Altran Training Module – CNT03

Basic 2G Technology & Architecture

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GSM System Architecture

 2G-Second Generation Mobile Phone Network, Its also Known as GSM

 Global System for Mobile Communication(GSM) is a second generation

cellular standard developed to cater voice services and data delivery
using digital modulation

 The GSM network is functionally divided into four elements. Base

Station Subsystem (BSS) is one of the main functional elements of the
GSM network.

 The other elements in the GSM network are network switching

 Subsystem (NSS), GPRS core network to SGSN and NMS-network

 Management subsystem (provided by Net-Act).

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GSM ARCHITECTURE
PSTN
GSM System Architecture ISDN
PDN

BTS
BSC GMSC
MS
CS
MSC

VLR EIR AUC HLR

BTS BSC
MS

PS

SGSN GGSN

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GSM System Architecture - I

 Mobile Station (MS)
 Mobile Equipment (ME)
 Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)
 Base Station Subsystem (BSS)
 Base Transceiver Station (BTS)
 Base Station Controller (BSC)
 Network Switching Subsystem(NSS)
 Mobile Switching Center (MSC)
 Home Location Register (HLR)
 Visitor Location Register (VLR)
 Authentication Center (AUC)
 Equipment Identity Register (EIR)

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System Architecture Mobile Station (MS)

The Mobile Station is made up of two entities:

Mobile Equipment (ME)

Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)

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System Architecture Mobile Station (MS)

Mobile Equipment

 Convert s speech to a digital format and transmits to the BTS via the
air interface in the form of radio waves

 Receives radio waves from BTS and converts the digital

format to speech

 Monitor the quality and level of the radio waves from the BTS and
reports these back, so the BSC can decide if the MS need to receive
from BTS

 Uniquely identified by an IMEI (International Mobile Equipment

Identity)

 Voice and data transmission

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Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)

SIM card contains the International Mobile

Subscriber Identity (IMSI)

Allows user to send and receive calls and receive

other subscribed services

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Base Station Subsystem (BSS)

Base Station Subsystem is composed of two parts
that communicate across the standardized Abis
interface allowing operation between components
made by different suppliers :

Base Transceiver Station (BTS)

Base Station Controller (BSC)

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Base Station Subsystem (BSS)

Base Transceiver Station (BTS):

 Receives Radio waves and converts to another digital format to transmit to

the BSC

 Receive the digital signals from the BSC and converts to radio waves, which
are transmitted to the MS

 Report alarms back to BSC

 Encodes, encrypts,multiplexes,modulates and feeds the RF signals to the

antenna.

 Frequency hopping

 Communicates with Mobile station and BSC

 Consists of Transceivers (TRX) units

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Base Station Subsystem (BSS)

Base Station Controller (BSC)

 Control call functions

 Assigns Frequency and time slots for all MS’s in its area

 Takes alarm for itself from all BTS attached to it and passes to
Monitoring system

 Transcoding and KPI Monitoring

 Handover for each MS

 It communicates with MSC and BTS

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Network Switching Subsystem(NSS)

Mobile Switching Center (MSC)

 Heart of the network

 Manages communication between GSM and other networks
 Call setup function and basic switching
 Call routing
 Billing information and collection
 Mobility management
- Registration
- Location Updating
- Inter BSC and inter MSC call handoff
 MSC does gateway function while its customer roams to other
network by using HLR/VLR.

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Network Switching Subsystem

Home Location Registers (HLR)

 Permanent database about mobile subscribers in a large service area(generally one

per GSM network operator)

 HLR Maintain the permanent Register of the subscriber and also keeps track of the
current locations of its customer

 AC & EIR are Located in the HLR.

Visitor Location Registers (VLR)

 Temporary database which updates whenever new MS enters its area, by HLR
database

 Controls those mobiles roaming in its area

 Reduces number of queries to HLR

 VLR database is temporary

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GSM Frequencies
 Originally designed on 900MHz range, now also
available on 800MHz, 1800MHz and 1900 MHz
ranges.

 Separate Uplink and Downlink frequencies

GSM 900 GSM 1800

Uplink 890-915 MHz 1710-1785 MHz

Down Link 935-960 MHz 1805-1880 MHz

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GSM Channels
Downlink

Uplink

 Physical Channel: Each timeslot on a carrier is referred to as a physical

channel

 Logical Channel: Variety of information is transmitted between the MS

and BTS. Different types of logical channels:

 Traffic channel
 Control Channel

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Logical Channels
Speech Half rate 11.4kbps
TCH
(traffic) Full rate 22.8kbps
2.4 kbps
Data
4.8 kbps
9.6 kbps
BCCH(Broadcast Control)
BCH
FCCH(Frequency correction
SCH(Synchronization)
PCH(Paging)
CCCH
RACH(Random Access)
CCH AGCH(Access Grant)
(control)
SDCCH(Stand Alone)
DCCH
SACCH(Slow-associated)
FACCH(Fast-associated)
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GSM -Network Interfaces

Gb

Gi
SGSN

Gn
GGSN
PS

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Advantages Of GSM
2nd Generation
 GSM -9.6 Kbps (data rate)

 2.5 Generation ( Future of GSM)

 GPRS (General Packet Radio service)
 Data rate: 14.4 - 115.2 Kbps
 EDGE (Enhanced data rate for GSM Evolution)
 Data rate: 547.2 Kbps (max)
 3 Generation
 WCDMA(Wide band CDMA)
 Data rate : 2 – 14.5 Mbps

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GSM -Network Interfaces
Company Confidential

1. MS to BTS—Air Interface
2. BTS to BSC—Abis Interface
3. BSC to MSC—A Interface
4. BSC to SGSN—Gb Interface
5. SGSN to GGSN—Gi Interface
6. MSC to MSC—E Interface
7. MSC to VLR—B Interface
8. MSC to HLR—C Interface
9. HLR to VLR—D Interface
10.MSC to EIR—F Interface
11.VLR to VLR—G Interface

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 Company Confidential

Introduction to Nokia BTS

There are 3 types of Sites:

 Macro Site: Giving Coverage to the area of <35Kms.

 Micro Site: Giving coverage to streets.
 Pico Site: Giving indoor coverage to a building.

Nokia BTS Types:

 Metro Site
 Ultra Site
 Flexi Site
 Multi Radio Site

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Ultra Site BTS

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Flexi & Multi Radio BTS

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Metro Site

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Ultra BTS-Cabinet View

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Introduction of Nokia BSC

Main functionality of BSC:

 Radio Network Administration

 Call Quality Measurement Report

 Handover

 Passing system info to Mobile

 Updating neighbor info to Mobile Station.

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Type of NOKIA BSC

 BSC 3i --- Low cap & High Cap

Low Cap—660 TRX,High Cap-1000 TRX

 Flexi BSC--- Flexi & New Delivery Flexi

3000 TRX & 4200 TRX

 McBSC--- Multi controller BSC

4400 TRX

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BSC-Base Station Controller

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BSC Architecture

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BSC Units

 OMU----Operation & Maintenance Unit

 BCSU----BSC Signalling Unit
 MCMU--Marker and cellular management unit
 GSW-----Group Switch
 PCU-----Packet Control Unit
 ET,ETPE--Exchange Terminal
 CLS-----Clock and synchronisation Unit
 EMB------Ethernet message bus
 TCSM----Transcoder submultiplexer
 SET----SDH/SONET exchange terminals

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McBSC (Multi Controller BSC)

4 Types of Modules
 Main Module
 Spare Module
 TRX Extension Module
 PS Extension Module

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Units Functions

Operation and maintenance unit (OMU)

Serves as an interface between the user and the BSC, but also
works as a SYM unit of BSC and automatically supervises the BSC

Base station controller signalling unit (BCSU)

handles the BSC signalling functions. The optional packet control
unit (PCU) is included in BCSUs, when GPRS service is implemented. It
implements the GPRS packet control functions in the BSC

Marker and cellular management unit (MCMU)

Controls and supervises the GSW2KB-A and acts as a BSC SYM
(system maintenance) unit in case of OMU failure

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Units Functions
Ethernet message bus (EMB)

Interconnects the functional units of BSC. EMB consists of a protecting L2

LAN switch and LAN cables from the CPU units
Exchange terminals (ET)

Connect E1 or T1 transmission systems to the GSW

Clock and synchronisation Unit (CLS)

Generates the clock signals for the BSC

Transcoder submultiplexer (TCSM)

Is a functional unit of Flexi BSC but is located in a separate
network element. Transcoder sub multiplexer is usually installed on MSC site.
TCSM3i can also be attached to Flexi BSC for combined BSC/TCSM installation
option

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Multicontroller platform
Multicontroller modules HW configuration (1/3)

 4 different types of modules (Main module, Spare module, TRX

extension module and PS extension module) are specified for mcBSC
 each Multicontroller module is equipped with 8 cards
 configuration and type of each card is specific for each module type
 in RG20 and RG30 releases BJC-A and BOC-A units are installed within
mcBSC
 BJC-A card act as one of the following: MCMU / BCXU / OMU, while
BOC-A units can act as either PCU or Exchange Terminal
Main Module

BJCc-A
BOC-A
BOC-A
BOC-A
BOC-A
BJC-A
BJC-A
BJC-A
HD

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