Evolution of GSM

Originally described a digital, circuit-switched network optimized for

fully duplex voice telephony.
Expanded over time to include data communications.
1. circuit-switched transport
2. packet data transport via GPRS
GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) having data rates upto 171kbits/s
GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is a common second
generation cell phone standard.
GSM is a digital standard that was adopted over the original analog system.
The GSM network operates at 850 MHz or 1900 MHz bands in the US.
GSM is a common second generation cell phone standard.
Good subjective voice quality
Low service cost
Support for international roaming
Support for handheld terminals
Support for new services
Spectrum efficient
GSM SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE

Mobile Station (MS)

Mobile Equipment (ME)
Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)
Base Station Subsystem (BSS)
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)
SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE MOBILE STATION (MS)
The Mobile Station is made up of two entities.
Mobile Equipment (ME)
Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)
MOBILE EQUIPMENT:
Portable, vehicle mounted, hand held device Uniquely identified by an IMEI
(International Mobile Equipment Identity) Voice and data transmission
Monitoring power and signal quality
of surrounding cells for optimum handover Power level : 0.8W 20 W 160
character long SMS.
SUBSCRIBER IDENTITY MODULE(SIM):
Smart card contains the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) Allows
user to send and receive calls and receive other subscribed services Protected by a
password or PIN Can be moved from phone to phone contains key information
to activate the phone
SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE BASE STATION SUBSYSTEM (BSS)Base
Station Subsystem is composed of two parts that communicate across the
standardized Abis interface allowing operation between components made by
different suppliers
1. Base Transceiver Station (BTS)
2. Base Station Controller (BSC)
BASE TRANSCEIVER STATION (BTS):
Encodes, encrypts, multiplexes, modulates and feeds the RF signals to the
antenna. Communicates with Mobile station and BSC Consists of Transceivers
(TRX) units
BASE STATION CONTROLLER (BSC):
Manages Radio resources for BTSAssigns Frequency and time slots for all MSs in
its area Handles call set up Handover for each MS It communicates with MSC and
BTS

SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE NETWORK SWITCHING SUBSYSTEM(NSS)

The system contains the following functional units
Mobile Switching Center (MSC)
Home Location Register (HLR)
Visitor Location Register (VLR)
Authentication Center (AUC)
Equipment Identity Register (EIR)
Network switching subsystem (NSS) is the component of a GSM system that
carries out call switching and mobility management functions for mobile phones
roaming on the network of base stations.
There are basically three database in the NSS Network Switching
Subsystem of GSM Network
Home Location Resistor
Visitor Location Register
Authentication Centre

MOBILE SWITCHING CENTER (MSC):

Manages communication between GSM and other networks Billing information
and collection Mobility management - Registration - Location Updating - Inter
BSS and inter MSC call handoff
The MSC is the most central unit in the NSS
MSC is responsible for controlling the traffic among all of the present
BSCs.
A MSC is the hardware part of any wireless communication switch which
communicate with the PSTN switch using signalling system-7 protocol.
HOME LOCATION REGISTERS (HLR):
Stores information about each subscriber that belongs to it MSC in permanent and
temporary fashion. As soon as mobile subscriber leaves its current local area, the
information in the HLR is updated. database contains IMSI, MSISDN, prepaid/
postpaid, roaming restrictions,
supplementary services.
It is responsible for containing the subscriber information and location
information for each user who reside in the same city as the city of the MSC.
Each subscriber is assigned a Unique International Identity (IMSI) and this
is the number which is used to identify the home user.
HLR is the person using the mobile in the local area .

VISITOR LOCATION REGISTERS (VLR):

Temporary database which updates whenever new MS enters its area, by HLR
database Assigns a TMSI to each MS entering the VLR area which keeps on
changing. Controls those mobiles roaming in its area Database contains IMSI,
MSISDN, Location Area, authentication key
temporaraily stores the IMSI an customer information for each roaming subscriber
who is visiting the coverage information for each and a particular MSC.
MSC sends the necessary information to the visiting subscribers HLR so
that calls to the roaming mobile can be appropriately routed over the PSTN
by the roaming users HLR.
AUTHENTICATION CENTER (AUC):
Contains the algorithms for authentication as well as the keys for encryption.
Protects network operators from fraud. Situated in special protected part of the
HLR.
The Authentication centre is a strongly protected database.
it is responsible for handling the authentication and encryption keys for
every single subscriber in the HLR and VLR.
Once the authentication is successful, the HLR is allowed to manage the
SIM and services
EQUIPMENT IDENTITY REGISTER (EIR):
Stores all devices identifications registered for this network. Database that is used
to track handsets using the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity)
Prevents calls from stolen, unauthorised or defective mobile devices
This database is used in NSS in order to track the handsets using the IMEI
(International Mobile Equipment Identity) number.
.This is designed to allow tracking of stolen mobile phones
Modulation
GSM uses GMSK or Gaussian minimum shift keying for modulation
GMSK is a kind of continuous frequency shift keying
Advantages
Digital data allows for better more effective use of bandwidth

 Radio signals use less power, this allows batteries to last longer
Digital voice encoding allowed for digital error checking to be used.
Digital services such as email and SMS or Short Message Service (text
messages) were added.
Security
GSM uses some simple encoding algorithms but has been found to be less
effective then originally believed.
Previous analog systems provided virtually no security. Phones were prone
to being cloned with analog systems. GSM prevents cloning problem but
also stops legitimate uses of this property.
Disadvantages The weaker digital signal may not be able to reach cell tower
Digital signal will drop out faster then an analog signal.

NSS

Choice of network
In GSM the following procedure is followed:
The latest used network is stored on the SIM

As long as a cell that fulfils the criteria is available from this

network, the mobile will not search for alternatives (the
exception is national roaming, in which case the mobile will
periodically search for the home network and connect when
this becomes available)
If the previously used network is not available, the mobile
searches for alternative networks
The mobiles can perform manually or automatic choice of
network

A location update is performed when:

The mobile is connecting to a cell and discovers that
the LAI read is different than the one stored in the
mobile
The mobile has been turned on, but not used, for a predefined period of time since the last location update
(periodic location update)
IMSI detach/attach:
An additional function where the mobile informs that it
is turned on or off (in the same LA), saves resources on
the radio interface and leads to faster response on
incoming calls
Periodic detach
A network functionality where the network assumes
that the mobile has been turned off if periodic location
update has not been performed and no other activity
has been observed for a pre-defined amount of time
TYPE OF HANDOVER
Intra cell (to another channel in the same cell) (1)

 Inter cell, intra BSC (2)

Inter BSC, intra MSC (3)
Inter MSC (4)
In addition inter system handover can sometimes be
performed, e.g. GSM toUMTS Complicated, special rules
apply
Type of handover has network implications, but the
algorithms to decide handover are the same