Global System for Mobile

Background & History

 The development of GSM started in early
1980’s for Europe's Mobile infrastructure.
 The first was to establish a team with the title
"Groupe Speciale de Mobile" (hence the term
"GSM", which today stands for Global System
for Mobile Communications) to develop a set of
common standards.
 1986 - A decision was reached to implement a
digital transmission system.
 GSM Technology
• GSM operates on the 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and
1900 MHz
• GSM uses Digital Communication System and is
the worlds main 2G and on ward standards
• DCS 1900 is considered the GSM standard for
North America and is called North American
GSM.
• GSM uses Time Division Multiple Access or
TDMA technology as their air interface standard
GSM Architecture and Subsystems
By standard the GSM network is divided into
four (4) subsystems.
• The Base-Station Subsystem (BSS)
• The Network & Switching Subsystem (NSS)
• The Operation and Support Subsystem (OSS)
• The Mobile Station (MS)
 Abbreviation
Description Abbreviation
Base transceiver Station BTS
Base Station Controller BSC
Base Station subsystem BSS
Mobile switching Center MSC
Gateway MSC GMSC
Mobile station MS
Home Location Register HLR
Visitor Location Register VLR
Equipment Identity Register EIR
Authentication Center AuC
 Abbreviation
Description Abbreviation
SMS Serving Center SMS SC
Chargeback Center CBC
Transcoder and Adaptation Unit TRAU
Mobile Station Roaming Number MSRN
International Mobile equipment IMEI
identity
Interworking Location Register (for ILR
roaming b/w AMPS & GSM)
 GSM Architecture
The Network & Switching
The Base-Station Subsystem (BSS) Subsystem (NSS)

PSTN
MS ISDN
BTS PSDN
BSC

GMSC

Pubic Networks
MSC
BTS BSC
EIR
AUC
MS HLR
BTS VLR
MS
 GSM System Architecture PSTN
ISDN
PDN
BSC
MS BTS
MSC

GMSC

BTS BSC

VLR
MS

BTS EIR
AUC
MS HLR
GSM Architecture
 GSM Network Components
M2000 Server

MS PSTN
ISDN

BTS MSC/VLR GMSC

BSC

MS
MS
BTS
BTS Other PLMN
BSC
MS SS7

BTS
MS
SMS system

HLR/AUC
GSM Architecture
GSM Architecture
 Base Station Subsystem
• The BSS is composed of two parts, i.e. BTS & BSC
• All radio related functions are performed in the BSS.
• The radio components of a BSS may consist 3, 7 or 9
cells. A BSS may have one or more base stations

BSS

Base Transceiver
Base Station
Stations Controllers
BTS BSC
 Base Transceiver Stations (BTS)
The BTS comprises the radio transmitter, receivers, and their
associated antennas that transmit and receive to directly
communicate with the mobiles.
The BTS communicates with the mobiles and the interface between
the two is known as the Um interface with its associated protocols.
A BTS is a piece of equipment that facilitates
wireless communication between user equipment (UE) and a
network.
The BTS is the radio equipment needed to service each cell in the
network. A group of BTSs are controlled by a single BSC.
A BTS is usually placed in the center of a cell. Its transmitting
power defines the size of a cell. Each BTS has between 1 and 16
transceivers, depending on the density of users in the cell.
 Base Station Controllers (BSC)
A BSC is a network element that controls and monitors a
number of base stations and provides the interface
between the cell sites and the mobile switching center
(MSC).
The BSC provides all the control functions and physical
links between the MSC and BTS. It is a high-capacity
switch that provides functions such as handover,
location update, cell configuration, and control of radio
frequency (RF) power levels in base transceiver stations.
It communicates with the BTSs over what is termed the
Abis interface. A number of BSCs are served by an MSC.
BSS components and interface
Network and Switching Subsystem
Fundamentally, the network and switching subsystems (NSS)
is responsible for call connection, supervision and release
operations between calling and called stations, where one or
both of them are mobile stations (MS). Other functions
include:
• Handling short messages and packet data (email, fax and a
variety of notifications)
• Providing ‘bearer’ (channel) for data communications
• Maintaining database of its own users as well as visitors
• Variety of authentication and encryption
• Gateway to PSTN, other mobile networks and data
networks including the Internet
 Mobile Service Switching Center
(MSC)
Within NSS, MSC performs the necessary switching
functions required for the MSs located in an MSC area
& to carry out Handover functions.
The MSC is also involved in the internetworking
functions to communicate with other networks such as
PSTN and ISDN.
 Home Location Register (HLR)
• A database used for storage and management of
subscriptions.
• The HLR is considered the most important database,
as it stores permanent data about subscribers,
including a subscriber's service profile, location
information, and activity status.
• Any administrative action by the service provider on
subscriber data is also performed in the HLR.
• The SIM has a unique identifier called the
International Mobile Subscriber Identifier or IMSI, is
a primary key to each HLR.
 Visitor Location Register (VLR)
• The VLR is connected to one or more MSCs.
• The VLR is the functional unit that
dynamically stores subscriber information
when it is located in the area covered by VLR.
• When a roaming MS enters an MSC area, the
MSC informs the associated VLR about the
MS.
 Authentication Center
The authentication center (AUC) provides
authentication and encryption parameters that verify the
user's identity and ensure the confidentiality of each
call.
The AUC protects network operators from different
types of fraud found in today's cellular world.
The GSM has standard encryption and authentication
algorithm which are used to dynamically compute
challenge keys and encryptions keys for a call.
 Equipment Identity Register
The equipment identity register (EIR) is a
database that contains information about the
identity of mobile equipment that prevents calls
from stolen, unauthorized, or defective mobile
stations. The AUC and EIR can be implemented
as stand-alone nodes or as a combined AUC/EIR
node.
 Gateway MSC
The Gateway MSC (GMSC) is an MSC that
connects the PLMN (Public Land Mobile
Network) to a PSTN/ISDN.
 Message Service Gateway
The NMS (network Management subsystem)
includes a message center. This includes Short
Message Service (SMS),Multimedia Message
Service (MMS), Fax, Voice Mail, Email and a
variety of notifications. The MSC requires
special capability to forward those messages
between the message center and the mobile
station.
 Operation & Maintenance Subsystem
OMS
• The OMS is responsible for handling system
security based on validation of identities of
various telecommunication entities.
• If there is a particular system failure the OMS can
identify the problem and determine what course
of action is needed
• The functions are performed in Authentication
Center (AuC) & Equipment Identity Register
(EIR).
• One OMC can serve several MSCs.
 Mobile Station (MS)
Mobile stations (MS), mobile equipment (ME) or as
they are most widely known, cell or mobile phones are
the section of a GSM cellular network that the user sees
and operates.
Besides the SIM and other circuitries, the ME contains a
number known as the International Mobile
Equipment Identity (IMEI). This is installed in the
phone at manufacture and "cannot" be changed. It is
accessed by the network during registration to check
whether the equipment has been reported as stolen.
 Mobile Station (MS)

MS=ME+SIM
Mobile Equipment
International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI)

Subscriber Identity Module

International Mobile Subscriber Identity
(IMSI)

31
Outgoing Call

1. MS sends dialled number to BSS

2. BSS sends dialled number to MSC
3,4 MSC checks VLR if MS is allowed
the requested service.If so,MSC
asks BSS to allocate resources for
call.
5 MSC routes the call to GMSC
6 GMSC routes the call to local
exchange of called user
7, 8,
9,10 Answer back(ring back) tone is
routed from called user to MS via
GMSC,MSC,BSS
Incoming Call
1. Calling a GSM subscribers
2. Forwarding call to GSMC
3. Signal Setup to HLR
4. 5. Request MSRN from VLR
6. Forward responsible MSC
to GMSC
7. Forward Call to current
MSC
8. 9. Get current status of MS
12.13. MS answers
14.15. Security checks
16.17. Set up connection
 Interfaces in GSM
• Um interface The "air" or radio interface standard that is used for
exchanges between a mobile (ME) and a base station (BTS / BSC).
• Abis interface This is a BSS internal interface linking the BSC and a
BTS. The Abis interface allows control of the radio equipment and radio
frequency allocation in the BTS.
• A interface The A interface is used to provide communication between the
BSS and the MSC.
• B interface The B interface exists between the MSC and the VLR . It uses
a protocol known as the MAP/B protocol. As most VLRs are collocated
with an MSC, this makes the interface purely an "internal" interface. The
interface is used whenever the MSC needs access to data regarding a MS
located in its area.
• C interface The C interface is located between the HLR and a GMSC.
When a call originates from outside the network, i.e. from the PSTN or
another mobile network it has to pass through the gateway so that routing
information required to complete the call may be gained.
• D interface The D interface is situated between the VLR and HLR. It uses
the MAP/D protocol to exchange the data related to the location of the ME
and to the management of the subscriber.
• E interface The E interface provides communication between two MSCs.
The E interface exchanges data related to handover between the anchor and
relay MSCs using the MAP/E protocol.
• F interface The F interface is used between an MSC and EIR. It uses the
MAP/F protocol. The communications along this interface are used to
confirm the status of the IMEI of the ME gaining access to the network.
• G interface The G interface interconnects two VLRs of different MSCs
and uses the MAP/G protocol to transfer subscriber information, during e.g.
a location update procedure.
• H interface The H interface exists between the MSC the SMS-G. It
transfers short messages and uses the MAP/H protocol.
• I interface The I interface can be found between the MSC and the ME.
Messages exchanged over the I interface are relayed transparently through
the BSS.
Thank you