PROJECT REPORT

ON
GSM





Submitted by
SONY
REGISTRATION NO:3460070068
PROGRAMME: B.TECH-MBA (ECE)
SECTION: D67T2







Department Of Electronics & Communication
Lovely School of Engineering & Computer Applications
Lovely Professional University, Phagwara

DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the project work entitled is an authentic record of my own work carried
out at HFCL INFOTEL Ltd.,MOHALI as requirements of Industry Internship project for
the award of degree of B.Tech-MBA (ECE), Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, under
the guidance of Er. Amit Wondraw and Mr. Amrinder singh, during July to December, 2010.


(Signature of student)
Name: MANINDER SINGH
Registration no:3460070068

Date: ___________________
Certified that the above statement made by the student is correct to the best of our knowledge
and belief.

Mr. Amrinder singh Er. Amit Wondraw
Faculty Coordinator Industry Coord.



PREFACE


During my B.Tech, as a part of it, I joined HFCL INFOTEL Ltd. MOHALI, as a trainee
in 7th Semester. My assignment could be defined as development of Training Report In
SWITCH DEPARTMENT. Through this training I am working on CALLS ROUTING,
PATCHING, TRAFFIC ENGINEERING, POISetc.

This report briefly describes the systematic approach adopted to develop the system by
efficiently using the latest facilities. The report follows the sequential actions of the different
phases in the system development life cycle.


















INDEX:

Company profile
Service products
HFCL connectivity
What is switch
Types
Network Operation Centre(NOC)
E1s
Feasibilities
Network Operation elements and Architecture
Anymedia
Home Location Register (HLR)
HLR Networking
HLR Features
HLR Structure
Traffic Engineering
Call Routing
Call Processing
Call Setup
Service provided by GSM
STPs
Types
Linksets
Point codes
BICC
Bibliography




HFCL COMPANY PROFILE



MANUFACTURING FACILITIES

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

HFCLS ASSOCIATED COMPANIES

SEVICES AND PRODUCTS

HITL NETWORKS CONNECTIVITY
















HFCL- COMPANY PROFILE

Established in 1987, Himachal Futuristic Communications has fast emerged as a leader in the
Indian Telecommunication sector. CONNECT, which is a prestigious venture of the Himachal
Futuristic Communications Limited Group has world class partners to support it in this
mammoth task.
Through the convergence of information, communication and entertainment, CONNECT
provides a world class telecom network to both the corporate and the common man of Punjab
and Chandigarh.

MANUFACTURING FACILITIES

HFCL's spirit manifests itself at the company's modern plants at Solan, Himachal Pradesh, Goa
and Chennai. The plants are modern with state-of- the-art production facilities. Quality and
reliability permeates the entire organization and company adheres to the highest quality
standards, including ISO 9002. It is the policy of the company to continuously improve its
performance.



Diversifying into exciting new areas, HFCL has extended its facilities to include a 10 million

optic fibre cable manufacturing unit in Goa. With a state- of- the-art plant at Goa, HFCL has set
new standards in capacity utilization with minimum wastage.

The R&D centre is the place where the HFCL Group creates future-efficient solutions and
products.
Since inception, HFCL has been innovating and developing state-of-art products for its
customers. The company has created an ISO 9001-2000 accredited Centre of Excellence in
Research & Development. The centre creates products which encompass future-ready
technologies in the telecom sphere.


HFCLS ASSOCIATED COMPANIES

The core group today includes the following associate companies:
Microwave Communications Ltd. Providing radio paging services under the brand name
of Pagelink in 10 cities having more than 150k subscribers.
Himachal Exicom Communications Ltd.- Manufacturer of telephone instruments, SMPS
power plants.
HFCL Satellite Communications Ltd. Providing DAMA based VSAT communication
services.

Consolidated Futuristic India Ltd. Providing software services and software products.
This is joint venture with Kerry Packer Group.
Channel 9 India Ltd. Broadcast Company. Also a joint venture with Kerry Packer
Group.

SERVICES & PRODUCTS

1. Basic Telephone Services:

CONNECT provides world class telephony service to the people of Punjab and Chandigarh.
You have the option to subscribe to national long distance (STD) and international long distance
(ISD) calls.

Network coverage :
Chandigarh
Ludhiana
Jalandhar
Amritsar
Patiala
Bathinda
Mohali
Ropar
Sangrur
Kapurthala
Khanna
Hoshiarpur
Nawanshahar
Rajpura
Barnala
Kotkapura
Pathankot
Mandi Gobindgarh
Jagraon
Phagwara



2. PCO Services:

To cater to the demands of various segments, CONNECT offers 3 types of PCOs

STD/ISD PCO - To call anywhere in India and the world
Punjab PCO - To call anywhere within Punjab on local calling facility, using 95 dialing
Local PCO To make calls within a city

3. Mobile Service:

CONNECT has launched its WLL Mobile service in Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and
Amritsar under the brand name CONNECT Mobile. This service enables the subscriber to be
mobile within an SDCA.

4. Phone Card:

CONNECT Phone card is a smart and convenient way of making phone calls. It is a prepaid
card that allows you to make STD/ISD & local calls from any CONNECT phone/ CONNECT
Phone Point. The CONNECT phone used by you does not get charged, instead your phone card
gets debited by the cost of call
For convenience of customers, HITL has installed CONNECT Phone Points in various cities in
Punjab. These phone points have a CONNECT Phone line thus enabling you to make calls using
CONNECT Phone card.

5. Internet Services :

COMECONNECT is brought to you by HFCL Infotel Ltd, a group company of Himachal
Futuristic Communication Ltd (HFCL). HFCL Infotel Ltd offers world-class telephony services
under the brand "CONNECT" and high performance Internet services under the brand
COMECONNECT to the people of Punjab and Chandigarh.
CONNECT ensures world class, uninterrupted and high-speed service to you through a state-
of-the-art intelligent broadband network with optic fiber backbone.



6. ISDN Services:

ISDN is a state of the art Digital switched Network, on which the subscriber can send and
receive voice, data image or a combination of any of these from his premises in an error free
digital form. The ISDN line terminates on customer premises equipment called Network
terminal. The subscriber can connect eight different ISDN Compatible Terminals (ISDN phone,
G4 FAX etc.) to the Network Terminal. One can use the existing analog customer premises
equipments (phone,G3 FAX etc.) using a terminal adapter.





7. Leased Lines:

A Leased Line is a dedicated line from one point to another facilitating instant and uninterrupted
connectivity between the users enabling enhanced efficiency and reduces communication costs.
The Leased line customer is charged only a flat yearly rental and no usage charges.

HFCL NETWORKS CONNECTIVITY



WHAT IS A SWITCH:
to process calls from calling subscribers and make the connection to the called subscriber.
Flow of information from one subs to other subs via Electronic media.
As exchange handles thousands of calls at the same time, switch has to handle complex
relations between the Hardware and Software.
It connects two or more digital virtual circuits together.


TYPE OF SWITCHING

CIRCUIT SWITCHING
It creates a direct physical connection between two devices such as phones &computers . This
uses two type of technologies :
Space division switch
Time -division switch


SPACE DIVISION SWITCH
In space division switching , the paths in the circuit are separated from each other spatially.
This technology was designed for use in analog networks but is used currently in both analog
&digital networks

.
Crossbar Switch

A crossbar switch connects n inputs to m outputs in a grid , using electronic micro switches . The
major limitation of this design is the no. of cross points required . Connecting n inputs to m
outputs using a crossbar switch requires n* m cross points .

Multistage switch

The solution to the limitations of the crossbar switch is the multistage switch, which combines
crossbar switches in several stages . In multistage switching devices are linked to switches that ,
in turn , are linked to other switches.
The design of a multistage switch depends on the no of stages & the no. of switches required in
each stage . The middle stages have fewer switches than do the first &last stages .Let us compare
the no. of cross points in a 15- by- 15single stage crossbar switch with the 15-by-15 multistage
witch, we need 225 cross points .In multistage switch, we need :
Three first stage switches, each with 10 cross points, for a total of 30 cross points at the
first stage.
Two second stage switches, each with 9 cross points, for a total of 18crosspoints at the
second stage.
Three third stage switches, each with 10 cross points, for a total of 30 cross points at the
last stage.

TIME- DIVISION SWITCH

Time division switching uses time division multiplexing to achieve switching . There are
two methods :

Time- slot interchange(TSI)
TDM bus

Time- slot interchange(TSI)

A TSI consists of RAM (random access memory) with several memory locations. The size of
the each location is the same as the no. of inputs. The RAM fills up with incoming data from
time slots in the order received. Slots are then sent out in an order based on the decision of a
control unit.

TDM BUS

The input &output lines are connected to a high speed bus through input &output gates. Each
input gate is closed during one of the four time slots. During the same time slot, only one output
gate is closed. This pair of gate allows the burst of the data to be transferred from one specific
input line to one specific output line using the bus. The control unit opens &closes the gates
according to switching needs.

SPACE - AND TIME DIVISION SWITCH COMBINATIONS
When we compare space division and time division switching, some interesting facts emerge.
The advantage of space division switching is that it is instantaneous. Its disadvantage is the no.
of cross points required to make space division switching acceptable in terms of blocking.
The advantage of time division switching is that it needs no cross points. Its disadvantage in
the case of TSI is that processing each connection creates delays.
In the third option we combine space division & time division switching to take advantage of
the best of both. Multistage switch of this sort can be designed as time space time (TST) time-
space-space time (TSST) space-time-time-space (STTS).
A simple TST switch consists of two time stages &one space stage &has 12 inputs and 12
outputs. It divides the inputs into three groups and directs them to three time slot interchanges.
So average delay is one third of that which would result from using one time slot interchange to
handle all 12 inputs. The last image is mirror image of the first stage . The middle stage is a
space division switch that connects the TSI group to allow connectivity between all possible
input & output pairs.

NETWORK OPERATION CENTRE
A network operations center (or NOC, pronounced "nok," like the word "knock") is one or
more locations from which control is exercised over a computer, television broadcast, or
telecommunications network.
Large organizations may operate more than one NOC, either to manage different networks or to
provide geographic redundancy in the event of one site being unavailable or offline.
NOCs are responsible for monitoring the telecommunication network for alarms or certain
conditions that may require special attention to avoid impact on the network's performance. For
example, in a telecommunications environment, NOCs are responsible for monitoring for power
failures, communication line alarms (such as bit errors, framing errors, line coding errors, and
circuits down) and other performance issues that may affect the network. NOCs analyse
problems, perform troubleshooting, communicate with site technicians and other NOCs, and
track problems through resolution. If necessary, NOCs escalate problems to the appropriate
personnel. For severe conditions that are impossible to anticipate such as a power failure or
optical fiber cable cut NOCs have procedures in place to immediately contact technicians to
remedy the problem.
NOCs are frequently laid out with several rows of desks, all facing a video wall, which typically
shows details of highly significant alarms, ongoing incidents and general network performance; a
corner of the wall is sometimes used for showing a news or weather TV channel, as this can keep
the NOC technicians aware of current events which may have an impact on the network or
systems they are responsible for.
The back wall of the NOC is sometimes glazed; there may be a room attached to this wall which
is used by members of the team responsible for dealing with serious incidents to meet whilst still
able to watch events unfolding within the NOC.
Individual desks are generally assigned to a specific network, technology or area. A technician
may have several computer monitors on their desk, with the extra monitors used for monitoring
the systems or networks covered from that desk.
NOCs often escalate issues in a hierarchic manner, so if an issue is not resolved in a specific time
frame, the next level is informed to speed up problem remediation. Many NOCs have multiple
"tiers", which define how experienced/skilled a NOC technician is. A newly-hired NOC
technician might be considered a "tier 1", whereas a technician that has been there for several
years may be considered a "tier 3" or "tier 4". As such, some problems are escalated within a
NOC before a site technician or other network engineer is contacted.
Additionally, the NOC staff may perform extra duties; a network with equipment in public areas
(such as a mobile network Base Transceiver Station) may be required to have a telephone
number attached to the equipment for emergencies; as the NOC may be the only continuously
staffed part of the business, these calls will often be answered there.
The term NOC is normally used when referring to telecommunications providers, although a
growing number of other organizations such as public utilities (e.g., SCADA) and private
companies also have such centers, both to manage their internal networks and to provide
monitoring services.
The location housing a NOC may also contain many or all of the primary servers and other
equipment essential to running the network, although it is not uncommon for a single NOC to
monitor and control a number of geographically dispersed sites.






Lets study about E1s..

WHAT IS E1?

E1 is the media through which our data flows. Actually the data and signals travel from one
place to another through E1s.So we are having E1 cards at the node and the signal and data
travels from one end to other through these E1s.After that the E1 is dropped at the node end and
then it is carried to the customer through cards in ANYMEDIA. E1 has 32 time slots and each
time slot provides us the bandwidth of 64 kbps.


FEASIBILITIES:

Feasibilities means checking if the link is feasible at all ends. Our department have an important
and a responsible work assigned .We have to get checked the feasibility of the link at all the end
and then inform the responsible person for that and after that they proceed with the installation
of the link. Now how to proceed for getting feasibility depends on the technology used in that
link and the hardware required for that. After we get to know all the requirements we send the
feasibility to appropriate persons. Let me give the brief introduction for this and then all the
terms will be explained.




Brief overview:

Actually what happens is every station has a node where we have the whole set up for
transmission of the signal and data. So the person if wishing to have a connection goes to the
node. They will send us the request for feasibility and then we have to proceed with our work.
What we have to do is we have to forward that feasibility request to the persons which are
involved in this. Then they have to check the feasibility of that link from their ends and provide
us with the required information. If it is feasible at all ends then we have to release the work
order for that and after that installation is carried on. Now although we are nothing to do with
the installation but many things are involved in this like the technology used.
It can be of many types that will be discussed later on. Also we have to check where the request
for a selected link is to be sent. This depends on type of link whether it is point to point leased
line or internet leased line. We have to send the feasibility request at Data Group and Lac Group
of that station and also Data Group at Mohali end and if it is any link except point to point ,we
have to send that to ISP also. Now Data persons map the time slots according to the bandwidth
required at UMUX and they have to look after for the following requirements:

Hardware required for leased line provisioning like HDSL AP / ISDN AP /HDSL Modems(if
customer require modem from HFCL) at ANYMEDIA OR AN2000 OR UMUX.
Transmission limitations (if any) for provisioning E1s .


And Lac Group have to provide us with the DP pair and also they have to look for Copper
available with them The concept behind this is explained below. Our data flows through E1.
LAC group has to take care of the following requirements:

Nearest node to customer premises
Availability of copper near customer premises
Distance from node to customer premises in case of fiber solution



Now let us start with the network diagram that will explain how our data is carried to the
customer end.


TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY
Is the prepared technology practical? Technical feasibility centers on the existing computer
system and to what extent it can support the proposed addition. But in this case since earlier all
the work was manual and there was no existing system, so the system proposed is technically
feasible. Also, the new system should be brought according to the specification of the product
being designed.
OPERATIONAL FEASIBILITY:
Is the problem worth solving? Will the solution to problem work? The answer to the above
question is yes. As the problem is worth solving because the manual work is very inefficient and
from the statement of the problem gives us a clue that there is a solution to the problem and there
are pretty good chances that the solution will work.
ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY:
It is used to measure the cost effectiveness of a project which is commonly known as cost-
benefit analysis. The project is also economically feasible as the only requirement involving
expenses are related to the cost of buying a new system and a printer for the hard copies. And the
maintenance involved in this is only the maintenance of the computer and that does not cost
much. So according to the requirements the system is economically fit.
LEGAL FEASIBILITY:
Legal feasibility means that the software developed is legal; it is not violating any governmental
constraints and it is following all the legal laws. Since the project is developed for use within a
particular college only, it can by no mean violate any legal laws.
Therefore, it is said to be legally feasible too.
BEHAVIORAL FEASIBILITY:
Behavioral feasibility is an estimate of how strong reaction the user staff is likely to have
towards the development of a computer system. Since this project lightens the burden of the
manual work in the cell, so the end users of the software will always be encouraging towards the
use of computer. Also, no jobs are going to be replaced in this case.
For achieving the ISO-27001 standard we need to check the following information security
policy.
Security Policy,
Organization of information security,
Asset management, Human Resources security,
Physical and Environmental security,
Communications and Operations management,
Access control,
Information systems acquisition,
Development and maintenance,
Information security incident management,
Business continuity management,
Regulatory compliance.
External parties
Network security
Mobile computing and Tele working
Operating system access control
Security of system files
Cryptographic controls



NETWORK OPERATION ELEMENTS AND ARCHITECTURE:

* Mobile Station (MS)
* Base Station Subsystem (BSS)
* Network Switching Subsystem (NSS)
* Operation and Maintenance Subsystem (OMS)
* Enhanced Services Subsystem (ESS)
* Billing and Customer Care System (B&CCS)

MOBILE STATION (MS) :

Mobile Station, in fact, consists of two distinct entities. They are:

* Mobile Terminal or Equipment (MT)
* Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Card


The mobile terminal is the actual hardware and is almost anonymous. Moibile equipment is
being manufactured by a number of vendors and a number of make and models are available in
the market. Each MT is identified by a number embedded in it by the manufacturer called
International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI). IMEI is useful to locate those mobile
phonesthat are reported stolen and also those manufactured without proper approval. IMEI is
also useful to route calls from MTs without SIM to emergency services. Mobile terminals are
distinguished mainly by their power class and application.

The SIM card is given by the service provider (PLMN Operator) when a customer enrolls
himself as a subscriber of that PLMN. SIM makes the MT operational and provides the
subscriber access to all his subscribed services. The subscriber information and provides
personal mobility. Each SIM is identified by a unique identifier called International Mobile
Subscriber Identity (IMSI). The SIM holds such vital information such as Authentication Key,
various algorithms, Cipher Key etc to ensure security of the subscription and privacy of the
conversation. Since SIM is such an important element of the personal subscription and can be
used in conjunction with any MT, it can be protected with a password of 4 to 8 digits long to
prevent misuase. Wrong entry of the password consecutively for 3 times would block the SIM
cards are classified on the basis of their operating voltage and the capacity of the Random
Access Memory (RAM).



BASE STATION SYBSYSTEM (BSS):

Base Station subsystem connects the MS to the rest of the network elements in the PLMN. It
provides all the digital radio interface functions. BSS comprises of three parts:


* Base transceiver Station (BTS)
* Base Station Controller (BSC)
* Transcoding and Rate Adoption Unit (XCDR/TRAU)


Base transceiver Station (BTS) : BTS houses the radio transeivers that define a cell. It transmits
to and receives signals from the MS. It handles the radio-link protocols with the Mobile Station
for call and mobility related activities on one side and with the BSC on the other side. Each
BTS can support a number of transceivers depending on the capacity of subscribers in the cell.
The BTS needs to be rugged, reliable, and portable to ensure reliable service and coverage.

The Base Station Controller (BSC) manages the radio resources of one or a group of BTSs.
BSC handles radio channel setup, performance improvement techniques such as control of the
RF power levels, etc and handovers. It establishes connection between the mobile station and
the MSC.

Transcoding and Rate adoption Unit (DCDR/TRAU) converts the transmission rate on the land
line to that compatible for transmission over the digital radio to and from the MS.



NETWORK SWITCHING SUBSYSTEM (NSS):

NSS manages the communication among the mobile users of the same PLMN and also with
other PLMN/PSTN users. It provides all the functionality needed to handle a mobile subscriber
such as:


* Registration
* Authentication and security
* Location updating
* Handovers and
* Routing to roaming subscribers

The central component in the NSS is the Mobile Switching Centre (MSC) that performs all the
switching functions of the network. Those MSCs that interface with other networks are called
Gateway MSC (GMSC). MSC realizes the above functions in conjunction with four intelligent
databases called:



* Home Location Register (HLR)
* Visitor Location Register (VLR)
* Authentication Centre (AuC)
* Equipment Identity Register (EIR)



Home Location Register (HLR)

HLR contains the administrative information of each of the subscriber registered in the network
and is the permanent copy of the subscriber data. Logically there will be one HLR per PLMN,
implemented as a centralized or distributed database. HLR maps each IMSI with a unique
mobile phone number called Mobile Subscriber ISDN (MSISDN). This is the number dialed by
others to access the mobile customer. HLR also holds most of the information held by the SIM
and also more importantly contains the pointer to the current location of the mobile customer in
order to gain access to him on an incoming call.

Visitor Location Register (VLR)

Each MSC has a VLR to holds the data relevant for handling calls from and to the MSs that are
currently located in its area.. The relevant data is downloaded from the home HLR when the
mobile subscriber switches on the mobile handset in the area of the visited MSC thereby
initiating the process of registration. VLR holds the exact location of the MS and keeps on
updating the location as the mobile move across its jurisdiction.

Authentication Centre (AuC)

Authentication Centre is a protected database used for security purposes. It is considered as part
of HLR and provides all the parameters needed for authentication of the subscriber and
encryption of voice/data over radio channel.

Equipment Identity Register (EIR)

Equipment Identity Register is a database that contains a list of all valid mobile equipment in the
network. It generates Valid, Suspect & Fraudulent lists (also called white list, grey list and
black list) of Mobile Hndsets through the use of International Mobile Equipment Identity
(IMEI). It forbid calls from unauthorized mobile terminals (non-standard and stolen terminals).



OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE SUBSYSTEM (OMS):

OMS is used to configure, control and monitor the GSM network. It comprises of two parts:

* Operation and Maintenance Centre - Switch
* Operation and Maintenance Centre - Radio

While OMC-S is used in conjunction with the NSS, OMCs-R is used in conunction with the
BSS. The OMC-R controls the traffic load on the various cells and performs automatic
reconfiguration of the transceivers to cope with the fluctuation of traffic, load caused due to the
mobility of the customers.

The OMCs also provide traffic data measurements, reporting and analysis. OMCs also store all
the data and software for the network elements and perform as the central maintenance control
point for all the network elements.





ENHANCED SERVICES SUBSYSTEM (ESS):

The ESS includes such elements as Unified Messaging System (UMS), Wireless Application
Protocol (WAP) System, Interlligent Network (IN) system, Content and Location Based
Services (C&LBS) system etc.
he first channel type carries speech and data and the other types control information (signaling)
The network attachment process consists of the following tasks :-

Cell Identification:-

When mobile station is switched on, it attempts to make contacts with a
GSM PLMN by performing the following tasks:-
Measure the BCCH channel
Search for a suitable cell

PLMN Selection :-

The particular PLMN to be contacted can be selected either in one of
the following modes :-
Automatic Mode
Manual Mode



Cell Selection:-

The mobile station attempts to find a suitable cell by passing through
the list in descending order of received signal strength
It should be cell of the selected PLMN
It should not be barred.
The radio path laws between the MS and the selected BTS must be below a threshold
set by the PLMN operator.
It should not be in forbidden LAs for roaming

No Suitable Cell Found:-

If the MS is unable to find a suitable cell to access, it attempts to access a cell irrespective of the
PLMN identity, and enters a limited services state in which it can only attempt to make
emergency calls.


ANYMEDIA:

The Any Media Access System allows deployment of fiber deeper into the network and offers
simplified operations in any of its configurations. It is built on a new access interface platform.
It is basically acting as a MUX / DEMUX and also a node can be called an anymedia. We are
having different cards in ANYMEDIA which supports various technologies.
But the main point is that between two ANYMEDIAs we have E1 cards within which our data
travel from one place to other. There are many shelves in ANYMEDIA each having 16 cards.
Each card is supporting 12 subscribers minimum like an ISDN card supports 12 subscribers ,
POTS card support 32 subscribres and PCO card supports 24 subscribers etc. The output of
ANYMEDIA is extended to the MDF which is Main Distribution Frame. Two shelves of MDF
supports one shelf of ANYMEDIA means 16 cards.
From here we have underground Cu laid upto the customer end. In between we have DPs which
is Distribution Panel. Each link has a DP number and then the copper is being taken to Customer
Premises. We can easily get every point cleared with the help of this network diagram.

NETWORK DIAGRAM FOR ANYMEDIA

UMUX





ISP

E1 E1




L L
O E
M M
I U F
6



E1 CARD
I
S
D
N
E1 CARD
I
S
D
N




ANYMEDIA


ROUTER ROUTER



HOME LOCATION REGISTER (HLR)

The Home Location Register (HLR) is a central database that contains details of each mobile
phone subscriber that is authorized to use the GSM core network. There can be several logical,
and physical, HLRs per public land mobile network (PLMN), though one international mobile
subscriber identity (IMSI)/MSISDN pair can be associated with only one logical HLR (which
can span several physical nodes) at a time.
The HLRs store details of every SIM card issued by the mobile phone operator. Each SIM has a
unique identifier called an IMSI which is the primary key to each HLR record.
The next important items of data associated with the SIM are the MSISDNs, which are the
telephone numbers used by mobile phones to make and receive calls. The primary MSISDN is
the number used for making and receiving voice calls and SMS, but it is possible for a SIM to
have other secondary MSISDNs associated with it for fax and data calls. Each MSISDN is also a
primary key to the HLR record. The HLR data is stored for as long as a subscriber remains with
the mobile phone operator


NT1 NT1

HLR NETWORKING:


FEATURES OF HLR

The main function of the HLR is to manage the fact that SIMs and phones move around a lot.
The following procedures are implemented to deal with this:
Manage the mobility of subscribers by means of updating their position in administrative areas
called 'location areas', which are identified with a LAC. The action of a user of moving from one
LA to another is followed by the HLR with a Location area update procedure.
Send the subscriber data to a VLR or SGSN when a subscriber first roams there.
Broker between the G-MSC or SMSC and the subscriber's current VLR in order to allow
incoming calls or text messages to be delivered.
Remove subscriber data from the previous VLR when a subscriber has roamed away from it.




HLR STRUCTURE:




TRAFFIC ENGINEERING

Traffic Parameters to Plan & administer a telecommunication System
Grade of Service (GoS)
Traffic Load
Number of Trunks


Grade of Service (GoS)

Defined as Percentage of calls that may encounter some form of blockage.
Generally taken as 1% to 5%.

Traffic load

Expressed as quantity of traffic presented to a trunk group during the Busy Hour.
It can be measured in minutes, hours or erlang. Generally measured in erlang.
Traffic load is expressed as the relationship between the calling rate in busy hour (i.e., Busy
Hour Call Attempts- BHCA) and the length of an average call (i.e., Average Holding Time -
AHT)
Erlang = (BHCA x AHT in Seconds) / 3600 Sec

Number of Trunks

Based on GoS and Traffic load, the number of trunks are calculated based on traffic pattern i.e.,
user behavior

Traffic Pattern User Behavior

In traffic Engineering terms, the user behavior is described as:
Blocked Calls Cleared
Blocked Calls Held
Blocked Calls Delayed



Blocked Calls Cleared

This theory assumes that caller wait long enough before re-dialing when blockage is
encountered.
The trunk serving this class of callers are designed using Erlang-B table.

Blocked Calls Held

This theory assumes that caller keeps re-dialing, until the call is serviced, when blockage is
encountered.
The trunk serving this class of callers are designed using Poisson table.
For this class of callers more trunks needs to be designed as compared to BCC.

Blocked Calls Delayed

This theory assumes that caller is kept in queue and are held until the circuit is available to
service the call, when blockage is encountered.
The trunk serving this class of callers are designed using Erlang-C table.
For this class of callers, less trunks needs to be designed as compared to BCC.

CALL ROUTING

Routing is the process of selecting paths in a network along which to send network traffic.
Routing is performed for many kinds of networks, including the telephone network (Circuit
switching) , electronic data networks (such as the Internet), and transportation networks. This
article is concerned primarily with routing in electronic data networks using packet switching
technology.
In packet switching networks, routing directs packet forwarding, the transit of logically
addressed packets from their source toward their ultimate destination through intermediate
nodes, typically hardware devices called routers, bridges, gateways, firewalls, or switches.
General-purpose computers can also forward packets and perform routing, though they are not
specialized hardware and may suffer from limited performance. The routing process usually
directs forwarding on the basis of routing tables which maintain a record of the routes to various
network destinations. Thus, constructing routing tables, which are held in the router's memory,
is very important for efficient routing. Most routing algorithms use only one network path at a
time, but multipath routing techniques enable the use of multiple alternative paths.
Routing, in a more narrow sense of the term, is often contrasted with bridging in its assumption
that network addresses are structured and that similar addresses imply proximity within the
network. Because structured addresses allow a single routing table entry to represent the route to
a group of devices, structured addressing (routing, in the narrow sense) outperforms
unstructured addressing (bridging) in large networks, and has become the dominant form of
addressing on the Internet, though bridging is still widely used within localized environments.


Unlike routing in the fixed network, where a terminal is semi-permanently wired to a central
office, a GSM user can roam nationally and even internationally. The directory number dialed to
reach a mobile subscriber is called the Mobile Subscriber ISDN (MSISDN), which is defined by
the E.164 numbering plan. This number includes a country code and a National Destination
Code which identifies the subscriber's operator. The first few digits of the remaining subscriber
number may identify the subscriber's HLR within the home PLMN.
An incoming mobile terminating call is directed to the Gateway MSC (GMSC) function. The
GMSC is basically a switch, which is able to interrogate the subscriber's HLR to obtain routing
information, and thus contains a table linking MSISDNs to their corresponding HLR. A
simplification is to have a GSMC handle one specific PLMN. It should be noted that the GMSC
function is distinct from the MSC function, but is usually implemented in an MSC.
The routing information that is returned to the GMSC is the Mobile Station Roaming Number
(MSRN), which is also defined by the E.164 numbering plan. MSRNs are related to the
geographical numbering plan, and not assigned to subscribers, nor are they visible to
subscribers.
The most general routing procedure begins with the GMSC querying the called subscriber's
HLR for an MSRN. The HLR typically stores only the SS7 address of the subscriber's current
VLR, and does not have the MSRN (see the location updating section). The HLR must therefore
query the subscriber's current VLR, which will temporarily allocate an MSRN from its pool for
the call. This MSRN is returned to the HLR and back to the GMSC, which can then route the
call to the new MSC. At the new MSC, the IMSI corresponding to the MSRN is looked up, and
the mobile is paged in its current location area.

ROUTE MANAGEMENT
This function provides a means for rerouting traffic around failed or congested nodes. Route
management is a function of Level 3 and works together with link management. Route
management informs other nodes of the status of the affected node. It uses Message Signal Units
(MSUs) generated by adjacent nodes and is not usually generated by the affected nodes. (Link
management only informs adjacent nodes.)
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
This function provides flow control if a node has become congested. It allows the network to
control the flow of certain messages based on protocol. Traffic management deals with a specific
user part within an affected node. For example, if ISUP is not available at a particular node, a
traffic management message can be sent to adjacent nodes informing them that ISUP is not
available, without affecting TCAP messages on the same node.
MESSAGE ROUTING

Message discrimination in Level 3 will pass messages to message routing if it determines the
message is not local. Message routing reads the called and calling party addresses to determine
the physical address in the form of a point code. Every SS7 node must have its own unique point
code. Message routing determines the point code from an address contained in the routing table

CALL PROCESSING AND SMS :-

Mobile originated (MO) call:
There are four types of distinct phase
Setup phase
Ringing phase
Conversation phase
Release phase

MOBILE CALL SETUP: -

Mobile call setup involves exchange of no. of message between the various elements in the
system. For setting up a mobile call following process is involved. It deals with two examples: -
Terminating call when the MS is in the HPLMN.
Terminating call when the MS is roaming.
The call set up broadly involves the following steps: -
PSTN subscriber dials MSISDN
Call is routed by PSTN network to GMSC of HPLMN of the dialed mobile subscriber.
GMSC interrogates HLR for verification of the access privileges profile and for obtaining the
location details if the call is permitted.
HLR directs the call to VLR of MSC area in which the mobile customer is currently located.
MSC interrogates VLR to obtain exact location of the MS.
VLR provides LAC to the MSC.
MSC translates the LAC code into BTS identity.
BSS pages all the BTSs identified by MSC within which MS is located using IMSI .
MS responds to the paging
Call is connected .
In case of roaming call MS will be located in a VPLMN
In such case steps are as follows:
On registration with VPLMN ,HLR will place a pointer in the data base for MS indicating the
current VLR address.
On interrogation by GMSC of the HPLMN ,HLR will in turn interrogate VLR of VPLMN using
the already stored pointer
VLR in VPLMN will assign a roaming number called in MSRN . To enable the HPLMN to
route the call to the VPLMN
Using MSRN , call is routed back from HPLMN to VPLMN and VMSC interrogates the VLR
VLR provides the LAC and call proceeds exactly in the same manner as for the call in.


CALL INITIATED BY A PPS SUBSCRIBER

Procedure:
1. The MSC a/VLR/SSP receives the call and according to Originating Camel Subscription
Information (O-CSI), triggers the service.
2. Put the area code of the MSC a/VLR/SSP in the Location Number parameter of IDP message
and send to the SCP a.
3. The SCP a, after receiving the IDP message, analyzes the calling party's user account. If the
user account is valid, it determines a call rate for the calling party according to the area code of
the calling party's visit location (Location Number within IDP message) and the called party's
HLR number, converts the balance to talk time, and then sends RRBE, AC, and FCI to the
MSCa/VLR/SSP.
4. When receiving Continue, the MSC a/VLR/SSP sends the SRI message to the called party's
HLRb and gets the called party's MSRN, and finally puts the call through.
5. After talking , the calling party or called party hangs up, and the MSC a/VLR/SSP sends the
charging report and Release event.



ORDINARY GSM SUBSCRIBER CALLS A PPS SUBSCRIBER

Procedure:
1. The MSC a/VLR/SSP receives the call originated by a GSM user. After judging that the
calling party is not a PPS user, it sends SRI to the called party and gets the called party's
subscription information T-CSI.
2. From T-CSI, the MSC a/VLR/SSP gets the called SCP b's address and sends the IDP message
to it. Area code of the originating MSC/VLR is put in the LocationNumber field in the IDP
message.
3. The SCP b, after receiving the IDP message, analyzes the called party's user account. If the
user account is valid, it determines a call rate for the called party according to the called party's
HLR number and current location, converts the balance to talk time, and then sends RRBE, AC,
and Connect to the MSCa/VLR/SSP.
4. Upon receiving Connect, the MSC a/VLR/SSP sends again the SRI message to the called
party's HLR and gets the called party's MSRN.
5. The MSC a/VLR/SSP finally puts the call through according to the called party's MSRN.
6. After the conversation, the calling or called party hangs up, and the MSC a/VLR/SSP sends
the charging report and Release event.










MESSAGE FLOW IN CASE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS










SMS MESSAGE FLOW (PRE-PAID IN HPLMN)




SERVICES PROVIDED BY GSM

Telecommunication services can be divided into bearer services, teleservices, and the
supplementary services.
The most basic teleservice supported by GSM is telephony. As with all other communications,
speech is digitally encoded and transmitted through the GSM network as a digital stream. There
is also an emergency service, where the nearest emergency-service provider is notified by
dialing three digits no. similar to 911
A variety of data services is offered. GSM users can send and receive data, at rates up to 9600
bps, to users on POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service), ISDN, Packet Switched Public Data
Networks, and Circuit Switched Public Data Networks using a variety of access methods and
protocols, such as X.25 or X.32. Since GSM is a digital network, a modem is not required
between the user and GSM network, although an audio modem is required inside the GSM
network to interwork with POTS.
A unique feature of GSM, not found in older analog systems, is the Short Message Service
(SMS). SMS is a bi-directional service for short alphanumeric (up to 160 bytes) messages.
Messages are transported in a store-and-forward fashion. For point-to-point SMS, a message can
be sent to another subscriber to the service, and an acknowledgement of receipt is provided to
the sender. SMS can also be used in a cell-broadcast mode, for sending messages such as traffic
updates or news updates. Messages can also be stored in the SIM card for later retrieval.
Supplementary services are provided on top of teleservices or bearer services. In the current
(Phase I) specifications, they include several forms of call forward (such as call forwarding
when the mobile subscriber is unreachable by the network), and call barring of outgoing or
incoming calls, for example when roaming in another country. Many additional supplementary
services will be provided in the Phase 2 specifications, such as caller identification, call waiting,
multi-party conversations




SS7 SIGNALING ARCHITECTURE

The SS7 signaling architecture consists of three essential components, interconnected via
signaling links. components and their associated symbols.
SS7 Network Signaling Components


Abbreviation Name Symbol
SSP Signal Switching Point
- or -
Service Switching Point

STP Signal Transfer Point

SCP Signal Control Point
- or -
Service Control Point





SIGNAL SWITCHING POINT

SSPs are switches that have SS7 software and terminating signaling links. An SSP can be a
combined voice/SS7 switch or an adjunct computer system (front end) connected to a voice
(Class 5 or tandem) switch. SSPs create packets (signal units) and send those messages to other
SSPs, as well as queries to remote shared databases to find out how to route calls. They can
originate, terminate, or switch calls. SSPs communicate with the voice switch via the use of
primitives and have the ability to send messages using ISUP (call setup and teardown) and
TCAP (database lookup) protocols. The SSP uses the calling party information (dialed digits) to
determine how to route the call. It looks up the dialed digits in the SSP routing table to find the
corresponding trunk circuit and terminating exchange. The SSP then sends an SS7 message out
to the adjacent exchange requesting a circuit connection on the trunk which was specified in the
routing table. The adjacent exchange sends an acknowledgement back, giving permission to use
that trunk. Using the calling party information contained in the setup info, the adjacent exchange
determines how to connect to the final destination. This might require several trunks to be set up
between several different exchanges.
SSP manages all of these connections until the destination is reached.
Signal Transfer Point
STPs are packet switches, and act like routers in the SS7 network. Messages are not usually
originated by an STP. An STP can act like a firewall, screening messages with other networks.
STPs route SS7 messages (based on information contained in the message format) to outgoing
signaling links over the SS7 network. They are the most versatile of all the SS7 entities, and are
a major component in the network.
There are three levels of STPs.
National Signal Transfer Point
International Signal Transfer Point
Gateway Signal Transfer Point

NATIONAL STP

A National STP exists within the national network (will vary with the country). It can transfer
messages that use the same national standard of protocol. Messages can be passed to an
International STP, but can not be converted by the National STP. Protocol converters often
interconnect a National and an International STP by converting from ANSI to ITU-TS.

INTERNATIONAL STP

An International STP functions within an international network. It provides for SS7
interconnection of all countries, using the ITU-TS standard protocol. All nodes connecting to an
International STP must use the ITU-TS protocol standard.




GATEWAY STP

A Gateway STP converts signaling data from one protocol to another. Gateway STPs are often
used as an access point to the international network. National protocols are converted to the
ITU-TS protocol standard. Depending on its location, the Gateway STP must be able to use both
the International and National protocol standards. Gateway STP also serves as an interface into
another network's databases, such as from an interexchange carrier (IXC) to an end office. The
Gateway STP can also be configured to screen for authorized users of the network. ateway STPs
also provide measurements of traffic and usage via the following means:
TrafficMeasures the peg counts of the type of messages entering or leaving the network.
Network eventsTrack events such as link out-of-service or local processor outage, for
maintenance purposes.
UsageProvides peg counts of the record number of messages by message type. Usage counts
are sent to the Regional Accounting Office (RAO) for processing in Bell Networks. RAOs
invoice customers such as IXCs and independent telcos, charging for access into the SS7
network, to help offset the cost of deploying the network.

SIGNAL CONTROL POINT

An SCP is usually a computer used as a front end to a database system. It is an interface to telco
databases, not usually to other, application-specific databases
Telco databases are usually linked to SCPs by X.25 links. The SCP can provide protocol
conversion from X.25 to SS7, or can provide direct access to the database through the use of
primitives which support access from one level of protocol to another.
Note Some new SCP applications are being implemented
in STPs.
The address of an SCP is a point code, and the address of the database it interfaces with is a
subsystem number. The database is an application entity which is accessed via the TCAP
protocol.

LINKSETS

Links are put into groups called linksets. Up to 16 links can be assigned to one linkset. All links
in a linkset must have the same adjacent node. Switches will alternate traffic across all links in a
linkset to ensure equal usage of all facilities in the network.

Linksets




LINKSET CHARACTERISTICS

If possible, links should be terrestrial. Satellite links can be used but are not preferred because of
the inherent delay.
Alternate linksets are set up to provide backup paths when congestion occurs in the network.
When a link fails, all other links within the linkset must take over.
Note A maximum of 10 minutes downtime per year is allowed for any one linkset, to protect
network integrity.

If an SS7 entity such as an STP fails, its mate assumes the full traffic load. For this reason, SS7
entities are designed to send less than 40 percent of the traffic on any given link. If an entity
fails at 40-percent capacity, there is still enough room on its mate for it to carry the entire traffic
load of the mated pair.


PHYSICAL LINK INTERFACES

The signaling link interface type will depend on the type of equipment used with the links. The
V.35 interface is used to connect from the data service unit (DSU) to the signaling point. V.35
can also be used from a digital system cross-connect frame (DSX).
Note V.35 needs a clock source. Data links are 56 or 64 Kbps.
The most commonly used interface is a DS0A, one 56/64 Kbps channel of a DS1. A channel
service unit (CSU) or DSU terminates the DS1 and separates DS0s from the T1 or E1 span
circuit.


ROUTES

The signal point must define linksets and routes in SS7 messaging. The following entities are
used in SS7 messaging:
RouteA collection of linksets to reach a particular destination. A linkset can belong to more
than one route.
RoutesetA collection of routes that are assigned to destinations and also provide alternate
routes.
DestinationAn address entered into the routing table of a remote signaling point. A
destination need not be adjacent to the signaling point, but must be a point code that can be
reached by the signaling point.





ROUTE CONGESTION




POINT CODES

In SS7, addresses are assigned using a three-level hierarchy.
MemberA signaling point within a cluster.
ClusterA collection of signaling points (members).
NetworkEach cluster is defined as being part of a network.
Any node in the SS7 network can be addressed by the three-level number defined by its
network, cluster, and member numbers. Each of these numbers is an 8-bit number assigned a
value from 0 to 255. This three-level address is called the point code of the signaling point.

NETWORK NUMBERS

Network numbers are assigned on a nationwide basis. In North America, RBOCs, IXCs and
telcos already have network numbers assigned to them. etwork numbers are relatively scarce.
Companies are expected to meet size requirements in order to be assigned a network number.
Smaller networks can be assigned one or more clusters within network numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4.
The smallest networks are assigned point codes within network number 5. The cluster to which
they are assigned determines the state or province they are in.



BEARER INDEPENDENT CALL CONTROL

The Bearer Independent Call Control (BICC) is a signaling protocol based on N-ISUP that is
used for supporting narrowband ISDN service over a broadband backbone network. BICC is
designed to interwork with existing transport technologies. BICC is specified in ITU-T
recommendation Q.1901.
BICC signaling messages are nearly identical to those in ISUP; the main difference being that
the narrowband Circuit Identification Code (CIC) has been removed from the header. The BICC
architecture consists of interconnected Serving Nodes that provide the Call Service Function and
the Bearer Control Function. The Call Service Function uses BICC signaling for call setup and
may also interwork with ISUP. The Bearer Control Function receives directives from the Call
Service Function via BICC Bearer Control Protocol (ITU-T recommendation Q.1950) and is
responsible for setup and teardown of bearer paths on a set of physical transport links. Transport
links are most commonly TDM, ATM or IP.
According to the ITU, the completion of the BICC protocols is a historic step toward broadband
multimedia networks because it enables the seamless migration from circuit-switched TDM
networks to high-capacity broadband multimedia networks.
The Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has included BICC CS 2 in the Universal
Mobile Telecommunications Service (UMTS) release 4.
CONCLUSION:
NOC is the heart beat of telecom system.
Packet switch is the next generation of switch.
Deregulation and fair competition in telecom field will promote tele density
at low cost to the customers.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Paper/ Articles
1) General description of a GSM Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) Vol.19, No. 2
Books
2) Wireless Communication by Theodore s. Rappaport. 2nd Edition, Pearson Edition

Data Manuals
3) Connect Systra manual, connect infotel Ltd., Finland, 1998
4)Connect site GSM user base station manual, connect infotel Ltd. Finland, 1998
5) Connect Ultra site EDGE product description, connect infotel Ltd., Finland, 2001
6Connect infotel Ltd. customer training, connect infotel, Finland, 2003



Web Sites
7) www.mobile3G.com
8) www.connectinfotelltd.com
9) www.gsmworld.org
10) www.openmobilealliance.org