Global System for Mobile

Communication (GSM)

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 GSM Overview
• Formerly: Groupe Spéciale Mobile (founded 1982)
• Now: Global System for Mobile Communication
• Goal : was to provide a mobile phone system that allows
users to roam throughout Europe and provides voice
services compatible to ISDN and other PSTN systems.
• Today many providers all over the world use GSM
(219 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia, America)
– more than 4 billion subscribers in more than 700
networks
– more than 80% of all digital mobile phones use GSM
• Today more people use mobile phone system than the fixed
telephones!

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 GSM Technologies
• A 2G cellular network (a digital network for voice
communication)
• Circuit switching for voice (mainly)/data (limited) transmission
rate
– Connection-oriented service
• Multiplexing
– Frequency division multiplexing (FDM) plus Time division
multiplexing (TDM)
– Uses 124 channels per cell, each channel can support 8 users
through TDM (992 users max)
– Some channels are used for control signals, etc
• Mobility management
– Two-tier architecture: HLR and VLR
– Location area for location update together with paging
Services
– Mainly for voice communication
– Data communication is very limited (i.e., 9.6kbit/s) and 3
 Performance Characteristics of GSM
Comparing with 1G cellular network
• Communication
– Mobile communication for voice and data services
• Total mobility
– International access, chip-card enables use of access points
of different providers (roaming services)
• Worldwide connectivity
– One number, the network handles localization and
interoperability
• High capacity
– Better frequency efficiency (frequency reuses), smaller cells,
more customers per cell
• High transmission quality
– High audio quality and reliability for wireless, uninterrupted
phone calls at higher speeds (e.g., from cars, trains)
• Security functions: encryption, authentication 4
 GSM Services

 Voice
 Messaging
 Entertainment
 Location based
 Video

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 GSM Services : Voice
• Voicemail- like a traditional answer machine.
• Call Waiting
• Call Hold
• Call Forwarding
– the option of diverting incoming calls to another number.
• Call Barring /Restrictions
– to restrict incoming or outgoing calls
• Call conference
• Push-to-Talk over Cellular(PoC/PTT)
– allow people to use their phones as walkie-talkies, merely
pushing a button to talk to another user or group of users.

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 GSM Services : Messaging
• SMS (Short Messaging Service)
– up to 160 characters long
– Billions of text messages are sent worldwide every week.
– It is estimated that a worldwide total of 1 trillion text
messages were sent in 2005.
– users subscribe to services that send news, sport and
entertainment content to a mobile phone in the form of an
SMS.
• MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service)
– additional media types: text, picture, audio, video, or a
combination of all four.
– phone that is running over a GPRS or 3GSM network is
required.
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 GSM Services : Messaging
• Instant Messaging
– an IP-based (Internet Protocol) application that can
provide real-time written communication between people
using a PC or Laptop.
• Email
– 2.5G (GPRS) and 3G network
– There are a wide variety of handsets available today that
support wireless push email services.
– With push email, emails are sent directly to the mobile
device as soon as the email server receives them rather
than waiting for the user or email client to request the
email.

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 GSM Services : Entertainment
• TV/Video
– real-time streaming over 3G networks
– dedicated mobile broadcast networks. (common in Asia)
• Music
• Gaming
– Games Downloaded
2005: 75.9 million
2007: 162.5 million
2009: 262.7 million
2010: 299.4 million
– Java already has over 88% of the market
• Mobile Internet access
– 2G provides limited text-based web browsing services with
low-resolution graphics. 3G is better 9
 GSM Services : Location Based Services
• LBS provide personalized services to the user on request, based
on their current position nearby restaurants, hotels or other
location-specific content such as maps.
• Cell-ID
– identifying which base station the user is currently
connected
– is accurate to an area of between 200 meters and 1
kilometer.
• GPS
– needs a chip inside the phone, adding to cost, weight and
power requirement, suffer delays (sometimes more than a
minute)

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 GSM Services…

• Video phone
– Built-in video camera for capturing videos in 3G
– Full interoperability of various video phones.
• Emergency number
– common number throughout Europe (112)
– mandatory for all service providers; free of charge;
– connection with the highest priority (preemption of other
connections is possible)

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 Architecture of the GSM System
• GSM is a PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network)
– Main 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

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 Components

Database

Mobile
Station

switching
center

Management

Base
Transceiver
Station 13
 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
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 System architecture: radio subsystem
radio • Components
network and switching
subsystem subsystem
– MS (Mobile Station)
MS MS – BSS (Base Station Subsystem):
consisting of
Um • BTS (Base Transceiver
Abis
Station):
BTS
BSC MSC
sender and receiver
BTS • BSC (Base Station
Controller):
controlling several
transceivers
• Interfaces
A
BTS
MSC
– Um : radio interface
BSC
BTS – Abis : standardized, open
BSS interface with 16 kbit/s user
channels
– A: standardized, open
interface with 15
 Radio subsystem
• The Radio Subsystem (RSS) comprises the cellular mobile network
up to the switching centers
• Components
– Base Station Subsystem (BSS):
• Base Transceiver Station (BTS):
– radio components including sender, receiver, antenna
– if directed antennas are used one BTS can cover several
cells
• Base Station Controller (BSC):
– switching between BTSs, controlling BTSs,
– mapping of radio channels (Um) onto terrestrial channels
(A interface)
• BSS = BSC + sum(BTS)
– Mobile Stations (MS)
• MS=ME(mobile Equipment ) + SIM( subscriber identity
module) 16
 Mobile station
• Terminal for the use of GSM services
• Mobile Equipment (ME)
– represents physical terminals, such as a mobile or PDA.
• Subscribers identity module (SIM)
– Stores all user specific data(Static)
– i.e Card-type, subscribed service, personal identity
number(PIN) ,PIN unblocking key (PUK), International
mobile subscriber identity(IMSI) ,phone book.
• MS=ME + SIM

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 GSM: cellular network
segmentation of the area into cells

possible radio coverage of the cell

idealized shape of the cell

cell

• use of several carrier frequencies

• not the same frequency in adjacent cells (frequency reuses by space
multiplexing)
• cell sizes vary from some 100 m up to 35 km depending on user density,
geography, transceiver power etc.
– Macrocell(3 to 35 km), Microcell(100m to 1 km), Picocell(10m to
100m)
• 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
System architecture: Network and Switching
Subsystem
network fixed partner • Components
subsystem networks • MSC (Mobile Services Switching
Center):
ISDN • IWF (Interworking Functions)
MSC
PSTN
• ISDN (Integrated Services Digital
Network)
• PSTN (Public Switched Telephone
EIR Network)
• PSPDN (Packet Switched Public
Data Net.)
SS7

HLR
• CSPDN (Circuit Switched Public
Data Net.)
VLR •Databases
MSC
ISDN • HLR (Home Location Register)
IWF
PSTN • VLR (Visitor Location Register)
PSPDN • EIR (Equipment Identity
CSPDN
Register)
•Protocol
• SS7 (signaling system no. 7) 19
 Network and switching subsystem
• NSS is the main component of the public mobile network GSM
– Switching, Hand over
– mobility management ( localization )
• Components
– 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
– 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, including data about all
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user currently in the domain of the VLR
 Mobile Services Switching Center
• The MSC (mobile services switching center) plays a central
role in GSM
– switching functions ( b/n BSC)
– Hand over functions for mobility support
– management of network resources
– interworking functions via Gateway MSC (GMSC)
– integration of several databases.
– 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
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 Operation Subsystem
• Enables centralized management and maintenance of all GSM
subsystems.
• Components
– Authentication Center (AUC)
• Used to protect user identity and data transmission.
• authentication parameters and Encryption keys are
generated and stored
• May be situated in special protected part of the HLR
– Equipment Identity Register (EIR)
• registers GSM mobile stations devices
• Black list(stolen or locked ), Gray list( malfunctioning
MS)
• White list (Valid devices)
– Operation and Maintenance Center (OMC)
• control and monitor radio subsystem and the network
subsystem entities via the O interface .
• Traffic monitoring , status report of the network entities 22
 Localization and calling
• To always know where a user currently is , GSM performs
periodic location updates even if the MS is not in use( as long
as it is logged on to the GSM network ).
• HLR always contains info about the current location
• VLR of the MSC informs the HLR about the location change

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 Localization…
• To locate the MS several numbers are needed
– Mobile subscriber international ISDN number
(MSISDN)
• Phone number E.g. +251917111213
– country code (CC)……… (+251) Ethiopia
– National Destination code(NDC)…. ( 917 ) Tepi
– Subscriber number (SN)………………..(111213)
individual
– International mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)
• Used by the network provider
– Mobile country code (MCC)
– Mobile network code (MNC)-code of network
provider
– Mobile subscriber identification number (MSIN) 24
 GSM Roaming
• the ability for a cellular customer to automatically make and
receive voice calls, send and receive data, or access other
services when travelling outside the geographical coverage
area of the home network, by means of using a visited
network.
• Roaming Agreements between network operators required .
– National Roaming(visited network in the same country as
the home network)
– International Roaming( visited network is outside the
home country)

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 How Roaming Works
• Subscribe for the roaming service
• roaming agreement is needed b/n operators
• Phone support the radio frequency
– e.g. 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz
• Switch on your phone in the foreign network.
• Note that when roaming you have to pay both for calls that
you make and receive.

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 Roaming Partners: ETMTN
• A Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, B Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin,
Bosnia Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, C
Cameroon, Canada, Chad, China, Comoros, Congo, Cote D Ivoire, Croatia,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, D Denmark, Djibouit E Egypt, Equatorial Guinea,
Estonia, F Finland, France, G Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, H Hong Kong, Hungary, I Iceland India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, J Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
K Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea, Kuwait, L Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho,
Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, M Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Mali ,Malta Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, N Namibia, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, O Oman, P
Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,
Puerto Rico, Q Qatar, R Romania, Russia, Rwanda, S Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland,
Syria,T Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, U Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United
Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Y Yemen, Z Zambia, 27
 Hand over
• Hand off is used to provide continuity of services while a
mobile unit moves from one cell to another.
• hand off is necessary due to the limited power of the MS and
BTS
• Reason for hand over
– > Low signal strength ( out of cell range )
– > Load balancing (too high in one cell)

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 Types of handover
• In general there are 3 types of handovers for cellular
network.
– Mobile controlled hand over (MCHO)
• Mobile unit measures the parameters and make
handover decision by itself .
– Network controlled hand over (NCHO)
• Base station measures the parameters and makes the
handover decision.
– Mobile Assisted hand over (MCHO)
• Mobile unit measures the parameters and sends the
values to the network.
• Then the base station makes the hand over decision.
• Used by GSM.

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 Evolution of GSM…
• EDGE (Enhanced Data rate for GSM Evolution)
– 2.5 G , also known as Enhanced GPRS (EGPRS)
– 384 kbps is the maximum data rate
– designed for service providers that may or may not
migrate to UMTS
– More advanced upgrade to GSM than GPRS.
• Additional new hardware and software at base
stations.
• Supports a technology path to 3G.
• Uses new modulation schemes (8-PSK) that is used in
addition to GSM’s standard (GMSK(Gaussian minimum-
shift keying) )

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 Evolution of GSM…
• UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems)
– 3G
– 144kbps for vehicular access
– 384 kbps for wide-area coverage (pedestrian)
– 2 Mbps for local coverage (stationary)
– WCDMA (wideband CDMA)
– Adopted by Europe and Japan

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 Evolution of GSM…

• CDMA2000 1X
– 3G
– use CDMA channel access, to send voice, data, and
signaling data between mobile phones and cell sites.
– up to 153 kbps
• CDMA2000 1xEV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized)
– 3G
– broadband Internet access
– Uses CDMA/TDMA
– up to 3Mbps

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