Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT)

ETCT 06204

Digital Cellular Network

Ally, J

jumannea@gmail.com

DIT
GSM Fundamentals

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 GSM system overview
 The GSM system is a frequency- and time-division cellular
system, each physical channel is characterized by a carrier
frequency and a time slot number
 Cellular systems are designed to operate with groups of
low-power radios spread out over the geographical service
area. Each group of radios serve MSs presently located
near them. The area served by each group of radios is
called a CELL
 Uplink and downlink signals for one user are assigned
different frequencies, this kind of technique is called
Frequency Division Duplex (FDD)
 Data for different users is conveyed in time intervals called
slots , several slots make up a frame. This kind of technique
is called Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)

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 Cell Technique-Macro Cell and Micro Cell
 A certain radio coverage area formed by a set of
transceivers that connected to a set of antennas is called a
CELL.
 Macro Cell
 In the beginning , High-Power BTSs are adopted to

provide services. The BTS covers a wider area , but its

frequency utilization is not efficient. So, it can only
provide a few channels for subscribers.
 Micro Cell
 Later the Low-Power BTS joins the system for getting a

better service area with high capacity . At the same time

it adopts the frequency reuse technique to improve the
efficiency of the frequency utilization and also the whole
capacity of the network.

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 Multiple Access Technique
 Multiple Access Technique allows many
subscribers to use the same communication
medium.

 There are four kinds of basic Multiple Access

Technique : FDMA , TDMA, CDMA, and
OFDMA

 GSM system adopt FDD-TDMA

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The Frequency Spectrum

Duplex Separation: 45MHz

Channel Bandwidth: 200KHz

Duplex Separation: 95MHz

Channel Bandwidth: 200KHz

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 Frequency Reuse
 The frequency resource of mobile system is very limited.
 The different Subscribers can use the same frequency in
different places.
 The quality of communication must be ensured.

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 Cell Types

Omni-directional Cell Omni

1
120
120 Degree Cell degree 2
3

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 GSM-GPRS Network Component

PSTN
MSC/VLR GMSC ISDN
GSM /GPRS BSS

BSC
MS HLR/AUC
BTS

PCU
SS7
BSC SMS system
MS
BTS
GPRS Backbone Internet,
SGSN Intranet
GGSN

OMC CG BG

Other PLMN

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 Interface Between Different Entities

PSTN
MSC/VLR GMSC ISDN
GSM /GPRS BSS
A
Abis BSC
MS HLR/AUC
BTS C/D/Gs

PCU
SS7
BSC Gb SMS system
MS Um Gr/Gs/Gd/Ge Gc
BTS
GPRS backbone Internet,
SGSN Gi Intranet
Ga GGSN

OMC CG BG
Gp Other PLMN

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 Mobile Station—MS
MS=ME+SIM

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Subscriber Identity Module – SIM

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 Base Station Subsystem – BSS

 The Base Station MSC

Controller – BSC
 The Base Transceiver BSS
Station – BTS TC/SM
 The Trans-coder – TC
and Sub Multiplexer BSC
(SM)
BTS

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 Packet Control Unit-----PCU

 Packet data
switching
 Bridge between
SGSN and BSC
 Provide Pb and
Gb interface

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The Network Switching System

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 Mobile-Service Switching Center –
MSC
 Call Processing

 Operations and Maintenance Support

 Interface management

 Inter-network & Inter-working

 Billing

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 Home Location Register – HLR
 Subscriber ID (IMSI and MSISDN)

 Current subscriber VLR (current location)

 Supplementary service information

 Subscriber status (registered/deregistered)

 Authentication key and AuC functionality

HLR is database used for the management

of subscribers
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 Visitor Location Register – VLR
 Mobile Status (IMSI attached / detached / busy
/ idle etc.)

 Location Area Identity(LAI)

 Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity(TMSI)

 Allocating the Roaming Number

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 Equipment Identity Register – EIR

 White List
 Black List IMEI is Checked In White List
 Grey List

If NOT found

EIR focus on the

IMEI is Checked in Black/Grey List
equipment , not the
subscriber!!

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OMC Functional Architecture

Event/Alarm Security
Management Management

MMI
OS DB
Fault
Configuration
Management
Management

Performance
Management

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 Service Area
Service Area
PLMN service area PLMN service area
PLMN service area
MSC service area... MSC service area...

Location area... Location area...

......
cell cell

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 LAI
MCC MNC LAC

Location Area Identification

The LAI is the international code for a location area.

MCC：Mobile Country Code，It consists of 3 digits .

For example: The MCC of Tanzania is "640"
MNC：Mobile Network Code，It consists of 2 digits .
For example: The MNC of Zantel is "03"
LAC： Location Area Code，It is a two bytes BCD code(hex).
The value 0000 and FFFF is invalid.
For example: 640-03-0011

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 CGI
CGI: Cell Global Identification

The CGI is a unique international identification for a cell

The format is LAI+CI

LAI: Location Area Identification
CI: Cell Identity. This code uses two bytes hex code to
identify the cells within an LAI.

For example : 640-03-0011-0001

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 BSIC
BSIC（Base Station Identification Color Code)

NCC BCC

BSIC

NCC: PLMN network color code. It comprises 3 bit. It

allows various neighboring PLMNs to be
distinguished.
BCC: BTS color code. It comprises 3 bit, used to
distinguish different cells assigned the same
frequency!

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 MSISDN
MSISDN: Mobile Station International Standard Data Network

CC NDC SN
National (significant)
Mobile number
Mobile station international
ISDN number

CC: Country Code. For example: The CC of Tanzania is “255".

NDC: National Destination Code. For example: The NDC of
Vodacom is 755, 754, 764.
SN: Subscriber Number. Format:H0 H1 H2 H3 ABCD
Example: 255-764-030690

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 IMSI
Not more than 15 digits

3 digits 2 digits

MCC MNC MSIN

NMSI
IMSI

MCC: Mobile Country Code，It consists of 3 digits .

For example: The MCC of Tanzania is “640"。
MNC: Mobile Network Code，It consists of 2 digits .
For example: The MNC of zantel is "03"。
MSIN: Mobile Subscriber Identification Number. H1H2H3 S ABCDEF
For example: 773-675000
NMSI: National Mobile Subscriber Identification，MNC and MSIN
form it together.
For Example of IMSI : 640-03-773-675000

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 TMSI (Temporary Mobile Subscriber
Identification)
 The TMSI is assigned only after successful subscriber
authentication.

 The VLR controls the allocation of new TMSI numbers

and notifies them to the HLR.

 TMSI is used to ensure that the identity of the mobile

subscriber on the air interface is kept secret.

 The TMSI consists of 4 bytes( 8 HEX numbers) and

determined by the operator.

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IMEI (International Mobile Station
Equipment Identification)

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Physical Channel and Logical Channel

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Two types of Logical Channel
Traffic Channel (TCH) :
Transmits traffic information,
include data and speech.

Control Channel (CCH) :

Or Signaling Channel, transmits
all kinds of control information.

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Traffic Channel (TCH)

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Control Channel (CCH)

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 Broadcast Control Channel – BCCH

CCH
The information carried on the BCCH

is monitored by the MS
BCH
periodically when it is in idle mode

BCCH: Broadcast Control Channel

FCCH: Frequency Correction Channel Synch.

BCCH Channels
SCH: Synchronization Channel

SCH FCCH

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 Common Control Channel – CCCH

The CCCH is responsible for CCH

transferring control information
between all mobiles and the
network.
CCCH
RACH: Random Access Channel
PCH: Paging Channel
AGCH: Access Granted Channel RACH CBCH
CBCH: Cell Broadcast Channel uplink downlink

PCH/AGCH
downlink

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 Dedicated Control Channel – DCCH

CCH
DCCH is assigned to a single
wireless connection for
measurement and handover
purpose. DCCH
SDCCH: Stand-alone Dedicated
Control Channel
ACCH: Associated Control Channel
SACCH: Slow Associated SDCCH ACCH
Control Channel
FACCH: Fast Associated Control
Channel

FACCH SACCH

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Uplink Logical channel

CCH
RACH CCCH

SDCCH
SACCH DCCH DCH
FACCH

TCH/F
TCH
TCH/H

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Downlink Logical channel

FCCH
BCCH SCH
CCH BCCH

PCH
CCCH
AGCH

SDCCH
DCCH SACCH
DCH FACCH

TCH/F
TCH
TCH/H

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How to use these channels?

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Power Control

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 DTX and VAD
Discontinuous Transmission – DTX

Voice Activity Detection – VAD

Battery Saving
Interference reduction

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 Timing Advance (TA)
The mobile phone should
send the signal in advance!

TA
Transmission delay t

Transmission delay t

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GSM Development Evolution
3G
2 Mbps
2.5G IMT-2000
384 kbps

EDGE
115 kbps
2G
57.6 kbps GPRS

9.6 kbps HSCSD

GSM

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DIT