GSM Signaling System

ZTE University

Objectives

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

Know GSM system signaling model

State various types of GSM protocol messages
Understand GSM system basic signaling procedure

Content

GSM System Signaling Model

GSM protocol message

Basic Signaling Procedure

GSM System Signaling Model

GSM Interface
Um

Abis

GGSN

SGSN
BTS

HLR/AUC

BTS

Qx

Gb

EIR

SMC

OMC
BTS
NSMU

FSMU TRAU

BSC
BTS

Ater

MSC/VLR/GMSC

PSTN/PLMN/
PSPDN/ISDN

GSM System Signaling Model

GSM System Signaling Model

GSM system signaling model adopts the lowest three

layer of OSI seven layer protocol model, from low to
high:

Application layer
Link layer/Network layer
Physical layer

GSM System Signaling Model

Physical Layer

The physical layer provides error protection transmission. It defines

the electric parameters of transmission.

In ZTE-GSM digital mobile communication systems, The physical

layer of Um interface between MS and BTS is Radio link. Abis
interface physical layer adopts 75-ohm coaxial cable or 120-ohm
symmetrical twisted pair whose rate is 2Mbit/s.

GSM System Signaling Model

Data Link Layer

The data link layer major functions: frame transmission errorfree transmission and realize end-to-end bits transfer between
two connective entities. Open maintenance and close the
connection of two connective entities.

The link layer protocol used by the GSM system at the radio
interface is the LAPDm protocol (Dm channel link access
procedure). The data link layer of Abis interface between BTS
and BSC is LAPD (D channel link access procedure).

GSM System Signaling Model

Application Layer

ApplicationLayer

CC

CM

MM

SS

SMS

RR

GSM System Signaling Model

Application Layer

Radio Resources (RR) management handles the

establishment, maintenance and release of physical
channels. Its major functions are performed by BSC. Part
of functions are performed by BTS.
Mobility Management (MM) deals with the mobile stations
register and the identify of the mobile subscriber, The
function are performed by MSC.
The CM Layer is composed of three functional entities:
Call Control (CC), deals with the functions to establish
maintenance and release the call Short Message
Service support (SMS) and Supplementary Service
support (SS).

GSM System Signaling Model

GSM protocol
Public Switched
Telephone Network
(PSTN)

Mobile
Switching
Centre
(MSC)

MAP/TCAP + ISUP/TUP

))
Mobile
Switching
Centre
(MSC)

DTAP + BSSMAP

A interface

Base
Station
Controller
(BSC)

BTSM

A-bis interface

MAP/TCAP

Authentication
Centre
(AUC)

Home
Location
Register
(HLR)

Visitor
Location
Register
(VLR)

Equipment
ID
Register
(EIR)
To other VLR

MAP/TCAP

MAP/TCAP

ISUP/TUP

Base
Transceiver
Station
(BTS)

))

GSM System Signaling Model

GSM Protocol Architecture

MS

BSC

BTS

CM

(CM)

(CM)

(CM)

MSC

DTAP
CM

MM

(MM)

(MM)

(RR)

(RR)

RR

(MM)

RR
RR'

BTSM

BTSM

Sig. layer 2
(LAPDm)

Sig. layer 2
(LAPDm)

Sig. layer 2
(LAPD)

Sig. layer 2
(LAPD)

Layer 1 (air)

Layer 1 (air) Sig. layer 1

Sig. layer 1

Um Interface

Abis Interface

DTAP Direct Transfer Application Part

BSSMAP BSS Management Application Part
CM Call Management
MM Mobile Management
RR Radio Resource Management
BTSM BTS Management

(CM+MM)

BSSMAP

MM

BSSMAP

I
S
MAP U
TCAP P

SCCP

SCCP

SCCP

MTP

MTP

MTP

A Interface

SCCP Signalling Connection Control Part

MAP Mobile Application Part
TCAP Transaction Capability Application Part
ISUP ISDN User Part
MTP Message Transfer Part

Inter-MSC
Interface

Content

GSM System Signaling Model

GSM protocol message

Basic Signaling Procedure

GSM protocol message

Um interface protocol stack

Um interface
CM
MM
RR

RR

LAPDm

LAPDm

Layer1

Layer1

MS

BTS

GSM protocol message

LAPDm frame format

The address field contains the service

access point identifier (SAPI).

SAPI = 0 represents the signaling link

SAPI = 3 represents the short message link

In the control field,

N (S) represents the sending serial number

N (R) represents the receiving serial number
Address

SAPI

Control

N(S)

Information

N(R)

GSM protocol message

Operation mode

Acknowledged mode: Requires the confirmation

from the receiver. This mode provides a whole set of
control mechanism for error recovering and flow
control, the establishment mechanism and release
mechanism for multi-frame operations.
Unacknowledged mode: The receiver is not required
to send a confirmation upon reception of a UI frame.
This operation mode does not provide flow control or
error recovering mechanism.

GSM protocol message

RR messages
Type

Message

Channel establishment message

Immediate assignment
Immediate assignment reject

Ciphering message

Ciphering mode command

Ciphering mode complete
Handover command

Handover message

Handover complete
Handover failure
Handover access

Channel release message

Channel release

Paging message

Paging request
Paging response

System info

System info:1 8

GSM protocol message

MM messages
Type

Message
IMSI detach indication

Registration messages

Location updating accept

Location updating reject
Location updating request
Authentication reject
Authentication request

Security messages

Authentication response
Identity request
Identity response
TMSI reallocation command
TMSI reallocation complete
CM service accept

Connection-management messages

CM service reject
CM service request

GSM protocol message

CC messages
Type

Message
Alerting
Call confirmed

Call establishment messages

Call proceeding
Connect
Disconnect

Call clearing messages

Release
Release complete
Congestion control notify

Miscellaneous messages

Start DTMF
Stop DTMF

GSM protocol message

Abis Interface Protocol stack

GSM protocol message

LAPD Protocol

SAPI = 0 represents the signaling link,

SAPI = 62 represents the O&M link,

SAPI = 63 represents the management link of the LapD layer.

GSM protocol message

A interface protocol stack

CM
A interface

BSC

RR
MM

BSSAP

BSSAP

SCCP

SCCP

MTP3

MTP3

MTP2

MTP2

Layer1

Layer1
MSC

GSM protocol message

Relationship between SCCP and OSI model

HLR
INAP

OMAP

Layer 7

TCAP

46

ISP

VLR
MAP

BSSAP

SCCP
Layer3

MTP-3

Layer2

MTP-2

Layer1

MTP-1

ISUP

TUP

GSM protocol message

BSSAP
MSC

MS

BSS

CC

CC

DTAP

MM

MM

RR
BSSAP

DTAP

BSSMAP

RR

BSSAP

BSSMAP

DTAP

Distribution

Distribution

SCCP

SCCP

MTP

MTP

BSSMAP

RR

LAPDm

LAPDm

L1

L1

DTAP

GSM protocol message

SCCP message

CR Connection request
CC Connection confirm
CREF Connection refused
RLSD
Released
RLC
Release complete
DT1
Data form 1
UDT
Unit data
UDTS Unit data service

GSM protocol message

BSSMAP Message -1

Assignment messages (setup of traffic channels)

Assignment request

Assignment complete

Assignment failure

Handover messages

Handover request

(to BSC: request for handover to that BSC)

Handover required

(to MSC: inter BSC/MSC handover required)

Handover request ack.

Handover command (to BSC: contains new radio channel/BTS for the MS)

Handover complete

(to MSC: commanded handover successful)

Handover failure

(to MSC: commanded handover unsuccessful)

Handover performed (to MSC: BSC has performed internal handover)

Handover candidate enquiry

handed

(to MSC: acknowledge of handover request)

(to BSC: MSC requests list of MS that could be

over to another cell)

Handover candidate response (to MSC: answer to handover candidate enquiry)

Handover required reject

Handover detect

(to BSC: required handover unsuccessful)

(to MSC: commanded handover successful)

GSM protocol message

BSSMAP Message -2

Release messages

Clear command

(release of traffic channel)

Clear complete

Clear request

SAPI n clear command

SAPI n clear complete

SAPI n reject

(control of layer 2 SAPI n on the radio interface)

General messages

Reset

(initialisation of BSS or MSC due to failure)

Reset acknowledge

Overload

Trace invocation

Reset circuit (initialisation of single circuit due to failure)

(processor or CCCH overload)

(start production of trace record

Terrestrial resource messages

Block

(management of circuits/time slots between MSC and BTS)

Blocking acknowledge

Unblock

Unblocking acknowledge

GSM protocol message

BSSMAP Message -2

Radio resource messages

Resource request
in BSS cells)
Resource indication
Paging
Cipher mode command
Classmark update
class)
Cipher mode complete
Queuing indication
assignment of tch)

(available radio channels

(paging of MS)
(start encryption)
(change of MS power

(indicates delay in

Content

GSM System Signaling Model

GSM protocol message

Basic Signaling Procedure

Basic Signaling Procedure

Mobile Originating Call Establishment Procedure -1

Basic Signaling Procedure

Mobile Originating Call Establishment Procedure -2

Basic Signaling Procedure

Mobile Originating Call Establishment Procedure -3

Basic Signaling Procedure

Mobile Terminating Call Establishment Procedure -1

Basic Signaling Procedure

Mobile Terminating Call Establishment Procedure -2

Basic Signaling Procedure

Mobile Terminating Call Establishment Procedure -3

Basic Signaling Procedure

Location Update Procedure -1

Basic Signaling Procedure

Location Update Procedure -2

Basic Signaling Procedure

Intra Cell Handover Procedure

Basic Signaling Procedure

Intra BSC Handover Procedure

Basic Signaling Procedure

Inter BSC Handover Procedure

Basic Signaling Procedure

Call Re-establishment Procedure

Basic Signaling Procedure

Directed Retry Procedure

Basic Signaling Procedure

Short Message Procedure On SDCCH When MS Is

Calling -1

Basic Signaling Procedure

Short Message Procedure On SDCCH When MS Is

Calling -2

Basic Signaling Procedure

Short Message Procedure On SDCCH When MS Is

Called -1

Basic Signaling Procedure

Short Message Procedure On SDCCH When MS Is

Called -2

Basic Signaling Procedure

Short Message Procedure On SACCH When

MS Is Calling

Basic Signaling Procedure

Short Message Procedure On SACCH When

MS Is Called