GSM

Lesson Overview

In this lesson you will learn

some of the concepts and
implementations of the
GSM network employed in
the U.S.
 Lesson Objectives
 Identify the structures used in
digital networks. These include:
 Cells
 Sectors
 Base Stations.
 Lesson Objectives
 Identify
the elements used in
GSM networks. These include:
 Base Transceiver Station
 Base Station Controller
 Mobile Switching Center.
 Lesson Objectives
 Identify how the GSM system
communicates over the air-
interface.
 Lesson Objectives
 Recognize the different parts of a
system that manipulate the analog
voice so that it can be transmitted
over the air interface.
GSM History
1981 analogue cellular introduced
Franco-German study of digital pan-european cellular system
1982 Groupe Spécial Mobile (GSM) formed within CEPT
1986 Permanent group to create standards for a digital system
1987 MoU signed by over 18 countries
1989 GSM was moved into the ETSI organisation
GSM name changed to Global System for Mobile communications.
The committees working on the system changed from GSM to SMG
1990 DCS1800 (edited GSM900) specification developed
1992 Australia was the first non-European country to join the MoU
GSM Around the World
UK: CIS, Denmark, Finland,
Canada: GSM900 France, Germany,
PCS 1900 DCS1800 Greece, Hungary,
Poland, Norway,
Sweden, Switzerland:
USA: GSM900
PCS1900 DCS 1800
Hong Kong:
PCS 1900
Argentina, Singapore:
Brazil, DCS1800
Chile: Thailand:
DCS 1800 DCS1800 Malaysia:
DCS 1800
GSM Network
NMC OSI

BTS
OMC OMC
3
2
1

4
BTS BSC
5
7
6
8
*
9
0

BTS
MS VLR
BSS
MSC
MSC
MSC EIR
BTS
AUC
BTS BSC VLR
MS MSC
BTS MSC
MSC HLR

BSS Interface to other

networks
 GSM Network Interfaces
Um Interface Abis Interface
LAP-Dm LAP-D SS#7 SS#7
1
2
4
3
5

BTS BSC MSC

7
6
8
*
9
0
#

9
2

#
5

8
1

0
4

*
BTS BSC MSC PSTN

BTS BSC MSC

1
2
4
3
5
7
6
8
*
9
0
#

Rf Test Protocol Protocol Protocol

Equipment Analyzers Analyzers Analyzers
GSM Bands

Uplink

Downlink
1

2
4
3
5
7
6
8
*
9
0

#
GSM Cell Plan

2 3

6 4 2

5 6

7
GSM ‘Omni’ Cell

Omnidirectional
Antenna

Cell
GSM Sectored Cell

Sectored
Antenna

Cell

Sector
GSM Broadcast Channel

BCH 3

BCH 2
BCH 1
1

2
4
3
5
7
6
8
*
9
0

#
GSM Traffic Channel

BCH

TCH
1

2
4
3
5
7
6
8
*
9
0

#
GSM Hand-Off

BCH

TCH
1

2
4
3
5
7
6
8
*
9
0

Mobile constantly monitors

received TCH quality (RxQual & RxLev)
GSM FDMA and TDMA
Time

7
6
Amplitude
5
4 Timeslot #
3
2
1
0 Frequency
1 2 3 4 5 6
ARFCN #
GSM Burst Time

Amplitude
Overshoot
Lobes due to
modulation

Raised lobes due

to ramp up

Frequency
GSM Burst - TDMA

Amplitude

148 Bits in the ‘Useful Part of the Burst’

Time
GSM Burst - Data Structure

33 57
57 11 26
26 11 57
57 33

Tail Data Stealing Midamble Stealing Data Tail

Bits Bits Flag Bits Flag Bits Bits
GSM Time Delay
Cell radius < 35 km
Signal travel or time 117 usec

BTS
GSM Time Delay
Ideal

Delayed
GSM Midamble Equalisation

Reference Color Code

(Midamble)

Actual Received Signal

GSM Power Steps

Too much Power

Low Talk Time

2
4
3
5
7
6
8
*
9
0

Adjusted according
to Received Signal Too little Power
Strength and Quality Dropped Calls
at MS
GSM BCH
Broadcast Channel

One BCH on all the time, in every cell

BCH Information carried in Timeslot 0

other Timeslots can be used for TCH
or filled with dummy data

Allows Mobile to Synchronise

Identifies Network Carries Paging

and other Control Information
GSM RACH
Random Access Channel

Used by the mobile to get attention

Mobile doesn't know path delay

So RACH has to be a special

SHORT BURST

Mobile sends normal burst

after getting Timing Advance
GSM SACCH
Slow Associated Control Channel

DOWNLINK
Mobile Tx Power Commands
Mobile Timing Advance
Cell's Channel Configuration

UPLINK
Received signal quality report (RXQual)
Received signal level report (RXLev)
Adjacent BCH power measurements
Mobile's status
GSM FACCH

Fast Associated Control Channel

Used by BS and MS to send large

amounts of data FAST

Rapid message exchange for hand-offs

Control Bits are either side of midamble:
Indicate if TCH or FACCH
GSM SDCCH

Stand Alone Dedicated Control Channel

Used during Call Setup

Stepping Stone between BCH and TCH

Used for Authentication Etc.

GSM Voice Path

Vocoder
Vocoder Codec
Codec Interleave
Interleave Modulate
Modulate Burst
Burst
GSM Vocoder
20ms Speech makes 260 Bits

Vocoder
Vocoder Output 13 kbit/s

3 Classes of bits output

RELP - Residually Excited Linear Predictive

LTP - Long Term Predictive

GSM Codec
13 kbit/s 13 kbit/s
CODEC
CODEC
260 bits 456 bits

3 classes of bits are error corrected in different ways

Class 1a bits:Error Correction and CRC bits added

Class 1b bits:Error Correction only

Class ll bits: No Error Correction

GSM Interleave
13 kbit/s 13 kbit/s
Interleave
Interleave
456 bits 456 bits

456 bits 456 bits

GSM Modulate

Output
Input 13 kbits/s
270.833 kbits/s
(Error Corrected Modulate
Modulate 0.3GMSK
Interleaved)
(continuous)
GSM Burst

Input
270.833 kbits/s Burst
0.3GMSK
Burst
(continuous)
270.833 kbits/s
Output 0.3GMSK
(bursted)
Lesson Review
Lesson Review
 Beable to recognize the key
system elements and
understand their role in the
network as a whole.
Lesson Review
 Important terms to remember are
 Base Station System (BSS)
 Base Transceiver Station (BTS)
 Base Station Controller (BSC)
 Mobile Switching Center (MSC).
Lesson Review
 Understand how mobile phones
can move around a network,
even into other networks, and
be able to provide the user with
seamless coverage.
Lesson Review
 Important terms to remember
are
 Home Location Register (HLR)
 Visitors Location Register
(VLR)
 Authentication Center (AUC).
Lesson Review
 Understand the roles that
channels play in a network. You
should be able to recognize the
different channels along with
their functionality.
Lesson Review
 GSM

 Broadcast Channel (BCH)

 Traffic Channel (TCH)
 Slow
Associated Control Channel
(SACCH)
 Fast
Associated Control Channel
(FACCH).
Lesson Review
 Havea basic understanding of
GSM Air Interface. Important
terms to understand are:
Lesson Review
ARFCN and Timeslot
Burst
Logical Channel
Physical Channel
FDMA and TDMA.
Lesson Review
 Important terms to remember
are:
GMSK
QPSK
IQ Modulation.
Lesson Review
 Recognize the different
functional elements involved in
the transmission of an analog
voice.
Lesson Review
 Important terms to remember
are:
Vocoder
Codec
Error Correction
Interleaving.