CALL PROCESSING

S.RAJAKUMAR
SDE RGM TTC
 OBJECTIVE

– In this session we will discuss the

– call processing.
– mobile originated (MO) call and a mobile terminated (MT) call.
– short message (SMS) and voice mail service (VMS).
 RF channel overview

RF channel play important role in call processing case.

Three types of RF control channel

1.BROADCAST CONTROL CHANNEL

2. COMMON CONTROL CHANNELS
3. DEDICATED CONTROL CHANNEL
Logical Channels

Logical
Channels

Control Traffic
Channels Channels

Full-Rate
Half-Rate
Common Dedicated
Broadcast
Control Control
Channels
Channels Channels

FCCH RACH SDCCH

SCH PCH SACCH
BCCH AGCH FACCH
BROADCAST CONTROL CHANNEL

– The broadcast channels are points to multi-point

channel, which are defined only for down-link
direction (BTS to mobile station).
– They are

1)BCCH.
2) FCCH.
3) SCH
 BROADCAST CONTROL CHANNEL

• BCCH (Broad cast control channel )

– BCCH acts as a beacon.
– It informs the mobile about system configuration
parameters (e.g. LAI, CELLIDENTY, NEIGHBOURING all
identify). Using this information MS choose the best cell
to attach to.
– BCCH is always transmitted on full power and it is never
frequency hopped.
 BROADCAST CONTROL CHANNEL

• FCCH( frequency correction channel )

– MS must tune to FCCH to listen to BCCH. FCCH

transmits a constant frequency shift of the radio carrier
that is used by the MS for frequency correction.

• SCH (synchronization channel)

– SCH is used to synchronize the MS in time .SCH carries

TDMA frame number and BSIC (Base Station Identity
Code)
COMMON CONTROL CHANNELS

– Common control channels are specified as point to

multi-point, which operate only in one direction either
in up-link or down-link direction.

» PCH
» RACH
» AGCH
 COMMON CONTROL CHANNELS
• PCH (Paging Channel)

– PCH is used in down-link direction for sending paging

message to MS whenever there is incoming call.

• RACH (Random Access Channel )

– RACH is used by the MS to request allocation of a specific

dedicated control channel (SDCCH) either in response to a
paging message or for call origination /registration from
the MS. this is an up-link channel and operate in point to
point mode.

• AGCH (Access Grant Channel )

– AGCH is a logical control channel which is used to allocated

a specific dedicated control channel (SDCCH) to MS when
MS request for a channel over RACH. AGCH is used in
downlink direction.
DEDICATED CONTROL CHANNEL
Dedicated control channel are full duplex, point to point channel.
They are used for signalling between the BTS and certain MS.

– SACCH
– FACCH
– SDCCH
 DEDICATED CONTROL CHANNEL
SACCH (Slow Associated Control Channel)
The SACCH is a duplex channel, which is always allocated to TCH or SDCCH.
The SACCH is used for
– Radio link supervision measurements.
– Power control.
– Timing advance information.
– In 26 frame traffic multi-frame 13th frame (frame no .12) is used for
SACCH.
SACCH is used only for non-urgent procedures.
FACCH (Fast Associated Control Channel).
– FACCH is requested in case the requirement of signaling is urgent and
signaling requirement can not be met by SACCH.
– This is the case when hand-over is required during conversation
phase.
– During the call FACCH data is transmitted over allocated TCH instead
of traffic data. This is marked by a flag known as stealing flag.
 DEDICATED CONTROL CHANNEL
SDCCH (Stand Alone Dedicated Control Channel)

– The SDCCH is a duplex, point to point channel which

is used for signaling in higher layer.
– It carries all the signaling between BTS & MS when
no TCH is allocated to MS.
– The SDCCH is used for service request, location
updates, subscriber authentication, ciphering.
equipment validation and assignment of a TCH.
MOBILE ORIGINATED (MO) CALL

There are four distinct phase of a mobile originated call-

– Setup phase.

– Ringing phase.

– Conversation phase.

– Release phase.
MOBILE ORIGINATED (MO) CALL

setup phase :is the most important phase and

includes authentication of the subscriber, Ciphering of
data over radio interface, validation of mobile
equipment, validation of subscriber data at VLR for
requests service and assignment of a voice channel
on A-interface by MSC.
MOBILE ORIGINATED (MO) CALL

– Whenever MS wants to initiate on outgoing call or

want to send an SMS it requested for a channel to BSS
over RACH.
– On receiving request from MS, BSS assigns a stand-
alone dedicated control channel (SDCCH) to MS over
access grant channel (AGCH).
– Once a SDCCH has been allocated to MS all the call
set up information flow takes place over SDCCH.
 MOBILE ORIGINATED (MO) CALL

• A connection management (CM) entity initiates a CM Service Request

message to the network.
• Network tries to establish an MM connections between the MS and
the network and upon successful establishment of MM connection a
CM Service Accept message is received by MS from the network.
• MS now sends a Call Set up Request to the network which contains
the dialed digits (DD) of the called party.
• As the call setup message is received at the MSC/VLR certain check
are performed at MSC/VLR like whether the requested service is
provisioned for the subscriber or not, whether the dialed digits are
sufficient or not, any operator determined barring (ODB) does not
allow call to proceed further etc.
• As these checks are performed at MSC/VLR a Call Proceeding
Message is sent from the network towards the MS.
MOBILE ORIGINATED (MO) CALL
After all the checks are successfully passed MSC sends
Assignment command to the BSS which contains a free
voice channel on A-interface On getting this message
BSS allocates a free TCH to the MS and informs the MS
to attach to it.
MS on attaching to this TCH informs the BSS about it.
On receiving a response from the BSS, MSC switches the
speech path toward the calling MS.
Thus at the end of Assignment the speech path is
through from MS to MSC.
It is important to note that at this stage mobile has not
connected user connection as yet.
MS at this stage does not listen anything
 MOBILE ORIGINATED (MO) CALL
– After assignment MSC sends a network set-up message to the PSTN
requesting that a call be set up.
– Included in the message are the MS dialed digits (DD) and details
specifying which trunk should be used for the call.
– The PSTN may involve several switching exchanges before finally reaching
the final local exchange responsible for applying the ringing tone to the
destination phone.
– The local exchange will generate the ringing tone over the trunk, or series of
trunk (if several intermediate switching exchange are involved), to the MSC.
– At this point in time MS will hear ringing tone.
– The PSTN notifies the MSC with a network-alerting message when this event
occurs.
– MSC informs the MS that the destination number is being alerted.
– It is important to note that this is primarily a status message to the MS.
– The MS hears the ringing tone from the destination local exchange through
the established voice path.
•
MOBILE ORIGINATED (MO) CALL
– When the destination party goes off hook, PSTN informs the MSC of this
event.
– At this point, MS is connected to the destination party and billing is started.
– MSC informs the MS that connection has been established and MS
acknowledges the receipts of the connect message.
– Under normal condition, the termination of a call is MS initiated or network
initiated.
– In this scenario, we have assumed that MS initiates the release of the call
by pressing “end” button and MS send a disconnect message to the MSC.
– The PSTN party is notified of the termination of the call by a release
message from the MSC.
– The end- to- end connection is terminated. When MSC is left with no side
task (e.g. charging indication etc.) to complete a release message is sent to
the MS.
– MS acknowledges with a release complete message. All the resources
between MSC and the MS are released completely.
MOBILE ORIGINATED (MO) CALL

– 1)MS->OGCALL/SMS->BSS OVER RACH

– 2)BSS ASSIGN SDCCH TO MS OVER AGCH
– 3) MSC SEND ASSGIN CMD TO BSS (FREE VOICE CHL ON A
I/F)BSS allocates a free TCH to the MS.
 MOBILE TERMINATED (MT) CALL

The different phases of a mobile terminated call are

– Routing analysis
– Paging.
– Call setup.
– Call release.
 MT CALL
• The phases of mobile terminated (MT) call are similar to
a mobile originated (MO) call except routing analysis and
paging phase.
• Call to a mobile subscriber in a PLMN first comes to
gateway MSC (GMSC).
• GMSC is the MSC, which is the capable of querying HLR
for subscriber routing information.
• GMSC need not to be part of home PLMN, though it is
normal practice to have GMSC as part of PLMN in
commercially deployed networks.
 MT CALL
• GMSC opens a MAP (Mobile Application Part) dialogue towards HLR
and Send / Routing / Info-Request (SRI request) specific service
message is sent to HLR.
• SRI request contains MSISDN of the subscriber.
• HLR based on location information of this subscriber in its database,
opens a MAP dialogue towards VLR and sends Provide / Roaming /
Number-request (PRN request)to the VLR.
• VLR responds to PRN request with PRN response message, which
carries an MSRN (mobile subscriber roaming number), which can be
used for routing toward visiting MSC in the network.
• HLR returns MSRN to GMSC (MSC that queried HLR) in SRI response
message.
• On getting MSRN the GMSC routes the call towards VMSC The
purpose of this entire exercise is to locate where the terminating
mobile subscriber is.
 MT CALL
• The MSRN received at GMSC is in international format (Country Code
+ Area Code + subscriber number).
• Normally, based on the routing info at GMSC, the call may be routed
out of the GMSC towards VMSC of the terminating subscriber, in which
case appropriate signaling protocol (MF or ISUP) depending on the
nature of connecting of GMSC with subsequent exchange along the
route will apply.
• If at VMSC the terminating mobile subscriber is found to be free (idle),
paging is initiated for terminating mobile subscriber.
• MSC uses the LAI provided by the VLR to determine which BSS’s
should page the MS.
• MSC transmit a message to each of these BSS requesting that a page
be performed.
• Included in the message is the TMSI of the MS.
• Each of the BSS’s broadcasts the TMSI of the mobile in a page
message on paging channel (PCH).
 MT CALL
• When MS detects its TMSI broadcast on the paging
channel , it responds with a channel request message over
Random Access Channel (RACH).
• Once BSS receives a channel request message , it
allocates a stand –alone Dedicated Control
Channel(SDCCH) and forwards this channel assignment
information to the MS over Access Grant Channel (AGCH).
• It is over this SDCCH that the MS communicates with the
BSS and MSC until a traffic channel assigned to the MS. MS
transmits paging response message to the BSS over the
SDCCH.
• Included in this message is MS TMSI and LAI.
• BSS forwards this paging response message to the MSC.
• Now Authentication and Ciphering phases are performed to
check the authenticity of MS and encrypt data over radio
interface.
 MT CALL
• On the network side after paging is initiated, while
waiting for paging response, a defensive timer called,
”Early ACM” timer is run at MSC to avoid network
timeouts.
• On successfully getting paging response, a setup message
is constructed to be sent towards terminating MS.

• In case paging fails due to authentication failure or when

the subscriber is out of radio-coverage, the call is cleared.
 MT CALL
• In case CLIP is not subscribed by the terminating mobile
subscriber, calling number is not included in set-up
message.
• In case CLIP is subscribed and PI value in calling number
parameter indicates “presentation allowed” the number is
included in the set-up message.
• In case CLIP is subscribed but PI received in calling
number parameter indicates “presentation restricted”
then number is included only if CLIRO is also subscribed
to.
 MT CALL
• MS on receiving the set-up message performs compatibility
Checking before responding to the set-up message – it is
possible that MS might be incompatible for certain types of call
set-ups.
• Assuming that MS passes compatibility checking, it
acknowledges the call setup with set-up confirm message.
• After getting set-up confirm message from the MS, MSC
performs assignment phase (similar to one discussed in MO
call) and a voice path is established from MSC to the MS.
• MS begins altering the user after it receives the traffic channel
assignment.
• MS send alerting message to the MSC .
• MSC upon receiving the alerting indication from the MS, begins
generating an audible ringing tone to the calling party and
sends a network alerting via GMSC to the PSTN. Prior to this
the calling party heard silence.
 MT CALL
• At this point in the call, MS is alerting the called party by
generating on audible tone.
• One of the three events can occur-calling party hangs-up,
mobile subscriber answers the phone, or the MSC times out
waiting for the mobile subscriber to the answer the call.
• Since radio traffic channel is a valuable resource, GSM does
not allow a MS to ring forever.
• In the present scenario we have assumed that the mobile
subscriber answers the phone.
• The MS in response to this action stops alerting and sends a
connect message to the MSC.
• MSC removes the audible tone to the PSTN and connects the
PSTN trunk to BSS trunk (terrestrial channel) and sends a
connect message via GMSC to the PSTN.
• The caller and the called party now have a complete talk
path.
• This event typically marks the beginning of the call for billing
purposes.
• MSC sends a connect acknowledge message to the MS.
 MT CALL
• The release triggered by the land user is done in similar way as the
release triggered by mobile user.

• MSC receives a release message from the network to terminate

end-to-end connection.

• PSTN stops billing the calling landline subscriber. MSC sends a

disconnect message towards the MS and MS responds by a Release
message.

• MSC release the connection to the PSTN and acknowledges by

sending a Release Complete message to PSTN.

• Now the voice trunk between MSC and BSS is cleared, traffic
channel (TCH) is released and the resources are completely
released.
SHORT MESSAGE SERVICE (SMS)
• SMS is a simple bearer service and acts as a bi-directional
alphanumeric paging service, which allows value added service
provision as well as management services provision such as
advice of charge.
• A short message can carry at most 160 characters (it can be
less depending upon the type of characters and their coding
scheme).
• The SMS could be either in broadcast mode (via CBCH channel)
or in a point-to-point mode (via either SDCCH channel if mobile
is in idle state, or SACCH if the mobile is in dedicated mode).
• SMS allows to provide many values added service to individual/
corporate clients. Individuals may be interested in messaging
(transmitting messages in compact way) or leisure services
(weather forecast, road traffic, restaurant booking, movies, TV
programs etc.).
• Business users may be interested in corporate information
(company performance, stock value), e-commerce etc.
 SMS

• SMS involves specific entities in the GSM network: first is the SMS
Service Centre (SMS-SC simply SMSC) which can be connected to
several networks and many MSC’s (SMS- GMSC’s or SMS-IWMSC’s)
within the same PLMN and which is addressed by a mobile using a
E.164 number of the numbering plan of the PLMN. SMSC is capable
of following functionality’s:
• Transmission of short message towards a mobile, retaining the
responsibility of the message until reception of acknowledgement or
expiration of the validity period.
• Reception of the short messages from MS and transmission of
acknowledgement to the PLMN.
• Transferring messages received from Internet to mobile.
 SMS

• The second entity involved by the SMS is the SME (short

message entity), which is responsible for producing or
receiving a short message. The SME can be connected to
the SMSC via a data network such as X.25 or IP.

• A short message is characterized by its parameters the

most significant are the validity period, the service
center time stamp which indicates the SM arrival time at
the SC, etc.
 SMS

• In IMPCS (pilot project), the SMS architecture has been

implemented by C-DoT.
• The hardware architecture of SMSC is similar to HLR and
is located on same physical platform.
• It services as an inter-working and relaying function of
the message transfer between two MS.
 SMS
The service provided are-

Mobile Originated short message- Enables MS to send an SMS ( up-to 140

bytes) to another MS via SMSC.
Mobile terminated short message- Enables delivery of an SMS to a particular
MS.
Operator initiated SMS- This facility enables fixed network subscriber to send
an SMS to a mobile subscriber through an operator at SMSC.

(SMS Newsletter Service- A group of mobile subscriber can subscribe to SMSC

for receiving periodic news regarding sports, weather, traffic etc. The
subscription is done through on operator at SMSC. The operator feeds the
news segments, which are transferred, to the subscriber periodically.
 VOICE MAIL SYSTEM (VMS)
• VMS offers function of call answering device in the
system.
• It provides personal voice mailbox to the subscribers.
• VMS redirects/forwards voice calls of a temporarily in
accessible subscriber (busy or no reply) to a personal
mailbox of the subscriber connected to the MSC.
• Whenever a call is redirected to VMS, it first greets the
caller with a personalised greeting message and
prompts the caller to leave the message in the
mailbox.
• Later on the called party (mobile subscriber) can
access the VMS from PLMN/PSTN phone by means of
access code.
 VMS

• VMS interfaces with MSC on E1 lines using R2 MF/CCS#7

signaling protocol.
• In IMPCS network the VMS consists of Pentium PC
equipped with Dialogic card loaded with Windows NT
4.0.
• Dialogic card provides telephony network interface, voice
recording, compression and play.
• The disk capacity requirement of the PC is totally
application dependent.
• For 10,000 subscribers, if each subscriber stores 10
minutes of voice data then disk storage for subscriber
voice information is around 20 GB.
THANK YOU