Wireless & Cellular Communication

Module 2

Prepared By: Dr Vinod B Durdi

Associate Professor
TCE,DSCE, Bangalore-78
Course Code: 18TE6DCWCC

Consider the cellular telephone system shown in Figure

The cellular telephone system is responsible for providing coverage throughout a particular
territory, called a coverage region. Interconnection of such networks is called wireless networks.
Capable of providing service to mobile users throughout a country or continent.
Base stations:-

To provide wireless communications within a particular geographic region (a city, for example),
an integrated network of base stations must be deployed to provide sufficient radio coverage to
all mobile users.

Mobile switching center (MSC):-

The base stations, in turn, must be connected to a central hub called the mobile switching center
(MSC). The MSC provides connectivity between the public switched telephone network(PSTN)
and the numerous base stations, and ultimately between all of the wireless subscribers in a
system.

PSTN:-
The PSTN forms the global telecommunications grid which connects conventional (landline)
telephone switching centers (called central offices) with MSCs throughout the world.

Transport architectures different now:

Common air interface (CAl): To connect mobile subscribers to the base stations, which is a using
handshake communication protocol. The CAl must provide a great deal of channel reliability to
ensure that data is properly sent and received between the mobile and the base station, and as
such specifies speech and channel coding.

While each base station may handle on the order of 50 simultaneous calls,

A typical MSC is responsible for connecting as many as 100 base stations to the PSTN.

Network: Network may be used to describe a wide range of voice or data connections, from the
case of a single mobile user to the base station, to the connection of a large MSC to the PSTN.

Differences between Wireless and Fixed Telephone Networks:

Fixed Telephone Networks Wireless Networks

Transfer of information in the public switched Transfer of information in wireless networks
telephone network (PSTN) takes place over takes place wireless media such as air
landline trunked lines (called trunks)
comprised of fiber optic Cables, copper
cables, microwave links, and satellite links.
That means over fixed lines
The network configurations in the PSTN are Wireless networks, on the other hand, are
virtually static, since the network connections highly dynamic, with the network
may only be changed when a subscriber configuration being rearranged every time a
changes residence and requires subscriber moves into the coverage region of
reprogramming at the local central office a different base station
(CO) of the subscriber. or a new market.
Reconfiguration & handoff service is not While fixed networks are difficult to change,
there in the fixed networks wireless networks must reconfigure
themselves for users within small intervals of
time (on the order of seconds) to provide
roaming and imperceptible handoffs between
calls as a mobile moves about
The available channel bandwidth for fixed Whereas wireless networks are constrained by
networks can be increased by installing high the meager RF cellular bandwidth provided
capacity cables (fiber optic or coaxial cable) for each user.

The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN):

The PSTN is a highly integrated communications network that connects over 70% of the world's
inhabitants. In early 1994, the International Telecommunications Union stimated that there were
650 million public landline telephone numbers, as compared to 30 million cellular telephone
numbers . While landline telephones are being added at a 3% rate, wireless subscriptions are
growing at greater than a 50% rate. Every telephone in the world is given calling access over the
PSTN. Each country is responsible for the regulation of the PSTN within its borders.

Figure also shows how a PBX may be used to provide telephone connections throughout a
building or campus. PBX allows an organization or entity to provide internal calling and other
in-building services. As well as private networking between other organizational sites in addition
to conventional local and long distance services which pass through the CO. Telephone
connections within a PBX are maintained by the private owner, whereas connection of the PBX
to the CO is provided and maintained by the LEC.

Local exchange carrier (LEC): A LEC is a company that provides telephone service
Interexchange carriers (IXC), and own and operate large fiber optic and microwave radio
networks.
Figure: Local landline telephone network.

Limitations in Wireless Networking:-

Wireless communications system is extremely complex. First, the wireless network requires an
air interface between base stations and subscribers. It has to be operated under a wide range of
propagation conditions.

To assure adequate area coverage, the deployment of many (sometimes hundreds) of base
stations throughout a market is necessary, and each of these base stations must be connected to
the MSC. MSC intern connected to PSTN.

While a central office (CO) telephone switch may handle up to a million landline subscribers
simultaneously, the most sophisticated MSCs of the mid 1990s are only able to handle 100,000
to 200,000 simultaneous cellular telephone subscribers.

A problem unique to wireless networks is the extremely hostile and random nature of the radio
channel, and since users may request service from any physical location while traveling over a
wide range of velocities, the MSC is forced to switch calls imperceptibly between base stations
throughout the system.

The radio spectrum available for this purpose is limited, thus wireless systems are constrained to
operate in a fixed bandwidth to support an increasing number of users over time.
Spectrally efficient modulation techniques, frequency reuse techniques, and geographically
distributed radio access points are vital components of wireless networks

As wireless systems grow, the necessary addition of base stations increases the switching burden
of the MSC.

For this Syllabus

Development of Wireless Networks- Second generation (2G) Third generation (3G), Fourth
generation(4G), Wireless Local Loop (WLL), Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs),
Bluetooth and Personal Area Networks (PANS) ,

Refer the chapter 2 of text book & ppts

GSM

Global System Mobile (GSM):

Global System for Mobile (GSM) is a second generation cellular system standard that
was developed to solve the fragmentation problems of the first cellular systems in
Europe. GSM is the world's first cellular system to specify digital modulation and
network level architectures and services.

Before GSM, European countries used different cellular standards throughout the
continent, and it was not possible for a customer to use a single subscriber unit
throughout Europe. GSM was originally developed to serve as the pan-European
cellular service and promised a wide range of network services through the use of ISDN.
it is now the world's most popular standard for new cellular radio and personal
communications equipment throughout the world.

It is predicted that by the year 2000, there will be between 20 and 50 million GSM
subscribers worldwide. The task of specifying a common mobile communication system
for Europe in the 900 MHz band was taken up by the GSM (Groupe spe'cial mobile)
committee which was a working group of the Conference Europ'ene Postes des et
Telecommunication (CEPT). Recently, GSM has changed its name to the Global System
for Mobile Communications for marketing reasons.

GSM Services and Features

GSM services follow ISDN guidelines and are classified as either teleservices or data
services. Teleservices include standard mobile telephony and mobile-originated or
base-originated traffic, Data services include computer-to computer communication and
packet-switched traffic. User services may be divided into three major categories:

Telephone services, including emergency calling and facsimile. GSM also supports
Videotex and Teletex, though they are not integral parts of the GSM standard. Data
services which are limited to layers 1, 2, and 3 of the open system interconnection
(OSI) reference model. Supported services include packet switched protocols and data
rates from 300 bps to 9.6 kbps. Data may be transmitted using either a transparent
mode

Supplementary ISDN services: are digital in nature, and include call diversion,
closed user groups, and caller identification. Supplementary services also include the
short messaging service (SMS) which allows GSM subscribers and base stations to
transmit alphanumeric pages of limited length (160 7 bit ASCII characters) while
simultaneously carrying normal voice traffic. SMS may be used for safety and
advisory applications, such as the broadcast of highway or weather information to all
GSM subscribers within reception range..
From the user's point of view, one of the most remarkable features of GSM is the
Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), which is a memory device that stores information
such as the subscriber's identification number, the networks and countries where the subscriber is
entitled to service, privacy keys, and other
user-specific information.
SIM's are available as smart (credit card sized cards that may be inserted into any GSM phone)
or plugin modules, which are less convenient than the SIM cards but are nonetheless removable
and portable. Without a SIM installed, all GSM mobiles are identical and nonoperational. It is
the SIM that gives GSM subscriber units their identity.
A second remarkable feature of GSM is the on-the-air privacy which is provided by the system.
Unlike analog FM cellular phone systems which can be readily monitored, it is virtually
impossible to eavesdrop on a GSM radio transmission.
The privacy is made possible by encrypting the digital bit stream sent by a GSM transmitter,
according to a specific secret cryptographic key that is known only to the cellular carrier. This
key changes with time for each user. Every carrier and GSM equipment manufacturer must sign
the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) before developing GSM equipment or deploying a
GSM system. The MoU is an international agreement which allows the sharing of cryptographic
algorithms and other proprietary information between countries
and carriers.
GSM System Architecture:
The GSM system architecture consists of three major interconnected subsystems that interact
between themselves and with the users through certain network interfaces. The subsystems are
the Base Station Subsystem (BSS), Network and Switching Subsystem (NSS), and the Operation
Suppon Subsystem (OSS). The Mobile Station (MS) is also a subsystem, but is usually
considered to be part of the BSS for architecture purposes.

The BSS, also known as the radio subsystem, provides and manages radio transmission paths
between the mobile stations and the Mobile Switching Center (MSC). The BSS also manages the
radio interface between the mobile stations and all other subsystems of GSM.

Each BSS consists of many Base Station Controllers (BSCs) which connect the MS to the NSS
via the MSCs. The NSS manages the switching functions of the system and allows the MSCs to
communicate with other networks such as the PSTN and ISDN.

The OSS supports the operation and maintenance of GSM and allows system engineers to
monitor, diagnose, and troubleshoot all aspects of the GSM system. This subsystem interacts
with the other GSM subsystems, and is provided solely for the staff of the GSM operating
company which provides service facilities for the network.

Figure shows the block diagram of the GSM system architecture. The Mobile Stations (MS)
communicate with the Base Station Subsystem (BSS) over the radio air interface. The BSS
consists of many BSCs which connect to a single MSC, and each BSC typically controls up to
several hundred Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs). Some of the BTSs maybe co-located at the
BSC, and others may be remotely distributed and physically connected to the BSC by microwave
link or dedicated leased lines. Mobile handoffs (called handovers, or HO, in the GSM
specification) between two BTSs under the control of the same BSC are handled by the BSC,
and not the MSC. This greatly reduces the switching burden of the MSC.
As shown in Figure 10.6, the interface which connects a BTS to a BSC is
called the Abis interface. The Abis interface carries traffic and maintenance data,
and is specified by GSM to be. standardized for all manufacturers.
The BSCs are physically connected via dedicated leased lines or microwave link to the MSC.
The interface between a BSC and a MSC is called theA interface, which is standardized within
GSM. The A interface uses an SS7 protocol called the Signaling Correction Control Part (SCCP)
which supports communication between the MSC and the ESS, as well as network messages
between the individual subscribers and the MSC. The A interface allows a service provider to
use base stations and switching equipment made by different manufacturers.

The NSS handles the switching of GSM calls between external networks and the BSCs in the
radio subsystem and is also responsible for managing and providing external access to several
customer databases.

The MSC is the central unit in the NSS and controls the traffic among all of the BSCs.
In the NSS, there are three different databases called the Home Location Register (HLR), Visitor
Location Register (VLR), and the Authentication Center (AUC).

The HLR is a database which contains subscriber information and location information for each
user who resides in the same city as the MSC. Each subscriber in a particular GSM market is
assigned a unique International Mobile Subscrther Identity (IMSI), and this number is used to
identify each home user.

The VLR is a database which temporarily stores the IMSI and customer information for each
roaming subscriber who is visiting the coverage area of a particular MSC. The Authentication
Center is a strongly protected database which handles the authentication and encryption keys for
every single subscriber in the HLR and VLR. The Authentication Center contains a register
called the Equipment Identity Register (EIR) which indentifies stolen or fraudulently altered
phones that transmit identity data that does not match with information contained in either the
HLR or VLR.

The OSS supports one or several Operation Maintenance Centers (OMC) which are used to
monitor and maintain the performance of each MS, BS, BSC, and MSC within a GSM system.
The OSS has three main functions, which are 1) to maintain all telecommunications hardware
and network operations with a particular market, 2) manage all charging and billing procedures,
and 3) manage all mobile equipment in the system.