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Tracescapturedincellularphonenetworks
Basics

Asyoucanseefromthelinksonthiswebsite,theauthorhasdealtwithsignalisationonthe
ISDNDChannel.Theaimtodoso,camefromtherequesttoabetterunderstandingofthe
servicesandsupplementaryservicesinISDN.Thestudywasrestrictedtosignalisationon
thelastmileofanISDNconnection,thatisthelinebetweentelephonesetandthedigital
localexchange.Thisrestrictioniscausedbythefactthatmeasurementsattheselineis
possiblewithsimpleandcheapequipment.Signalisationonthetrunknetwork,thatis
betweenthedigitallocalexchanges,isanownworld.OnlyafewInformationElements
fromthesignalsontheISDNDChannelaretransportedoverthenetworkwithoutany
modification.
InevaluationofthefindingsinISDN,theideawasborntoexaminethebehaviorofmobile
phonesbyanalyzingtheDmChannelofthelastmile,thatistheradioconnectionbetween
MobileandBaseTransceiverStation(BTS).MeasurementsoftheGSM/GPRSDm
ChannelscanbemadebyTraceMobilese.g.theSAGEMOT260/290.LikeinISDNit
shouldbepossibletostudytheperformanceofGSMmobilebyanalyzingtheDmchannels.
ThisideawasstimulatedbythefactthattheCallControlmessagesinGSM(UMTS)are
nearlythesameastheCallControlmessagesinISDN.ThereforetheGSMpioneers
MichelMOULYandMarieBernadettePAUTETcallISDN"GodfatherofGSM".
PleasehavealooktotheComponentsandInterfacesofaPLMN.

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InISDNthereisa"LastMile"usedtoconveytheinformationofLayer1betweenLocal
Exchangeandtelephonestation,inthemobilenetworkthelastmilehastobridgethe
distancebetweenMobileStation(MS)andBaseTransceiverStation(BTS)usingtheradio
channel.Itmaybeevidentthatthesignallingsystemtoestablishaconnectionandtokeepit
aliveismuchmorecomplexthantheoneinISDN.Forexampleinthestreamofmessages
ontheDmchannelstherearemuchmoremessagesservingtheRadioResourcesorthe
MobilityManagementthanmessagesservingtheCallControl.ButtheCCMessagesand
InformationElementsaremostlyidenticalwiththoseoftheISDNDChannel.Thatshould
beshownbythefollowingexamples.
TogeneratetracesoftheairinterfaceUmweneedatracemobile,maybeaSAGEMOT
260andaremoteterminalinthelocalnetworkofISDN.Themeasurementsetupisshown
inthefollowingpicture.

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1.TracesofaconnectionbetweenconventionalnetworkandMobile
1.1ATraceofLayer2

TheLayer2TraceshowsacallfromanISDNTelephonetoaSAGEMOT76MTrace
mobile(apredecessoroftheOT260).Pleasehavealooktothefirstframeinthattrace.You
seethemessagePAGINGRESPONSEcombinedwithaLayer2headerwhichconsistsa
SABM.Thatmeansthemobileasksthenetworkforchangingintotheprotectedmode.In
framenumber3thenetworkconfirmsthisapplicationgivinganUNNUMBERED
ACKNOWLEDGE.Inframenumber12youfindthe(first)CallControlmessageSETUP.
Betweenframe3andframe12thereareonlyRRMessages,formingthepredominant
portionofthemessagestream.LikeinISDNalayer2frameconsistsanaddressoctetSAPI
andaCTRLoctetandthereisafurtheroctetgivingthelengthofthefollowingsignificant
octetstring.
AtthestartoftheSACHframesthereareadditionaltwooctetmeaningthepseudolength.
TherawtracescapturedwithOT76M(linkedwithacomputerrunningOTDrivePC)got
translatedwithGSMView(writtenbySebastianGller).

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Theabovepictureshowstheoutfitofthetool.Afeaturewhichshouldbeofinterestisthe
possibilitytosuppressframesofthedifferentprotocoldiscriminatorswhicharenotof
interest:
|CC:0011|MM:0101|RR:0110|GMM:1000|SMS:1001|GSM:1010|SS:1011|
TV:1111|NO:Noinformationfield|
UsingthecheckboxLayer2,onlytheframesbetweenSABMEandDISCgettranslated.
Forinstanceintheexample"TimedelayintheISDNGSMfield"youfindonlyCC
Messages.

1.2ATraceofLayer3

ToseethefulltraceinidleanddedicatedmodeyouhavetoactivatethecheckboxLayer3.
ForexampleseeLayer3Traceofaconnectionbetweennetworkandmobile.

1.3TheCCmessagesoflayer3

IntheexampleLayer3TraceCCthereareallPDdisabledwithoutPD03CallControl
Messages.
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AnotherexampleshowingtheequivalencebetweenCCMessagesinISDNandGSMyou
canfindintheabovementionedexample"TimedelayintheISDNGSMfield".

2.ServicesinGSM
2.1Telephony

FromISDNweknow,teleservicesaretobedefinedintheInformationElementsBearer
CapabilityandHighLayerCompatibility.IncaseofTelephonyyoumayverifythatby
lookingatLayer2Trace.

2.2FaxGroup2/3

Iftheremoteterminallikestosetupafacsimilecall,BCandHLCmusthavetheform
showninLayer2FaxTrace
AsweknowthattherearealotofRRMessages,makingatracehardtoread,inthe
facsimiletraceRRanMMFramesgotfilteredout.

2.3Filetransfer

Iftheremoteterminallikestosetupadataconnection,ithastomaketheentryunrestricted
digitalinformationintheBearerCapabilityInformationElement.Theresponseofthe
mobiledependsontheoperatorofthePLMN.Firsthavealooktoanexamplefoundmaking
adatacallfromISDNtoD1network.ThetraceoftheISDNsiteisshownin"Datato
GSM".NowyoucanexaminetheansweroftheMobileinthetrace"DatafromISDN".
YoucanfindnoBearerIEinthecallfromthenetwork.ThereforetheOT76Mrefusesthe
call.
Thebehaviorofthenetworkiscorrect,accordingtorecommendationGSM04.08paragraph
9.3.23.1Setup(mobileterminatedcallestablishment)thepresenceoftheinformation
elementBearercapabilityisoptional.
TheoperatorD2actsinanotherway.Asyoucanseeinthetrace"DatafromISDNtoD2"
thecallisrefusedalreadyinthegatewayfromISDNtoGSMnetwork.Thecalldoesnot
reachthemobile.

3.SupplementaryServicesinGSM
3.1Basics

YouhavetodistinguishcallrelatedSupplementaryService(SS)messagesandnoncall
relatedSSmessages.TheonewillappearinastreamofnormalCallControlmessages.The
otherare"standalone".BothmessagesarecodedintheAbstractSyntaxNotationone
(ASN.1).

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3.2AnexampleofcallrelatedSupplementaryService(SS)messages

ForexampletheSupplementaryServicesHOLDandMULTIPARTYSERVICE(MPTY)are
callrelated.ThetracewascapturedbyanOT260.ToholdtheTraceclearlyarranged,only
CCMessagesareshowninMULTIPARTYSERVICE.Pleasefollowthetraceandhavea
lookatthemomentwhentheusergivesthecommandHOLDtothenetwork.Afterthat,he
callsasecondsubscriber.AfterbeingconnectedwithhimhecallsfortheMULTIPARTY
SERVICE.TheNetworkwillconnectthethreepeerstothe"conferencebridge"andthey
canallthreetalktoeachother.

3.3AnexampleofnoncallrelatedSupplementaryService(SS)messages

OT76Mallowscallforwarding.Pleaselookatthetraceactivatingcallforwarding
unconditionalandthetracedeactivatingcallforwardingunconditional.Inbothtracesthe
RRframes,knownfromtheexampleofparagraph1.2gotfiltered.Thatmakesthetraces
morecompactandbettertoread.

4.AboutSMS

SMSframescanberecognizedbyitsPD=9.TherearethemessagesCPDATA,CPACK
andCPError.TheyallareconveyedbyanSDCCH,thatis,notrafficchannelisneeded.
Layer3maypassthewholeSMS(morethan140byte)tolayer2.Thisstreamofdateisto
besegmentedbylayer2inblocksof23byte.
PleasehavealooktothesampleSMSTrace.Itmaybeofinterestthatuserdataarecoded
ina7bitalphabet.Therefore160characterstake(160x7)/8=140byte.Intheshowntrace
thedecodingoftheuserdata(4character:))isdemonstrated.UsingtheRRfilterofGSM
Viewgivesthedecodedtracedmoreclearness.
IfyouliketohaveacloserlooktotheGSMDmChannelsinterpretedbytracescapturedon
theairinterface,youcanorderthebook"AbouttheGSMDmChannels"offeredbythe
EPVPublisher.ThebookcontainsaCDwithRawtracestranslatablewiththetool
GSMView,examples,rawtracesandscriptshowtotranslatethem.OntheCDyoufindalso
PowerPointsheetswithexercisesexecutedwithmobilesusualinthetradeorpreserved
traces,etc..

5.AboutGPRS
5.1Basics

TheGeneralPacketRadioService(GPRS)representsthepossibilitytoconveydatapackets
overradiochannelsorganizedbyGSM.
ToenablethisfeaturetheGSMnetworkhadtobeextendedasshowninthefollowing
picture.
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Toconveypacketdataovertheairinterfaceadditionaltothe26Multiframeandthe51
Multiframe(inGSMusedtotransfertrafficandsignallingdata),inGPRSa52Multiframe
isaddedtobuildthePacketDataCHannelsPDCH.
InspiteofthefactthatGPRSknowsasimilarnumberoflogicalchannelsasGSM,notallof
thepossiblePDCH'saremandatorypresent.Asyoucanseeinthefollowingtracesfor
instancetheBroadcastandControlChannelsofGSMareused.TheonlyusedGPRStypical
channelsarethePacketDataTrafficChannelPDTCHandthePacketAssociatedControl
CHannelPACCH.

5.2GPRSATTACH

InCircuitSwitchedTechnologyofGSM,themobile,ifswitchedonbytheuser,actsas
follows:
ItreadstheSYSTEMINFORMATIONSsentbytheBroadcastControlCHannelofitsCell,
findsinthemessageSYSTEMINFORMATIONTYPE1thefrequenciesofBroadcastand
TrafficChannel,findsinthemessageSYSTEMINFORMATIONTYPE2thebeacon
frequenciesoftheneighborcells.InSYSTEMINFORMATIONTYPE3/4itreadsaboutthe
locationitresidesinandsomeotherfeatures.WiththegainedInformationthemobilecan
pretuneitscomponents.
NowthemobilehastorequestaChanneltosendaLOCATIONUPDATEREQUESTand
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aftersomenegotiationsitwaitsfor,eitheraPAGINGREQUESTfromthenetworkcalling
itsIMSI/TMSI,ortheuserofthemobilesetsupacall.
InbothcasesthemobilegetsinanIMMEDIATEASSIGNmessageaSlowDedicated
ControlChannelandthetimeslot,buildingthechanneltoconveyallthenecessarycontrol
datainformationbetweenthepeersofthenowactivecommunicationline.
InpacketswitchedtechnologyofGPRS,relatingtoLOCATIONUPDATINGREQUEST,
themobileactslikeincaseofGSM:
AftertheLOCATIONUPDATINGREQUESTthemobilelooksforthepresenceofa
SYSTEMINFORMATIONTYPE13messageontheBCCH.
Ifitfindsone,itreadssomeimportantvaluesrelatingtoGPRSMobileAllocation,GPRS
CellOptions,GPRSPowerControlParameterandsoon.
NowthemobileinitiatesanATTACHREQUEST.Afterthat,thenetworkstartsan
AUTHENTICATIONREQUESTfollowedbyanIDENTITYREQUEST.Ifthenegotiationis
successfulthenetworksendsanATTACHACCEPT.TheansweroftheMobileisATTACH
COMPLETE.
IntheTraceGPRSATTACHyoucanfindthewholeprocedurebeginningwiththe
LOCATIONUPDATINGREQUESTinframenumber23,followedbyachannelrequest
andanATTACHREQUEST.ThetracewascapturedusinganOT290.
Pleaspayattentionthattherearetwosequencesofcommandsfollowingoneafteranother.
FirstthereistheLocationUpdatingprocedure,onlyasimpleSDCCHisnecessarytodoso.
AftertheradiochannelwasreleasedanewIMMEDIATEASSIGNMENTfollows,which
nowdedicatesatemporaryblockflow.Thecommunicationbetweenmobileandnetwork
takesplacenowbyconveyingdatablocks,nottobeseeninthetrace.
ThenetworknowstartsanAUTHENTICATIONREQUESTfollowedbyanIDENTITY
REQUEST.AfterthiscommunicationwassuccessfulthenetworksendsanATTACH
ACCEPTandthemobileanswerswithATTACHCOMPLETE.
Youhavetokeepinmind,thatallmessagessentinGPRSaresendinpackedmode.Thatis,
themessageATTACHREQUESTispackedupinaLLCframebeforeconveyingitover
theradiochannel.

5.3SMACTIVATEPDPCONTEXTREQ

Afterthemobileisregisteredbythenetwork(ATTACHACCEPT),itispossibletoorderan
IPnumber(aPDPcontext)fromthenetwork.IftheIPnumberisgranted,themobileacts
asaterminal(alwayson)intheworldwideInternet.
TorequestacontextthemobilehastosendaACTIVATEPDPCONTEXTREQUEST
message.Amongstotherparametersthismessagecontains:
ThePacketdataprotocoltype(e.g.IPv4),
theAccessPointName(toidentifytheGGSNoftheoperator),
theQualityofService(QoS)profile(e.g.Priority,DelayClass,MeanandPeakTroughput
rateandReliabilityClass)andsoon.
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ThenetworkshouldanswertherequestusingthemessageACTIVATEPDPCONTEXT
ACCEPT.ThelattercontainsthegrantedQoSparameterandtheIPnumber.
YoucanseethishandlinginthetracePDP_Context_Request.

5.4ALLWAYSON

AfterthePDPcontextexists,theGPRSconnectionisusablelikeaLANconnection.Ifyou
arefamiliarwiththerulesancommandsofTCP/IPyoumayverifythisbymeansofthe
followingexample,whenaPINGcommandisissuedonthecomputerthemobileis
connectedwith.
Inframenumber4youfindaPINGcommandembeddedinaLLCframe.
Inframenumber5ThemobilesendsaCHANNELREQUEST"Onephasepacketaccess
withrequestforsingletimeslotuplinktransmissiononePDCHisneeded".
Inframenumber27aTemporaryBlockFlow(TBF)isassigned.Nowitispossibletosend
theLLCframetothenetwork.
TheLLCframeissplitinto5blocksfortransmissionovertheairinterface.
Inframenumber27retransmissionisrequestedastheTBFisincomplete.Onlythefirst
transmittedblockwasintact.
Inframenumber28retransmissionisrequestedastheTBFisincomplete.Onlyfour
transmittedblockswereintact.
Inframenumber34areceiptisgiventhatall5blocksaretransmittedwithoutanytrouble.
Inframenumber30adownlinkchannelisassigned.
Inframenumber31thisassignmentisacceptedbythemobile.
Inframenumber32thenetworksendstheanswertotheping.

Pleasefollowthetraceandinterpretitbyyourself.

6.UMTSTRACES
6.1BASICS

YoumustbealittlefamiliarwithWalshFunctionstounderstandthebasicmodeof
operationinUMTS.
ThefrequencybandforFrequencyDivisionDuplexinUMTScoversuplink1,92..1,98GHz
anddownlink2,11..2,17GHz.Thisfrequencybandisdividedinto6blocksofanbandwidth
of9.9MHz.Everyblockbelongs(inGermany)tooneoperator.Theworkingfrequencyin
thisblockismodulatedwithanimpulserateof3,84millionchipspersecond(Mcps).To
haveadifferencetothedesiredsignalwhichismeasuredinbits,theimpulseswithwhich
thecarrierfrequencyismodulatedaremeasuredinchips.

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AsweliketomodulatethiscarrierwithmorethanonechannelweusethelawofaWalsh
tree.Pleasehavealookatthetreebeneath.Channelizationmeanstoapplicatethedifferent
orthogonalcodesgivenbythebranchesofthetree(andtheirOSF)forthedifferentdata
streams.Everydatastreamhasafrequencyof3,84Mcps.ButthegreatertheSpreading
Factorthegreaterthenumberofchipsbuildingadatasymbol(bit),thesmallerthe
frequencyofthemodulatedsignal.

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Letshaveanexample.Thebranchofspreadingfactor8(SF8)representsatheoreticaldata
rateof480Kbit/sec.Asthereissomeoverhead,wegetarealtransmissionrateof384
Kbit/sec.
Youcanseeinthepictureabove,thatthethickredcodelineCch,8,2isrelatedtoitsfather,
itssons,grandsonsandsoon.AllthesecodescannotbeusedifCch,8,2isactive.

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Therearesomereasonswhythecodes,buildusingtheWalshfunctions,aretobemodulated
oncemorewithapseudonoisesequenceof3,84Mcps.

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WiththegreaterbandwidthitispossibletochangemuchmoreinformationbetweenMobile
andNodeBandyouwillseebeneaththatthetraceswillbehardertoread.

6.1Thestructureofthenetwork

AsyoucanseefromthefollowingpicturetheGSM/GPRSnetworkandtheUMTSnetwork
arebroughttogetherinthe"MobileCoreNetwork".IfyouaresubscriberofGSM/GPRS
andattheendoftheperiodofvalidityoftheagreementwithyouroperatoryouwishto
changetoUMTS,yougetanUMTSmobiletoalowerpriceandyoucanretainyourSIM
card(withyourphonnumber).YournewrightsareonlyupdatedintheHLR(whichuse
GSM/GPRSandUMTStogether).
Thatis,nospecialUSIMisneededasitiswritteninsomebooks.Withthesamemobileyou
maycommunicateintheUMTSnetwork,or,ifnotavailableintheGSM/GPRSnetwork.

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TheNodeBintheRadioNetworkSubsystemplaystheroleoftheBTSinBaseStation
SubsystemandtheRNC(withmuchmorefunctions)playstheroleofBSC.TheIur
interfaceoftheRNCservestheconnectionbetweenneighboringRNCandallowsSoft
Handover.
Asmentionedabove,thefromGSMknownCallControlmessages,Supplementary
Services,SMS,MobilityManagementservicesarefurthermoreinuseinUMTS.Thesame
astheMobilityManagementmessagesforGPRSservicesandtheSessionManagement
messagesofGPRS.TheyallarecalledtoresideintheNonaccessstratum.Theterm
Stratumhadbeenchosen,asthetermLayerisalreadyinuse.Pleasehavealooktothenext
picture.

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ThemodulationprincipleinGSMallowsonlytobuildmessagesof23octetlength.In
contrasttoGSM,UMTSallows(asmentionedabove)tobuildchannelswithahigherdata
rateandmessagesofalengthofmorethan100octet.Youcanverifythisinthetraces
showninthenextparagraphs.

6.3CodinganddecodingRRCMessages

WhileinISDN,GSMandGPRSonlysomemessagesarecodedinASN.1,without
exceptioninUMTStheRRCMessagesarecodedin"PacketASN.1(PER:ITUT
RecommendationX.691)".
IfyouaresomefamiliarwithASN.1youcandecodetheRRCMessagesasdefinedinETSI
TS125331.Beginningthistaskyouwillsoonbroodovertheproblemhowtohandlethe
optionalInformationElements,orhowtodealwiththerangeofagivenvariable.The
solutionofthisproblemisquiteeasy(youmustonlyknowit:).YoucanfindtheHowTo
inthelibrarydemoofinacon(http://www.inacon.com/library/demo/index.php).Youwill
findthereanexamplehowtodecodethemessagerrcConnectionRequest.
Intheparagraphs1..5ofthesescriptIusedtoexplaintherulesofmobilecommunication,
forteachingpurposes,byexplainingthetracescapturedfromtheairinterface.Tocontinue
doingsoitwasnecessarytothinkitover,wherefromcanIgettracesfromtheUMTSair
interface.Thereweresomepossibilities:
TotakethetracesfromtheIubinterfaceoftheNodeBcapturedbyaTektronixtracetool.
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Resultofreflection:Notpossible,astoexpensiveandthenotansweredquestion,how
shouldateachergetaccesstotheRadioNetworkSystem?
TocapturethetracewithaQualcommtracemobileanddecodewithFriendlyViewer.
Resultofreflection:CapturetracesontheairInterfaceispossiblebuttooexpensivefor
teachingpurposes.
oursolution:Mr.SebastianGllerwrote,asalreadydoneforISDNandGSM/GPRS,a
translatorforUMTSTraces,giveninhexformat,andIhadtowritethescriptstotranslate
thetracesETSconform,ahardwork:(.Pleasehavealooktohefollowingpicture.You
canseethefiltertoseparatethedifferentchannelsandthepossibilitytotunein"line
numbers"ineachmessage.Thequestioniswherefromdowegetrawtracestotranslate
themasforexampleRRCCONNECTIONREQUEST.

TocapturethetraceswithaMotorolaE1000?Notpossible,asthecompanydoesnot
answermyrequestforsellingmetheinterfacetodoso.
IthinkthesolutionwillbetowaitforSAGEMuntilltheyfinishthedevelopmentoftheir
tracetoolforUMTSandthepossibilitytoexportthetracesinthewellknownmanner.
LetsnowgoontointerpretthemodeofoperationofanUMTSmobilebyconsideringthe
messagesontheairinterface.

6.4RRCConnectionEstablishment

InGSM/GPRSconnectionestablishmentisorganizedbyRadioResource(RR)messages.In
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UMTSthistaskisperformedbyRadioResourceControl(RRC)messages.Whilein
GSM/GPRSonlyaChannelRequestontheRACHissent.InUMTStheChannelRequest
procedureissomewhatmoresophisticated.
InUMTS(CDMAsystems)powercontrolisaveryimportanttask.Itisneededtominimize
theinterferenceinthesystem.Asubscriber,sendingwithatoohighpowercanblockthe
wholesystem.Thereforeasubscriberwhowantstostartaconnection,thatmeanswantsto
getachannel,hastoactinthewayasshowninthefollowingpicture.

ThecontentsofthemessageRRCCONNECTIONREQUESTisshowninthefollowing
trace.Atthebeginningofthetraceyoufindsomeswitches.Asexplainedinparagraph6.2,
theyareduetotheInformationElementsinthemessagewhichareoptional.
AnsweringtheRRCCONNECTIONREQUESTmessagethenetworkreturnsthemessage
RRCCONNECTIONSETUP.Toreadthecontentsofthismessagerequiressome
knowledgeaboutchannelsinUMTSandtheroleofRadioBearers.Itisnotintendedto
teachaboutthishere.Tohaveanoverview,youcanlookforthesections
UserequipmentIEs,whichconsistthePLMNidentityandsomeotherreference
numbers.
RadiobearerIES,therearefourradiobearerswhicharegenerated.Oneofthemusesthe
UnacknowledgedMode,threeofthemareusingAcknowledgedMode.Alltogetherbuilda
DLDCHtransportchannelandalogicalDCCH.
TransportchannelIEs,whichdescribetheUplinkDCHandtheDownlinkDCH,withthe
TransportChannelIdentity,thePhysicalChannelType,theTimeTransmissionInterval,
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theConvolutionalCodingTypeetc.
PhysicalchannelIEs,whichconsistamongotherthingstheScramblingCodesandthe
SpreadingFactor.
AfterthemobilegotthemessagerrcConncetionSetupittunesitscomponentscorresponding
tothevalueshandedoverandanswersbyRRCCONNECTIONSETUPCOMPLETE.Now
themobilehastoannouncetothenetwork.(Pleasehavealooktothefollowingpicture
"LoactionUpdateinCircuitSwitchedMode")

Thisisdonebythemessage,wellknownfromtheGSM/GPRS,LOCATIONUPDATING
REQUEST.Pleasenoticeaspecialfeature,themessageLOCATIONUPDATING
REQUESTisnottransmitteddirecttotheNodeB,butispacketupintothemessage
INITIALDIRECTTRANSFER.BythismessageitissentasNASmessageontheUplink
dedicatedphysicalchannelUL_DPCHtothenetwork.
Pleasekeepinmind:AllNASMessagesaretransportedinUplink,DownlinkorDirect
transfermessagesovertheairinterface.

6.5AtelephonecallinUMTS

AstheprincipleofpackagingtheNASMessagesintothemessagesINITIAL,UPLINKor
DOWLINKDIRECTTRANSFERisgenerallyvalidinUMTS,youwillfindintheUMTS
TraceofatelephonecallwithoutthefromGSMknownmessagesonlyafewUMTStypical.
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IntheshowngraphiconlythemessagesSECURITYMODECOMMANDandRADIO
BEARERSETUPareUMTStypical.

Lastupdateon20060113Willbecontinued:)

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