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Introduction to GSM Technology

Lecture # 9

By: Dr. Shahzad Ashraf

Introduction to GSM
• The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is a set of
recommendations and specifications for a digital cellular telephone network
(known as a Public Land Mobile Network, or PLMN).
• These recommendations ensure the compatibility of equipment from different
GSM manufacturers, and interconnectivity between different administrations,
including operation across international boundaries.
• GSM networks are digital and can cater for high system capacities.
• They are consistent with the world-wide digitization of the telephone
network, and are an extension of the Integrated Services Digital Network
(ISDN), using a digital radio interface between the cellular network and the
mobile subscriber equipment.
• It was developed in order to create a common European mobile telephone
standard but it has been rapidly accepted worldwide.

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Generations of GSM
• 1st generation: Analog mobile technologies :- AMPS (Advanced Mobile
Phone System) , TACS (Total Access Communication System) & NMT
(Nordic Mobile Telephones).
• 2nd generation: digital mobile technologies :- GSM , CDMA
• 2.5generation: Enhancement of GSM:- GPRS
• 3rd generation: Technologies coursed by ITU-IMT (International Mobile
Telecommunications)-(International Telecommunication Union)
• 4th generation: Data-only networks enabled by the LTE (Long Term
Evolution)
• 5th generation: Data only mobile networks enabled by the New Radio
technology (NR) and based on Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple
Access (OFDMA)

GSM Architecture

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Structure of a GSM Signal

• GSM carriers are spaced 200 KHz apart.
• In the BTS downlink signal, different timeslots belong to different users - a
mobile listens only to its recurring timeslots.

GSM Frequencies
• GSM systems use radio frequencies between 890-915 MHz for receive and
between 935-960 MHz for transmit.
• RF carriers are spaced every 200 kHz, allowing a total of 124 carriers for
use.
• An RF carrier is a pair of radio frequencies, one used in each direction.
• Transmit and receive frequencies are always separated by 45 MHz.

UPLINK FREQUENCIES DOWNLINK FREQUENCIES

890 915 935 960

UPLINK AND DOWNLINK FREQUENCY SEPARATED BY 45MHZ

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Extended GSM (EGSM) Frequencies

• EGSM has 10MHz of bandwidth on both transmit and receive.
• Receive bandwidth is from 880 MHz to 890 MHz.
• Transmit bandwidth is from 925 MHz to 935 MHz.
• Total RF carriers in EGSM is 50.

UPLINK FREQUENCIES DOWNLINK FREQUENCIES

880 890 915 925 935 960

UPLINK AND DOWNLINK FREQUENCY SEPARATED BY 45MHZ

Features of GSM
INCREASED CAPACITY
• The GSM system provides a greater subscriber capacity than analogue
systems.
• GSM allows 25 kHz per user, that is, eight conversations per 200 kHz
channel pair (a pair comprising one transmit channel and one receive
channel).
• Digital channel coding and the modulation used makes the signal
resistant to interference from cells where the same frequencies are re-
used (co-channel interference); a Carrier to Interference Ratio (C/I) level
of 12 dB is achieved, as opposed to the 18 dB typical with analogue
cellular.
• This allows increased geographic reuse by permitting a reduction in the
number of cells in the reuse pattern.

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Features of GSM
AUDIO QUALITY
• Digital transmission of speech and high performance digital signal
processors provide good quality speech transmission.
• Since GSM is a digital technology, the signals passed over a digital air
interface can be protected against errors by using better error detection
and correction techniques.
• In regions of interference or noise-limited operation the speech quality
is noticeably better than analogue.

USE OF STANDARDISED OPEN INTERFACES

• Standard interfaces such as C7 and X25 are used throughout the
system. Hence different manufacturers can be selected for different
parts of the PLMN.
• There is a high flexibilty in where the Network components are
situated.

Features of GSM
IMPROVED SECURITY AND CONFIDENTIALITY
• GSM offers high speech and data confidentiality.
• Subscriber authentication can be performed by the system to check if a
subscriber is a valid subscriber or not.
• The GSM system provides for high degree of confidentiality for the
subscriber. Calls are encoded and ciphered when sent over air.
• The mobile equipment can be identified independently from the mobile
subscriber. The mobile has a identity number hard coded into it when it
is manufactured. This number is stored in a standard database and
whenever a call is made the equipment can be checked to see if it has
been reported stolen.

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Network Components
Mobile Switching Centre (MSC)

Network Components
Mobile Station (MS)
• The Mobile Station consists of the Mobile Equipment (ME) and the
Subscriber Identity Module (SIM).
Mobile Equipment
• The Mobile Equipment is the hardware used by the subscriber to access
the network.
• The mobile equipment can be Vehicle mounted, with the antenna
physically mounted on the outside of the vehicle or portable mobile unit,
which can be handheld.
• Mobiles are classified into five classes according to their power rating.

CLASS POWER OUTPUT

1 20W
2 8W
3 5W
4 2W
5 0.8W

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Network Components
SIM
• The SIM is a removable card that plugs into the ME.
• It identifies the mobile subscriber and provides information about the
service that the subscriber should receive.
• The SIM contains several pieces of information
– International Mobile Subscribers Identity ( IMSI ) - This number
identifies the mobile subscriber. It is only transmitted over the air
during initialising.
– Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity ( TMSI ) - This number also
identifies the subscriber. It can be alternatively used by the system. It is
periodically changed by the system to protect the subscriber from being
identified by someone attempting to monitor the radio interface.
– Location Area Identity ( LAI ) - Identifies the current location of the
subscriber.
– Subscribers Authentication Key ( Ki ) - This is used to authenticate the
SIM card.
– Mobile Station International Standard Data Number ( MSISDN ) - This
is the telephone number of the mobile.

Network Components
SIM
• Most of the data contained within the SIM is protected against reading (eg
Ki ) or alterations after the SIM is issued.
• Some of the parameters ( eg. LAI ) will be continously updated to reflect
the current location of the subscriber.
• The SIM card can be protected by use of Personal Identity Number ( PIN )
password.
• The SIM is capable of storing additional information such as accumulated
call charges.
FULL SIZE SIM CARD MINI SIM CARD

GSM

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Network Components
Mobile Station International Subscribers Dialling Number (MSISDN)
• Human identity used to call a MS
• The Mobile Subscriber ISDN (MSISDN) number is the telephone number
of the MS.
• This is the number a calling party dials to reach the subscriber.
• It is used by the land network to route calls toward the MSC.

CC NDC SN
98 XXX 12345

CC = Country code
NDC = National Destination Code
SN = Subscriber Number

Network Components
International Mobile Subscribers Identity (IMSI)
• Network Identity Unique to a MS
• The International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) is the primary identity
of the subscriber within the mobile network and is permanently assigned to
that subscriber.
• The IMSI can be maximum of 15 digits.

MCC MNC MSIN

404 XX 12345..10
MCC = Mobile Country Code ( 3 Digits )
MNC = Mobile Network Code ( 2 Digits )
MSIN = Mobile Subscriber Identity Number

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Network Components
Temporary Mobile Subscribers Identity ( TMSI )
• The GSM system can also assign a Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity
(TMSI).
• After the subscriber's IMSI has been initialized on the system, the TMSI can
be used for sending messages backwards and forwards across the network to
identify the subscriber.
• The system automatically changes the TMSI at regular intervals, thus
protecting the subscriber from being identified by someone attempting to
monitor the radio channels.
• The TMSI is a local number and is always allocated by the VLR.
• The TMSI is maximum of 4 octets.

Network Components
Equipment Identity Register ( EIR )
• The Equipment Identity Register (EIR) contains a centralized database
for validating the international mobile station equipment identity, the
IMEI.
• The database contains three lists:
– The white list contains the number series of equipment identities
that have been allocated in the different participating countries. This
list does not contain individual numbers but a range of numbers by
identifying the beginning and end of the series.
– The grey list contains IMEIs of equipment to be monitored and
observed for location and correct function.
– The black list contains IMEIs of MSs which have been reported
stolen or are to be denied service.
• The EIR database is remotely accessed by the MSC’s in the Network
and can also be accessed by an MSC in a different PLMN.

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The End

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