Network Switching Subsystem

1. Introduccin
The connection between two people ,a caller and the
called person is the basic service of all telephone
networks.
To provide this service, the network must be able to
set up and maintain a call.

2. Interfaces of GSM
The GSM specifications define two Interfaces:
Air interface:
Is the interface between the Mobile Station (MS)
and the Base Station(BS).
A interface
is located between the Mobile services Switching
Centre( MSC) and the Base Station Controller (BSC)

In a GSM network, is implemented by dividing the whole

network into three separate subsystems:
Network Switching Subsystem (NSS)
Base Station Subsystem (BSS)
Network Management Subsystem (NMS)

Fig.1 : The three subsystems of GSM

and their interfaces

 The network needed for establishing calls is

composed of the NSS and the BSS.
The BSS is responsible for radio path control and
every call is connected through the BSS. The NSS takes
care of call control functions. Calls are always
connected by and through the NSS.

Network Switching Subsystem (NSS)

The Network Switching Subsystem (NSS) contains the
network elements MS.C,VLR, HLR, AC and EIR

Fig.2 : The Network

Switching Subsystem (NSS)

The main functions of NSS are:

Call control
This identifies the subscriber, establishes a call, and
clears the connection after the conversation is over.
Charging
This collects the charging information about a call (the
numbers of the caller and the called subscriber, the time
and type of the transaction, etc.) and transfers it to the
Billing Centre.

Mobility management
This maintains information
subscriber's location.

about

the

Signalling
This applies to interfaces with the BSS and PSTN.
Subscriber data handling
This is the permanent data storage in the HLR
and temporary storage of relevant data in the
VLR.

Mobile services Switching Centre (MSC)

The MSC is responsible for controlling calls in the
mobile network.
It identifies the origin and destination of a call (mobile
station or fixed telephone), as well as the type of a
call.
Initiation of paging
Paging is the process of locating a particular mobile
station in case of a mobile terminated call (a call to a
mobile station)

Visitor Location Register (VLR)

Visitor Location Register (VLR) is integrated with the
MSC.
VLR is a temporary database
information about subscribers.

which

contains

Home Location Register (HLR)

HLR maintains a permanent register of the subscribers.
Identification numbers of the subscribers
Security information for authentication of the SIM card
Services that the subscriber can use

Nokia ha a new technology for HLR (NT HLR) It is based

on the concept of separating application logic and
application data.

Authentication Centre (AC)

The Authentication Centre provides security information
to the network.

Equipment Identity Register (EIR)

The Equipment Identity Register is used for security
reasons.
the EIR is responsible for IMEI checking (checking the
validity of the mobile equipment).

In our case we have the following equipments:

1.MSC (Mobile Switching center)
2.HLR (Home Location Register)
3.MGW
4.ONE-NDS
5.MNP
6.CDS

Multimedia Gateway
Is used for transmitting and converting the user plane
traffic in both bearer independent circuit-switched core
networks.
The main function of MGW is to provide the link
between different networks by acting as a gateway for
both media (user data) and signaling (control data).

ONE-NDS
Is a subscriber data management solution that unifies
subscriber data by storing it in a single centralized repository
and enables applications to share the data for a common.
One-NDS has identical functionality and components for all
possible applications, including different types of application
servers such as Home Location Register (HLR), Home
Subscriber Server (HSS), Authentication, Authorization, and
Accounting (AAA), Equipment Identity Register (EIR), Mobile
Number Portability (MNP) server, and others.

Circuit Switched Data Server (CDS)

The CDS is a data server providing the Interworking
Functionality necessary for a circuit switched data call
interworking between a PLMN and the fixed networks
(Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), Public
Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)).

MOBILE NETWORK PORTABILITY (MNP)

Mobile Number Portability is the process by which, you
can shift to another operator of your choice, but keep
your old number.

The IMSI is not ported, therefore, the recipient network

of the porting process issues anew IMSI for the ported
subscriber

Base Station Subsystem (BSS)

The Base Station Subsystem is responsible for
managing the radio network, and it is controlled by
an MSC.
Typically, one MSC contains several BSSs.

Base Station Controller (BSC)

The BSC is the central network element of the BSS
and it controls the radio network.
Connection establishment between the MS and the
NSS ,all calls to and from the MS are connected
through the group switch of the BSC.
The BSC is responsible for initiating the majority of all
handovers, its depends about the information of sent
by the MS during a call.