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In 1946, the first car-based telephone was set up in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. The
system used a single radio transmitter on top of a tall building. A single channel was
used, therefore requiring a button to be pushed to talk, and released to listen. This half
duplex system is still used by modern day CB radio systems utilized by police and
taxi operators. In the 1960s, the system was improved to a two-channel system, called
the improved mobile telephone system (IMTS). Since frequencies were limited, the
system could not support many users.
(1970) Cellular radio systems, implemented for the first time in the advanced mobile
phone system (AMPS), support more users by allowing reuse of frequencies. AMPS
is an analogue system, and is part of first generation cellular radio systems. In
contrast, second generation systems are digital. In the USA, two standards are used
for second generation (2G) systems: IS-95 (CDMA) and IS-136 (D-AMPS).
Europe consolidated to one system called the global systemfor mobile
communications (GSM). Japan uses a system called personal digital cellular (PDC).
Cellular History
Cellular radio is the fastest growing
segment of the communications industry.
Cellular companies reported a
subscription base of more than 200
million people in 1997. This figure grows
by an average of 150,000 new
subscribers every day.
Present Day
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Present Day
Because of Europe's early commitment to one
system, it is leading the fieldin both its subscriber
base and data transmission capabilities.
GSM is used in over 100 countries by over 215
operators inside and outside of Europe.
The J apanese PDC system is the second largest
digital cellular system, followed by the IS-54/136
and IS-95systems used in North America.
Present Day
Current cellular radio systems are in their second
generation (2G).
The third generation of cellular systems (3G
systems) will allow different systems to
interoperate in order to attain global roaming
across different cellular radio networks.
The international Telecommunication Union
(ITU) has been doing research on 3G systems
since the mid 1980s. Their version of a 3G system
is called international mobile telecommunications
- 2000 (IMT-2000).
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Future
European countriesare researching 3G systems under the
auspices of the European Community. Their system is
referred to as the universal mobile telecommunication
system (UMTS), having the same goals as the IMT-2000
system.
3G systems have the following major objectives:
(1) Use of common global frequenciesfor all cellular
networks.
(2) Worldwide roaming.
(3) Standardization of radio interfaces (CDMA).
(4) High data transmission ratesfor both circuit and packet
switched data.
(5) Efficient spectrum utilization schemes.
Cellular Architecture
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Cell Shape
Areas divided into cells
Each served by its own antenna
Served by base station
Band of frequencies allocated
Cells set up such that antennas of all neighbors are equi-distant
(hexagonal pattern)
Cell Shape
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Adjacent cells are assigned different frequencies to
avoid interference or crosstalk
The objective is to reuse frequency in nearby cells
10 to 50 frequencies assigned to each cell
Transmission power is controlled to limit power at that
frequency escaping to adjacent cells
The issue is to determine how many cells must intervene
between two cells using the same frequency
Frequency Reuse
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Frequency Reuse
Frequency Reuse
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Using hexagonal cells, BS located at center of
cell
I n practice, cannot always place BS at center
Zoning restrictions
Physical limitations
Nodes at edge of cell receive
weak signals from BS
A
F
E
D
B
G C
A
F
E
D
B
G C
A
F
E
D
B
G C
Frequency Reuse (cont.)
Cellular System Overview
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Cellular Components
Mobile station (MS): A device used to communicate
over the cellular network.
Base station transceiver (BST): A transmitter/receiver
used to transmit/receive signals over the radio interface
section of the network.
Mobile switching center (MSC): The heart of the
network which sets up and maintains calls made over
the network.
Base station controller (BSC): Controls communication
between a group of BSTs and a single MSC.
Public switched telephone network (PSTN): The wired-
based section of the network.
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Different View -- GSM
Summary
The BSTs and their controlling BSC are often collectively
referred to as the base station subsystem (BSS).
The cellular topology of the network is a result of limited radio
spectrum. In order to use the radio spectrum efficiently, the
same frequencies are reused in nonadjacent cells. A geographic
region is divided up into cells.
Each cell has a BST that transmits data via a radio link to MSs
within the cell.
A group of BSTs are connected to a BSC.
A group of BSCs are in turn connected to a mobile switching
center via microwave links or telephone lines.
The MSC connects to the public switched telephone network,
which switches calls to other mobile stations or land based
telephones.
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Phone turns on
Phone scans forward control channels (FCC)
Determine FCC with strongest signal
Stay with this FCC until signal drops below a certain
level
Again scan the FCCs to find one with strongest signal
Phone knows which channels to scan no matter where phone
located within a country or region
Phone warm-up
Receiving a Call
MSC receives phone call from PSTN
MSC tells all BSs in cellular system to broadcast the mobile
identification number (MIN) = telephone number
MIN broadcast as a paging message over all FCCs
Mobile receives paging message on FCC it is currently monitoring
Mobile identifies itself to BS over RCC
BS informs MSC of successful handshake
MSC assigns unused voice channel within the cell of the specified
BS to this call
BS informs mobile of which forward and reverse channels it has
been assigned (use MAC)
Alert message sent over FVC instructing mobile phone to ring
Call setup is complete
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Placing a Call
Call initiation request sent on RCC
MIN
ESN (electronic serial number)
Telephone number of intended party
Station class mark (SCM): max transmitter power level for user
BS sends data to MSC
MSC makes connection to intended party through PSTN
MSC assigns unused voice channel within the cell of the specified BS to
this call
BS informs mobile of which forward and reverse channels it has been
assigned
Call setup is complete
Call in Progress
MSC adjusts mobile transmit power
MSC coordinates handoff
When received power too low, node must switch to
new cell and be handled by a new BS
Roaming
Mobiles can operate in service area different from
home service area
I nteroperator roaming
Until early 1990s, user had to manually register whenever
traveled to different cellular system
IS-41 standard enabled interoperator roaming
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Call in Progress (cont.)
MSC determines whether home user or roamer based on MI N
Autonomous registration
Mobile notifies serving MSC of its presence and location
MSC uses FCC to ask mobiles to report MIN and ESN over RCC
Mobile periodically transmits identity info. to MSC (MI N and ESN)
MSC maintains
Home location register (HLR)
Visitor location register (VLR)
MSC uses MIN/ESN to get billing status from mobiles home
system
If mobile is a valid roamer, MSC registers mobile and mobile
allowed to place and receive calls from that area
Handoff
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Home location register (HLR) database stores
information about each subscriber that belongs to it
Visitor location register (VLR) database
maintains information about subscribers currently
physically in the region
Authentication center database (AuC) used for
authentication activities, holds encryption keys
Equipment identity register database (EIR) keeps
track of the type of equipment that exists at the
mobile station
Mobile Switching Center (MSC) Databases