GSM CHANNELS

By Mohit Kumar http://mohitkumar.net

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

GSM?
Global system for mobile communication 2nd Generation mobile telephony Duplexing schemes FDD/TDD Multiple access TDMA

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Nomenclature
MS (Mobile Station) = MT (Mobile Terminal ) +TE (Terminal Equipment) BSS (Base Station Subsystem) = BTS (Base Transceiver Station) +BSC (Base Station Controller) NSS (Network Switching Subsystem) MSC (Mobile Switching Center): telephony switching function and authentication of user

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Channels
Physical Channels

Associated with frequency bands, time slots, codes Physical channels transfer bits from one network element to another
Logical Channels Distinguished by the nature of carried information and the way to assemble bits into data units Three types one-to-one: traffic channels between a BTS and a MS one-to-many: synchronization signals from BTS to MSs in a cell many-to-one: from MSs to the same BTS

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

PHYSICAL CHANNELS

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

GSM frequency bands

Original GSM radio band is 900 MHz (GSM 900). Another band that was later assigned termed as DCS was 1800 MHz (DCS 1800). Can be classified further as

P-GSM, Standard or Primary GSM-900 Band E-GSM, Extended GSM-900 Band (includes Standard GSM-900 band) R-GSM, Railway GSM-900 Band (includes Standard and Extended GSM-900 band) T-GSM or TETRA-GSM (TETRA = TErrestrial Trunked RAdio, formerly Trans-European Trunked Radio)

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

FDD
Each GSM band is divided into two parts UPLINK and DOWNLINK

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Radio channel
GSM radio channel is 0.2 MHz wide. Each channel has a fixed ID number, called Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number (ARFCN) Example: GSM 900

ARFCN 0 represents the 0.2 MHz channel from 890 to 89.2 MHz (usually called 890 MHz channel) ARFCN 1 to 124 represent 890 + ARFCN * 0.2 MHz channels Note: ARFCN 0 is reserved as a guard band between GSM band and its neighboring band.

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

GSM represents an ARFCN with a 10-bit number (0 to 1023). When the network assigns a channel to an MS (mobile station) it identifies this number

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Radio channels.
Each ARFCN channel is a duplex channel and consists of an up and a down links. When we say ARFCN 1 we mean uplink 890.2 MHz and its downlink 935.2 MHz channels as a duplex. The uplink and downlink of all ARFCNs maintain a frequency distance equal to band gap + unidirectional bandwidth. Eg.-GSM 900 has band gap = 20 + 25 = 45 MHz

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

TDMA in GSM
Each frequency channel or ARFCN (200 kHz bandwidth) is shared by multiple users and/or control signal functions one at a time. For a voice channel every 8th time-slot belongs to the same user.

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

TDMA Frame

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

TDD
One uplink slot and a downlink slot of a duplex GSM frequency (an ARFCN) forms a pair to provide one voice connection. These slots carry voice traffic bursts. This is called Traffic Channel (TCH) according to GSM terminology. The slots are like physical carrier, good for any type of data. A duplex pair of them becomes TCH when they are used (or designated) for voice traffic. The timing of uplink and downlink slots maintains a 3-slot distance in order to ensure that a cell-phone does not require transmission and reception operations simultaneously. Avoids a number of complexities including the requirement of high peak power, processor speed and large memory. This also helps simplify transceiver circuit.

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

GSM LOGICAL CHANNELS.

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Logical channels
One or more logical channels can be mapped to one physical channel.

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Traffic channels
Full rate
It transmits full rate speech (13Kbps). A full rate TCH occupies one physical channel

Half rate
It transmits half rate speech(6.5 Kbps). Two half rate TCHs can share one physical channel to double the capacity

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Control channels
Can also be termed as signaling channels These channels are used for non-traffic part that is used to support the traffic. Can be divided into three parts
Broadcast channels (BCH) Common Control Channels (CCCH) Dedicated Control Channels(DCCH)

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Broadcast Channels
Helps the MSs to orient themselves in the mobile radio network. Point to multi point channels ( BTS to MSs) Downlink only

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

FCCH
The logical Channel contains no information (continuous zeros) pure carrier is transmitted so that the mobile can tune itself and synchronise with the frequency. FCCH will be transmitted in the same beacon carrier as BCCH.

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical DOWNLINK Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

BCCH
Through the BCCH logical channel MS is informed about the system configuration parameters like

Local Area Identity Cell Identity Identity of BCCH carrier frequencies of Neighbor cells. Max trans power of MS to access Configuration of control channels
BCCH is also known as beacon. Each cell/sector will have one carrier frequency on which BCCH will be broadcasted.

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical DOWNLINK Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

SCH
This logical channel transmits information about TDMA frame structure in a cell /sector (frame number) Base Station Identity Code which can be decoded only if the BTS belongs to the network for which the MS has subscribed SCH will also be transmitted in the same carrier of FCCH and BCCH.

DOWNLINK GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical 6/13/2010 Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Common Control Channels

support common procedures required to establish a dedicated link with the network. are point-to-multipoint channels that are primarily intended to carry signaling information for access handling functions.

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

PCH PAGING CHANNEL

Used by BTS to page particular MS in the cell
MS actively listen to PCH to check contact info within certain time Contact could be incoming call or short message

Contact info on PCH include

IMSI (MSs identity number), or TMSI (temporary number)

Transmission properties
Transmit on down-link point to point

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical DOWNLINK Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

RACH REQUEST ACCESS CHANNEL

Used by MH to request a dedicated channel for call setup Shared by any MS attempts to access the network Channel request message contains the reason for the access attempt Transmission properties Transmit on up-link Point to pint

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical UPLINK Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

AGCH ACCESS GRANT CHANNEL

The network assigns a signaling channel via AGCH
A Stand alone Dedicated Control Channel (SDCCH) is assigned

Transmission properties Transmit on down-link Point to point

6/13/2010

DOWNLINK Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical -

DEDICATED CONTROL CHANNEL -DCCH

DCCH are used for transferring nonuser information between the network and the MS Messages on DCCH Including channel maintenance mobility management radio resource management

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Stand alone Dedicated Control Channel (SDCCH)

Transfer signaling information between the BTS and the MS Typically used for location updating prior to use of a traffic channel Transmission properties Bidirectional channel, transmit on both up and down-link Point to point.

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Types of SDCCH
SDCCH uses 1/8 of time slots.

SDCCH/4
sdcch is combined with the bcch channel the bcch and sdcch remain active for almost half of the time in a multiframe Transmits only on TS0

SDCCH/8
takes up an entire TCH and keeps trasmitting on that[alongwith SACCH]. the TCH it is to occupy, can be defined

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Cell Broadcast Channel (CBCH)

To carry Short Message Service Cell Broadcast (SMSCB) Use the same physical channel as SDCCH Transmission properties
Transmit on down-link Point to multi-point

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Fast Associated Control Channel (FACCH)

An FACCH is used over a TCH where it steals time slots from a TCH a 20 ms segment of speech is stolen to carry handover signaling information
Appears on demand

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Slow Associated Control Channel (SACCH)

Carries control and measurement parameters along with routine data necessary to maintain a radio link between the MS and the BTS
On the uplink, MS sends averaged measurements (signal strength and quality) of current and neighboring BCCH On downlink, MS receives information about transmitting power to use and an instruction with time advance/retard.

Transmission properties Bidirectional channel, transmit on both up and down link Point to point

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Channel Combinations
Several logical channels can be mapped onto physical channels There are many combinations that can be used in case of GSM logical channels

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Combination I
TCH/F + FACCH/F + SACCH.
This combination is used for full rate traffic.

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

TCH/F + FACCH/F + SACCH.

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Combination II
TCH/H + FACCH/H + SACCH.
This combination is used for half rate traffic when only one channel is needed.

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Combination III
2 TCH/H + 2 FACCH/H + 2 SACCH
This combination is used for half rate traffic.

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Combination II & III

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Combination IV
FCCH + SCH + BCCH + CCCH.
This is the standard combination for medium and large cells.

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Combination IV

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Combination V
FCCH + SCH + BCCH + CCCH + 4 SDCCH + 4 SACCH.
This is the typical C0T0 combination for small cells, which allows the BTS to trade unnecessary CCCH capacity for a pool of 4 SDCCHs.

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Combination V

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Combination VI
BCCH + CCCH.
This combination is used to provide additional CCCH capacity in large cells.

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Combination VI

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Combination VII
8 SDCCH + 8 SACCH.
This combination is used to provide additional SDCCH capacity in medium and large cells.

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

Combination VII

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net

GSM Bursts

6/13/2010

GSM - Channels - Physical and Logical Mohit Kumar - http://mohitkumar.net