ITTM

DELHI
REPORT
ON
GSM
 INTRODUCTION
GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications, originally Groupe Spécial
Mobile), is a standard set developed by the European Telecommunications
Standards Institute (ETSI) to describe technologies for second generation (or
"2G") digital cellular networks. Developed as a replacement for first generation
analog cellular networks, the GSM standard originally described a digital, circuit
switched network optimized for full duplex voice telephony. The standard was
expanded over time to include first circuit switched data transport, then packet
data transport viaGPRS. Packet data transmission speeds were later increased
via EDGE. The GSM standard is succeeded by the third generation (or
"3G") UMTS standard developed by the 3GPP. GSM networks will evolve
further as they begin to incorporate fourth generation (or "4G") LTE
Advancedstandards. "GSM" is a trademark owned by the GSM Association.

The GSM Association estimates that technologies defined in the GSM standard
serve 80% of the global mobile market, encompassing more than 1.5 billion
people across more than 212 countries and territories, making GSM the most
ubiquitous of the many standards for cellular networks.

The Global System for Mobile communications is a digital cellular

communications system. It was developed in order to create a common European
mobile telephone standard but it has been rapidly accepted worldwide
.

HISTORY
Early European analog cellular networks employed an uncoordinated mix of
technologies and protocols that varied from country to country, preventing
interoperability of subscriber equipment and increasing complexity for equipment
manufacturers who had to contend with varying standards from a fragmented market.
The work to develop a European standard for digital cellular voice telephony began in
1982 when theEuropean Conference of Postal and Telecommunications
Administrations (CEPT) created the Groupe Spécial Mobile committee and provided a
permanent group of technical support personnel, based in Paris. In 1987, 15
representatives from 13 European countries signed amemorandum of understanding to
develop and deploy a common cellular telephone system across Europe. The foresight
of deciding to develop a continental standard paid off, eventually resulting in a unified,

open, standard-based network larger than that in the United States.

France and Germany signed a joint development agreement in 1984 and were joined
by Italy and the UK in 1986. In 1986 the European Commission proposed to reserve
the 900 MHz spectrum band for GSM. By 1987, basic parameters of the GSM
standard had been agreed upon and 15 representatives from 13 European nations
signed a memorandum of understanding in Copenhagen, committing to deploy GSM.
In 1989, the Groupe Spécial Mobile committee was transferred from CEPT to
the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).

Phase I of the GSM specifications were published in 1990. The historic world's first
GSM call was made by the Finnish prime minister Harri Holkeri to Kaarina Suonio
(mayor in city of Tampere) in July 1 1991. The first network was built by Telenokia
and Siemens and operated byRadiolinja. 1992, the first short messaging service (SMS
or "text message") message was sent and Vodafone UK and Telecom Finland signed
the first international roaming agreement. Work had begun in 1991 to expand the GSM
standard to the 1800 MHz frequency band and the first 1800 MHz network became
operational in the UK in 1993. Also in 1993, Telecom Australia became the first
network operator to deploy a GSM network outside of Europe and the first practical
hand-held GSM mobile phone became available. In 1995, fax, data and SMS
messaging services became commercially operational, the first 1900 MHz GSM
network in the world became operational in the United States and GSM subscribers
worldwide exceeded 10 million. In this same year, the GSM Association was formed.
Pre-paid GSM SIM cards were launched in 1996 and worldwide GSM subscribers
passed 100 million in 1998.

In 2000, the first commercial GPRS services were launched and the first GPRS
compatible handsets became available for sale. In 2001 the first UMTS (W-CDMA)
network was launched and worldwide GSM subscribers exceeded 500 million. In 2002
the first multimedia messaging services (MMS) were introduced and the first GSM
network in the 800 MHz frequency band became operational. EDGE services first
became operational in a network in 2003 and the number of worldwide GSM
subscribers exceeded 1 billion in 2004.

By 2005, GSM networks accounted for more than 75% of the worldwide cellular
network market, serving 1.5 billion subscribers. In 2005, the first HSDPA capable
network also became operational. The first HSUPA network was launched in 2007 and
worldwide GSM subscribers exceeded two billion in 2008.

The GSM Association estimates that technologies defined in the GSM standard serve
80% of the global mobile market, encompassing more than 1.5 billion people across
more than 212 countries and territories, making GSM the most ubiquitous of the many
standards for cellular networks.
 Evolution of Mobile Technologies:

 Zero Generation Technology (0G):

0G refers to pre-cell phone mobile telephony. Being the predecessors of the
first generation of cellular telephones, these systems are called 0G (zero
generation) systems. Usually vehicle mounted, they had the transceivers
mounted in the vehicle trunk and dials & display mounted near the driver seat.

Technologies used in 0G systems included PTT (Push to Talk), MTS (Mobile

Telephone System), IMTS (Improved Mobile Telephone Service), and AMTS
(Advanced Mobile Telephone System).

 First Generation Technology (1G):

1G was introduced in 1981.1G refers to the first generation of wireless
telecommunication technology, more popularly known as cell phones. In 1G,
Narrow band analogue wireless network is used; with this we can have the voice
calls. These services are provided with circuit switching. Through 1G, a voice call
gets modulated to a higher frequency of about 150MHz and up as it is
transmitted between radio towers using a technique called Frequency-Division
Multiple Access (FDMA).

Different 1G standard prevalent were AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone System)

in the United States, TACS (Total Access Communications System) in the United
Kingdom, NMT (Nordic Mobile Telephone), used in Nordic countries, Eastern
Europe and Russia, etc.
  Second Generation Technology 2G:
2G started to roll out in the 1992. 2G first appeared around late 1980’s; 2G
system digitized the voice signal, as well as the control link. It provided the
facility of short message service (SMS) unlike 1G that had its prime focus on
verbal communication. Depending on the type of multiplexing used 2G
technologies can be divided into Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) based
and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). 2G system offered better quality and
much more capacity. 2G cell phone units were generally smaller than 1G unit,
since they emitted less radio power.

Based on TDMA, Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) is the first
European standard & the first commercial network for use by the public for 2nd
generation mobile (2G) telephony. A typical 2G G.S.M network service uses
800/900MHz or 1800/1900 frequency spectrum. Typical average data rate of
GSM is 9.6 kbps. 2G CDMA (IS-95A) uses BPSK and offers data rate up to 14.4
kbps. The bandwidth of 2G is 30-200 KHz.

 2.5G – GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) - 2.5G:

Which stands for "second and a half generation," is a cellular wireless
technology developed in between its predecessor, 2G, and its successor, 3G.
The term "second and a half generation" is used to describe 2G-systems that
have implemented a packet switched domain in addition to the circuit switched
domain.

‘2.5G’ is an informal term, invented solely for marketing purposes, unlike "2G"
or "3G" which are officially defined standards based on those defined by the
International Telecommunication (ITU).

GPRS (CS1 to CS4) uses GMSK modulation with symbol rate (& modulation rate)
of 270 ksym/s. Typical data rate of GPRS is ~115 kbps. It can be used for services
such as Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) access, Multimedia Messaging
Service (MMS) and for accessing internet.
IS-95B or cdmaOne is the evolved version of IS-95A and is also designated as
2.5G with theoretical data rates of up to 115 kbps, with generally experienced
rates of 64 kbps.

 2.75 – EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution):

EDGE (EGPRS) is an abbreviation for Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution, is a
digital mobile phone technology, invented by AT&T. EDGE technology is an
extended version of GSM & works in GSM networks. EDGE is add-on to GPRS
and can function on any network with GPRS deployed on it, provided the carrier
implements the necessary upgrades. It allows the clear and fast transmission of
data. One need not install any additional hardware and software in order to
make use of EDGE Technology. Also, there are no additional charges for utilizing
this technology.

Uses 9 Modulation coding schemes (MCS1-9). MCS (1-4) uses GMSK, while MCS
(5-9) uses 8PSK modulation. 8PSK Increases throughput by 3x (8-PSK – 3
bits/symbol v/s GMSK 1 bit/symbol). Modulation bit rate is 810 kbps. It offers
data rates of 384kbps, theoretically up to 473.6kbps.

 Third Generation Technology (3G):

3G was first appeared in 2001. 3G systems promise faster communications
services, entailing voice, and fax and Internet data transfer capabilities. The aim
of 3G is to provide these services anytime, anywhere throughout the globe, with
seamless roaming between standards. ITU’s IMT-2000 is a, global standard for
3G.

3G networks are wide area cellular telephone networks which have evolved to
incorporate high-speed internet access and video telephony. It offers large
capacity and broadband capabilities. It has greater network capacity through
improved spectrum efficiency. Technology supports around 144 Kbps, with high
speed movement, i.e. in a vehicle, 384 Kbps locally, and up to 2Mbps for fixed
stations, i.e. in a building. 3G technologies use CDMA, TDMA and FDMA. The
data are sent through Packet Switching. Voice calls are interpreted through
Circuit Switching. It is a highly sophisticated form of communication that has
come up in the last decade.

3G has the following enhancements over 2.5G and previous networks:

 Enhanced audio and video streaming;
 Several Times higher data speed;
 Video-conferencing support;
 Web and WAP browsing at higher speeds;
 IPTV (TV through the Internet) support.
 Global Roaming

There are many 3G technologies as W-CDMA, CDMA2000. UMTS, DECT, WiMAX.

o 3.5G – HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet

Access):
High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) is a mobile telephony protocol,
also called 3.5G. It is an enhanced version and the next intermediate generation
of 3G UMTS allowing for higher data transfer speeds.

HSDPA is a packet-based data service in W-CDMA downlink with data

transmission up to 8-10 Mbps (and 20 Mbps for MIMO systems) over a 5MHz
bandwidth in WCDMA downlink. This high data rate is enabled by use of
adaptive modulation can coding (AMC), hybrid automatic repeat-request
(HARQ), and fast packet scheduling at the access point.

o 3.75G – HSUPA (High-Speed Uplink Packet Access):

High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) is a UMTS /WCDMA uplink evolution
technology. The HSUPA mobile telecommunications technology is directly
related to HSDPA and the two are complimentary to one another.
HSUPA will enhance advanced person-to-person data applications with higher
and symmetric data rates, like mobile e-mail and real-time person- to person
gaming.

o Fourth Generation-(4G):
Why 4G?
3G may not be sufficient to meet needs of future high-performance applications
like multi-media, full-motion video, wireless teleconferencing. Multiple
standards for 3G make it difficult to roam and interoperate across networks.
Requirement of a single broadband network with high data rates which
integrates wireless LANs, Bluetooth, cellular networks, etc

4G - Also known as "Beyond 3G", 4G refers to the fourth generation of wireless

communications. The deployment of 4G networks should be in the 2010-2015
timeframe and will enable another leap in wireless data-rate and spectral
efficiency. ITU has specified IMT-A (IMT-Advanced) for 4G standards. 4G is all
about convergence; convergence of wired and wireless networks, wireless
technologies including GSM, wireless LAN, and Bluetooth as well as computers,
consumer electronics, communication technology and several others. 4G is a
Mobile multimedia, anytime anywhere, Global mobility support, integrated
wireless solution, and customized personal service network system.

4G wireless technologies is also referred to by “MAGIC” which stands

for M obil
e
multimedia, Any-where, Global mobility solutions over, integrated
wireless and Customized services.
4G is an all IP-based integrated system will be capable to provide 100 Mbps for
high mobility and 1 Gbps for low mobility , with end-to-end QoS and high
security, and will offering various services at any time as per user requirements,
anywhere with seamless interoperability, at affordable cost. The user services
include IP telephony, ultra-broadband Internet access, gaming services and High
Definition Television (HDTV) streamed multimedia.

2G GSM SECURITY ASPECTS

Security in GSM consists of the following aspects:
subscriber identity authentication,
subscriber identity confidentiality,
signaling data confidentiality,
user data confidentiality.
The subscriber is uniquely identified by the International Mobile
Subscriber Identity (IMSI)

3-STEPS OF GSM SECURITY:-

o AUTHENTICATION
o ENCRYPTION
o CIPHERING

WHAT IS AUTHENTICATION ?
Whenever a MS requests access to a network, the network must authenticate
the MS. Authentication verifies the identity and validity of the SIM card to the
network and ensures that the subscriber is authorized access to the network.

WHAT IS ENCRYPTION ?
In GSM, encryption refers to the process of creating authentication and
ciphering crypto-variables using a special key and an encryption algorithm

WHAT IS CIPHERING ?
To protect user data and signalling data from interception. The GSM system
uses symmetric cryptography - the data is encrypted using an algorithm which

is ‘seeded’ by the ciphering key – the Kc. This same Kc is needed by the
decryption algorithm to decrypt the data. Transmissions between the MS and
the BTS on the Um link are enciphered.

WHO ARE INVOLVED IN 2G GSM AUTHENTICATION ?

SIM CARD K i
MSC/VLR KC
HLR RAND
AUC Signed Response
EIR A3 Algorithm
TRIPLETS A5 Algorithm
A8 Algorithm

Ki(Authentication key)
o K i - 128 – bit
o The K i is the individual subscriber authentication key. It is a
128-bit number that is paired with an IMSI when the SIM card
is created. The Ki is only stored on the SIM card and at the
Authentication Center ( AuC). The Ki will never be transmitted
across the network on any link.

KC (Cipher Key)
o Kc 64 –bit.
 o The Kc is the 64-bit ciphering key that is used in the A5
encryption algorithm to encipher and decipher the data that is
being transmitted on the Um interface.

RAND (Random Key)

 RAND 128 -bit
 The RAND is a random 128-bit number that is generated by the AuC when
the network requests to authenticate a subscriber. The RAND is used to
generate the Signed Response (SRES) and Kc crypto-variables.

Signed Response:
The SRES is a 32-bit crypto-variable used in the authentication process. The MS
is challenged by being given the RAND by the network, the SRES is the
expected correct response. The MS receives the RAND as a challenge and uses
it to calculate the SRES. The SRES is passed up to the network to as a response
to the challenge.

A3 Algorithm (MS AUTHENTICATION ALGORITHM)

The A3 algorithm computes a 32-bit Signed Response (SRES). The Ki and RAND
are inputted into the A3 algorithm and the result is the 32-bit SRES. The A3
algorithm resides on the SIM card and at the AuC.

A5 Algorithm (ENCRYPTION ALGORITHM)

The A5 encryption algorithm is used to encipher and decipher the data that is
being transmitted on the Um interface. The Kc and the plaintext data are
inputted into the A5 algorithm and the output is enciphered data. The A5
algorithm is a function of the Mobile Equipment (ME) and not a function of the
SIM card. The BTS also makes use of the A5 algorithm.
There are three versions of the A5 algorithm:
 A5/1 - The current standard for U.S. and European networks. A5/1 is
a stream cipher.
 A5/2 - The deliberately weakened version of A5/1 that is intended
for export to non-western countries. A5/2 is a stream cipher.
 A5/3 - A newly developed algorithm not yet in full use. A5/3 is a
block cipher.

A8 Algorithm(VOICE PRIVACY KEY GENERATION ALGORITHM)

o A8 Algorithm 64 -bit
o The A8 algorithm computes a 64-bit ciphering key ( Kc). The Ki
and the RAND are inputted into the A8 algorithm and the
result is the 64-bit Kc. The A8 algorithm resides on the SIM
card and at the AuC.
COMP - 128
A keyed hash function that combines the A3 and A8 algorithms into a single
function. The 128-bit Ki and 128-bit RAND are input into the COMP128 which
generates a 32-bit SRES and a 54-bit Kc in a single function. COMP128 is weak
because it can give away information about the Ki.

TRIPLETS
The RAND, SRES, and Kc together are known as the Triplets. The AuC will send
these three crypto-variables to the requesting MSC/VLR so it can authenticate
and encipher
 GSM AUTHENTICATION
 AUTHENTICATION STEP – 1
 AUTHENTICATION -2

 AUTHENTICATION -3

 A
UTHENTICATION -4
 AUTHENTICATION -5

 AUTHENTICATION -6
 AUTHENTICATION -7
 AUTHENTICATION -8
 AUTHENTICATION COMPLETE

CIPHERING IN GSM

 CIPHERING -1
  CIPHERING -2

Once

 CIPHERING -3
What is 3G

3-G is next generation of mobile service capabilities in terms of Bandwidth

and Network Functions.

Advantages of 3G
3G phones promise :-
 Improved digital voice communications
 Larger Bandwidth – Higher Data rate
 Greater subscriber capacity
 Fast packet-based data services like e-mail, short message
service (SMS), and Internet access at broadband speeds.
 Most carriers also expect consumers to want :-
◦ location services
◦ interactive gaming
◦ streaming video
◦ home monitoring and control
◦ and who knows what else, while being fully mobile anywhere in the
world.

3G capabilities:-
Voice quality comparable to the public switched
telephone network
 144 Kbps- user in high-speed motor vehicles
 384 Kbps- pedestrians standing or moving slowly
over small areas
 Up to 2 Mbps- fixed applications like office use
 Symmetrical/asymmetrical data transmission rates
 Support for both packet switched and circuit switched
data services like Internet Protocol (IP) traffic and
real time video

4G Requirements - As per ITU's IMT-A

 All-IP packet switched network.

 Data rates up to 100 Mbps for high mobility and up to 1 Gbps for low mobility.

 Seamless connectivity and global roaming

 Interoperability with existing wireless standards

 Smooth handovers.

 High QoS.

There are a number of standards and technologies pertaining to each wireless generation
-- GSM, cdmaOne, GPRS, EDGE, CDMA2000, UMTS (also marketed as 3GSM), HSDPA,
among others. For practical reasons, we won't be dwelling on the technicalities of each
term and instead will move onto the ones that involve our topic of interest here: 4G.
Although no set of standards have been established as of yet by the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU), the authority on such things, two competing technologies
have been proposed: LTE and WiMAX. Many service providers often use the term 4G
mobile broadband to describe the technologies they are offering based on their own,
sometimes distorted definitions. However, current implementations are largely considered
pre-4G, as they don't fully comply with the planned requirements of 1Gbit/s for stationary
reception and 100Mbit/s for mobile.
Besides speed, several other guidelines have been traced for wireless communication
standards to qualify as 4G. In a nutshell, and utilize the network resources to support
more simultaneous users per cell, have smooth handovers across heterogeneous
networks, offer high quality of service for next generation multimedia support, and should
be based on an all-IP packet switched network.

Long-Term Evolution-(LTE):

Short for Long-Term Evolution, LTE is considered by many to be the natural successor to current-
generation 3G technologies, in part because it updates UMTS networks to provide significantly
faster data rates for both uploading and downloading. The specification calls for downlink peak
rates of at least 100Mb/s and an uplink of 50Mb/s, but going by real world tests its transfer speeds
will more likely range from 5-12Mb/s for downloads and 2-5Mb/s for uploads.
LTE is being developed by a group of telecommunications associations known as the 3rd
Generation Partnership Project, or 3GPP, as an eight release of what has been evolving since
1992 from the GSM family of standards.

There are two fundamental aspects of LTE. The first is that the technology finally leaves behind
the circuit switched network of its GSM roots and moves to an all-IP flat networking architecture.
This is a significant shift which in very simple terms means that LTE will treat everything it
transmits, even voice, as data. The other big change relates to the use of MIMO technology, or
multiple antennas at both the transmitter and receiver end to improve communication
performance. This setup can either be used to increase the throughput data rates or to reduce
interference.

Many big-name global operators and mobile communications companies are backing LTE in the
race for 4G mobile broadband, including Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile, LG Electronics, Ericsson,
Nokia, Siemens, NTT DoMoCo, and others. In the U.S., Verizon Wireless has said it is going
commercial with its LTE network in the fourth quarter, with 25 to 30 markets up and ready at
launch. AT&T and T-Mobile claim they will begin to deploy LTE in 2011, but in the meantime both
networks have moved to HSPA 7.2 and the latter plans to roll out HSPA+ beginning this year.
Theoretically these can support speeds of up to 7.2 and 21 Mbps, respectively, but in real world
scenarios they are only marginally faster than most 3G data services.
The reason behind LTE’s strong industry support lies in the relative ease of upgrading from current
3G networks worldwide over to LTE mobile broadband, compared to the significant infrastructure
build out that WiMAX has taken thus far. Fewer cell sites have to be built and penetration into
buildings is better at the 700 MHz spectrum LTE uses. However, WiMAX deployments are already
up and running while LTE's formal debut is still a few months out.

WiMAX:

WiMAX is a wireless broadband access standard developed and maintained by the IEEE under
the 802.16 designation. As its name suggest, WiMAX can be thought of as an extension of Wi-Fi
designed to enable pervasive, high-speed mobile Internet access on a wide range of devices, from
laptops to smart phones. The current implementation is based on the 802.16e specification which
offers theoretical downlink rates upwards of 70Mbps and up to 30-mile ranges.
Again, "theoretical" is the keyword here as WiMAX, like all wireless technologies, can either
operate at higher bitrates or over longer distances but not both. Production networks being
operated in the United States are seeing average speeds go from 3 to 6Mb/s, with bursts up to
10Mb/s. Like LTE -- and Wi-Fi 802.11n for that matter -- WiMAX supports MIMO technology, which
means that additional antennas can increase the potential throughput.

There is no uniform global licensed spectrum for WiMAX, but three have been listed: 2.3 GHz, 2.5
GHz and 3.5 GHz. In the U.S., the biggest segment available is around 2.5 GHz and is already
assigned primarily to Clear wire, a wireless internet service provider in which Sprint Nextel holds a
majority stake.
In terms of total available 4G spectrum to deploy their services, Clear wire has several times more
than its competitors, which have smaller portions of the 700 MHz band. However, Verizon and
AT&T are not too worried about this as they can re-utilize spectrum being used right now for 2G
and 3G services by upgrading these to LTE when the demand is there.
Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, the 700 MHz band that both Verizon and AT&T plan to use has
enormously better range and penetration of buildings than the same power of signal at 2.5 GHz.
Some experts have said that 700MHz will require as few as one-quarter as many base stations to
offer identical coverage to 2.5 GHz.
As you might have guessed, the industry players behind these 4G technologies reflect the history
of each standard. Whereas LTE biggest supporters are, in general, telecommunication service
companies and handset manufacturers, WiMAX counts the likes of Intel, Cisco and Google among
its most important backers. It should be noted though that many companies like Nokia or Motorola
are members of both industry groups, with different levels of involvement.
Air Interface: Logical Channel
3.4
  Traffic Channel (TCH)
  Carries user voice traffic
  Signalling Channel
   Broadcast Channel (BCH) (unidirectional)
  Common Control Channel (CCH) (unidirectional)
  Dedicated/Associated Control Channel (DCCH/ACCH) (bidirectional)
BCCH
3.5
  Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH)
 BTS to MS
send cell identities, organization info about common control
 channels, cell service available, etc
Radio channel configuration
Current cell + Neighbouring cells
Synchronizing information
Frequencies + frame numbering
Registration Identifiers
LA + Cell Identification (CI) + Base Station Identity Code (BSIC)

FCCH & SCH

3.6
 Frequency Correction Channel
send a frequency correction data burst containing all zeros to effect a constant
frequency shift of RF carrier
Mobile station knows which frequency to use
Repeated broadcast of Frequency Bursts
 Synchronization Channel
send TDMA frame number and base station identity code to synchronize MSs
MS knows which timeslot to use
Repeated broadcast of Synchronization Bursts
AGCH & PCH
3.7
Access Grant Channel (AGCH)
BTS to MS
Used to assign an SDCCH/TCH to MS
Paging Channel (PCH)
BTS to MS
Page MS
RACH & SDCCH
3.8
 Random Access Channel (RACH)
MS => BTS
Slotted Aloha
Request for dedicated SDCCH
 Standalone Dedicated Control Channel (SDCCH)
MS => BTS
Standalone; Independent of Traffic Channel
Used before MS is assigned a TCH

CBCH
9
 Cell Broadcast Channel (CBCH) - DOWNLINK – This channel is not truly
its own type of logical channel. The CBCH is for point-to-omnipoint messages. It
is used to broadcast specific information to network subscribers; such as weather,
traffic, sports, stocks, etc. Messages can be of any nature depending on what
service is provided. Messages are normally public service type messages or
announcements. The CBCH is not allocated a slot for itself, it is assigned to an
SDCCH. It only occurs on the downlink.The CBCH usually occupies the second
sub slot of the SDCCH. The mobile will not acknowledge any of the messages.
DCCH
3.10
 DCCH (dedicated control channel):
 bidirectional point-to-point -- main signaling channels
 SDCCH (stand-alone dedicated control channel): for service
request, subscriber authentication, equipment validation,
assignment to a traffic channel
 SACCH (slow associated control channel): for out-of-band
signaling associated with a traffic channel, eg, signal strength
measurements
 FACCH (fast associated control channel): for preemptive
signaling on a traffic channel, eg, for handoff messages
 Uses timeslots which are otherwise used by the TCH
3.11
SACCH & FACCH
 Slow Associated Control Channel (SACCH)
 MS BTS
 Always associated with either TCH or SDCCH
 Information
 Channel quality, signal power level
 Should always be active; as proof of existence of physical
radio connection
 Fast Associated Control Channel (FACCH)
 MS BTS
 Handover
 Uses timeslots which are otherwise used by TCH (Pre-emptive multiplexing
on
a TCH, Stealing Flag (SF))
3.12
GSM: Channel Summary
 Logical channels
 Traffic Channels; Control Channels
 Physical Channel
 Time Slot Number; TDMA frame; RF Channel Sequence
 Mapping in frequency
 124 channels, 200KHz spacing
 Mapping in time
 TDMA Frame, Multi Frame, Super Frame, Channel