GSM Architecture

May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

GSM
Various subsystems

1. Network Subsystem includes the equipments and

functions related to end-to-end call.
2. Radio Subsystem includes the equipments and functions
related to the management of the connections on the
radio path.
3. Operations and Maintenance subsystem includes the
operation and maintenance of GSM equipment for the
radio and network interface.
May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

Network Architecture
OSS

B
T
S

PSTN
ISDN
B
T
S

BSC
BSC

MSC VLR

A Interface
B
T
S

A-bis interface
MSC VLR

Air interface
May 22, 2015

Data
Networks

RTTC, Nagpur

BSC:BASE STATION CONTROLLER, BTS: BASE TRANSRECEIVER STATION, OSS: OPERATION AND SUPPORT
SUBSYSTEM.ss

GSM
Functions of Mobile Station

Voice and data transmission

Frequency and time synchronization
Monitoring of power and signal quality of
the surrounding cells
Provision of location updates even during
inactive state
Equalization of multi path distortions
May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

GSM
Mobile
Station
Power
Levels
Power Max. Peak
Tolerance (dB)
Class
1
2
3
4
5
May 22, 2015

Power
20W
(43 dBm)
8W
(39 dBm)
5W
(37 dBm)
2W
(33 dBm)
0.8W
(29 dBm)

Normal Extreme
+/- 2
+/- 2.5
+/- 2

+/- 2.5

+/- 2

+/- 2.5

+/- 2

+/- 2.5

+/- 2

+/- 2.5

RTTC, Nagpur

Vehicle
mounted

GSM
SIM Card

SIM Module
Unique Subscribers ID IMSI and ISDN
PIN( Personal Identification Number)
Key Ki
, Kc and A3,A5 and A8
algorithms
SIM has CPU, ROM, RAM and EPROM
May 22, 2015

( Identification Key)

RTTC, Nagpur

GSM
Mobile Identification Numbers

IMEI
MSISDN
IMSI
TMSI
MSRN

May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

RADIO SUB SYSTEM (RSS)

MSC/VLR

BSC

BSC
BSC

RSS
RSS
n BTS

n BTS
May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

16

GSM

Encodes,
encrypts,
multiplexes,
modulates
and
FUNCTION OF BTS -I
feeds the RF signals to the antenna

Transcoding and rate adaption Functionality

Time and frequency synchronisation signals

transmission.

11 power classes from .01 watts to 320 watts

May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

17

GSM
FUNCTION OF BTS -II
Frequency hopping
Random access detection
Uplink radio channel measurements
BTS mainly consists of a set of transceivers
(TRX).
May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

18

GSM
FUNCTIONS OF BSC-I

It is connected to BTS and offloads MSC

Radio resource management
Inter-cell handover
Reallocation of frequencies
Power control

May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

19

Network and Switching

Subsystem (NSS)
SS7 Signalling
Traffic Path

VLR

D
C

HLR

AUC
E

EIR

Other
MSC

MSC

(PSTN)
(BSS)
May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

22

GSM
MSC ( MOBILE SWITCHING CENTRE)
Manages communication between GSM &
other network
Call setup functions, basic switching are done
MSC takes into account the RR allocation in
addition to normal exchange functions
MSC does gateway function while its customers
roams to other network by using HLR /VLR

May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

23

INTERWORKING FUNCTION
-It provide the Interfacing Capability to Data N/Ws.
-IMF. A part of MSC, provides the subscriber with
access to data rate and protocol conversion facilities so
that data can be transmitted between GSM Data
Terminal Equipment ( DTE ) and a land line DTE.

May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

26

GSM
Home Location Register(HLR)-I
Reference store for subscribers parameters, numbers,
authentication & Encryption values.
Current subscriber status and associated VLR.
Both VLR and HLR can be implemented in the
same equipment in an MSC.
one PLMN may contain one or several HLR.
May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

27

GSM
Home Location Register(HLR)-II
Permanent data in HLR
Data stored is changed only by man-machine.
IMSI, MS-ISDN number.
Category of MS ( whether pay phone or not )
Roaming restriction ( allowed or not ).
Supplementary services like call forwarding
May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

28

GSM
Home Location Register(HLR)-III
Temporary data in HLR
The data changes from call to call & is dynamic
MSRN
RAND /SRES and Kc
VLR address , MSC address.
Messages waiting data used for SMS
May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

29

GSM
VISITOR LOCATION REGISTER (VLR)-I
It controls those mobiles roaming in its area.
VLR reduces the number of queries to HLR
One VLR may be incharge of one or more LA.
VLR is updated by HLR on entry of MS its area.

VLR assigns TMSI which keeps on changing.

IMSI detach and attach operation

May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

30

GSM
Data in VLR

IMSI & TMSI

MSISDN
MSRN.
Location Area
Supplementary service parameters
MS category
Authentication Key

May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

31

GSM
AUC is a separate entity and physically included in HLR
AUTHENTICATION CENTRE (AUC )-I
Protect against intruders in air interface

Authentication (Ki) and ciphering (Kc) key are stored in

this data base.
Keys change randomly with each call
Keys are never transmitted to MS on air Only calculated
response are sent.

May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

32

AUTHENTICATION & ENCRIPTION

AUC
Database
IMSI1

ki1

IMSI2

ki2
ki3

IMSI3

Generation
of Random
Number
RAND
May 22, 2015

Kc
Algorithm for
Ciphering
A8
Algorithm for
Authenticatio
n
A3

RTTC, Nagpur

SRES RAND

Kc
64 bits
SRES
32 bits
RAND
33

HLR

GSM
EQUIPMENT IDENTITY REGISTER ( EIR )
This data base stores IMEI for all registered mobile
equipments and is unique to every ME.
Only one EIR per PLMN.
White list : IMEI, assigned to valid ME.
Black list : IMEI reported stolen
Gray list : IMEI having problems like faulty software,
wrong make of equipment etc.
May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

34

Operations and Maintenance Centre

OMC
The centralized operation of the various units in
the system and functions needed to maintain the
subsystems.
Dynamic monitoring and controlling of the
network

May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

35

functions

Functions Of OMC

-O&M data function

-Configuration management
--Fault report and alarm handling
-Performance supervision/management
-Storage of system software and data

May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

36

GSM
Uplink & Downlink
Frequency Bands
GSM 900 Mhz
DCS 1800 MHz

K
N
I
L
UP
NL
W
O
D
May 22, 2015

K
N
I

RTTC, Nagpur

B
T
S

43

GSM Specifications
RF
Spectrum :
GSM 900
Mobile to BS

(UP-LINK)

BS to Mobile
MHz

(DOWN -LINK) -

890 to 915 MHz

935 to 960

Bandwidth - 25 MHz
GSM 1800 ( DCS )
Mobile to Cell (UP-LINK)
1710 to 1785 MHz
Cell to Mobile (DOWN -LINK) 1805 to 1880 MHz
Bandwidth - 75 MHz
May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

44

GSM Specifications

Carrier Separation

200 kHz

Duplex Distance

45 MHz

No. of RF Carriers

124

Access Method

TDMA/FDMA

Modulation Method

GMSK

Transmission Rate
Kbps
Speech Coding
Kbps

270.833

Full rate 13

Kbps

May 22, 2015

Half rate 6.5

RTTC, Nagpur

45

GSM
LOGICAL CHANNELS
USER INFORMATION( TRAFFIC)
SIGNALLING INFORMATION (CONTROL)

May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

53

GSM
CONTOL CHHANELS OVER LOGICAL CHANNELS
Intended to carry signalling and synchronisation
THREE TYPES OF CONTROL CHANNELS
Broadcast control channel BCCH
Common control channel CCCH
Dedicated control channel DCCH

May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

54

GSM
THREE TYPES OF CONTROL CHANNELS
Broadcast control channel BCCH
P- MP
For Freq Correction
For Syncronisation
Common control channel CCCH
For ACCESS Management
Dedicated control channel DCCH
P- P
May 22, 2015

For Registration
,authentication
& Handover
RTTC, Nagpur

FCCH
SCH
BCCH
PCH
RACH
AGCH
SDCCH
SACCH
FACCH
55

OPERATIONAL CONCEPTS
IDLE MODE
--

When MS is powered on (active)

without being in dedicated mode

MS stays continuously in touch with BS

Listens to transmissions from BS to intercept
Paging Messages ( for incoming calls)
Monitors Radio Environment in order to evaluate Chl
Quality & choose the most suitable BS
Listens to BS to avail short message broadcast service

May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

56

OPERATIONAL CONCEPTS
ACCESS PROCEDURE
-- Access to system
( switch over from IDLE to DEDICATED Mode)
MS indicates to BS that it needs a connection
BS accepts the request & indicates which
traffic CHL it may use
For above purpose specific transmission is done over
Common Channels

May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

57

OPERATIONAL CONCEPTS
MOBILE O/G Call
MS sends access over RACH
System allocates SDCCH through AGCH
Set up information exchanged over SDCCH
( Authentication , Measurement Reports, Power Control)
Lastly TCH is assigned through SDCCH when a
conversation can start

May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

58

OPERATIONAL CONCEPTS
MOBILE I/C Call
Paging to MS through PCH since MS is monitoring PAGCH
MS responds by sending a page response over RACH
As a result system allocates SDCCH to MS over AGCH
Set up information exchanged over SDCCH
( Authentication, Call set-up messages , Power Control)
Lastly TCH

is allocated to mobile over SDCCH .

Mobile starts conversation.

May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

59

OPERATIONAL CONCEPTS
IDLE MODE

ACCESS PROCDURE DEDICATED MODE

IDLE MODE

----FCCH
---- SCH
----BCCH

MS O/G Call

----RACH
----AGCH
----SDCCH
----TCH

MS I/C Call

----PCH
----RACH
----AGCH
----SDCCH
----TCH

May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

60

GSM - RADIO INTERFACE

SUMMARY
Radio Interface
Frequency Bands & Specifications
Multiple Access Method FDMA & TDMA
FDMA /TDMA Frame Representation
Modulation Method
Logical Channels Traffic & Control
Operational Concepts
Other Salient Features of RF I/F- DTX, Time Alignment
Diversity, Fr. Hopping,
Power Control.
May 22, 2015
RTTC, Nagpur
61

MOBILE COMMUNICATION

THANKS !!

May 22, 2015

RTTC, Nagpur

62