MOBILE TECHNOLOGY

UNIT-1

 GSM :

GSM is a globally accepted standard for digital cellular communications.

GSM uses narrowband Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) for providing voice and text
based services over mobile phone networks.

 GSM stands for Global System for Mobile Communication. It is a digital cellular
technology used for transmitting mobile voice and data services.
 The concept of GSM emerged from a cell-based mobile radio system at Bell Laboratories
in the early 1970s.
 GSM is the name of a standardization group established in 1982 to create a common
European mobile telephone standard.
 GSM is the most widely accepted standard in telecommunications and it is implemented
globally.
 GSM is a circuit-switched system that divides each 200 kHz channel into eight 25 kHz
time-slots. GSM operates on the mobile communication bands 900 MHz and 1800 MHz in
most parts of the world. In the US, GSM operates in the bands 850 MHz and 1900 MHz.
 GSM owns a market share of more than 70 percent of the world's digital cellular
subscribers.
 GSM makes use of narrowband Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) technique for
transmitting signals.
 GSM was developed using digital technology. It has an ability to carry 64 kbps to 120 Mbps
of data rates.
 Presently GSM supports more than one billion mobile subscribers in more than 210
countries throughout the world.
 GSM provides basic to advanced voice and data services including roaming service.
Roaming is the ability to use your GSM phone number in another GSM network.

 Features of GSM :

 Improved spectrum efficiency

 International roaming
 Low-cost mobile sets and base stations (BSs)
 High-quality speech
 Compatibility with Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) and other telephone
company services
 Support for new services

 GSM Network Architecture

The GSM network architecture as defined in the GSM specifications can be grouped into four
main areas:

 Mobile station (MS)

 Base-Station Subsystem (BSS)
 Network and Switching Subsystem (NSS)
 Operation and Support Subsystem (OSS)
Mobile station :

 Mobile stations (MS), mobile equipment (ME) or as they are most widely known, cell or
mobile phones are the section of a GSM cellular network that the user sees and operates.
 In recent years their size has fallen dramatically while the level of functionality has greatly
increased. A further advantage is that the time between charges has significantly increased.
 There are a number of elements to the cell phone, although the two main elements are the
main hardware and the SIM.

The Switching System :

 The switching system (SS) is responsible for performing call processing and
 subscriber-related functions. The switching system includes the following
 functional units:
Home location register (HLR) :
 The HLR is a database used forstorage and management of subscriptions.
 The HLR is considered the most important database, as it stores permanent data about
subscribers, including a subscriber's service profile, location information, and activity
status.
Mobile services switching center (MSC) :
 The MSC performs the telephony switching functions of the system.
 It controls calls to and from other telephone and data systems.
 It also performs such functions as toll ticketing, network interfacing, common channel
signaling, and others.
Visitor location register (VLR) :
 The VLR is a database that contains temporary information about subscribers that is needed
by the MSC in order to service visiting subscribers.
 The VLR is always integrated with the MSC. When a mobile station roams into a new MSC
area, the VLR connected to that MSC will request data about the mobile station from the
HLR. Later, if the mobile station makes a call,
Authentication center (AUC) :
 A unit called the AUC provides authentication and encryption parameters that verify the
user's identity and ensure the confidentiality of each call.
 The AUC protects network operators from different types of fraud found in today's cellular
world.
Equipment identity register (EIR) :
 The EIR is a database that contains information about the identity of mobile equipment that
prevents calls from stolen, unauthorized, or defective mobile stations. The AUC and EIR
are implemented as stand-alone nodes or as a combined AUC/EIR node.
The Base Station System (BSS) :
 All radio-related functions are performed in the BSS, which consists of base
 station controllers (BSCs) and the base transceiver stations (BTSs).
BSC :
 The BSC provides all the control functions and physical links between the MSC and BTS.
It is a high-capacity switch that provides functions such as handover, cell configuration
data, and control of radio frequency (RF) power levels in base transceiver stations. A
number of BSCs are served by an MSC.
BTS :
 The BTS handles the radio interface to the mobile station.
 The BTS is the radio equipment (transceivers and antennas) needed to service each cell in
the network. A group of BTSs are controlled by a BSC.
The Operation and Support System :
 The operations and maintenance center (OMC) is connected to all equipment in the
switching system and to the BSC.
 The implementation of OMC is called the operation and support system (OSS). The OSS
is the functional entity from which the network operator monitors and controls the system.
 The purpose of OSS is to offer the customer cost-effective support for centralized, regional,
and local operational and maintenance activities that are required for a GSM network. An
important function of OSS is to provide a network overview and support the maintenance
activities of different operation and maintenance organizations.

 Advantages of GSM

 It provides very cost effective products and solutions.

 The GSM based networks (i.e. base stations) are deployed across the world and hence same
mobile phone works across the globe.
 Advanced versions of GSM with higher number of antennas will provide high speed
download and upload of data.
 SAIC and DAIC techniques provide very high transmission quality. SAIC stands for Single
Antenna Interference Cancellation technique while DAIC stands for Dual antenna
interference cancellation.
 It is easy to maintain GSM networks due to availability of large number of network
engineers at affordable cost. This will help in revenue increase by the telecom operators.
 The phone works based on SIM card and hence it is easy to change the different varieties
of phones by users.
 The GSM signal does not have any deterioration inside the office and home premises.
 It is easy to integrate GSM with other wireless technology based devices such as CDMA,
LTE etc.

 Disadvantages of GSM
 Many of the GSM technologies are patented by Qualcomm and hence licenses need to be
obtained from them.
 In order to increase the coverage repeaters are required to be installed.
 GSM provides limited data rate capability, for higher data rate GSM advanced version
devices are used.
 GSM uses FTDMA access scheme. Here multiple users share same bandwidth and hence
will lead to interference when more number of users are using the GSM service. In order
to avoid this situation, robust frequency correction algorithms are used in mobile phones
and base stations.
 GSM uses pulse based burst transmission technology and hence it interferes with certain
electronics. Due to this fact airplanes, petrol bunks and hospitals prevent use of GSM based
mobile or other gadgets.

 GPRS
 General Packet Radio System is also known as GPRS is a third-generation step toward
internet access.
 GPRS is also known as GSM-IP that is a Global-System Mobile Communications Internet
Protocol.
 It keeps the users of this system online, allows to make voice calls, and access internet.
 Even Time-Division Multiple Access (TDMA) users get benefit from this system, as it
provides packet radio access.
 GPRS also permits the network operators to execute an Internet Protocol (IP) based core
architecture for integrated voice and data applications.
 The packet radio principle is employed by GPRS to transport user data packets in a
structural way between GSM mobile stations and external packet data networks.
 General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) is a packet-based wireless communication service
that promises data rates from 56 up to 114 Kbps and continuous connection to the Internet
for mobilephone and computer users.
 It is also easier to make applications available to mobile users because the faster data rate.
 Mobile users of virtual private networks (VPN) have been able to access the private
network continuously over wireless rather than through a rooted dial-up connection.
 GPRS is an evolutionary step toward Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE) and
Universal Mobile Telephone Service (UMTS).

 Key Features of GPRS

 Always online feature - Removes the dial-up process, making applications only one click
away.
 Upgrade to existing systems - Operators do not need to replace their equipment; rather,
GPRS is added on top of the existing infrastructure.
 An integral part of future 3G systems - GPRS is the packet data core network for 3G
systems EDGE and WCDMA.

 Goals of GPRS

 Open architecture
 Consistent IP services
 Same infrastructure for different air interfaces
 Integrated telephony and Internet infrastructure
 Leverage industry investment in IP
 Service innovation independent of infrastructure
 Benefits of GPRS

Higher Data Rate :

 GPRS benefits the users in many ways, one of which is higher data rates in turn of shorter
access times.
 In the typical GSM mobile, setup alone is a lengthy process, and equally rates for data
permission are restrained to 9.6 kbps.
 The session establishment time offered while GPRS is in practice is lower than one second
and ISDN-line data rates are up to many 10 kbps.

Easy Billing :

 GPRS packet transmission offers a more user-friendly billing than that of circuit switched
services.
 In circuit switched services, billing is based on the duration of the connection. This is
unsuitable for applications with bursty traffic.
 The user must pay for the entire airtime, even for the idle periods when no packet has been
sent (e.g., when the user reads a Web page).
 In contrast to this, with packet switched services, billing can be based on the amount of
transmitted data.
 The advantage for the user is that he or she can be "online" over a long period of time but
will be billed based on the transmitted data volume only.

 Characteristics of GPRS :

Mobility

Characteristics

Localization Immediacy
 Mobility - The ability to maintain constant voice and data communications while on the
move.
 Immediacy - Allows subscribers to obtain connectivity when needed, regardless of
location and without a lengthy login session.
 Localization - Allows subscribers to obtain information relevant to their current location.

 GPRS APPLICATIONS

The application can be divided into two high-level categories:

 Corporation
 Consumer

These two levels further include:

 Communications - E-mail, fax, unified messaging, and intranet/internet access, etc.

 Value-added services - Information services, games, etc.
 E-commerce - Retail, ticket purchasing, banking and financial trading, etc.
 Location-based applications - Navigation, traffic conditions, airline/rail schedules,
location finder, etc.
 Vertical applications - Freight delivery, fleet management, and sales-force automation.
 Advertising - Advertising may be location sensitive. For example, a user entering a mall
can receive advertisements specific to the stores in that mall.
 Along with the above applications, non-voice services such as SMS, MMS, and voice calls
are also possible with GPRS.
 it is planned to implement supplementary services, such as Call Forwarding Unconditional
(CFU), and Call Forwarding on Mobile subscriber Not Reachable (CFNRc), and Closed
User Group (CUG).

 GPRS – ARCHITECTURE
 GPRS architecture works on the same procedure like GSM network, but it has some
additional entities that allow packet data transmission.
 This data network overlaps a second-generation GSM network providing packet data
transport at the rates from 9.6 to 171 kbps.
 GPRS attempts to reuse the existing GSM network elements as much as possible, but to
effectively build a packet-based mobile cellular network, some new network elements,
interfaces, and protocols for handling packet traffic are required.

 GPRS attempts to reuse the existing GSM network elements as much as possible.
 But to effectively build a packet-based mobile cellular network, some new network
elements, interfaces, and protocols for handling packet traffic are required.

GPRS Mobile Stations :

 New Mobile Stations (MS) are required to use GPRS services because existing GSM
phones do not handle the enhanced air interface or packet data.
 A variety of MS can exist, including a high-speed version of current phones to support
high-speed data access.

GPRS Base Station Subsystem:

 Each BSC requires the installation of one or more Packet Control Units (PCUs) and a
software upgrade.
 The PCU provides a physical and logical data interface to the Base Station Subsystem
(BSS) for packet data traffic.
 The BTS can also require a software upgrade but typically does not require hardware
enhancements.
 When either voice or data traffic is originated at the subscriber mobile, it is transported
over the air interface to the BTS.
 And from the BTS to the BSC in the same way as a standard GSM call.
 However, at the output of the BSC, the traffic is separated.
 Voice is sent to the Mobile Switching Center (MSC) per standard GSM, and data is sent to
a new device called the SGSN via the PCU over a Frame Relay interface.

GPRS Support Nodes :

 The GPRS Support Nodes consist of two new components, called Gateway GPRS Support
Nodes (GSNs) and, Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN).

Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) :

 The Gateway GPRS Support Node acts as an interface and a router to external networks.
 It contains routing information for GPRS mobiles, which is used to tunnel packets through
the IP based internal backbone to the correct Serving GPRS Support Node.
 The GGSN also collects charging information connected to the use of the external data
networks and can act as a packet filter for incoming traffic.

Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) :

 The Serving GPRS Support Node is responsible for authentication of GPRS mobiles,
registration of mobiles in the network, mobility management, and collecting information
on charging for the use of the air interface.

Internal Backbone :

 The internal backbone is an IP based network used to carry packets between different
GSNs.
 Tunnelling is used between SGSNs and GGSNs, so the internal backbone does not need
any information about domains outside the GPRS network.
 Signalling from a GSN to a MSC, HLR or EIR.
 GPRS - Protocol Stack

 The process that takes place in the application looks like a normal IP sub-network for the
users both inside and outside the network.
 The application communicates via standard IP, that is carried through the GPRS network
and out through the gateway GPRS.
 The packets that are mobile between the GGSN and the SGSN use the GPRS tunneling
protocol, this way the IP addresses located on the external side of the GPRS network do
not have deal with the internal backbone.
 UDP and IP are run by GTP.
 SubNetwork Dependent Convergence Protocol (SNDCP) and Logical Link Control (LLC)
combination used in between the SGSN and the MS.
 The SNDCP flattens data to reduce the load on the radio channel.
 A safe logical link by encrypting packets is provided by LLC and the same LLC link is
used as long as a mobile is under a single SGSN.
 The mobile moves to a new routing area that lies under a different SGSN; then, the old
LLC link is removed and a new link is established with the new Serving GSN X.25.
Services are provided by running X.25 on top of TCP/IP in the internal backbone.
 GPRS Quality of Service (QoS) :
 Quality of Service (QoS) requirements of conventional mobile packet data applications are
in assorted forms.
 The QoS is a vital feature of GPRS services as there are different QoS support requirements
for assorted GPRS applications like realtime multimedia, web browsing, and e-mail
transfer.

Paramters

• Service Precedence

• Reliability

• Delay

• Throughput

 Service Precedence -The preference given to a service when compared to another service
is known as Service Precedence.This level of priority is classified into three levels called:

• High

• Normal

• Low

 Reliability-This parameter signifies the transmission characteristics required by an

application.The reliability classes are defined which guarantee certain maximum values for
the probability of loss, duplication, mis-sequencing, and corruption of packets.
 Delay-The delay is defined as the end-to-end transfer time between two communicating
mobile stations or between a mobile station and the GI interface to an external packet data
network.

• This includes all delays within the GPRS network,

 Throughput-The throughput specifies the maximum/peak bit rate and the mean bit rate.

 GPRS - Mobile Station Classes:

 Mobile Station Classes talk about the globally-known equipment handset which is also
known as Mobile Station (MS) and its three different classes.
 This equipment, more popular as handset, is used to make phone calls and access data
services.
 The MS comprises of Terminal Equipment (TE) and Mobile Terminal (MT).
 TE is the equipment that accommodates the applications and the user interaction, while the
MT is the part that connects to the network.

In order to take advantage of the new GPRS services, we need new GPRS enabled handsets.
There are three different classes of GPRS terminal equipments:

• Class A

• Class B

• Class C

 Class A

• Class A terminals can manage both packet data and voice simultaneously.

• Which means, one needs two transceivers, as the handset has to send or receive data
and voice at the same time.

• This is the main reason why class A terminals are high-priced to manufacture than
class B and C terminals.

 Class B

• Class B terminals do not play the same role like Class A.

• These terminals can manage either packet data or voice at a time.

• One can use a single transceiver for both, resulting in the low cost of terminals.
 Class C

• Class C terminals can manage either only packet data or only voice.

• Examples of class C terminals are GPRS PCM/CIA cards, embedded modules in

vending machines, and so on.

• Due to the high cost of class A handsets, most handset manufacturers have announced
that their first handsets will be class B.

• Currently, work is going on in 3GPP to standardize a lightweight class A in order to

make handsets with simultaneous voice and data available at a reasonable cost.

 Data Routing
 Data routing or routing of data packets to and fro from a mobile user, is one of the pivot
requisites in the GPRS network.

The requirement can be divided into two areas:

o Data packet routing

o Mobility management.

Data Packet Routing :

 The important roles of GGSN involve synergy with the external data network.
 The GGSN updates the location directory using routing information supplied by the SGSNs
about the location of an MS.
 It routes the external data network protocol packet encapsulated over the GPRS backbone
to the SGSN currently serving the MS.
 It also decapsulates and forwards external data network packets to the appropriate data
network and collects charging data that is forwarded to a charging gateway (CG).

There are three important routing schemes:

 Mobile-originated message - This path begins at the GPRS mobile device and ends at the
host.
 Network-initiated message when the MS is in its home network - This path begins at
the host and ends at the GPRS mobile device.
 Network-initiated message when the MS roams to another GPRS network - This path
begins at the host of visited network and ends at the GPRS mobile device.
 Mobility Management :

 The operation of the GPRS is partly independent of the GSM network.

An MS can be in any of the three states in the GPRS system.

o Active State
o Standby State
o Idle State
 The three-state model is unique to packet radio.
 GSM uses a two-state model either idle or active.

Active State :

 Data is transmitted between an MS and the GPRS network only when the MS is in the
active state.
 In the active state, the SGSN knows the cell location of the MS.
 Packet transmission to an active MS is initiated by packet paging to notify the MS of an
incoming data packet.
 The data transmission proceeds immediately after packet paging through the channel
indicated by the paging message.
 The purpose of the paging message is to simplify the process of receiving packets.

Standby State :

 In the standby state, only the routing area of the MS is known.

 When the SGSN sends a packet to an MS that is in the standby state, the MS must be paged.
 Because the SGSN knows the routing area of the MS, a packet paging message is sent to the
routing area.
 On receiving the packet paging message, the MS relays its cell location to the SGSN to
establish the active state.

Idle State :

 In the idle state, the MS does not have a logical GPRS context activated or any Packet-
Switched Public Data Network (PSPDN) addresses allocated.
 In this state, the MS can receive only those multicast messages that can be received by any
GPRS MS.
 Because the GPRS network infrastructure does not know the location of the MS, it is not
possible to send messages to the MS from external data networks.

 GPRS - Access Modes & Access Point Names:

Access Modes

The GPRS access modes specify whether or not the GGSN requests user authentication at the
access point to a Public Data Network (PDN).

The available options are:

o Transparent - No security authorization/authentication is requested by the GGSN.

o Non-transparent - In this case, GGSN acts as a proxy for authenticating.

Transpatent Mode :

 In transparent access mode, the MS is given an address belonging to the operator or any
other addressing space of domain.
 The address is given either at subscription as a static address or at PDP context activation,
as a dynamic address.
 The dynamic address is allocated from a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
server in the GPRS network.
 Any user authentication is done within the GPRS network.
 No RADIUS authentication is performed; only IMSI-based authentication is done.

Non Transpatent Mode :

 Non-transparent access to an intranet/ISP means that the PLMN plays a role in the
intranet/ISP authentication of the MS.
 Non-transparent access uses the Password Authentication Protocol (PAP) or Challenge
Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) message issued by the mobile terminal and
piggybacked in the GTP PDP context activation message.
 This message is used to build a RADIUS request toward the RADIUS server associated
with the access point name (APN).
GPRS Access Point Name

 The GPRS standards define a network identity called an Access Point Name (APN)An
APN identifies a PDN that is accessible from a GGSN node in a GPRS network.
 In GPRS, only the APN is used to select the target network.
 To configure an APN, the operator configures three elements on the GSN node:
 Access point - Defines an APN and its associated access characteristics, including security
(RADIUS), dynamic address allocation (DHCP), and DNS services.
 Access point list - Defines a logical interface that is associated with the virtual template.
 Access group - Defines whether access is permitted between the PDN and the MS.

 GPRS - Network Processes

 Attach process - Process by which the MS attaches (i.e., connects) to the SGSN in a GPRS
network.
 Authentication process - Process by which the SGSN authenticates the mobile subscriber.
 PDP activation process - Process by which a user session is established between the MS
and the destination network.
 Detach process - Process by which the MS detaches (i.e., disconnects) from the SGSN in
the GPRS network.
 Network-initiated PDP request for static IP address - Process by which a call from the
packet data network reaches the MS using a static IP address.
 Network-initiated PDP request for dynamic IP address - Process by which a call from
the packet data network reaches the MS using a dynamic IP address.

 GPRS Billing Techniques

 The SGSN and GGSN register all possible aspects of a GPRS user's behavior and generate
billing information accordingly.
 This information is gathered in so-called Charging Data Records (CDR) and is delivered to
a billing gateway.
 The GPRS service charging can be based on the following parameters:
 Volume - The amount of bytes transferred, i.e., downloaded and uploaded.
 Duration - The duration of a PDP context session.
 Time - Date, time of day, and day of the week (enabling lower tariffs at offpeak hours).
 Final destination - A subscriber could be charged for access to the specific network, such
as through a proxy server.

 GPRS - Mobile Phones

GPRS has almost become a default or a mandatory feature of the latest GSM phones.

Eg : Apple , BlackBerry, Nokia, Samsung, LG, Philips.