MOBILE NETWORKS

Introduction to Data

Contents
Radio Propagation
The GSM-system
Wireless LANs
Bluetooth

Introduction to Data

Frequency Ranges
Mobile telephone networks and wireless local area networks use
the following frequency ranges in Europe
Mobile telephone networks:
GSM 890-915 MHz , 935-960 MHz
1710-1785 MHz , 1805-1880 MHz
TETRA 380-400 MHz , 410-430 MHz , 450-470 MHz
Cordless telephones:
CT2
864-868 MHz
DECT 1880-1900 MHz
Wireless LANs:
IEEE 802.11b 2400-2483 MHz
IEEE 802.11a 5150-5350 MHz

Introduction to Data

Radio Signal Propagation

Mobile networks are cellular systems: signals from neighbor cells
may cause interference
normal operation range

transmitter

other transmitter

detection range
interference range

Introduction to Data

The principle of a cellular system

The radio network consists of mobile stations and base stations

- a cell is the coverage area of a transmitter/receiver pair in a base

station
The network follows the location of mobile stations
- the network is divided into location areas
Hand-over: a mobile station attaches to a another base station on the fly
The cell frequencies are reused (outside the interference area)
R
D

frequency reuse

1
1

BS
MS

1
BS

1
MSC

PSTN

4
6

BS
MS

2
5
7

Introduction to Data

q = D/R = 4.6
K=7

Signal Loss
Pt

Pr

Free space propagation:

2Gr
2
Pr Ar S
S Gt Gr (
) Pt
4
4r
Pt = transmitted power (W)
Pr = received power (W)
A = antenna effective area (m2)
S = power density (W/ m2)
Gt = transmitter antenna gain
Gr = receiver antenna gain
= wavelength

Introduction to Data

 Additional effects, when there are obstacles

- shadowing
- reflection
- scattering

Diffraction: the signal diffracts from sharp-edged obstacles and

propagates beyond them

Introduction to Data

Multi-path Propagation
The signal propagates along many paths (reflections)
3
2

received signal

transmitted signal

Introduction to Data

Effects of multi-path propagation

Symbols overlap in the receiver (ISI = Inter-Symbol Interference)
Multi-path propagation causes momentary fluctuations in signal
level: fading
- fast fading (fluctuations in the order of milliseconds)
- slow fading (in the order of seconds or more)

fast
fading

slow fading

Introduction to Data

The GSM-system
Global System for Mobile Communications
GSM Architecture
GSM Areas
GSM Radio Interface
GSM Data evolution

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GSM Architecture
Base station Subsystem

BSS
Radio (air) Interface

BTS

BTS

BSC
Network and switching
Subsystem

NSS

BTS

BTS = base station

BSC = base station controller
MSC = mobile switching center
VLR = visitor location register
HLR = home location register
EIR = equipment identity
register
AuC = authentication center
IWF = interworking functions
OMC = operation and
maintenance center

BSC
HLR AuC

EIR

MSC/VLR
IWF

Introduction to Data

other switching centers and networks

Operation and
Maintenance
Subsystem

OMC

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GSM Areas
GSM service area: where GSM can be used
GSM PLMN service area: operator network
Service area
PLMN1
PLMN2
PLMN4
PLMN3

PLMN = Public Land Mobile

Network

GSM MSC/VLR service area: MSC coverage

PLMN

MSC
BSS

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 Location Area = LA
LA 1

MSC
BSS

LA 2
LA 3
Cell: area covered a transmitter/receiver pair in a base station

cel
l

cell

cell
Introduction to Data

cell

13

Base Station (BTS)

Radio transmitters and receivers (one or several frequencies)
Antennas and masts: omni-directional or directional (sector antennas)

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Base Station Controller (BSC)

Controls the radio resources within its area
- provides the frequencies available
- controls handover: change of frequency during call without
interruption (intra-BSC)
Controls updates of location
of mobile terminals
Other tasks:
- power control
- frequency hopping sequences
- discontinuous transmission

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Network and Switching Subsystem = NSS

NSS consists of:
- Mobile switching center = MSC
- registers :
HLR = Home Location Register
VLR = Visitor Location Register
EIR = Equipment Register
AuC : Authentication Center
GCR : Group Call Register
NSS is responsible for switching the call:
- within GSM network
- between GSM and other network

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Home Location Register

Stores the subscriber information

- permanent: international ISDN-number

international mobile subscriber identity = IMSI
encryption parameters for the subscriber
access type
- temporary : information about reachability
routing information
supplementary services (call transfer e.g.)
The location is not tied to a certain switching center
C
MSC

HLR

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Visitor Location Register = VLR

When a mobile phone registers in a new MSC/VLR service area,

the VLR acquires the subscriber information from the relevant HLR
and reports the new location information
The VLR contains : ISDN-number
IMSI-number
TMSI-number (temporary identification)
MSRN-number (roaming number)
location area information
service parameters
encryption parameters
VLR information changes automatically when the mobile phone moves
between MSC/VLR areas (if the phone is powered)
The home location register knows the latest VLR where the phone
has registered

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Equipment Identity Register = EIR

Each mobile phone has a IMEI-code
IMEI = International Mobile Equipment Identity

IMEI-code
EIR
MSC

IMEI-code

The EIR stores the information about faulty and stolen phones

Contains lists :
White : approved and authorized equipment
Grey: phones under supervision
Black: unauthorized phones

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Authentication Center = AuC

Contains parameters for:

- subscriber authentication
- subscriber authorization
- speech and data encryption

Introduction to Data

HLR

AuC

20

GSM Radio Interface

Also called air interface
GSM-frequencies

Primary-GSM
Uplink
890915 MHz

Downlink
935960 MHz

GSM 900

- 124 channels altogether,divided between

competing operators

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 Extended GSM
- 880915 MHz uplink
- 925960 MHz downlink
GSM 900
Railways-GSM
- 876915 MHz
- 921960 MHz
DCS 1800
- 17101785 MHz uplink
- 18051880 MHz downlink
- contains 374 frequencies (channels)

GSM 1800

PCS 1900 : consists of several systems and frequency

GSM 1900
slices (IS-95, GSM, NA TDMA)

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 The channel separation is 200 kHz

Each frequency channel is split into 8 time slots
- usually one slot per user
3 time slot delay between reception and transmission
The phone transmits and receives a burst during the time slot

f1

downlink
0 1

2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

f1

0 1

2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

uplink

monitoring of neighbor cells

f2
f3

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 Physical parameters (bursts) :

- normal burst (on traffic channels):

training sequence
3

57

26 1

57

encrypted
encrypted
data bits
data bits
flag bits
tail bits

8.25

guard interval

- length is 148 bits (142 usable)

- the

- the time slot duration is 576.9 microseconds

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GSM Speech Processing

The speech codec uses RPE-, RTP ja LPC -algorithms

Regular Pulse Excitation, Long Term Prediction, Linear

Prediction Coding
20 ms

260 bit

13 kbit/s

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GSM Data Evolution

bit rate

UMTS
< 2 Mb/s
EDGE
< 384 kb/s
GPRS
< 170 kb/s
HSCSD
< 57.6 kb/s
14.4 kb/s
9.6 kb/s

SMS
time

SMS = Short Message Service

HSCSD = High Speed Circuit Switched Data
GPRS = GSM Packet Radio Service
EDGE = Enhanced Data Rate for GSM Evolution
UMTS = Universal Mobile Telecommunication System

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GPRS
General Packet Radio Service
Packet switched data service

The radio resources (channels) can be divided on demand

by the users
- One user may have several time slots simultaneously
(multi-slot)
Bit rates theoretically up to 170 kbit/s, practically up to about
40 kbit/s

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GPRS Architecture
PSTN
BSC
PCU

MSC
SS7

SGSN
HLR/VLR
GPRSbackbone network

GGSN

BSC = Base Station Controller

PCU = Packet Control Unit
SGSN = Serving GPRS Support Node
GGSN = Gateway GPRS Support Node
MSC = Mobile Switching Center
SS7 = Signaling System nr 7

Internet

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UMTS = Universal Mobile Telecommunication System

European 3rd generation digital mobile telephone system
- based on ITU-T concept called IMT-2000
- designed for transmission of broadband multimedia signals
(graphics, video )
- speeds up to 2 Mbit/s
- frequency range above 2 GHz
- spread spectrum techniques
- integrates with the older GSM and GPRS networks

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 UMTS consists of subsystems designed for different types of

environment
- pico-cells
- micro-cells
- macro-cells
- satellite-cells

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Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN)

The terminal equipment communicate by transmitting and receiving

radio waves

radio waves

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Benefits of WLANs

The portability of computers

- large warehouses and factory areas

- ports and airports
Sometimes cabling can not be installed
- museums, historically valuable buildings, mines
A handy solution for temporary networks
- fair, exhibitions, demonstrations
Quick installations, extensions
Inexpensive technology

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Restrictions and Problems

Usually indoor networks:

- walls, floors e.g. structures weaken the signal strength :

limited coverage : about 10 100 m
- multi-path propagation prevails
- difficult to design in advance
The capacity is much lower than in fixed LANs ( < 11 Mbit/s)
Network security : the information is transmitted in air
- the transmission method spreads the signal (invisibility)
- real security measures have been standardized and also used

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WLAN networks
WLANs may be built as separate networks or they are connected to

the fixed LAN

WLANs usually complement the fixed LANs
Ad-hoc network :

Cell coverage

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 WLAN

connected to the fixed LAN :

Infrastructure network

Switch
Access point

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WLAN Technology
The WLAN standards are developed by IEEE 802.11 workgroups

Frequency ranges : ISM -band (Industrial, Scientific, Medical)

- 915 MHz
-2.4 GHz (ETSI : 13 channels with 5 MHz separation,
2.4122.472 GHz)
- 5-6 GHz
Basic technology

IEEE 802.11
Infra-red

Spread spectrum

Direct sequence

Introduction to Data

Narrow-band

Frequency hopping

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Spread Spectrum Solutions

Direct sequence spreading

Transmitter

Data x(t)

Receiver

Bandwidth of
the spread signal
Wss R p

bandwidth
R
Filter

bit rate R
Spreading code
g(t)
chip rate Rp

Detected
data signal

Spreading code
g(t)
chip rate Rp

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Frequency Hopping Solutions

- No more used in WLANs, still in Bluetooth

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BLUETOOTH

www.bluetooth.com

Bluetooth is a short-range radio system, which enables wireless

connection of computers, mobile terminals, peripherals and other
portable equipment
Supports data and speech transmission

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 Transmission based on radio waves, line-of-sight not required,

the antennas need not directing
Short coverage, 0.1 100 m
Uses 2.45 GHz unlicensed frequency band
- 79 frequency channels between 2.402-2.480 GHz
- 1 MHz channel separation
- frequency hopping used
Gross bit rate 1 Mbit/s
Supports symmetrical and asymmetrical transmission:
- symmetrical : 432 kbit/s bi-directional
- asymmetrical: 721 / 56 kbit/s speeds
Power levels :
- 1 mW ( 10 m coverage)
- 2.5 mW
- 100 mW (100 m coverage)

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Bluetooth network

The goal is to make the network setup as simple as possible

Bluetooth-equipment registers to all others when joining the network

Bluetooth-chip may communicate with 7 other chips simultaneously:

piconet

The initiator of the connection is the master, the others are slaves;
the roles may change during communication (only one master)

Each piconet has a unique hopping sequence; several piconets may

operate in the same area (scatternet)

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Piconets and scatternet

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Bluetooth Security
A radio system, eavesdropping possible
Small transmit power and frequency hopping reduces the risk
of eavesdropping
Authentication and encryption used in the network
- an individual authentication and encryption key per connection
- the key length is 40 or 64 bits

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