Mobile Communication

Session 5

CH3-GSM Air interface

Eng. Mohamed Salama

- TDMA FRAME STRUCTURE
- BIT RATE OF GMS IS 270 Kbps

- 1 bit duration = 1/270833 = 3.96 usec

- No. of bits in one time slot = 148 bits + 8.25 guard bits = 156.25 bits

- Time slot duration = 156.25 * 3.69 usec = 0.577 msec

- 1 Frame = 8TS

- Frame Duration = 0.577 * 8 = 4.615 msec

Air Interface
GSM System Survey

Physical Channels
GSM band is divided into 124 RF channels, and each channel is divided into 8 time slots using
TDMA. These time slots are called “physical channels”.

CH 124 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5

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

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

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

Time
Air Interface
GSM System Survey

Logical Channels
A physical channel may be occupied by a traffic channel or a control channel,
both of them are classified as “logical channels”.
Logical Channels

Traffic Channels Control Channels

Half Rate Full Rate Common Broadcast Dedicated

RACH BCCH SDCCH
AGCH SCH FACCH
PCH FCCH SACCH

Used to carry signaling or synchronization Data

CELL SELECTION

• Measurements for Normal Cell Selection In case of normal cell

selection the MS has no prior knowledge on which GSM 900 or DCS
1800 frequencies are BCCH carriers.
• Therefore the MS has to search in the beginning all RF carriers of the
corresponding system (124 carriers for P-GSM, 174 carriers for E-GSM
and 374 carriers for DCS 1800), and has to measure the signal
strength on each RF carrier
Cell Selection with Stored BCCH Information

- Optionally, the MS may store information on received level on BCCH

carriers when switched off.

- When switched on, the MS first performs measurements on these

carriers. If cell selection for the corresponding cells is not successful,
normal cell selection is carried out (Scan all band )
 F4 F2
CONTROL CHANNEL F6 F9
Ts0 BTS
BCCH F2
Down link
Frequency Correction Channel (send Network Freq & used in Doppler shift )
DL
Synchronize Channel ( used to synchronize MS with BTs “ send the start time of Time slot 0 to Mobile “ )
DL
Broadcast control channel ( BTS Transmit to All MS the Max Power , Cell ID , Location Area identity )
DL

Paging Channel ( BTS Transmit Paging to All MS in its Coverage Area on this Channel )
Up link
Random Access Channel ( up link ch used from Mobile to Reply in Paging )
Ts0 Ts1 Ts2 Ts3
F2
UL + DL Stand Alone Dedicated Control Channel ( Authentication Ch. )
- one Time slot in Authentication Can Carry up to 8 user
- Transmit on Ts1 or Ts2 or Ts3
DL Access Grant Channel : Used By BTS To inform MS About Authentication channel to use “ Ts1 / Ts 2 / Ts 3 “ )
Cell Reselection

Mobile will continuously make measurements on its neighboring cells to initiate

.cell reselection if necessary

All system information messages sent on the current BCCH on the serving cell -
must be read by the mobile every 30 seconds to monitor changes in cell
.parameters (ex: MsTxPwrMax)

The mobile also has to read the 6 strongest BCCH of Serving Cell + neighbors
.every 5 minutes to receive its cell parameters (ex: MsTxPwrMax)

The mobile also has to read the BSIC of the 6 strongest BCCH every 30 seconds to
confirm that it is still monitoring the same cells. If a new BSIC is detected, then
.the BCCH of this BSIC will be read to receive the cell parameters