GSM System Operation

There are many other processes a mobile telephone must perform to operate in a GSM network.
The basic call processing operation of a mobile telephone includes initialization, call origination, call
reception (paging), and hand-dover. When a subscriber unit is first powered on, it initializes by
scanning for acontrol channel and tuning to the strongest one it finds. During initializa-tion, it
acquires all of the system information needed to monitor for pagingmessages and information about
how to access the system. After initializa-tion, the subscriber unit enters idle (sleep and wake cycle)
mode and waitseither to be paged for an incoming call or for the user to place a call (access).When a
call is to be received or placed, the subscriber unit enters systemaccess mode to try to access the
system via a control channel. When accessis granted, the control channel commands the subscriber
unit to tune to adigital traffic channel. The subscriber unit tunes to the designated channel,and
enters conversation mode. As the subscriber unit moves out of range of one cell site radio coverage
area, it is handed over to a radio traffic channelat another nearby cell site.

GSM System Operation

There are many other processes a mobile telephone must perform to operatein a GSM network.
The basic call processing operation of a mobile telephoneincludes initialization, call origination, call
reception (paging), and han-dover.When a subscriber unit is first powered on, it initializes by
scanning for acontrol channel and tuning to the strongest one it finds. During initializa-tion, it
acquires all of the system information needed to monitor for pagingmessages and information about
how to access the system. After initializa-tion, the subscriber unit enters idle (sleep and wake cycle)
mode and waitseither to be paged for an incoming call or for the user to place a call (access).When a
call is to be received or placed, the subscriber unit enters systemaccess mode to try to access the
system via a control channel. When accessis granted, the control channel commands the subscriber
unit to tune to adigital traffic channel. The subscriber unit tunes to the designated channel,and enters
conversation mode. As the subscriber unit moves out of range of one cell site radio coverage area, it is
handed over to a radio traffic channelat another nearby cell site.
Mobile Telephone Initialization
Mobile telephone initialization is the process of a mobile device searching fora system broadcast radio
channel, synchronizing with the system andobtaining system parameters that it will use to coordinate
its access to thesystem.Initialization phase begins when the mobile device is first turned on. It initially looks to the subscriber identity module (SIM) card for a preferred con-trol channel list. If there
is no list, the mobile device scans all of the avail-able radio channels to find a control channel.-76Copyright , 2005, ALTHOS, IncIntroduction to GSM

Broadcast channel information includes system identification and accesscontrol information (such as
access priorities and initial transmit power lev-els). A mobile telephone may find several broadcast
radio channels thathave acceptable signal strength levels. It may be programmed to use theradio
channel with the highest signal level or it may prefer to use radiochannels that are from its preferred
system (e.g. home system).
Updating Location (Registration)
Location registration is the process that is used by mobile devices to informthe wireless system of
their location and availability to receive communica-tions services (such as incoming calls). The
reception of registration requestsallows a wireless system to route incoming messages to the radio
base sta-tion or transmitter where the mobile device has recently registered.The process of registration
is typically continuous. Mobile devices registerwhen they power on, when they move between new
radio coverage areas,when requested by the system, and when the mobile device is power off.Because
the registration process consumes resources of the system (channelcapacity and system servicing
capacity), there is a tradeoff between regu-larly maintaining registration information and the capacity
of the system.During periods of high system usage activity, registration processes may bereduced.
Waiting for Calls (Idle)
During idle mode, the mobile device monitors the control channel to updatesystem access parameters,
to determine if it has been paged or received anorder, or to initiate a call (if the user is placing a call)
or to start a data ses-sion (if the user has started a data application).If the mobile device has
discontinuous reception (sleep mode) capability, andif the system supports it, the mobile device turns
off its receiver and othernon-essential circuitry for a fixed number of burst periods. The systemknows
that it has commanded the mobile device to sleep, so it does not send-77-Copyright , 2005,
ALTHOS, IncIntroduction to GSM

pages designated for that mobile device during the sleep period. Becausecontrol channels are on only
one of the 8 time slots in a frame, the mobiledevice can scan neighboring control channels during the
unused time slots.If a better control channel (higher signal strength or better bit error rate) isavailable,
the mobile device may retune to the new channel frequency.The mobile device then monitors the
paging control channel to determine if it has received a page. If a call is to be received, an internal
flag is set indi-cating that the mobile device is entering access mode in response to a page.If the
system sends an order such as a registration message, an internal flagis set indicating that the mobile
device is attempting access in response toan order. When a user initiates a call, an internal flag is set
indicating thatthe access attempt is a call origination, and dialed digits will follow theaccess request.
System Access
System access control is the process of gaining the attention of the system,obtaining authorization to
use system services, and the initial assignmentto the communication channel to setup
a communication session. Access control and initial assignment occurs when a mobile device
respondsto a page (incoming connection request), desires to setup a call, or anyattempt by the mobile
device. Access to the GSM system is a random occur-rence (not usually preplanned.) To avoid access
collisions between mobiledevices, a seizure collision avoidance process is used. Before a mobile
deviceattempts access to the system, it first waits until the channel is available(not busy serving other
users). The mobile device then begins transmittingan access request message on the random access
channel (RACH) at a powerlevel assigned by the broadcast channel.The access request message uses
a shortened burst that has a predefinedsequence that allows the system to easily detect that an access
request mes-sage has been sent. Using a shortened burst (87 bits) also prevents thepotential of
overlapping the transmission burst with adjacent time slotswhen the cell size is larger than the guard
period allows (4.5 km).-78-Copyright , 2005, ALTHOS, IncIntroduction to GSM