INTRODUCTION TO GSM

INTRODUCTION TO GSM
INTRODUCTION

The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is a set of

recommendations and specifications for a digital cellular telephone
network (known as a Public Land Mobile Network, or PLMN).

These recommendations ensure the compatibility of equipment from

different GSM manufacturers, and interconnectivity between different
administrations, including operation across international boundaries.
GSM networks are digital and can cater for high system capacities.
They are consistent with the world-wide digitization of the telephone
network, and are an extension of the Integrated Services Digital
Network (ISDN), using a digital radio interface between the cellular
network and the mobile subscriber equipment.

INTRODUCTION TO GSM
CELLULAR TELEPHONY

A cellular telephone system links mobile subscribers into the public

telephone system or to another cellular subscriber.
Information between the mobile unit and the cellular network uses
radio communication. Hence the subscriber is able to move around
and become fully mobile.
The service area in which mobile communication is to be provided
is divided into regions called cells.
Each cell has the equipment to transmit and receive calls from any
subscriber located within the borders of its radio coverage area.

Radio
Cell
Mobile subscriber

INTRODUCTION TO GSM
GSM FREQUENCIES

GSM systems use radio frequencies between 890-915 MHz for

receive and between 935-960 MHz for transmit.

RF carriers are spaced every 200 kHz, allowing a total of 124

carriers for use.

An RF carrier is a pair of radio frequencies, one used in each

direction.

Transmit and receive frequencies are always separated by 45 MHz.

UPLINK FREQUENCIES

890

DOWNLINK FREQUENCIES

915

935

UPLINK AND DOWNLINK FREQUENCY SEPARATED BY 45MHZ

960

INTRODUCTION TO GSM
Extended GSM (EGSM)

EGSM has 10MHz of bandwidth on both transmit and receive.

Receive bandwidth is from 880 MHz to 890 MHz.

Transmit bandwidth is from 925 MHz to 935 MHz.

Total RF carriers in EGSM is 50.

UPLINK FREQUENCIES

880

890

DOWNLINK FREQUENCIES

915

925

935

UPLINK AND DOWNLINK FREQUENCY SEPARATED BY 45MHZ

960

INTRODUCTION TO GSM
DCS1800 FREQUENCIES

DCS1800 systems use radio frequencies between 1710-1785 MHz

for receive and between 1805-1880 MHz for transmit.

RF carriers are spaced every 200 kHz, allowing a total of 373

carriers.

There is a 100 kHz guard band between 1710.0 MHz and 1710.1
MHz and between 1784.9 MHz and 1785.0 MHz for receive, and
between 1805.0 MHz and 1805.1 MHz and between 1879.9 MHz
and 1880.0 MHz for transmit.

Transmit and receive frequencies are always separated by 95 MHz.

UPLINK FREQUENCIES

1710 MHz

1785 MHz

DOWNLINK FREQUENCIES

1805 MHz

UPLINK AND DOWNLINK FREQUENCY SEPARATED BY 95MHZ

1880 MHz

FEATURES OF GSM

FEATURES OF GSM
INCREASED CAPACITY

The GSM system provides a greater subscriber capacity than analogue

systems.
GSM allows 25 kHz per user, that is, eight conversations per 200 kHz
channel pair (a pair comprising one transmit channel and one receive
channel).
Digital channel coding and the modulation used makes the signal
resistant to interference from cells where the same frequencies are reused (co-channel interference); a Carrier to Interference Ratio (C/I) level
of 12 dB is achieved, as opposed to the 18 dB typical with analogue
cellular.
This allows increased geographic reuse by permitting a reduction in the
number of cells in the reuse pattern.

FEATURES OF GSM
AUDIO QUALITY

Digital transmission of speech and high performance digital signal

processors provide good quality speech transmission.
Since GSM is a digital technology, the signals passed over a digital air
interface can be protected against errors by using better error
detection and correction techniques.
In regions of interference or noise-limited operation the speech quality
is noticeably better than analogue.

USE OF STANDARDISED OPEN INTERFACES

Standard interfaces such as C7 and X25 are used throughout the
system. Hence different manufacturers can be selected for different
parts of the PLMN.
There is a high flexibilty in where the Network components are
situated.