Global System for Mobile

Communication (GSM)

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 Overview of
Cellular communication Systems
• 1G: Basic mobile telephony service
– Based on analog cellular technology
– American Mobile Phone (AMPS) and NMT in Europe
• 2G: mobile telephony services for mass users with
encryption and efficient utilization of the radio spectrum
– Digital cellular technology
– GSM and CDMA
• 2.5G: Mobile Internet/data services together with voice
services
– Packet switching technology adding into 2G
– Providing mobile data services over 2G networks
– GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) and EDGE
• 3G: enhanced 2.5G services with improved mobile
internet services and emerging new applications
– CDMA2000 and UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) 2
Evolution of cellular communication

Services
• From voice communication to voice and data
communication

Technologies
• From circuit switching to packet switching

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 GSM Overview
• Formerly: Groupe Spéciale Mobile (founded 1982)
• Now: Global System for Mobile Communication
• Pan-European standard (ETSI, European Telecommunications
Standardization Institute)
• Goal : was to provide a mobile phone system that allows users to
roam throughout Europe and provides voice services compatible
to ISDN and other PSTN systems.
• Today many providers all over the world use GSM
(219 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia, America)
– more than 4 billion subscribers in more than 700 networks
– more than 80% of all digital mobile phones use GSM
• Today more people use mobile phone system than the fixed
telephones!
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 GSM Technologies
• A 2G cellular network (a digital network for voice communication)
• Circuit switching for voice (mainly)/data (limited)
transmission rate
– Connection-oriented service: establish a communication path (channel) for point-to-
point communication
• Multiplexing
– Frequency division multiplexing (FDM) plus Time division multiplexing (TDM)
(adding to Space division multiplexing, SDM)
– Uses 124 channels per cell, each channel can support 8 users through TDM
(992 users max)
– Some channels are used for control signals, etc
• Mobility management
– Two-tier architecture: HLR and VLR
– Location area for location update together with paging for searching
• Services
– Mainly for voice communication
– Data communication is very limited (i.e., 9.6kbit/s) and supporting SMS 5
 Performance Characteristics of GSM
Comparing with 1G cellular network
• Communication
– Mobile communication for voice and data services
• Total mobility
– International access, chip-card enables use of access points of different providers
(roaming services)
• Worldwide connectivity
– One number, the network handles localization and interoperability
• High capacity
– Better frequency efficiency (frequency reuses), smaller cells, more customers per cell
• High transmission quality
– High audio quality and reliability for wireless, uninterrupted phone calls at higher
speeds (e.g., from cars, trains)
• Security functions
– encryption, authentication via chip-card and PIN
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GSM Services
Voice
Messaging
Entertainment
Location based
Video

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 GSM Services : Voice
• Voicemail- like a traditional answer machine.
• Call Waiting
• Call Hold
• Call Forwarding
– the option of diverting incoming calls to another number.
• Call Barring /Restrictions
– to restrict incoming or outgoing calls
• Call conference
• Push-to-Talk over Cellular(PoC/PTT)
– allow people to use their phones as walkie-talkies, merely pushing a
button to talk to another user or group of users.
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 GSM Services : Messaging
• SMS (Short Messaging Service)
– up to 160 characters long
– Billions of text messages are sent worldwide every week.
– It is estimated that a worldwide total of 1 trillion text messages
were sent in 2005.
– users subscribe to services that send news, sport and
entertainment content to a mobile phone in the form of an SMS.
• MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service)
– additional media types: text, picture, audio, video, or a
combination of all four.
– phone that is running over a GPRS or 3GSM network is required.
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 GSM Services : Messaging
• Instant Messaging
– an IP-based (Internet Protocol) application that can provide
real-time written communication between people using a PC or
Laptop.
• Email
– 2.5G (GPRS) and 3G network
– There are a wide variety of handsets available today that
support wireless push email services.
– With push email, emails are sent directly to the mobile device as
soon as the email server receives them rather than waiting for
the user or email client to request the email.

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 GSM Services : Entertainment
• TV/Video
–real-time streaming over 3G networks
–dedicated mobile broadcast networks. (common in Asia)
• Music
• Gaming
–Games Downloaded
2005: 75.9 million
2007: 162.5 million
2009: 262.7 million
2010: 299.4 million
–Java already has over 88% of the market
• Mobile Internet access
–2G provides limited text-based web browsing services with low-resolution
graphics. 3G is better
–.mobi top-level domain
• used by Sites intended for mobile device use. 11
 GSM Services : Location Based Services
• LBS provide personalized services to the user on request, based
on their current position nearby restaurants, hotels or other
location-specific content such as maps.
• Cell-ID
– identifying which base station the user is currently connected
– is accurate to an area of between 200 meters and 1 kilometer.
• GPS
– needs a chip inside the phone, adding to cost, weight and power
requirement, suffer delays (sometimes more than a minute)

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 GSM Services…
• Video phone
– Built-in video camera for capturing videos in 3G
– Full interoperability of various video phones.
• Emergency number
– common number throughout Europe (112)
– mandatory for all service providers; free of charge;
– connection with the highest priority (preemption
of other connections is possible)

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 Architecture of the GSM System
• GSM is a PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network)
– Main components
• MS (mobile station)
• BS (base station)
• MSC (mobile switching center)
• LR (location register)
– Subsystems
• RSS (radio subsystem): covers all radio aspects
• NSS (network and switching subsystem): call forwarding, handover,
switching
• OSS (operation subsystem): management of the network

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 Components

Mobile
Station

switching Database
center

Base Management
Transceiver
Station

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 OMC, EIR,
GSM: overview
AUC
HLR
GMSC
NSS fixed network
with OSS

VLR MSC MSC

VLR

BSC

BSC

RSS

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GSM: system architecture
radio network and fixed
subsystem switching subsystem partner networks

MS MS
ISDN
PSTN
Um MSC

BTS Abis
BSC EIR
BTS

SS7
HLR

BTS VLR
BSC ISDN
BTS MSC PSTN
A
BSS IWF
PSPDN
CSPDN
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System architecture: radio subsystem
radio network and switching
subsystem subsystem • Components
MS MS
– MS (Mobile Station)
– BSS (Base Station Subsystem):
consisting of
Um • BTS (Base Transceiver Station):
sender and receiver
BTS Abis • BSC (Base Station Controller):
BSC MSC controlling several transceivers
BTS

• Interfaces
– Um : radio interface
– Abis : standardized, open interface with
16 kbit/s user channels
A – A: standardized, open interface with
BTS
BSC MSC 64 kbit/s user channels
BTS
BSS

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 Radio subsystem
• The Radio Subsystem (RSS) comprises the cellular
mobile network up to the switching centers
• Components
– Base Station Subsystem (BSS):
• Base Transceiver Station (BTS):
– radio components including sender, receiver, antenna
– if directed antennas are used one BTS can cover several cells
• Base Station Controller (BSC):
– switching between BTSs, controlling BTSs,
– mapping of radio channels (Um) onto terrestrial channels (A
interface)
• BSS = BSC + sum(BTS)
– Mobile Stations (MS)
• MS=ME(mobile Equipment ) + SIM( subscriber identity module)
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 Mobile station
• Terminal for the use of GSM services
• Mobile Equipment (ME)
– represents physical terminals, such as a mobile or PDA.
• Subscribers identity module (SIM)
– Stores all user specific data(Static)
– i.e Card-type, subscribed service, personal identity
number(PIN) ,PIN unblocking key (PUK), International
mobile subscriber identity(IMSI) ,phone book.
• MS=ME + SIM

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 GSM frequency bands
Type Channels Uplink [MHz] Downlink [MHz]

GSM 850 128-251 824-849 869-894

GSM 900 0-124, 955- 876-915 921-960

classical 1023 890-915 935-960
extended 124 channels 880-915 925-960
+49 channels
GSM 1800 512-885 1710-1785 1805-1880
GSM 1900 512-810 1850-1910 1930-1990
GSM-R 955-1024, 0- 876-915 921-960
exclusive 124 876-880 921-925
69 channels
- Please note: frequency ranges may vary depending on the country!
- Channels at the lower/upper edge of a frequency band are typically not used
 Example coverage of GSM networks (www.gsmworld.com)
T-Mobile (GSM-900/1800) Germany O2 (GSM-1800) Germany

AT&T (GSM-850/1900) USA Vodacom (GSM-900) South Africa

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ETMTN (GSM-900) Ethiopia

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 GSM: cellular network
segmentation of the area into cells

possible radio coverage of the cell

idealized shape of the cell

cell

• use of several carrier frequencies

• not the same frequency in adjoining cells (frequency reuses by space
multiplexing)
• cell sizes vary from some 100 m up to 35 km depending on user density,
geography, transceiver power etc.
– Macrocell(3 to 35 km), Microcell(100m to 1 km), Picocell(10m to 100m)
• hexagonal shape of cells is idealized (cells overlap, shapes depend on
geography)
• if a mobile user changes cells handover of the connection to the neighbor cell
System architecture: network and switching
subsystem
network fixed partner
subsystem networks • Components
• MSC (Mobile Services Switching Center):
ISDN • IWF (Interworking Functions)
PSTN • ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network)
MSC • PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network)
• PSPDN (Packet Switched Public Data Net.)
• CSPDN (Circuit Switched Public Data Net.)
EIR
•Databases
• HLR (Home Location Register)
SS7

HLR
• VLR (Visitor Location Register)
• EIR (Equipment Identity Register)
• Protocol
VLR
• SS7 (signaling system no. 7)
ISDN
MSC
PSTN
IWF
PSPDN
CSPDN

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 Network and switching subsystem
• NSS is the main component of the public mobile network GSM
– Switching, Hand over
– mobility management ( localization )
• Components
– Mobile Services Switching Center (MSC)
• controls all connections via a separated network to/from a mobile terminal
within the domain of the MSC - several BSC can belong to a MSC
– Databases (important: scalability, high capacity, low delay)
• Home Location Register (HLR)
central master database containing user data, permanent and semi-
permanent data of all subscribers assigned to the HLR (one provider can have
several HLRs)
• Visitor Location Register (VLR)
local database for a subset of user data, including data about all user
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currently in the domain of the VLR
 Mobile Services Switching Center
• The MSC (mobile services switching center) plays a central
role in GSM
– switching functions ( b/n BSC)
– Hand over functions for mobility support
– management of network resources
– interworking functions via Gateway MSC (GMSC)
– integration of several databases.
– location registration and forwarding of location information
– provision of new services (fax, data calls)
– support of short message service (SMS)
– generation and forwarding of accounting and billing information

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 GSM: elements and interfaces

radio cell
BSS
MS MS

Um radio cell

RSS BTS MS

BTS

Abis

BSC BSC
A

MSC MSC

NSS signaling
VLR VLR
ISDN, PSTN
HLR GMSC
PDN
IWF
O

OSS
EIR AUC OMC

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 Operation subsystem
• enables centralized management and maintenance of all GSM
subsystems
• Components
– Authentication Center (AUC)
• Used to protect user identity and data transmission.
• authentication parameters and Encryption keys are generated and
stored
• May be situated in special protected part of the HLR
– Equipment Identity Register (EIR)
• registers GSM mobile stations devices
• Black list(stolen or locked ), Gray list( malfunctioning MS)
• White list (Valid devices)
– Operation and Maintenance Center (OMC)
• control and monitor radio subsystem and the network subsystem
entities via the O interface .
• Traffic monitoring , status report of the network entities
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 Localization and calling
• To always know where a user currently is , GSM
performs periodic location updates even if the MS is
not in use( as long as it is logged on to the GSM
network ).
• HLR always contains info about the current location
• VLR of the MSC informs the HLR about the location
change

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 Localization…
• To locate the MS several numbers are needed
– Mobile subscriber international ISDN number (MSISDN)
• Phone number E.g. +251917111213
– country code (CC)……… (+251) Ethiopia
– National Destination code(NDC)…. ( 917 ) Tepi
– Subscriber number (SN)………………..(111213) individual

– International mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)

• Used by the network provider
– Mobile country code (MCC)
– Mobile network code (MNC)-code of network provider
– Mobile subscriber identification number (MSIN)

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 Mobile Terminated Call(MTC)
• 1: calling a GSM subscriber HLR
4
VLR
• 2: forwarding call to GMSC 5
8 9
3 6 14 15
• 3: signal call setup to HLR
• calling 7
4, 5: request MSRN from VLR station 1
PSTN GMSC MSC
2
• 6: forward responsible
10 10 13 10
MSC to GMSC 16
• 7: forward call to BSS BSS BSS
• 11 11 11
current MSC
• 8, 9: get current status of MS 11 12
• 10, 11: paging of MS 17
MS
• 12, 13: MS answers
• 14, 15: security checks
• 16, 17: set up connection

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 Mobile Originated Call(MOC)
• 1, 2: connection request
• 3, 4: security check
• 5-8: check resources (free circuit)
• 9-10: set up call VLR

3 4
6 5
PSTN GMSC MSC
7 8
2 9
1
MS BSS
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 MTC/MOC
MS MTC BTS MS MOC BTS
paging request
channel request channel request
immediate assignment immediate assignment
paging response service request
authentication request authentication request
authentication response authentication response
ciphering command ciphering command
ciphering complete ciphering complete
setup setup
call confirmed call confirmed
assignment command assignment command
assignment complete assignment complete
alerting alerting
connect connect
connect acknowledge connect acknowledge
data/speech exchange data/speech exchange

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 GSM Roaming
• the ability for a cellular customer to automatically
make and receive voice calls, send and receive
data, or access other services when travelling
outside the geographical coverage area of the home
network, by means of using a visited network.
• Roaming Agreements between network operators
required .
– National Roaming(visited network in the same country
as the home network)
– International Roaming( visited network is outside the
home country)

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 How Roaming Works
• Subscribe for the roaming service
• roaming agreement is needed b/n operators .
• Phone support the radio frequency
– e.g. 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz
• Switch on your phone in the foreign network.
• Note that when roaming you have to pay both
for calls that you make and receive.

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 GSM coverage and network info
ETHIOPIA
• Network Information
• Operator: Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation
Also known as: ETMTN
– Currently : Ethiotelecom
• Technology: GSM
• Frequency: 900
• Launch Date: APR 1999
• Services
– Short Message Service

Source :www.mobileworldlive .com

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 Roaming Partners: ETMTN
• A Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan,
B Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bosnia Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, C Cameroon, Canada, Chad, China, Comoros, Congo, Cote D
Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, D Denmark, Djibouit E Egypt, Equatorial Guinea,
Estonia, F Finland, France, G Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea,
Guinea Bissau, H Hong Kong, Hungary, I Iceland India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel,
Italy, J Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, K Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea, Kuwait, L Latvia,
Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, M Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Mali ,Malta Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, N
Namibia, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, O Oman, P Pakistan, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Q Qatar, R Romania, Russia, Rwanda,
S Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,T Tanzania,
Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, U Uganda, Ukraine,
United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Y Yemen, Z
Zambia, Zimbabwe.
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 Hand over
• Hand off is used to provide continuity of
services while a mobile unit moves from one
cell to another.
• hand off is necessary due to the limited power
of the MS and BTS
• Reason for hand over
– > Low signal strength ( out of cell range )
– > Load balancing (too high in one cell)

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 Hand over…
• Hand off parameters (measurements)
– word error indicator( WEI)
• Demodulation error
– Received signal strength indicator (RSSI)
– Quality indicator (QI)
• Quality with respect to interference
• The handoff algorithm will be based on the
value of this parameters .(threshold value )

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 Types of handover
• In general there are 3 types of handovers for cellular
network.
– Mobile controlled hand over (MCHO)
• Mobile unit measures the parameters and make handover
decision by itself .
– Network controlled hand over (NCHO)
• Base station measures the parameters and makes the handover
decision.
– Mobile Assisted hand over (MCHO)
• Mobile unit measures the parameters and sends the values to
the network.
• Then the base station makes the hand over decision.
• Used by GSM.

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 4 types of GSM handover
1
2 3 4
MS MS MS MS

BTS BTS BTS BTS

BSC BSC BSC

1. Intracell HO
2. Intercell /Intra-BSC HO MSC MSC

3. Inter-BSC/Intra-MSC HO
4. Inter-MSC HO

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 Handover decision

receive level receive level

BTSold BTSnew

HO_MARGIN

MS MS
BTSold BTSnew

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 Handover procedure
MS BTSold BSCold MSC BSCnew BTSnew
measurement measurement
report result

HO decision
HO required HO request
resource allocation
ch. activation

HO request ack ch. activation ack

HO command HO command
HO command
HO access
Link establishment

HO complete HO complete
clear command clear command

clear complete clear complete

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GSM Evolution review

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High-speed circuit-switched data (HSCSD)

• is an enhancement to the original data

transmission mechanism of the GSM system,
• four times faster than GSM, up to 38.4 kbit/s.
• circuit-switched mode.
• Higher speeds are achieved as a result of
superior coding methods, and the ability to
use multiple time slots to increase data
throughput.

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High Speed Circuit Switched Data
(HSCSD)

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 General Packet Radio Service
(GPRS)
• 2.5G
• is a packet oriented mobile data service.
• usage charging is based on volume of data.
• Use packet switching method.
• provides data rates of 56-114 kbps
• GPRS extends the GSM Packet circuit switched data
capabilities and makes the following services possible:
– "Always on" internet access
– Multimedia messaging service (MMS)
– Push to talk over cellular (PoC/PTT)
– Instant messaging (IM)

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Global Packet Radio Service
(GPRS)

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 Evolution of GSM…
• EDGE (Enhanced Data rate for GSM Evolution)
– 2.5 G , also known as Enhanced GPRS (EGPRS)
– new modulation scheme, GMSK(Gaussian minimum-shift keying) &
8PSK ( 8 phase shift keying)
– 384 kbps is the maximum data rate
– designed for service providers that may or may not migrate to UMTS

• UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems)

– 3G
– 144kbps for vehicular access
– 384 kbps for wide-area coverage (pedestrian)
– 2 Mbps for local coverage (stationary)
– WCDMA (wideband CDMA)
– Adopted by Europe and Japan

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 Evolution of GSM…
• CDMA2000 1X
– 3G
– use CDMA channel access, to send voice, data, and
signaling data between mobile phones and cell sites.
– up to 153 kbps
• CDMA2000 1xEV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized)
– 3G
– broadband Internet access
– Uses CDMA/TDMA
– up to 3Mbps

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