Global System for

Mobile Communication

-Adityaa Anand
 What is GSM?
• GSM is a standard developed by ETSI to describe
protocols for 2G digital cellular network.

• It is a digital cellular technology used for transmitting

mobile Voice and Data services.

• GSM makes use of TDMA technique for transmitting

signals.
 Why GSM?
• The following features of GSM account for its popularity and wide
acceptance-

1. Improved spectrum and efficiency.

2. International roaming.

3. Low cost Mobile sets and Base Stations.

4. High Quality Speech.

5. Compatibility with ISDN and other telephone company services.

6. Support for new services.

 Network Structure
• The network is structured into several discrete sections:

1. Mobile Station (MS)- the physical equipment

2. Base Station Subsystem (BSS)- the base station and their

controllers.

3. Network Switching Subsystem (NSS)- the part of the

network and most similar to a fixed network, sometimes
called the core network.

4. Operation Support Subsystem(OSS)- set of programs to

monitor, control, analyse and manage the network.
 Base
MS
Network
Station Switching
Subsystem Subsystem

BSS NSS
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
* 0 #

R
PSTN
ISDN
 Mobile Station
• It comprises of all user equipment and software needed
for communication to the mobile network.

• In GSM, a MS consists of four main components-

1. Mobile Termination

2. Terminal Equipment

3. Terminal Adapter

4. Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)

Base Station Subsystem
• It is the section that is responsible for handling traffic and
signalling between MS and NSS.

• BSS is composed of two parts-

1. Base Transceiver Station (BTS)

2. Base Station Controller (BSC)

• BTS and BSC communicate across the specified Abis

interface, enabling operations between components that
are made by different suppliers.
Base Transceiver Station
• The BTS houses radio transceivers that define a cell and handles the
radio link protocols with the MS.

• It also includes the following functions-

A. Encoding, encrypting, multiplexing, modulating, and feeding the RF

signals to the antenna.

B. Transcoding and rate adaptation.

C. Time and Frequency Synchronising.

D. Decoding, decrypting, and equalising received signals.

E. Random access detection.

Base Station Controller
• The BSC manages the radio resource for one or more BTS.

• It handles radio channel setup, frequency hopping, and handovers.

• Its functions include-

A. Control of frequency hopping

B. Performing traffic concentration to reduce the number of lines from MSC.

C. Providing an interface to the operations and maintenance center for BSS.

D. Reallocation of frequencies among BTSs.

E. Time and Frequency synchronisation.

F. Power Management.

G. Time-delay measurements of received signals from MS.

 Base
MS
Network
Station Switching
Subsystem Subsystem

BTS BSC NSS

1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
* 0 #

R
PSTN
ISDN
 Network Switching
Subsystem
• It performs switching of calls between the mobile and other fixed or mobile
network users, as well as management of mobile services like authentication.

• The switching subsystem consists of the following functional elements-

1. Mobile Switching Center (MSC)

2. Home Location Register (HLR)

3. Visitor Location Register (VLR)

4. Authentication Center (AuC)

5. Equipment Identity Register (EIR)

6. Gateway MSC (GMSC)

Mobile Switching Center
• It performs switching of calls between the mobile and other fixed or mobile network users, as well as the
management of mobile services.

• Its functions include-

A. Registration

B. Authentication

C. Location Updating

D. Handovers

E. Call Routing to a roaming subscriber

F. Toll Ticketing

G. Network interfacing

H. Common channel signalling

And others
Home Location Register
• HLR is a database used for storage and management of subscriptions.

• It stores the following information-

A. IMSI

B. MSISDN

C. Supplementary Services

D. Subscriber Status

E. Authentication Key

F. Subscription Details
Visitor Location Register
• VLR contains temporary information about subscriber needed by MSC in
order to service a visiting subscriber.

• VLR is always integrated with MSC.

• Whenever a MS roams into a new MSC area the VLR requests data
about the mobile station from the HLR.

• Functions-

A. Stores TMSI.

B. Stores LAI.

C. Stores MSRN.
 Authentication Center

• It is a protected database that stores a copy the secret

key stored in each subscribers’ SIM card, which is used
for authentication and ciphering of the radio channel.
Equipment Identity Register

• It is database that contains a list of all valid mobile

equipment on the network, where its IMEI identifies each
MS.

• An IMEI is marked invalid if it has been reported stolen or

is not type approved.
 Gateway MSC

• It is a special kind of MSC that is used to route call

outside the mobile network.

• Whenever a call is routed to or from outside network, the

call is routed through GMSC.
 Base
MS
Network
Station Switching
Subsystem Subsystem

EIR AuC

MSC
BTS BSC
HLR VLR
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9 GMSC
* 0 #

PSTN
ISDN
 General Packet Radio
Service

• GPRS is a packet-based wireless communication service

that promises data rates from 56 up to 114 Kbps and
continuous connection to the Internet for mobile phone
and computer users.

• GPRS is based on GSM communication and complements

existing services such circuit-switched cellular phone
connections and the Short Message Service (SMS).
 Packet Control Unit

•The packet control unit (PCU) is a late addition to the GSM

standard. It performs some of the processing tasks of the
BSC, but for packet data.

•The allocation of channels between voice and data is

controlled by the base station, but once a channel is
allocated to the PCU, the PCU takes full control over that
channel.
Serving GPRS Support Node

• The SGSN is the main part of the GPRS network, which

handles all packet switched data within a network, e.g.
the mobility management and authentication of users.

• The SGSN performs same functions as MSC for voice

traffic.

• SGSN and MSC are often co-located.

Gateway GPRS Support Node

• GGSN is responsible for the inter networking between

GPRS network and the external packet switched network,
like internet and X.25 network.

• From external networks’ viewpoint, the GGSN is a router

to a sub network, because the GGSN ‘hides’ the GPRS
infrastructure from external networks.
 GPRS Network
PSTN/
Voice
Network

MSC HLR

Data Network
BTS BSC PCU SGSN GGSN (PDN)
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
* 0 #
Key Performance Indicator
1. Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR)

2. Dropped Call Rate

3. Handover Success Rate

4. Minutes per Drop

5. TCH Raw Blocking

6. SDCCH Blocking

• KPI for Packet Switched Traffic-

1. Throughput in UL/DL.

2. Temporary Block Flow (TBF) Success Rate

 CALL FLOW in GSM
MS BSS MSC/VLR PSTN

RIL3 RR Channel Assignment

RIL3 RR Immediate Assignment

DTAP-MM CM SERVICE REQUEST

DTAP-CC SETUP
DTAP-CC CALL PROCEEDING
BSSMAP ASSIGNMENT
RIL3 RR ASSIGNMENT
COMMAND
RIL3 RR ASSIGNMENT
COMPLETE
BSSMAP ASSIGNMENT
COMPLETE
NETWORK SETUP MESSAGE

NETWORK ALERTING

DTAP-CC ALERTING
CONNECT (if answered)
DTAP-CC CONNECT

DTAP-CC CONNECT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

 BSC Architecture
• BCSU- BSC Signalling Unit including
Packet Control Unit

• CLS- Clock and Synchronisation Unit

GSWB
2N
C
L
S
BCSU
N+1

• ET- Exchange Terminal

MCMU
2N
OMU

• GSWB- Bit Group Switch

BCSU
N+1

• MCMU- Marker and Cellular BCSU

N+1
Management Unit including IP switch

ET ET

• OMU- Operation and Maintenance

Unit including System Disk and
Magneto-Optical Drive
 Base Station Controller
Signalling Unit
• The BCSU is a part of decentralised control system in the
DX 200 system.

• BCSU handles the BSC functions that are highly

dependent on the amount of traffic and signalling
network.

• It is installed with MC1C cartridge where the

microcomputer of the BCSU is. It is composed of CPU
plug unit and various other plug-in units.
• It consists of two parts to handle both A and Abis interfaces.

• Functions of A part of BCSU-

A. Controlling Mobile and Base Station Signalling.

B. Performing all message handling and processing functions of the signalling channels
connected to it.

• The Abis interface channels associated with transceivers (TRX) and Abis signalling channels.

• Hardware of BCSU consists of the following components-

1. A microcomputer.

2. An SS7 interface.

3. A LAPD interface.

4. A LAPD interface for control of ET.

5. Packet Control Unit

 Marker and Cellular
Management Unit
• MARKER PART-

• The marker part of the MCMU controls the 8 kbit/s Group Switch
(GSWB) and performs connecting and releasing of circuits.

• The switch control interface writes the required connection to

the switch control memory and reads the contents of the control
memory.

• The control interface also performs the tests defined by the

microcomputer in the switching network and generates the
required timing signals. The marker part exchange message with
the other control computers via message bus.
• CELLULAR MANAGEMENT PART-

• The cellular management part of functionality of the

MCMU has the centralised responsibility of the cells and
radio channels under the control of BSC.

• It seizes and keeps a track of the radio resources

requested by the interface and handover applications and
manages the configuration of cellular network.
Bit based Group Switch

• The GSW conveys to the traffic passing through the DX

200 Base Station Controller.

• The GSW establishes the needed connections to the

signalling unit, the internal data transmission channels
and the SMUX of BSC.
 Clock and Synchronisation
Unit
• This level is synchronised with the signal coming from upper level
of the synchronisation hierarchy of the network(the MSC).

• Normally, the synchronisation signal is extracted from the PCM

circuit signal coming to the network elements. The
Synchronisation unit generates the basic timing signals for units in
its own rack needing clock signals. The Clock and Tone Generator
(CLxTG) acts as the synchronisation unit in the exchange.

• In application containing a expansion rack, signals are taken from

the synchronisation unit to the rack-specific Clock and alarm
Buffer (CLAB) . The CLAB uses the timing signals to generate he
cartridge-specific basic timing signals for the units in its own rack.
Operation and Maintenance
Unit
• The OMU is installed in the MC1C cartridge where the
microcomputer of the OMU is.

• The tasks of OMU are divided into four groups-

1. Traffic Control Functions

2. Maintenance

3. System Configuration Administration

4. System Management
1. Traffic Control Functions include-

A. Routing administration

B. Routing State Administration

C. Traffic Administration

2. The maintenance includes the maintenance of the exchange, subscriber,

network and trunk circuits. These include the following functions-

A. Supervision

B. Alarm Output

C. Recovery

D. Diagnostics
3. The System Configuration Administration takes place by means of MML programs used
to manage,

A. Exchange expansion

B. Introduction of new features in the exchange and network.

4. The system management includes the functions closely related to the operating system
of the microcomputer in the OMU which serve other operation and maintenance function.

A. Input and Output System

B. Input and Output function Management

C. MMI system

D. Data Communications

E. File Management

F. System Support Functions

 Exchange Terminal
• The ET plug in unit is used as PCM trunk circuit interface
for a network element based on DX 200 system.

• The ET can be connected to no more than 2 PCM trunk

circuits.

• In the exchange, the ET is also connected to the GSW

and via this to the computer unit supervising the
exchange terminal, to the Clock Equipment (CLS), to the
Hardware Alarm Collection Unit (HWAL) and to power
supply.
Questions?