GSM Timers

Sahrish Afsar RF Optimization - South

Introduction
GSM resource allocation and termination depends primarily on timers. The functionality and protocols may vary, but the presence of timer based signaling and resource allocation is ubiquitous. Timer implementation is present in each domain of the GSM system from MS to NSS end. This presentation covers all the major BSS timers involved in the GSM architecture along with their implementation in the PTML network.

Table of contents
Timers categorization
Entity based categorization Process flow based categorization

Timers Categorization
Entity based categorization Process flow based categorization

Entity Based Categorization

One categorization can be done on the basis of entity which includes the following categories:

Process flow based categorization

GSM timers can also be classified on the basis of process flows involved in the system. These include the following basic categories:
Call Processing
Call Setup Call Release

Handovers Miscellaneous

Call Setup

T3120 (MS Timer)

This timer is included in the Call Request procedure which starts with the RACH request. This timer starts when the RACH request is sent to the network. The timer stops once the RACH acknowledgment is received. Once the timer expires, the RACH request is reTransmitted on the air interface. This is a MS based Timer and hence vendor implementation data is not applicable.

T3126 (MS Timer)

This timer is included in the Call Request procedure which starts with the RACH request. This timer starts when the maximum amount of Channel requests have been sent by the MS. The timer stops when immediate assignment message is received from the BSS. Once the timer expires, the procedure for immediate assignment is aborted. The value of this timer depends on the setting of RACH retransmission. This is a MS based Timer and hence vendor implementation data is unavailable.

T3122 (Cell Timer)

This timer is included in the Call Request procedure which starts when MS receives the IMMEDIATE ASSIGNMENT REJECT message The MS starts this timer on the receipt of the Immediate Assignment Reject message with the indicated value taken from the wait indication information element contained within the Immediate Assignment Reject message and returns to idle mode The MS is not permitted to make a new attempt to establish a radio resource connection in the same cell until T3122 expires The vendor recommended values for this timer are given below for reference
Timer Motorola Alcatel Huawei Nortel Ericsson T3122 10 s NSN Ufone 10 s

T3101 (Cell Timer)

This timer is included in the Call Setup procedure which starts with the immediate assignment procedure. This timer starts when the immediate assignment message is sent to the MS by the BSS entity. The timer stops when the Establish indication message is sent by the MS to the BSS entity. Once the timer expires, the procedure for call setup is aborted. The vendor recommended values for this timer are given below for reference
Timer T3101 Motorola Alcatel Huawei Nortel Ericsson 5s 3s 3s NSN Ufone 3s

T3230 (MS Timer)

This timer is included in the Call Setup procedure which starts with the immediate assignment procedure. This timer starts when the CM service request is sent by the MS to the BSS entity The timer stops when the MS receives the message of CM Service request acknowledged. It is also stopped in case a CM service reject is received. Once the timer expires, the release indication is provided to the BSS entity. This is a MS based Timer and hence vendor implementation data is unavailable.

T303 (MS Timer)

This timer is included in the Call Setup procedure which starts with the immediate assignment procedure. This timer starts when the UA frame for the SDCCH connection is received by the MS. The timer is stopped when the CM service request is sent by the MS. In case of an expiry event of this timer, the Call setup procedure is aborted. This is a MS based Timer and hence vendor implementation data is unavailable.

T310 (MS Timer)

This timer is included in the Call Setup procedure which starts with the immediate assignment procedure. This Timer starts when the MS receives Call proceeding message. The timer stops once the Altering procedure begins and the call is established. In case the timer expires and the altering procedure has not begun, the call setup procedure is aborted and No user Responding message is sent. This is a MS based Timer and hence vendor implementation data is unavailable.

T11 (BSS/Cell Timer)

This parameter indicates the queue timer for assignment. This timer starts when an assignment resource request is queued by the BSS entity when no channel is available for assignment. The timer is stopped when the resource request is allocated a resource by the BSS entity. Once the timer expires, the resource request is rejected and the call setup procedure is aborted. The vendor recommended values for this timer are given below for reference
Timer T11 Motorol a Alcatel Huawei Nortel Ericsson 28 s 6s 8s NSN Ufone 8s

T10 (BSC Timer)

This timer starts when assignment request is sent to the MS by the BSS entity. The timer is stopped when the assignment complete message is sent by the MS to the BSS entity. Once the timer expires, the assignment request is released and the call setup procedure is aborted. The vendor recommended values for this timer are given below for reference
Timer T10 Motorol a Alcatel Huawei Nortel Ericsson NSN Ufone

T313 (MSC Timer)

This timer starts when the call connect message is sent to the call originating mobile. The timer stops when connect acknowledge message is received by the network entity from the MS. In case of an expiry even of this timer, the call setup procedure is aborted and the call is released.

T3107 (Cell Timer)

This timer starts when the assignment command is sent by the BSS entity to the MS. The timer is stopped when the Assignment complete message is received by BSS entity. In case of an expiry event of this timer, an assignment failure command is sent and the channels are released. The vendor recommended values for this timer are given below for reference
Motorol Timer a Alcatel Huawei Nortel Ericsson T3107 28 s 14 s 10 s NSN Ufone 10 s

T1 (BSC Timer)?
This timer starts when a blocking message is sent by the BSS entity to the MSC entity in case of nonusable A interface timeslot. The timer is stopped when a Blocking acknowledgment message is received by the BSS entity. On first expiry of the timer, the BSS entity retransmits the Blocking message. In case of a second expiry, the channel is set to nonusable without MSC acknowledgment. The vendor recommended values for this timer are given below for reference
Timer T1 Motorol a Alcatel Huawei Nortel Ericsson 30 s 16 s 30 s NSN Ufone

Call Release

T13 (BSC Timer)

This timer is used in the Reset Procedure initiated by the MSC. The timer starts when a Reset message is sent by the MSC to the BSS entity. The timer stops on when the MSC receives Reset Acknowledgement by the BSS entity. In case of expiry event, the Reset acknowledgment is sent by the BSS to the MSC. The vendor recommended values for this timer are given below for reference
Motorol Timer a Alcatel Huawei Nortel Ericsson T13 60 s
NSN Ufone

T3111 (Cell Timer)

This timer is included in the Call release procedure which includes releasing of TCH channels This timer starts with the reception of Release indication message from the BSS entity. The timer stops when the BSS entity sends the message for RF channel release to the respective BTS. The expiry of this timer causes the forced channel release procedure to start and the channel is released from all ends of the network. The vendor recommended values for this timer are given below for reference
Timer T3111

Motorol a Alcatel Huawei Nortel Ericsson 1s

NSN

Ufone 1s

T3109 (Cell Timer)

This timer is included in the Call release procedure which includes releasing of TCH channels This timer starts when the channel release message is sent by the BSS entity to the subsequent BTS. The timer is stopped when the release indication message is received by the BSS entity. In case of an expiry event of this timer, the channels are released and call procedure is aborted. The vendor recommended values for this timer are given below for reference
Timer Motorola Alcatel Huawei Nortel Ericsson T3109 27s NSN Ufone 27 s

T3110 (MS Timer)

This timer is included in the Call release procedure which includes releasing of TCH channels This timer starts when the MS receives the Channel release message from the BSS entity. The timer stops once the MS receives a layer 2message from the BSS entity for channel release. In case the timer expires, the normal channel release continues till the call is released. This is a MS based Timer and hence vendor implementation data is unavailable.

Normal Channel Release

Normal Channel Release

The system initiates the release of a channel by sending a channel release message to the MS and will start an internal timer T3109, coincidentally SACCH messages are deactivated. On receipt of the channel release, the MS will start an internal timer (T3110) and disconnect the main signaling link by sending a Layer 2 disconnect frame. When T3110 times out or when the signaling is disconnect confirmed on receipt of a layer 2 numbered acknowledgement, the MS deactivates all RF links and returns to BCCH idle mode. On the system side, when the Layer 2 disc is received the BSS will stop T3109 and start T3111. When T3111 has expired all RF links are terminated and are then free to be allocated to other MS. The purpose of T3111 is to allow time for the disconnect frame to be acknowledged with a Unnumbered Acknowledgement (UA) frame and to protect the channel in case the acknowledge frame is lost. Additionally, as T3111 runs for a shorter time than T3109, the channel is able to be reassigned far quicker. If T3109 times out all RF channels will be deactivated and are then free to be allocated to other MSs. The value of T3109 should always be greater than T3110 so that there is a high probability of normal termination. N.B. The value of T3111 must be set to a value equal to the value of T3110.

Handover

T3103 (Cell Timer)

The timer starts when the initiate Handover command is sent to the BTS by the BSC. The Timer is stopped when handover complete message is received by the BSS entity. In case the timer expires, the handover procedure is aborted and the Handover attempt is termed as unsuccessful. The vendor recommended values for this timer are given below for reference
Motorol Timer a Alcatel Huawei Nortel Ericsson T3103 30 s 16.5 s 10 s NSN Ufone 10 s

T8 (Cell Timer)
The timer starts when the Handover command is sent to the MS via the BSS entity. The Timer is stopped when handover complete message is received by the BSS entity. In case the timer expires, the handover procedure is aborted and the Handover attempt is termed as unsuccessful. The vendor recommended values for this timer are given below for reference
Motorol Timer a Alcatel Huawei Nortel Ericsson T8 28 s 14 s 10 s
NSN Ufone 10 s

T7 (Cell Timer)
The timer starts when a Handover Request message is sent to the MSC for an external BSC handover. The Timer is stopped when handover response message is received by the BSS entity. In case the timer expires, the handover procedure is aborted and the Handover attempt is termed as unsuccessful. The vendor recommended values for this timer are given below for reference
Motorol Timer a Alcatel Huawei Nortel Ericsson T7 10 s 5s 10 s NSN Ufone 10 s

TQHO (Cell/BSC Timer)?

This timer defines the maximum Queuing time for a Handover request. The timer starts when the BSS places a Handover request in the resource queue for allocation. The timer is stopped when the Handover request is allocated the required resource by the BSS entity. In case of an expiry event of this timer, the handover request is removed from the queue and the handover procedure is aborted. The vendor recommended values for this timer are given below for reference
Motorol Timer a Alcatel Huawei Nortel Ericsson TQHO 30 s 5s 8s NSN Ufone 8s

T3121 (Cell Timer)

This timer IS related with inter BSC and 2G/3G handovers. The timer is started when a request is sent for an interBSC or 2G/3G handover. The timer is stopped when a Handover complete message is received by the BSS entity. In case of an expiry event of this timer, Clear request is sent and the handover procedure is aborted. The vendor recommended values for this timer are given below for reference
Timer T3121 Motorol a Alcatel Huawei Nortel Ericsson 14 s 10 s NSN Ufone 10 s

Miscellaneous

T3212 (Cell Timer)

T3212 specifies the length of the timer for periodic location update. In the GSM system, it is possible that a powered-on MS is identified as implicit off-line if the MS sends no location update request within a long period. When the MS reselects another cell (in the same LAC), the MS is restarted through T3212 timeout if the T3212 of the new cell differs from that of the original cell. When this parameter differs in the cells of the same LAC, it is possible that the MS is identified as implicit off-line if the MS sends no location update request for a long period. In this case, system plays "The subscriber you dial is power off." even though the called MS is on. The vendor recommended values for this timer are given below for reference
Timer Motorola Alcatel Huawei Nortel Ericsson T3212 120 min NSN Ufone 360 min

T200 (BTS Timer)

T200 is a timer in the LAPD protocol. The value of the timer indicates the time when the LAPD link waits for the response or acknowledgement frame after sending the command frame. T200 is set such that it is possible to receive an acknowledgement from the peer entity of the transmitting Data Link Layer, taking into account all processing and propagation delays. If T200 Expires then the frame transmitted which started T200 is retransmitted and the counter N200 is incremented. The value of this parameter must be smaller than "T203".
Timer Motorola Alcatel Huawei Depends on Transmission quality Nortel Ericsson NSN Ufone

T200

T203 (BTS Timer)

T203 is a timer in the LAPD protocol. The value of the timer indicates the maximum duration for no frame exchange in the LAPD link.
Timer Motorola Alcatel

T203

Huawei Depends on Transmission quality

Nortel

Ericsson

NSN

Ufone

Layer 2 Alignment

Huawei Timers
T200 SDCCH (60 ms) T200 FACCH/F (50 ms) T200 FACCH/H (50 ms) T200 SACCH TCH SAPI0 (150 ms) T200 SACCH TCH SAPI3 (200 ms) T200 SACCH SDCCH (60 ms) T200 SDCCH SAPI3 (60 ms)

Thank You