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The GSM technical specifications define the different entities that form the GSM network by
defining their functions and interface requirements.
Mobile Station
o `fixed' terminals mainly installed in cars. Their maximum allowed output power is
20W
o handheld terminals; their popularity is owed to their weight and volume, which is
continuously decreasing. According to some specification these terminals may
emit up to 0.8W. However, as technology has evolved their maximum allowed
power ouput is limited to 0.1W.
The BSS provides the interface between the ME and the NSS. It is in charge of the transmission
and reception. It may be divided into two parts:
Base Station Controller (BSC): It controls a group of BTSs and manages their radio
ressources. A BSC is principally in charge of handoffs, frequency hopping, exchange
functions and power control over each managed BTSs.
Base Transceiver Station (BTS) or Base Station: it maps to transceivers and antennas
used in each cell of the network. It is usually placed in the center of a cell. Its
transmitting power defines the size of a cell. Each BTS has between 1-16 transceivers
depending on the density of users in the cell.
NSS
Its main role is to manage the communications between the mobile users and other users, such as
mobile users, ISDN users, fixed telephony users, etc. It also includes data bases needed in order
to store information about the subscribers and to manage their mobility. The different
components of the NSS are described below.
MSC: the central component of the NSS. The MSC performs the switching functions of
the network. It also provides connection to other networks.
GMSC: A gateway that interconnects two networks: the cellular network and the
PSTN. It is in charge of routing calls from the fixed network towards a GSM user. The
GMSC is often implemented in the same machines as the MSC.
HLR: The HLR stores information of the suscribers belonging to the coverage area of a
MSC; it also stores the current location of these subscribers and the services to which
they have access. The location of the subscriber maps to the SS7 address of the Visitor
Location Register (VLR) associated to the MN.
VLR: contains information from a subscriber's HLR necessary to provide the subscribed
services to visiting users. When a subscriber enters the covering area of a new MSC, the
VLR associated to this MSC will request information about the new subscriber to its
corresponding HLR. The VLR will then have enough data to assure the subscribed
services without needing to ask the HLR each time a communication is established. The
VLR is always implemented together with a MSC; thus, the area under control of the
MSC is also the area under control of the VLR.
Equipment Identity Register (EIR): EIR stores security-sensitive information about the
mobile equipments. It maintains a list of all valid terminals as identified by their
International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI). The EIR allows then to forbid calls
from stolen or unauthorized terminals (e.g, a terminal which does not respect the
specifications concerning the output RF power).
It is connected to components of the NSS and the BSC, in order to control and monitor the
GSM system. It is also in charge of controlling the traffic load of the BSS. It must be noted that
as the number of BS increases with the scaling of the subscriber population some of the
maintenance tasks are transferred to the BTS, allowing savings in the cost of ownership of the
system.
Geographical areas
A cell, as identified by its Cell Global Identity (CGI) number, maps to the radio coverage of a
BTS. Similarly an LA as identified by its Location Area Identity (LAI) number , is a cluster of
cells served by a single MSC/VLR. A group of LA under the control of the same MSC/VLR
defines the MSC/VLR area. A Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) is the area served by one
network operator.
Network operations
In this paragraph, the description of the GSM network is focused on the differents functions to
fulfil by the network and not on its physical components. In GSM, five main functions can be
defined:
Transmission: of data and signaling. Not all the components of the GSM network are
strongly related with both types of types of Tx. While the MSC, BTS and BSC, among
others, are involved with data and signaling, components such as HLR, VLR or EIR
registers, are only concerned with signaling.
The role of the RR function is to establish, maintain and release communication links between
mobile stations and the MSC. The elements that are mainly concerned with the RR function are
the MN and the BTS. However, since the RR component performs connection management also
during cell handoffs, it also affects the MSC which is the handoff management component.
The RR is also responsible for the management of frequency resources as well as varying radio
interface conditions. Main component operations are:
Handoff
Frequency hopping.
Power-level control.
Handoff
The user movements may result a change in the channel/cell, when the quality of the
communication is degrading; this is known as handoff. Handoffs occur between:
between cells under the same MSC but controlled by different BSCs
Handoffs are mainly controlled by the MSC. However to avoid unnecessary signalling, the first
two types of handoffs are managed by the respective BSC (thus, the MSC is only notified of the
handoff).
To perform the handoff the mobile station controls continuously its own signal strengh and the
signal strengh of the neighboring cells. The list of cells that must be monitored by the mobile
station is given by the base station. Power measurements allow to decide which is the best cell in
order to maintain the quality of the communication link. Two basic algorithms are used for
handoffs:
The `minimum acceptable performance' algorithm. When the quality of the transmission
degrades, the power level of the mobile is increased, until the increase of the power level
has no effect on the quality of the signal. Upon this link layer hint, a handoff is initiated.
The `power budget' algorithm. Here the handoff pre-empts the power increase, to obtain a
good SIR.
Mobility Management (MM)
Call control (CC): it controls call setup, management and tear-down in relation to
management of type of service. Call routing is the primary task for this component. To
reach a mobile subscriber, a user dials the Mobile Subscriber ISDN (MSISDN) number
which includes:
o a country code
o The call is then passsed to the GMSC (if the call is originated from a fixed
network) that 'knows' the HLR corresponding to the particular MSISDN number.
The GMSC signals the HLR for call routing information. The HLR requests this
information from the subscriber's current VLR. This VLR allocates temporarily
a Mobile Station Roaming Number (MSRN) for the call. The MSRN number is
the information returned by the HLR to the GMSC. It is latter that routes the call
through the MSRN number, to the subscriber's current MSC/VLR. In the
subscriber's current LA, the mobile is paged.
SMS management: Here the GSM network contacts the Short Message Service Center
through the two following interfaces:
The OAM component allows the operator to monitor and control the system as well as modify
the configuration of the elements of the system. Not only the OSS is part of the OAM, but also
the BSS and NSS participate in functions such as:
provide the operator with all the information it needs. This information is forwarded to
the OSS to control the network.
The BTS and the BSC communicate across the specified Abis interface, enabling operations
between components that are made by different suppliers. The radio components of a BSS may
consist of four to seven or nine cells. A BSS may have one or more base stations. The BSS uses
the Abis interface between the BTS and the BSC. A separate high-speed line (T1 or E1) is then
connected from the BSS to the Mobile MSC.
The Base Transceiver Station (BTS):
The BTS houses the radio transceivers that define a cell and handles the radio link protocols with
the MS. In a large urban area, a large number of BTSs may be deployed.
The BTS corresponds to the transceivers and antennas used in each cell of the network. A BTS is
usually placed in the center of a cell. Its transmitting power defines the size of a cell. Each BTS
has between 1 and 16 transceivers, depending on the density of users in the cell. Each BTS
serves a single cell. It also includes the following functions:
Timing advances
It assigns and releases frequencies and time slots for the MS. The BSC also handles intercell
handover. It controls the power transmission of the BSS and MS in its area. The function of the
BSC is to allocate the necessary time slots between the BTS and the MSC. It is a switching
device that handles the radio resources. Additional functions include:
Performing traffic concentration to reduce the number of lines from the MSC
Providing an interface to the Operations and Maintenance Center for the BSS
Power management
Security Management.
Maintenance Tasks.
The operation and Maintenance functions are based on the concepts of the Telecommunication
Management Network (TMN) which is standardized in the ITU-T series M.30.
Following is the figure which shows how OMC system covers all the GSM elements.
The OSS is the functional entity from which the network operator monitors and controls the
system. The purpose of OSS is to offer the customer cost-effective support for centralized,
regional, and local operational and maintenance activities that are required for a GSM network.
An important function of OSS is to provide a network overview and support the maintenance
activities of different operation and maintenance organizations.
The Network switching system (NSS), the main part of which is the Mobile Switching Center
(MSC), performs the switching of calls between the mobile and other fixed or mobile network
users, as well as the management of mobile services such as authentication.