The Global System for

Mobile Communications
(GSM)
 Contents
• Overview
• GSM Services
• GSM Architecture
• Radio Transmission
• Conclusion
 GSM Overview
• History
– Group Special Mobile(GSM) formed to
study pan-European cellular system in
1982
– First commercial service in Europe in
1991
– Accepted as the digital standard in
more than 70 countries
 GSM Overview
• GSM Features
– Hybrid air interface : FDMA/TDMA
– Standard based on ISDN and SS7
– Standard in both air interface as well
as network interface
– Purely digital system
• DCS1800 – Up-banded version of GSM900
• PCS1900 – North American version of GSM900
 GSM Services
• Bearer Services
– Give the subscriber the capacity requir
ed to transmit appropriate signals bet
ween certain access points
• Teleservices
– Provide the subscriber with necessary
capabilities to communicate with other
subscribers
• Supplementary Services
 GSM Architecture
• Mobile Station
– Mobile Equipment
• Identified by International Mobile
Equipment Identity(IMEI)
– Subscriber Identity Module(SIM)
• Contains unique subscriber identity(IMSI)
• Removable smart card that free from
handsets
 GSM Architecture
• Base Station Subsystem
– Base Transceiver Station(BTS)
• Contains the radio transceivers for a given
cell
– Base Station Controller(BSC)
• Manages radio resources, such as signal
processing, channel setup/teardown,
handover
• Responsible for one or more BTSs
 GSM Architecture
• Network Subsystem
– Mobile Switching Center(MSC)
• Manages call routing and establishment,
authentication, connection to fixed networks
– Home Location Register(HLR)
• Stores subscription information and current
location of all subscribers in a given network
– Visitor Location Register(VLR)
• Contains subscription information needed for call
control, for all mobiles in area controlled by
associated MSC
 GSM Architecture
– Equipment Identity Register(EIR)
• Contains the IMEI of all registered mobile
equipment, marked as black, gray, or
white listed, depending on whether it is
type approved or has been reported
stolen
– Authentication Center(AUC)
• Stores secret key held in SIM card
GSM Architecture
 GSM Architecture
• Mobile Application Part(MAP)
– Signaling between components of the NSS uses
the MAP which is built on top of SS7

• MAP-B : MSC-VLR
• MAP-C : MSC-HLR
• MAP-D : HLR-VLR
• MAP-E : MSC-MSC
• MAP-F : MSC-EIR
• MAP-G : VLR-VLR
• MAP-H : AC-HLR
• MAP-I : User application protocol and HLR
 GSM Architecture
• Identification Codes
– IMSI(International Mobile Subscriber
Identity:15digits)
• Directory number assigned by operators to a
subscriber
– TMSI(Temporary Mobile Subscriber
Identity:32bits)
• Assigned by VLR to a subscriber
• Privacy and network security, avoiding
transmission of IMSI
 GSM Architecture
– MSISDN(Mobile Station ISDN no.)
• Used to reach a called party in a GSM net
work
2.
MSISDN
1. HLR
PSTN MSISDN GMSC
5.
MSRN

3. IMSI
6. Route call 4.
MSRN

BTS MSC
8. Route call
BSC VLR
7. Route call
 GSM Architecture
– IMEI(International Mobile Equipment
Identity:15digits)
• Unique serial number assigned by
manufacturer to a terminal
– LAI(Location Area Identity:15digits)
• Assigned by operating company to a BTS
• Mobile Country Code(MCC), Mobile
Network Code(MNC), Location Area
Code(LAC)
 GSM Architecture
• Functional Planes

Sending Operations, Administration, Receiving

Entity & Maintenance (OAM) Entity
Communication
Management (CM)
Mobility Management
(MM)
Radio Resource
Management (RR)
Physical

Channel
 GSM Architecture
– Radio Resources management(RR)
• Responsible for establishing and releasing a reliable
connection between the MS and the MSC(handling
channel allocation and handover)
• Internal Handover
– Channels(time slots) in the same cell
– Cells controlled by the same BSC
• External Handover
– Cells under the control of different BSCs, but
belonging to the same MSC
– Cells under the control of different MSCs
 GSM Architecture
– Mobility Management(MM)
• Responsible for location management and
security(authentication and encryption)
• Authentication and encryption
– Ki(Authentication Key)
» Secret key assigned by operating company
to a subscriber
» Used to compute the cipher key
– Kc(Cipher Key)
» Computed by network and by MS
» Protect user information and network control
information
GSM Architecture
– Algorithm
» A3 : Authentication algorithm
» A5 : Ciphering algorithm
» A8 : Ciphering key generating algorithm

– Another level of security :IMEI query to the EIR

» White-listed : allow to connect to the
network
» Grey-listed : under observation from the
network
» Black-listed : not allow to connect to the
network
 GSM Architecture
• Location management
 GSM Architecture
– Communication Management(CM)
• Responsible for call establishment and
routing
• Call routing
• Supplementary services management
• Short message services management
 Radio Transmission
• Frequency Allocation
– GSM900 radio frequencies
• 890-915MHz and 935-960MHz
• 125 carriers of 200KHz bandwidth
– GSM1800 radio frequencies
• 1710-1785MHz and 1805-1880MHz
• 375 carriers of 200KHz bandwidth
– PCS1900 radio frequencies
• 1850-1910MHz and 1930-1990MHz
• 300 carriers of 200KHz bandwidth
 Radio Transmission
• Frame and Time Slot
8

26
51

9
 Radio Transmission

– FLAG : 1bit
• Indicates whether user information or
control information
– TAIL bits : 3bit
• All set to “0”
 Radio Transmission
– GUARD(Guard time) : 8.25bits(30.5sec)
• Reduce interference to signals in nearly cells using
the same carrier
– TRAIN(Training sequence) : 26bits
• Used to train the adaptive equalizer, which
compensates for effects of multipath propagation
• Used to estimate the characteristics of the time-
varying radio channel
• 8 different sequences with low mutual cross-
correlation
 Radio Transmission
• Logical Channels
 Radio Transmission
– Broadcast channels
• FCCH(Frequency correction channel)
– Used to allow MS to accurately tune to BS
• SCH(Synchronization channel)
– Used to provide TDMA frame-oriented
synchronization data to MS
• BCCH(Broadcast control channel)
– Transmit the information that MS need to
setup a call
 Radio Transmission
– Common control channels
• PCH(Paging channel)
– Used to notify MS of arriving calls
• AGCH(Access grant channel)
– Used to assign MS to a stand-alone dedicated
control channel
• RACH(Random access channel)
– Used to send messages to originate calls,
transmit short messages, respond to paging
messages
 Radio Transmission
– Dedicated control channels
• SDCCH(Stand-alone dedicated control chann
el)
– Used for system signaling during idle periods and
call setup before allocating TCH
• FACCH(Fast associated control channel)
– Call establish progress, authentication, handover
• SACCH(Slow associated control channel)
– Used for non-urgent procedures
BTS
MS
Physical Channels 1. Lock onto highest power level
FCCH & best freq. (of a FCCH)
Training&slot information
2. Synchronization data
SCH
System parameters
BCCH 3. LAC,MNC, other frequencies, e
Channel request tc
RACH 4. Request & grant of a stand-al
Channel assignment one dedicated control channel
AGCH 5. Move to SDCCH & make a loca
Location update request tion update request
SDCCH 6. Prove who you claim to be
Authentication request
SDCCH
Authentication response 7. This is who I am
SDCCH
Ciphered mode command 8. We will cipher traffic
SDCCH
ACK ciphered mode command 9. I agree
SDCCH
Location update confirm
10. Update VLR(s) & HLR as nece
SDCCH ssary
ACK of the update
SDCCH
BTS
MS
Page request
PCH 1. Page the mobile station
Channel request
RACH 2. Request & grant of a stand-
Immediate assignment alone dedicated control
AGCH channel
Paging response
SDCCH 3. Move to SDCCH & answer the
Authentication request
page
SDCCH
Authentication response
4. Prove who you claim to be
SDCCH
Ciphering mode command 5. This is who I am
SDCCH
Ciphering mode complete 6. We will cipher traffic
SDCCH
TMSI reallocation command 7. I agree
SDCCH
TMSI reallocation complete
SDCCH 8. Set up temporary ID

Continue
 Continued
SETUP message 9. You have a call
SDCCH
SETUP ACK message
10. I will accept it
SDCCH
Assignment command
SDCCH
11. Assign a traffic channel
Assignment complete
FACCH

ALERTING message 12. (ringing)

FACCH

CONNECT message
FACCH
13. Mobile off-hook, send CON
CONNECT ACK message NECT & ACK
FACCH
Conversation
TCH 14. Conversation ensues
Conversation
TCH
 Conclusion
• Very complex standard
• First serious attempt to fulfill the
requirements for a universal
personal communication system
• Foundation for DCS1800 and
PCS1900
• Defines both the air interface and
the network interface