The GSM Radio Interface

AIR INTERFACE
BASE TRANSCEIVER STATION

MOBILE

The GSM Network Architecture

Time division multiple access-TDMA
124 radio carriers, inter carrier spacing
200khz.
890 to 915mhz mobile to base - UPLINK
935 to 960mhz base to mobile DOWNLINK
8 channels/carrier

GSM uses paired radio channels

INK
L
P
U

INK
L
WN
O
D
890MHz

915MHz

124

935MHz

960MHz

124

Access Mechanism

FDMA, TDMA, CDMA

Frequency multiplex

Separation of the whole spectrum into smaller frequency bands

A channel gets a certain band of the
spectrum for the whole time
k1
k2
k3
k4
Advantages:
c
no dynamic coordination
necessary
works also for analog signals
Disadvantages:
waste of bandwidth
if the traffic is
distributed unevenly
t
inflexible
guard spaces

k5

k6

Time multiplex

A channel gets the whole spectrum for a certain amount of

time
Advantages:
only one carrier in the
medium at any time
throughput high even
for many users

Disadvantages:
precise
synchronization
necessary

k1

k2

k3

k4

k5

k6

c
f

Time and Frequency Multiplex

Combination of both methods
A channel gets a certain frequency band for a certain
amount of time
k
k
k
k
1

k5

k6

c
f

Time and Frequency Multiplex

Example: GSM
Advantages:

Better protection against

tapping
Protection against frequency
selective interference
Higher data rates compared to
code multiplex

But: precise coordination

required
t

k1

k2

k3

k4

k5

k6

c
f

 GSM combines FDM and TDM: bandwidth

is subdivided into channels of 200khz,
shared by up to eight stations, assigning
slots for transmission on demand.

GSM uses paired radio channels

INK
L
P
U

INK
L
WN
O
D
890MHz

915MHz

124

935MHz

960MHz

124

Code Multiplex
k1

k2

Each channel has a unique code

All channels use the same spectrum at the same
time
Advantages:
Bandwidth efficient
No coordination and synchronization
necessary
Good protection against interference and
tapping
Disadvantages:
Lower user data rates
More complex signal regeneration
t
Implemented using spread spectrum technology

k3

k4

k5

k6

Various Access Method

Cells

Capacity & Spectrum Utilization

Solution
The need:
Optimum spectrum usage
More capacity
High quality of service
Low cost

Network capacity at required QoS

with conventional frequency plan
Out of
Capacity!!!
Subscriber
growth
Time

increase capacity
without adding NEW BTS!

I wish I could

What can I do?

Representation of Cells

Ideal cells

Fictitious cells

Cell size and capacity

Cell size determines number of cells
available to cover geographic area and
(with frequency reuse) the total capacity
available to all users
Capacity within cell limited by available
bandwidth and operational requirements
Each network operator has to size cells to
handle expected traffic demand

Cell structure

Implements space division multiplex: base station covers a certain transmission

area (cell)
Mobile stations communicate only via the base station
Advantages of cell structures:
higher capacity, higher number of users
less transmission power needed
more robust, decentralized
base station deals with interference, transmission area etc. locally
Problems:
fixed network needed for the base stations
handover (changing from one cell to another) necessary
interference with other cells
Cell sizes from some 100 m in cities to, e.g., 35 km on the country side (GSM) even less for higher frequencies

Capacity of a Cellular System

Frequency Re-Use Distance
The K factor or the cluster size
Cellular coverage or Signal to interference
ratio
Sectoring

Increasing cellular system

capacity
Cell sectoring
Directional antennas subdivide cell into 3 or 6
sectors
Might also increase cell capacity by factor of 3
or 6

Increasing cellular system

capacity
Cell splitting
Decrease transmission power in base and
mobile
Results in more and smaller cells
Reuse frequencies in non-contiguous cell
groups
Example: cell radius leads 4 fold capacity
increase

Tri-Sector antenna for a cell

Cell Distribution in a Network

Rural
Highway
Suburb

Town

Concept of TDMA Frames and

Channels
c
f

GSM combines FDM and TDM: bandwidth is subdivided

into channels of 200khz, shared by up to eight stations,
assigning slots for transmission on demand.

GSM uses paired radio channels

INK
L
P
U

INK
L
WN
O
D
890MHz

915MHz

124

935MHz

960MHz

124

GSM delays uplink TDMA frames

The start of the uplink
TDMA is delayed of
three time slots

TDMA frame (4.615 ms)

Downlink TDMA
F1MHz

R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8

Fixed transmit
Delay of three time-slots

Uplink TDMA
Frame
F1 + 45MHz

GSM - TDMA/FDMA
qu
en
c

935-960 MHz
124 channels (200 kHz)
downlink

fre

890-915 MHz
124 channels (200 kHz)
uplink

higher GSM frame structures

time

GSM TDMA frame

1

8
4.615 ms

GSM time-slot (normal burst)

guard
space

tail

3 bits

user data

S Training S

user data

57 bits

1 26 bits 1

57 bits

guard
tail space

546.5 s
577 s

LOGICAL CHANNELS

TRAFFIC

FULL RATE
Bm 22.8 Kb/S

SIGNALLING

HALF RATE
Lm 11.4 Kb/S
BROADCAST

FCCH

SCH

COMMON CONTROL

DEDICATED CONTROL

BCCH
PCH

FCCH -- FREQUENCY CORRECTION CHANNEL

SCH -- SYNCHRONISATION CHANNEL
BCCH -- BROADCAST CONTROL CHANNEL
PCH -- PAGING CHANNEL
RACH -- RANDOM ACCESS CHANNEL
AGCH -- ACCESS GRANTED CHANNEL
SDCCH -- STAND ALONE DEDICATED CONTROL CHANNEL
SACCH -- SLOW ASSOCIATED CONTROL CHANNEL
FACCH -- FAST ASSOCIATED CONTROL CHANNEL

RACH

AGCH

SDCCH

SACCH

DOWN LINK ONLY

UPLINK ONLY

FACCH

BOTH UP &
DOWNLINKS

Broadcast Channel BCH

Broadcast control channel (BCCH) is a base

to mobile channel which provides general
information about the network, the cell in
which the mobile is currently located and
the adjacent cells
Frequency correction channel (FCCH) is a
base to mobile channel which provides
information for carrier synchronization
Synchronization channel (SCH) is a base to
mobile channel which carries information
for frame synchronization and identification
of the base station transceiver

Common Control
Channel - CCH
Paging channel (PCH) is a base to
mobile channel used to alert a mobile to
a call originating from the network
Random access channel (RACH) is a
mobile to base channel used to request
for dedicated resources
Access grant channel (AGCH) is a base
to mobile which is used to assign
dedicated resources (SDCCH or TCH)

Dedicated Control
Channel - DCCH
Stand-alone dedicated control
channel (SDCCH) is a bidirectional channel allocated to a
specific mobile for exchange of
location update information and
call set up information

Dedicated Control
Channel - DCCH
Slow associated control channel (SACCH) is a bidirectional channel used for exchanging control
information between base and a mobile during the
progress of a call set up procedure. The SACCH is
associated with a particular traffic channel or stand
alone dedicated control channel
Fast associated control channel (FACCH) is a bidirectional channel which is used for exchange of
time critical information between mobile and base
station during the progress of a call. The FACCH
transmits control information by stealing capacity
from the associated TCH

DEFINITION OF TIME SLOT - 156.25 BITS 15/26ms = 0.577ms

NORMAL BURST
- NB

FREQUENCY
CORRECTION
BURST - FB

SYNCHRONISATION
BURST - SB

57

26

142

39

ACCESS
BURST - AB

TAIL BIT

ENCRYPTION BIT

57

39

64

41
GUARD PERIOD

TRAINING BITS

36
FIXED BITS

FLAG BITS

8.25

8.25

8.25

68.25
SYNCHRONISATION BITS

MIXED BITS

LOGICAL CHANNELS

TRAFFIC

FULL RATE
Bm 22.8 Kb/S

SIGNALLING

HALF RATE
Lm 11.4 Kb/S
BROADCAST

FCCH

SCH

COMMON CONTROL

DEDICATED CONTROL

BCCH
PCH

FCCH -- FREQUENCY CORRECTION CHANNEL

SCH -- SYNCHRONISATION CHANNEL
BCCH -- BROADCAST CONTROL CHANNEL
PCH -- PAGING CHANNEL
RACH -- RANDOM ACCESS CHANNEL
AGCH -- ACCESS GRANTED CHANNEL
SDCCH -- STAND ALONE DEDICATED CONTROL CHANNEL
SACCH -- SLOW ASSOCIATED CONTROL CHANNEL
FACCH -- FAST ASSOCIATED CONTROL CHANNEL

RACH

AGCH

SDCCH

SACCH

DOWN LINK ONLY

UPLINK ONLY

FACCH

BOTH UP &
DOWNLINKS

Location update from the mobile

Mobile looks for BCCH after switching on
RACH send channel request
AGCH receive SDCCH
SDCCH request for location updating
SDCCH authenticate
SDCCH authenticate response
SDCCH switch to cipher mode
SDCCH cipher mode acknowledge
SDCCH allocate TMSI
SDCCH acknowledge new TMSI
SDCCH switch idle update mode

Call establishment from a mobile

Mobile looks for BCCH after switching on
RACH send channel request
AGCH receive SDCCH
SDCCH send call establishment request
SDCCH do the authentication and TMSI allocation
SDCCH send the setup message and desired number
SDCCH require traffic channel assignment
FACCH switch to traffic channel and send ack (steal bits)
FACCH receive alert signal ringing sound
FACCH receive connect message
FACCH acknowledge connect message and use TCH
TCH conversation continues

Call establishment to a mobile

Mobile looks for BCCH after switching on
Mobile receives paging message on PCH
Generate Channel Request on RACH
Receive signaling channel SDCCH on AGCH
Answer paging message on SDCCH
Receive authentication request on SDCCH
Authenticate on SDCCH
Receive setup message on SDCCH
Receive traffic channel assignment on SDCCH
FACCH switch to traffic channel and send ack (steal bits)
Receive alert signal and generate ringing on FACCH
Receive connect message on FACCH
FACCH acknowledge connect message and switch to TCH

Thank You