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BigLEOtablesGSMoverview

GSMoverview
[Introduction|BigLEOOverview|BigLEOTables|GSMOverview|Acronyms|References|Background]

[Preface|Architecture|Interfaces|Protocols|Channels|TDMA]

Preface
ThispagediscussestheGSMmobiletelephonysystem,whichisincreasinglypopularandestablished
throughouttheworld.ThetermGSMusuallymeanstheGSMstandardandprotocolsinthefrequencyspectrum
around900MHz.ThereisalsoDCS1800GSMprotocolsbutatdifferentairfrequenciesaround1800MHz
andintheUnitedStates,wherespectrumforPersonalCommunicationServices(PCS)wasauctionedataround
1900MHz,operatorsusingtheaptlynamedGSM1900arecompetingagainstaplethoraofotherstandards.Asa
resultofthis,theoriginalandmostwidelyusedGSMfrequencyimplementationisalsobecomingknownas
GSM900,andDCS1800isalsoknownasGSM1800.However,althoughthephysicalfrequenciesuseddiffer,
theprotocolsandarchitectureremainthesame.
Thispageisnotanintroductiontothebasicsofcellulartelephony.(Thatarticlecoversanumberofstandards
popularintheUnitedStates,aswellasdescribingcellsandfrequencyreuse.)
AdetaileddescriptionoftheGSMsystemcanbefoundin[MOU92]andin[BJU95],inadditiontotheGSM
recommendations.AnindextoGSMinformationisavailable.ThisOverviewOfTheGSMSystemandProtocol
Architectureisworthreading,asisanotheroverview.
Thefollowingsectionswillbrieflydescribethefunctionalentities,theradiointerfacesignallingprotocol,the
logicalandphysicalchannelstructureandtheTDMAstructurebasedonGSM.
SomeGSMsystemparametersarelistedinthetablebelow.WikipediagivesasummaryofGSMfrequencyuse.
MultipleAccessMethod TDMA/FDMA
basestationtomobilefrequencies(MHz) 935960(basicGSM)
mobiletobasestationfrequencies(MHz) 890915(basicGSM)
Duplexing FDD
Channelspacing,kHz 200
Modulation GMSK
PortableTXpower,maximum/average(mW) 1000/125
Powercontrol,handsetandBSS Yes
Speechcodingandrate(kbps) RPELTP/13
SpeechChannelsperRFchannel: 8
Channelrate(kbps) 270.833
Channelcoding Rate1/2convolutional
Frameduration(ms) 4.615

Systemarchitecture
Figure4belowshowstheGSMsystemarchitecture,whichconsistsoftheswitchingsystem,thebasestation
systemandtheuserequipment.

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Thefunctionalentitiesarebrieflyexplainedasfollows:
MS MobileStation.TheMSisthephysicalequipmentusedbyasubscriber,mostoftenanormalhandheld
cellulartelephone.
BTS BaseTransceiverStation.TheBTScomprisestheradiotransmissionandreceptiondevices,andalso
managesthesignalprocessingrelatedtotheairinterface.
TRAU TheTranscoderRateAdaptorUnit.TheTRAU(notshownintheabovefigure)functionallybelongsto
theBTS.TheTRAUenablestheuseoflowerrates(32,16or8kbps)overtheAbisinterfaceinstead
ofthe64kbpsISDNrateforwhichtheMSCisdesigned.TheTRAUcanbelocatedattheBTS,the
BSC,or(immediatelyinfrontof)theMSC.
BSC BaseStationController.TheBSCmanagestheradiointerface,mainlythroughtheallocation,release
andhandoverofradiochannels.
BSS BaseStationSystem.TheBSSconsistsofaBSCandoneormoreBTSs.
MSC MobileSwitchingCentre.TheMSCisbasicallyanISDNswitch,coordinatingandsettingupcallsto
andfromMSs.AnInterWorkingFunction(IWF)mayberequiredtoadaptGSMspecificratestothat
usedinaparticularPSTN/PLMN.
VLR VisitorLocationRegister.TheVLRcontainsallthesubscriberdata,bothpermanentandtemporary,
whicharenecessarytocontrolaMSintheMSCscoveragearea.TheVLRiscommonlyrealisedasan
integralpartoftheMSC,ratherthanaseparateentity.
AuC AuthenticationCentre.TheAuCdatabasecontainsthesubscriberauthenticationkeysandthealgorithm
requiredtocalculatetheauthenticationparameterstobetransferredtotheHLR.
HLR HomeLocationRegister.TheHLRdatabaseisusedtostorepermanentandsemipermanentsubscriber
dataassuch,theHLRwillalwaysknowinwhichlocationareatheMSis(assumingtheMSisina
coveragearea),andthisdataisusedtolocateanMSintheeventofaMSterminatingcallsetup.
EIR EquipmentIdentityRegister.TheEIRdatabasecontainsinformationontheMSanditscapabilities.
TheIMEI(InternationalMobileSubscriberIdentity)isusedtointerrogatetheEIR.
GMSC GatewayMobileSwitchingCentre.TheGMSCisthepointtowhichaMSterminatingcallisinitially
routed,withoutanyknowledgeoftheMS'slocation.TheGMSCisthusinchargeofobtainingthe
MSRN(MobileStationRoamingNumber)fromtheHLRbasedontheMSISDN(MobileStationISDN
number,the"directorynumber"ofaMS)androutingthecalltothecorrectvisitedMSC.The"MSC"
partofthetermGMSCismisleading,sincethegatewayoperationdoesnotrequireanylinkingtoa
MSC.
SMS Thisisthetermusedby[MOU92]tocollectivelydescribethetwoShortMessageServicesGateways
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G describedintheGSMrecommendations.TheSMSGMSC(ShortMessageServiceGatewayMobile
SwitchingCentre)isformobileterminatingshortmessages,andSMSIWMSC(ShortMessageService
InterWorkingMobileSwitchingCentre)formobileoriginatingshortmessages.TheSMSGMSCrole
issimilartothatoftheGMSC,whereastheSMSIWMSCprovidesafixedaccesspointtotheShort
MessageServiceCentre.

Interfaces
ThepreviousfigurealsoshowstheGSMinterfacestheyarebrieflyexplainedbelow.
Um TheairinterfaceisusedforexchangesbetweenaMSandaBSS.LAPDm,amodifiedversionofthe
ISDNLAPD,isusedforsignalling.
Abis ThisisaBSSinternalinterfacelinkingtheBSCandaBTS,andithasnotbeenstandardised.TheAbis
interfaceallowscontroloftheradioequipmentandradiofrequencyallocationintheBTS.
A TheAinterfaceisbetweentheBSSandtheMSC.TheAinterfacemanagestheallocationofsuitable
radioresourcestotheMSsandmobilitymanagement.
B TheBinterfacebetweentheMSCandtheVLRusestheMAP/Bprotocol.MostMSCsareassociated
withaVLR,makingtheBinterface"internal".WhenevertheMSCneedsaccesstodataregardingaMS
locatedinitsarea,itinterrogatestheVLRusingtheMAP/BprotocolovertheBinterface.
C TheCinterfaceisbetweentheHLRandaGMSCoraSMSG.EachcalloriginatingoutsideofGSM(i.e.,
aMSterminatingcallfromthePSTN)hastogothroughaGatewaytoobtaintheroutinginformation
requiredtocompletethecall,andtheMAP/CprotocolovertheCinterfaceisusedforthispurpose.Also,
theMSCmayoptionallyforwardbillinginformationtotheHLRaftercallclearing.
D TheDinterfaceisbetweentheVLRandHLR,andusestheMAP/Dprotocoltoexchangethedatarelated
tothelocationoftheMSandtothemanagementofthesubscriber.
E TheEinterfaceinterconnectstwoMSCs.TheEinterfaceexchangesdatarelatedtohandoverbetweenthe
anchorandrelayMSCsusingtheMAP/Eprotocol.
F TheFinterfaceconnectstheMSCtotheEIR,andusestheMAP/Fprotocoltoverifythestatusofthe
IMEIthattheMSChasretrievedfromtheMS.
G TheGinterfaceinterconnectstwoVLRsofdifferentMSCsandusestheMAP/Gprotocoltotransfer
subscriberinformation,duringe.g.alocationupdateprocedure.
H TheHinterfaceisbetweentheMSCandtheSMSG,andusestheMAP/Hprotocoltosupportthetransfer
ofshortmessages.
I TheIinterface(notshowninFigure1)istheinterfacebetweentheMSCandtheMS.Messages
exchangedovertheIinterfacearerelayedtransparentlythroughtheBSS.

ProtocolsovertheA,ABisandUminterfaces
Figure6belowshowsthesignallingprotocolsbetweentheMSandBTS,betweentheBTSandBSC,and
betweentheBSCandtheMSC.

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TheCM,MMandRRlayerstogethercorrespondtolayerthreeintheISOOSIprotocolsuite,andlayertwois
composedofLAPDandLAPDm.Customarily,thelowerthreelayersterminateinthesamenode.Notsoin
GSM,wherethefunctionalityisspreadoverdistinctfunctionalentitieswithstandardisedinterfacesbetween
them.Forinstance,theRRpartoflayerthreeisspreadovertheMS,BTS,BSC,andMSC.
CM TheCommunicationManagement(CM)layerconsistsofsettingupcallsattheusers'request.Its
functionsaredividedinthree:Callcontrol,whichmanagesthecircuitorientedservices
Supplementaryservicesmanagement,whichallowsmodificationsandcheckingofthesupplementary
servicesconfigurationShortMessageServices,whichprovidespointtopointshortmessageservices.
MM TheMobilityManagement(MM)layerisinchargeofmaintainingthelocationdata,inadditiontothe
authenticationandcipheringprocedures.
RR TheRadioResource(RR)Managementlayerisinchargeofestablishingandmaintainingastable
uninterruptedcommunicationspathbetweentheMSCandMSoverwhichsignallinganduserdata
canbeconveyed.HandoversarepartoftheRRlayersresponsibility.Mostofthefunctionsare
controlledbytheBSC,BTS,andMS,thoughsomeareperformedbytheMSC(inparticularforinter
MSChandovers.).
RR' TheRR'layeristhepartoftheRRfunctionalitywhichismanagedbytheBTS.
LAPDm ThelayertwoprotocolisprovidedforbyLAPDmovertheairinterface.Thisprotocolisamodified
versionoftheLAPD(LinkAccessProtocolfortheISDNDchannel)protocol.Themain
modificationsareduetothetightsynchronisationrequiredinTDMAandbiterrorprotection
mechanismrequiredovertheairinterface(andinGSMhandledbylayer1),makingthe
correspondingfunctionalityoftheLAPDprotocolredundant(andthuswastefulovertheair
interface).TheLAPDframeflagsarereplacedbyalengthindicator,andtheFECfieldisremoved.
BTSM TheBaseTransceiverStationManagement(BTSM)isresponsiblefortransferringtheRRinformation
(notprovidedforintheBTSbytheRR'protocol)totheBSC.
LAPD ThisistheISDNLAPDprotocol(LinkAccessProtocolfortheISDNDchannel)providingerrorfree
transmissionbetweentheBSCandMSC.
BSSAP TheBaseStationSystemApplicationPart(BSSAP)issplitintotwoparts,theBSSMAPandthe
DTAP(notshownintheabovefigure).ThemessageexchangesarehandledbySS7.Messageswhich
arenottransparenttotheBSCarecarriedbytheBaseStationSystemManagementApplicationPart
(BSSMAP),whichsupportsalloftheproceduresbetweentheMSCandtheBSSthatrequire
interpretationandprocessingofinformationrelatedtosinglecalls,andresourcemanagement.The
messagesbetweentheMSCandMSwhicharetransparenttotheBSC(MMandCMmessages)are
cateredforbytheDirectTransferApplicationPart(DTAP).
SCCP TheSignallingConnectionControlPart(SCCP)fromSS7.
MTP TheMessageTransportPart(MTP)ofSS7.
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Logicalandphysicalchannels
GSMdistinguishesbetweenphysicalchannels(thetimeslot)andlogicalchannels(theinformationcarriedby
thephysicalchannels).Severalrecurringtimeslotsonacarrierconstituteaphysicalchannel,whichareusedby
differentlogicalchannelstotransferinformationbothuserdataandsignalling.TheGSMtrafficandassociated
controlchannelsareillustratedinFigure7below.

Commonchannels
Theforwardcommonchannelsareusedforbroadcastingbulletinboardinformation,pagingandresponse
tochannelrequests.ThereturncommonchannelisaslottedAlohatyperandomaccesschannelusedby
theMStorequestchannelresourcesbeforetiminginformationisconveyedbytheBSS,andusesaburst
withanextendedguardperiod.
Dedicatedpointtopointchannels.
Thededicatedpointtopointchannelsaredividedintotwomaingroups,thededicatedsignallingchannels
andthetrafficchannels.Thededicatedsignallingchannelsareusedtosetuptheconnection,andthe
trafficchannelofavarietyofratesisusedtoconveytheuserinformationoncethesessionisestablished.
Bothchanneltypeshaveinbandsignalling:SACCHfore.g.linkmonitoring,andFACCHfortime
criticalsignallingduringe.g.ahandover.TheFACCH"steals"theentiretrafficburstforsignalling.
TheselogicalchannelsaredefinedinGSM:
TCHf Fullratetrafficchannel.
TCHh Halfratetrafficchannel.
BCCH BroadcastNetworkinformation,e.g.fordescribingthecurrentcontrolchannelstructure.TheBCCH
isapointtomultipointchannel(BSStoMS).
SCH SynchronisationoftheMSs.
FCH MSfrequencycorrection.
AGCH AcknowledgechannelrequestsfromMSandallocateaSDCCH.
PCH MSterminatingcallannouncement.
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RACH MSaccessrequests,responsetocallannouncement,locationupdate,etc.
FACCHt FortimecriticalsignallingovertheTCH(e.g.forhandoversignalling).Trafficburstisstolenfora
fullsignallingburst.
SACCHt TCHinbandsignalling,e.g.forlinkmonitoring.
SDCCH Forsignallingexchanges,e.g.duringcallsetup,registration/locationupdates.
FACCHs FACCHfortheSDCCH.TheSDCCHburstisstolenforafullsignallingburst.Functionnotclearin
thepresentversionofGSM(couldbeusedfore.g.handoverofaneightratechannel,i.e.usinga
"SDCCHlike"channelforotherpurposesthansignalling).
SACCHs SDCCHinbandsignalling,e.g.forlinkmonitoring

TDMAstructureandthroughputs
Figure5belowshowsasimplifieddiagramoftheGSMTDMAformatandthestructureoftheNormalburst.

TheNormalbursthasathroughputaftercodingof22.8kbps,andoffersfullratevoiceatanetbitrateof13kbps
anddataatupto9.6kbps.GSMhasalsospecifiedahalfrateservicebytimemultiplexingtwousersontothe
TDMAstructure.Thisserviceoffersagrossbitrateof11.4kbps,anddataat4.8kbps.
LloydWood(L.Wood@society.surrey.ac.uk)
lastupdated24April2007

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