Lecture 4 Basic GSM Network

REF-SPP-AAA-BBB-CCC-DDD-I01-R00-09262020 | 1
BASIC GSM AND

MOBILE NETWORKS
PECEC 3 – Communications 3: Data Communications (Lecture)
Prepared by: Jepp Quijano, ECE, CCNA
Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

Talking Points
• What is GSM?
• Evolution of Mobile Communication
• GSM Architecture
• Elements of GSM

Global System for Mobile Communication

• formerly: Groupe Spéciale Mobile (founded 1982)
• now: Global System for Mobile Communication
• Pan-European standard (ETSI, European Telecommunications
Standardisation Institute)
• simultaneous introduction of essential digital cellular services in
three phases (1991, 1994, 1996) by the European
telecommunication administrations, seamless roaming within
Europe possible
• today many providers all over the world use GSM (more than 130
countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia, America)
• more than 100 million subscribers

Global System for Mobile Communication

• The most popular wireless communication systems which gives us
the freedom to not only roam within a network, but also between
different networks.
• Users can, in fact, communicate with other different users (almost)
everywhere, and at (almost) any time. Failure dependencies can
vary from signal strength in all areas up to the subscription payment
of a user.
• GSM technology contains the essential intelligent functions for the
support of personal mobility, especially with regards to user
identification and authentication, and for the localization and
administration of mobile users.
• The evolution took place from a simple messaging service to
internet data usage and over-the-top (OTT) services.

Performance Characteristics of GSM

• Communication
• Total mobility
• Worldwide connectivity
• High Transmission quality
• Security functions

Disadvantages
• Offers less data rate compared to wired networks
• Macro cells are affected by multipath signal loss.
• The capacity is lower and depends on channels/multiple access
techniques employed to serve subscribers.
• As the communication is over the air, it has security vulnerabilities.
• Requires higher cost in order to setup cellular network
infrastructure.
• The wireless communication is influenced by physical obstructions,
climatic conditions and interference from other wireless devices.

Evolution of the Mobile Communication

Generations of Mobile Communication

GSM: Mobile Services

GSM offers
• several types of connections
- voice connections, data connections, short message service
• multi-service options (combination of basic services)
Three service domains

• Bearer Services – interface to the physical medium (transparent for
example in the case of voice or non-transparent for data services)
• Telematic Services – services provided by the system to the end
user (e.g., voice, SMS, fax, etc.)
• Supplementary Services – associated with the tele services: call
forwarding, redirection, etc.

GSM: Mobile Services
bearer services
MS
transit source/
TE MT GSM-PLMN network destination TE
R, S Um (PSTN, ISDN) network (U, S, R)
tele services

GSM Architecture
GSM is a PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network)
• several providers setup mobile networks following the GSM
standard within each country
• components
- MS (mobile station)
- BS (base station)
- MSC (mobile switching center)
- LR (location register)
• subsystems
- RSS (radio subsystem): covers all radio aspects
- NSS (network and switching subsystem): call forwarding,
handover, switching
- OSS (operation subsystem): management of the network

GSM Architecture Overview

OMC, EIR,
AUC
HLR
GMSC
NSS fixed network
with OSS
VLR MSC MSC

VLR
BSC
BSC
RSS

GSM Elements and Interfaces
radio cell
BSS
MS MS
Um radio cell
RSS BTS MS
BTS
Abis
BSC BSC
A
MSC MSC
NSS signaling
VLR VLR
ISDN, PSTN
HLR GMSC
PDN
IWF
O
OSS
EIR AUC OMC

GSM System Architecture

radio network and fixed
subsystem switching subsystem partner networks
MS MS
ISDN
PSTN
Um MSC
BTS Abis
BSC EIR
BTS
SS7
HLR
BTS VLR
BSC ISDN
BTS MSC PSTN
A
BSS IWF
PSPDN
CSPDN

Radio Subsystem
Components
• MS (Mobile Station)
• BSS (Base Station Subsystem): consisting of
- BTS (Base Transceiver Station): sender and receiver
- BSC (Base Station Controller): controlling several
transceivers
Interfaces
• 𝑈𝑚 : radio interface
• 𝐴𝑏𝑖𝑠 : standardized, open interface with 16 kbit/s user channels
• 𝐴: standardized, open interface with 64 kbit/s user channels

Radio Subsystem
• The Radio Subsystem (RSS) comprises the cellular mobile network
up to the switching centers
• Components
- Base Station Subsystem (BSS):
1. Base Transceiver Station (BTS): radio components
including sender, receiver, antenna - if directed antennas are used one
BTS can cover several cells
2. Base Station Controller (BSC): switching between BTSs,
controlling BTSs, managing of network resources, mapping of radio
channels (Um) onto terrestrial channels (A interface)
BSS = BSC + sum(BTS) + interconnection
- Mobile Stations (MS)

Cellular Network
• use of several carrier frequencies
• not the same frequency in adjoining cells
• cell sizes vary from some 100 m up to 35 km depending on user
density, geography, transceiver power etc.
• hexagonal shape of cells is idealized (cells overlap, shapes depend
on geography)
• if a mobile user changes cells – handover of the connection to the
neighbor cell.
segmentation of the area into cells
possible radio coverage of the cell
idealized shape of the cell

cell

BTS and BSC

• Tasks of a BSS are distributed over BSC and BTS
• BTS comprises radio specific functions
• BSC is the switching center for radio channels
Functions BTS BSC

Management of radio channels X
Frequency hopping (FH) X X
Management of terrestrial channels X
Mapping of terrestrial onto radio channels X
Channel coding and decoding X
Rate adaptation X
Encryption and decryption X X
Paging X X
Uplink signal measurements X
Traffic measurement X
Authentication X
Location registry, location update X
Handover management X

Network and Switching Subsystem

Components
• MSC (Mobile Services Switching Center):
• IWF (Interworking Functions)
• ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network)
• PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network)
• PSPDN (Packet Switched Public Data Network)
• CSPDN (Circuit Switched Public Data Network)
Databases
• HLR (Home Location Register)
• VLR (Visitor Location Register)
• EIR (Equipment Identity Register)

Network and Switching Subsystem

• NSS is the main component of the public mobile network GSM –
switching, mobility management, interconnection to other networks,
system control
• Components
1. Mobile Services Switching Center (MSC) controls all
connections via a separated network to/from a mobile terminal within
the domain of the MSC - several BSC can belong to a MSC
2. Databases (important: scalability, high capacity, low delay)
- Home Location Register (HLR) central master database
containing user data, permanent and semi-permanent data of all
subscribers assigned to the HLR (one provider can have several
HLRs)
- Visitor Location Register (VLR) local database for a subset of
user data - data about all users currently visiting in the domain of the
VLR

Mobile Service Switching Center

• The MSC (mobile switching center) plays a central role in GSM
- switching functions
- additional functions for mobility support
- management of network resources
- interworking functions via Gateway MSC (GMSC)
- integration of several databases
• Functions of a MSC
- specific functions for paging and call forwarding
- termination of SS7 (signaling system no. 7)
- mobility specific signaling
- location registration and forwarding of location information
- provision of new services (fax, data calls)
- support of short message service (SMS)
- generation and forwarding of accounting and billing
information

Operation Subsystem
• The OSS (Operation Subsystem) enables centralized operation,
management, and maintenance of all GSM subsystems
• Components
1. Authentication Center (AUC)
- generates user specific authentication parameters on request
of a VLR
- authentication parameters used for authentication of mobile
terminals and encryption of user data on the air interface within the
GSM system
2. Equipment Identity Register (EIR)
- registers GSM mobile stations and user rights
- stolen or malfunctioning mobile stations can be locked and
sometimes even localized

Operation Subsystem
• Components
3. Operation and Maintenance Center (OMC)
- different control capabilities for the radio subsystem and the
network subsystem

GSM Spectrum Allocation (900MHz)

https://news.txtbuff.com/list-of-mobile-frequency-bands-in-the-philippines/

GSM Spectrum Allocation (1800MHz)

https://news.txtbuff.com/list-of-mobile-frequency-bands-in-the-philippines/

TDMA/FDMA
935-960 MHz
124 channels (200 kHz)
downlink
890-915 MHz
124 channels (200 kHz)
uplink
higher GSM frame structures
time
GSM TDMA frame
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
4.615 ms
GSM time-slot (normal burst)

guard guard
space tail user data S Training S user data tail space
3 bits 57 bits 1 26 bits 1 57 bits 3
546.5 µs
577 µs

Call Simulation on 2G
Sub A calls Sub B

SMS Simulation on 2G
Sub A sends SMS to Sub B

GPRS
Addition of the GPRS Network

Internet Surfing Simulation using GPRS

Sub A connects to the Internet

GSM Trends Worldwide

Countries who partially or completely shutdown their 2G networks

Other Current Use of GSM (2G)

• POS Machines
• Self-service eLoad
• GPS Tracker
• Network in a Box (NIB)

Open Forum
• Always cite your references
• Follow APA version 7 format
• Examples: https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/reference-
guide.pdf

Course References
• Forouzan, Behrouz (2007) Data Communications and Networking
(4th ed.) McGraw-Hill Education
• Tomasi, W. (2004) Electronic Communication Systems (5th ed.)
• Sapak, M. (2017) Digital Communications (1st ed.)
• Ciora, J (2008) CCNA Exam Prep (2nd ed.) Pearson Education Inc.
• Odom, W. (2019) CCNA 200-301 Official Cert Guide Library vol. 1
& 2 (1st ed.) Cisco Press
• https://courses.mnet-it.com/learn
• Eberspacher, J et. al (2009) GSM – Architecture, Protocols and
Services (3rd edition) John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Research Work
• Research and differentiate 3G, 4G and 5G architectures.

Thank you for listening!
Stay safe and God bless, Future Engineers! ☺

- Sir Jepp

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REF-SPP-AAA-BBB-CCC-DDD-I01-R00-09262020 | 1

BASIC GSM AND

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

Global System for Mobile Communication

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

Global System for Mobile Communication

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

Performance Characteristics of GSM

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

Evolution of the Mobile Communication

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

GSM: Mobile Services

Three service domains

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

GSM: Mobile Services

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

GSM Architecture Overview

VLR MSC MSC

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

GSM Elements and Interfaces

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

GSM System Architecture

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

BSS = BSC + sum(BTS) + interconnection

- Mobile Stations (MS)

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

segmentation of the area into cells

possible radio coverage of the cell

idealized shape of the cell

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

BTS and BSC

Functions BTS BSC

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

Network and Switching Subsystem

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

Network and Switching Subsystem

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

Mobile Service Switching Center

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

GSM Spectrum Allocation (900MHz)

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

GSM Spectrum Allocation (1800MHz)

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

GSM TDMA frame

GSM time-slot (normal burst)

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

Internet Surfing Simulation using GPRS

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

GSM Trends Worldwide

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

Other Current Use of GSM (2G)

Technological University of the Philippines - Manila

• Always cite your references

• Follow APA version 7 format