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Basic GSM Network Structure

Basic GSM Network Structure

SS

AUC

PLMN
ISDN

HLR

SMSC-GMSC
SMS-IWMSC

SC

GWMSC

PSTN

MIN
DTI

EIR
MSC/VLR

BGW

BSS
SGSN
BSC/TRC

GPRS

Air I/f
OSS
MS

BTS

Mobile Station (MS)

The Mobile Station is the interface between the user and the network. The
MS consists of two independent parts:
Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card
Mobile Equipment (ME)

+
The Mobile Equipment is said to be a Mobile Station if the Subscriber Identity
Module ( SIM Card ) is added to it.

Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card

A SIM card is an electronic smart card, which stores information
about the subscription.
Thus it contains a microprocessor and a memory
The SIM stores three types of subscriber related information:
Fixed data stored before the subscription is sold: e.g. IMSI,
authentication key (Ki) and security algorithms (A3,A8).
Temporary network data: e.g. the location area of the
subscriber and forbidden PLMNs
Service data: e.g. language preference also SIMs contain
all necessary network control information,

Mobile Identification Numbers in SIM card

1.

International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)

MCC
MNC
MSIN

: Mobile Country Code

: Mobile Network Code
: Mobile Station Identification Number

Mobile Identification Numbers in SIM card

2.

Mobile Station ISDN Number (MSISDN)

CC
NDC
SN

: Country Code
: Network Destination Code
: Subscriber Number

Mobile Identification Numbers in SIM card

3.

Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity

(TMSI)

The TMSI can be allocated to the mobile subscriber in order to be used

instead of his IMSI during all radio communications. The purpose is to
keep subscriber information confidential on the air interface.

The TMSI is relevant on the local MSC/VLR level only and is changed at
certain events or time intervals.

Each local operator can define its own TMSI structure.

Mobile Identification Numbers in SIM card

4. The Mobile Station Roaming Number (MSRN)
The MSRN is allocated on a temporary basis when the MS roams into
another numbering area.
The MSRN number is used by the HLR for rerouting calls to the MS. It is
assigned upon demand by the HLR on a per-call basis.
The MSRN for PSTN/ISDN routing shall have the same structure as
international ISDN numbers in the area in which the MSRN is allocated.
At the reception of the MSRN, HLR sends it to the GMSC, which can now
route the call to the MSCNLR exchange where the called subscriber is
currently registered.

Mobile Identification Numbers in SIM card

4. The Mobile Station Roaming Number

(MSRN)

Mobile Identification Numbers in SIM card

5. International Mobile Equipment Identity

6 Digits

2 Digits

6 Digits

TAC

FAC

SN

IMEI

TAC: Type Approval Code, The first

two digits are the code for the
country approval
SN: Serial Number

(IMEI)

Final Assembly Codes (FAC)

01,02 AEG
07,40 Motorola
10,20 Nokia
40,41,44
Siemens
47
Optional International
51
Sony
51
Siemens
51
Ericsson
60
Alcatel
80
Philips
85
Panasonic

Mobile Equipment (ME)

ME features are defined as mandatory or optional
Mandatory features are:
Display of called number: Check the dialed number
before call setup.
Dual Tone Multi Frequency function (DTMF)
Support of A3, A8 and Ki
Support of A5/1 and A5/2: Provisions are made for
support of up to seven algorithms as well as the support
of no encryption. It is mandatory for A5/1 and A5/2 and
non-encrypted mode to be implemented, but other
algorithms are optional.

Mobile Equipment (ME)

Mandatory features are:
Short message indication and acknowledgment: This feature
allows delivery of short messages to a MS from a service
center.

Emergency call capabilities: It must be possible to make an

emergency call even without a valid SIM.
Optional features are:

On/Off switch: The MS can be equipped with the means of

switching its power supply on and off.

Short Message Service Cell Broadcast (SMSCB) screening

Base Station System (BSS)

BTS

BSC

MS

The Base Station System (BSS) is responsible for all the radio related functions in
the system.

Base Transceiver Station (BTS)

The primary responsibility of the BTS is to transmit and
receive radio signals from a mobile unit over an air
interface.
To perform this function completely, the signals are
encoded, encrypted, multiplexed, modulated, and then fed
to the antenna system at the cell site.
Transcoding to bring 13-Kbps speech to a standard data
rate of 16 Kbps and then combining four of these signals to
64 Kbps is essentially a part of BTS, (though, it can be
done at BSC or at MSC).
The received signal from the mobile is decoded, decrypted,
and equalized for channel impairments by the BTS.

Base Transceiver Station (BTS)

The BTS can support the voice communication be either
at a full or half rate over logical speech channel.
In order to keep the mobile synchronized, BTS transmits
frequency and time synchronization signals over
Frequency Correction Channel (FCCH) and BCCH
logical channels.
Since the GSM signals are supposed to be frequency
hopped, the control within the cell is actually exercised
such that no two subscribers hop to the same
frequency. Thus it is the responsibility of the BTS to
make sure that hopping signals are kept orthogonal
within the BSC serving area.

Base Transceiver Station (BTS)

Real Solutions

Outdoor BTS

Indoor BTS

Base Station Controller (BSC)

The BSC is the central node within a BSS and coordinates the actions of Base Stations.
The BSC controls a major part of the radio network
BTS configuration: This involves the allocation of
frequencies to channel combinations and power
levels for each cell according to available equipment.
Cell Description Data (e.g. cell identity, BCCH
channel number, maximum and minimum output
powers in the cell).
Supervises the transmission network and the
operation of each BTS

Base Station Controller (BSC)

Handling of MS connections :
During Call Set Up
Paging:
Signaling set-up
Assignment of traffic channel

During a Call:

Dynamic power control in MS and BTS

Locating
Handover
Frequency Hopping

Base Station Controller (BSC)

TRAU Handling
In telephone network, the voice coding mode is PCM
(Pulse Code Modulation), with the rate of 64kbit/s.
But in GSM system, voice coding mode RPE-LTP or
CELP with much lower rate is adopted to save
wireless channel resource, with rate of 16kbit/s.
If a fixed telephone subscriber wants to communicate
with GSM subscriber, code speed of the voice must
be adjusted
Trans-coding Rate Adapting Unit (TRAU) is used to
accomplish this function.
Motorola TRAU

Base Station Controller (BSC)

TRAU Handling
In addition, since the rate of each channel of existing
terrestrial lines is 64kbit/s, transmission line resources
are greatly wasted if such channel serves as a 16kbit/s
channel of GSM.
To save terrestrial line resources, sub-multiplex
equipment (SMUX) is generally adopted between MSC
and BSC to combine four 16kbit/s channels in GSM
into one 64kbit/s channel for transmission.

Motorola TRAU

Base Station Controller (BSC)

Network topology between BSC and BTS

line topology
Only one BTS, for the line topology, is physically connected to the BSC.
For the network operator, the advantage of the serial approach over the star
configuration is that it saves line costs. Furthermore, the serial connection allows
for more efficient use of resources,
The disadvantage, however, is that a single link failure causes the loss of the
connection to a large number of BTSs
This kind of networking usually uses in along highways and train tracks where the
population density is very low.

Network topology between BSC and BTS

Ring topology
The use of a ring configuration provides some redundancy in which the signal
can always go in one of two directions, so that in the event of a link failure, it is
still possible to provide an alternative connection.

Network topology between BSC and BTS

Star topology
The feature of star networking is each site is
connected directly to BSC with an E1 link.
The advantage is that signal pass through
very few nodes, which means that no BTS
depends on another. So in the case of the
failure of one BTS, another BTS will not be
affected, leading to high link reliability.
Concerning its disadvantage is that this type
of networking requires large quantity of
transmission links.
This networking mode is usually applied in
densely populated urban areas to take full
advantage of easy expansion

Network topology between BSC and BTS

Tree topology
In tree networking, Signals pass
through many nodes, any abnormality
in the superior site will affect
subordinate sites, which leads to low
reliability.
BSC
This type of networking is applicable in
vast areas with relatively low
population density.
In such configuration, further
expansion is quite difficult because it
requires reconstructing of the network.

BTS2

BTS1

BIE

BTS3

BIE

BTS4
BIE
BIE

BIE

Network Switching System (NSS)

HLR

EIR

BSS

AUC

MSC/VLR

GMSC

Mobile Switching Center (MSC)

The primary node in a GSM network is the MSC. It is the node, which controls
calls both to MSs and from MSs.
The primary functions of an MSC include the following:
Switching and call routing to or from MS.
Charging.
Service provisioning.
Control of connected BSCs.
Direct access to Internet services.
Provides the gateway functionality to other networks.

Gateway Mobile Switching Center (GMSC)

Gateway functionality enables an MSC to interrogate
a HLR in order to route a mobile terminating call. It is
not used in calls from MSs to any terminal other
than another MS.
For example, if a person connected to the PSTN
wants to make a call to a GSM mobile subscriber,
then the PSTN exchange will access the GSM
network by first connecting the call to a GMSC

Home Location Register (HLR)

The HLR is a centralized network database that stores and

manages all mobile subscriptions belonging to a specific
operator.
It acts as a permanent store for a persons subscription
information until that subscription is cancelled.
The primary functions of the HLR include:
1. Stores for each mobile subscriber:

Basic subscriber categories.

Supplementary services.

Current location.

Allowed/barred services.

Authentication data.
2. Subscription database management
3. Controls the routing of mobile terminated calls and SMS.

Visitor Location Register (VLR)

The role of a VLR in a GSM network is to act as a
temporary storage location for subscription
information for MSs, which are within a particular
MSC service area.
Thus, there is one VLR for each MSC service
area. This means that the MSC does not have to
contact the HLR (which may be located in another
country) every time the subscriber uses a service
or changes its status.

The VLR is always integrated with the MSC.

Visitor Location Register (VLR)

For the duration when the MS is within one MSC service area, then the VLR
contains a complete copy of the necessary subscription details, including the
following information:
Identity numbers for the subscriber
Supplementary service information (e.g. Does the subscriber has call waiting
activated or not)
Activity of MS (e.g. idle or busy)
Current Location Area (LA) of MS

Authentication Center (AUC)

To protect GSM systems, the following security functions have been defined:
Subscriber authentication: by performing authentication, the network
ensures that no unauthorized users can access the network, including those
that are attempting to impersonate others.
Radio information ciphering: the information sent between the network and
an MS is ciphered. An MS can only decipher information intended for it.

Equipment Identification Register (EIR)

Because the subscriber and equipment are separate in GSM, it is necessary to
have a separate authentication process for the MS equipment.
The equipment identification procedure uses the identity of the equipment itself
(IMEI) to ensure that the MS terminal equipment is valid.

1. IMEI Request

4. Access/ Barring Data

EIR

2. IMEI

3. IMEI Check
MSC / VLR

Data Transmission Inter-working (DTI)

It performs data handling functions such as data rate conversion and provides
the functions necessary for data inter-working between GSM networks and
other networks, including:
Data Traffic between mobiles
Data Traffic to/from ISDN
Data Traffic to/from PDNs
Data Traffic to/from PSTN

Message Center (MC)

An MC may be added to a GSM network to provide one or more of the following

messaging services:
Voice mail
Fax mail
Short Message Service (SMS) text messages
SMS Cell Broadcast (SMSCB) text messages

Operation & Support Subsystem (OSS)

The operation and Maintenance center (OMC) is connected to all equipment in
the SS (the GMSC, MSCs, HLR, VLR, AUC, EIR and the BSCs).
It can be viewed as a computerized monitoring center were staff can monitor and
control the network remotely
In the GSM network, the implementation of the OMC is called the operation and
support system (OSS).
OSS is the functional entity from which the network operator can monitor and
control the entire mobile network.
Other functions provided by the OSS include provision of network maintenance
support as well as customer support.

Basic GSM Network Structure

SS

AUC

PLMN
ISDN

HLR

SMSC-GMSC
SMS-IWMSC

SC

GWMSC

PSTN

MIN
DTI

EIR
MSC/VLR

BGW

BSS
SGSN
BSC/TRC

GPRS

Air I/f
OSS
MS

BTS

GSM interfaces
1. Um interface (Air interface):
Um interface is defined as the communication interface between MS and
BTS, and is used for the interworking between MS and the fixed part of
the GSM system.
The physical link is a radio link.
The information transferred on this interface includes the information of
radio resource management, mobility management, connection
management, etc.

GSM interfaces
2. Abis interface:
Abis interface defines the standard of communication between BSC and
BTS in BSS, and is used in remote interconnection mode.
This interface supports all MS-oriented services, and supports the control
of BTS radio equipment and the allocation of radio frequencies.

GSM interfaces
3. A interface:
A interface is the standard interface between BSS and MSC.
The information transferred on this interface includes MS management,
BTS management, mobility management, connection management, etc.