TOPIC 4

Leaning Outcome

4.1Know the architecture

of cellular
communication
network.
 Global System for Mobile (GSM) System Architecture

MOBILE ACCESS CORE/ SWITCHING

HLR VLR
BTS
SIM PSTN
BSC
ISDN, PSPDN
MSC CSPDN

ME Abis
EIR AuC
BSC
Um A
BTS
Mobile
Base Station Subsystem Network Subsystem
Station

SIM – Subscriber Identity Module BSC – Base Station Controller MSC – Mobile Switching Centre
ME – Mobile Equipment HLR – Home Location Register EIR – Equipment Identity Register
BTS – Base Transceiver Station VLR – Visitor Location Register AuC – Authentication Centre
GSM Block Diagram
 GSM Architecture
MS – Mobile Station
• ME – mobile equipment
• SIM – Subscriber Identity Module
Base Station Subsystem (BSS)
• BTS - Base Transceiver Station
• BSC – Base Station Controller
• Transcoding and Rate Adaption Unit
(TRAU)
3 main Network & Switching Subsystem (NSS)
subsystem of  VLR – Visitor Location Register
GSM  HLR – Home Location Register
architecture:  MSC – Mobile Switching Center
 Gateway MSC (GMSC)

Operation Subsystem (OSS)

• AuC – Authentication Center
• OMC – Operation Maintenance Center
• EIR – Equipment Identity Register
Leaning Outcome
4.2 Understand GSM system
architecture .

HLR VLR

SIM PSTN
BSC
ISDN, PSPDN
BTS MSC CSPDN

ME Abis BSC
EIR AuC
BTS
Um A

Mobile
Base Station Subsystem Network Subsystem
Station
 Base Station Subsystem (BSS)
Consists of:
• MS – ME + SIM
• BTS - Base Transceiver Station
• BSC – Base Station Controller
• Transcoding and Rate Adaption Unit (TRAU)

MS (Mobile Station)
• Consist of Mobile Equipment (ME)
and Subscriber Identity
Module (SIM) card.
• MS is a cell phones or data
terminal that contain transceiver,
control circuit, antenna,
microphone, earphone and keypad
• Transmit voice/data to BTS and receive voice/data from BTS.
• Provides radio interface for reverse link radio transmitter and
forward link radio reception.
• Base Station
MS sends bursts Subsystem
of information (BSS)
by turn on the transmitter
for short period of time when commanded by BTS at BSC.
• SIM is a small circuit board to identify the subscriber to
Cellular Service Provider.
• When swap SIMs in GSM phones; personnel information, the
phone number, voice and data plans are swapped right along
with it.
• SIM card is used to authentic the subscribers when they
attempt to get services from the provider.

SIM
BSC
BTS

ME
BTS Abis BSC
Um A

Mobile
Base Station Subsystem
Station
 Base Transceiver Station (BTS)

• Provides communication link to MS to the cellular

network.
• BTS is the radio transceiver that define a cell and
handles radio link protocols with the MS.
• BTS houses the radio transceiver that servicing a
single cell and handles duplex radio communication
with MS.
• BTS is capable to transmit and receive all pair
channel assigned to the MS.
• BTS is the primary communication area within a
cell for MS.
• A group of BTS’s are controlled by a BSC
 Base Station Control (BSC)

• BSC manage the radio resources for one or more

BTS’s.

• BSC provides interface between BTS and MSC.

• BSC houses the transmission equipment for

backhaul link to MSC.

• BSC performs radio channel set-up, frequency

hopping, power control and handovers on
command transmitted by MSC.
 Transcoding & Rate Adaption Unit (TRAU)
• Compress speech
data from 64k bit/s
in PSTN/ISDN to
13/12.2/6.5 kbit/s in
GSM for case
FR/EFR/HR
(respectively)
speech coding.
• Decompress of
speech data from
13/12.2/6.5 kbit/s in
GSM to 64k bit/s in
PSTN/ISDN.

• MSC is basically a PSTN/ISDN switch its bi nt-rate is still 64 Kbit/s.

That is why a rate conversion is required in between the BSC and
MSC.
Note : HER - Enhanced Full Rate, FR - Full Rate, HR - Half Rate
Network & Switching Subsystem (NSS)

NSS
 VLR – Visitor Location Register
 HLR – Home Location Register
 MSC – Mobile Switching Center
 GMSC - Gateway MSC
 Network & Switching Subsystem (NSS)
Mobile Switching Centre (MSC)
• Controller of all BTS in service area.
• Provides all of control, switching and mobility management to
MS’s in services area.
• Provides interface between cellular network and PSTN.
• Performs the switching or allocate radio channel to cell.
• Interfaces with Authentication Centre (AuC) to provides
authentication allowing subscribers onto the network.
• Interfaces with HLR and VLR to provides location information
for the network, so that calls can be routed to correct BTS.
• Coordinates handovers between cells or between BSCs.
• HLR and VLR together with MSC provide the call-routing and
roaming capabilities of GSM.

Home Location Register (HLR)

• HLR is the database used to provide information about
subscriber's identity.
• The information includes the subscriber’s profile, the home MSC
and all services purchased by the subscriber.
 Network & Switching Subsystem (NSS)

Home Location Register (HLR)

• The information store in HLR by service provider when a
customer sign up for a service.
• HLR responsible for changing VLR-info if the subscriber
changes VLR area.
• The location of the mobile is typically in the form of the
signaling address of the VLR associated with the MS.

Visitor Location Register (VLR)

• VLR receives information from subscriber’s HLR in order to
provide the correct subscribed services for visiting mobile
subscribers.

• When subscribers enters area of new MSC, VLR associated to

this MSC will request information about the new subscriber to
its corresponding HLR. The VLR will then have enough
information to authorize subscribed services for visiting
subscriber.
 Network & Switching Subsystem (NSS)

Gateway MSC (GMSC)

• GMSC link the GSM network to other network; PSTN,
ISDN and data network.

• Gateway MSC provides interface between cellular network

and PSTN or ISDN or data network.

• If a mobile subscriber wants to place a call to a regular

landline, then the call would have to go through a GMSC
in order to switch to PSTN.
 Operation Subsystem (OSS)

OSS consist of :
• AuC – Authentication Center
• OMC – Operation Maintenance Center
• EIR – Equipment Identity Register

OSS used for authentication and security purposes.

Authentication Centre (AuC)

• Protected database that stores a copy of the secret key stored
in each subscriber's SIM card, which is used for secure
authentication of every subscriber on the network.

• The AuC validates SIM card for attempting network connection

when a phone has a live network signal.

• The AuC provides security to ensure that third parties are

unable to use network subscriber services.
 Operation Subsystem (OSS)

Equipment Identity Register (EIR)

• EIR is a database that contains a list of all valid mobile
equipment on the network, where each mobile station is
identified by its International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI).
• IMEI is marked as invalid if it has been reported stolen or is not
type approved.

Operating And Maintenance Centre (OMC)

• OMC is used for supervision of GSM network, subscriber
administration, channel admistration, cell configuration,
telecommunication management and operation support.

• Errors from the network manually handled by an operator e.g.

• Defect circuit boards in a BTS
• Messages from a cellular that are registered in EIR that tries
to call
• Checking the functionality of the systems components
• Statistics (current traffic between BTS-BSC etc)
• Graphical tools for presenting images of the network
Leaning Outcome

4.3 Know the types of

GSM channel.
 GSM Channel

• Types:
• Traffic Channel (Voice Channel)
• Signaling or Control Channel

Traffic Channels (TCHs)

 Digitally encoded user speech
or user data.
 Identical functions and formats
on both the forward and
reverse link.

Control Channels (CCHs)

 Signaling and synchronizing
commands between BTS and MS
 Certain types of control
channels are just for the forward
or reverse link
 GSM Channel

Channel

Traffic Channel (TCH) Control Channel (CCH)

Full Rate Broadcast Common Ctrl Dedicated Ctrl

(TCH/F) Channel (BCH) Channel (CCCH) Channel (DCCH)

Standalone
Half Rate Frequency
Random Access Dedicated Ctrl
(TCH/H) Correct Channel
Channel (RACH) Channel
(FCCH)
(SDCCH)

Enhance Full Fast Associated

Synchronization Access Grant
Rate (EFR) Ctrl Channel
Channel (SCH) Channel (AGCH)
(FACCH)

Slow Associated
Broadcast Ctrl Paging Channel
Ctrl Channel
(BCCH) (PCH)
(SACCH)
 Traffic Channel (TCH)

 Used to carry user information : speech or data.

 3 types:
i. Full-rate TCH (TCH/F)
• Provides transmission speed of 13 kbps for speech
or 9.6, 4.8 or 2.4 kbps for data.
ii. Enhanced full-rate (EFR)
• Speech coders have been implemented to improve
the speech quality at speed 12 kbps.
iii. Half-rate TCH (TCH/H)
• allows transmission of 6.5 kbps speech, or 4.8 or
2.4 kbps of data.
 Control Channel (CCH)

• A channel used for transmission of digital control

information from a base station to a cellular phone
(Forward Control Channel-FCC) or from a cellular
phone to a base station (Reverse Control Channel-RCC).
• Channel that MS & BTS use to communicate to one
another for call set-up and channel changing within a
GSM cell.
• Only control data is exchanged through the CCH (no
voice)
• A single control channel for one (1) cell.
• A carrier and with specific time slot is allocated CCH.
• The types of GSM CCH:
a) Broadcast Channel (BCH)
b) Common Control Channel (CCCH)
c) Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH)
COMMON CHANNELS DEDICATED CHANNELS
GSM Channel User
 GSM Channel User
Mobile Incoming Call Mobile Outgoing Call
Leaning Outcome

4.4 Apply the knowledge of GSM

architecture & channel in
call set-up procedure &
routing of a call to mobile
subscribers.
 GSM Call Setup Procedure For Outgoing Call

1. A subscriber dials a called party number to request for

outgoing call service. Request for call services send to BSS
2. BSS sends the request to MSC.
3. MSC sends the request to HLR.
4. HLR checks if the MS is allowed for outgoing call
service. If allowed, HLR send acknowledgement to MSC.
6. Upon received the acknowledgement, a MSC instruct HLR
to find the location of called party’s MS.
7. HLR finds the location and inform MSC to which BSS the
called party belong to.
8. Then MSC instruct BSS to allocate radio resources for the
call, both for the caller and called party.
9. Ringing signal is routed from the MSC to the called party
via BSS.
[Link] tone is routed from the MSC to the caller via BSS.
[Link] called party answer, the call in get connected.
 GSM Call Setup Procedure For Outgoing Call

1. - MS sends dialed number

to BSS
2. - BSS sends dialed number
to MSC
3&4.- MSC checks VLR if MS is
allowed the requested
service. If so, MSC asks
BSS to allocated
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.
GSM Call Setup Procedure For Incoming Call

1. Calling a GSM subsribers

2. Forwarding call to GMSC
3. Signal Setup to HLR
4&5. Request MSRN for VLR
6. Forwad reasposible MSC
to GMSC
7. Forward call to current
MSC
8&9. Get current status of MS
10&11. Paging of MS
12&13. MS answer
14&15. Security checks
16&17. Setup connection

Note : MRSN - Mobile Station

Roaming Number
Leaning Outcome

4.5 Understand mobility

management in cellular
communication.
 Mobility Management in Cellular Communication

• Aim’s to track the location of MS in coverage area, thus

allowing calls, SMS and other services to be delivered to them
by the network.
• Mobility management covers paging, roaming & handoff
• Cellular services are based on mobility and handover, allowing
the user to be moved from one cell site range to another or to
be switched to the nearest cell site for better performance

Paging
• BTS transmit paging message to indicate an incoming call or
short message to designated MS in a cell via PCH.
• It contains the identity number of MS that the network wishes
to contact.
• The designated MS will respond to paging via RACH.
 Mobility Management in Cellular Communication

Roaming
• Defined as the ability for MS to automatically make and receive
calls, use data service, or access other services, when travelling
outside the geographical coverage area of the home network, by
means of using a visited network.
• All cellular subscribers have a home service area dictated by
mobile phones area code number.
• When the MS enters a service area outside the home service
area, the subscriber in the roaming mode.

Handoff @ Handover
• Refers to the process of transferring an ongoing call or data
session from servicing cell to adjacent (neighbouring) cell on the
same network avoid call drop.
• Handover is managed by MSC and initiated when received
signal strength falls in servicing cell below specific threshold.
 Mobility Management in Cellular Communication

• MSC monitors the MS signal strength in servicing cell and

adjacent cell; and determines which cell can provides the
best signal level.
• If the signal strength in adjacent cell is higher, the
handover take place.
Handoff or Handover
 Handoff or Handover
Cell 1

Mobile Public
Telephone Switched
Switching Telephone
Cell 2 Center Network
(MTSC) (PSTN)
HLR VLR

Handoffs (typically 30 mseconds):

1. At any time, mobile station (MS) is in one cell and under the control of
a BS
2. When a MS leaves a cell, BS notices weak signal
3. BS asks surrounding BSs if they are getting a stronger signal
4. BS transfers ownership to one with strongest signal
5. MTSO assigns new channel to the MS and notifies MS of new BS
 Handover

• Recognized Types: Hard Handover, Soft Handover, Softer

Handover

Hard handover
• Hard HO is a handoff technique that requires the user's
connection to be entirely broken with an existing base
station before being switched to another base station.
• A hard HO is also known break-before-make HO.
• In Hard HO, the MS starts communicating with a new BS
after terminating communications with the old BS.
• Hard HO occurs in GSM.
• Hard HO occurs between 2 channel with different
frequency.
• Disadvantage: Drop call may occur before handoff
process take place
 Handover
• Hard HO Process
o MS have only a radio link with only one BS at any time.
o Thus, the old connection is terminated before a new
connection is activated.
o This mode of operation is referred to as break before make.

Hard Handover between MS and BTS

 Handover

• The CDMA system uses the soft/softer handoff technique

to improve receptions when mobile stations move between
cells/sectors (on cell/sector boundaries).

• Soft/Softer HO occurs between 2 channel with same

frequency with different codes.
 Handover

Soft Handoff
• Soft HO is a handoff technique where MS communicates
with 2 or more BSs at a time before HO take place, so
that when HO occur, the MS is already in communication
with the stronger one.

• In Soft HO, the MS starts communicating with a new BS

before terminating communications with the old BS.

• Soft handoff is a "Make before break" handoff.

• Advantage: Fewer drop calls and better performance into

change the channel when MS travel across cell
boundaries.
 Handover
Soft HO Process
o MS has a radio link with 2 or more BSs.
o Thus, a new connection is made before breaking the old connection.
o This mode referred to as make before break.
 Handover
Softer Handover.
o Softer HO is similar to Soft HO, but Softer HO occurs between
two sectors of the same cell.
o Hand-over is simplified since timing sectors have identical
timing.
o Softer HO is a handoff technique where MS communicates
with 2 or more sectors on the same cell at a time before HO
take place, so that when HO occur, the MS is already in
communication with the stronger sector.
 Relationship between SNR & HO

• Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR or SN) is the power ratio between

signal (information) and noise (unwanted signal).
• SNR is commonly used in wireless communication as a way to
measure the quality of wireless connections.
• SNR often expressed in dB.
• SNR is important handoff parameter:
• SNRold to initiate handoff based on minimum acceptable
quality
• SNRnew of the target channel (SNRnew > SNRold )
• When the SNRnew > SNRold , handoff occur.
• D = ( SNRnew - SNRold ) dB
 If D too small, unnecessary handoffs occur
 If D too large, may be insufficient time to complete
handoff before SNRold becomes becomes too weak and
signals lost.
Leaning Outcome

4.6 Understand General

Packet Radio Services
(GPRS)
 General Packet Radio Services (GPRS)

 The GPRS standard is an evolution or upgarde of the

Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM)
standard.

 The GPRS classified as 2.5G because it allows GSM, as

second generation (2G) cellular communication standard
immigrate to 3G.

 GPRS extends the architecture of the GSM standard with

addition of two components located on a backbone
network:
i. SGSN (Serving GPRS Support Node)
ii. GGSN (Gateway GPRS Support Node)

 GPRS using 8 time slots in 200 KHz radio channel and 4

different coding to achieve 114 Kbps data rate.
GPRS Network Arhitecture
 General Packet Radio Services (GPRS)

Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN )

• Router manages the addresses of the terminals in the cell
• Forms a gateway to the services within the network.
• Provides the packet transfer between mobile terminal and
GGSN gateway.

Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN )

• Router responsible for providing an IP address to the
mobile terminals to access the IP network. (Internet).
• Forms gateway for mobile terminals to the IP network
(Internet).
• Provides the packet transfer between the other data
networks (the Internet)
 GPRS Network Architecture

PCU: Packet Control Unit, PCU, which differentiates

whether data is to be routed to the packet switched (GPRS)
or circuit switched networks (GSM).
Leaning Outcome

4.7 Universal Mobile

Telecommunication
System (UMTS)
 UMTS

• 3G standard that employs the Wideband Code Division

Multiple Access (WCDMA) and Frequency Division
Duplex (FDD) as multiple access method to provide
high-speed and high- capacity service.
• The UMTS (WCDMA) is the standard that most GSM
carrier moved to when upgrading 3G.
• Part of the UMTS standard is based on GSM technology.
• WCDMA networks are designed to integrate with GSM
networks at certain level & most WCDMA phones
include GSM as its capability
• UMTS transmits on a pair of 5 MHz-wide radio channels
with data rate of 384 Kbps when mobile and 2 Mbps
when it in fixed position.
 UMTS System Architecture
Uu Iu

Node B MSC/
VLR GMSC
RNC

External Networks
Node B
USIM

Cu Iub Iur HLR

ME
Node B
RNC SGSN GGSN
Node B

UTRAN CORE NETWORK (CN)

UE

Air interface between Node B and RNC is Iub

Air interface between RNC Iur, assist in soft and softer handover.
(Adjacent cells are operating in the same frequency)
Air interface between Ue and Node B is Uu.
 UMTS
Radio Network Controller (RNC)
• Call admission control – to keep interference level below a
certain/acceptable level.
• Congestion control - allocates bandwidth to each station in
cyclic and must consider the QoS requirement.
• Encryption & Decryption – encrypt all data from the fixed
network before transmission over wireless link and vice versa.
• ATM switching and multiplexing, protocol conversion.
• Radio resources control – control all radio resources to the
Node B.
• Radio bearer set up and release.
• Power control.
• Handover control
• RNS relocation– handover between RNC
• Management – Network operator needs a lot information
regarding current load, current traffic error states etc. to
manage the network.
 UMTS

Use Equipment (UE)

• Performs signal quality measurement, inner loop power
control, spreading, modulation, encryption and decryption,
and rate matching.
• Cooperate during handover, cell selection and radio resources
allocation process.

NODE B
• Create 3 or 4 sectors in Node B using more than 1 one
antenna.
• Perform inner loop power control to mitigate near-far effects.
• Measure connection quality and signal strength.
• Support softer handover which takes places between 2
sectors in 1 Node B.
• Cooperate during handover, cell selection and radio resources
allocation process.
Leaning Outcome

4.8 4G Wireless
Communication System
(LTE)
 Long-Term Evolution (LTE)
 LTE is a standard for high-speed wireless
communication for mobile phones and data terminals.

 LTE provides data rates of 100 Mbps for down-link

and 50 Mbps up-link, reduced latency (~10 ms),
scalable, high bandwidth capacity, and backwards
compatibility with existing GSM and UMTS technology.

 The LTE wireless interface is incompatible with 2G and

3G networks, so that it must be operated on a
separate wireless spectrum.

 LTE employs Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple

Access (OFDMA) for downlink data transmission and
Single Carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA) for uplink
transmission.
 LTE Network Architecture

E-UTRAN
 LTE Network Architecture

 eNodeB interfaces with EPC using using interface S1

 eNodeB interfaces with other eNodeB using interface X2
 eNB uses access method OFDMA(downlink) and SC-FDMA
(uplink) using interface Uu.
LTE Network Architecture
LTE Network Architecture
 LTE Network Architecture

eNodeB /E-UTRAN /evolved NodeB

• An eNodeB is an element of a LTE Radio Access Network, or E-
UTRAN.
• eNodeB provides LTE radio coverage or as BTS for LTE
handsets in a cell.
• eNB as base station that manage radio resource and mobility in
the cell and sector to optimize all the UE’s communication in flat
radio network structure.
• A group of eNBs form an E-UTRAN

EPC (Evolved Packet Core)

• EPC is a framework for providing converged voice and data on a
4G (LTE) network.
• EPC unifies voice and data on an Internet Protocol (IP) service
architecture
• Voice is treated as just another IP application.
• Perform MME, S-GW, P-GW and PCRF function.
 LTE Network Architecture

Mobility Management Entity (MME)

 Responsible for LTE access control, mobility management,
security control and session control.

Serving Gateway (S-GW)

 Responsible for the transport, forwarding and route switchover of
LTE user data.

Packet Data Network Gateway (P-GW)

• Manages the connection of mobile terminal and external packet
data network.
• Allocates IP address for terminal and is responsible for the
egress route of user service data.
• Besides, it works as the anchor point inside mobile network,
and always keeps service continuity. when user moves.

Policy & Charging Rule Function (PCRF)

• Manages user subscription and authentication information
 Evolved Packet
GSM GPRS UMTS System (EPS)

Packet
Circuit Packet
Core Switched
Switched Switched
EPC

Evolved Packet Core

Controller (BSC) Controller (RNC)

TDMA CDMA OFDMA

Access

BTS NB eNB
GSM GPRS UMTS LTE

GERAN UTRAN E-UTRAN

GSM EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for Universal Terrestrial Radio Evolve UTRAN
GSM Evolution) Radio Access Network Acces Network
Comparison GSM (GPRS), UMTS & LTE
Comparison GSM (GPRS), UMTS & LTE
 Network Architecture (E-UTRAN)
User Equipment

• eNB
 resource management (allocation and HO)
 admission control
 application of negotiated UL QoS
 cell information broadcast
 ciphering/deciphering of user and control plane data

 EPC
 Mobility Management Entity (MME)
 Serving Gateway (SGW)
 Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW)
 Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF)

 Mobility Management Entity (MME)

 key control-node for the LTE access network.
Functionalities:
 idle mode UE tracking and paging procedure including
retransmissions
 Network Architecture (E-UTRAN)

 bearer activation/deactivation process and choice of the SGW for a

UE at the initial attach and at time of intra-LTE handover involving
Core Network (CN) node relocation
 authentication of users : it checks the authorization of the UE to
camp on the service provider’s Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN)
 control plane function for mobility between LTE and 2G/3G access.

 Serving Gateway (SGW)

Functionalities:
 routing and forwarding user data packets
 acts as mobility anchor for the user plane during inter-eNB
handovers and for mobility between LTE and other 3GPP
 for idle state UEs, terminates the DL data path and triggers paging
when DL data arrives for the UE
 performs replication of the user traffic in case of lawful interception
 Network Architecture (E-UTRAN)

 Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW)

Functionalities:
 provides connectivity to the UE to external packet data
networks (IP adresses).
 A UE may have simultaneous connectivity with more than
one PDN GW for accessing multiple PDNs
 performs policy enforcement, packet filtering for each user,
charging support, lawful Interception and packet screening
 act as the anchor for mobility between 3GPP and non-3GPP
technologies (WiMAX)

• Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF)