An Introduction to Air Interface of GSM

Evolution Of GSM

Milestones in GSM

GSM REFERENCE MODEL

Protocol Layer of GSM

Um
MS
CM MM

Abis
BTS

MSC

BSC

CM
MAP

MM
BSSAP

TCAP

RR

RR

BSSAP

RR
LAPDm
Layer 1

BTSM BTSM

SCCP MTP

SCCP SCCP MTP MTP

V/HLR

LAPDm

LAPD
Layer 1

LAPD
Layer 1

Layer1

Air Interface Salient Points:

Multiple Access Scheme: TDMA + FDMA Frequency Bands 900 MHz Uplink: 890-915 MHz Downlink: 935-960 MHz Total No. of Carriers : 124 1800 MHz Uplink: 1710-1785 MHz Downlink: 1805-1880 MHz Total No. of Carriers :374 Channel Bandwidth : 200 KHz Duplex Spacing: 45 MHz Channels/Carrier: 8

Traffic Channel Multiframe

Control Channel Multiframe

Layers of Protocol Stack

Layer 1 Physical Layer
TDMA/FDMA radio interface on MS to BSS E1 link on BTS to BSC MTP Layer1 on BSC to MSC

Layer 2 Data Link Layer

LAPDm used on Air interface LAPD on BTS to BSC MTP Layer2 on BSC to MSC

 Layer 3
RR Management Sublayer
Manages the Radio interface. Terminates at BSS from MS.

MM Sub layer
Terminated at MSC. Messages from or to MSC are relayed transparently from BSS.

 CM Sublayer
Terminates at MSC Contains entities that consist of CC including call-related supplementary services, SMS, and call independent supplementary services support (SS).

BTSM
This layer looks after the management of all aspects of radio channels including radio link layer, control channels and transceiver management.

SCCP & MTP

SCCP & MTP protocols are used to implement the data link and Layer 3 transport functions for carrying the call control and mobility management signaling messages on the BSSMSC Link.

BSSAP
Used to implement all procedures between the MSC and the BSS that require interpretation and processing of information related to single calls and resource management

TCAP & MAP

- These are the interfaces between the MSC and the HLR/VLR.

Air Interface
Multiple Access Scheme: TDMA + FDMA Frequency Bands
Uplink: 890-915 MHz Downlink: 935-960 MHz

Channel Bandwidth : 200 KHz Duplex Spacing: 45 MHz Total No. of Carriers : 124 Channels/Carrier: 8

Coding on the Air Interface

A/D Segmentation RPE-LTP encoder
13 kbps (260 bits/frame)

RPE-LTP decoder

Desegmentation

MSC

Channel Encoder
22.8kbps 456 bits/frame

Interleaver

Deinterleaver

Error Correction

Modulator

D D Duplexers

Demodulator

33.85 kbps/user
270.8 kbps/frame

Coding on the Radio Path

The analog signal is segmented in 20 ms. Segments Speech coding (RPE-LTP) is used to model the Speech segments at a data rate of 13 Kbps. This data is error protected by channel encoding, thus increasing bit rate to 22.8 Kbps Interleaving performed to reduce burst errors. Depth of 8 is used for interleaving. This data is used for modulating the carrier. GMSK is used as modulation technique.

TDMA Frame and Burst Structure

Frame Structure in Air Interface

Organization of Bursts, TDMA Frames, and Multiframes for Speech and Data

Logical Channel Structure in GSM

Logical Channels

TCH traffic Duplex

CCH control

Speech

Data

BCH Broadcast

CCCH common

DCCH dedicated

Full Rate 22.8kbps

9.6 kbps

FCCH freq correction Downlink SCH syncronization Downlink BCCH Broadcast Control Downlink

PCH paging Downlink AGCH access grant Downlink RACH random access Uplink

FACCH fast associated Duplex SACCH slow associated Duplex SDCCH stand - alone Duplex

Half Rate 11.4kbps

4.8 kbps

2.4 kbps

Logical Control Channels

Burst Types in GSM

Traffic Channels
TCH/F
Gross bit rate 22.8 kbps Net bit rate at 13 kbps for Speech Gross bit rate at 12, 6, or 3.6 kbps for Data Transmission rates of the Data services compatible to the existing 9.6, 4.8, and 2.4 kbps PSTN & ISDN services

TCH/H
Gross bit rate of 11.4 kbps
Net bit rate at 5.6 kbps for Speech Net bit rate at 6 or 3.6 kbps for Data
Generally TCH/H is not used.

Broadcast Control Channels

FCCH
This downlink channel continuously transmits unmodulated carrier frequency for frequency correction of the MS.

SCH
Used for frame synchronization of MS

Contains information about TDMA frame number and BSIC.

BCCH
Broadcasts general information about the cell. viz
Neighbour Cell information MS transmit power maximum on CCHs Local Area Identification

Common Control Channels

PCH
Used to page the MS during mobile terminated call setup. Paging messages are sent to the area where the recipient MS is located.

AGCH
Used for sending access grant messages which assign the MS to a SDCCH or directly to TCH in response to a request placed on RACH by MS.

RACH
Used to transfer uplink messages in response to the call initiation request placed by the MS or in response to a paging request or automatically as part of location update

Dedicated Control Channels

FACCH
Used as a main signaling link for the transmission of data e.g. handover commands. Required for every call setup and release FACCH is transmitted in the burst stealing mode by pre-empting a portion of the speech/user data information bits during active call.

SACCH
Uplink SACCH is used by the MS to report the radio strengths of the surrounding cells and receive quality of the serving cell TCH. Downlink SACCH is used to transmit some common information also present on BCCH. Thus the MS, while on TCH, can receive the relevant broadcast information inspite of being unable to monitor the BCCH.

SDCCH
A duplex pt-to-pt channel which is used for signaling.
Carries all signaling between the BTS and the MS when no TCH is allocated. Used for service requests (e.g SMS), location updates, subscriber authentication, ciphering initiation, equipment validation and assignment to a TCH

Logical Channel to Physical Channel Mapping

Logical channels FCCH,SCH,BCCH,CCCH are time division multiplexed on carrier 0 (C0) in time slot 0 (T0). C0 T0 is always a broadcast control channel and is always transmitting.

Remaining 7 time slots of C0 can be used for traffic.

Traffic Channel Multiframe Structure

24 slots used for traffic out of 26 Slot 12 used for SACCH Slot 25 is empty

Common Channels Multiframe Structure

FCCH and SCH

One SCH slot follows each FCCH slot 8 BPs later Each channel uses 5 slots in each 51 multiframe.

BCCH and PAGCH

BCCH is repeated 4 times every 51 multiframe

PAGCH ( PCH + AGCH) is repeated 36 times every 51 multiframe

Common Channels Combination

Types of Bursts in GSM

Access Burst
8 TB 41 SYNCHRONIZATION BITS 36 DATA BITS 8 TB 68.25 GP

Used by the RACH when no channel parameters are known. 41 synch bits, 36 data bits and 68.25 guard bits

Synchronization Burst
8 TB 39 DATA BITS 64 SYNCHRONIZATION BITS 39 DATA BITS 8 TB 8.25 GP

Used by BTS for synchronization with MS.

Used by SCH.

Frequency Correction Burst

8 TB 142 FIXED BITS (ALL ZEROS) 8 TB 8.25 GP

Used by the FCCH. Contains all data bits as 0. Generates a sine wave which is used for frequency correction.

Normal Burst
3 TB 57 DATA BITS 26 TRAINING SEQUENCE 57 DATA BITS 3 TB 8.25 GP

STEALING BITS

Has 114 bits of data.

Used by all other channels except those mentioned above.

Has training sequence which is used for identifying the correct signal from all the multi path signals

Stealing bits are used by FACCH for using the TCH.

Dummy Burst
26 TRAINING SEQUENCE

3 TB

3 TB

8.25 GP

Transmitted when no other bursts are to be transmitted

Used for signal quality monitoring.

Call Setup Scenarios

Mobile Originated Call

Mobile Terminated Calls