Introduction to GSM

Objectives

At the end of the module the student is able to:

Name the key terms in mobile communications
List the main improvements from 1G to 2G mobile
communications systems
Identify five events in the GSM evolution and
connect each with the correct year

NOKIA

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004

First Steps in Wireless

Communications
Radio Transmission

1873 J.C. Maxwell - Electromagnetic theory

1895 G. Marconi - First radio transmission

1901 First transatlantic transmission

1906 R. Fesseden - First transmission of human voice

1909 First Broadcast Transmission

1946 First car phone service

NOKIA

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004

Transmission
Duplex

Simplex

on
ew

NOKIA

two-way
ay

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004

Single Cell System

Basestation
Downlink (DL)

Uplink
(UL)

cell = supply area

NOKIA

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004

Cellular System
Orange

Coverage

Nimes

Carpentras

Arles

NOKIA

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004

Cavaillon

Salon-de-Provence

Avignon

Aix-en-Provence

Handover
Mobile phone is active,
e.g. a call takes place

Service continuation
without interruption

NOKIA

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004

Location Areas and Paging

Location Area 3

Location Area 1

no Location Update
Location Update
7

NOKIA

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004

Location Area 2

Location Area
=
registration
area of one
subscriber

Roaming
Example:
GSM subscriber
from Spain

Roaming
=
ability to use
different
operators
infrastructure

can use GSM network

in Australia, given
roaming agreement
between home operat
and visited operator
8

NOKIA

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004

GSM Radio Interface

Organisation:
FDD and FDMA
UPLINK
890 MHz
GSM1800: 1710 MHz
GSM900:

123
Channel 1
1

915 MHz
1785 MHz

...

DOWNLINK
935 MHz
1805 MHz
123

200 kHz
124
374
Duplex frequency 45 MHz / 95 MHz

NOKIA

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004

960 MHz
1880 MHz

...
guard band

tim

GSM Radio Interface

Organisation:
TDMA
2

Physcial channel,

e.g. allocated to one

subscriber with FR voice &
no frequency hopping

2
0
6

2
0
10

NOKIA

TDMA frame
= 8 timeslots

TDMA frame

200 kHz

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004

frequency

GSM PLMN Organisation

MS

Network Switching
Subsystem
Switching
Mobility
Management
Connection
Management
Charging

Air

BSS

NSS

O&M
Base Station
Subsystem
Radio Resource
Management
Radio Link
Management
11

NOKIA

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004

NMS
Network Management
System
Fault Management
Configuration
Management
Performance

GSM Technical Specifications

01 General Description of a GSM
PLMN
02 Services
03 Network Functions
04 MS - BSS Interface
05 Radio Path
06 Speech Processing Functions
07 Terminal Adaptation Functions
08 BSS - MSC Interface
09 Network Inter Working
[10 Service Inter Working]
11 Type Approval Procedures
12 Operation and Maintenance
[..] removed
12

NOKIA

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004

Global System for Mobile

Communications

13

NOKIA

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004

Advantages of GSM
GSM uses radio frequencies efficiently, and, due to the
digital radio path, the system tolerates more inter cell
disturbances.
The average quality of speech achieved is better than in
existing analogue systems.
Data transmission is supported throughout the system.
Speech is encrypted and subscriber information security is
guaranteed.
Due to ISDN compatibility, new services are offered
compared to the analogue systems.
International roaming is technically possible within all the
countries concerned.
The large market toughens the competition and lowers the
prices both for investments and usage.
14

NOKIA

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004

GSM Networks Worldwide (Sept.

2002)
Arab States
Asia Pacific

460
networks

Africa
East Central Asia

number of
networks (per
licence area)

Europe
India
North America
South America
Russia
0

50

100

150

Source: GSM Association

21

NOKIA

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004

GSM Subscribers Worldwide

(Sept. 2002)
Area
Arabic States
Asia Pacific
Africa
East Central Asia

Europe
India

Number of
Subscriber
s (in Mio.)

21.5
284.7
22.7
5.3
371.6
8.5

North America

16.5

South America

4.6

Russia

747.5 Million
GSM
subscribers

1080 Million
mobile
subscribers

12.1

Source: GSM Association

22

NOKIA

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004

SMS Growth Worldwide

30

Billion

25
20
15
10
5
0
Jan 00

Jul 00

Jan 00

Jul 01

Jan 02

Jul 02

Source: GSM Association

24

NOKIA

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004

Review Questions to
Introduction to GSM

25

NOKIA

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004

Review
1. Name advantages of cellular systems to single
cell systems.

The supply area of a single cell system is limited. A

cellular system
can offer mobile services to region or even national
wide.
Handover procedures offer service continuation for
a moving subscriber.
The cell size can be adjusted (e.g. in GSM900, the
cell radius is ranging from 0.5 to 35 km). By
decreasing the cell radius, thus increasing the
numbers of cells in one geographical area, the
available radio interface capacity can be increased.

26

NOKIA

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004

Review
2. Explain the difference between handover and
location update procedure.
A handover takes place during a call, when the
mobile phone is
moved from one cell to the next. It is required for
service continuation. (the mobile phone is in the socalled dedicated mode.
A location update takes place, when the mobile
phone is moved into a new cell, which belongs to a
new administrative area called location area. A
location update only takes place, when the mobile
phone is in the so-called idle mode, i.e. no call
takes place.

27

NOKIA

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004

Review
3. Which of the following is a requirement for the
GSM specifications?
a) The system must be compatible with existing mobile
standards.
b) The system must be standardised globally.
c) The system must be built without causing any major
changes in the existing Public Switched Telephone
Networks (PSTN).
d) All of the above.

28

NOKIA

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004

Review
4. Which two statements in the following are generally
seen as advantages of GSM over analogue networks?

a) Data transmission is supported in the whole GSM

network.
b) It is only possible to use an analogue mobile telephone in
the own network.
c) GSM mobile stations can be used in other digital mobile
networks, for instance in NMT and TACS networks.
d) GSM is a more secure system than analogue systems with
respect to subscriber information and transmission.

29

NOKIA

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004

Review
5. Match the year in the left-hand column with the
corresponding significant GSM event in the middle
column.
Year
Event
Correct year

30

1982

Allocation of GSM frequencies

1982

2000

Experimental test in Paris

1986

1995

Frequency allocation for GSM 1800

1992

1989

First official GSM call in the world

1991

1991

Initiation of a new system

1995

1987

ETSI begins the specification work for UMTS

1999

1992

Final recommendations Phase 1

1989

1999

Phase 2 recommendations frozen

1994

1986

Total GSM subscribers exceeds 300 million

2000

NOKIA

6-66680 v.3 / 21.10.2004