Chapter 1

Basic concepts of GSM

1.1 Cellular concept
A radiotelephone system uses a radio link between the portable terminal (mobile
station MS) and the telephone network. The radio link between the mobile phone and the network must be
of sufficient quality, which requires the establishment of a set of base stations (BTS) on
the entire territory that we want to cover, so that the terminal is always less than
a few kilometers from one of them.

What is called a cell is the surface on which the mobile phone can establish a connection.
with a determined base station. The principle is to divide a region into a certain number of
cells served by a low-power radio relay (the BTS), emitting at frequencies
different from those used on neighboring cells. These cells must be contiguous on the surface.
covered. Obviously, the number of frequencies allocated to the GSM system being limited, the operator
is required to reuse the same frequencies on cells far enough apart so that
Two communications using the same frequency do not interfere with each other.

The hexagon is the regular shape that resembles the circle the most and that can be juxtaposed without
leave empty zones. However, the reality on the ground is quite different from this theoretical model,
notably in urban areas where numerous obstacles prevent linear propagation.

The hexagonal grid allows for the following conditions to be met:

Same cell size, therefore homogeneous coverage and a priori homogeneous distribution of
traffic on each of the cells.
Better coverage and quality of service (for example, an Indoor Deep service can be
obtained in the city center by shortening the inter-site distances.
Application of a regular frequency reuse pattern, in order to ensure better
C/I (useful signal power ratio of the base station to total power of
interferences) depending on reuse distances.
For this same constraint of reused frequencies, trisectoral sites are preferred.
to the omnidirectional configurations. The diagram below presents the data
classical geometric shapes related to trisector sites.
1.2 Mobility Concept
La mobilité des abonnés dans un réseau cellulaire a deux conséquences :

To establish communication, one must know in which cell the subscriber is located. It is the
location management function.
There must be continuity of communication when the subscriber moves from one cell to another.
(inter-cellular transfer, commonly referred to as handover).

If the mobility of a subscriber extends to several countries, roaming agreements must then be made.
among the different operators so that the communications of a foreign subscriber are processed and
result.

1.3 Communication Security

To prevent fraudulent eavesdropping of communications, the GSM system uses the following means

Subscriber authentication before accessing a communication.

The use of a temporary identity (TMSI =Temporary Mobile Station Identity.
Encryption of communications (encryption).
 Chapter 2

Architecture of a GSM mobile radio network

A GSM network consists of three subsystems:

the BSS Radio subsystemBase Station Sub-system

the Network sub-system NSS Network and Switching Sub-system
the OSS operating subsystemOperation Support Sub-system

Thus, one can schematically represent a mobile radio network as follows:

2.1 Mobile Station

The Mobile Station (MS) is composed of the Mobile Equipment (the GSM terminal) and the Subscriber
Identity Module (SIM), a small card equipped with memory and a microprocessor, which is used for identification.
the subscriber regardless of the terminal used; it is therefore possible to continue receiving and
make calls and use all these services simply by inserting the SIM card into a
any terminal.
Mobile Equipment

The Mobile Equipment is identified (exclusively) within any GSM network by

the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI).

The IMEI is a 15-digit number that has the following structure: IMEI = TAC / FAC / SNR / sp

Where:

TAC = Type Approval Code, determined by the central body of the GSM (6 digits)

FAC = Final Assembly Code, identifies the manufacturer (2 digits)

· SNR =Serial Number(6 chiffres)

sp = Additional reserve figure (1 digit)

GSM terminals are divided into five classes based on their maximum power of
transmission on the radio channel, which varies between a maximum of 20 Watts and a minimum of 0.8

Watt. The following table summarizes the characteristics of these five classes.

The power of the MS determines its ability to distance itself from the stations.
transmitters/receivers (BTS) of the network while continuing to use the service.

A feature of the MS is the ability to change the transmission power of the signal.
dynamic radio channel on 18 levels so as to always maintain the
optimal transmission power, thus reducing interference between channels, which
intervene on adjacent cells, and the terminal expenses. These last two aspects are
potentialized by the Discontinuous Transmit (DTX) which blocks transmission when
the user is not in a conversation thanks to the Voice Activity Detection (VAD) function, which checks
the presence or absence of vocal activity. The increase or decrease in signal power
is transmitted to the MS by the BSS, which constantly monitors the quality of the
communication.

YES

The SIM card contains the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), which is used to identify the subscriber.
in any of the GSM systems, and the cryptographic procedures that safeguard
the user's information secret as well as other data such as,

for example, the alphanumeric memory of the phone and the memory related to text messages

(SMS) and finally the passwords that prevent the unauthorized use of the card and access to others
additional functions.

The IMSI has the following structure: MCC / MNC / MSIN

Where:

MCC = Mobile Country Code (2 or 3 digits, for France 33)

MNC = Mobile Network Code (2 digits, in France 06)

MSIN = Mobile Station Identification Number (maximum 10 digits)

2.1 The BSS (Base Station Sub-system) radio subsystem

Its main function is the management of radio resource allocation, regardless of the
subscribers, their identity or their communication. We distinguish in the BSS:

The base station BTS (Base Transceiver Station)

The Base Transceiver Station contains all the transceivers called TRX connected to the cell and
whose function is to transmit and receive information over the radio channel by proposing a
physical interface between the Mobile Station and the BSC. The BTS performs a series of functions described here.
after:

Measures of interference on channels not allocated for communications (idle channels).

Measures on the uplink, serving the handover decision algorithm.
•Calculation of Timing Advance (time advance) for time synchronization, according to the
the distance that separates the BTS from the mobile.
Detection of mobile access requests received on the common control channel (RACH).
Detection of handover access messages (HO ACCESS).
The ability to manage channelsFull Rate Half Rate.
The management of theDiversity
of Antennas, in other words the use of two receiving antennas
to improve the quality of the received signal; the two antennas receive the same signal,
independently of each other and are affected differently by fading: the probability
that they are reached at the same time by unfading is almost null.
The supervision ofStatic Wave Report (SWR) in antenna.
TheFrequency Hopping (FH): the frequency variation used in a radio channel to...
regular intervals, in order to improve the quality of service through diversity in the
frequency.
• Discontinuous Transmission (DTX) either in the uplink or in the downlink.
The ControlDynamics of Power (DPC) of the MS and BTS: the BSC determines the
optimal power with which the MS and BTS perform transmission over the radio channel
(thanks to the use of data collected by the MS and the BTS), in order to improve
the efficiency of the spectrum.
The management of encryption algorithms: the user's information is encrypted in order to
guarantee the subscriber a certain reserve on the traffic channel and on the coding one. The
the data cryptography process must be implemented by the BTS on the
information transmitted over the radio channel; the cryptographic algorithm to be used is
transmitted to the BTS by the BSC based on the indications received from the MSC and the key
cryptographic is unique for each user. The GSM Phase II standard supports 8
encryption algorithms.
The monitoring of the radio connection is done by recording the radio frequency signals, these
Reports are then sent to the BSC for development to ensure a high level of quality.
to radio communication.

The station controller of 28-Jul-2008 manages radio resources for one or more
BTS, through monitoring the connection between the BTS and the MSC (these are central units of
switching that provides connectivity to the fixed network or to other networks), and also, through the
radio channels, coding, frequency hopping, and handovers. It allows more specifically:

• The management and configuration of the radio channel: it must choose the cell for each call.
better suited and must select within it the most suitable radio channel for the
setting up communication.
 • The management of intra BSC handover: it decides, based on the readings received from the BTS, the
time to perform the handover, in other words, the cell change during the
user movements during a conversation, within the surface of
coverage of his/her skill.
• The decoding functions of Full Rate (16 kbps) or Half Rate (8 kbps) radio channels for
of channels at 64 kbps.

2.2 The NSS (Network Station Sub-system) network subsystem

It primarily performs switching and routing functions. It is therefore the one that allows access.
in the public RTCP or ISDN network. In addition to the essential switching functions, it includes
the mobility, security, and privacy management functions that are implemented in
the GSM standard.

The MSC (Mobile Services Switching Center)

The Mobile Switching Centre (MSC) is the central element of the NSS. It manages through information
received by the HLR and the VLR, the startup and management of the coding of all direct and call handling
provenance of different types of networks such as PSTN, ISDN, PLMN, and PDN. It also develops the
functionality of the gateway compared to other components of the system and process management
handover, and it ensures the switching of ongoing calls between different BSCs or to another
MSC.

Inside the service surface, we can find several MSCs, and each of them is
responsible for the traffic management of one or more BSS and from the moment users
moving across the entire surface of the cover, the MSC must be able to handle a number
of variable users in terms of type and quantity and be able to provide each one with a
constant level of service.

Other fundamental functions of the MSC are described below:

• The authentication of the caller: the identification of the MS originating the call is
necessary to determine if the user is entitled to benefit from the service.
• Discretion regarding the user's identity, in order to ensure privacy.
identity on the radio channel, even if all information is encrypted, the system goes
always be sure to transmit the IMSI assigned at the time of contract signing by the user; by
against which the Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (TMSI) is assigned at the time of the call because
it only has a temporary utility: the MSC also aims to connect the
TMSI

and the IMSI and when the mobile moves into the area controlled by another MSC, it must
assign a new TMSI.

• The handover process: A user can continue to use the network GSM,
service even when, during a conversation, he crosses the limits of the cell
in which he is located. There can be two cases:

1. The MS moves into a controlled cell always managed by the same MSC; in this case the process
the handover is managed by the same MSC.

2. The new cell in which the MS operates is under the control of another MSC; in this case
the handover process is carried out by two MSC based on the recorded signal measurements
by the receptor BTS of the MS.
The HLR (Home Location Register)

When a user subscribes to a new GSM network plan, all the information that
concerning its identification are stored on the HLR. Its mission is to communicate with the VLR.
some data related to subscribers, as soon as they move from one
location area to another. Inside the HLR, subscribers are identified as follows: MSISDN =
CC / NDC / SN

Where:

• CC = Country Code, international prefix (the French CC is 33)

• NDC = National Destination Code, subscriber's national code without the zero
• SN = Subscriber Number, a number that identifies the mobile user

The Home Location Register (HLR) is a database that can either be unique for the entire network.
to be distributed within the system; there may thus be private MSCs of HLR, but connected to it.
other MSCs. In the case where there are multiple HLRs, each of them is assigned an area of
numbering, that is to say a set of Mobile Station ISDN Number

The MSISDN exclusively identifies a subscription of a mobile phone on the plan of

numbering of the international switched public network.

The HLR, like all the other databases that we will examine later, is inserted into
workstations whose services (memory, processors, disk capacity) can be put
updated as the number of subscribers increases. It contains all the data
related to subscribers and their detailed information:

Permanent type information:

• The International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), information that exclusively identifies
the subscriber inside any GSM network and also found in the SIM card.
• The Mobile Station ISDN Number (MSISDN).
• All the services to which the subscriber has subscribed and to which they are able to access (voice, service
data, SMS, potential international call lockouts, and other services
supplementary.

Dynamic information:

• The current position of the mobile station MS, in other words the address of the VLR on which it has
was recorded.
• Eventually the situation of a number of auxiliary services.

To summarize, the functions performed by the HLR are:

Security: dialogue with the AUC and the VLR.

The registration of the position: dialogue with the VL July 28, 2008 and with the MSC.

The management of subscriber-related data: dialogue with the OMC and the VLR.

The VLR (Visitor Location Register)

The Visitor Location Register (VLR) is a database that temporarily stores the
data regarding all subscribers who belong to the geographical area it controls.
This data is requested from the HLR to which the subscriber belongs. Generally, to simplify the
claimed data and thus the structure of the system, the builders install the VLR and the MSC side by side
next to, in such a way that the geographical area controlled by the MSC and that controlled by the VLR
correspondent.

More specifically, it contains the following information:

• Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (TMSI), it is used as a guarantee of security of the

• IMSI, and it is assigned with each change of LA.
• The condition of the MS (in standby, busy, off)
• The status of additional services such as Call Waiting, Call Divert, Call Barring, etc.
• The types of services to which the subscriber has subscribed and to which he has the right to access (voice, service
data, SMS, other auxiliary services).
• The Location Area Identity (LAI) that includes the MS belonging to the group controlled by the
MSC/VLR.

The AuC (Authentication Center)

The Authentication Center is a function of the system that aims to verify if the service is
requested by an authorized subscriber, by providing either the authentication codes or for
the encryption.

The authentication mechanism verifies the legitimacy of the SIM without transmitting, however, on the
radio channel the personal information of the subscriber, such as the IMSI and the encryption key for the purpose
to verify if the subscriber trying to access the service is authorized and not abusive; the encryption by
against generates some secret codes that will be used to encrypt all exchanges that take place
on the radio channel. The authentication and encryption codes are obtained randomly for each
subscribed thanks to some sets of algorithms defined by the standard and are stored either on
the AUC only on the SIM.

Authentication is performed systematically every time the MS connects to the network and more.
precisely in the following cases:

• Every time the MS receives or makes a call.

• With each update of the MS position (location updating).
• At each request for starting activity, stopping activity or using the services
supplementary.

The AUC can also be installed as a different application on the same workstation that
contains the HLR, which is the only element of the system with which it is connected and can exchange, and moreover
Yes, it cannot be managed remotely for security reasons.

2.3 The Operating Sub-System OSS

It ensures the management and supervision of the network. This is the function whose implementation is left with
more freedom within the GSM standard. Network supervision occurs at many levels:

• Fault detection.
• Commissioning of sites.
• Parameter modification.
• Production of statistics.
In the OMCs (Operation and Maintenance Centers), we distinguish the OMC/R (Radio) which is connected to
all the entities of the BSS, through the BSC, the WTO/S (System) which is connected to the NSS subsystem
through the MSC. Finally, the WTO/M (Maintenance) controls the WTO/R and the WTO/S.

2.4 The interfaces

The Um interface

It is the interface between the two subsystems MS and the BTS. It is commonly referred to as "interface
radio" or "air interface".

The Abis interface

It is the interface between the two components of the BSS subsystem: the BTS (Base Station)

Transceiver) and the BSC (Base Station Controller).

The interface A

It is the interface between the two subsystems BSS (Base Station Sub System) and the NSS (Network)

Sub System).
 Chapter 3

Specifications of the aircraft

1 Reminder about GSM aerials
In this section, the term "aerial" refers to the complete system composed of antennas and cables.
coaxials, connectors and parallel components such as ground kits. By extension, the aerials
include all the components between the BTS and the air interface.

1.1 Components
Aerials can be divided into two main groups: antennas and coaxial junctions.
BTS.

Antenna: Interface between the incoming or outgoing electrical signal from the BTS and space.
Tilt adjustment bracket: Special mounting system to install antennas on their
support and adjustable to have a down or up tilt.
•Connector: suitable connection 50W. In GSM, we mainly use 7/16 connectors.
Sealing: Protection against water (liquid and vapor) and dust for all components.
sensitive items such as connectors and ground kits. It must be done with care so that
to increase the lifespan of aerial installations.
•Bretelle: Transition from a 50 ohm coaxial cable that must be as short as possible.
possible. It establishes the link between the BTS and the feeder and between the feeder and the antennas.
Feeder: 50Ω coaxial cable that connects the BTS to the antennas. Depending on its length it
must use an appropriate size. Installation must be carried out carefully since this type
The material is sensitive, particularly it must be bent properly and connected correctly.
•Ground kit: Electrical connection installed on coaxial lines, antennas and all
main metal components to protect the BTS in case of lightning, it also allows for
static electricity to disperse to reduce interference.
•Clamping jaw: Specific attachment for each cable (coaxial cable, electrical cable, line)
of earth and suspender.
Support: Material used for any antenna mounting solution at ground level.
desired. There are different types: pylon, rooftop pylon, mast...
BTS: Base Transmitter Station. Term in some cases that refers to all the equipment of
transmission, it includes the antennas, the tower...
2 Specifications of aerials 7.2.1 Coaxial components

Aerial cables - Other components by site type

2.2 Grounding
The global grounding of aerial components is a very important point. The reasons for grounding...
the global earth are:

Protection against nearby lightning strikes

Discharge of static electricity in cables and equipment.

The derivations of all metal parts, particularly the copper of coaxial cables, solve
the first point. That is why all these connections must be placed at every location where the
lightning could be modified or short-circuited. So:

All changes in the direction of the cable path are routed to the ground.
This is for the structure of the pylons and the cable trays.

- Surge protectors are installed to prevent any overvoltage at the BTS level. - If there is no
lightning rod or grounding (ground rods) in the area so one needs to be created
especially for the site. As antennas and BTS generate a lot of static electricity and
To protect against parasites, it is necessary to install special grounding systems.

A grounding must be installed on the antenna frame (on the lower mount in some cases)
cases).

The grounding of the BTS must be done correctly to avoid any issues with the
equipment.

3 Geometry
3.1. Definitions

GSM is a system based on cellular radio telephony. Each sector corresponds to a

cell and it must be implemented with great precision. The antennas described below
are adjustable in space and must be installed correctly, the XYZ components are linked to
following bases :

- HBA : Hauteur de Bas d'Antenne. Hauteur entre le sol et le bas de l'antenne.

Azimuth: Horizontal orientation of the front face of the antenna. Fine tuning is necessary for
improve radio quality.

- Tilt : Inclinaison de l'antenne, angle de l'antenne par rapport à au plan vertical.

3.2 Methodologies
3.2.1 Antenna Azimuth

a– Tools to use These tools are necessary and must be used in order to implement the methods
explained below:

Compass: Direct or indirect measurements of azimuths.

Must be in degrees with 1° precision.

Must be plastic and not metal.
It must allow for accurately targeting points and axes.

Example: PLASTIMO – IRIS 50 / SUNTOO Ranger Note: it must be as far away as possible from
any interfering metal source such as barriers, armored doors,…

Binoculars:

Alignment on the back plane of the antenna.

A minimum precision of 10 x 30 Example: Any model comparable to those of the

Marine.

Note: binoculars have a built-in compass. This is the best solution, but this type of
binoculars are very expensive.

b - Change of azimuths and control method IMPORTANT NOTES! - Position yourself

as far away as possible from metal structures that can disturb the compass.

In case of doubt about the measured value, try taking the measurement on the other side to compare.
3.2.2 Antenna Tilt

a – Instrument to be used This instrument must be used to be able to carry out the explained methods
below - Inclinometer (tiltmeter): direct measurement of tilt.

Must be in degrees with 0.1° precision.

It must be long enough to avoid problems with the poor flatness of the back of the antenna.
It must be easily transportable to access the antennas.

b - Tilt adjustment and control method Use the tilt meter...

IMPORTANT NOTES - Ask for the site to be shut down when you take measurements
near the antennas. Electronic devices are interfered with by radio waves and can lead to
poor results. In any case, the technician's health is at risk.

Check that the tilt meter is properly placed on the surface of the antenna, it must not be obstructed by any
rivets in particular.

Do not measure on the front face of the antenna.

Use safety equipment to access aerials. For reference, a deviation of ± - 2° is

requested nowadays

4 Labeling
Labeling is an important point that must be closely monitored. It contributes to radio quality.

Incorrect or insufficient labeling can cause serious problems that impact the network.
and particularly on the cross-sections of sectors. The inconsistency of labels or the lack of labeling.
causes significant delays in maintenance, optimization, and defect searching. To avoid
The labeling procedure must be followed from the very beginning of the site installation until its demise.

A temporary label is made on each line fixture.

- Dès que les connexions sont faites et APRES la réalisation de l'étanchéité, l'étiquetage définitif est
Set up. - All stickers must be easily readable and properly adhered.

No hidden stickers in the cable tray.

A sticker at each end of the cable and each time the cable moves from one place to another
(entering the shelter).

Cables must be arranged in a logical order to maintain a presentation that would avoid
confusions.

5 Sealing
Good sealing quality determines behavior and lifespan.
connections and all the wiring. The main objective of sealing is
to avoid direct contact with water and thus prevent oxidation of
connectors.

It also serves to protect against steam, salt, dust, and

mechanical stress. The equipment is also chosen based on the climate
surrounding.

For example, on the coastlines, we can use capsules.

self-sealing. The sealing procedure shown must be followed. TOP
COAXIAL CABLE Sealing procedure for each connection. Tape
Scotch Rubber
6 main risks
The diagrams opposite group together the main sensitive points during
the installation of the aerials.

The tightening must be particularly monitored to avoid problems of

VSWR on cables and for the efficiency and longevity of connections.

The other diagrams represent a summary of the main points to check.

like the global tightening, the installation of braces, the grounding,
the sealing and the labeling.
 Chapter 4

Technical site visit

As part of a network deployment (GSM-GPRS-UMTS), the technical visit (TV) of a site is

the step that allows or not to validate this site from a radio perspective. Carried out by the radio engineer,
This visit involves certain basic rules to follow that we will describe in this document.

We will detail the procedure that the engineer must follow during a technical visit and
specify some engineering rules that he must apply.

We will distinguish two phases of the VT, when the engineer arrives on site before climbing on
the structure of the site, then when the engineer is on the structure of the site.

1 Before going to the site

The site engineer arrives on site and must first carry out some checks before going there.
climber. He is usually accompanied by a researcher and a designer.

He first checks the geographical location of the site by looking at the names of the streets around.
of the site and the positioning of the surrounding buildings in order to subsequently carry out the pointing of the
location on an IGN map. He simultaneously notes the exact address of the site and assigns a name to the site.
agreement with the negotiator and the designer.

He takes his compass and checks for the first time where north and the other bearings are located.
remarkable because once at height, especially if there are many metal structures
surrounding it, the compass may not accurately indicate the position of north.

Moreover, it is important for the engineer to know on one hand the exact position of the theoretical point.
and on the other hand, the azimuths of the antennas of any potential neighboring sites.

He observes the environment around the site to determine what type of engineering he will need.
apply: macro, mini, micro or picocellular, depending on the surrounding environment: urban
dense, urban, suburban, residential, wooded rural, open rural, commercial zone or industrial zone.

He is finally looking at the structure of the site where he has to install the antennas and must take certain
precautions based on the type of site it is faced with.

If it is a building, it tries to determine whether its top is a flat roof or a tiled roof. It
may, depending on the case, provide oneself with safety equipment.

The structure can also be a water tower, a pylon (of which he will have to determine the structure
exact: monotube, lattice) or a pylon. In all cases, it must plan for the use of its
safety equipment.

Finally, the technical visit may involve using a lift. In this case, it means that a
A preliminary visit was made to determine the maximum height of the platform to be used. It can
This is a site where a pole will have to be built, the engineer determines in advance the exact location.
where the pylon should be installed and he chooses a place that is quite close both geographically and to the
level of the environmental conditions for it to perform the ascent in the basket. It determines
also up to what height the elevation must be carried out.

It can also be a type of tile roof site or any other type of site that is difficult to access and
requiring the use of a lift. In this case as well, the engineer determines the location where
will make the lift in the nacelle after studying the environment and the height at which it will be elevated
nacelle.

In both cases, before getting into the gondola, the engineer tries to locate his azimuths.
remarkable on the ground. Furthermore, in the case of a lift in a gondola, the height planned for
The elevation can be modified according to the obstacles and masks present.

2 On the site

Cohabitation

Once on site, the engineer first observes whether there is cohabitation with one or more
other operators must take place at the relevant site in the event that antennas are already present
present. If there are already antennas, one must try to determine which operator they belong to.
belong.

2.2 Environment

Then, the engineer analyzes the environment around him and tries to determine if possible the
distance that separates it from the theoretical point. Then it confirms or refutes the type of environment that one
as defined above, namely dense urban, urban, suburban, housing estate, wooded rural, open rural, area
commercial or industrial zone.

2.3 Validation

He then tries to estimate at first glance, based on the possible masks, whether this site will be
validated or not. To do this, he aims with the compass at the three azimuths 0°, 120°, and 240° and checks if those-
are they well cleared or not. If they are moderately cleared but we can find a solution
by shifting one or more azimuths, or if a compromise can be found with the surrounding sites, the
site is validated.

2.4 Positioning of installations

Once he has estimated that the site can be validated, the engineer determines several
features for this site regarding the positioning of antennas, the structures to be put in
place and the types of support.

2.4.1 Useful Height

He first tries to estimate the useful height for the installations to be set up.

For a rooftop terrace, we estimate the height of the building we are on by counting the number
of floors (ground floor included) and by multiplying it by the average height of a floor, included
generally between 2.60 m for a recent building and up to 4 m for an old building.

For a tiled roof, the same process is used, stopping at the surface of the attic and not at the ridge of the roof.
roof.
For an existing pylon, a water tower, or a silo, the height will generally correspond to the
maximum height of this building, but it will not necessarily be at this exact height that will be
installed the antennas (thus shorter).

For a pylon to be built, the usable height will correspond to the height of the support defined by
the radio engineer once inside the basket depending on the clearance and possible obstacles.

2.4.2 Clearance

The engineer then draws on a clearance diagram the possible masks included between 0° and
360° by clearly specifying the nature of these masks (buildings, trees, hills,...), their distance by
report on the site and their height.

Furthermore, the clearance in horizontal and vertical plans must comply with certain
rules.

2.4.3 Azimuths

The engineer then determines the number of sectors of the studied site and the exact azimuths of these sectors.
taking into account that the standard azimuths are 0°, 120°, and 240°, while reserving the right
to modify these azimuths according to the following parameters: obstacles, specific area to cover,
positioning of the antennas of neighboring sites. The engineer will still try to maintain a
gap as close as possible to 120° between the antennas.

[Link] Type of installation

A type of installation is c 24-Jul-2008 and a unique antenna called crosspolar, in the case where
This is a macrocellular or small cell coverage. Regarding diversity
In terms of spaces, it should be noted that we distinguish between horizontal diversity and vertical diversity.
to install space diversity, the antennas must be separated by a distance equal to 10 times their
wavelength (10l), which is a length of about 3 meters, but this length can be reduced
for reasons related to installation constraints (lack of space, terrace effect,…). If
this is a microcell coverage, the chosen antenna will be of omnidirectional type. This choice
will depend on the available space on the site, the site's infrastructure, and any potential issues
of integration into the environment and the objectives to be met for coverage, knowing that we are trying
to prioritize the diversity of spaces as much as possible.

[Link] Engineering Rules

At the same time, the engineer determines the desired antenna base height and, depending on
he chooses antenna supports and antennas that will meet this height. Then he fixes
a support height for each azimuth and an antenna height, and it determines
How will this type of support be fixed according to the infrastructure, knowing that the different types...
The following supports are feasible:

mast on concrete pads

mast installed on I-beam

flagpole on a structure

attached mast against a chimney

mast in facade against a wall

mast with chair for wall recovery

on lattice tower

on a monolithic pylon

The masts are rarely more than 6 m in height, and it should be known that when the height of the
The structure used to fix the antennas is more than 4 meters above the surface of the building.
A work declaration (DT) must be made. It should be noted that in the case of a flag installation
On the kiosk, it is the height of the mast exceeding the kiosk that is taken into account for the declaration.
or not of work. Thus, if the mast exceeds 4 meters of

the structure, this means that one can use a 6-meter mast, since generally, 1/3 of the height of
the support must be fixed on the kiosk.

For a tiled roof, it is generally recommended to fix the mast in the attic and hide the top of the
mast - therefore the antennas - in a false chimney.

In the case where the support is a mast, we establish the rule that antennas must not
exceeding the pylon, and that the height of the pylon depends primarily on the height of the base antenna

(HBA) that we wish to obtain.

Regarding the position of the antennas, specific rules must be followed, namely:

The antennas must be positioned more than two meters from the edge of a terrace, knowing that one
will favor, as far as possible, the grouping of antennas on a structure (without neglecting
however, the risks of terrace effect.

Regarding the horizontal clearance

The radio engineer must also ensure that the clearance in the horizontal plane is properly maintained.
in the evening a release of the lobe at 10dB on either side of the antenna's firing axis (see diagram ci-
below).

To obtain this clearance, we adhere to the values in the following table:

Regarding vertical clearance

The clearance and position of the antennas must be based on the distance to the first.
obstacle on a terrace. (see following diagram).

According to the distance d (distance between the bottom of the antenna and the edge of the terrace), the distance h between the bottom
Antenna and the edge of the first obstacle must comply with the values in the table below:

Note: It can be accepted as a simple usage rule that the angle formed by the length between
the foot of the mast and the edge of the terrace, and the length between the bottom of the antenna and the edge of the terrace must
to be above 30°.

Rules of cohabitation

Coexistence with one or more operators on the same site is possible provided that
to respect certain points.
As a general rule, no antenna will be installed within the 120° opening of an existing antenna.
while maintaining a distance of 3 meters in horizontal decoupling. One may deviate from these
rules by performing a vertical decoupling, the vertical distance to be maintained between two antennas should
so being over 1 meter, knowing that this distance is set to be lowered to 50 cm according to the
operators.

Regarding vertical decoupling, we will distinguish between cases where the antennas are coplanar or not. If
the antennas are in the same plane, that is the rule specified above, or 50 cm apart between the two
antennas, which is used. Otherwise, the distance between the two antennas must be at least the distance
previous, and at least half the distance between the two planes, which is summarized in the diagram
following:

Moreover, these few rules can also be adjusted and the distances reduced if one
knows at what frequency/ies the antennas of the other operator emit and that those ones
are different from the emission frequencies of our antennas.

[Link] Types of antennas

Once the size of the antenna is determined, a type of antenna is chosen by defining its aperture.
horizontal (xx), its vertical opening (yy) and the electric tilt (zz) that will be assigned to it, so that
each antenna can be characterized as follows: HxxVyyTz.

These parameters are dependent on the environment and can be modified later by the office.
of studies when the simulation will be carried out. If the environment suggests it, the radio engineer may
also determine a mechanical tilt for each of the antennas. To calculate the tilts

(electrical and mechanical), the engineer observes where the nearest obstacle is located in a
It gives the azimuth and roughly calculates the vertical angle between the point where it is located and this obstacle.
This angle determines the overall tilt that it should give to its antenna, making the division among tilt.
electric and mechanical and knowing that an electric tilt will be favored over a mechanical tilt

(see following diagram).

Moreover, the global tilt value (electric + mechanical) must not exceed 10-12°. This value
the tilt provided by the radio engineer is approximate and will be modified by the study office if the
the coverage is not good or if on the contrary there is a risk of interference with the following site.

Il pourra être précisé également si éventuellement des faisceaux hertziens sont à prévoir.

2.4.5 Sketches, comments and radio buttons

The radio engineer must then clearly reproduce on a sketch a view of the location of the
antennas and the structure of the building (typically a top view is sufficient for a roof
terrace), so that we understand where and how the antennas will be positioned. In this drawing,
The location of the BTS will also be specified, as well as the routing of the cables.

The location of the BTS must be chosen in such a way that its access is easy and that the length
the cables should be as short as possible.

An explicit comment summarizing the main aspects of the VT and the characteristics of the site is
also welcome.

Finally, the engineer will not forget to assign an overall score between 0 and 3 based on
only on the radio quality of the site (a score of 0 corresponds to an unvalidated site). This score
corresponds to a radio button for the site, a rating of 2 or 3 (site satisfying the objectives)

corresponding to choice 1.

3 After the visit.

Before submitting his VT report, the radio engineer must mark it on an IGN map.
the exact location of the site he visited, and to transmit the coordinates in Lambert 2 extended
this one at the design office.

This is the final step regarding the proper execution of a technical visit by the engineer.
radio.
 Chapter 5

THE COMMANDS AT
1 - Generalities
AT commands are defined in the GSM 07.07 standard (for SMS see GSM 07.05). AT is
the abbreviation of ATtention. These 2 characters are always present to start a line of
command in text form (ASCII codes). The commands allow complete management of
mobile.

Three entities are defined:

oTE: Terminal Equipment (send and display commands.
oTA: Terminal Adapter (interface between the user and the mobile).
oME: Mobile Equipment.

Operating diagram

ASCII Codes
In general, AT commands must be typed in UPPERCASE (65,0x41,A and 84,0x54,T). The
Every AT command should respond with 'OK'. The character <CR> Carriage return (10,0x0A)
(cf. ATS4 command). The character <LF> Linefeed (13, 0x0D) (cf. ATS3 command).
Structure of an AT command

Structure of a response

Basic commands (1)

•ATI[<value>] : Display of TA parameters.
ATZ[<value>] : Loading default parameters saved by the user.
•AT&F[<value>] : Loading the default parameters stored by the manufacturer.
 •ATE[<value>] : Echo of AT commands (def. 1).
•ATQ[<value>] : Suppression of the result (def. 0).

Error display selection

•ATV[<value>] : Réponse verbeuse (déf. 1).
If the TA does not accept the order:
. 1 : <CR><LF>ERROR<CR><LF>
.0:4
•AT+CMEE=[<n>] : details of the ME errors :
o0 : ERROR
o1 : +CME ERROR : <err> (cf. §9.2 GSM 07.07)
o2 : +CME ERROR : <Verbose Err>

Call management commands

AT+CSTA=[<type>] : Select the type of telephone numbers.
International numbering (with +).
The other cases.
•ATD<option>: Sending a voice call or other.
•ATT: Frequency numbering.
ATP: Numbering by pulses.
ATA: Hangs up the line during an ongoing call.
ATH: Reconnect the ongoing communication.
•AT+CHUP: GSM version of the H command, (see +CVHU).

The options of command D

•Usable characters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 * # + AB C
Unused characters :D , T P !W@
Special characters:
As soon as the character ; is encountered, a voice call is launched.

search for the number in the directory.

If or I supplementary service subscription, cf. +CLIR.
oG or g supplementary service information, cf. +CCUG.

Examples
Normal call: ATD222[;]
Searches in the directory:
Call by the alphanumeric name.
Call by number n of memory mem (see +CPBS).
Call by index number n.

Call mode management

•AT+CMOD=[<mode>] : Call mode selection.
single mode.
o1 alternating voice/fax (teleservice 61).
o2 alternierende Sprach-/Datenübertragung (Tragdienst 61).
o3 voice followed by data (bearer service 81).
 See also AT+CSNS and +FCLASS.
AT+CBST=[<speed>,[<name>][,<ce>]]] : Selection of the transport service.
•AT+CR=[<mode>] : Display the call mode (1 enable, 0 disable).
oASYNC, SYNC, REL ASYNC, REL SYNC, GPRS.
•AT+CRC=[<mode>] : Display of extended call mode (1 enable, 0 disable).
oASYNC, SYNC, REL ASYNC, REL SYNC.
oFAX, VOICE, VOICE/xxx.
oALT VOICE/xxx, ALT xxx/VOICE.
oALT VOICE/FAX, ALT FAX/VOICE.
oGPRS <PDP_type>, <PDP_addr> [, <L2P>]
AT+S0=[<n>] : Selection of the number of rings before automatic pickup.

Voice followed by data

Voice and data

Voice and FAX

General commands
AT+CGMI : Manufacturer name of the ME.

. AT+CGMI
 . +CGMI: SAGEM
AT+CGMM: Identification of the mobile equipment model.

. AT+CGMM
. +CGMM: G7XX
oAT+CGMR: Version and model level of ME
. AT+CGMR
. +CGMR: SAGEM OX1.0M
AT+CGSN: IMEI Identification.
. AT+CGSN
. +CME ERROR: 22 (not found)

Special network functions

•AT+CNUM: MSISDN number of the user.
•AT+CREG : Network registration information.
•AT+COPN, AT+COPS: List and selection of a network operator.
AT+CLCK: Locking or unlocking of the ME.
•AT+CPWD: Definition of the password for +CLCK.
•AT+CLIP, AT+COLP: Call identification.
•AT+CLIR : Call identification restriction.
AT+CCUG: Call grouping.
AT+CCFC: Call forwarding conditions.
•AT+CCWA: Management of waiting calls.
AT+CSSN: Display additional service information.
•AT+CLCC : List of ongoing calls.

Example (1)
AT+CREG=1 (validation of the display of registration codes)
OK
AT+CREG?
+CREG: 1,1 (The ME is registered in its home PLMN network)
OK
AT+COPS=3,2;+COPS?;+COPS=3,0;+COPS?
+COPS: 0,2,"24405" (requesting the country code...
+COPS: 0,0,"RADIOLINJA" ...and the name of the operator)
OK
...user wanders to another PLMN...
+CREG: 2 (exit from the research network of the new PLNM)
+CREG: 5 (registered again, but not on the home PLMN)
AT+COPS=3,2;+COPS?;+COPS=3,0;+COPS?
+COPS: 0,2,"24491" (requesting country code...
+COPS: 0,0,"TELIA MOBITEL" …and the name of the operator)
OK
... the user loses connection, no more network...
+CREG: 0

Example (2)
AT+COPS=?
+COPS: (2,"RADIOLINJA","RL","24405"),(0,"TELE","TELE","24491")
OK
AT+COPS?
RADIO LINE
OK
AT+COPS=1,0,"TELE"
CME ERROR: 3 (not allowed)

Example (3)
AT+CCWA=1,1;+COLP=1 (Call waiting management and
OK call identification
ATD9311234567; (sending a voice call)
+COLP: "+358311234567",145
OK
...conversation...
+CCWA: "+358317654321",145 (another call is incoming)
AT+CHLD=2 (on hold the 1st call)
OK
...conversation...
AT+CHLD=1 (hangs up the 2nd call (active))
OK
ATH (hang up the first call)
OK

Example (4)

AT+CLIP=1;+CRC=1
OK
...
+CRING: VOICE
+CLIP: +35812345,145
... ringtone...
ATA disengagement
OK
... remote reconnection
NO CARRIER

General commands
AT+CGMI: Manufacturer name of the ME.

. AT+CGMI
. +CGMI: SAGEM
oAT+CGMM: Identification of the model of the ME.
. AT+CGMM
. +CGMM: G7XX
oAT+CGMR: Version and model level of ME.
. AT+CGMR
. +CGMR: SAGEM OX1.0M
oAT+CGSN : IMEI Identification.
. AT+CGSN
. +CME ERROR: 22 (not found)
Management commands of the ME
•AT+CPAS: ME status.
ready.
o1: not available.
o2: unknown.
o3: the ringtone is active.
o4: a call is in progress.
o5 : watch.
•AT+CPIN : Password control.
oREADY, SIM PIN, SIM PUK, etc...
•AT+CBC : Battery status.
I was fed by the battery
o1: Not powered by the battery.
o2: no battery.
o3: power failure.
Monitoring the remaining charge percentage.
•AT+CSQ : Signal quality.
AT+CKPD: Keyboard emulation of the ME.
AT+CMEC: Control of the ME's keyboard and screen.
AT+CDIS: Writing a message on the ME screen.
AT+CIND : Management of ME indicators.
oBattchg, signal, service, sounder, message, call, vox, roam, smsfull.
AT+CMER: Displaying messages from the ME.
•AT+CCLK=<time> : Set the ME time.
•AT+CALA : Management of the ME alarm.
•AT+CALM=<mode> : Management of the ME alarm sound.
o0 : normal mode
o1: silent mode.
o2: manufacturer...
•AT+CRSL=<level> : Volume level management of the ME ringtone
AT+CVIB=<mode> : Management of the vibration system of the ME.
invalid
o1: validated.
o16: manufacturer...
•AT+CLVL=<level>: Management of the speaker level of the ME.

Example (1)
AT+CMEE=2;+CREG=1 (Display of errors and reports)
OK
AT+CPAS (State of the ME)
+CPAS: 5 (The ME is in standby)
OK
AT+CFUN=1 (Complete power on of the ME)
CME ERROR: SIM PIN required (Request for PIN code)
AT+CPIN="1234"
CME ERROR: incorrect password
AT+CPIN="4321"
OK (PIN correct)

Selection of directory memory

 AT+CPBS=<mem> : Selection of the PB (Phone Book) memory.
oDC: List of calls from the ME.
List of emergency numbers (SIM or ME).
oFD: List of fixed numbers of the SIM.
OLD: List of the last number called from the SIM.
oMC: List of emergency numbers (SIM or ME).
oME: List of ME numbers.
oMT: List of the combined numbers of the SIM and the ME.
oON: List of the eigenvalues of the SIM.
oRC: List of numbers received on the ME.
oSM: List of SIM numbers.
oTA: List of TA numbers.

Lecture/writing of PB entries
AT+CPBR=<ind1>[,<ind2>] : Read the PB.
•AT+CPBF=<findtext>: Search in the PB.
•AT+CPBW=[<index>] [,<number>[,<type>[,<text>]]] : Write to the PB.

AT+CPBS=?
(Possible memories are ME and SIM)
OK
AT+CPBS="ME" (selection of the ME memory)
OK
AT+CPBR=? (Reading the possible values of the indices)
+CPBR: (1-99),30,30
OK
AT+CPBR=1,99 (Reading entries, displaying non-null entries)
+CPBR: 1,"931123456",129,"Ilkka"
+CPBR: 2,"9501234567",129,""
+CPBR: 4,"901234567",129,"Hesari"
OK
AT+CPBW=4;+CPBW=3,"921123456",,"TS" (Deleting index 4 and writing on index 3)
OK

SMS Commands
AT+CSMS=<service> : Selection of the message service.
•AT+CPMS=<mem>: Memory selection.
oAT+CPMS=?
o+CPMS:("ME","MT","SM")
oOK
•AT+CMGF=[<mode>] : Selection of the message format.
0 : PDU mode (default). 1 : Text mode.
AT+CCSA=<sca>[,<tosca>] : Selection of the SMSC address.
oAT+CSCA?
o00000000000000000000
oERROR
oAT+CSCA=?
o+CSCA: 0..9#*+?
oOK
•AT+CSMP: Management of Text Mode parameters.
oAT+CSMP=?
 o+CSMP=(17),(71,167,173,255),(0),(0)
oOK
•AT+CSDH: Detailed display of Text mode.
AT+CSCB: Selection of Cell Broadcast messages.
AT+CSAS: Save SMS configuration.
AT+CRES: Restoration of the SMS configuration.
•AT+CNMI: Indication of new messages.
oAT+CNMI?
o+CNMI=1,1,0,0,0
OK
oAT+CMGL: List of messages.
oAT+CMGF=1
oOK
oAT+CMGL
o+CMGL:900,"REC READ","+33617283871","01/09/21,13:48:45+00",51
Hey, how much do you think we are going to make it with these modems?

o+CMGL:901,"REC READ","20332","02/01/16,14:47:35+00",160
oMobicarte info: You can now use your mobile in Guadeloupe,...
Meeting, in Morocco, in Switzerland. More info at 722(0.37E 2.40F/min) or [Link]
o+CMGL:902,"REC READ","20328","02/01/17,09:19:10+00",136
Orange info: Mobicarte top-ups in euros have arrived! Make your choice: 15€,
25E + 5E offered or 35E + 10E offered. Take advantage of it!
OK

PDU mode
AT+CMGF=0
OK
AT+CMGL
+CMGL:900,1,64
07913306091093F0240B913316273878F100001090123184540033D330BB4E078DC52078D93D2F
CF
41F43A68FD7683EC61501E1496CBD3F6B21C14B697C7A071790E6ABFC9E5F61C
+CMGL:901,1,156
07913386094000F00405830233F239F120106141745300A0CDB7383D0ECBE96550DA6D7E83742
062
61FE96B7C3E939C8FEAECF41F077DD5ED683EAF4343B3D2FCB41F6375D5E06B5DFE234BB
0C2ABB41
C77A985C66BFEBF0320BF407B1C32069A1EE4EBFDD2C50B80E6A86E5EF310B547683A6F5F
47C5E76
81A0ECFA1C443EA5DDE6F71C14AE836E32190AC69ADD8A2D198B0633BEDA69770AF4AE8
3DEF2B0FB
5C7699E5
OK

Reading messages
AT+CMGR=<index> : Reading messages.
oAT+CPMS?
o+CPMS:"ME",3,20
oOK
oAT+CMGR=901
o+CMGR:"REC READ","20332","02/01/16,14:47:35+00",160
 oMobicarte info: You can now use your mobile in Guadeloupe, ...
Meeting, in Morocco, in Switzerland. More info at 722(0.37E-2.40F/min) or [Link]
oOK

Sending SMS
•AT+CMGS=<da>[,<toda>] : Sending messages (terminated by Ctrl+Z, 0x1A, 26). Cancel by
ESC, 0x1B, 27.
AT+CMSS=<index>[,<da>[,<toda>]] : Sending messages from memory.
AT+CMGW: Writing messages.
oAT+CMGW="cb"
Hello from cb !!
o>
o+CMGW:903
oOK
oAT+CMGR=903
STO UNSENT
Hello from cb !!
oOK
AT+CMGD=<index> : Deleting messages.

Generalities
SMS: Short Messages Service. The short message service requires the implementation of a certain
number of servers on the network (Service Centre, SC). They allow saving and retransmitting the
SMS until the recipient can actually receive the messages (if they are not on the
network for example). An SC is not an integral part of the network, but it is often integrated into the MSC.

Operation
The SMS-GMSC gateway function allows routing messages to the VMSC (Visited MSC) in
interrogating the HLR. A message sent from a mobile is routed to the MSC which at the
SC feature. This MSC is called SMS-IWMSC (Short Message Service-InterWorking)
MSC). The procedures for routing SMS are similar to those for telephone calls.
(MAP).

Sending an SMS from a mobile phone

Transfer of an SMS to a mobile
Main coaxial cables
General characteristics
The coaxial cables used for GSM 900, 1800, and UMTS networks are the same
these are coaxial cables with a polyethylene dielectric
cellular.
The selected types are: ½", 7/8", 1"1/4, 1"5/8
The frequency bands used are as follows:
GSM 900: 880 to 960 MHz
GSM 1800: 1710 to 1880 MHz
UMTS: 1920 to 2170 MHz
Impedance: 50 Ω
- ROS max GSM band 900 < 1.11 (<-26 dB)
ROS max GSM 1800 and UMTS < 1.15 (<-23 dB)
Permissible power in continuous mode: >500 W
Intermodulation:
- order 3: < -155 dBc
- other orders (2,5,7 etc…): < - 160 dBc

RF shielding (cable and connector leaks)

Measurement conditions: power emitted at the cable input: 40 dBm (10 W)
the field measured at a distance of 1m and by moving the measuring antenna
Laterally to the cable will be: < 55 dBμv/m
Supported temperature range: -40° to +55°
Relative humidity: 15% to 100%
- Protection : IP67