1.

Reference Model for Digital Air Interfaces

A1 : Signaling between Call Control (CC) and Mobility Management (MM)

functions of MSC and Call Control component of BS (BSC)
A2 : Traffic between Switch component of MSC and
+ The Channel Element component of BS (BTS) (in case of analog
interface)
+ The SDU (Selection/Distribution Unit) function of BS (in case of digital
interface)
A3 : Traffic and signaling between SDU and BTS (used for soft/softer
handoff when a target BS attached to the frame selection function within the
source BS)
A5 : Traffic between SDU and IWF (in case of circuit-oriented data calls)
A7 : Signaling between source BS and target BS (in case of soft/softer
handoff)
A8 : Traffic between BS and PCF
A9 : Signaling between BS and PCF
A10 : Traffic between PCF and PDSN
A11 : Signaling between PCF and PDSN
2. MSC-BSC Interface Functional Planes

Trans Facilities Mngmnt : manages transmission means as well as required

information transfer between BS and MSC
Mobility Mngmnt : manages subscriber database and subscriber location data
Radio Resources Mngmnt : manages links and handoff control
Call Processing and Supp Services : manages call control and services

Transport Protocol(s) : SS7 signaling transport (MTP and SCCP) or ATM

transport (ALL5 for signaling and ALL2 for traffic)
BSAP (Base Station Application Part) :
+ BSMAP (BS Management Application Part): supports all Radio Resources
Mngmnt and Facility Mngmnt procedures between MSC and BS or to a cell(s)
within BS
+ DTAP (Direct Transfer Application Part) : transfers Call processing and
Mobility Mngmnt messages between MSC and BS
3. Mobile Originated Voice and Circuit Data Calls

CM Serivce Request : When BS received originating access attempt from MS, it

constructs the CM Service Request DTAP message, places it in the Complete
Layer 3 Information message, and sends the message to the MSC.
Complete L3 Info : a BSMAP message that contains the CM Service Request
message, the Paging Response message, or the Location Updating Request
message.
Assignment Request : This BSMAP message is sent from the MSC to the BS to
request assignment of radio resources.
Assignment Complete : This BSMAP message indicates that the requested
assignment has been completed correctly. The sending of the Assignment
Complete message also indicates to the MSC that it will henceforth be responsible
for providing in-band treatment of the call if required.
Assignment Failure : This BSMAP message is sent from the BS to the MSC to
indicate that the requested assignment procedure could not be successfully
completed.
Progress : This DTAP message may be sent by the MSC during any Call Control
session to specify local tone generation or removal.
4. Mobile Origination with Access Probe Handoff, Access
Handoff and Channel Assignment into Soft/Softer Handoff
4. (Continue)

Note :
- (a) Origination message includes pilot strength report of all pilot in MS’s Paging
Channel Active set and other pilots using ACCESS_HO_LIST and
OTHER_REPORTED_LIST (TIA/EIA/IS-2000)
- (d) When BS-1 recognizes that it is not the first accessed BS, it forwards
Origination message received from the MS to the source BS
- (g) Since the Origination message carries the pilot report of other strong pilots,
the source BS initiates the inter-BS soft handoff setup procedure.
- (k) The reverse frames contain the timing adjustment information necessary to
achieve synchronization.
- (l) A3 traffic subchannel between source and taget BSs has been synchronized
- (s) The source BS constructs an air-interface Extended Channel Assignment
message and forwards it in the A7-Paging Channel Message Transfer message
to one or more base stations, usually chosen from those that are in the
ACCESS_HO_LIST and OTHER_REPORTED_LIST
- (t) At any time after sending/receiving the A7-Paging Channel Message
Transfer message, all soft handoff legs on the source BS and target BS begin
sending null forward traffic frames to the MS.
- (v) If a target BS detects reverse preamble, it sends it to the source BS in an
A3-CEData Reverse message. Once the source BS acquires the reverse traffic
channel, it sends the Base Station Acknowledgment Order to the MS and also
informs the target BSs that the reverse traffic channel was acquired by starting
to send non-idle frame content type in the A3-CEData Forward messages. Upon
receiving non-idle frame content in the A3-CEData Forward messages, the
target BS terminates any attempts to send the channel assignment message to
the MS.
5. Mobile Origination with PACA Service

PACA Command : This BSMAP message is sent by the MSC to inform the BS
that PACA service is to be applied to the call, includes the Priority and the PACA
Time Stamp information elements to provide information to the BS for PACA
queuing.
PACA Command Ack : This BSMAP message is sent by the BS to the MSC to
acknowledge that the PACA request has been queued successfully.
Note :
- (a) The MS sets the PACA_REORIG field to ‘0’ to indicate a user-directed
origination.
- (c) The ‘Avail’ bit of the Radio Environment and Resources element is set to ‘0’
to indicate that resources at the BS are not available. The PSI field in the
Classmark Information Type 2 IE should be set to ‘1’.
- (f,g) The BS sends a PACA Message on paging channel to the MS to indicate
that the service request has been queued and includes the queue position. BS
may resend PACA message as needed to update the MS on its PACA queue
position until radio resources become available.
-(h) When radio resources become available, the BS sends a PACA Message to
instruct the MS to re-originate the call. In this case, the PURPOSE field is set to
‘0010’ to request PACA re-origination.
6. Mobile Origination, Idle Handoff with PACA Active

PACA Update : This BSMAP message is sent, from either the BS or the MSC, to
indicate that the BS or MSC intends to modify the queued call. The PACA
Update message is used in the following cases:
- When idle handoff occurs the MSC sends this message to instruct the old BS
to remove the request from its PACA queue.
- In the case of consecutive PACA calls the MSC sends this message to instruct
the BS to remove the previous request from its PACA queue.
- The MSC may send this message to request the BS to update its PACA queue.
If the MSC doesn’t receive any response from the BS within a certain period of
time the MSC may clear all resources associated with the call.
- The MSC may send this message to indicate to the BS that the call has been
canceled. The BS shall remove the request from its PACA queue and clear any
resources allocated for the call and notify the MS that the call has been
canceled.
- The BS may send this message to the MSC either autonomously, if it wants to
cancel the call, or upon the receipt of the PACA Cancel Message from the MS.
PACA Update Ack : This BSMAP message is sent by the BS or MSC to the
MSC or BS to acknowledge that an appropriate action has been taken by the BS
or MSC and that its PACA information has been updated.
Note :
While approaching the boundary of the cell, the MS detects an adequately strong
pilot signal transmitted by one of the neighboring cells. The MS performs an idle
handoff and starts monitoring the new paging channel and then transmits an
Origination Message (PACA_REORIG = ‘1’) to the new BS.
7. Mobile Origination with PACA Active, Consecutive PACA
Calls

8. PACA Call Cancellation Initiated by the MS

9. PACA Call Cancellation Initiated by either MSC or BS

10. Mobile Terminated Voice and Circuit Data Calls

Paging Request : This BSMAP message is sent from the MSC to the BS to
initiate a mobile terminated call setup scenario and also be sent for location
purposes.
Paging Respone : This DTAP message is sent from the BS to the MSC in
response to a Paging Request message. The Paging Response and the
subsequent MSC response are used for connection establishment.
Connect : This DTAP message informs the MSC that the called MS has
answered
Alert with Information : This DTAP message is sent from the MSC to the BS to
request BS to send an Alert With Information Message on the air interface.
11. BS Initiated Call Setup and Short Data Burst Delivery

BS Service Request : This BSMAP message is sent from the BS to the MSC to
begin a BS initiated call setup. It is also used to initiate an ADDS Page
procedure to deliver a short data burst to a mobile
BS Service Respone : This BSMAP message is sent from the MSC to the BS
in response to a BS Service Request.

Note : Upon request from the PDSN (through the PCF), the BS may initiate a
Packet Data call by sending the BS Service Request message to the MSC. The
MSC acknowledges the request by sending the BS Service Response message
to the BS and initiates a normal call termination procedure. The BS intitiated call
setup procedure may also be used to request the MSC to deliver a short data
burst to a mobile via the ADDS Page procedure.
12. Call Clear Initiated by MS via Service Release

13. Call Clear Initiated by MS via Clear Request

Service Release : This DTAP message is sent from the BS to the MSC to
release a single service that is not the only service connected.
Service Release Complete : This message is sent from MSC to BS as a
response to the Service Release message.
Clear Request : Upon failure of a radio channel, or when the MS sends a
Release Order to clear the call, the BS shall send a Clear Request message to
the MSC.
Clear Command : Upon receipt of the Clear Request message, the MSC sends a
Clear Command message to the BS to instruct the BS to release the associated
dedicated resources
Clear Complete : Upon receipt of the Clear Command the BS sends a Clear
Complete message to the MSC.
14. Call Clear Initiated by BS (via Clear Request)

15. Call Clear Initiated by MSC via Service Release

16. Call Clear Initiated by MSC via Clear Request

17. Call Waiting

Note :
(a). The MSC sends a Flash with Information message to the BS to alert the MS
that there is a call waiting.
(b). The BS takes the information from the MSC and sends a Flash with
Information message to the MS.
(c). The MS sends the Flash with Information message to the BS to indicate the
acceptance of the second call.
(d). The BS sends a Flash with Information message to the MSC. The MSC then
places the original call on hold and connects the second call to the MS.
(e). To toggle between the two callers, the MS sends the Flash with Information
message to the BS.
(f). The BS sends a Flash with Information message to the MSC. The MSC then
places the second call on hold and reconnects the original call to the MS.
* The MSC may optionally apply an inband tone to alert the user of a waiting call.
Such an action would take the place of or supplement steps (a) and (b) above.
* If an MS releases an active call after receiving call waiting notification, and
while a call is waiting, the active call is cleared and the waiting call is offered
using normal mobile termination procedures.
* If an MS releases the active call while another call is held (by the Call Waiting
feature), the active call is cleared and the held call is offered using normal mobile
termination procedures.
18. Three-Way Calling

Note :
(a). To initiate Three-Way Calling while a call is in progress, the MS sends a Flash
with Information to the BS to request the original call to be placed on hold.
(b). The BS sends the Flash with Information message from the MS to the MSC.
The MSC places the original call on hold.
(c). The MS sends a Flash with Information message to the BS containing the
dialed digits of the second party.
(d). The BS sends the Flash with Information message to the MSC with the dialed
digits of the second party. Once the second party answers, it is connected to MS.
(e). The MS sends a Flash with Information Message to the BS to request
connection of all three parties.
(f). The BS sends the Flash with Information to the MSC. The MSC places all
three parties in a conference call.
(g). To disconnect the second party, MS sends a Flash with Information to the BS.
(h). The BS sends a Flash with Information message to the MSC to disconnects
the second call.
19. Message Waiting Notification on the Paging Channel

Note :
(a). The MSC sends a Feature Notification message containing message waiting
information.
(b). The BS sends an appropriate message to the mobile depending upon the air
interface protocol.
(c). The MS acknowledges the receipt of the message by a Layer 2 Ack.
(d). BS sends the Feature Notification Ack message to the MSC.
20. Message Waiting Notification on the Traffic Channel

Note :
(a). When the MS is on traffic channel, the MSC may include message waiting
information in the Flash with Information message to inform the MS that there are
zero or more messages waiting.
(b). The BS will send the information in the Flash with Information message.
(c). Once the MS has received the Flash with Information message, it will
respond with a Layer 2 Ack message.
(d). The BS will send the Flash with Information Ack message to the MSC.
21. SMS Broadcast Delivery over the Paging Channel

Note :
(a). The MSC receives SMS Broadcast information for delivery to idle mobile
stations. The MSC sends an ADDS Page message to the BS, including the SMS
Broadcast message in its ADDS User Part information element.
(b). If the MSC requested an acknowledgment from the BS by including the Tag
element in the ADDS Page message, the BS replies with an ADDS Page Ack
message including the Tag element set to the same value as received from MSC.
(c). The BS sends the SMS Broadcast information to the appropriate mobile
stations over the Paging channel.

22. SMS Delivery to a Mobile Station on the Paging Channel

- Example 1
23. SMS Delivery to a Mobile Station on the Paging Channel
- Example 2 without Early Traffic Channel Assignment

23. SMS Delivery to a Mobile Station on the Paging Channel

- Example 3 with Early Traffic Channel Assignment
24. SMS Receipt from a MS on the Access Channel

25. SMS Delivery to a MS on a Traffic Channel

26. SMS Receipt from a MS on a Traffic Channel

27. Successful Hard Handoff

Handoff Required : This message provides the MSC with a list of target candidate
cells or optional measurement information for the MSC to use in order to determine
a target with an available radio channel. Upon receiving this message, the MSC
constructs a candidate target list and then continues with resource establishment
Handoff Request : This BSMAP message allows the MSC to make specific
requests of potential targets to provide radio resources for a handoff of an existing
mobile connection.
Handoff Request Ack : This BSMAP message allows the target BS to respond to
the Handoff Request message to indicate that the appropriate radio and land
resources have been allocated and set up for the requested handoff.
Handoff Command : This BSMAP message allows the MSC to signal to the
source BS that a target channel(s) has/have been allocated for handoff.
Handoff Commenced : This message is used for ANSI/EIA/TIA-553, TIA/EIA-95,
and for TIA/EIA/IS-2000 hard handoffs to indicate that the handoff command has
been sent to the MS, and that the MS is not expected to return to the source BS.
Handoff Complete : This message allows the target BS to signal to the MSC that
a mobile station has successfully accessed the target cell.
Handoff Failure : This message is sent from either the target BS or the source BS
to the MSC to indicate that there has been a failure in either the resource allocation
process or the execution of an inter-BS handoff and the handoff has been aborted.
28. Hard Handoff With Return On Failure
29. Successful Hard Handoff to ANSI/EIA/TIA-553 Systems

30. Unsuccessful Hard Handoff to ANSI/EIA/TIA-553:

ANSI/EIA/TIA-553 Alternative Rejected
31. Soft/softer Handoff Addition

A3-Connect : The A3-Connect message is sent from the target BS to the source
BS to initiate or add cells to one or more A3 user traffic connection.
A3-Connect Ack : The A3-Connect Ack message is sent from the source BS to
the target BS to indicate the result of processing the A3-Connect message.
A3-Traffic Channel Status : This message is used by the target BS to notify the
source BS that radio transmission on the forward link has begun for the indicated
cells, and that the corresponding receivers have been activated. This message is
sent when the A3-Connect Ack message indicates that it is requested.
A7-Handoff Request : This message is used by the source BS to request that a
target BS allocate resources in one or more cells for support of a call association.
A7-Handoff Request Ack : This message is used by the target BS to respond to
A7-Handoff Request message.
Handoff Performed : The BS uses this message to inform the MSC of handoff
operations.
32. Soft/softer Handoff Removal

A7-Drop Target : This message is used by the source BS to request that a target
BS de-allocate resources in one or more cells currently being used.
A7-Drop Target Ack : This message is used by the target BS to respond to A7-
Drop Target message.
A3-Remove : A target BS uses this message to request that the source BS
remove the indicated cells from the indicated A3 connections.
A3-Remove Ack : This message is used by the source BS to notify the target BS
that sent the A3-Remove message to indicate the results of processing the A3-
Remove message.
33. Cell Removal by a Target BS

A7-Target Removal Request : This message is used by the target BS to request

that a source BS remove one or more cells currently being used.
A7-Target Removal Response : This message is used by the source BS to either
accept or deny the request from target BS

34. Location Registration Initiated by MS

Location Updating Request : When the mobile’s registration message is received

by the BS, it constructs the Location Updating Request message, places it in the
Complete Layer 3 Information message, and sends the message to the MSC.
Location Updating Accept : This DTAP message is sent from the MSC to the BS
to indicate that the Location Updating Request has been successfully processed.
Location Updating Reject : This DTAP message is sent from the MSC to the BS
to indicate that the Location Updating Request message was rejected.
35. Authentication and Voice Privacy Requirements
36. SSD Update Procedure - Successful Case

SSD Update Request : The SSD Update Request message is sent from the MSC
to the BS to indicate that the MS should update its Shared Secret Data. This is a
DTAP message used to perform SSD update on a traffic channel.
SSD Update Respone : This message is sent from the BS to the MSC to indicate
whether the MS has successfully updated its SSD. It is sent by the BS only upon
receipt of the SSD Update Confirmation/Rejection Order from the MS. This is a
DTAP message when used to perform SSD updates on a traffic channel.
Base Station Challenge : The Base Station Challenge message is sent from the
BS to the MSC to verify the new SSD that was calculated at the MS. This is a
DTAP message when used to perform the SSD update on a traffic channel.
Base Station Challenge Response : This message is sent from the MSC to the
BS in response to the Base Station Challenge message. This is a DTAP message
when used to perform the SSD update on a traffic channel.
Note :
-(a) : The update information is in the form of a random number (RANDSSD) that
will be used by the MS to calculate the new SSD.
-(c) : The MS uses the RANDSSD as input to the algorithm to generate the new
SSD. The MS then selects a 32 bit random number (RANDBS) and sends it to the
BS in a Base Station Challenge Order message.
-(e) : the MSC uses the new SSD as input to the algorithm to generate the
authentication response signature (AUTHBS) and sends AUTHBS to the BS in the
Base Station Challenge Response message.
37. Terminal Authentication

Authentication Request : This message is sent from the MSC to the BS to

initiate an authentication check on a specified MS. This is a DTAP message when
used to perform authentication on a traffic channel and a BSMAP message
otherwise.
Authentication Response : This message is sent from the BS to the MSC in
response to the Authentication Request message. This is a DTAP message when
used to perform authentication on a traffic and a BSMAP message otherwise.