GSM Architecture

Network Components

• Switching System(SS)
• Base Station System(BSS)

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 OSS
HLR

B
PSTN
T
S ISDN

B
T
S BSC
BSC MSC VLR
Data
Networks
A Interface
B A-bis interface
T
S

Air interface MSC VLR

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 ERICSSON’S GSM SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE
Switching System MIN
SDP
EIR AUC

SCF
HLR ILR
BGW
Other PLMNsz
MC
Public Data
MSC/VLR (MXE) SOG
PSTN GMSC DTI SSF
Networks

ISDN OSS

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Base Station System
TRC

BSC

RBS

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Basic or Abbrev. System Full component name Platfor
Additiona m
l
Basic MSC/VLR SS Mobile service Switching AXE
Center/Visitor Location Register
Basic GMSC SS Gateway MSC AXE
Basic HLR SS Home Location Register AXE
Basic ILR SS Interworking Location Register AXE
Basic AUC SS Authentication Center Unix/AXE
Basic EIR SS Equipment Identity Register Unix
Basic DTI SS Data Transmission Interface AXE
Basic TRC BSS TRanscoder Controller AXE
Basic BSC BSS Base Station Controller AXE
Basic BTS BSS Base Transceiver Station RBS
Basic OMC OSS Operation and Maintenance Center TMOS
Basic NMC OSS Network Management Center TMOS
Additional MC SS Message Center MXE
Additional SSP SS Service Switching Point AXE
Additional SCP SS Service Control Point AXE
Additional SDP SS Service Data Point Unix
Additional SOG Service Order Gateway Unix
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Unix
 Network Structure
• Cell
A cell is the basic unit of a cellular
system and is defined as the radio
coverage given by one BS antenna
system.
Each cell is assigned a unique CGI.

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Network Structure
LOCATION AREA
A LA is defined as a group of cells.Within the
network, a subsriber’s location is known by the LA
which they are in.
The identity of the LA in which an MS is currently
located is stored in the VLR. (LAI)

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Cells & LA LA2

LA3
LA1
VLR
C3 LA6
LA4 C2
C1
MSC
C4
LA5 C6 C5

C=CELL

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Network Structure

• MSC Service Area

An MSC Service Area is made up of
LAs and represents the
geographical part of the network
controlled by one MSC.

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MSC Service Area

LA2
LA1 VLR LA3
MSC

LA4 LA6
LA5

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 Network Structure
• PLMN SERVICE AREA
A PLMN service area is the entire set of
cells served by one network operator
and is defined as the area in which an
operator offers radio coverage and
access to its network.

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PLMN Service Area
I II
I
MSC
MSC
VLR

MSC VLR
V
MSC VLR

II
I IV

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Network Structure

• GSM SERVICE AREA

The GSM service area is the entire
geographical area in which a subscriber
can gain access to a GSM network.

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Relation between areas in GSM

Location
CellArea
Location Area
MSC Service Area
PLMN Service Area
GSM Service Area

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Mobile Station

GSM MSs consist of:

• Mobile Equipment
• Subscriber Identity Module

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Functions of Mobile Station
• Voice and data transmission& receipt
• Frequency and time synchronization
• Monitoring of power and signal quality
of the surrounding cells
• Provision of location updates even
during inactive state

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Mobile Station

• Discontinuous Transmission(DTX)
• Discontinuous reception(DRX)
• MS identified by unique IMEI
• STAR#06#

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SIM
Fixed data stored for the subscription:
• IMSI,
• Authentication Key, Ki
• Security Algorithms:kc,A3,A8
• PIN&PUK

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SIM
•Temporary network data:
Location area of subscriber and
forbidden PLMNs
•Service data:
language preference, advice of charge

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 KEY TERMS
An MS can have one of the following states :

• Idle: the MS is ON but a call is not in

progress.
• Active: the MS is ON and a call is in
progress.

• Detached: the MS is OFF.

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The following table defined the key terms used to describe GSM mobile
traffic cases (there are no traffic cases in detached mode):

Mode Term Description

Idle Registration This is the process in which an MS
informs a network that it is attached.

When an MS moves around a

Roaming network in idle mode, it is referred to
as roaming.

When an MS moves into a network

International which is not its home network, it is
Roaming referred to as international roaming.
MSs can only roam into networks
with which the home network has a
roaming agreement.

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Mode Term Description
Location An MS roaming around the network
Updating must inform the network when it enters
a new LA. This is called location
updating.

Paging This is the process whereby a network

attempts to contact a particular MS.
This is achieved by broadcasting a
paging message containing the
identity of that MS.

This is the process in which control of

Active Handover a call is passed from one cell to
another while the MS moves between
cells.

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Network Identities
• MSISDN
• IMSI
• TMSI
• MSRN
• IMEI

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MSISDN
• Mobile Station ISDN Number
• The MSISDN is registered in the telephone directory and
used by the calling party for dialing.
• MSISDN shall not exceed 15 digits.
• NDC--National Destination Code
• SN--Subscriber Number

1 to 3 digits Variable Variable

CC NDC SN

MSISDN : not more than 15 digits

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 IMSI
• International mobile subscriber
Identity
• The IMSI is an unique identity which is used
internationally and used within the network to
identify the mobile subscribers.
• The IMSI is stored in the subscriber identity
module (SIM), the HLR, VLR database.

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 IMSI 3 digits
3 digits Not more than 9 digits

MCC MNC MSIN

NMSI

IMSI : Max. 15 digits

MCC--Mobile Country Code, MNC--Mobile N/W Code, MSIN--Mobile

Station Identification Number
NMSI--National Mobile Station Identity,assigned by Individual
Administration.
Mobile station Identification Number. It identifies the subs. In a PLMN.
First 3 digit identifies the Logical HLR-id of Mobile subs.
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Temporary Mobile subscriber Identity

• TMSI is a temporary IMSI no. made known to

an MS at registration.
• The VLR assigns a TMSI to each mobile
subscribers entering the VLR area.
• Assigned only after successful authentication.
• TMSI has only local significance i.e. within VLR
area & controlled by the VLR.
• TMSI changes on location updation.
• TMSI is less than 8 digit.

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 MSRN
Mobile Station Roaming Number
• The MSRN is used in the GMSC to set up a
connection to the visited MSC/VLR.
• MSRN--is a temporary identity which is
assigned during the establishment of a call to
a roaming subs.
CC NDC SN

CC--Country Code, NDC--National Destination Code, SN– Servicing

Node
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IMEI
• International Mobile Equipment
Identity
• The IMEI is an unique code allocated to each
mobile equipment. It is checked in the EIR.
• IMEI check List
 White List

 Grey List

 Black List

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BASE STATION SYSTEM (BSS)

MSC/VLR

BSC BSC

BSC
BSS
BSS

n BTS n BTS

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FUNCTIONS OF BTS

• Radio resources
• Signal Processing
• Signaling link management
• Synchronization
• Local maintenance handling
• Functional supervision and Testing

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FUNCTIONS OF BSC

• Radio Network management

• RBS Management
• TRC Handling
• Tx. Network Management
• Internal BSC O&M
• Handling of MS connections

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MSC-BSS Configurations

A BTS
MSC BSS A-bis BTS BTS

BSC BTS BTS

A-bis

BTS

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 Switching System (SS)
SS7 Signalling
Traffic Path VLR D

C HLR AUC
F
E
Other
EIR A
MSC MSC

(PSTN)

(BSS)

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 MSC Functions
• Switcing and call routing
• Charging
• Service provisioning
• Communication with HLR
• Communication with VLR
• Communication with other MSCs
• Control of connected BSCs

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MSC Functions
• Echo canceller operation control

• Signaling interface to databases like HLR, VLR.

• Gateway to SMS between SMS centers and

subscribers

• Handle interworking function while working as

GMSC

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VISITOR LOCATION REGISTER (VLR)

• It controls those mobiles roaming in its area.

• VLR reduces the number of queries to HLR

• One VLR may be incharge of one or more LA.

• VLR is updated by HLR on entry of MS its area.

• VLR assigns TMSI which keeps on changing.

• IMSI detach and attach operation

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Data in VLR
• IMSI & TMSI
• MSISDN
• MSRN.
• Location Area
• Supplementary service parameters
• MS category
• Authentication Key

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Home Location Register(HLR)

• Reference store for subscriber’s parameters,

numbers, authentication & Encryption values.

• Current subscriber status and associated VLR.

• Both VLR and HLR can be implemented in the

same equipment in an MSC.

• one PLMN may contain one or several HLR.

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 Home Location Register(HLR)
• Permanent data in HLR
• Data stored is changed only by commands.

• IMSI, MS-ISDN number.

• Category of MS ( whether pay phone or not )

• Roaming restriction ( allowed or not ).

• Supplementary services like call forwarding

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 Home Location Register(HLR)
• Temporary data in HLR
• The data changes from call to call & is dynamic

• MSRN

• RAND /SRES and Kc

• VLR address , MSC address.

• Messages waiting data used for SMS

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EQUIPMENT IDENTITY REGISTER ( EIR )

• This data base stores IMEI for all registered

mobile equipments and is unique to every ME.

• Only one EIR per PLMN.

• White list : IMEI, assigned to valid ME.

• Black list : IMEI reported stolen
• Gray list : IMEI having problems like faulty
software, wrong make of equipment etc.

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 AUthentication Center (AUC)

To authenticate the subs. attempting to use a

network.
AUC is connected to HLR which provides it
with authentication parameters and ciphering
keys used to ensure network security.

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 AUC Functions
To perform subscriber
authentication and to establish
ciphering procedures on the radio
link between the network and MS.

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 AUC Functions
Information provided is called a
TRIPLET consists of:

1. RAND(non predictable random number)

2. SRES(Signed response)

3. Kc(ciphering key)
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Operations and Maintenance Centre
OMC
The centralized operation of the various units in
the system and functions needed to maintain the
subsystems.

Dynamic monitoring and controlling of the

network

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Functions Of OMC
-O&M data function

-Configuration management

--Fault report and alarm handling

-Performance supervision/management

-Storage of system software and data

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