GSM Architecture

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 GSM SubSystems

GSM architecture is mainly divided into three

Subsystems
1.Base Station Subsystem (BSS)
2.Network & Switching Subsystem (NSS)
3.Operations & Support Subsystem (OSS)
Mobile Station sometimes included in BSS

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GSM Network Architecture
4
5
Mobile Station (MS)

The MS consists of two parts

1.Mobile Equipment (ME)
2.Subscriber Identity module (SIM)

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 Mobile Station
Mobile Station

SIM Card
= Handset Battery

Global GSM Mobility battery

Card

+ +
The Smart Card to use

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GSM
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 SIM-Card and GSM Mobile
Equipment
SIM-Card
Global GSM Mobility
Card

= +
The Smart Card to use Calling line
0609225831

GSM
Contains:
- IMSI

Subscriber knows
- Called party number = MS-ISDN
- PIN

Handset
 The SIM-Card Functions Credit Card Size
µ SIM-Card
Global GSM Mobility
Card
15 mm The Smart Card to use
25 mm

Permanent data:
GSM
- Unique mobile subscriber identity Microchip with stored
through IMSI number, user information
- Authentication parameter Ki,
- Authentication algorithm A3,
- Generating encryption key Kc Removable data:
algorithm A8. - Temporary Mobile Subscriber Number,
- Location Area Identification.
 Trends in Mobile Station

Booster
2W 5W Dual-band
Hands-free Data 900-1800
Pocket 2W 8W 900-1900

PC Java
Fax Organizer
Mobile Equipment (ME)
• The ME is the only part of the GSM network
which the subscriber will really see.
• There are three main types of ME, these are
listed below:
1. Vehicle Mounted
2. Portable Mobile Unit
3. Hand portable Unit

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Subscriber Identity module (SIM)
 The SIM is a card which plugs into the ME.
 This card identifies the MS subscriber and also provides other
information regarding the services that subscriber should
receive.
 The SIM card, and the high degree of inbuilt system security,
provides protection of the subscriber’s information and
protection of networks against fraudulent access.
 The SIM can be protected by use of Personal Identity
Number (PIN) password, similar to bank/credit charge cards,
to prevent unauthorized use of the card.
 SIM cards are designed to be difficult to duplicate.
 By making a distinction between the subscriber identity and
the ME identity, GSM can route calls and perform billing
based on the identity of the ‘subscriber’ rather than the
equipment or its location.
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Subscriber Identity module Cntd….
The SIM contains several pieces of information:
1. International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)
2. Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (TMSI)
3. Location Area Identity (LAI)
4. Subscriber Authentication Key (Ki)
5. Mobile Station Integrated Services Digital
Network (MSISDN)
The SIM is capable of storing additional information
such as accumulated call charges.
The SIM also executes the Authentication Algorithm.
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Subscriber Identity module Cntd….

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Base Station Subsystem (BSS)

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Base Station Controller (BSC)
 the BSC provides the control for the BSS.
 Any operational information required by the BTS will
be received via the BSC.
 Likewise any information required about the BTS (by
the OMC for example) will be obtained by the BSC.
 The BSC incorporates a digital switching matrix, which
it uses to connect the radio channels on the air interface
with the terrestrial circuits from the MSC.
 The BSC switching matrix also allows the BSC to
perform “handovers” between radio channels on BTSs,
under its control, without involving the MSC.
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Base Transceiver Station – BTS
• The BTS provides the air interface connection
with the MS.
• It also has a limited amount of Control
functionality which reduces the amount of
traffic passing between the BTS and BSC.
• Where the BSC and BTS are both shown to
control a function, the control is divided
between the two, or may be located wholly at
one.
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BSS Configurations

• The maximum number

of BTSs which may be
controlled by one BSC is
not specified by GSM.
•The BTSs and BSC may
either be located at the
same cell site “co-
located”, or located at
different sites “Remote”.
•Another BSS
configuration is the daisy
chain.
•Problem- transmission
delay through the chain.
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Network Switching System (NSS)

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 NSS Architecture
Site 1 Site 2
AUC
H

HLR
BSS D D BSS
VLR VLR
G-interface
B-interface B-interface
C-interface
A-interface MSC A-interface
GMSC

Other GSM, Other GSM,

PSTN, ISDN E-interface PSTN, ISDN

F F

E EIR
E
IWF IWF

Billing SMS-SC Billing

Server Server
 Network Switching System (NSS)
The Network Switching System includes the main switching functions of the GSM
network.

Call control : This identifies the subscriber, establishes a call, and clears the connection
after the conversation is over.
Charging: This collects the charging details about a call/service and transfers it to the
billing Centre.
Mobility management: This maintain information about the subscriber’s location
Signaling. This applies to interfaces with the BSS and PSTN
Subscriber data handling: This is the permanent data storage in HLR and temporary
storage of relevant data in the VLR

•The components of the Network Switching System are listed below:

1. Mobile Services Switching Centre – MSC
2. Home Location Register – HLR
3. Visitor Location Register – VLR
4. Equipment Identity Register – EIR
5. Authentication Centre – AUC
6. Interworking Function – IWF
7. Echo Canceller – EC
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Mobile Switching Centre (MSC)
 MSC is the heart of the system, controlling the
Switching & Billing.
 The MSC can carry out different functions depending
upon its position in the network.
 When provides interface between PSTN & BSS in GSM
network then known as a Gateway MSC
 provides service to MSs located within a defined
geographic coverage area.
 The network typically contains more than one MSC.
 One MSC is capable of supporting a regional capital
with approximately one million inhabitants.

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MSC’s Functionalities
• Call Processing
1. control of data/voice call setup
2. inter-BSS and inter-MSC handovers
3. control of mobility management (subscriber validation
and location).
• Operations and Maintenance Support
1. database management
2. traffic metering and measurement
3. A Man–machine interface.
• Internetwork Interworking
1. Interface between the GSM network and the PSTN.
• Billing
1. Collects call billing data.
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 Home Location Register
HLR
Subscriber
Management
Center Permanent records
- MSISDN
- IMSI
- Subscriber's service provision

Temporary records
- VLR address
- Ciphering items
(Kc, Sres, Rand)
 Home Location Register (HLR)
 The HLR is the master database which contains
each user’s service profile.
 Various identification numbers and addresses are
stored, as well as authentication parameters.
 The data it contains is remotely accessed by all the
MSCs and the VLRs in the network.
 Although the network may contain more than one
HLR, there is only one database record per
subscriber .
 The subscriber data may be accessed by either the
IMSI or the MSISDN number.
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 Visitor Location Register
VLR
LA1
Permanent records
- IMSI
- Subscriber’s service provision

LA3
LA2 Temporary records
- Ciphering items
(Kc, Sres, Rand)
- LAI - TMSI

LA4
 Visitor Location Register (VLR)
 VLR is a temporary database for all user
currently located in the system including roamers
& non-roamers.
 The data exists for only as long as the subscriber is
“active” in the particular area covered by the
VLR.
 The VLR database will therefore contain some
duplicate data as well as more precise data
relevant to the subscriber.
 This function eliminates the need for excessive and
time-consuming references to the “home” HLR
database.
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 Visitor Location Register
Cntd….
The additional data stored in the VLR is listed
below:
1. Mobile status (busy/free/no answer etc.).
2. Location Area Identity (LAI).
3. Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (TMSI).
4. Mobile Station Roaming Number (MSRN).
• MSC updates VLR with HLR information.
• Each MSC has VLR which resides with the MSC
& each G-MSC has a HLR which usually resides
with the G-MSC
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Equipment Identity Register

EIR

Black list
(barred ME)
IMEI

White list
(valid ME)
Mobile
Equipment Gray list
(faulty ME)
 Equipment Identity Register (EIR)
• The EIR contains a centralized database for
validating the IMEI.
• This database is concerned solely with MS
equipment and not with the subscriber who is
using it to make or receive a call.
• The EIR database consists of lists of IMEIs (or
ranges of IMEIs) organized as follows:
1. White List
2. Black List
3. Grey List
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Equipment Identity Register Cntd….

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 Authentication Center

AUC

Ciphering Triplets
Ki RAND 5

HLR Request

Security SRES, Kc, RAND

A3, A8 algorithms
IMSI

AUC provides
 Authentication Centre (AuC)
• The AuC is a processor system that performs
the “authentication” function.
• It is normally co-located with the HLR as it
will be required to continuously access and
update, as necessary, the system subscriber
records.
• The authentication process will usually take
place each time the subscriber “initializes” on.

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 Interworking Function (IWF)
• IWF provides the function to enable the GSM
system to interface with the various forms of
public and private data networks.
• The basic features of the IWF are
1. Data rate adaptation.
2. Protocol conversion.
• Some systems require more IWF capability
than others, this depends upon the network to
which it is being connected.
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 Interworking Function (IWF) Cntd…
• The IWF also
incorporates a
‘‘modem bank”,
which may be used
when
• for example, the
GSM Data
Terminal
Equipment (DTE)
exchanges data with
a land DTE
connected via an
analogue modem. 37
Operations & Support System (OSS)

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Operations & Support System (OSS)
• The OSS provides the capability to manage
the GSM network remotely.
• This area of the GSM network is not currently
tightly specified by the GSM specifications.
• It is left to the network provider to decide what
capabilities they wish it to have.
• The Operations and Maintenance System
comprises of two parts:
1. Network Management Centre (NMC)
2. Operations and Maintenance Centre (OMC)
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Operations & Support System Cntd....

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Operations & Support System Cntd....

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Network Management Centre (NMC)

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 Operations and Maintenance Centre
(OMC)
 The OMC provides a central point from which to
control and monitor the other network entities (i.e. base
stations, switches, database, etc).
 It also monitors the quality of service being provided
by the network.
 There are two types of OMC these are:
1. OMC-R
OMC controls specifically the Base Station System.
2. OMC-S
OMC controls specifically the Network Switching
System.
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Operations and Maintenance Centre Cntd….

The OMC should support the following

functions as per ITS–TS recommendations:
1. Event/Alarm Management.
2. Fault Management.
3. Performance Management.
4. Configuration Management.
5. Security Management.

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 Network in Reality

• In reality a GSM network is much more

complicated than we have seen.
• The diagram in the next slide illustrates how
multiple BSS and Network Switching System
components will be connected within a
network

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