GSM Operating Principles

Rich Hall

Presented to:
TWS Field Engineers

June 2000

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 Course Outline

]Topics
cIntroduction to GSM
cSystem Architecture
cGSM Logical Channels and Frame Structures
cAudio Coding
cGSM Signaling
cBasic Handover Algorithms

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 Why go Digital?
] Analog systems: one user per 25 kHz or 30
kHz channel
] Frequency modulation on a 800 MHz carrier
] No resistance to multi-path effects
] High protection ratios mean large frequency
re-use
] Limited capacity

] Digital systems: improve ] Enhanced services

spectral efficiency ] Data and text messages
] Higher capacity ] Intelligent handovers
] Digital quality sound ] Security
] Air-interface designed to ] Roaming
combat multi-path ] Longer battery life

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 Why GSM?
] There are now over 200 million ] There are 324 operators from
GSM Users worldwide 129 countries signed up to the
] Globally GSM customers now GSM MoU.
represent around 50% of all ] In North America, there are
cellular users. 4.2 million GSM customers
across 46 states.
GSM Subscriber Growth (millions)
250

200

150

100

50

0
1992 1994 1996 1998

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GSM Worldwide

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 Technology Market Share
] GSM currently has dominant
market share worldwide with
Other
205 million subscribers.
digital
] In the US, there are 4.2
million GSM Users with 46 TDMA
States covered.
] Dallas and Chicago should CDMA
be added next year leaving GSM

New Orleans as the only

major market without a GSM
operator. Analog

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 GSM Advantages
] Open standards ] Automatic data and fax
] Fixed spectrum ] Dual-band operation
allocations ] Text messaging
] Security ] Pre-pay services
] Roaming ] Choice of handsets
] Digital voice quality ] Infrastructure cost and
] SIM card operation availability
] Advanced services and ] Roaming of special
features services with CAMEL

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 Digital Disadvantages
] Brick wall failure
] Lower mobile sensitivity restricts GSM Vendor Share
link budget
] 1900 MHz propagation affects in- Nortel Lucent
building penetration and Alcatel Nokia
coverage in hilly areas
] Re-use patterns drive multiple Siemens
cell layers
] Audio coding causes speech
Motorola
degradation and echo
] High signaling overhead Ericsson

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 GSM Phase II+ Features
] Support for dual-band ] Calling Line identity and
handsets restriction
] High Speed Circuit Switched ] Call waiting
Data (HSCSD) services ] Call hold
] General Packet Radio ] Multi-party communication
Services (GPRS)
] Closed user groups
] Support for hierarchical cell
structures ] Advice of charge

] Supplementary Services ] Unstructured supplementary

support when roaming services for data for operator

] Enhanced full-rate coding ] Operator determined barring

] Enhancements to SMS

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 The GSM vs CDMA Saga
] GSM Advantages ] CDMA Advantages
c Infrastructure and handset c High spectrum efficiency
availability c High capacity
c Validity of technology c No frequency planning
c Low equipment cost c Spreads narrowband
c International roaming interferers
c SIM card operation c Soft handovers
c Security
c GSM is a service platform ] Disadvantages
not just an air-interface c Infrastructure cost
standard c Network optimization
c Multi-mode operation changes with load
c Well-defined progression
path to 3rd Gen

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 Market Factors
] Technology needs to be ] TDMA is moving towards the
transparent to the user same evolution path as GSM
] Users expect “wireline”
quality and services IMT-2000
] Coverage has to be good Capable Systems

] Better coverage means HSCSD GPRS EDGE

GSM GSM+ GSM++
more equipment while
ARPU is reducing
PDC WCDMA
] Infrastructure cost and
utilization become
critical D-AMPS D- D-AMPS
(IS-136) AMPS + ++ New
Existing spectrum
spectrum

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 High Data Rates for GSM
] Enables the delivery of new
services which are either not
possible, or not practical, to be
delivered over existing 2G mobile
systems.
] Will deliver information (“data”)
easier and faster, and therefore
transform already possible data
services by making them more
usable, desirable and affordable.
] Terminals will be easier to use
because the network can support ] Data rates provided will be
more resourceful and intuitive 144 kbit/s in vehicles, 384
interaction. kbit/s stationary and up to 2
Mbit/s in buildings.
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 GSM Data Evolution
] The GSM standards have encouraged the development of a
wide range of text messaging and data services.
] 9600 data was included in the initial standards but is now being
upgraded with HSCSD and GPRS.
] GSM has a well defined upgrade path to 3rd generation
systems:

Source: Nokia

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 GPRS
] General Packet Radio Service ] Each timeslot will have a data
(GPRS) adds packet data rate of 14.4 kbit/s
capability to GSM networks ] GPRS Phase 1 download rates
] Several timeslots and / or are up to 56 kbit/s
transmitters will be allocated to ] GPRS Phase 2 download rates
GPRS data are up to 115 kbit/s
] Data users will be able to share ] Enhanced GPRS will use higher
the available bandwidth on an modulation EDGE radios
as-needed basis. ] Data rates of up to 384 kbit/s
] GPRS handsets will be able to will be supported
use up to 4 timeslots on the ] Frames in error will be re-
downlink and one on the uplink. transmitted affecting the overall
] A GPRS Support Node will be data throughput
added to the NSS

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 GPRS Coding Schemes
] Four coding schemes have been defined depending on the
radio environment
] Data throughput will depend on the C/I of the radio
environment
BLER

CS-4

CS-3
CS-1 CS-2

C/I target 25 dB C/I

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 Network Evolution
Packet Subsystem Internet
Internet
Co-sited GSM + WCDMA (TCP/IP)
(TCP/IP)
GSM
mobile Base Station Subsystem
SGSN
Base Station GGSN Network Subsystem
Controller (GSM) (GSM )
Mobile Switching Centre
SIM Card BSC Home Location Register
GSM Base Station (GSM)
GSM / UMTS
mobile

MSC HLR

UMTS BSC
mobile UMTS (WCDMA) Landline
Landline NW
NW
Base Station
(PSTN/ISDN)
(PSTN/ISDN)
Base Station
Controller (UMTS)
IN Service Control Point

2001-2002
Source Nokia
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 GSM Standards
] Rec 1: Vocabulary and roll-out
phases ] Rec 6: Speech coding
] Rec 2: Services supported, ] Rec 7: Terminal adaption
mobile specs, security, SIM functions
cards, licensing and billing ] Rec 8: MSC to BSS interface and
] Rec 3: Network Architecture, BSC to BTS interface
Subscriber data, handover, specifications, layers 1 to 3,
location registration, SMS and signaling
data ] Rec 9: Interworking: MAP
] Rec 4: Mobile to BSS interface, ] Rec 10: SIM specifications
layers 1 to 3, ciphering ] Rec 11: Conformance
] Rec 5: Radio path, coding, specifications for NSS, BSS and
modulation, transmitter and MS
receiver specifications ] Rec 12: Network Management,
call data and performance
measurements
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 GSM Radio Recommendations
Layer 3 Protocols
04.07&04.08
8:08 & 8:58

Layer 2 Protocols Link Control

04.05 & 04.06 (Handover, Power Control)
8:06 & 8:56 03.09 & 05.08

Layer 1 Protocols
04.04
8:04 & 8:54

Channel Multiplexing Modulator Transmitter

Coder/Decoder ENCRYPTION & Multiple And And
Interleaving 03.20 &03.21 Access Demodulator Receiver
05.03 05.02 05.04 05.05

Speech to all blocks SYNCHRONIZATION

Coder/Decoder
06 series 05.10

Recs 4:0n Air - Interface

Recs 8:0n A - Interface
Recs 8:5n A-bis Interface

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