GSM Channes

Number of channes requred

durng ca set-up (1)

Channe to transmt nformaton to

hep the mobe staton to tune nto the
network.

Channe to transmt synchronsaton

nformaton.

Channe to transmt nformaton about

the network to hep the mobe know
about the frequences beng used n ts
ce as we as n surroundng ces.

Number of channes requred
durng ca set-up (2)

Channe to transmt mobe statons

request to ntate ca set-up.

Channe to set up a ca.

Channe to transmt handover

nformaton.

Channe to page the caed party.

Channe to transmt measurements.

Channe to transmt actua

conversatons.

Channe Organzaton

Each tmesot on a TDMA frame s caed

a physca channe.

Therefore, there are 8 physca channes

per carrer frequency n GSM.

The paths used to carry nformaton

between a Mobe Staton and a BTS s
known as the Physca Channe.

Physca channes can be used to

transmt speech, data or sgnang
nformaton.

A physca channe may carry dfferent

messages, dependng on the nformaton that
s to be sent.

These dfferent nformaton carred on the

Physca channe are cassfed as Logca
Channes.

For exampe, on one of the physca channes

used for traffc, the traffc tsef s transmtted
usng a Traffc Channe (TCH) message, whe a
handover nstructon s transmtted usng a
Fast Assocated Contro Channe (FACCH)
message.

Logca Channes

Many types of ogca channes

exsts each desgned to carry a
dfferent message to or from an
MS.

Logca Channes are dvded nto

two groups
1) Contro Channes
2) Traffc Channes

Contro Channes

Broadcast Channes (BCH)

Frequency Correcton Channe (FCCH)

Synchronzaton Channe (SCH)

Broadcast Contro Channe (BCCH)

Common Contro Channes (CCCH)

Pagng Channe (PCH)

Random Access Channe (RACH)

Access Grant Channe (AGCH)

Dedcated Contro Channes (DCCH)

Stand aone Dedcated Contro Channe (SDCCH)

Sow Assocated Contro Channe (SACCH)

Fast Assocated Contro Channe (FACCH)

Contro Channes
Contro channes carry sgnang
nformaton
used by the MS to ocate a BTS,
synchronze
tsef wth the BTS, and receve
nformaton
requred to perform the ca setup.
There are three categores of Contro
Channes:
6) Broadcast Contro
7) Dedcated Contro
8) Common Contro

Broadcast Channes

A Broadcast Channes are transmtted

pont to mut-pont over the downnk

Frequency Correcton Channe (FCCH):

Provdes the frequency correcton
nformaton used by the MS

The MS searches for ths channes to

swtch on.

Downnk

FCCH contd..,

On FCCH, nformaton contanng ony

zeroes are transmtted.

Ths serves two purposes. Frst to make

sure that ths s the BCCH carrer, and
second to aow the MS to read the
frequency.

FCCH s transmtted downnk ony.

Synchronzaton Channe (SCH):

After ockng to the frequency the MS

synchronses wth the SCH.

Contans the Base Staton Identty

Code (BSIC) and the TDMA frame
number used for synchronzaton of
the MS to the new BTS

Broadcast Contro Channe

The MS must receve some genera

nformaton concernng the ce n order to
start roamng, watng for cas to arrve or
makng cas.

The needed nformaton s broadcast on

theBroadcast Contro CHanne (BCCH) and
ncudes

Lst of frequences used n the ce

Frequency hoppng sequence
Lst of neghbourng ces whch shoud be
montored by MS
Locaton area Identty
Max transmsson power aowed n the ce

Usng FCCH, SCH, and BCCH the MS

tunes to a BTS and synchronzed wth
the frame structure n that ce.

The BTSs are not synchronzed to each

other.

Therefore, every tme the MS camps on

another ce, t must sten to FCCH, SCH
and BCCH n the new ce.

Common contro channes
Random Access Channel:

Used by a MS to request access to the

system.

RACH nformaton s transmtted over

the upnk

Used for e.g. mobe orgnated cas.

Pagng Channe (PCH)

Used to page the mobe staton.

At certan tme ntervas the MS stens to the

PCH to check f the network wants to make
contact wth the MS.

The reason why the network may want to

contact the MS coud be an ncomng ca or an
ncomng short message.

So, MS actvey sten to PCH to check contact

nfo wthn certan tme.

PCH nformaton s transmtted over the

downnk.

The MS stens to the PCH to

determne when t s beng paged.

When the MS s paged, t repes on

the RACH requestng a sgnang
channe.

RACH can aso be used f the MS

wants to contact the network.

For exampe, when settng up a

mobe orgnatng ca.

Access Grant Channe (AGCH):

Used by the BTS to assgn a

dedcated contro channe. (SDCCH)

A downnk channe ony.

Dedcated channes
Standaone Dedcated Contro Channe
(SDCCH):

Carres sgnang nformaton between

BTS and MS durng ca setup. ex:
authentcaton

The traffc channe (TCH) s assgned by

usng SDCCH.

B-drectona channe.

Dedcated channes
contd..,
Sow Assocated Contro Channe
(SACCH):

Transmts ca contro data,

measurement reports durng
connecton.

Carres contro and measurement

parameters aong wth routne data
necessary to mantan a rado nk
between the MS and the BTS

B-drectona channe.

Dedcated channes
contd..,
Fast Assocated Contro Channe
(FACCH):

Carres urgent sgnang nformaton

For quck contro communcaton, e.g.

handover.

Physcay repaces speech, "steang

mode"

Dedcated channes
contd..,

FACCH works n steang mode meanng

that one 20 ms segment of speech s
exchanged for sgnang nformaton
necessary for the handover.

Under norma condtons the subscrber

does not notce the speech nterrupton
because the speech coder repeats the
prevous speech bock.

Ths channe s used ony f requred.

Traffc Channes

Traffc Channes carry ether speech or

data. There are three types of traffc
channes:
1) Full-Rate

B-drectona channe.

Used for speech or data transmsson.

User data bt rate 13 kbt/s

6) Half-Rate

B-drectona channe.

Used for speech or data transmsson.

User data bt rate 6-7 kbt/s.

3) Enhanced Fu Rate (EFR)

B-drectona channe.

Used for hgh quaty speech

transmsson.

User data bt rate 13 kbt/s.