Global System for Mobile

Communication

Objective

To learn about evolution of GSM and its basic

architecture

Before GSM: Mobile Telephony

Milestones
1970

1876

10101010

Electric transmission
(Graham Bell)

1897

Digital Technology
(1st digital switch)
1982

1st wireless
transmissions
(Marconi)

1st analog cellular

network
1992

1946

10101010

1st public mobile

telephone

1st GSM communication

(digital cellular network)

Why GSM?

1982: Europeans thought of GSM

1991: GSM brought in operation
GSM: A success!

Development of the GSM

Standard

1982: Groupe Spcial Mobile (GSM) created within

CEPT
1985: List of recommendations are settled and
intensely supported by the industry.
1987: Initial MoU (Memorandum of Understanding)
aside the drafting of technical specifications was
signed by network operators of 13 countries:
time-scales for the procurement and deployment,
compatibly of numbering and routing plans,
tariff principles and definition of accounting.

Development of the GSM

Standard

1990: The GSM specifications for the 900 MHz

are frozen. Specifications start for the 1800 MHz
GSM systems. GSM stands as "Global System
for Mobile communications"

1991: First system trial are running.

Development of the GSM

1992: Official commercial launch of GSM service in
Standard
Europe.

1993: - The GSM-MoU has 62 signatories in 39

countries
worldwide. In addition 32 applicants in 19
others
countries.
GSM network are operational in Europe.
First commercial services also start
outside Europe.
One million subscribers to GSM networks.

GSM Specifications
12 SERIES
OPERATION AND
MAINTENANCE

01 SERIES
GENERAL

02 SERIES
SERVICE ASPECTS

11 SERIES
EQUIPMENT AND TYPE
APPROVAL SPECIFICATIONS

03 SERIES
NETWORK ASPECTS

10 SERIES
SERVICE INTERWORKING

04 SERIES
MS-BSS INTERFACE AND
PROTOCOLS

09 SERIES
NETWORK
INTERWORKING

05 SERIES
PHYSICAL LAYER ON THE
RADIO PATH.

08 SERIES
BSS TO MSC INTERFACES

07 SERIES
TERMINAL ADAPTERS
FOR MOBILE STATIONS

06 SERIES
SPEECH CODING
SPECIFICATIONS

GSM Benefits
Advantages of the GSM standard

Worldwide market

Open system

Digital Advantages

Technology low cost

High resistance
to interferences

Transmission data rate

Roaming
Transmission Security

GSM Services

Telephony
Emergency Calls
Short Message: Point to Point
Short Message: Cell Broadcast
Data Services

Mobile Data Technology

2M
t r an e
n
i
Evolution
t
ket
30 min delay

throughput kbps

1M

pa

alternative: A2
100 k

64 k

c ir
10 k

9.6
1k

SMS

uit

EDGE
HSCSD
14.4
GPRS

1998

1999

2000

2001

UMTS

2002

timeframe

FTSE
-1
index 00

GPRS = General Packet Radio Service

HSCSD = High Speed Circuit Switched Data
EDGE = Enhanced Data rate for Gsm Evolution
UMTS = Universal Mobile Telecomunication System

Supplementary Services

Number Identification
Call Barring
Call Forwarding
Call Waiting
Call Cost
Multi-party Call

GSM Frequency

GSM Frequency

Basic Network Overview

Traffic/Signaling
Traffic
bla bla bla...

Signaling

RING !
riiiiing

Network

Network Overview
BTS

NSS

BSS
BSC

MSC

MS

OSS
OMC-R

OMC-S

PSTN

Mobile Station
Mobile Station

SIM Card

Global GSM Mobility

Card
The Smart Card to use

GSM

Handset

Battery

battery

+
f153454

2W
jmhfod
kgdjipj

The SIM-Card Functions

Credit Card Size

SIM-Card

Global GSM Mobility

Card
15 mm

The Smart Card to use

25 mm

Permanent data:
- Unique mobile subscriber identity
through IMSI number,
- Authentication parameter Ki,
- Authentication algorithm A3,
- Generating encryption key Kc
algorithm A8.

GSM
Microchip with stored
user information

Removable data:
- Temporary Mobile Subscriber Number,
- Location Area Identification.

Subscriber Identification
IMSI
Nature

International Mobile Subscriber Identity

Mobile Station Integrated Services Digital Network Nb

Conformity with E212

Similar to ISDN,
Conformity with E164/E213

Identify a PLMN
worldwide

MCC

MNC

Meaning

Mobile
Country
Code

Mobile
Network
Code

Nb. digits

Format

MS - ISDN

Identify the subscriber

of a PLMN

H1 H2

MSIN

x x x ......... x x x

Mobile Subscriber
Ident. Nb
H1 H2 = Identity of HLR
within the home PLMN

max 10

National Significant Mobile Number

CC

NDC

M1 M2

SN

xx xx xx xx

Country
National
Mobile Subscriber
Code
(where Destination (national definition)
subscription Code * M1 M2 = nbr of logical HLR
has been made)

1 to 3

2 to 4

total max 15

*This code does not identify a geographical area

but an operator

Mobile Identification IMEI

PE VED
Y
T O
PR
P
A

TAC
Type Approval
Code

FAC

SNR
Serial number

Final Assembly
Code

SP
(SPare)

MS Classmark
Classmark

Power classes

Revision level (Phase 1, 2, 2+)

RF power
Encryption algorithm (A5/1,A5/2)
Frequency (900/1800/1900)
Short message

Class

GSM
900

1
2

8 W*

5W

2 W**

5
*
**

GSM
1800

GSM
1900

1 W**

1 W**

0.25 W

0.25 W

4W

4W

0.8 W
Typical value for car mounted
Typical value for handheld

BSS Architecture
MSC
A Interface

Radio
Interface

TCU

NSS

BTS

Ater Interface

Public Telephone Network

BSC

OMC-R

MS

Abis Interface
BTS
Radio
Interface

OMN Interface

Sun
StorEdge A5000

BSS

BTS

MS

BSS Functionality

BSC

BTS

BSS Configuration

Transcoder

NSS Architecture
EIR

AuC

BSC

MSC
BSC

VLR

HLR

MSC

PSTN

MSC Functionality

Call Processing
Operation and Maintenance
Interworking
Billing

HLR Functionality

Subscriber ID: MSISDN and IMSI

Current Subscriber VLR
Supplementary Services
Subscriber Status
Authentication Key and AUC Functionality

VLR Functionality

Mobile Stauts
Location Area Identity
TMSI
MSRN

EIR Functionality

White Listed
Grey Listed
Black Listed

AUC Functionality

OMC Functionality