GSM CONCEPTS &

RF OPTIMIZATION

PRESENTED BY:

ANJNAY SHARMA

Contents

Contents
1. GSM Technology (2G) 2. Services offered

3. GSM Network Architecture

4. Voice Coding, Interleaving 5. Air interface Physical and Logical channels

6. Handover
7. Nominal Planning, Reuse pattern. 8. C/I, C/A, 9. Call setup procedure 10.RF optimization, Field measurement-drive test

GSM Technology 2G
GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) is an open, digital cellular technology used for transmitting mobile voice and data services. GSM 2nd Generation differs from first generation wireless systems in that it uses digital technology and time division multiple access transmission methods. GSM is a circuit-switched system that divides each 200kHz channel into eight time-slots. GSM operates in the 900MHz and 1800MHz bands.

Omni Site
3 Sector Site

Services Offered
The most basic teleservice supported by GSM is telephony with mobility. GSM also supports data transfer speeds of up to 9.6 kbit/s. The data rates supported by GSM are 300 bps, 600 bps, 1200 bps, 2400 bps, and 9600 bps. A unique feature of GSM compared to older analog systems is the Short Message Service (SMS). SMS is a bidirectional service for sending short alphanumeric (up to 160 bytes) messages in a storeandforward fashion. For pointtopoint SMS, a message can be sent to another subscriber to the service, and an acknowledgement of receipt is provided to the sender. SMS can also be used in a cellbroadcast mode, for sending messages such as traffic updates or news updates. Another major benefit is its international roaming capability, allowing users to access the same services when traveling abroad as at home. This gives consumers seamless and same number connectivity in more than 210 countries. GSM satellite roaming has also extended service access to areas where terrestrial coverage is not available.

GSM Network Architecture

GSM Network Architecture

The mobile station (MS) consists of the physical equipment, such as the radio transceiver, display and digital signal processors, and a smart card called the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM). The SIM provides personal mobility. The mobile equipment is uniquely identified by the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI). The SIM card contains the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), identifying the subscriber, a secret key for authentication, and other user information.

The Base Station Subsystem is composed of two parts, the Base Transceiver Station (BTS) and the Base Station Controller (BSC). The Base Transceiver Station houses the radio tranceivers that define a cell and handles the radiolink protocols with the Mobile Station.
The Base Station Controller manages the radio resources for one or more BTSs. It handles radiochannel setup, frequency hopping, and handovers. The BSC is the connection between the mobile and the Mobile service Switching Center (MSC). The BSC also translates the 13 kbps voice channel used over the radio link to the standard 64 kbps channel used by the Public Switched Telephone Network or ISDN.

GSM Network Architecture

The central component of the Network is the Mobile services Switching Center (MSC). It is switching node and in addition provides all the functionality needed to handle a mobile subscriber, such as registration, authentication and call routing to a roaming subscriber. The MSC provides the connection to the public fixed network (PSTN or ISDN) over SS-7. The Home Location Register (HLR) and Visitor Location Register (VLR), together with the MSC, provide the call routing and international roaming. The HLR contains all the administrative information of each subscriber registered in the corresponding GSM network. The Visitor Location Register contains selected administrative information from the HLR, necessary for call control and provision of the subscribed services, for each mobile currently located in the geographical area controlled by the VLR.

The Equipment Identity Register (EIR) is a database that contains a list of all valid mobile equipment on the network, where each mobile station is identified by its International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI).
The Authentication Center (AUC) is a protected database that stores a copy of the secret key stored in each subscriber's SIM card, which is used for authentication and ciphering of the radio channel.

Voice Coding and Interleaving

GSM is a digital system, so speech signals, inherently analog, have to be digitized. The method employed by telephone systems given the output stream (PCM) is 64 kbps, too high rate to be feasible over a radio link. GSM uses Regular Pulse Excited - Linear Predictive Coder (RPELPC). Basically, information from previous samples, which does not change very quickly, is used to predict the current sample. It is from the fact that human vocal chord response is slow. Speech is divided into 20 millisecond samples, each of which is encoded as 260 bits, giving a total bit rate of 13 kbps.

Amplitude 20ms 260 bits 20ms 260 bits

20ms 260 bits

20ms 260 bits

time

Voice Coding and Interleaving

Channel coding and modulation Due to natural or manmade electromagnetic interference, the encoded speech or data transmitted over the radio interface must be protected as much as is practical. The GSM system uses convolutional encoding and block interleaving to achieve this protection. Recall that the speech codec produces a 260 bit block for every 20 ms speech sample and divided into three classes: Class Ia 50 bits - most sensitive to bit error Class Ib 132 bits - moderately sensitive to bit errors Class II 78 bits - least sensitive to bit errors 3 bit (Cyclic Redundancy) 4 tail bit

50 bits 132 bits 78 bits

189 1:2 + bits Convolution coding

378 bits +

456 bits
22.8 kbps

Voice Coding and Interleaving

To further protect against the burst errors common to the radio interface, each sample is diagonally interleaved. The 456 bits output by the convolution encoder are divided into 8 blocks of 57 bits, and these blocks are transmitted in eight consecutive timeslot bursts. Since each timeslot burst can carry two 57 bit blocks, each burst carries traffic from two different speech samples.

Tail Bits
Flag Bit Burst 3

57

26 Training Sequence

57

Information Block 148 bits

Voice Coding and Interleaving

Sample A Sample B

Sample C

57 57 57 57 57 57 57 57

57 57 57 57 57 57 57 57

.. .. .. .. A/8 A/8 A/8 A/8

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

26 26 26 26 26 26 26 26

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

A/8 A/8 A/8 A/8 B/8 B/8 B/8 B/8

Air Interface- Physical and Logical Channel

890-915 and 935-960 MHz band paired uplink and downlink, channel spacing is 45 MHz and raster is 200 kHz is allocated for GSM 900. Carrier frequencies are designated by a Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number (ARFCN). The general formula relating frequency to ARFCN is: Uplink Downlink 935+0.2 * (channel no 1 to 124) 890+0.2 * (channel no 1 to 124)

Each ARFCN carries 8 TS (Time division, TDMA frame) thus GSM is combination of FDMA and TDMA

Time Slot
UP Link MS to BTS
0 0 7

Down Link - BTS to MS

7

3TS Off-Set between UL and DL frame

148 bits

0.577ms / 156.25bits

Air Interface- Physical and Logical Channel

Logical channels are broadly divided in two category Traffic Channel (carries voice) and Control Channel carries signaling. Logical Channels

Control Channel
DCCH SDCCH ACCH FACCH SACCH CCCH BCH BCCH

Traffic Channel
FR SYNCH HR

SCH

FCCH

RACH

PCH/AGCH

CBCH

Air Interface- Physical and Logical Channel

TCH - Traffic channel Carries voice, FR (Full rate), HR ( Half rate two voice channel in one TS). BCCH - Broadcast control channel, system information transmitted on this so that MS can camp the cell. SCH - Synchronization channel carries information for frame synchronization channel includes BSIC. FCCH - Frequency correction channel provides information for carrier synchronization. RACH Random access channel is used by MS to access the system. PCH Paging channel used to page MS. AGCH Access grant channel, allocated to MS for assignment of network resources. SDCCH Stand alone dedicated control channel is used for data transfer for call set up, location update and SMS. SACCH Slow associated control is used for radio link measurement and power control message. FACCH Fast associated control channel is used for Handover.

Handover
During a call mobility is allowed means a call should be supported by system when user is moving within the coverage area. Handover makes this possible. When mobile is moving from cell A to cell B it measure the signal strength and report to BSC and thus handover possible from A to B and call will continue. MS keep measuring the signal strength of all the neighbor cells defined in system and will report BSC the signal strength and BSC takes decision for handover from one cell to another cell is cells are under same BSC. MSC does the same if the cells are under different BSC.

M S

A
M S

-> A Serving cell, MS measuring B as neighbor, report to BSC and handover to B after getting command from BSC. A becomes neighbor cell.

Nominal Planning
As stated earlier there are 124 ARFCN in GSM band and a part of this shall be allotted to service provider. Thus a planner has limited resources to plan the network. Proper cell planning allows frequency reuse at a distance depends on path loss. 3/9 and 4/12 are nominal plan used
f1 f3 f7 f9 f8 f2 f4 f6 f1 f3 f7 f9 f8 f2 f4 f6 f5 f5 f1 f3 f7 f9 f1 f3 f7 f9 f8 f2 f8 f2 f4 f6 f10 f12 f4 f6 f10 f12 f11 f5 f11 f5

C/I and C/A

Frequency Reuse giving advantage to use RF resources more efficiently to enhance capacity however two constraint adds limitation and degradation in quality. C/I Carrier to interference ratio. Restriction 9 dB. C/A Carrier to adjacent ratio. Restriction -9 dB. Rx level Rx level

Serving f1
C/I

Interfering f1

Distance

Rx level

Adjacent f C/A

Serving f1

Rx level

Distance

Call Setup procedure (MO-MT)

MS
Call Channel Request Immediate Assignment CM Service Request Authentication request Authentication response Ciphering mode cmd Ciphering Mode complete Setup Call proceeding Assignment Command Assignment complete Alerting Connect Conversation Connect acknowledgement TCH

BTS
RACH AGCH SDCCH

Measurement Report / Handover Command / Handover Complete / System information Call end Disconnect Release

RF Optimization & Drive test

RF optimization As indicated RF is valuable resource and must be utilized with great efficiency. RF prorogation is impossible to predict by any tool with 100% accuracy as RF propagation depends on many factor e.g. propagation constant, terrain, frequency of operation, reflecting bodies, water body etc. Thus RF optimization with field measurement is utmost important. RF optimization involves physical and parameter changes and verification. Physical changes Antenna height, orientation & tilt changes are basically to limit radio horizon to get the best possible results in terms of coverage and capacity. Parameter changes - ARFCN, BSIC, Handover margin, power windows, averaging period etc. GSM specification contains many algorithm and logics on which different decision are taken in order to serve a subscriber and to sustain the call with best quality. A RF optimizer have flexibility to set different parameters to get desired results as per requirement. Verification (1) KPI (key performance indicators) e.g. no of handover, no of calls, no of drops etc generated by system counters. (2) Field measurement i.e. drive test.

RF Optimization & Drive test

Drive Test : It is a process by which field measurement are carried out. There are many tools available in market for drive test e.g. Agilent, TEMS. Tool comprises of software which takes measurement input from Mobile Phones, Scanner and GPS and represent in graphical manner. Good graphical presentation makes easy for analyzer to detect problem and analyze further.

Process involves 1. Define the area / cluster 2. Set up tool e.g. cell site database, mobile phone connection, external antenna, GPS etc. 3. Do the drive test in field. 4. Analyze problem.

Drive test vehicle with external antenna

Too set up inside drive test vehicle

RF Optimization & Drive test

Snap Shot from TEMS drive test tool MAP window, Serving and neighbor cells, Radio parameter.

RF Optimization & Drive test

Snap Shot from TEMS drive test tool Layer2 message, Layer3 message, Event, Mode report windows.

COVERAGE ISSUE

Quality Degrades Due to JAM0632,3

JAM063 NEEDS TO BE OPTIMISED JAM011 NEEDS TO BE VISITED AS Its 2nd sector OVERSHOOT

THANK YOU