Cellular Radio

Systems
conventional radio
• The conventional communication system is none other but
wired communication system
• Before wireless communication systems and optical fiber
communications were introduced, it was the only way to
communicate from one place to another.
limitations of a conventional
radio
We use wireless communication due to some below mentioned
limitations:

• Its cost is higher due to use wires or cables.

• Requires proper space for installation.
• Maintenance is costly.
• Mobility of the system is an issue.
• Losses are high in wired communication.
• Bandwidth is low.
• Heavier than optical fibers.
Cellular Radio Systems
• Cellular network is an underlying technology for mobile
phones, personal communication systems, wireless
networking etc.
• The technology is developed for mobile radio telephone to
replace high power transmitter/receiver systems.
• Cellular networks use lower power, shorter range and more
transmitters for data transmission.
• Communication is always between mobile and base station
(not directly between mobiles).
• Each cellular base station is allocated a group of radio
channels within a small geographic area called a cell.
• The coverage area of cellular networks are divided into cells,
each cell having its own antenna for transmitting the signals.
Each cell has its own frequencies.
• Data communication in cellular networks is served by its base
station transmitter, receiver and its control unit.
hexagon cell structure
• A hexagon cell shape is highly recommended for its easy
coverage and calculations. It offers the following advantages −

• Provides equidistant antennas

• Distance from center to vertex equals length of side
• Cell Size and Capacity – Cell size determines number of cells
available to cover geographic area and (with frequency reuse)
the total capacity available to all users.
• Capacity within cell limited by available bandwidth and
operational requirements.
• Each network operator has to size cells to handle expected
traffic demand
Frequency Reuse
• Frequency reuse is the process of using the same radio
frequencies on radio transmitter sites within a geographic area
that are separated by sufficient distance to cause minimal
interference with each other.
• Frequency reuse allows for a dramatic increase in the number
of customers that can be served (capacity) within a geographic
area on a limited amount of radio spectrum (limited number
of radio channels).
Frequency Reuse
Cell with the same letter uses the same set of channels group or frequencies
sub-band.
Cellular Network Architecture
GSM Architecture
cellular network
• An overall cellular contains a number of different elements
from the base transceiver station (BTS) itself with its antenna
back through a base station controller (BSC), and a mobile
switching centre (MSC) to the location registers (HLR and VLR)
and the link to the public switched telephone network (PSTN).
Mobile Equipment (ME)

• Mobile Equipment (ME) – This refers to the physical phone

itself.
• The phone must be able to operate on a cellular network.
• Each phone is uniquely identified by the International Mobile
Equipment Identity (IMEI) number.
• This number is burned into the phone by the manufacturer.
• The IMEI can usually be found by removing the battery of the
phone and reading the panel in the battery well.
•
Base Transceiver Station (BTS)

• Base Transceiver Station (BTS) – It is actually the antenna that

you see installed on top of the tower.
• The BTS is the Mobile Phone’s access point to the network.
• It is responsible for carrying out radio communications
between the network and the Mobile Phone.
• It handles speech encoding, encryption, multiplexing (TDMA),
and modulation/demodulation of the radio signals.
• One BTS usually covers a single 120 degree sector of an area.
• A BTS is assigned a Cell Identity. The cell identity denotes a
particular Location Area, which provides details of the cell
which the BTS is covering.
Base Station Controller (BSC)

• Base Station Controller (BSC) – The BSC controls multiple BTSs.

It handles allocation of radio channels, frequency
administration, power and signal measurements from the MS,
and handovers from one BTS to another (if both BTSs are
controlled by the same BSC).
Mobile Switching Center (MSC)
• The MSC is the control centre for the cellular system,
coordinating the actions of the BSCs, providing overall control,
and acting as the switch and connection into the public
telephone network.
• Mobile Switching Center (MSC) – The MSC is the heart of the
GSM network. It handles call routing, call setup, and basic
switching functions. An MSC handles multiple BSCs and also
interfaces with other MSC's and registers. It also handles inter-
BSC handoffs as well as coordinates with other MSC's for inter-
MSC handoffs.
Equipment Identity Register (EIR)
• The Equipment Identity Register (EIR) is a database that contains a
list of all valid mobile equipment on the network, where its
International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) identifies each MS.
Visitor Location Register (VLR)
• The VLR is a database that contains temporary information about
subscribers that is needed by the MSC in order to service visiting
subscribers.
Home Location Register (HLR)
• The HLR is a database used for storage and management of
subscriptions. The HLR is considered the most important database,
as it stores permanent data about subscribers, including a
subscriber's service profile, location information, and activity status.
Authentication Center (AUC)
• The Authentication Center is a protected database that stores a copy
of the secret key stored in each subscriber's SIM card, which is used
for authentication and ciphering of the radio channel. The AUC
protects network operators from different types of fraud found in
today's cellular world.
Land line to cell transmission

• The MSC acts like a normal switching node within a PSTN or

ISDN, but also provides additional functionality to enable the
requirements of a mobile user to be supported.
• It also provides an interface to the PSTN so that the mobile
communications calls can be routed from the mobile network
to a phone connected to a landline.
• Interfaces to other MSCs are provided to enable calls to be
made to mobiles on different networks.
What is switching
• Switching is the method that is used to establish connections
between nodes within a network.
• Once a connection has been made, information can be sent.
• Telephone switching usually refers to the switching of voice
channels.
Circuit Switching

• Circuit switching allows data transmission when there is a

complete circuit (route or path) established between the
source node and the destination node.

• There are three steps required in order to establish a

connection with circuit switching: setup of link, hold-up of link
and release of link.
The end