1

| www.rdc.cz
GSM basic
Petr Vacek
e-mail: petr.vacek@rdc.cz
2 | www.rdc.cz
GSM schedule
PLMN features
Structure of GSM network
Functions of network elements
Basic procedures
Air interface
2
3 | www.rdc.cz
PLMN features
High speed quality through digital transmission
Authentication and ciphering
International roaming
Access to all fixed and mobile network
Use of SS7 signaling system in the NSS
4 | www.rdc.cz
GSM network structure
3
5 | www.rdc.cz
GSM network structure
NSS - Network Switching Subsystem
BSS - Base Station Subsystem
OSS - Operation & Support Subsystem
6 | www.rdc.cz
Network Switching Subsystem
MSC - Mobile Switching Center
HLR - Home Location Register
VLR - Visitor Location Register
AuC - Authentication Center
EIR - Equipment Identity Register
4
7 | www.rdc.cz
Mobile Switching Center
Switching and call routing
Charging
Service provisioning
Communication with HLR
Communication with VLR
Control of handover
Control of connected BSCs
Access to Internet
8 | www.rdc.cz
MSC service area
5
9 | www.rdc.cz
Home Location Register
Subscriber identity
- MSISDN (Mobile Subscriber
ISDN Number)
- IMSI (International Mobile
Subscriber Identity)
- LMSI (Local Mobile
Subscriber Identity)
Subscriber location
information
- Address of MSC, VLR
Subscriber services
- Basic (voice, data, fax, SMS)
- Supplementary (CFU, CFB,
CLIP, CLIR, HOLD,...)
Subscriber authentication
information
- Triplet (SRES, Kc, RAND)
IN parameters
Message Waiting Data
10 | www.rdc.cz
Visitor Location Register
Subscriber identity
- IMSI, TMSI, Address of HLR
Subscriber location information
- LA (Location Area), Cell Id
Subscriber supplementary services
Subscriber authentication information
- Triplet, CKSN (Ciphering Key Sequence Number)
IN parameters
6
11 | www.rdc.cz
Authentication Center
Triplet
- RAND (RANDom number)
- SRES (Signed RESponse)
- Kc (Ciphering Key)
Algorithms
- A3, A5, A8
Function
- Subscriber authentication
- Ciphering procedure
12 | www.rdc.cz
Equipment Identity Register
Database of IMEI (International Mobile Equipment
Identity)
White list
Gray list
Black list
7
13 | www.rdc.cz
GSM network structure
BSS - Base Station Subsystem
NSS - Network Switching Subsystem
OSS - Operation & Support Subsystem
14 | www.rdc.cz
Base Station Subsystem
BSC - Base Station Controller
TC - Transcoder Controller
BTS - Base Transceiver Station
8
15 | www.rdc.cz
Base Station Controller
Radio network management
Transmission network management
BTS management
TRAU management
Handling of MS connections
Internal BSC operation and maintenance
16 | www.rdc.cz
Transcoder Controller
Transcoding
- GSM PCM
Rate adaptation
- 16 kbit/s 64 kbit/s
9
17 | www.rdc.cz
Base Transceiver Station
Radio resources
Signal processing
Signal link management
Synchronization
Local maintenance handling
Functional supervision and testing
18 | www.rdc.cz
GSM network structure
BSS - Base Station Subsystem
NSS - Network Switching Subsystem
OSS - Operation & Support Subsystem
10
19 | www.rdc.cz
Operation & Support Subsystem
ADC Administrative Centre
NMC Network Management Centre
OMC Operation & Maintenance Centre
20 | www.rdc.cz
GSM numbering and identification
parameters
MSISDN
MSRN
IMSI
TMSI
LMSI
IMEI
LAI
CGI
11
21 | www.rdc.cz
MSISDN
Mobile Subscriber ISDN Number (15 digits)
CC NDC SN
National mobile number
CC Country Code (1-3 digits)
NDC National Destination Code (1-3)
SN Subscriber Number
22 | www.rdc.cz
MSRN
Mobile Subscriber Roaming Number
VCC VNDC
SN
(VMSC+VSN)
VCC Visitor Country Code
VNDC Visitor National Destination Code
VMSC Visitor MSC number
VSN Visitor Subscriber Number
12
23 | www.rdc.cz
IMSI
International Mobile Subscriber Identity (max 15 digits)
CC NDC SN
National mobile number
CC Country Code (1-3 digits)
NDC National Destination Code (1-3)
SN Subscriber Number
24 | www.rdc.cz
TMSI
Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (4 octets)
TMSI
13
25 | www.rdc.cz
LMSI
LMSI
Local Mobile Subscriber Identity (4 octets)
26 | www.rdc.cz
IMEI
International Mobile Equipment Identity (15 digits)
TAC FAC
TAC Type Approval Code (6 digits)
FAC Final Assembly Code (2 digits)
SNR Serial Number (6 digits)
SNR spare
14
27 | www.rdc.cz
LAI
MCC MNC LAC
MCC Mobile Country Code (3 digits)
MNC Mobile Network Code (2 or 3 digits)
LAC Location Area Code (4 digits)
Location Area Identification
28 | www.rdc.cz
CGI
Cell Global Identity
MCC MNC LAC
MCC Mobile Country Code (3 digits)
MNC Mobile Network Code (2 or 3 digits)
LAC Location Area Code (4 digits)
CI Cell Identity (4 digits)
CI
15
29 | www.rdc.cz
Traffic cases schedule
Authentication and ciphering
Location update
Charging
Mobile originated call
Mobile terminating call
Handover
Mobile originated SMS
Mobile terminated SMS
30 | www.rdc.cz
Authentication and ciphering
Generating triplet
RAND
SRES
Kc
RAND
Ki
A3
A8
16
31 | www.rdc.cz
Authentication and ciphering
Subscriber authentication
32 | www.rdc.cz
Authentication and ciphering
Ciphering
Kc
TDMA frame number
XOR
data
Cipher data
A5
17
33 | www.rdc.cz
Location Update in BSS
MS
MSC/VLR
BSC BTS
LU request
Authentication procedure
Ciphering procedure
TMSI reallocation procedure
LU accept
34 | www.rdc.cz
Location Update in NSS
MS A BSS
LU request
LU accept
MSC new MSC old HLR/EIR
Identification procedure
Update location
Cancel location
Insert subs. data
Update location ack
18
35 | www.rdc.cz
Charging
CDR Call data record
36 | www.rdc.cz
Mobile originated call
MS
MSC/VLR BSS
Authentication procedure
CM-Service request
Ciphering procedure
TMSI reallocation procedure
Setup (MSISDN)
TCH assignment
Alerting
Connect
19
37 | www.rdc.cz
Mobile terminating call
MS GMSC BSS HLR MSC/VLR
SRI
SRI [MSRN]
Provide MSRN
MSRN
Paging
Routing the call [MSRN]
Answer to paging
Authentication, ciphering
Setup
Assignment TCH
Alerting
Connect Connect
38 | www.rdc.cz
Intra BSC Handover
MS MSC/VLR
BSC BTS new BTS old
Call in progress
Handover complete
Handover command
Handover access
Handover complete
TCH release
TCH activation
20
39 | www.rdc.cz
Intra MSC Handover
MS MSC/VLR
Handover request
Handover request ack
BSC new BTS old BTS new BSC old
Call in progress
Handover required
Handover command
TCH release
Handover access
Handover complete
TCH activation
Handover complete
Handover detect
Connection release
40 | www.rdc.cz
Inter MSC Handover
MSC A
Handover command
BSC B BSC A MSC B
Call in progress
Handover required
Prepare handover
Handover request
Handover accept
Prepare handover ack
Connection establishment
Handover detection
Handover detection
Handover complete
Call in progress
Handover complete
Clear connection
21
41 | www.rdc.cz
Mobile originated SMS
MS MSC VLR SMS-IWMSC SC
Short message
Info for MO-SMS
Forward message
Short message
Short message ack Forward message ack Short message ack
42 | www.rdc.cz
Mobile terminated SMS
MS MSC HLR VLR SMS-GMSC SC
Forward message ack
Info for MT-SMS
Short message ack
Short message
Short message
SRI
Forward message
Short message ack