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GSM Network and Services: Cellular Networks

The document discusses how cellular networks divide radio spectrum resources between operators and users. It covers frequency division duplexing and time division multiple access techniques used in 2G networks like GSM. Cellular planning involves dividing frequencies between neighboring cells using frequency reuse patterns to allow maximum frequency re-use while minimizing interference. Smaller cells like microcells and picocells improve capacity but require more frequent handovers for fast moving users. Location area tracking allows networks to locate users while minimizing signaling overhead.

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Santosh Das
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68 views24 pages

GSM Network and Services: Cellular Networks

The document discusses how cellular networks divide radio spectrum resources between operators and users. It covers frequency division duplexing and time division multiple access techniques used in 2G networks like GSM. Cellular planning involves dividing frequencies between neighboring cells using frequency reuse patterns to allow maximum frequency re-use while minimizing interference. Smaller cells like microcells and picocells improve capacity but require more frequent handovers for fast moving users. Location area tracking allows networks to locate users while minimizing signaling overhead.

Uploaded by

Santosh Das
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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GSM Network and Services

Cellular networks

GSM Network and Services 2G1723 Johan Montelius

The name of the game


The number one priority for mobile/cellular networks is to implement full-duplex voice services with wide area coverage. Regulations decide what radio spectrum that can be used and this becomes the most valuable resource. Give me four reasons why this resource must be divided; who/what is competing for the resource?

GSM Network and Services 2G1723 Johan Montelius

Dividing the resources


Among operators Always (sofar) done by dividing the spectrum. Duplex communication unless it's your mother on the other end Multiple access we are not alone Cellular planning neighbouring cells can not use the same resources
GSM Network and Services 2G1723 Johan Montelius
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Duplex communication
Frequency division duplex (FDD)
one carrier is used in the down link, another in the up-link

Time division duplex (TDD)


Use the same carrier but take turn using it. Requires that we can make a pause in the transmission to wait for the other party.

GSM Network and Services 2G1723 Johan Montelius

FDD is most often used


GSM, as most mobile networks, uses Frequency Division Duplex. What is the advantage of FDD? What is the advantage of TDD? What systems uses TDD?

GSM Network and Services 2G1723 Johan Montelius

Multiple access
FDMA frequency division
Each user is allocated one (or two for duplex) frequencies. This was the method used in the analog mobile networks. Each carrier will need its own transceiver. A carrier becomes narrow in bandwidth.

TDMA time division


Make the carrier a little bit wider and divide it into time slots. Problem, how do we keep mobiles synchronized?

CDMA code division


Allocate a unique code for each connection.

SDMA spatial division


Use active antennas and track each user.
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TDMA rules but CDMA is the future


GSM and many other mobile systems uses TDMA. If we have a broad carrier then we need to divide it into shorter time slots. Shorter time slots require better synchronization. All 3G standards uses CDMA. CDMA terminals need not be as tight synchronized but has other problems.

GSM Network and Services 2G1723 Johan Montelius

GSM multiple access


Transmission in a carrier is divided into time slots of 0.6 ms. Eight time slots make up a frame so one frame last aprx for 5 ms. A physical channel is made up of one of the slots in each frame. Logical channels are then defined that uses a whole, parts of, or several physical channels.

GSM Network and Services 2G1723 Johan Montelius

The GSM time slot

frame 5ms

GSM Network and Services 2G1723 Johan Montelius

Cellular network
Frequency planning Each cell will use a different set of frequencies. Code planning Each cell will have different set of codes. Time planning Never heard of?

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GSM
GSM Frequency division for cell planning. Frequency division for duplex communication. Time division for multiple access. WCDMA Code division for cell planning. Frequency division for duplex communication. Code division for multiple access.
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Frequency planning
Since cells are more or less close to each other there is not perfect solution. Cells will always interfere with each other even if they are not immediate neighbors. How many cells must we consider when we do our planning? How many closest neighbors do we have?

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frequency reuse

k=6 number of cells in pattern

R radius of cell D reuse distance


Developing Mobile Applications 2G1722 Johan Montelius
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frequency reuse
D = R sqr(3k) aprx. k=3 number of cells in pattern

R radius of cell D reuse distance


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Interference from neighbors


The only (almost) noise we have to consider comes from interfering base stations. If we want to reduce interference from neighbors we need to increase the D/R ratio. If D = R sqr(3k) then sqr(3k) should be big, that is increase k! If we need a C/I ratio of 18dB then we need k > 6.
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GSM frequency reuse


In GSM networks a frequency reuse pattern with k = 3, 7 or 12. In the 900-band, which is 2x25MHz wide, we can have 124 carriers. If these are divided into groups of 12 frequencies we can have 10 groups. One cell can thus be covered by 10 carriers. Each carrier can have 8 connections thus a maximum of 80 calls in an area covered by a cell.

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More consequences
If we only have 10 groups and we have three operators each operator will have three groups. We can have a maximum of ten operators but then no operator would be able to cover any are with more than one carrier. To increase the overall capacity we need to make cells small. We still have a maximum number of carriers in a cell but if the cell is small the total capacity increase.

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4/12 resuse pattern


Four base stations. Each base station has three antennas and serve three cells. In total 12 frequencies. Note: the base station is located in the intersection of three hexagons.

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Macro, micro, pico ...

micro cell < 2 km

macro cell < 35 km

pico cell < 100m


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Who should use what


Fast moving mobiles such as cars, trains etc should avoid using micro cells since they would have to change cell more often. Slow moving mobiles should use micro or pico cells to leave room in the macro cell for faster mobiles.

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Remember the frequency group


If you only have one frequency group you can not build a macro and micro layer. One size fits all not. Large cells: total capacity will be low. Small cells: fast moving mobiles would have to do frequent handovers.

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How do we find a mobile


Solution one: let the mobile report to the network as soon as it enters a new cell. Solution two: let the network page the mobile if it needs to know its location. The compromise: divide the network into location areas consisting of a set of cells. As a mobile enters a location area it will update the network. If the network needs to know the exact location it will page in all cells in the location are.
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Location Areas

LA2

LA1 LA3

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Think about
How would we implement a mobile network with a 802.11b radio access network? Can we divide the radio resources between operators? How would we do frequency planing? Can we have macro and micro layers? How should we do location updates? How do we perform paging?

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