WIRELESS COMMUNICATION

Unit- 5(Part - 1)
Wireless Systems

Compiled By: Sweetu D Sureja

Prepared By: Sweetu D. Sureja
Information Technology Department
V.V.P. Engineering College, Rajkot.

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GSM system architecture
• GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is a standard developed
by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) to describe
the protocols for second-generation .
• First started in Finland in December 1991.

Compiled By: Sweetu D Sureja

• GSM Is world’s first cellular system to specify digital signals.

• It uses the combination of FDMA and TDMA.

• The GSM network architecture provided a simple and effective architecture to

services needed for a 2G mobile communications system. 2
 OMC

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GSM Entities
• The GSM network architecture can be grouped into four main areas:
• Mobile Station (MS)
 Mobile Equipment (ME)
 Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)
• Base Station Subsystem (BSS)


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Base Transceiver Station (BTS)
 Base Station Controller (BSC)
• Network Switching Subsystem(NSS)
 Mobile Switching Center (MSC)
 Home Location Register (HLR)
 Visitor Location Register (VLR)
 Authentication Center (AUC)
 Equipment Identity Register (EIR)
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• Operation and Support System(OSS)
 Operation and Maintenance Center(OMC)
Mobile Station (MS)
The Mobile Station is made up of two entities:
1. Mobile Equipment (ME)
2. Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)

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Mobile Equipment
• Portable,Vehicle mounted, hand held device Uniquely identified by an IMEI
(International Mobile Equipment Identity).

• Voice and data transmission.

• MS can be either hand-held personal units (e.g. a walkie-talkie or cordless) or cell

phone in fast moving vehicles (mobiles) 5
Mobile Station (MS)
Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)
• The SIM card contains many identifiers and tables, such as card-
type(standard,micro,nano), serial number, a list of subscribed services, a personal
identity number (PIN).

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Allows user to send and receive calls and receive other subscribed services.

• SIM Cards contain 64K Bytes of memory which is used to store contacts and SMS.

• Protected by a password or PIN.

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Base Station Subsystem
(BSS)
• Base Station Subsystem connects
the Mobile Station and Network
Switching Subsystems

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• The BSS can be divided into two
parts
 Base Transceiver Station (BTS)
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 Base Station Controller (BSC)
Base Station Subsystem (BSS)
• BTS
• It receive and transmit data from both (BSC And Mobile equipment)
BSC
• BSC stands for Base Station Controller.
• BSC has multiple BTS.

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• You can consider the BSC as a local exchange
• Assigns Frequency and time slots for all MS’s in its area
• Handles call set up
• Handover for each MS
• It communicates with MSC and BTS
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GSM - Network Switching Subsystem (NSS)
Mobile Switching Centre (MSC):
Heart of the network
- Call setup functionalities
- Call routing
- Billing information and collection

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• The MSC is connected node within a PSTN.

• It also provides an interface to the PSTN to MS so, that the mobile calls can be
routed from the mobile network to a phone connected to a landline.

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GSM - Network Switching Subsystem (NSS)
• MSC is having further components like VLR, HLR, AUC, EIR

• HLR : HLR stands for Home Location Register.

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• Permanent database about mobile subscribers in a service area.
• database contains prepaid/postpaid, roaming restrictions,
supplementary services.
• HLR is like a home which contains all data like your ID proof,
which plan you are taking, which caller tune you are using etc.
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GSM - Network Switching Subsystem (NSS)

• VLR - VLR stands for Visitor Location Register.

• Temporary database which updates whenever new MS enters its

Compiled By: Sweetu D Sureja

area.
• VLR is a database which contains the exact location of all mobile
subscribers currently present in the service area of MSC.
• If you are going from one state to another state then your entry is
marked into the database of VLR.
• VLR also change the entry on previous HLR. 11
GSM - Network Switching Subsystem (NSS)
AUC : AUC stands for Authentication Center.
Used for authentication.
Protected to database.
• Maintains authentication keys for encryption and decryption for authentication
EIR : EIR stands for Equipment Identity Register.

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• Database that is used to track mobile using the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment
Identity)
• EIR is a database that keeps the record of all allowed or banned in the network.
• If you are banned in the network then you can’t enter the network, and you can’t make the
calls.
• EIR has different list types
• White list – vaild IMEI number(vaild mobile equipments)
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• Grey list – IMEI under scanner(suspected mobile under observation)
• Black list- Prohibited IMEI number(list of mobile bannned)
GSM - Operation and support subsystem(OSS)
Operation and support
subsystem(OSS)
• Sub part of OSS IS OMC
• OMC stands for Operation

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Maintenance Center.

• OMC monitor and maintain the

performance of each MS, BSC
and MSC in a GSM system.
• OMC management functions are
traffic monitoring. 13
GSM Interfaces
• Three subsystem BSS, NSS and OSS are connected with each other via some
interfaces. Total three interfaces are there:

• Air Interface / Radio interface : Air interface is also known as UM interface.

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Radio Interface rises between MS and BSS.it uses TDMA technique.

• Abis Interface : It is a BSS internal interface linking with BTS and BSC.
Transmit traffic or any information through Abis interface.

• A interface : It provides communication between BSS and MSC.

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It provides call handling functionality.
 GSM Interfaces

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Extra - Services of GSM:
1) Bearer services/ data services:
• Bearer services permit transparent or non transparent data
transmission.

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Transparent bearer services:
• Transparent bearer services only use the physical layer to transmit data.
• If no transmission error occurs then Data transmission has a constant.

Non-transparent bearer services:

• Non-transparent bearer services use protocols of layer two and three.
• To implement error correction and flow control.(data link layer and 16
network layer).
Services of GSM:
2) Tele services:
• Tele services are nothing but we use now.
• Emergency calling
• short text message(SMS).

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3) Supplementary services:
• supplementary services it means advanced services.
• Call related services :
• Conference calls - Link multiple calls together
• Call Waiting- Notification of an incoming call while on the handset
• Call Hold- Put a caller on hold to take another call
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• Call Forwarding
GSM Localization and calling
Localization:
• The system always knows where a user currently is, the phone number is vaild.
• GSM performs periodic location updates even if a user does not use the mobile station.

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• The HLR always contains information about the current location

• The VLR currently responsible for the MS informs the HLR about location changes.

• As soon as an MS moves into the range of a new location area (new VLR) the HLR sends
all user data needed to the new VLR.
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• Changing VLRs with OUT of region availability of all services is also called roaming.
 GSM calling
• CALL:
• Basic steps needed to connect the calling station
with the mobile user are:
• Step 1: A user dials the phone number of a GSM
subscriber.

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• Step 2: The fixed network (PSTN) forwards the call
setup to the Gateway MSC.

• Step 3: The GMSC identifies the HLR for the

subscriber and signals the call setup to the HLR.

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• Step 4: The HLR now checks whether the number
exists and requests to the current VLR.
GSM calling
• Step 5: VLR Received and back to HLR

• Step 6: The HLR forwards this information to the GMSC.

• Step 7: The GMSC now forward the call setup request to

the MSC indicated.

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• Step 8: MSC requests the current status of the MS from the
VLR.

• Step 9&10: If MS is available in VLR, VLR return current

stats of MS, MSC initiates Bss in all cells.

• Step11: BTSs of all BSSs transmit this signal to MS If the

MS answers (12 and 13), the VLR perform security
checks (encryption). The VLR signals to the MSC to set 20
up a connection to the MS (steps 15 to 17).
GSM Protocol / Signaling Protocol in GSM

Compiled By: Sweetu D Sureja

Figure : Signaling protocol structure in GSM
TDMA – Time Division Multiple Access
LAPDm - Link Access Procedure – D for Mobile
RR – Radio Resource
MM - Mobility Management 21
CM – Connection Management
BSSMAP – Base Station System Mobile Application Part
SCCP – Signaling Connection Control Part
MTP - Message Transfer Part
GSM Protocol / Signaling Protocol in GSM
• Layer-1: Physical layer, TDMA uses the channel structures over the air interface

• Layer-2: Data Link layer, across ‘Um’ interface, DLL is a modified version of
the LAPD ( Link Access Procedure – D ) protocol used in ISDN. Across the ‘A’
interface, the Message Transfer Part layer 2 of SS7 is used.

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• Layer-3: GSM signaling protocol is itself subdivided into 3 sub layers
• Radio Resource Management (RR) - Control setup , maintenance, Termination of
radio and fixed channel.
• Mobility Management (MM) – Manage Location updating, Registration process
and security process.
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• Connection Management (CM) – Handle General call and short message service.