Name of the Topic (Course Name) 2/28/2015

GSM - Architecture
By sanjay Giri
SDE(Mobile)
ALTTC,Ghaziabad
9412739313,girisanju@gmail.com

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.

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Network Architecture
HLR
OSS

AuC

B
PSTN
T
S ISDN

B
T
S BSC
BSC MSC VLR
Data
Networks
EIR
B
T MSC VLR
S

Air interface

Relation between
• GSM Network
GSM ServiceStructure
Area areas in GSM
• PLMN Service Area
• MSC Service Area
Cell
Location Area
• Location Area Area served by a BTS

Location Area
• Cells MSC Service Area
PLMN Service Area
GSM Service Area

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GSM Cells

LA2
LA1 VLR LA3
MSC
C1 C2
C3
LA6
LA4 LA5 C4
C6 C5
C=CELL

• Voice and dataoftransmission

Functions Mobile Station
• 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
• MS identified by unique IMEI

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• SIM Module
GSM SIM Card
• Unique Subscriber’s ID IMSI and ISDN
• PIN
• Key Ki and A3 and A8 algorithms
• SIM has CPU, ROM, RAM and EPROM

Mobile Station (MS)

Mobile Station consist of two units
Mobile Hand set Subscriber Identity Module

Mobile Hand set is one of the most complicated
GSM device. It provides user the access to the
Network. Each handset has unique identity no.
called IMEI.
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SIM is a removable module goes into the mobile
handset. Each SIM has unique number called
International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI).
It has built in Micro-computer & memory into it.
It contains the ROM of 6 to 16KB,RAM of 128 to
256 bytes and EEPROM of 3 to 8KB

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• GSM Mobile Identification Numbers

IMEI
• MSISDN
• IMSI
• TMSI
• MSRN

GSM MSISDN
Mobile Subscriber’s ISDN Number
• The MSISDN is registered in the telephone
directory and used by the calling party for
dialing.

1 to 3 digits Variable Variable

CC NDC SN
N(S)N
MSISDN : not more than 15 digits

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International mobile subscriber’s Identity

GSM IMSI

• The IMSI is an unique identity which is used

internationally and used within the network to
identify the mobile subscribers.
• The IMSI is stored on the subscriber identity
module (SIM), the HLR, VLR and AC database.

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GSM IMSI

3 digits 3 digits Not more than 9 digits

MCC MNC MSIN

NMSI

IMSI : Not more than 15 digits

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GSM TMSI

• Temporary Mobile subscriber’s Identity

• The TMSI is an identity which guarantees the
integrity of the mobile subscribers on the
radio interface.
• The VLR assigns a TMSI to each mobile
subscribers entering the VLR area.

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GSM MSRN

Mobile Station Roaming Number

• The MSRN is used in the GMSC to set up a

connection to the visited MSC/VLR.

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• InternationalGSMMobile
IMEIEquipment Identity
• The IMEI is an unique code allocated to each
mobile equipment. It is checked in the EIR.
• IMEI check
• White List
• Grey List
• Black List

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RADIO SUB SYSTEM (RSS)

MSC/VLR

BSC BSC
RSS BSC

n BTS n BTS

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FUNCTION OF BTS
• Encodes, encrypts, multiplexes, modulates and feeds the
RF signals to the antenna
• Transcoding and rate adaptation Functionality
• Time and frequency synchronisation signals
transmission.
• Uplink radio channel measurements

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FUNCTIONS
• It is connected OF offloads
to BTS and BSC MSC

• Radio resource management

• Inter-cell handover

• Reallocation of frequencies

• Power control

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• Time delay measurement of the received signals from

MS with respect to BTSOF
FUNCTIONS clock.
BSC

• Performs traffic concentration to reduce the number

of lines from BSC to MSC.

• Provide interface TCP/IP X.25 to the OMS

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GSM MSC-BSS Configurations

Multi - cell site (sector Cells
Configuration -5 BTS
A
A
BSS
Single - cell site
Configuration -1

A BTS Many single

MSC BSS A-bis BTS BTS
cell sites

BSC BTS BTS

A-bis

BTS Multi - cell site =

MCC: Mobile Switching Centre Configuration -6
multi--BTS site
BSS: Base Station System
BSC: Base Station Controller
BTS: Base Transceiver Station

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GSM Transcoder Configurations

To MS BTS TRAU BSC MSC To fixed

networks

To MS BTS BSC TRAU MSC To fixed

networks

A-bis
To MS BTS BSC TRAU MSC To fixed
Interface networks
RF Air
A
Interface
Interface
13 kbps encoded voice/ 12 kbps data
16 kbps transmission
64 kbps transmission

Transcoder (XC) configurations

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Network and Switching Subsystem (NSS)

SS7 Signalling
Traffic Path VLR D

C HLR AUC
F
E
Other
EIR A
MSC MSC

(PSTN)

(BSS)

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• Manages
GSM MOBILE communication
SWITCHING between
CENTRE GSM & other
network
• Call setup functions, basic switching are done
• MSC does gateway function while its customers
roams to other network by using HLR /VLR
• Location updation
• Billing for all subscribers based in its area

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GSM MSC Functions

• Echo canceller operation control

• Signaling interface to databases like HLR, VLR.
• Gateway to SMS between SMS centers and
subscribers.
• Handle interworking function while working as
GMSC

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• It controls those mobiles roaming in its area.

GSM VISITOR LOCATION REGISTER
• 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

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GSM Data in VLR

• IMSI & TMSI

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

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GSM Home Location Register(HLR)

• Reference store for subscriber’s 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.

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GSM Home Location Register(HLR)

• 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 etc

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GSM Home Location Register(HLR)

• 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

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GSM AUTHENTICATION CENTRE

• AUC is a separate entity and physically

included in HLR.
• 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.

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AUTHENTICATION & ENCRIPTION

AUC
Database SRES RAND
Kc
IMSI1 ki1 HLR
Algorithm for
IMSI2 ki2 Ciphering
A8 Kc
IMSI3 ki3
64 bits
Algorithm for
Generation
Authenticatio SRES
of Random n
Number 32 bits
A3
RAND
RAND

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AUTHENTICATION IN GSM 6. Ciphertext

5. SRES

4.RAND
Kc (3)
1. IMSI, IMEI

EIR BTS

(2)
ME?
5. SRES
2.
2.
Triplets
Triplets
1. IMSI
3.RAND, Kc IMEI MS
H 1. IMSI 1. IMSI, IMEI

L
AUC
R HLR MSC/VLR BSC BTS SIM

(4)
IMSI
Ki RAND
(5)
IMSI IMSI IMSI (A3A8)
SRES? SRES
Ki Subsc. Triplets (2)
Kc
A3A8i Data SIM
Triplet

BTS
RAND
SRES
(1) GMSC
Kc

Triplet

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• This data base stores IMEI for all registered

GSM EQUIPMENT IDENTITY REGISTER ( EIR )
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.

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Thank You For

your time

Sanjay Giri
+91-- 9412739313
+91
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