GSM Network Protocols

GSM Network Protocols

1.Transmission 2.Radio resource management (RR) 3.Mobility management (MM) 4.Communication management (CM) 5.Operation, administration and maintenance (OAM).

In this chapter we will see :

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Transmission function: MS, BTS and BSC are concerned with transmission HLR, VLR or EIR transmit their signaling needs.

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RR is a group of functions concerned with administration of channels at Um. Main RR procedures: Power control Channel quality monitoring Handover Frequency hopping Discontinuous transmission Timing advance.

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Enables power adaptation of MS and BTS. Main reasons for power control: Saving MS battery Power Improve CIR. Can be enabled or disabled. Performed separately for uplink and DL. Measurements on UL and DL are sent to BSC every 480 ms. Measurements in terms of: Signal strength in dB. Signal quality in BER.

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MS Power (dBm) Max. transmit power

Power increase step

Distance Signal strength measured at BTS Upper threshold

Lower threshold Distance

Power control increase command

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Handover Control Automatic switching of a call from one TCH to another. Can be within the cell or between cells. Reasons for intra-cell handover 1. reduction of co-channel interference. 2. Maintenance activity 3. Equipment failure Handover occurs on TCH when call is in speech stage. Only started if power control is not helpful. Unique feature of mobile network.

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Handover types: Inter cell handover Involves change of carrier and BTS. Intra-cell handover Involves change of carrier in same cell.

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Handover types

MSC-A

MSC-B

BSC

BTS BTS BTS BSC BSC BTS

Intra-BSC HO

BTS

Inter-MSC HO

Inter-BSC HO Intra-MSC HO

Intra-cell HO

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Requirements for Handover 1. Execution speed 2. Reliability No excessive HO No delayed HO No early HO 3. Transparent to users (not aware) 4. Service-dependent (voice, data)

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Criteria for Handover BSC receives measurement data from BTS and MS. The MS measures downlink: Signal strength (dBm) Signal quality (BER) Signal strength of 6 neighboring BTSs downlink The BTS measures UL: Signal strength received from MS. Signal quality received from MS. Distance between BTS and MS.

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BSC

BTS

MSC-A BTS

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Handling of Handover Reserved channel concept Some channels are reserved for HO
1

2
New calls Handover

Nc N

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N-times retry Multiple request for Handover

Handover queue HO wait for a free channel.

Sub-rating algorithm Full rate TCH is split into 2 half rate TCHs.

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Intra-BSC (Inter-cell) HO

Old BTS 2

6
4 3 5 1 5 BSC

New BTS

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Inter-BSC (Intra-MSC) HO

Old BTS 4 9 6 5 7 3 7

Old BSC

1 4 8

MSC
2 4 7 New BSC

New BTS

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Inter-MSC HO
GSM PLMN
5 Old BSC 9 5 MSC-A 1 9 2 4 8 New BTS New BSC MSC-B 3 5 5 8 PSTN

Old BTS

6 8

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Mobility Management (MM) o Main task of MM is to support mobility. o MM 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. activities include: IMSI attach and detach. Location update Registration Update HLR/VLR TMSI re-allocation. Authentication of MS.

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Location Update in same MSC/VLR If MS detects a change in LAI, it informs network MSC/VLR check if it is a visitor

2 4

2 3 4 VLR BSC BTS MSC

HLR

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Location Update with New MSC/VLR When MS enters into new LA, location update. LA may belong to new MSC/VLR.

4 2 3 1 New VLR BSC BTS MSC 4 Old VLR HLR

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Periodic Registration o o o o o o o MS is forced to send registration periodically. If MS miss registration, the network marks it as detached. This occurs if MS is out of area. This avoids paging. Periodic registration has Ack. MS tries until it receives Ack.

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IMSI Attach o When MS is switched on, it performs attach.

BSC BTS 2 4

MSC/VLR

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Mobile Terminated Call
HLR 5 2 5 MSC VLR 7 11 6 GSM PLMN GMSC 1 PSTN Local Exchange 1

Telephone

8 8 9 10

10

BSC TRAU 11

8 8 BTS

11 BTS

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Mobile Originated Call

GSM PLMN 1 1 3 2 4 2 3 4 BSC BTS 4 MSC/VLR 5

PSTN

Telephone

Exchang e