplink 815 – 900 MHz 25 MHz
• Downlink 935 – 960 MHz 25 MHz

• A 200 KHz carrier spacing has been chosen. Excluding

2x100 KHz edges of the band, this gives 124 possible
carriers for the uplink and downlink. The use of carrier 1
and 124 are optional for operators.
1 2 3 4 ……………. 124

100 KHz 200 KHz 100 KHz

 PSTN / ISDN

MSC MSC

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BSS BSS BSS BSS
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Second Generation Mobile Network Architecture
 GSM Subsystems

GSM

Network and Switching

Base Station Subsystem Operational Subsystem
Subsystem
BSS NSS OSS
Basic Architecture of GSM
 BSS (Base Station Subsystem)
• All radio related functions are performed in the BSS.

BSS

Base Transceiver Base Station

Stations Controllers
BTS BSC
Base Transceiver Stations (BTS)
• The BTS handles the radio interface to the mobile
station. The BTS is the radio equipment needed to
service each cell in
the network. A
group of BTSs are
controlled by a
single BSC.
Base Station Controllers (BSC)

• The BSC provides all the control functions and

physical links between the MSC and BTS. It is a
high-capacity switch that provides functions such
as handover, cell configuration data, and control
of radio frequency (RF) power levels in base
transceiver stations. A number of BSCs are served
by an MSC.
 Network and Switching Subsystem
• Performs main switching
functions of GSM.
• The switching system (SS)
is responsible for
performing call processing
and subscriber-related
functions. The switching
system includes the many
functional units.
Mobile Service Switching Center (MSC)

• Within NSS, MSC performs the necessary

switching functions required for the MSs located
in an MSC area & to carry out Handover functions

• The MSC is also involved in the internetworking

functions to communicate with other networks
such as PSTN and ISDN.
Home Location Register (HLR)
• A database used for storage and management of
subscriptions.

• The HLR is considered the most important database, as it

stores permanent data about subscribers, including a
subscriber's service profile, location information, and
activity status.

• Any administrative action by the service provider on

subscriber data is also performed in the HLR.
 Visitor Location Register (VLR)
• The VLR is connected to one or more MSCs.

• The VLR is the functional unit that dynamically

stores subscriber information when it is located in
the area covered by VLR.

• When a roaming MS enters an MSC area, the

MSC informs the associated VLR about the MS.
 Operation & Maintenance Subsystem
OMSS
• The OMSS is responsible for handling system
security based on validation of identities of
various telecommunication entities.

• The functions are performed in Authentication

Center (AuC) & Equipment Identity Register
(EIR).

• One OMC can serve several MSCs.

Channel Types
• Traffic channels (TCHs)
The traffic channels are intended to carry encoded
speech or user data.

• Control Channels (CCHs)

The control channels are intended to carry signalling and

Synchronization data between the base station and the
Mobile station.
 Logical Control Channels
Downlink Uplink
Broadcast Control Channels
• Frequency Correction - FCCH -
• Synchronization – SCH
• Broadcast - BCCH

Common Control Channels Common Control Channels

• Access Grant - AGCH • Random Access - RACH
• Paging - PCH

Dedicated Control Channels

• Stand – alone Dedicated - SDCCH
• Slow Associated – SACCH
• Fast Associated - FACCH
 Downlink Only Channels
• Broadcast Control Channels (BCCH) – Broadcasts to all
mobiles general information regarding their own cell as well as
the neighbouring (up to 16) cells, e.g. information used for cell
selection and for describing the current control channel structure.

• Frequency Correction Channels (FCCH) – for mobiles for

frequency correction.

• Synchronization Channels (SCH) – for frame synchronization

of mobiles and identification of the base station.
 Common Control Channels
For downlink

• Access Grant Channels (AGCH) for assignment of a dedicated

Channel after a successful random access.

•Paging Channels (PCH) – for paging to mobiles.

For uplink

• Random Access Channels (RACH) – used for random access

Attempts by mobiles.
One full rate channel (multiframe)

1 TDMA frame = 8 timeslots (4.615 ms)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

120ms

TC0 TC1 TC10 TC11 SACCH TC12 TC13 TC23 Idle

 Power Control
• RF power control will be used in the GSM MS and BS to
reduce the transmit power to the minimum required to achieve the
minimum quality objective and hence reduce the level of co-
channel interference

•The MS will be capable of varying its transmit power form its

maximum output down to 20 mW in steps of nominally 2 dB

•The BS calculates the RF Power level to be used by the MS and

sends a 4 bit number instruction to the corresponding MS
 HANDOVER

• A GSM mobile is only active, i.e., either transmitting

or receiving, in 2 or the 8 timeslots in one frame.

• The MS scans transmissions from surrounding BSs in

the spare timeslots. It then reports the measured results,
together with those for the serving BS, back to the fixed
network via the BS, where the handover decision is
made.
 Inter BSS Handover
MS BSS (serving) BSS (target) MSC
SACCH
(1) (Periodic measurement report)
(Handover needed)
(2)
(Handover request)
(3) (It includes TMSI)

(Handover request
acknowledgement)
(4)
(It includes a HO reference and
an assigned physical channel)

FACCH (Handover commend)

(5) (Change to the new channel) (It includes the HO reference and the assigned physical channel)

FACCH
(6) (Exchange cell ID, timing advance, power control, information etc.)
(Handover completion)
(7)
(Clear command)
(8)
SACCH
(9) (Periodic measurements reports)
 Future Outlook
• With the success of GSM and to meet the
demanding requirements of the subscribers,
GPRS, HSCSD and EDGE has been introduced
which offer high data rates for the transmission.
• 3rd Generation (3G) systems will soon be
introduced all over the world and attract large
number of subscribers.
• UMTS promises to provide voice, data and
multimedia at data rates up to 2Mbps.
Thank you