Thorough GSM fundamentals

Logical channels, Bursts

PHYSICAL CHANNELS:-
Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) divides one radio frequency channel into
consecutive periods of time, each one called a "TDMA frame". Each TDMA frame contains eight
shorter periods of time known as "timeslots". These timeslots can be compared to the seats in the
vehicle. The TDMA timeslots are called "PHYSICAL CHANNELS", as they are used to
physically move information from one place to another

LOGICAL CHANNELS:-
 Broadcast Channels (BCH)

Frequency Correction Channel (FCCH)

•Downlink Channel
•BTS: Transmits a carrier frequency (Pure sine wave of 67.7 Khz)
This Solve 2 purpose :
a> Make sure that this is BCCH Carrier
b> To allow the MS to synchronize to the frequency

•MS: After Switch on MS Scan for this channel, since it has no

information to which frequency to use. FCCH carrier enables a mobile to
tune its frequency to that being broadcast by the BTS.
 Broadcast Channels (BCH)

Synchronization Channel (SCH)

•Downlink Channels
•BTS: Transmits TDMA Frame number + Base Station
Identity Code (BSIC= NCC + BCC )

•MS: MS decodes the BSIC if the chosen BTS is GSM

Base station within a cell
 Broadcast Channels (BCH)
•Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH)

•Downlink Channels

•BCCH contains the detailed Network and cell specific

information
such as :
•Frequency used by Cell and its Neighboring cells.
•Frequency HSN
•Paging Groups
•LAI
•Max output power allowed in the cell
 Common Control Channels (CCCH)

Paging Channel (PCH)

•Downlink Channels

• BTS: Broadcast the paging message to indicate the Incoming

Calls or Incoming SMS. Paging message also includes
the MS’s identity number IMSI/TMSI
• MS: MS listens to the PCH. If it identifies its own mobile
subscriber identity number on the PCH, it will respond.
 Common Control Channels (CCCH)

Random Access Channel (RACH)

•RACH is transmitted Uplink only

•When mobile is paged , it replies on RACH requesting a

signaling channel.

•RACH can also used if the MS wants to make a contact the NW/

Originating calls
 Common Control Channels (CCCH)

Access Grant Channel (AGCH)

•Downlink channel

•AGCH is answer to the RACH

•NW assigns a signaling channel (SDCCH) to the MS. This

assignment is performed on the AGCH

 Dedicated Control Channels (DCCH)

Stand Alone Dedicated Control Channel (SDCCH)

•SDCCH is bi-directional Channel

•System Signaling

•Call Setup

•Authentication

•Location Update

•Assignment of Traffic channels and Transmission of Short

messages
 Dedicated Control Channels (DCCH)

Slow Associated Control Channel (SACCH)

•SACCH is transmitted in both Uplink and Downlink directions

•SACCH is associated with each SDCCH and also with TCH

•Uplink : MS Sends the averaged measurement on its own BTS and

neighboring BTS’s

•Downlink: MS receives information regarding information

concerning
•Transmit power to use
•Instructions on Timing Advance
 Dedicated Control Channels (DCCH)

Fast Associated Control Channel (FACCH)

•While Calls in progress and HO is required FACCH is used

•FACCH works in Stealing mode meaning that one 20ms

segment of speech is exchanged for signaling information
necessary for the HO
 Traffic Channels (TCH)
Traffic channels are Bi-directional logical channel that transfer the user
speech or data.

•Full Rate TCH ( TCH/F) :

•This channel carries information at a gross rate at 13Kbit/s

•Half Rate TCH (TCH/H) :

•This Channel carried information at a gross rate at 6.5Kbit/s

•Enhance Full Rate :

•The speech coding in EFR is still done at 13Kbit/s, but the
coding mechanism is different that is used for normal FR.
EFR gives better speech quality at the same bit rate than
normal FR.
Call to MS
 TDMA frame & Bursts Concept

In GSM, every impulse on a particular frequency is called a burst and every burst
corresponds to a time slot (TS). Eight bursts or TSs numbered from 0 through 7 forms a
TDMA frame.

FDMA/TDMA structure of GSM

 Time Allocation, TDMA frame structure

GSM is based on TDMA technology, which means that channels (for traffic and
signaling) are separated from each other by time. This means that in radio path between the
antennas of a Mobile Station (MS) and a Base Station (BTS), every channel has a specific
time on each frequency during which it can act.

The basic division is that one frequency is divided into eight Time Slots and each
of these Time Slots is an individual channel. More precisely, each frequency has eight
channels, either traffic channels or signaling channels. These eight channels have their own
"time slots" related to the time for transmitting or receiving data. So, every channel has a
'right' to act every eighth time slot.

Each Time Slot is 0.577 ms and thus eight Time Slots last 4.615 ms.
Physically this TDMA Frame is called TRx.
Generally we can put maximum 12 TRx in one BTS
 Bursts
Normal Bursts: This burst is used to carry information on :
•Traffic channel
•SDCCH Channel
•Broadcast Control Channel
•Paging Channel
•Access Grant Channel
•SACCH & FACCH Channel
•It is used for the traffic channels, stand alone dedicated channels, broadcast control
channel, paging channel, access grant channel, and slow and fast associated control
channels.
Access burst:
It is used to send information on the Random Access Channel (RACH). This
burst contains the lowest number of bits. The purpose of this “extra free space” is to measure the
distance between the Mobile Station and the BTS at the beginning of a connection.

This process determines a parameter called "timing advance" which ensures

that the bursts from different mobile stations arrive at the correct time, even if the distances
between the various MSs and the BTS are different. This process is carried out in connection
with the first access request and after a handover. A maximum theoretical distance of about 35
kilometres is allowed between the BTS and the MS.

MOBILE MAXIMUM RANGE

RANGE =
TIMIMG ADVANCE * BIT PERIOD* VELOCITY
2

TIMING ADVANCE = DELAY OF BITS (0-63)

BIT PERIOD= 577/156.25 = 3.693sec =3.693 * 10e-6 sec
VELOCITY= 3 * 10e5 Km/sec
RANGE= 34.9 Km
 Bursts
Frequency Bursts:
All 148 bits(142+6) are coded with 0. The output of GMSK Modulator is a fixed
frequency signal exactly 67.7 Khz above the BCCH carrier frequency.
Thus the MS on receiving this fixed frequency signal fine tunes to the BCCH
frequency and waits for the Sync burst to arrive after 1 TDMA Frame.
 Bursts
Synchronization Bursts:
This burst is used for time synchronization of the MS

39Bit x 2=78 Bits :Are decoded to arrive 25-SCH control bits and that contains
the information of the NCC ,BCC & TDMA FN

64 Bits : Long training seq. of 64 Bits are identical for all BTS
 Bursts

Dummy Bursts:
To enable the BCCH frequency to be transmitted with a constant power level, dummy
burst are inserted.
This burst is transmitted on when no other type of burst is to be sent.
Thus it makes possible for MS to perform the power measurement on the BTS in order
to determine which BTS to use for initial access or which to use for HO
CCCH is replaced by the dummy page, when there is no paging message to transmit.

1 Time slot = 156.25 bits durations (15/26 = 0.577 ms )

TB Mixed Bits Training Sequence Mixed Bits TB Guard Band

3 58 26 58 3 8.25

58Bits: Coded with pseudo random bit seq. to prevent confusion with Freq correction burst
 Relationship Between Burst & Frame
Burst : Physical content of a TS is called Burst.There are 5 types of Bursts
each having 15/26 ms duration and 156.25 Bits.

Hyperframe: In GSM system every TDMA frame is assigned a fixed number,

which repeats itself in a time period of 3 HOURS 28 MINUTES 53
SECONDS 760 MILLISECONDS. This time period is referred to
as Hyperframe.
Superframe : =51x26 Multiframes. So, Duration =51x26x8x15/26=6Sec 120ms

Multiframe :There are two types of multiframe.

26 TDMA Frame Multiframe :Used to carry TCH, SACCH and

FACCH
Duration =26 x 8 x 15/26 =120ms
51 TDMA Frame Multiframe : Used to carry BCCH,CCCH,SDCCH
and SACCH.
Duration =51 x 8 x 15/26 =235.38ms
THANK YOU