INTRODUCTION TO 2G &

3G

2G
Second generation wireless
telephone technology
Launched using GSM standard
Allows greater mobile phone
penetration levels than 1G
Enables to use text messages,
pictures messages, MMS etc
Digitally encrypted

GSM Architecture
Global System for Mobile Communication
Describes the protocols for 2G digital cellular
networks used by mobile phones
Consists of
Mobile Station(MS)
Base Station Subsystem(BSS)
Network and Switching
Subsystem(NSS)
Operation and Support
Subsystem(OSS)

NSS

AUC

HLR

OSS

EIR

VLR
MSC
A
Interfac
e BS

SIM

MS

BSC

BTS

Um
Interfa
ce

Figure 1: GSM

Abis
Interfac
e

Mobile Station(MS)
Comprises all user equipments and software
needed for mobile communication
Consists of
Mobile Termination(MT) radio transmission and
handover, speech encoding and decoding, error
detection and correction, signalling
Termination Equipment(TE) Offers services to
the user
Termination Adaptor(TA) Provides access to MT
Subscriber Identity Module(SIM) Storing IMSI

Base Station Subsystem

Responsible for handling traffic and
signaling between a MS and NSS
Consists of
Base Transceiver Station(BTS)
Base station Controller(BSC)

BTS
Contains the equipment for transmitting and
receiving radio signals (transceivers),
antennas, and equipment for encrypting and
decrypting communications with the BSC.
BTS and BSC communicate across the Abis
interface.
Abis enables operations between
components made by different suppliers.
User and BTS are connected through the Um
interface.

BSC
Intelligence behind BTS
Manages one or more BTS
Handles radio channel setup,
frequency hopping and handovers
Connection between the MS and MSC
Controls power transmission of MS
and BSS

NSS
Carries out call switching and
mobility management
Consists of
MSC(Mobile Switching Centre)
HLR(Home Location Register)
VLR(Visitor Location Register)
AUC(Authentication Centre)
EIR(Equipment Identity Register)

 MSC - Performs switching of calls between

the mobile and other networks
HLR - Data base storage and management
of subscriptions
VLR - Contains temporary information about
subscribers that is needed by MSC in order to
service visiting subscribers
AUC A protected database that stores a
copy of the secret key stored in SIM
EIR Database that contains all valid MS on
the network where its IMEI identifies each MS

OSS
Computer systems used by
telecommunication service providers
manage their networks
Subdivision of OSS are,
Network Management Systems
Service Delivery
Service Fulfillment
Service assurance
Customer Care

3G
UMTS architecture
Consists of
User Equipment(UE) MS
Radio Network Subsystem(RNS) BSS
Core Network(CN) NSS

Figure 2: UMTS Network

Architecture

CORE NETWORK
A migration of NSS used for GSM
with further elements overlaid to
enable additional functionality.
Can be split in to 3 areas
Circuit switched elements
Packet switched elements
Shared elements

Packet Switched
Elements
Designed to carry packet data.
Contains
Serving GPRS Support Node(SGSN)
Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN)

Circuit switched
elements
based on the GSM network entities
and carry data in a circuit switched
manner, i.e. a permanent channel for
the duration of the call.
Contains
Mobile Switching Centre (MSC)
Gateway MSC (GMSC)

Shared Elements
Contains
Home location register (HLR)
Equipment identity register (EIR)
Authentication Centre (AuC)

RNS
Interface user and the core network
RNS and UE collectively called as
UTRAN(Universal Terrestrial Radio
Access Network)
RNS comprises of two main
components
1. Radio Network Controller(RNC)
2. Node B

RNC functions,
Do the radio resource management

 Node B is equal to Base Station

Transciever
Have transmitter and receiver to
communicate with UE within a cell
There are several interfaces that are
connected with UTRAN
1. Iub Connects RNC and Node B
2. Iur Interface different RNC within a UTRAN
3. Iu Connects UTRAN to the core network

Mobile Station functions are same but

new functions are added in this
technology

4G
4G is fourth generation wireless
telecommunication technology
4G is consisted with 3 main parts
1. User Equipment(UE)
2. Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access
Network(E-UTRAN)
3. Evolved Packet Core(EPC)

Mobile web access, IP telephony, 3D

Tv, high definition mobile Tv etc

E-UTRAN
Handles the radio communication
between UE and Evolved Packet Core
In a E-UTRAN, there are several base
stations and each station controls
one or more cells

EPC
Evolved Packet Core is consisted
with,

Home Subscriber Server(HSS)

Packet Data Network Gateway(P-GW)
Serving Gateway(S-GW)
Mobility Management Entity(MME)