The overview of the System.

Public Switched

ISUP /
TUP

ISUP /
TUP

Telephone Network

Um

(PSTN)

Authen.
Centre
AUC
MAP

Mobile
Switching
Centre
MSC

Equip. Id
Register
EIR

MAP

Home
Location
Register
HLR

Visitor
Location
Register
VLR

MAP
ISUP /
TUP

2 Mbit/s PCM
Air Interface

MAP

BTS
Base
Station
Subsystem
(BSS)

MAP

Mobile
Switching
Centre
MSC

A-Inter

Base
Station
Controller
BSC

Base
Transceiver
Base
Station
Transceiver
Base
BTS
Station
Transceiver
Base
A-bis
BTS
Station
Transceiver
Base
BTS
Transceiver
Base
Station
Transceiver
Station
BTS
Station
BTS
BTS

Mobile Station
(MS)

GSM
Signalling procedures

BTS

Special signalling procedures

for GSM
Call Management CM
Ordinary Call Control (as usual)

Mobility Management MM
Location Updating (Roaming)
Authentication

Radio Resource Management RR

Paging
Network Access
Encryption
Radio Signal Control
Radio Signal Measurements
Handover

BTS

Location Updating (Roaming)

VLR

MSC

An MM procedure
Reasons for roaming:

Area 1

MS has detected that it has

entered into a new location
area (by listening to
Broadcast system info)
BTS

Types of roaming:
Inside same VLR area
The HLR does not need
to know
Another VLR area
In this case the
HLR
is informed

BTS

SONOFON
M

VLR
BTS

BTS

MSC

Area 2

Location Updating (Roaming)

M
S

BT
S

BS
C

MS
C

VLR 1

VLR 2

HLR

Location Update Request (old LAI, TMSI) [MM]

Update Location Area (old LAI, new LAI, TMSI)
Send Parameters (old LAI, TMSI)
Send Parameters Result (IMSI)
Update Location (IMSI, MSRN, VLR no)
Cancel Loc (IMSI, VLR' no)
Cancel Location Ack
Update Location Ack
Insert Subscriber Data (IMSI, service inf)
Subscriber Data Acknowledge
Update Location Area Ack
Location Update Accept (new LAI, TMSI) [MM]

Forward New TMSI (TMSI)

TMSI Reallocation Complete [MM]

Channel Release [RR]

Clear Command [RR]

TMSI Ack

MAP signalling
Um/A-bis/A signalling

Handovers.
A RR procedure
The Handover process
is the situation where a
Mobile Station changes
from being served by one
Antenna to another
Handovers take place
during a call
Handover are done
automatically
Crossing the boundary
of two adjacent cells is the
typical example of a
Handover

BTS

BTS

handover Signaling
MSC - A

Major types of
handovers
Intra BSC
Inter BSC
Inter MSC

MSC - B
Inter BSC

Purpose of handover
Poor quality connection
Avoid loosing contact
to the mobile station

Fault in the MS or
BTS/BSC
Network management

Inter MSC

Intra BSC

BSC

BSC
BSC
SONOFON
M

BTS
BTS
SONOFON
M

SONOFON
M

BTS

BTS

Handover, example
M
S

BT
S
Measurement Result [RR]

BSCA

MSCA

BSCB

MSCB

VLRB

Handover Required (new BTS) [RR]

Perform handover (new BTS, Ch type)
Handover Request (new BTS)
Handover Req Ack (Radio Ch)
Allocate handover number
(MSRN)
Radio Ch Ack (Radio Ch, MSRN)
IAM (MSRN)

Handover Command (Radio CH) [RR]

ACM

Handover Complete [RR]

Clear Command[RR]

Send End Signal

Answer

Clear Complete[RR]

Um/A-bis/A signalling
MAP signalling
ISUP/TUP signalling

(MSRN)
Send handover report

Call Setup
A CM procedure
Distinguish two types
Mobile Terminating Call
i.e. a call from the fixed network to a Mobile
Station
Mobile Originating Call
i.e. a call from a Mobile Station to the fixed
network

BTS

Mobile Terminating Call

Problems and answers
Where in the world is the Mobile Station
Look it up in the HLR
(The HLR may have to ask the VLR)
How to Make the Mobile Station Aware that
a call is waiting
Page it in the cell where it is located
What does the MS do when being paged ?
Asks for a Radio channel
Tells the system that it is ready

Now the usual setup flow follows

BTS

Incoming Call
M
S

BTS

BSC

MS
C

VLR

HLR

GMS
C

ISD
N

IAM (MSISDN, service)

Send Routing Info (MSISDN)

Provide Roaming Number (IMSI)
Roaming Number (MSRN)
Routing Info (MSRN)
IAM (MSRN, service)
Send Info Incoming Call (MSRN, service)
Paging Request (TMSI)
Page (IMSI, TMSI, LAI)
[RR]
Channel Request
[RR]
Immediate Assign [RR]
Paging Response (TMSI) [RR]
Page Result
SETUP (service) [CM]

Complete Call (service)

Call Confirm [CM]

Assign Command [RR] Assign Req [RR]
Assign Complete [RR]
Alerting [CM]
ACM
Connect [CM]
ANM
Connect Ack [CM]
Complete Call Result
Um/A-bis/A signalling
MAP signalling
ISUP/TUP signalling

Mobile Originating Call

Problems and Answers
How the mobile gets in contact with the network
Switch the MS on
Request a channel
Tell the network what kind of service is wanted
How does the network respond
BTS
Verifies the Mobile identity (authentication)
Assigns a traffic channel

And then everything proceed as usual

Outgoing Call from MS

BTS

MS

BSC

MSC

VLR

Channel Request/Required [RR]

Immediate Assign [RR]
CM Service Req (IMSI, transact) [MM]

Process Access Request

CM copy [MM]

Authenticate (RAND)

Authentication Request (RAND) [MM]

Authentication Response (SRES) [MM]

Authentication Response (SRES)

Set ciphering mode (key)

Ciphering Mode Command (key) [RR]

Access Request Ack

Ciphering Mode Complete [RR]

SETUP (service, called number) [CM]

Send info for o/g (service, called number)

Call Proceeding [CM]

Assign Command [RR]
Assign Complete [RR]
Alerting [CM]
Connect [CM]
Connect Ack [CM]

Um/A-bis/A signalling
MAP signalling
ISUP/TUP signalling

Complete call
Assign Request [RR]
IAM
ACM
ANM

ISDN