Introduction To GSM
Introduction To GSM
Introduction To GSM
In this paper I have outlined the reasons GSM started and how, the architecture that the GSM is built on, the signaling and ciphering codes used, the Air and Abis Interface and last but not the least future prospects and enhancements possible.
1.1. HISTORY
In 1980s the analog cellular telephone systems were growing rapidly all throughout Europe, France and Germany. Each country defined its own protocols and frequencies to work on. For example UK used the Total Access Communication System (TACS), USA used the AMPS technology and Germany used the C-netz technology. None of these systems were interoperable and also they were analogy in nature. In 1982 the Conference of European Posts and Telegraphs (CEPT) formed a study group called the GROUPE SPECIAL MOBILE (GSM) The main area this focused on was to get the cellular system working throughout the world, and ISDN compatibility with the ability to incorporate any future enhancements. In 1989 the GSM transferred the work to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI.) the ETS defined all the standards used in GSM.
GSM uses TDMA and FDMA together. Graphically this can be shown below
Introduction to GSM
Fig 1.1 Representation of a GSM signal using TDMA & FDMA with respect to the transmitted power.
Some of the technical specifications of GSM are listed below Multiple Access Method Uplink frequencies (MHz) Downlink frequencies (MHz) Duplexing Channel spacing, kHz Modulation Portable TX power, maximum / average (mW) Power control, handset and BSS Speech coding and rate (kbps) Speech Channels per RF channel: Channel rate (kbps) TDMA / FDMA 933-960 (basic GSM) 890-915 (basic GSM) FDD 200 GMSK 1000 / 125 Yes RPE-LTP / 13 8 270.833
Introduction to GSM
The abbreviations used in the figure above are described herein under:
Introduction to GSM
HLR- Home Location Register: HLR is database, which holds very important information of subscribers. It is mostly known for storing and managing information of subscribers. It contains subscriber service profile, status of activities, information about locations and permanent data of all sorts. When new connections are purchased, these subscribers are registered in HLR of mobile phone companies.
MS-Mobile station: It consists of mobile equipment and SIM. At the time of manufacturing, an
international mobile equipment number (IMEI) is programmed in ME.A SIM is required to activate the GSM services. An international mobile subscriber identification (IMEI) number is programmed along with security parameter and algorithm. The called number is not linked to ME but to SIM.A SIM has following data stored in it. MS ISDN (mobile subscriber isdn) IMSI (international mobile subscriber identity) - 15 digit number TMSI (temporary mobile subscriber identity) 4 octets, allocated by VLR, continuously changed. IMEI (international mobile equipment identity) unique permanently assigned to MS.
AUC- Authentication Centre: AUC is small unit which handles the security end of the system. Its major task is to authenticate and encrypt those parameters which verify users identification and hence enables the confidentiality of each call made by subscriber. Authentication centre AUC makes sure mobile operators are safe from different frauds most likely to happen when hackers are looking for even smallest loop wholes in systems.
MSC- Mobile Services Switching Centre: MSC is also important part of SS, it handles technical end of telephony. It is built to perform switching functionality of the entire system. Its most important task is to control the calls to and from other telephones, which means it controls calls from same networks and calls from other networks. Toll ticketing, common channel signalling, network interfacing etc. are other tasks which MSC is responsible for.
VLR- Visitor Location Register: VLR performs very dynamic tasks; it is database which stores temporary data regarding subscribers which is needed by Mobile Services Switching Centre MSC VLR is
Introduction to GSM
directly Connected to MSC, When subscribe Moves to Different MSC location, Visitor location register VLR integrates to MSC of current location and requests the data about subscriber or Mobile station (MS) from the Home Location Register HLR. When subscriber makes a call the Visitor location register-VLR will have required information for making call already and it will not require to connect to Home Register Location - HRL again.
BSS-The Base Station System: The base station system have very important role in mobile communication. BSS are basically outdoor units which consist of iron rods and are usually of high length. BSS are responsible for connecting subscribers (MS) to mobile networks. All the communication is made in Radio transmission. The Base station System is further divided in two systems. These two systems, they are BSC, and BTS.
Introduction to GSM
The voice signal is sampled at 8000 bits/sec and is quantized to get a 13 bit resolution corresponding to a bit rate of 104 kbits/sec. This signal is given to a speech coder (codec) that compresses this speech into a source-coded speech signal of 260 bit blocks at a bit rate of 13 kbit/sec. The codec achieves a compression ratio of 1:8. The coder also has a Voice activity detector (VAD) and comfort noise synthesizer. The VAD decides whether the current speech frame contains speech or pause, this is turn is used to decide whether to turn on or off the transmitter under the control of the Discontinuous Transmission (DTX). This transmission takes advantage of the fact that during a phone conversation both the parties rarely speak at the same time. Thus the DTX helps in reducing the power consumption and prolonging battery life. The missing speech frames are replaced by synthetic background noise generated by the comfort noise synthesize in a Silence Descriptor (SID) frame. Suppose a loss off speech frame occurs due to noisy transmission and it cannot be corrected by the channel coding protection mechanism then the decoder flags such frames with a bad frame indicator
Introduction to GSM
(BFI) In such a case the speech frame is discarded and using a technique called error concealment which calculates the next frame based on the previous frame.
Introduction to GSM
It broadcasts data for the frame synchronization of a MS and information to identify a BSC. COMMON CONTROL CHANNEL (BCH) This is a point to multi-point signaling channel to deal with access management functions. Consists of 3 channels o RANDOM ACCESS CHANNEL (RACH) It is the Uplink portion, accessed from the mobile stations in a cell to ask for a dedicated signaling channel for 1 transaction. o ACCESS GRANT CHANNEL (AGCH) It is the downlink portion used to assign a dedicated signaling channel. DEDICATED CONTROL CHANNEL (DCCH) It is a Bi-directional point to point signaling channel. Consists of 3 channels o STAND ALONE DEDICATED CONTROL CHANNEL (SDDCH) Used for signaling between the BSS and MS when there is no active connection between them. o SLOW ASSOCIATED CONTROL CHANNEL (SACCH) This channel had to continuously transfer data because it is considered as proof of existence of a physical radio connection. o FAST ASSOCIATED CONTROL CHANNEL (FACCH) This channel is used to make additional band-width available for signaling.
Introduction to GSM
It utilizes layer 1-3 of the OSI protocol stack. Layer 1 form the D-channel It provides the basic signaling on the Abis interface that is it helps in building a link between the BTS and BSC. Layer 2 is the LAPD channel Also known as the Link Access Protocol. Once a connection has been established between the BSC and BTS, data can be transmitted as soon as layer 2 is operable. Layer 3 is the TRX management This layer decides whether the incoming signal is to be just passed or processed depending on whether it is a speech signal or a signal to establish.