Mobile communication technology and its effects

In this modern era, almost everyone has own mobile and they are using a mobile phone to talk
with relatives and so on. But few of them know how this mobile transmission technology works.
The amazing mobile transmission technology has made the world very small to live in terms of
communication. Today nobody in this world is unreachable. Everything can be retried. Let us
know how this mobile communication technology works and try to know what happens when
you call anybody in terms of simple technical words.

How does mobile communication technology work?

Before knowing how our mobile communication technology and its system works, let us know
what are the technical stuff necessary which makes your calling and phoning task easy.

The area you live in is divided into 'cells' of prescribed size and each cell is having one mobile
base station which we call a mobile tower. This is the tower whose signal data phone shows on
screen.
When any phone is in switch on mode, it keeps on sending signals to the nearest mobile base
station via microwave transmission. The mobile base station keeps records of that SIM and
related data into a network computer. This is true for every mobile in coverage of that network
tower.

When anyone(caller-e.g. you) tries to call anybody (e.g.your friend or receiver)in another area
which is also covered by another cell of the network by typing/dialing the mobile number of that
person, mobile number data is then constantly transmitted to network computer of the nearest
mobile base station of the caller. Immediately after verification of the number, the network
computer tries to locate the person/your friend to whom you are calling via the nearest cell and
base station. When your friend is traced by the nearest base station of your friend and When you
dial that number and the corresponding ring is rung on receiver/your friend's phone.

Mobile phone conversation and its transmission process

When the receiver/friend picks up the call, a base station of the receiver and transmitter creates a
unique channel between them. When the caller/you speak, your/caller's voice is converted to
analog form by a microphone of the mobile. This analog signal is then converted to digital form
and is being sent to the nearest mobile base station through microwave signals. When the nearest
mobile base station of the caller receives microwave signals, it converts it immediately to digital
electrical form and it sends it to the receiver's nearest mobile phone base station via a unique
channel that was created before.
Now receiver's nearest mobile base station transmits the calling data by microwave signals and
these signals are received by phone receiver of a person/your friend to whom you are calling.
The receiver of your friend's mobile phone then immediately converts that microwave signals to
digital form and then to analog form and so in amplified voice form. And the speaker of that
phone speaks that voice of the caller.
When receiver/friend answer or replies to you, it then again happens in reverse and your
conversation goes on continue.

This is how mobile communication technology work.

Above is the diagram of the internal structure of a mobile phone showing the aspects in speech
processing, while below is the speech processing process.

GSM Security and Encryption

GSM is the most secured cellular telecommunications system available today and all of its
security methods are standardized. GSM maintains end-to-end security by maintaining the
privacy of calls and secrecy of the GSM subscriber.

Temporary identification numbers will be assigned to the subscriber’s number so as to maintain

privacy of the user. Communication privacy can be maintained by applying encryption
algorithms and frequency hopping which is enabled using digital systems and signaling.

This chapter will give you an outline of the security measures implemented for GSM subscribers.

1. Mobile Station Authentication

The GSM network will authenticate the identity of the subscriber by using a challenge-response
mechanism. A 128-bit Random Number (RAND) will be sent to MS. MS will compute the 32-bit
Signed Response (SRES) based on the encryption of RAND with the authentication algorithm
(A3), using the individual subscriber authentication key (Ki). After receiving SRES from the
subscriber, GSM network will repeat the calculation for verifying the identity of the subscriber.

The individual subscriber authentication key (Ki) will never be transmitted over the radio
channel, as it is present in the subscriber's SIM, AUC, HLR and VLR databases. If the received
SRES agrees with the calculated value, it means that MS is successfully authenticated and you
can continue. If the values do not match, connection will be terminated and an authentication
failure will be indicated to MS.

Calculation of the signed response will be processed within the SIM. It offers improved security,
as confidential subscriber information like IMSI or the individual subscriber authentication key
(Ki) will never be released from the SIM during the authentication process.

2. Signaling and Data Confidentiality

SIM consists of the ciphering key generating algorithm (A8) which is used for producing the 64-
bit ciphering key (Kc). This key will be computed by applying the same random number
(RAND) that is used in the authentication process to ciphering key generating algorithm (A8)
with the individual subscriber authentication key (Ki).
GSM offers an additional level of security to change the ciphering key, make the system more
resistant to eavesdropping. Ciphering key can be changed periodically as and when required.
Similar to the authentication process, computation of the ciphering key (Kc) will take place
internally within the SIM. So, sensitive information like individual subscriber authentication key
(Ki) will never be revealed by the SIM.

Encrypted voice and data communications between MS and the network can be achieved with
the help of ciphering algorithm A5. Encrypted communication will be initiated by a ciphering
mode request command from the GSM network. After receiving this command, mobile station
will start encryption and decryption of data by using the ciphering algorithm (A5) and the
ciphering key (Kc).

Subscriber Identity Confidentiality

To guarantee subscriber identity confidentiality, Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (TMSI)

will be used. After the authentication and encryption procedures are done, TMSI will be sent to
the mobile station and after receiving, mobile station will respond. TMSI is valid in the location
area in which it was issued. For communications outside the location area, Location Area
Identification (LAI) is needed in addition to the TMSI.