Mobile Computing

Chapter Three: Telecommunications systems

Agenda
 Telecommunications systems

GSM
 Understand the concept of GSM Technology
 Understand the services of GSM
 Understand the GSM system architecture
 CDMA IS-95/IS-95 Network
 GPRS Network
 UMTS Network
Telecommunications systems

Digital cellular networks are the segment of the market for mobile and wireless

devices which are growing most rapidly.

They are the wireless extensions of traditional PSTN or ISDN networks and

allow for seamless roaming with the same mobile phone nation or even

worldwide.

The systems presented fit into the traditional telephony architecture and do not

originate from computer networks.

Cont.…
GSM
 GSM is the most successful digital mobile telecommunication system in the world today.

 The primary goal of GSM was to provide a mobile phone system that allows users to roam

throughout world and provides voice services compatible to ISDN and other PSTN systems.

 GSM is a typical second generation(2G) system, replacing the first generation analog systems, but

not offering the high worldwide data rates that the third generation systems.

 A GSM system that has been introduced in several European countries for railroad systems is

GSM-Rail.

 However, the most sophisticated use of GSM-R is the control of trains, switches, gates, and signals.
Why GSM?

GSM uses radio frequencies more effectively than the older system.

The data transmission services and the quality of the speech are better than in
analog system.

There are two kinds of advanced security services available on the radio
path : user identity and data confidentiality.

New services and ISDN compatibility are offered.

International roaming
GSM Services
 TE=Terminal
 MT=Mobile Termination
 PLMIN=public land mobile network
 PSTN=public switched telephone network
 ISDN=integrated services digital network

 Bearer service, Tele service, Supplementary service.

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

tele services
GSM Services: Bearer Services

A bearer service is used for transporting user data.

Some of the bearer services are listed below:

Asynchronous and Synchronous data, 300-9600 bps.

Alternate speech and data, 300-9600 bps.

Asynchronous PAD (packet-switched access, 300-9600 bps.)

Synchronous dedicated packet data access, 2400-9600 bps.

GSM Services: Tele Services
 Telecommunication services that enable voice communication via mobile phones.

 All these basic services have to obey cellular functions, security measurements etc.

 Speech Telephony

 Emergency call

 Short message Services (SMS)

 Fax mail

 Voice mail

 Electronic mail

 MMS (Multimedia Message Service) offers the transmission of larger pictures (GIF, JPG, WBMP), short video clips

etc.
GSM Services: Supplementary services
In addition to tele and bearer services, GSM providers can offer supplementary services.

Similar to ISDN networks, these services offer various enhancements for the standard
telephony service, and may vary from provider to provider.

Typical services are user identification, call redirection, or forwarding of ongoing calls
and call holding.

StandardISDN features such as closed user groups and multiparty

communication may be available.

Closed user groups are of special interest to companies because they allow, for example,
a company-specific GSM sub-network, to which only members of the group have access.
System architecture

As with all systems in the telecommunication area, GSM comes with a

hierarchical, complex system architecture comprising many entities, interfaces,

and acronyms.

A GSM system consists of three subsystems,

-radio subsystem (RSS)

-network and switching subsystem (NSS)

-operation subsystem (OSS).

System architecture

radio cell
MS MS BSS

Um radio cell

RSS BTS MS

BTS

Abis
BSC BSC
A

MSC MSC

NSS VLR VLR signaling

HLR GMSC ISDN, PSTN
IWF PDN
O
OSS EIR AUC OMC
Cont….

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Cont.…

Mobile Station:
Mobile station consist of two units:

 Mobile hand set is one of the most complicated GSM device. It provides
user the access to the network.

 Subscribe identity module (SIM) is a removable module goes into the

mobile handset. Each SIM has unique number called international mobile
subscriber identity (IMSI).
Cont.…

Base station subsystem (BSS):

A GSM network comprises many BSS, each controlled by a base station controller

(BSC).

The BSS performs all function necessary to maintain radio connections to an MS,

coding/decoding of voice, and rate adaptation to/from the wireless network part.

Besides a BSC, the BSS contains several BTS.

Cont.…

Base transceiver station (BTS):

BTS has set of transceiver to talk to MS.

One BTS covers one or more than one cell.

Capacity of BTS depends on number of transceivers.

Cont.…

Base station controller (BSC):

BSC controls several BTSs.

BSC manages channel allocation & handover of called from one BTS
to another BTS.

BSC provides path from MS to MSC.

Cont.…

Mobile services switching center (MSC):

 MSC manages all call related functions and billing information.

 MSC is connected to HLR & VLR for subscriber identification & routing incoming calls.

 MSC capacity is in terms of number of subscribers.

 MSC is connected to BSC at one end and fixed line network on other end.

 Call Detail Record (CDR) is generated for each & every call in the MSC.
Cont.…

Home location register (HLR):

All subscribers data is stored in HLR.

It has permanent data base of all the registered subscribers.

Cont.…

Visitor location register (VLR):

Active subscriber is registered in VLR.

It is a temporary data base of all the active subscribers.

HLR validates subscriber before registration.

MSC ask VLR before routing incoming call.

Cont.…

Operation and maintenance center (OMC):

All the network elements are connected to OMC.

OMC monitors health of all network elements & carries out maintenance operation, if

required.

OMC is linked to BTSs via parent BSC.

OMC keeps records of all the faults occurred.

OMC can also generate Traffic analysis reports.

Cont.…

Authentication center (AuC):

Authentication is a process to verify the subscriber SIM.

Secret data & verification algorithm are stored in to the AUC.

AUC & HLR combined to authenticate the subscribers.

Subscriber authentication can be done on every call if required.

Cont.…
Equipment identity register (EIR):

The equipment identity register stores the international mobile equipment

identity (IMEI) numbers for the entire network.

IMEI enables the MSC in identifying the type of terminal, mobile equipment

manufacturer, and model and helps the network in locating the device in case it

is stolen or misplaced.

The EIR contains three different types of lists:

 A Black list: includes mobile stations which have been reported stolen or

are currently locked due to some reason.

Cont.…

A White list: which records all MSs that are valid and operating.

A Grey list: including all those MSs that may not be functioning
properly.

According to category the MS can make calls or can be stopped from

making calls.
CDMA IS-95/ IS-95B
 CDMA (code division multiple access) is a second-generation(2G) digital mobile
telephone standard.
 The initial specification for the system was IS-95A but its performance was later
upgraded into IS-95B.

 Apart from voice the mobile phone system is also able to carry data at rates up to
14.4 kbps for IS-95 and 115 kbps for IS-95B.

Motivation

 Intended as a new system or replacement for older analog system(1G)

 Increase system capacity

Cont.…
With CDMA, all users share the same frequency carrier, but unique

digital codes are used to differentiate subscribers.

The codes are shared by both the mobile station and the base station.

Benefits

Outstanding voice call quality

Greatest coverage for lower cost, long talk time

High Security and privacy

Greater capacity, reduced background noise

CDMA Architecture
Future of CDMA
CDMA technology have been incorporated into the third-

generation IMT-2000 standard,

Designed to allow interoperability between the different

networks and integration with satellite technology.

This third-generation technology will allow broadband data

access that can be used for voice, video and data communication

at speeds of up to 2Mbps.
 Data in GPRS network
The general packet radio service (GPRS) a packet switching technology that

enable data transfer through cellular network, providing end to end communication.

GPRS should use the existing network resources more efficiently for packet mode

applications.

GPRS should also allow for broadcast, multicast, and unicast service.

Benefits

 Resource are reserved only when needed.

 Connection setup times are reduced

 Enable new service opportunities.

Cont.…
Time slots are not allocated in a fixed, pre-determine manner
but on demand.

All time slots can be shared by the active users; up and

downlink are allocated separately.

GPRS includes several security services such as

authentication, access control, user identity confidentiality, and
user information confidentiality.
GPRS architecture and interfaces
Cont…
The Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) is a main component of
the GPRS network, which handles all packet switched data within the
network, e.g. the mobility management and authentication of the
users.

The SGSN performs the same functions as the MSC for voice traffic.

The Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) is also a main

component of the GPRS network which is responsible for the
interworking between the GPRS network and external packet switched
networks, like the Internet.
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Data in UMTS Networks

 UMTS(Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) is the most popular 3G

wireless standard.

 UMTS is an upgrade from GPRS with much more bandwidth.

 Combines the infrastructure of the GSM network with superior technology of the
CDMA air interface.

 Builds upon the successful European GSM network

 Incorporates the developments made for the GPRS and EDGE(Enhanced Data rates
for GSM Evolution) networks

 The 3G standard was written by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

Cont.…
 W-CDMA (wideband code-division multiple access ) is the most common radio
interface for UMTS systems.
 5MHz of bandwidth for each channel.
 Several thousand users can be supported in each cell site.
 Offers 11Mbps download speed.
 Fast power control (PC)
 Reduces the impact of channel fading and minimizes the interference.
 Soft handover
 Improves coverage, decreases interference.
 Market share for WCDMA is growing rapidly
Architecture of UMTS
Thank you!