Performance characteristics of GSM (wrt. analog sys.

)
Communication
 mobile, wireless communication; support for voice and data
services
Total mobility
 international access, chip-card enables use of access points of
different providers
Worldwide connectivity
 one number, the network handles localization
High capacity
 better frequency efficiency, smaller cells, more customers per cell
High transmission quality
 high audio quality and reliability for wireless, uninterrupted phone
calls at higher speeds (e.g., from cars, trains)
Security functions
 access control, authentication via chip-card and PIN
 Disadvantages of GSM

There is no perfect system!!

 no end-to-end encryption of user data
 no full ISDN bandwidth of 64 kbit/s to the user, no transparent B-
channel

 reduced concentration while driving

 electromagnetic radiation

 abuse of private data possible

 roaming profiles accessible

 high complexity of the system

 several incompatibilities within the GSM standards
 GSM: Mobile Services

GSM offers
 several types of connections
 voice connections, data connections, short message service
 multi-service options (combination of basic services)
Three service domains
 Bearer Services
 Telematic Services
 Supplementary Services
 Bearer Services

 Telecommunication services to transfer data between access points

 Specification of services up to the terminal interface (OSI layers 1-3)
 Different data rates for voice and data (original standard)
 data service (circuit switched)
 synchronous: 2.4, 4.8 or 9.6 kbit/s
 asynchronous: 300 - 1200 bit/s
 data service (packet switched)
 synchronous: 2.4, 4.8 or 9.6 kbit/s
 asynchronous: 300 - 9600 bit/s
 Tele Services I

 Telecommunication services that enable voice communication

via mobile phones
 All these basic services have to obey cellular functions, security
measurements etc.
 Offered services
 mobile telephony
primary goal of GSM was to enable mobile telephony offering the
traditional bandwidth of 3.1 kHz
 Emergency number
common number throughout Europe (112); mandatory for all
service providers; free of charge; connection with the highest
priority (preemption of other connections possible)
 Multinumbering
several ISDN phone numbers per user possible
 Tele Services II

Additional services
 Non-Voice-Teleservices
 group 3 fax
 voice mailbox (implemented in the fixed network supporting the mobile
terminals)
 electronic mail (MHS, Message Handling System, implemented in the fixed
network)
 ...

 Short Message Service (SMS)

alphanumeric data transmission to/from the mobile terminal using the
signaling channel, thus allowing simultaneous use of basic services and
SMS
 Supplementary services

 Services in addition to the basic services, cannot be offered

stand-alone
 Similar to ISDN services besides lower bandwidth due to the
radio link
 May differ between different service providers, countries and
protocol versions
 Important services
 identification: forwarding of caller number
 suppression of number forwarding
 automatic call-back
 conferencing with up to 7 participants
 locking of the mobile terminal (incoming or outgoing calls)
 ...
 Architecture of the GSM system

GSM is a PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network)

 several providers setup mobile networks following the GSM standard within
each country
 components
 MS (mobile station)
 BS (base station)
 MSC (mobile switching center)
 LR (location register)
 subsystems
 RSS (radio subsystem): covers all radio aspects
 NSS (network and switching subsystem): call forwarding, handover, switching
 OSS (operation subsystem): management of the network
GSM: system architecture
radio network and fixed
subsystem switching subsystem partner networks

MS MS
ISDN
PSTN
Um MSC

BTS Abis
BSC EIR
BTS

SS7
HLR

BTS VLR
BSC ISDN
BTS MSC PSTN
A
BSS IWF
PSPDN
CSPDN
 System architecture: radio subsystem
radio network and switching
subsystem subsystem

MS MS
Components
 MS (Mobile Station)
Um  BSS (Base Station Subsystem):
Abis consisting of
BTS
BSC MSC
 BTS (Base Transceiver Station):
BTS sender and receiver
 BSC (Base Station Controller):
controlling several transceivers

Interfaces
 Um : radio interface
A
BTS  Abis : standardized, open interface with
BSC MSC
BTS 16 kbit/s user channels
 A: standardized, open interface with
BSS
64 kbit/s user channels
 System architecture: network and switching subsystem
network fixed partner
subsystem networks Components
 MSC (Mobile Services Switching Center):
ISDN  IWF (Interworking Functions)
PSTN
MSC
 ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network)
 PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network)
EIR  PSPDN (Packet Switched Public Data Net.)
 CSPDN (Circuit Switched Public Data Net.)
SS7

HLR
 Databases
 HLR (Home Location Register)
VLR  VLR (Visitor Location Register)
ISDN  EIR (Equipment Identity Register)
MSC
PSTN
IWF
PSPDN
CSPDN
 Network and switching subsystem

NSS is the main component of the public mobile network GSM

 switching, mobility management, interconnection to other networks, system
control
 Components
 Mobile Services Switching Center (MSC)
controls all connections via a separated network to/from a mobile terminal
within the domain of the MSC - several BSC can belong to a MSC
 Databases (important: scalability, high capacity, low delay)
 Home Location Register (HLR)
central master database containing user data, permanent and semi-permanent
data of all subscribers assigned to the HLR (one provider can have several
HLRs)
 Visitor Location Register (VLR)
local database for a subset of user data, including data about all user currently
in the domain of the VLR
 Mobile Services Switching Center

The MSC (mobile switching center) plays a central role in GSM

 switching functions
 additional functions for mobility support
 management of network resources
 interworking functions via Gateway MSC (GMSC)
 integration of several databases
 Functions of a MSC
 specific functions for paging and call forwarding
 termination of SS7 (signaling system no. 7)
 mobility specific signaling
 location registration and forwarding of location information
 provision of new services (fax, data calls)
 support of short message service (SMS)
 generation and forwarding of accounting and billing information
 Operation subsystem

The OSS (Operation Subsystem) enables centralized operation,

management, and maintenance of all GSM subsystems
 Components
 Authentication Center (AUC)
 generates user specific authentication parameters on request of a VLR
 authentication parameters used for authentication of mobile terminals and
encryption of user data on the air interface within the GSM system
 Equipment Identity Register (EIR)
 registers GSM mobile stations and user rights
 stolen or malfunctioning mobile stations can be locked and sometimes even
localized
 Operation and Maintenance Center (OMC)
 different control capabilities for the radio subsystem and the network subsystem
 Security in GSM

Security services
 access control/authentication
 user  SIM (Subscriber Identity Module): secret PIN (personal
identification number)
 SIM  network: challenge response method
 confidentiality
 voice and signaling encrypted on the wireless link (after successful
authentication)
 anonymity
“secret”:
 temporary identity TMSI • A3 and A8
(Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity) available via the
 newly assigned at each new location update (LUP) Internet
 encrypted transmission • network providers
can use stronger
3 algorithms specified in GSM mechanisms
 A3 for authentication (“secret”, open interface)
 A5 for encryption (standardized)
 A8 for key generation (“secret”, open interface)
 GSM - authentication

mobile network SIM

RAND
Ki RAND RAND Ki

AC 128 bit 128 bit 128 bit 128 bit

A3 A3
SIM
SRES* 32 bit SRES 32 bit

SRES
MSC SRES* =? SRES SRES
32 bit

Ki: individual subscriber authentication key SRES: signed response

 GSM - key generation and encryption

mobile network (BTS) MS with SIM

RAND
Ki RAND RAND Ki
AC 128 bit 128 bit 128 bit 128 bit SIM

A8 A8

cipher Kc
key 64 bit Kc
64 bit
data encrypted SRES
data
BSS
data MS
A5 A5
 Data services in GSM I
Data transmission standardized with only 9.6 kbit/s
 advanced coding allows 14,4 kbit/s
 not enough for Internet and multimedia applications

HSCSD (High-Speed Circuit Switched Data)

 mainly software update
 bundling of several time-slots to get higher
AIUR (Air Interface User Rate)
(e.g., 115.2 kbit/s using 8 slots, 14.4 each)
 advantage: ready to use, constant quality, simple
 disadvantage: channels blocked for voice transmission
 Data services in GSM II
GPRS (General Packet Radio Service)
 packet switching
 using free slots only if data packets ready to send
(e.g., 115 kbit/s using 8 slots temporarily)
 standardization 1998, introduction 2001
 advantage: one step towards UMTS, more flexible
 disadvantage: more investment needed (new hardware)
GPRS network elements
 GSN (GPRS Support Nodes): GGSN and SGSN
 GGSN (Gateway GSN)
 interworking unit between GPRS and PDN (Packet Data Network)
 SGSN (Serving GSN)
 supports the MS (location, billing, security)
 GR (GPRS Register)
 user addresses
 UMTS and IMT-2000

Proposals for IMT-2000 (International Mobile Telecommunications)

 UWC-136, cdma2000, WP-CDMA
 UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) from ETSI

UMTS
 UTRA (was: UMTS, now: Universal Terrestrial Radio Access)
 enhancements of GSM
 EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution): GSM up to 384 kbit/s
 CAMEL (Customized Application for Mobile Enhanced Logic)
 VHE (virtual Home Environment)
 fits into GMM (Global Multimedia Mobility) initiative from ETSI
 requirements
 min. 144 kbit/s rural (goal: 384 kbit/s)
 min. 384 kbit/s suburban (goal: 512 kbit/s)
 up to 2 Mbit/s urban
 UMTS architecture (Release 99 used here!)

UTRAN (UTRA Network)

 Cell level mobility
 Radio Network Subsystem (RNS)
 Encapsulation of all radio specific tasks

UE (User Equipment)
CN (Core Network)
 Inter system handover
 Location management if there is no dedicated connection between UE and
UTRAN

Uu Iu

UE UTRAN CN
 UMTS domains and interfaces I

Home
Network
Domain

Zu
Cu Uu Iu Yu
Mobile Access Serving Transit
USIM
Equipment Network Network Network
Domain
Domain Domain Domain Domain

Core Network Domain

User Equipment Domain Infrastructure Domain

User Equipment Domain

 Assigned to a single user in order to access UMTS services
Infrastructure Domain
 Shared among all users
 Offers UMTS services to all accepted users
 UMTS domains and interfaces II

Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM)

 Functions for encryption and authentication of users
 Located on a SIM inserted into a mobile device

Mobile Equipment Domain

 Functions for radio transmission
 User interface for establishing/maintaining end-to-end connections

Access Network Domain

 Access network dependent functions
Core Network Domain
 Access network independent functions
 Serving Network Domain
 Network currently responsible for communication
 Home Network Domain
 Location and access network independent functions
UTRAN architecture
RNS RNC: Radio Network Controller
RNS: Radio Network Subsystem
UE1 Node B Iub
Iu

RNC CN
UE2
Node B
UTRAN comprises several
RNSs
UE3 Node B can support FDD or
TDD or both
Iur
Node B RNC is responsible for handover
Iub decisions requiring
signalingto the UE
Node B
RNC Cell offers FDD or TDD

Node B

RNS
 UMTS services (originally)

Data transmission service profiles

Service Profile Bandwidth Transport mode
High Interactive MM 128 kbit/s Circuit switched Bidirectional, video telephone
High MM 2 Mbit/s Packet switched Low coverage, max. 6 km/h
Medium MM 384 kbit/s Circuit switched asymmetrical, MM, downloads
Switched Data 14.4 kbit/s Circuit switched
Simple Messaging 14.4 kbit/s Packet switched SMS successor, E-Mail
Voice 16 kbit/s Circuit switched

Virtual Home Environment (VHE)

 Enables access to personalized data independent of location, access
network, and device
 Network operators may offer new services without changing the network
 Service providers may offer services based on components which allow the
automatic adaptation to new networks and devices
 Integration of existing IN services