INTRODUCTION TO 2G & 3G

2G
Second generation wireless telephone
technology
Launched using GSM standard
Allows greater mobile phone penetration
levels than 1G
Enables to use text messages, pictures
messages, MMS etc
Digitally encrypted
 GSM Architecture
Global System for Mobile Communication
Describes the protocols for 2G digital cellular
networks used by mobile phones
Consists of
Mobile Station(MS)
Base Station Subsystem(BSS)
Network and Switching
Subsystem(NSS)
Operation and Support Subsystem(OSS)
 NSS AUC

HLR
OSS EIR
VLR

MSC

A Interface

BSS
BSC
Abis
Interface
SIM MS BTS

Um
Interface

Figure 1: GSM Architecture

 Mobile Station(MS)
Comprises all user equipments and software
needed for mobile communication
Consists of
Mobile Termination(MT) radio transmission and
handover, speech encoding and decoding, error
detection and correction, signalling
Termination Equipment(TE) Offers services to the
user
Termination Adaptor(TA) Provides access to MT
Subscriber Identity Module(SIM) Storing IMSI
 Base Station Subsystem
Responsible for handling traffic and signaling
between a MS and NSS
Consists of
Base Transceiver Station(BTS)
Base station Controller(BSC)
 BTS
Contains the equipment for transmitting and
receiving radio signals (transceivers), antennas,
and equipment for encrypting and decrypting
communications with the BSC.
BTS and BSC communicate across the Abis
interface.
Abis enables operations between components
made by different suppliers.
User and BTS are connected through the Um
interface.
 BSC
Intelligence behind BTS
Manages one or more BTS
Handles radio channel setup, frequency
hopping and handovers
Connection between the MS and MSC
Controls power transmission of MS and BSS
 NSS
Carries out call switching and mobility
management
Consists of
MSC(Mobile Switching Centre)
HLR(Home Location Register)
VLR(Visitor Location Register)
AUC(Authentication Centre)
EIR(Equipment Identity Register)
 MSC - Performs switching of calls between the
mobile and other networks
HLR - Data base storage and management of
subscriptions
VLR - Contains temporary information about
subscribers that is needed by MSC in order to service
visiting subscribers
AUC A protected database that stores a copy of the
secret key stored in SIM
EIR Database that contains all valid MS on the
network where its IMEI identifies each MS
 OSS
Computer systems used by
telecommunication service providers manage
their networks
Subdivision of OSS are,
Network Management Systems
Service Delivery
Service Fulfillment
Service assurance
Customer Care
 3G
UMTS architecture
Consists of
User Equipment(UE) MS
Radio Network Subsystem(RNS) BSS
Core Network(CN) NSS
Figure 2: UMTS Network Architecture
 CORE NETWORK
A migration of NSS used for GSM with further
elements overlaid to enable additional
functionality.
Can be split in to 3 areas
Circuit switched elements
Packet switched elements
Shared elements
 Packet Switched Elements
Designed to carry packet data.
Contains
Serving GPRS Support Node(SGSN)
Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN)
 Circuit switched elements
based on the GSM network entities and carry
data in a circuit switched manner, i.e. a
permanent channel for the duration of the
call.
Contains
Mobile Switching Centre (MSC)
Gateway MSC (GMSC)
 Shared Elements
Contains
Home location register (HLR)
Equipment identity register (EIR)
Authentication Centre (AuC)
 RNS
Interface user and the core network
RNS and UE collectively called as
UTRAN(Universal Terrestrial Radio Access
Network)
RNS comprises of two main components
1. Radio Network Controller(RNC)
2. Node B
RNC functions,
Do the radio resource management and some
of the mobility functions
 Node B is equal to Base Station Transciever
Have transmitter and receiver to communicate
with UE within a cell
There are several interfaces that are
connected with UTRAN
1. Iub Connects RNC and Node B
2. Iur Interface different RNC within a UTRAN
3. Iu Connects UTRAN to the core network
Mobile Station functions are same but new
functions are added in this technology
 4G
4G is fourth generation wireless
telecommunication technology
4G is consisted with 3 main parts
1. User Equipment(UE)
2. Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access
Network(E-UTRAN)
3. Evolved Packet Core(EPC)
Mobile web access, IP telephony, 3D Tv, high
definition mobile Tv etc
 E-UTRAN
Handles the radio communication between UE
and Evolved Packet Core
In a E-UTRAN, there are several base stations
and each station controls one or more cells
 EPC
Evolved Packet Core is consisted with,
Home Subscriber Server(HSS)
Packet Data Network Gateway(P-GW)
Serving Gateway(S-GW)
Mobility Management Entity(MME)