Higher Technological Institute

Electrical Engineering Department

A Report on

GSM

Submitted to: ENG. Amal Ashraf

Submitted by: Mahmoud Samy 20170818

AUG 2021
Contents
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. 3 
History of Communications ............................................................................................................. 3 
Telecommunication Basics ............................................................................................................... 4 
History of mobile communications .................................................................................................. 7 
Chapter 1: GSM Network Architecture .................................................................................................. 8 
The Mobile Station ............................................................................................................................ 9 
Base Station Subsystem (BSS) ....................................................................................................... 11 
The Switching Subsystem (SSS)..................................................................................................... 13 
Chapter 3: Air interface ........................................................................................................................ 15 
Mobile Radio Channel Characteristics ......................................................................................... 16 
Types of channels ............................................................................................................................ 17 
Chapter 4: GSM Network protocols ..................................................................................................... 18 
Reference .............................................................................................................................................. 20 
 

Table of Figures
Figure 1: Early telecommunications ....................................................................................................... 3
Figure 2: PSTN ....................................................................................................................................... 4
Figure 3: TDM ........................................................................................................................................ 5
Figure 4: FDMA ..................................................................................................................................... 6
Figure 5: TDMA ..................................................................................................................................... 6
Figure 6: worldwide GSM networks in service ...................................................................................... 8
Figure 7: GSM Network Architecture .................................................................................................... 8
Figure 8: modes of MS ........................................................................................................................... 9
Figure 9: IMEI ...................................................................................................................................... 10
Figure 10: SIM card .............................................................................................................................. 10
Figure 11: Sweden MSISDN ................................................................................................................ 10
Figure 12: AUS IMSI............................................................................................................................ 11
Figure 13: FR MSRN ............................................................................................................................ 11
Figure 14: BTS...................................................................................................................................... 12
Figure 15: BSC ..................................................................................................................................... 12
Figure 16: process on the voice rate...................................................................................................... 13
Figure 17: HLR ..................................................................................................................................... 14
Figure 18: AUC process........................................................................................................................ 15
Figure 19: GSM Frequency bands ........................................................................................................ 16
Figure 20: Multipath fading .................................................................................................................. 16
Figure 21: full rate ................................................................................................................................ 17
Figure 22: enhanced full rate ................................................................................................................ 17
Figure 23: half rate ................................................................................................................................ 17
Figure 24: Types of control channels .................................................................................................... 18 

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INTRODUCTION

History of Communications
The history of communication itself can be traced back since the origin of
speech circa 500,000 BCE. The use of technology in communication may be
considered since the first use of symbols about 30,000 years BCE. Among the
symbols used, there are cave paintings, petroglyphs, pictograms and ideograms.

Long Distance Communications

Telecommunication is the process of long distance communications. Early

telecommunications involved smoke, flags, drums, and other such methods to
relay messages and information.

 
Figure 1: Early telecommunications 

Telephone Networks Early Switching Devices

Switches are devices that cause a connection between two
transmitting/receiving devices.
Modern Switching Devices
Today many different types of automated switches are used which make it
possible for fast placement of calls.

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Figure 2: PSTN 

Telecommunication Basics
 

Communication Systems
 Deliver as much information as possible from the source to the
destination (capacity issues).
 Deliver information in shortest time (delay issues).
 Reduce errors in delivery of information (error detection/correction
issues).
Basic Communications System Elements
 Source
 Destination
 Transmission Medium
Transmission from analog to digital
In communication systems, digital is much better than analog and that is
according to four factors, which are:
1. Capacity
Since, the bandwidth of digital is larger than the bandwidth of analog. In
addition, compression of signals is only available in digital. Therefore, it
decreases the number of bits of information.
2. Quality
Because of the availability of error detection and correction

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 3. Security
The availability of encryption allows changing the digital signal to be
meaningless to other users.
4. Cost

Access techniques
Enable user access to server without interference.

Here is some techniques used in wireless communication:

1. FDM “ Frequency division multiplexing”

In FDM the band is divided into no. of channels, each channel has a frequency
One user per channel
2. TDM “ Time division multiplexing”
The band is divided into time slots

 
Figure 3: TDM 

3. FDMA “ Frequency division multiplexing access”

The band is divided into channels but the available channel is assigned for any
user not a specific one.

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Figure 4: FDMA 

4. TDMA
It allows several users to share the same radio frequency (RF) by dividing it into
different timeslots

 
Figure 5: TDMA 

Types of telephones: 
1. Fixed telephone (PSTN)
-Wired.
-No mobility

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 2. Cordless telephone
-Telephone is connect to the base wireless.
-Limited mobility.
3. Mobile Phones
-Wireless.
-Full mobility.
Modes of transmission
1. Simplex
2. Half duplex
3. Full duplex
History of mobile communications
Zero generation cellular system
 Heavy expensive. And bulky.
 No Switching between areas
 Low quality.
 Low capacity "1st appearance of FDM"
 Power level was not save "harmful"
 Power hungry transceiver.
 Rapid market Saturation.
First generation cellular system
 Introduction of analog cellular systems in the late 1970s and 1980s
 Analog system
 Incompatible systems.
 Limited to voice service
 No encryption
 FM modulation
 FDMA transmission technology
 Suffer from capacity saturation
Second Generation cellular system
 Introduction of digital cellular systems (90's)
 Unified international standard
 Pan-national roaming
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  Digital encryption
 Enhanced range of services (data + voice)
 Low power consumption
 Light weight, compact and pocket size terminals
 TDMA transmission technology
 Huge capacity

 
Figure 6: worldwide GSM networks in service 

Chapter 1: GSM Network Architecture

 
Figure 7: GSM Network Architecture

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Radio Station Subsystem (RSS)
1. Mobile Station (MS)
2. Base Station Subsystem (BSS)
 Base Transceiver Station (BTS)
 Base Station Controller (BSC)
 Transcoding and Rate Adaption Unit (TRAU)

The Switching Subsystem (SSS)

1. MSC (Mobile Service Switching System)
2. GMSC (Gateway Mobile Service Switching System)
3. HLR (Home Location Register)
4. VLR (Visitor Location Register)
5. AUC (Authentication Centre)
6. EIR (Equipment Identity Register)
The Operation Subsystem
1. OMC-B
2. OMC-S
3. SMS-C
The Mobile Station

 
Figure 8: modes of MS

1. Mobile equipment (ME)

 It is the terminal used by user
 Without SIM no calls can be made except emergency calls
 It has an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI)

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The IMEI:
 Is a 15-digit number unique for each user
 Verifies that the mobile station is type-approved and not stolen

 
Figure 9: IMEI 

2. Subscriber identity module (SIM)

An electronic microchip for storing information
Information stored on SIM includes:
 Subscriber identification
 Charging
 Security
 IMSI

 
Figure 10: SIM card

The MSISDN (Mobile Station ISDN)

 MSISDN Is the number dialled to reach a mobile station.
 Has a maximum of 15 digits

 
Figure 11: Sweden MSISDN

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IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity)
IMSI is the non-dialable number for identifying a subscriber in the GSM
network. The IMSI is stored on the SIM card.

 
Figure 12: AUS IMSI 

MSRN (Mobile Station Roaming Number)

The MSRN is used to route a call to the serving MSC/VLR service area of the
called subscriber.

 
Figure 13: FR MSRN 

A TMSI (Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity Number)

 Used instead of the IMSI within an MSC/VLR service area
 Keeps the subscriber's IMSI confidential
 Not fixed
Base Station Subsystem (BSS)
3. The Base Transceiver station (BTS)

BS contains the RF transmission equipment it performs

 Power amplification
 Channel coding
 Ciphering
 Modulation

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Figure 14: BTS 

4. The base station controller (BSC)

It carries out all control functions in the BSS as:
1. Paging
2. Channel allocation
3. Power control
4. Handover
BSC controls group of BTS (150-300) depending on its model.

 
Figure 15: BSC 

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BSC locates with one of its BTS that it control, the rest of the BTS, BSC
controls them remotely through microwave link, fibre or copper cable.

5. The Transcoding And Rate Adaptation Unit (TRAU)

It is used for speech compression/decompression.
Also adaptation of data to the requirement of the air interface.

 
Figure 16: process on the voice rate 

The Switching Subsystem (SSS)

1. The Mobile service-switching centre (MSC)
It is an electronic computerized exchange provides the interface between MS
and the fixed network -It will not contain any subscriber parameters
 Switching
 Charging
 Call routing
 Communication with HLR and VLR
 Communication with other MSCs
 Control of connected BSCs

2. HLR (Home location register)

The centralized database that stores and manages all mobile subscription
parameters
HLR contains:
 Subscriber identification numbers (IMSI, MSISDN)
 Subscriber current location information (MSC/VLR)

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  Subscriber authentication information
 Charging
 Billing method

 
Figure 17: HLR 

3. VLR (Visitor location register)

A temporary storage location for subscription information for MSs, which are
within MSC service area
VLR contains:
 Mobile status (free, busy...etc.)
 Temporary MS identity (TMSI)
 Temporary MS roaming number (MSRN)
 Location areas
 Supplementary service information

4. Authentication Centre
A processor system performs the authentication function
Responsible for the security in the network.

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Figure 18: AUC process  

5. EIR (Equipment identity register)

 

As the subscriber and equipment are, separate in GSM so we use a separate

authentication process for MS equipment
EIR is a centralized database for validation of international mobile equipment
identity (IMEI)
EIR contains three lists:
 White list (for valid MS equipment)
 Black list (for stolen or denied service MS)
 Gray list (for mal-performance MS [e.g. faulty software]).

Chapter 3: Air interface

Uplink and downlink
Two carriers make up the radio channel required for communication between
the Mobile Station (MS) and Base Transceiver Station (BTS).
GSM Frequency bands

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Figure 19: GSM Frequency bands 

Mobile Radio Channel Characteristics

1. Multipath fading

 
Figure 20: Multipath fading 

 It gives a Rayleigh fading distribution

 Rayleigh fading is frequency selective
To overcome multipath fading we use:
 Microscopic diversity and combining techniques
 Frequency hopping
 Error correction with interleaving technique
 Adaptive power control

2. Shadow Fading

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  The signal is blocked by large structures.
 The obstacles create shadowing (screening) effect which decreases
received signal strength.
 This shadow is not due to multipath.
 Slow fading

3. Doppler shift
 +ve if the mobile moves toward the BS
 -ve if the mobile moves away from the BS
 The Doppler frequency shift should be compensated so that a correct
frequency synchronization is achieved.
Types of channels
1. Physical channel
2. Logical channels
 Traffic channels
 Control channels

Types of traffic channels

1. Full rate
2. Enhanced full rate
3. Half rate

 
Figure 21: full rate

 
Figure 22: enhanced full rate

 
Figure 23: half rate 

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Types of control channels

 
Figure 24: Types of control channels 

Chapter 4: GSM Network protocols

 

Transmission function:
 MS, BTS and BSC are concerned with transmission

Main RR procedures:
 Power control
 Channel quality monitoring
 Handover
 Frequency hopping
 Discontinuous transmission
 Timing advance. 
 Enables power adaptation of MS and BTS.

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Main reasons for power control:
 Saving MS battery Power
 Improve CIR.
Can be enabled or disabled. Measurements on UL and DL are sent to BSC
every 480 ms.
Performed separately for UL and DL.
Measurements in terms of:
 Signal strength in dBm.
 Signal quality in BER.
Handover Control
Automatic switching of a call from one TCH to another. Can be within the cell
or between cells.
Reasons for intra-cell handover
 Reduction of co-channel interference.
 Maintenance activity
Handover occurs on TCH when call is in speech stage. Only started if power
control is not helpful. Unique feature of mobile network.
Handover types:
 Inter cell handover
Involves change of carrier and BTS.
 Intra-cell handover
Involves change of carrier in same cell.
Requirements for Handover
1. Execution speed
2. Reliability
 No excessive HO
 No delayed HO
 No early HO
3. Transparent to users (not aware)
4. Service-dependent (voice, data)

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Reference
Mobile package textbook by ENG. Waleed EL-Safoury

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