Appendix

7.1
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 Appendix

Page
Appendix 1
l GSM, GPRS, EDGE 3
l Spectrum efficiency 6
l Protocols and software modules 11
l Call handling on radio interface 14
l Abbreviations and Acronyms 18

7.2

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 Appendix

GSM, GPRS, EDGE

7.3
© Alcatel University - 8AS 902001538 VT ZZA Ed.01

© Alcatel University - 8AS 90200 1538 VH ZZA Ed.01 Page 7.3

 GSM, GPRS, EDGE
Radio Principle

GPRS / EDGE

Data Flow to User A Data Flow to User B Data Flow to User C

01234567 Time Axis

On MS has several TS On TS is shared by several MS

7.4

Radio Principle

▼ Advantages of Packet switching: Highly variable bit rates becomes possible.

l One MS has several TS= 8 TS for one MS maximum
l One TS shared by several MS: 10 MS in DL, 6 in UP maximum

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 GSM, GPRS, EDGE
Data transmission: bit rate
Bit Rate on Um interface
▼ GSM circuit-switched
l Data transmission: maximum 14.4 Kbps

▼ GSM packet-switched (GPRS) : 4 Coding Schemes (CS)

l CS-1 : 8.8 Kbps (per TS)
l CS-2 : 11.2 Kbps (per TS)
l CS-3 : 14.8 Kbps (per TS)
l CS-4 : 17.6 Kbps (per TS)

▼ EDGE: 9 Modulation and Coding Schemes (MCS)

l MCS-1 to MCS-4 with same rate and same modulation
l MCS-5 to MCS-9 from 22.4 to 59.2 Kbps with new EDGE modulation

7.5

Data transmission bit rate

▼ GPRS:
l CS-1 provides the best error protection (similar to signalling and control channels in GSM circuit switched). The
indicated rate corresponds to the use of the 12 blocks in the 52 frame-multiframe.
l the maximum theoretical rate in GPRS corresponds to 17.6 Kbps x 8 TS = 140.8 Kbps

▼ EDGE:
l Data Rates: up to 384 kbps per carrier is forecast, but physically 473 Kbps would be possible using Modulation and
Coding Scheme MCS9 on 8 time Slots
l 9 Modulation and Coding Schemes:
è MCS1: 8.8 Kbps (GMSK)
è MCS2: 11.2 Kbps (GMSK)
è MCS3: 14.8 Kbps (GMSK)
è MCS4: 17.6 Kbps (GMSK)
è MCS5: 22.4 Kbps (8PSK)
è MCS6: 29.6 Kbps (8PSK)
è MCS7: 44.8 Kbps (8PSK)
è MCS8: 54.4 Kbps (8PSK)
è MCS9: 59.2 Kbps (8PSK)

▼ GMSK (Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying) is the initial modulation used for GSM
8-PSK (Phase Shift Keying with 8 states) is the new modulation introduced with EDGE

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 Appendix

Spectrum efficiency

7.6
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 Spectrum efficiency
Discontinuous Transmission
▼ Principles (Mandatory in the mobile and on the BTS uplink path) :
l DTX (Discontinuous Transmission) : reduced rate transmission (~ 500 bit/s)
during silences
l VAD (Voice Activity Detection): Measurement of signal strength for detecting
moments of "silence” (neither speech nor tone) - adaptive-threshold FILTER
l Comfort Noise Generation:
In receive mode, reconstitution of background noise based on the
characteristics received in Silence Descriptor (SID) frames, to avoid giving the
receiving user the impression that the line has been cut off

TRAU --> BTS Speech

TRAU
Silence
MS S S S
SID Frame
480 ms

...
…
… MS <--> BTS BTS
...
7.7

Discontinuous Transmission

▼ Discontinuous Transmission is a mechanism which allows the radio transmitter to be switched off most of the time during
speech pauses for the following 2 purposes:

l to save power in the MS;

l to reduce the overall interference level on the air.

▼ The DTX mechanism requires the following functions:

l a Voice Activity Detector on the transmit side;

l evaluation of the background acoustic noise on the transmit side, in order to transmit characteristic parameters to
the receive side;

l generation on the receive side of a similar noise, called comfort noise, during periods where the radio transmission
is cut

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 Spectrum efficiency
Power Control

▼ Power Control (PC) is used to minimize interferences

▼ PC algorithm in BSC (processing and decision)
▼ PC Mandatory for MS: steps of 2dB every 60 msec , option for BTS: 15 steps of 2
dB

Possible values of Output Power Example of PC Commands

(GSM 900 MS) (GSM 900 MS)
Output Output
Power 8W Power
39
(dBm)
dBm) (dBm)
dBm)
2W 33
P max MS 2W
33

28 dB
PC
steps
19

13

~ 3 mW
5 time
(commands)
15 19 = 60 ms
2
PC Level 19 17 31 31 29 dBm

7.8

Power Control

▼ Goal: Minimize the transmit power and as a consequence minimize interferences

▼ Power Control is mandatory for MS (Uplink Power Control), may be Optionally implemented in BSS (Downlink Power
Control)
▼ Power Control algorithm is run in the BSC (or BTS)
▼ DL power control. The main steps are:
l Measurements made by the MS and results sent every 470 or 480 ms (SACCH occurrences) by the MS to the BTS
l Processing and decision in the BSC
l Power Control in the BTS within a range of 30dB
(15 possible steps of nominally 2 dB) (GSM 05.08)
▼ UL Power Control. The main steps are:
l Measurements made by the BTS
l Processing and decision in the BSC
l Power Control Information sent by BTS to MS every 470 or 480 ms (SACCH occurrences)
l Power Control in the MS:
è The Range of Power Control depends of the class of the MS.
è Several classes are defined for each band. (GSM 05.05)
(example: the maximum nominal output power of a GSM 900 Class 4 MS is 33dBm (2W) )
è The MS varies its RF output power in steps of nominally 2dB
è The MS shall change one nominal 2dB step at a time, at a range of one step every 60ms (13 TDMA frames)
i.e. a range change of 15 steps should take about 900ms. (GSM 05.08)

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 Spectrum efficiency
Frequency Hopping

FCCH/ SCH/ BCCH/ CCCH

No Hopping SDCCH
TS
012 345 67
"Beacon"
Beacon" frequency

Other
frequencies

TS0 : Hopping over 4 frequencies TS3 : Hopping over 5 frequencies

l N-frequency hopping groups can be defined for each TS (N>=4)

l The overall system capacity remains unchanged (eg. : 32 mobiles on
4 frequencies)

7.9

Frequency Hopping

© Alcatel University - 8AS 90200 1538 VH ZZA Ed.01 Page 7.9

 Spectrum efficiency
Space Diversity

Rx
Chain 1

RESULT
...
…
…
... Rx
Chain 2

▼ Space Diversity is used against fading in the uplink direction

▼ The same signal with different multi-paths is received in the Base Station
where it is processed within 2 independent chains :
a Discriminator then identifies the best signal.

7.10

Space Diversity

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 Appendix

Protocols and software modules

7.11
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 Protocols and software modules
BSS / NSS Protocols and Software Modules: general

(SMS) SS (SMS) SS (SMS)

SS
CC
CC
(Relays)
Relays) (Relays)
Relays)
MM
MM
DTAP DTAP MAP MAP

BSS BSS
RR MAP MAP TCAP TCAP

RR SCCP SCCP SCCP SCCP

3
RR' BTSM BTSM MTP 3 MTP 3 MTP 3 MTP 3

2 LAPDm LAPDm LAPD LAPD MTP 2 MTP 2 MTP 2 MTP 2

1 S.C.1 S.C.1 S.C.1 S.C.1 S.C.1 S.C.1 S.C.1 S.C.1

Um A bis A (D)

MS BTS BSC MSC / VLR NSS

(eg.
eg. : HLR)

7.12

BSS / NSS Protocols and Software Modules: general

l CC = Call Control
l SS = Supplementary Services
l SMS = Short Message Service
l MM = Mobility Management
l RR = Radio Resource
l BTSM = BTS Management
l DTAP = Direct Transfer Application Part
l BSSMAP = BSS Mobile Application Part
l MAP = Mobile Application Part
l SCCP = Signalling Connection Control Part (SS7)
l MTP = Message Transfer Part (SS7)
l TCAP = Transaction Capabilities Application Part (SS7)

▼ Note: MAP is also used in GPRS for SGSN - HLR signalling with the same Protocol stack and possibly for GGSN - HLR
signalling

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 Protocols and software modules
BSS / NSS Protocols and Software Modules: Radio Interface

Radio Interface Layer 3 protocol

Protocol Meaning Function Entities

Discriminator

RR Radio Resource - Paging management MS - BSC

Management - Ciphering mode management (and BTS)
- Frequency redefinition
- Dedicated channel assignment
- Handover management
- Measurements and power control
- Location Updating
MM Mobility Management MS -
- Ciphering mode management
MSC / VLR
- Frequency redefinition
- Dedicated channel assignment
CC Call Control - Call handling and routing MS - MSC
- DTMF facilities
SS Supplementary Services - Access to Supplementary Services (+ HLR)

SMS Short Message Service - Short Message Service (+ SMS-C)

7.13

BSS / NSS Protocols and Software Modules: Radio Interface

▼ "RIL 3" protocol (Radio Interface Layer 3) : incorporates 3 software subassemblies which can be distinguished by the value
of a Protocol Discriminator (PD) field : RR, MM, CC/SS/SMS :
In addition, in "RR" messages, a Transaction Identifier (TI) field is used to manage a number of simultaneous transactions

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 Appendix

Call handling on radio interface

7.14
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 Call handling on radio interface
Location Updating

GSM
Network

...
…
… MOBILE
...
CHANNEL REQUEST Set-up
Set-up of an
IMMEDIATE ASSIGNMENT RR Connection (MO)
LOCATION UPDATING REQUEST old TMSI or IMSI
Service Indication
AUTHENTICATION REQUEST
AUTHENTICATION RESPONSE Authentication (*)

CIPHERING MODE CMD Transition to

CIPHERING MODE COMPLETE
Ciphering Mode (*)

LOCATION UPDATING ACCEPT new TMSI

Allocation of a new
TMSI REALLOCATION COMPLETE
Temporary Identification

CHANNEL RELEASE
RR Connection release
(*) option
7.15

Location Updating

▼ The diagram indicates the different steps of a location updating procedure as seen by the MS. Different cases may happen
(GSM 03.12) :
l the new Location Area belongs to the same VLR, the old TMSI may be used.
l the new Location Area belongs to a new VLR and:
è the MS uses the IMSI when no other solution is possible
(first use of the SIM card or international roaming)
è the MS uses the TMSI + LAI , in the other cases. Then:
Ä LAI is used by the new VLR to identify the old VLR. The new VLR asks to the old one the IMSI and
the security triplets
Ä If this communication is not possible between old and new VLR, the new VLR asks to the MS for its
IMSI
▼ If the ciphering mode is used, the new TMSI is sent in ciphered mode to the MS.
▼ The TMSI allocation may be implicit (as indicated above) or explicit:
l when allocation is implicit, TMSI is sent in the LOCATION UPDATING ACCEPT Message
l when allocation is explicit, a specific message (TMSI-REALLOCATION COMMAND) is used, followed by the
answer of the MS with a TMSI-REALLOCATION COMPLETE and finally the LOCATION UPDATING ACCEPT
message is sent by the network.

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 Call handling on radio interface
Mobile Originating Call

GSM
Network
...
…
… PSTN or ISDN
... MOBILE

CHANNEL REQUEST SET-UP of an

IMMEDIATE ASSIGNMENT RR CONNECTION (MO)

CM SERVICE REQUEST SERVICE INDICATION

AUTHENTICATION REQUEST
AUTHENTICATION RESPONSE AUTHENTICATION

CIPHERING MODE CMD

CIPHERING MODE COMPLETE TRANSITION to CIPHERING MODE

SET UP START of CALL

CALL PROCEEDING

ASSIGNMENT CMD TRAFFIC CHANNEL

ASSIGNMENT COM ASSIGNMENT

ALERTING CALL CONFIRMATION

CONNECT
CONNECT ACK CALL ACCEPTED

7.16

Mobile Originating Call

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 Call handling on radio interface
Mobile Terminating Call

GSM
Network
PSTN or ISDN
...
…
…
MOBILE
...
PAGING REQUEST
SET-UP of an
CHANNEL REQUEST
RR CONNECTION (MT)
IMMEDIATE ASSIGNMENT

PAGING RESULT SERVICE INDICATION

AUTHENTICATION REQUEST
AUTHENTICATION
AUTHENTICATION RESPONSE

CIPHERING MODE CMD

CIPHERING MODE COMPLETE TRANSITION to CIPHERING mode

SET UP
CALL CONFIRMED START OF CALL

ASSIGNMENT CMD TRAFFIC CHANNEL

ASSIGNMENT COM ASSIGNMENT

CALL CONFIRMATION
ALERTING
CONNECT CALL ACCEPTED
CONNECT ACK

7.17

Mobile Terminating Call

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 Appendix

Abbreviations and Acronyms

7.18
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 Abbreviations and Acronyms

AMR Advanced Multi Rate (TC) BIE Base Station Interface Equipment
AMSS Aeronautical Mobile Satellite Services BIEC Base Station Interface Equipment (BSC)
AN Antenna Network (BTS) BIUA Base Station Interface Unit A
AS Access Switch (BSC) BPA Back Panel Assembly
AS Alarm Surveillance (O&M) BSC Base Station Controller
ASMA A-ter Submultiplexer A BSS Base Station (sub)System
ASMB A-ter Submultiplexer B BSSGP Base Station System GPRS Protocol
AuC Authentication Center (GPRS)
BC Broadcast BTS Base Transceiver Station
BCU Broadcast Unit CAE Customer Application Engineering
BCLA BSC Clock A CAL Current Alarm List (O&M)
BCR Broadcast Register CBC Cell Broadcast Center
BCU Broadcast Unit CBCH Cell Broadcast Channel (GSM TS)
BCCH Broadcast Common Control Channel CBE Cell Broadcast Entity
(GSM TS) CCCH Common Control Channel (GSM TS)
BCF Base station Control Function (BTS) CCU Channel Coding Unit
BG Border Gate (GPRS)

7.19

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 Abbreviations and Acronyms

CDMA Code Division Multiple Access DLS Data Load Segment

CE Control Element (BSC) DMA Direct Memory Access
CEK Control Element Kernel DRFU Dual Rate Frame Unit
CLK Clock DRX Discontinuous Reception (GSM TS)
CLSI Custom Large Scale Integrated circuit DSE Digital Switching Element
CMA Configuration Management Application (O&M) DSN Digital Switching Network
CMDA Common Memory Disk A DTX Discontinuous Transmission (GSM TS)
CMFA Common Memory Flash A DTC Digital Trunk Controller
CPR Common Processor (Type: CPRA, CPRC) (Type: DTCA, DTCC)
CRC Cyclic Redundancy Check DTE Data Terminal Equipment
CS Circuit Switching (Telecom) EDGE Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution
CS Coding Scheme (GPRS): EI Extension interface
CS-1, CS-2, CS-3, CS-4 EML Element Management Level
CU Carrier Unit (BTS) EPROM Erasable Programmable Read Only
DCE Data Circuit Terminating Equipment Memory
DCN Data Communication Network ETSI European Telecom Standard Institute
DL DownLink FPE Functional and Protective Earth

7.20

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 Abbreviations and Acronyms

FR Full Rate (GSM TS) HLR Home Location Register

FR Frame Relay (Telecom) HMI Human Machine Interface
FRDN Frame Relay Data Network (Telecom) HO HandOver
FU Frame Unit (BTS) HR Half Rate
FW Firmware HW Hardware
GCR Group Call Register IDR Internal Directed Retry
GGSN Gateway GPRS Support Node (GPRS) ILCS ISDN Link Controller
GMM GPRS Mobility Management (GPRS) IMT Installation and Maintenance Terminal
GMSC Gateway Mobile Switching Center (MFS)
GPRS General Packet Radio Service IND Indoor (BTS)
GPU GPRS Packet Unit IP Internet Protocol
GS-1 Group Switch of stage 1 (BSC) ISDN Integrated Services Data Network
GS-2 Group Switch of stage 2 (BSC) IT Intelligent Terminal
GSL GPRS Signalling Link LA Location Area (GSM TS)
GSM Global System for Mobile Communications LAC Location Area Code (GSM TS)
GSM TS GSM Technical Specification LAN Local Area Network
HAL Historical Alarm List (O&M) LED Light Emitting Diode
HDSL High rate Digital Subscriber Line LEO Low Earth Orbit (Satellite)
HDLC High Level Datalink Control LLC Logical Link Control (GPRS)

7.21

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 Abbreviations and Acronyms

MA Mobile Allocation (GSM TS) OBC On Board Controller

MAC Medium Access Control (GPRS) OBCI On Board Controller Interface
MAN Metropolitan Area Network OC Originating Call
MAN MicroBTS Antenna Network (BTS) ODMC On Demand Measurement Campaign
MCB Multiplex Channel Block (O&M)
MFS Multi-BSS Fast Packet Server (GPRS) O&M Operation and Maintenance
MLU Massive Logical Update OMC Operation and Maintenance Center
MMI Man Machine Interface OMC-R Operation and Maintenance Center -
MO Managed Object (O&M) Radio
MS Mobile Station OML Operation and Maintenance Link
MSC Mobile Switching Center OMU Operation and Maintenance Unit (BTS)
MSUM MicroBTS Station Unit Module (BTS) OS Operating System
NMI Non Maskable Interrupt OUT Outdoor (BTS)
NPA Network Performance Analyser PBA Printed Board Assembly
NSS Network SubSystem PBCCH Packet Broadcast Common Control
CHannel (GPRS)
NTL Network Termination Line
PC Personal Computer
NW Network
PCCCH Packet Common Control Channel
(GPRS)

7.22

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 Abbreviations and Acronyms

PCH Paging CHannel (GSM TS) PSTN Public Switching Telephone Network
PCM Pulse Coded Modulation (Telecom)
PCU Packet Control Unit (GPRS) PTP-CNLS Point To Point CoNnectionLeSs data
PDCH Packet Data CHannel transfer (GPRS)
PDN Packet Data Network (Telecom) QoS Quality of Service
PDU Protocol Data Unit (generic terminology) RA Radio Access
PLL Phase Locked Loop RACH Random Access CHannel (GSM TS)
PLMN Public Land Mobile Network RAM Random Access Memory
PMA Prompt Maintenance Alarm (O&M) RCP Radio Control Point
PMC Permanent Measurement Campaign RLC Radio Link Control (GPRS)
(O&M) RLP Radio Link Protocol (GSM TS)
PPCH Packet Paging CHannel (GPRS) RML Radio Management Level
PRACH Packet Random Access CHannel (GPRS) RNO Radio Network Optimisation
PRC Provisioning Radio Configuration (O&M) RNP Radio Network Planning
PSDN Packet Switching Data Network RSL Radio Signalling Link
(Telecom)

7.23

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 Abbreviations and Acronyms

RTS Radio Time Slot SM Submultiplexer

RxLev Received Level SMP Service Management Point
RxQualReceived Quality SMS Short Message Service
SACCH Slow Associated Control Channel SMS-CB Short Message Service - Cell Broadcast
(GSM TS) SM-GMSC Short Message Gateway Mobile Switching
SAU Subrack assembly unit (BSC) Center
SC Supervised Configuration (O&M) SRAM Static RAM
SCC Serial Communication Controller SRS SubRate Switch
SCP Service Control Point SS7 Signalling System ITU-T N°7 (ex CCITT)
SCCP Signalling Connection Control Part SSD Solid State Disk
SCSI Small Computer Systems Interface SSP Service Switching Point
SDCCH Standalone Dedicated Control Channel SW Software
(GSM TS) SWEL Switch Element
SDU Service Data Unit (generic terminology) TBF Temporary Block Flow (GPRS)
SGSN Serving GPRS Support Node (GPRS) TAF Terminal Adaptor Function
SIEA SCSI Interface Extension A

7.24

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 Abbreviations and Acronyms

TC Transcoder TRX Transceiver

TC Terminating Call TS Time Slot
TCC Trunk Controller Chip TS Technical Specification (GSM TS)
TCH Traffic CHannel (GSM TS) TSS Time Space Switch
TCIL TransCoder Internal Link TSCA Transmission Sub-System Controller A
TCSM TransCoder / SubMultiplexer equipment (BSC)
TCU TRX Control Unit (Type: TCUA, TCUC) TSU Terminal Sub Unit (BSC)
TDMA Time Division Multiple Access TU Terminal Unit (BSC)
TFO Tandem Free Operation (TC) UL UpLink
TFTS Terrestrial Flight Telecom Systems UMTS Universal Mobile Transmission System
TLD Top Level Design USSD Unstructured Supplementary Services Data
TMN Telecommunication Management VBS Voice Broadcast Service
Network VGCS Voice Group Code Service
TRAC Trunk Access Circuit VLR Visitor Location Register
TRAU Transcoder and Rate Adapter Unit VPLMN Visited PLMN
TRCU Transcoder Unit VSWR Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (BTS)
TRE Transceiver Equipment WAN Wide Area Network
TRS Technical Requirement Specification WAP Wireless Application Protocol
TRU Top Rack Unit

7.25

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