NSN 2g GSM Basics

2G - GSM
Global System for
Mobile
Catarina Ferreira
18-05-2015
Basics for newcomers

1
Nokia Solutions and Networks 2015
<Change information classification in footer>
Introduction
BSC Hardware and Functionality
BSS Overview
Flexi Multiradio BTS
BSS Radio Network
Abis and MML
Basic Call Procedures
Commissioning
Introduction
GSM stands for Global System for Mobile communications and is applied as standard
for mobile networks in many countries today.
The first systems were implemented 50 years ago (1G, first generation):
Limited mobility
Handsets bulky
Expensive
Introduction of GSM (2G, second generation) in the 90s:
Unlimited mobility within a network

Wide International coverage
Messaging
Mobile Internet
Mobile Solutions
Introduction of messaging services:
SMS (Short Messaging Service)

MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service)
3
Structure
With GSM you can move within the whole network
without service interruption.
All mobile networks have basically the same
structure and are composed of two parts:
-
The Core Network controls your call, transmits

your voice calls and data, and forwards it to
external networks, e.g. other telephone networks
or the Internet.
The Radio Network provides the user access to

the network. The user can access the network
using his mobile device to connect to the nearest
antenna.
Consists of many of these antennas (BTS, Base Station

Transceiver) and several Base Station Controllers (BSC)
controlling those antennas.
The Base Station Controllers provide the connection from
the mobile device to the Core Network.
4
To perform a phone call, you need a Mobile

Equipment (ME) and a SIM card
(Subscriber Identity Module).
The SIM card and the Mobile Equipment
make up the Mobile Station (MS) of the
GSM network.
The SIM is comparable to an identity card,
containing all relevant user data and
information used for encryption and
authorization checks by the network.
It contains the International Mobile
Subscriber Identity (IMSI), which uniquely
identifies the user on a worldwide basis. The
IMSI is used for internal processes in the
network.
5
To be able to use your mobile phones there is a

frequency range on the Radio Interface, called
frequency bands.
Four different frequency bands are used at the
moment:
850 MHz (GSM-R, rail communications)

900 MHz (GSM)
1800 MHz (DCS, Digital Cellular Service)
1900 MHz (PCS, Personal Communication Services)
The lower the frequency band, the higher the

range of a cell.
6
Originally, GSM was mainly intended to

transport voice as a so-called circuit
switched service, a fixed connection is
established and a fixed amount of
bandwidth is reserved during the whole call
which cannot be used by other subscribers.
In order to place a phone call, a connection
has to be established on the Radio
Interface from the mobile phone to the
Radio Network, a so-called channel.
There are 8 channels per radio frequency. The
number of channels a single antenna can serve
depends on the number of frequencies it possesses.
The Radio Networks provides access to the

users mobiles via several antennas or BTS
(Base Transceiver Stations).
Each antenna serves a specified area, which
is called a cell or sector.
7
The antennas are positioned in such a way

that adjacent cells overlap at their borders
to provide an uninterrupted connection by
connecting the closest antenna.
The Base Stations and their antennas are

controlled by their respective Base
Station Controller (BSC).
The BSC collects the traffic of its
corresponding Base Stations and forwards
this traffic to the Core Network. It also
performs controlling tasks for the
connections.
The GSM Core Network consists of the
Mobile Switching Center (MSC that
switch the phone calls through the network
) and several databases.
MSCs which provide access to external
telephone networks are called Gateway
MSCs.
Besides routing the phone calls, the MSC is
also responsible for user management
when performing a phone call and billing
information.
8
In order to perform all tasks regarding user

management, the MSC needs access to all relevant
information.
This information is stored in different Databases
belonging to the Core Network:
The subscriber phone number which corresponds to the

Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)
Charging information about the user and accessible
services for the user
Where the user is located in order to route an incoming
call.
One important feature of GSM is the unlimited

mobility maintaining a call. The call is not
interrupted when moving from the coverage area of
one cell to another.
The call has been handed from one cell to another
this process is called a handover.
9
Summary
GSM is the first mobile network truly reaching the masses. Unlimited mobility within the network,
international coverage, Messaging services, Mobile Internet, and Mobile Solutions make GSM a part of daily
life.
The GSM network consists of the following parts:
Mobile Station Mobile phone and the SIM Card
Radio Network enabling access for the mobile phones to the Core Network
Core Network switching tasks and call handling
Three basic procedures illustrate the principle of GSM:
Location Update informing the Core Network about the location of the user
Call Setup locating the user and establishing a connection
Handover providing mobility while making a call
10
GPRS
General Packet Radio Service
GSM was mainly intended for voice services.
To increase the data rate in existing GSM networks,
GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) was
introduced.
GPRS is the link to 3G, therefore it is also called
2.5G.
GPRS provides access to the Internet and other data
services for mobile users.
GPRS features:
Higher data transmission rates

Charging flexibility
"Always on" functionality
Enhanced applications and services
11
Classical phone networks are so called circuit

switched networks:
Each user establishes a circuit or channel when

setting up the call
The allocated resources are exclusively reserved for the
individual user for the entire duration of the call
These individually allocated channels are dedicated
channels.
GPRS introduces a more efficient way of data

transmission. These connections are packet data
oriented, data is segmented and transmitted in
small data packets.
GSM offers minimum uplink data rates 9.6 kbit/s

GPRS offers a theoretical maximum uplink data rate up
to 40.0 kbit/s.
In order to obtain higher data rates several data

channels can be bundled and used simultaneously
by one or several users.
12
The data transmission channels can be classified

in two types:
Data channels transporting data packets from the

mobile phone to the network are called uplink
channels.
Data channels transporting data packets from the
network to the mobile phone are called downlink
channels.
GPRS supports transmission rates of 9.6, 13.4, 15.6,

and 21.4 kbits for each data channel accordingly to
the channel quality.
GSM offers minimum uplink data rates 9.6 kbit/s

GPRS offers a theoretical maximum uplink data rate up
to 40.0 kbit/s.
13
The mobiles are classified by its so called multislot

class and nowadays mostly in use are class 10
which means that they support up to 5 channels:
2 channels in the uplink and 3 in the downlink

1 channel in the uplink and up to 4 channels in the
downlink
can receive up to 21.4 kbits on each channel
maximum data rate of 85.6 kbits when bundling 4
channels in the downlink
42.8 kbits when bundling two channels in the uplink.
All mobile networks have basically the same

structure and are composed of two parts:
The Core Network controls your call, transmits your

voice calls and data, and forwards it to external
networks, such as other telephone networks or the
Internet.
The Radio Network provides the user access to the
network from the mobile devices. The Radio Network
consists of many BTS and BSC.
To upgrade a GSM network to support GPRS,

regarding Radio Network, only a software upgrade
and a single module in the BSC is necessary (less
expensive solution than 3G).
However, a new Core Network is required to handle
the data packets in GPRS:
Serving GPRS Support Node SGSN

Gateway GPRS Support Node GGSN
14
The SGSN is responsible for the management of the

data traffic of all users within a certain geographical
area.
authentication of users
switching of data traffic
storing of charging information
encrypting the data connection with the mobile
The GGSN acts as gateway between the GPRS

network and the Internet and other external data
networks.
EDGE
Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution
The performance and data rate of GSM can be
further enhanced with the introduction of EDGE
(Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution). When applied
to GPRS, EDGE is referred to as E-GPRS.
E-GPRS offers a variety of benefits:
Significantly increased data rates compared to GPRS

Higher capacity of the network
Based on the existing GPRS infrastructure
Whereas GPRS offers maximum data rates of up to

40.0 Kbit/s, EGPRS offers up to 236.8 Kbit/s.
That means E-GPRS offers data rates for single
users which are high enough to enable services
which normally are only possible with 3G systems.
15
E-GPRS is based on GPRS, it combines up to eight

channels and almost triples the data rate by
transporting three bits at a time instead of one bit.
Only minor changes are necessary in the GPRS
network to support EDGE:
On the hardware side the transceivers in the

Base Station, which are responsible for
transforming the bits into a waveform, are
affected by EDGE.
That means the network operator has to
deploy transceivers, which support EDGE.
Otherwise, only a software upgrade is
necessary in order to support EDGE.
16
Summary
GPRS is a technology which enables mobile Internet access and use of mobile data services. GPRS
achieves much higher data transfer speeds than original GSM because :
GPRS
GPRS
GPRS
GPRS
provides higher bit-rates per channel

lets subscribers use more than one channel in parallel
lets subscribers share channels
transmits data in packets rather than setting up connections
Sharing of channels means subscribers can get access when they need it rather than waiting for
channels to become free. Because GPRS is packet based, users can enjoy "always on" access to the
Internet and charging is based on the volume of data transferred rather than on connection times. GPRS
is the bridge to high speed 2.5G, 3G and 4G services from Operators and Internet-based service
providers.
EDGE is an upgrade for existing GPRS networks, providing distinctly higher data rates up to 236.8 Kbit/s.
Therefore it is also called EGPRS. Only minor changes are necessary in existing GPRS networks to
perform an upgrade to EGPRS, so is an inexpensive way to provide coverage with higher data rates in
regions which are not yet covered by UMTS.
The main difference between GPRS and EGPRS lies within the used modulation: EGPRS carries three bits
at a time compared to one bit in GPRS. Consequently, the data rate is almost tripled.
17
Exercise
18
Introduction
BSS Overview
BSS Radio Network
Abis and MML
Commissioning
19
GSM Subsystems
The GSM network is functionally divided into four
elements:
Base Station Subsystem (BSS) is one of the

main functional elements of the GSM network.
The Network Switching Subsystem (NSS)
GPRS Core Network to SGSN (Packet Core)
Operation and Support System (OSS) or
Network Service and Management Subsystem
(NMS), provided by NetAct.
The actual network needed for establishing calls is

composed by the NSS and the BSS.
The BSS is responsible for radio path control and every
call is connected through the BSS .
The NSS takes care of call control functions. Calls are
always connected by and through the NSS.
The OSS is the operation and maintenance related part
of the network and it is needed for the control of the
whole GSM network. The network operator observes and
maintains network quality (KPIs) and service offered
through the OSS.
20
Operation and Support System (OSS)

The purpose of the OSS is to monitor various functions and
elements of the network.
The operator workstations are connected to the database and
communication servers via a Local Area Network (LAN).
The database server stores the management information about
the network.
These communications are carried over a Data Communications
Network (DCN), which connects to the OSS via a router.
The functions of the OSS can be divided into three categories:
Fault management
Configuration management
Performance management
These functions cover the whole of the GSM network elements

from the level of individual BTSs, up to MSCs and Databases.
21
Network Switching Subsystem (NSS)

NSS or Core Network is the component of a GSM
system that carries out call switching and mobility
management functions for mobile phones roaming
on the network of base stations.
The main functions of NSS are:
Call control: This identifies the subscriber, establishes

a call, and clears the connection after the conversation
is over.
Charging: This collects the charging in formation about
a call (the numbers of the caller and the called
subscriber, the time and type of the transaction, etc.)
and transfers it to the Billing Centre.
Mobility management: This maintains information
about the subscribers location.
Signaling: This applies to interfaces with the BSS and
PSTN.
Subscriber data handling: This is the permanent
data storage in the HLR and temporary storage of
relevant data in the VLR.
22

The NSS originally consisted of the circuitswitched core network, used for traditional GSM
services such as voice calls, SMS, and circuit
switched data calls.
It was extended with an overlay architecture to
provide packet-switched data services known as
the GPRS core network. This allows mobile phones
to have access to services such as WAP, MMS, and
the Internet.
The Switching Core Network (SCN) comprises
network elements that implement CS services (e.g.
voice calls), like Multimedia Gateway (MGW), Mobile
switching centre server (MSS).
Packet Core Network (PCN), on the other hand,
supports PS data connections to external networks
(e.g. Internet).
23

The Network Switching Subsystem (NSS) contains
the network elements MSC, VLR, HLR, AC and EIR.
HLR (Home Location Register):
MSC (Mobile services Switching Centre):
controlling calls in the mobile network

identifies the origin and destination of a call as well as
the type of a call
Is the initiation of paging which is the process of
locating a particular mobile station in case of a mobile
terminated call (a call to a mobile station)
charging data collection.
VLR (Visitor Location Register): is a database

which contains:
information about subscribers currently being in the

service area of the MSC/VLR (identification numbers,
authentication of the SIM and ciphering, services that
can be used)
When a mobile station comes to a new MSC/VLR
serving area, it must register itself in the VLR,
registering and updating its location
The VLR database is temporary.
24
permanent register of the subscribers

keeps track of the current location of its
customers. The MSC asks for routing information
from the HLR if a call is to be set up to a mobile
station
Authentication Centre (AC) and Equipment
Identity Register (EIR), are located in the HLR.
AC (Authentication Centre):
provides security information to the network, so

that we can verify the SIM cards
authentication between the mobile station and
the VLR, and cipher the information transmitted
between the MS and the Base Transceiver Station
(air interface).
EIR (Equipment Identity Register):
used for security reasons

is responsible for IMEI checking (checking the
validity of the mobile equipment)
is an optional procedure, so it is up to the
operator to define if and when IMEI checking is
performed. (Some operators do not even
implement the EIR at all.)
25
GPRS Network Elements

The GPRS system brings some new network
elements to an existing GSM network. These
elements are:
26
Packet Control Unit (PCU)
Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN): the MSC of the

GPRS network
Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN): gateway to

external networks
Charging Gateway (CG)
Domain Name System (DNS)
Firewalls: used wherever a connection to an external

network is required.
27
Base Station Subsystem (BSS)

The Base Station Subsystem is responsible for
managing the radio network and it is controlled by an
MSC.
The main function of the BSS is to connect the
subscriber's mobile station (MS) to the GSM network
and provide connections to the mobile switching centre
(MSC), and to GPRS core network, serving GPRS
support node (SGSN). The BSS also takes care of the
mobility management of the cellular network including,
for example, handovermanagement and various
measurements.
Tasks:
Radio path control: The BSS is the part of the network

taking care of radio resources, that is, radio channel
allocation and quality of the radio connection.
Synchronization: The BSS uses hierarchical

synchronization, (MSC synchronizes the BSC, and the BSC
further synchronizes the BTSs associated with that
particular BSC). Inside the BSS, synchronization is
controlled by the BSC. If the synchronization chain is not
working correctly, calls may be cut or the call quality may
28
Nokia
not be the
bestSolutions
possibleand
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even be2015
impossible to establish
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a information
call.
Air and A interface signaling: In order to establish a

call, the MS must have a connection through the BSS.
Connection establishment between the MS and

the NSS: The BSS is located between two interfaces,
the air- and the A-interface. The MS must have a
connection through these two interfaces before a call
can be established. Generally speaking, this connection
may be either a signaling connection or a traffic
(speech, data) connection.
Mobility management and speech transcoding:

BSS mobility management mainly covers the different
cases of handovers.
The BSS consists of the following elements:

BSC - Base Station Controller
BTS - Base Transceiver Station
TC Transcoder
BSS Network Elements

The BSC (Base Station Controller) is the central
network element of the BSS and it controls the radio
network.
Main tasks:
Connection establishment between the MS and the NSS

Mobility management
Statistical raw data collection
Air- and A-interface signaling support
BTS and TC control
The BTS (Base Transceiver Station) is the network

element responsible for maintaining the air interface
and minimizing the transmission.
The BTS parameters in BSC handle the following major
items: what kind of handovers (when and why), paging
organization, radio power level control, and BTS
identification.
Most important tasks:
Air Interface signaling

Ciphering
Speech processing
29
TC(SM) Transcoder (SubMultiplexer)

In the air interface, the media carrying the traffic
is a radio frequency. To enable an efficient
transmission of digital speech information over the
air interface, the digital speech signal is
compressed. We must however also be able to
communicate with and through the fixed network,
where the speech compression format is different.
Somewhere between the BTS and the fixed
network, we have to convert from one speech
compression format to another.
Transcoder
Encoding and Decoding
According to GSM 900 and GSM 1800 specifications,
the bit rate in the air interface is 13 Kbits/s (full
rate, enhanced full rate) and the bit rate in the
Mobile services Switching Centre (MSC) and PSTN
interface is 64 Kbits/s.
The actual hardware that does the conversion from

13 Kbits/s to 64 Kbits/s and vice versa is called a
transcoder.
The transcoder belongs to the BSS and it can be
placed between the BSC and the MSC or in the MSC
(MGW).
A transcoder used in conjunction with a
submultiplexer makes it possible to multiplex traffic
channels from four PCM lines, thereby reducing
transmission costs.
30
BSS Network
Elements
Base Station Controller, BSC
terrestrial channel management

configuration and management of traffic channels
frequency hopping control
Paging
BTS and MS power control
idle channel quality monitor
quality and field strength control for active channels
handover control
maintenance of BTS / BSC / TC
interfaces to the OSS / BTS / TC / SGSN
Transcoder, TCSM
31
considered as part of the BSC

normally at the MSC site
used for converting the bit rate of traffic channels
between 64 and 16 Kbit/s
speech activity detection
framing and synchronization of the vocoder block
interfaces to the MSC / BSC
Base Transceiver Station, BTS
timing Broadcast Control Channels (BCCH) and

Common Control Channels (CCCH)
forwarding MS and BTS measurements to the BSC
detecting RACHs (Random Access Channels) from the
MS
channel coding and decoding on the radio path
interleaving and de-interleaving on the radio path
encryption and decryption on the radio path
performing frequency hopping
GMSK modulation, demodulation, up / down conversion
and power amplifying
transmitter RF signal combining
receiver RF signal filtering, amplifying and
multicoupling
reporting idle traffic channel quality to the BSC
Transmission Unit TRU
provides Abis interface

reallocates the Traffic and signaling channels in the BTS
BSS Interfaces
A Interface Legacy
Located between the MSC or MGW and the BSC. It

is used for carrying traffic channels and the BSSAP
user part of the SS7 stack.
Between the MSC and the TCSM, a physical A
interface used to consist of PCM lines or optical
lines between network elements.
With the introduction of the AoIP, the A-interface
between BSC and MGW can also be based on
IP/Ethernet.
Ater Interface Legacy
The Ater interface connects the TCSM to the BSC

and carries the compressed / multiplexed speech
channels.
A physical interface consists of PCM lines, packet
network (PWE CESoPSN) or TDM optical lines
between network elements.
Packet Ater interface is an IP based BSS internal
interface between the Multicontroller BSC and
Multicontroller Transcoder (mcTC).
32
BSS Interfaces
Abis Interfaces
Is a closed interface between the BTS and the BSC

The physical interface used can be a PCM line or Ethernet. Uses TDM sub-channels for traffic (TCH), LAPD protocol for BTS
supervision and telecom signalling, and carries synchronization from the BSC to the BTS and MS.
Packet Abis makes possible to use higher bandwidth and IP based transmission between BTS and BSC.
The Abis operation and maintenance (O&M) part supports alarm consistency, remote transmission equipment
management, and BTS database management.
Signalling on Abis interface: LAPD, OMUSIG, TRXSIG
Abis Transport Concept:

Packet Abis over TDM: PCM is used for transport
(IP over Circuit Switched Network)
Packet Abis over Ethernet: Ethernet is used for
transport (IP over Packet Switched Network).
Legacy Abis over TDM / Ethernet: PCM or PCM
over Ethernet (CESoPSN) is used for transport
33
BSS Interfaces
Gb Interface
Is an open interface between a BSC and a Serving
GPRS Support Node (SGSN) in the GPRS Core
network. It may be implemented using Frame Relay
(FR) or IP transmission.
Frame Relay Options
The Frame Relay can be either point-to-point (PCU SGSN) or
there can be a Frame Relay network located between the BSC
and the SGSN.
A Gb interface Bearer channel can use 1 to 31

64kbit/s timeslots.
The following figure displays examples of the Gb interface
transmission solutions:
1) Spare capacity of the Ater and the A interfaces is used
for the Gb interface. The Gb timeslots are transparently
through connected in the TCSM and in the MSC
2) A transmission network provides a point-to-point
connection between the BSC and the SGSN.
3) A Frame Relay network is used
4) The BSC and the SGSN are connected via an IP Network
- Gb over IP Connection
34
BSS Interfaces
The traffic channels in the Air interface are allocated
into a TDMA frame. The TDMA frame consists of 8
The open-air interface between the MS and the BTS. time slots. Timeslot 0 (of the BCCH radio) will be
This interface uses LAPDm protocol for signaling, to used to carry the signalling between the BS (BSC,
MSC) and the MS. These are:
conduct call control, measurement reporting,
Um, Radio or Air Interface
handover, power control, authentication,

authorization, location update and so on.
35
BCCH: Broadcast Control Channel

FCH: Frequency Correction Channel
SCH: Sync Channel
CCCH: Common Control Channel
RACH: Random Access Channel
BSS Interfaces
A interface: between MSC and TCSM
- 2 Mbit/s interface
Ater interface: between TCSM and BSC
Abis interface: between BSC and BTS
- structure depends on the connection type and
signalling (64 kbit/s, 32 kbit/s or 16 kbit/s) used
Air interface: between BTS and MS
- TDMA frame for sending signals intended for
various users on the same radio frequency in
different time slots.
Gb interface: between SGSN and BSC
- Frame Relay Protocol on 2 Mbit/s interface
- or Gb over IP
36
37
Implementation Scenarios
A over IP Concept
There are two architecture options when IP is used on the A Interface:
Transcoder function is located in the BSS (that is, the standard GSM architecture). The Transcoder is the A over IP termination
point. The G.711 / RTP / IP protocol is employed.
Transcoder function is located in the Core Network (that is, the 3G network architecture). The BSC is the A over IP termination
point. At the same time, the BSC hides the mobility from the Core Network.
38
Exercise
39
Introduction
BSS Overview
BSS Radio Network
Abis and MML
Commissioning
40
Radio Interface
Tasks
Modulation and
demodulation
Multiplexing
Interleaving
Framing
Multi-access
Handover
Channel coding
Timing advance
Ciphering
Congestion control
Power control
Puncturing
Medium access control
Segmentation
Synchronisation
41
Signal
measurements
Layers
The signaling protocol in GSM is structured into three
general layers:
Layer 1 is the physical layer, which uses the

channel structures over the air interface.
Its purpose is to handle the transmission and
reception of data through the protocol's defined
physical channels.
Layer 2 is the data link layer
Layer 3 is the Network layer (Radio Resources

Management, Mobility Management, Connection
Management)
42
Channel organisation in GSM/GPRS

In GSM, 25 MHz spectrum has been frequency divided into 124 bands, each having a bandwidth of 200
kHz.
Two principles are applied to allow multiple access in GSM:
43
FDMA: Frequency Division Multiple Access

TDMA: Time Division Multiple Access
Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), is a method of sharing a resource (in this case a radio
Physical channel and TDMA-Frame

The transmission between network
elements is organised in 125 s time
frames which is subdivided in 32 time
slots.
Time slot number 0 is required
synchronisation and alarms.
Then 31 time slots are left for user data
transport.
.
Each time slot transmits 8 bits.

If a speech call is set-up, one of the
time slots can be reserved for the
subscriber. The remaining time
slots can be allocated to other
calls.
44
Time slots and bursts

In Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) one frequency is shared by, at the most, eight users.
A 2 Mbit/s PCM signal can carry 31 channels, each channel occupying 64 Kbits/s. The signals from the
mobile stations must be placed into a 2 Mbit/s signal that connects the BTS and the BSC.
Each mobile station must send a burst

(one TDMA timeslot) of data at a
different time to all the other mobile
stations in the same cell.
The mobile then falls silent for the next
seven timeslots and then sends the next
burst and so on.
Each timeslot is referred to as a physical channel as information can be transmitted in it.

It is possible to share a physical channel amongst many processes or users. These are referred to as
logical channels.
45
GSM logical channels

Logical channels imply partial use of physical channels by many sources. Thus each physical
channel can contain a number of logical channels. Each logical channel performs a well-specified task.
46
GSM logical channels

Control channels (CCH)
Frequency correction channel (FCCH)

Synchronising channel (SCH)
Broadcast common channel (BCCH)
Common control channels (CCCH)
Paging channels (PCH)

Random access channel (RACH)
Access grant channels (AGCH)
Dedicated Control Channels (DCCH)
Standalone dedicated control channels

(SDCCH)
Slow associated control channels (SACCH)
Fast associated control channels (FACCH)
Traffic channels (TCH)

47
Common Channels
Broadcast Channels
Common control channels
Frequency Correction Channel (FCCH)
Paging Channel (PCH)
Pure sine wave.

The MS searches for this channels to switch on.
Downlink.
Synchronisation Channel (SCH)
After locking to the frequency the MS synchronises with

the SCH.
The SCH contains the BSIC of the BTS and the TDMA
frame number (used in encryption).
Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH)

Common information about the BTS:
Used frequencies
Frequency hopping sequence
Channel combination
Paging groups
Surrounding cell information
48
Used by BTS to page a mobile.

A downlink channel only
Random Access Channel (RACH)
Used by the MS to request a dedicated control channel.

Used for e.g. mobile originated calls.
An uplink channel only
Access Grant Channel (AGCH)
Used by the BTS to assign a dedicated control channel.

A downlink channel only
Dedicated Channels
Dedicated control channels
Traffic Channels
Stand Alone Dedicated Control Channel

(SDCCH)
Full Rate (TCH/F)
Bi-directional channel.
Used for call set-up procedures, e.g. authentication.
The traffic channel (TCH) is assigned by using SDCCH
Slow Associated Control Channel (SACCH)
Associated with SDCCH and TCH.

Measurement reports.
MS power control.
Timing alignment
Fast Associated Control Channel (FACCH)
Associated with TCH.

For quick control communication, e.g. handover.
Physically replaces 20 ms of speech, stealing mode
49
Used for speech or data transmission.
User data bit rate 13 kbit/s.
Half Rate (TCH/H)
Used for speech or data transmission.
User data bit rate 6-7 kbit/s.
Enhanced Full Rate (EFR)
Used for high quality speech
transmission.
User data bit rate 13 kbit/s.
Radio resource management (Layer 3)

Available resources for GPRS
GSM timeslots are used for circuit switched (CS) traffic and assigned by the GSM network, whereas timeslots
for packet switched (PS) traffic are assigned by the PCU.
Circuit switched traffic has priority over packet switched traffic. But when there are idle GSM timeslots, one
would like to transmit as much PS traffic on it.
GPRS timeslots are classified into dedicated, default and additional timeslots:
50
Dedicate timeslots are exclusively reserved for GPRS

traffic and no CS traffic can be transmitted on them.
Default timeslots are by default for GPRS traffic

channels that can be dynamically configured to handle
CS load if needed.
Additional timeslots by default carry CS traffic but

can be dynamically configured into a GPRS timeslot
when required. During peak GPRS traffic periods,
additional channels are switched to GPRS use, but only
if the CS traffic load permits that to occur.
Base Transceiver Station

TRX
The radio resources are the frequencies allocated to
the Base Station.
The particular hardware element inside the BTS
responsible for transmitting and receiving these
radio frequencies in each of the GSM channels
(uplink and downlink together) is appropriately
named "transceiver (TRX)".
Base stations can use several TRXs, but there is at
least one TRX that can carry common channels.
A larger traffic volume affects the number of
channel frequencies in a certain cell (TRXs).
51
Base Transceiver Station

The type and location of the BTS depends on the
characteristics of the surroundings.
In city areas, cells are usually smaller than in the
countryside. The rule is that the higher the
frequency, the smaller the size of the cell. It means
that the potential cell coverage in GSM 900 is larger
than for 1800 and 1900 networks.
A BTS is a physical site from where the radio
transmission in both the downlink and uplink
direction takes place.
A Base Station site might have several TRXs. These
TRXs are then configured into one, two or three
cells.
If a BTS is configured as one cell it is called an
"omnidirectional BTS (transmits and receives
360 degrees) and if it is configured as either two or
three cells it is called a "sectorised BTS.
52
Global Cell parameters

Mobile Country Code (MCC) and Mobile Network
Code (MNC)
The MCC defines the code of each country globally
while the MNC defines the unique network code within
a country.
Location Area Code (LAC)
The MSC service area has been divided into several
smaller areas, which are called location areas (LA).
Each location area has a unique number - a location
area code (LAC) - to identify the area. Paging a mobile
in case of an incoming call is based on the location
area.
Routing Area Code (RAC)
One or more cells form a Routing Area (RA), which is a
subset of one Location Area (LA). The RA is unique
within a Location Area. One Routing Area is served by
one SGSN.
Cell Identity (CI)
A location area
may
include
several
BSCs, BCFs and
53
Nokia
Solutions
and Networks
2015
BTSs. Therefore, a unique Cell identity (CI) is needed
to define each individual cell within a location area.
Location Area and Routing Area

Mobility management in the GPRS network is handled in a similar way to the existing voice
service.
When creating a RA the user identifies the obligatory
parameters:
Mobile Country Code (MCC)

Mobile Network Code (MNC)
Location Area Code (LAC)
Routing Area Code (RAC)
Routing area identification (RAI): RAI =

MCC+MNC+LAC+RAC
The RA and the BTS are linked logically together by the RAI.
Routing Areas are created in the BSS Radio Network
Configuration Database (BSDATA) and uses a serving PCU
for the cell when the operator enables the GPRS traffic in
that cell.
RAI = MCC+MNC+LAC+RAC
Optimal Routing Area size
If the Routing Area size is too large, the paging channels and
capacity will be saturated due to limited LAPD Abis or radio
interface CCCH paging capacity.
With a small Routing Area there will be a larger number of
54
Routing
Area
updates.
Regional Organization of GPRS
55
Network Colour Code (NCC) and Base station Colour Code (BCC)
Network colour code (NCC)
In the vicinity of country borders it is possible for the

mobile to receive the same frequency from both countries
NCC is used to define which network a particular frequency
belongs to and from which a mobile gets its service
The range of NCC is between 0-7
Base station colour code (BCC)
Within a national network, due to the limited number of

carriers, frequencies need to be reused often and mobiles
receive the same frequency from several sources
The BCC describes a group of BTSs using a set of
frequencies -another BCC is given to the neighbouring
frequency set
The range of BCC is between 0-7
NCC + BCC = BSIC (Base Station Identity Code)
56
BSIC is transmitted to mobiles on Synchronisation Channel

(SCH)
The mobile decodes this information, and is therefore able
to lock onto the correct network and BTS (=cell)
Handovers
Handover due to traffic reasons
When the capacity of a cell nears its maximum, mobile

stations in the periphery of the cell may be handed
over to neighbouring cell with lower traffic load.
The MSC starts the procedure.
Handover due to signal quality and strength
When a mobile subscriber is moving during a call, he

may travel from one cell to another.
Frequency resources of previous cells can not be used
any more.
The mobile station is handed over to the new cell.
The BSC controlling the current cell makes the decision
to perform a handover.
There are four types of these handovers:
o
o
o
o
57
INTRA-BSC INTRA-CELL HANDOVER (same cell)

INTRA-BSC INTER-CELL HANDOVER (different cells)
INTER-BSC HANDOVER
INTER-MSC HANDOVER
Handover cases
INTRA-BSC INTRA-CELL HANDOVER (same cell)
Between two TS in the same carrier or two carriers in the
same BTS
INTRA-BSC INTER-CELL HANDOVER (different cells)
Between two carriers in different BTSs
INTER-BSC INTER-CELL HANDOVER
Between two BTSs in different BSCs via MSC
INTER-MSC HANDOVER
Between two BSCs in different MSCs
Inter-BSC and Inter-MSC handover are determined by the BSC but
executed by the MSC (signalling and call control needed)
Inter-system handover GSM-UMTS

From GSM BSS to UTRAN and from UTRAN to GSM BSS
58
Modulation
GSM uses digital techniques where the speech and control information are represented by 0s and 1s. By
altering the characteristic of a radio signal for every bit in the digital signal, we can "translate" an analogue
signal into a bit stream in the frequency domain. This technique is called modulation.
Analogue signals have three basic properties, so
there are basically three types of modulation
processes in common use:
amplitude modulation
frequency modulation
phase modulation
GMSK (Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying)

The GMSK modulation scheme is used for GSM and
GPRS as it provides minimum spectral requirements
and constant output power. In this scheme, each bit is
represented by one symbol.
The 8PSK modulation scheme is used for EGPRS.
This modulation scheme is three times higher than of
GMSK. The transmitted symbols are one of eight
sinusoids, which have the same amplitude and
frequency but differ in phase.
59
Radio Network Objects

Base Station Controller (BSC) contains parameters specific to the base station controller. There is only one object
of this type in the database.
Base Control Function (BCF) contains operating and maintenance specific data of the BTS site.
Base Transceiver Station (BTS) contains BTS parameters. A BTS's parameters are divided into two different
groups: Common parameters (segment-specific, which are used for all BTSs in a segment) and BTS-specific
parameters.
A segment consists of at least one BTS or a group of BTSs that are served by one BCCH.
Handover Control (HOC) contains parameters which controls the handover procedure.
Power Control (POC) contains parameters which controls the power control procedure.
Transceiver (TRX) contains TRX specific data
Radio Timeslot (RTSL) contains parameters for the physical radio timeslot
Adjacent GSM Cell (ADJC) contains adjacent-cell-specific parameters. There is an adjacent cell object for each
adjacent GSM cell.
Mobile Allocation Frequency List (MAL) contains a list of the frequencies that the cell uses in radio frequency
(RF) hopping.
Routing Area (RA) contains list of NSEIs servicing the Routing Area. RA is used for PCU selection algorithm
Network Service Entity (NSE) contains information about maximum configuration and features.
Dynamic
Abis
Pool
(DAP)
contains
information about cell allocation in Abis interface.
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Nokia
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and
Networks 2015
Packet Control Unit (PCU) contains information about PCU address and type.
Introduction
BSS Overview
BSS Radio Network
Abis and MML
Commissioning
61
Initiating a mobile originated call

The Mobile Station user dials a number.
The serving MSC analyses the calling subscriber data.
Depending on the subscriber data, the MSC will:
authorise or deny the use of the network

activate the requested service
route the call.
If the dialled number is an MSISDN of another Mobile

Station belonging to the same network, an HLR enquiry
is performed to obtain the MSRN.
The procedure is same as that of a PSTN

originating call.
If the dialled number is any other number, the call is

routed out to the Public Switched Telephone Network
(PSTN) via the Gateway MSC.
62
GSM Call Flow
The first part to mobile call is when you first turn

on your phone.
The mobile scans the available frequencies and

measures the received level on each channel.
You get to a nearby cell site, the cellular network

checks your account.
If you have a valid telephone number and your

account is good then your call proceeds.
Finally the GSM system decides which cell has to

handle the mobile station which is usually the
cell site delivering the highest signal strength to
the mobile.
To establish a connection, a frequency is needed

to transmit on.
Then the mobile synchronizes with the cell site

(SCH).
So the mobile tries to find out broadcast

channels.
A base stations Broadcast Control Channel

continuously sends out identifying information
about its cell site.
For the initial period mobile acts as a receiver

checking for a signal from any base station with
in the range.
63
Mobile Originated Call (MOC)

1. The MS uses RACH to ask for a signaling channel.
2. The BSC allocates signaling channel using AGCH.
3. When the channel is allocated, it send its IMSI and VLR is signed
as busy.
4. The MS sends a call set-up request via SDCCH to the MSC/VLR.
Over SDCCH all signaling preceding a call takes place. This
includes:
Marking the MS as active in the VLR
The authentication procedure
Start ciphering
Equipment identification
Checking the called partys number to the network
5. The MSC/VLR instructs the BSC to allocate an idle TCH. The BTS
and the MS are told to tune to the TCH.
6. The MSC/VLR forwards the called party number to an exchange
in the PSTN, which establishes a connection to the subscriber.
7. If the called subscriber answers, the connection is established.
64
Call Handling in MSC
A subscriber switches on his phone in an area where

a local operator provides network service.
The area is connected through an air interface to

the VLR, which is integrated into the MSC.
The home operator of the subscriber also needs to

know the location of the subscriber. Therefore it
maintains another register the HLR.
The HLR stores the basic data of the subscriber on a

permanent basis. The only variable information in
the HLR is the current location of the subscriber (the
VLR address).
The VLR address is needed, because the HLR needs

to know from what MSC/VLR to ask for routing
information in case of a mobile terminated call (a
call to the mobile station).
When the subscriber moves to another VLR area, its

data is erased from the old VLR and stored in the
new VLR.
The transaction that enables the network to keep

track of the
subscriber
isNetworks
called2015
a location update.
Nokia
Solutions and
65
Each MSC/VLR typically contains many location

areas. We can define a LA as an area in which we
search for the subscriber in case there is a call for
him.
Each LA is identified by a Location Area Identity
(LAI), and it has the following structure:
Paging is a signal that is transmitted by all the cells

in the LA. It contains the identification of the
subscriber. The identification is called TMSI and is a
unique identity temporarily allocated to visiting
mobile subscribers by the visitor location register.
Even if the paging signal is received by several
mobile stations in the LA, only one of them thus
recognises the identification and answers to it. As a
consequence of this answer, a point to point
connection is established. Now the two subscribers
are connected, and traffic can be carried through
the network.
Location Area
Paging
Paging
BTS
Now that we know the LA of the subscriber, we can

start searching for him. To locate the subscriber, a
paging process is initiated in the location area.
66
Mobile responds
to paging
BTS
Paging
BTS
Types of location updates

Power On
Also known as IMSI Attach and Location
Registration
Done every time a Mobile Station is
switched on.
Generic
Done every time a Mobile Station changes a
location area.
Periodic
Is a feature which forces MSs to send a
registration message to the network at
predefined intervals. If an MS miss a
registration, the network will mark the MS
as detached and ensures that needless
paging is not performed.
67
Number of channels required during

call set-up (1)
Channel to transmit information to help the mobile station to tune into the network.
Channel to transmit synchronisation information.
Channel to transmit information about the network to help the mobile know about
the frequencies being used in its cell as well as in surrounding cells.
68

call set-up (2)
Channel to transmit mobile stations request to initiate call set-up.
Channel to set up a call.
Channel to transmit handover information.
69

call set-up (3)
Channel to page the called party.
Channel to transmit measurements.

Conclusion: No channel left for conversation!
Solution: We must send more than one type of information on a channel by sharing
it.
70
Introduction
BSS Overview
BSS Radio Network
Abis and MML
Commissioning
71
BSC controls GSM/EDGE radio network (BSS/GERAN):
Radio resource management

Circuit switched call control
Packet switched services control
Radio network configuration and recovery
BTS and BSC O&M
Circuit and packet switched user plane transport
Complete Nokia BSC is basically composed with:
GSWB = Group Switch (Bit)

1 Cabinet in which there are 7 BCSU - Base Station Controller Signalling
Unit (6 working BCSU and one BCSU in spare state)
2 MCMU - Marker and Cellular Management Unit (1 working MCMU and
1 spare MCMU)
2 CLS - Clock and Synchronisation Unit (1 working CLS and 1 spare
CLS)
1 OMU - Operation and Maintenance Unit
ET = Exchange Terminal
Message Bus (MBIF)
power units
72
BSC Architecture
73
74
MCMU Marker and Cellular Management Unit
controls and supervises the Bit Group Switch

responsible for cells and radio channels that are
controlled by the BSC
reserves and keeps track of the radio resources
requested by the MSC and the handover procedures of
the BSC
manages the configuration of the cellular network
BCSU BSC Signaling Unit
Traffic volume
It consists of two parts, which correspond to the A and
Abis interfaces:
The A interface: performing all message handling and

processing functions of the signaling channels connected
to it.
The Abis interface: controls the air interface channels
associated with transceivers (TRXs) and Abis signaling
channels; every speech circuit on the Abis interface is
mapped one-to-one to a GSM-specific speech/data
channel on the air interface.
OMU Operating and Maintenance Unit

traffic measurement functions
maintenance functions
system configuration administration functions

75
Nokia Solutions
and Networks 2015
System management
functions
<Change
in footer>
LANinformation
topologyclassification
management
GSW Group Switch
conveys the traffic passing through the BSC as well as

switching the tones to the subscribers of the exchange
and to the trunk circuits
establishes the needed connections to the signaling
units, the internal data transmission channels and the
submultiplexers (SMUX) of the BSC
CLS (CLOC) - Clock and synchronization unit
The CLS generates the clock signals necessary for the

BSC.
The oscillator of the CLS is normally synchronized to an
external source, usually an MSC, through a PCM line.
Up to three additional PCM inputs are provided for
redundancy.
ET Exchange Terminal units
PCM trunk circuit interface

connected to the Group Switch (GSW) and via this to
the computer unit supervising the Exchange Terminal,
to the Clock Equipment (CLS), to the Hardware Alarm
Collection Unit (HWAL) and to the power supply
Input transmission direction)
Output transmission direction
76
mcBSC Multicontroller BSC

Multicontroller Platform combines a compact and scalable
hardware platform with modular and flexible radio network
controller software to create a network controller implementation
with unrivalled modularity and space efficiency.
Full IP based Multicontroller Platform enables native support for
BSC packet transport on all interfaces and can be configured to
serve high voice and data traffic volumes and manage high
number of cells.
Multicontroller BSC provides capacity for 4400 TRXs.
When the need comes to adopt a new technology, Multicontroller
BSC can be converted into a 3G Multicontroller RNC.
With full IP-based Multicontroller BSC, all the interfacing are based
on IP over Ethernet transmission - Packet Abis/Ethernet, AoIP,
Packet Ater and Gb/IP. When Multicontroller BSC is combined with
Flexi BSC also TDM (time division multiplex) based interface
options are available for the legacy radio network served by the
Flexi BSC part in the combined Flexi BSC - Multicontroller BSC
installation.
77
Introduction
BSS Overview
BSS Radio Network
Abis and MML
Commissioning
78

Flexi Multiradio BTS is a base transceiver station that is part of the Nokia Flexi BTS platform for GSM/EDGE,
WCDMA and LTE networks.
The key benefits of the Flexi MR BTS are:
wide area coverage

a highly modular structure to allow maximum flexibility
for constructing a wide range of different
configurations.
high power and efficient power amplifiers
future-proof design
cost-efficient site implementations
a lightweight solution.
79

Modularity
Modularity was one of the key design goals of the
Flexi MR BTS. Various BTS solutions can be
constructed using the following modules and
devices:
80
One system module that includes a transmission

submodule
One optional baseband extension module (basically a
system module without the transmission submodule)
One or two optional power supply modules
One to three RF modules or optional remote radio
heads (RRHs), or with RF chaining up to 12 RF modules
or remote radio heads
An optional multiradio combiner
An optional GPS mediator
Optional antenna line devices such as mast head
amplifiers (MHAs), tower mounted amplifiers (TMAs),
and remote electrical tilt (RET) equipment.

Installation Options
The possible implementations include:
81
outdoor installations (top of the mast, base of the mast or

roof of a building
indoor implementations (floor rack installations, spacelimited site installations and other indoor installations)
distributed BTS sites (minisites, feederless sites)

Dimensions
The basic Flexi MR BTS modules (system module, RF
module, baseband extension module, and power
supply module) have the same physical
dimensions.
Mechanically, the basic Flexi MR BTS modules
consist of a core, a casing, fans and cables.
Description:
82
Width = 448 millimetres (standard 19 inch rack)

Height = 133 millimetres (3U)
depth = 400 millimetres without the front cover and
574 millimetres with the front cover installed.
average weight of a module is approximately 20 kg.

Modules of the BTS
The minimum configuration of the Flexi MR BTS
includes one system module and one RF
module.
The interface between the system module and RF
module is optical and allows the implementation of
a distributed BTS site where the physical location of
the system module is not the same as the location
of the RF module.
The system module can be located indoors in a
cellar, for example, and the RF module on the roof
close to the antenna. The remote radio head, in
particular, enables easy mast, pole or wall
installation.
It is possible to expand the BTS by adding one
optional baseband extension module to the
system witch can more than double the baseband
processing capacity.
83

Modules of the BTS
The tasks of the system module are: Teste
control plane processing

centralised timing
user-plane processing
multiplexing
Summing
Ethernet switching
transport processing
providing external interfaces
power distribution.
The basic tasks of the RF module are: Teste
84
signal modulation
Channelising
analogue RF processing
power amplifications
signal filtering at the antenna interfaces.

Power supply
The BTS can be further expanded
by adding an optional power
supply module.
This module provides AC to DC
conversion if direct current is
not available at the site.
It is also possible to equip the
power supply module with up to
three backup batteries to ensure
BTS operation during short power
breaks.
85

System Module GSM
The Flexi Multiradio System Module provides the
GSM/EDGE functionality to the BTS. It provides
internal and external BTS connections, and stores
and runs the GSM/EDGE BTS software.
The System Module also receives and stores the unit
identification information of all other units of the
BTS. ESMB and ESMC System Modules support
configurations of up to 18 and 36 TRXs respectively.
The main functions of the ESMB/C are:
GSM/EDGE BTS Operation and Maintenance

Abis interfacing
Open Base Station Architecture Initiative (OBSAI)
connectivity
Power distribution to other modules
GSM/EDGE baseband
BTS synchronization
External and internal interfaces in

ESMB/C are:
- Q1
- Flexi Power Alarms (FPA)
86
48V DC distribution, 4 outputs and 1 Auxiliary

output
Abis interface
External Alarm and Control Interface
4 optical interfaces (OBSAI RP3-1)
Auxiliary equipment interfaces
Local Management Port (LMP)

Transmission submodules GSM
The transmission sub-module is a separate sales item, since the sub-module type may vary according to the
needs of the particular system. The sub-module is installed at the BTS site, where it is integrated as part of
the system module.
The transmission submodule provides the A interface towards the BSC.
In
provided
transmission
slot
one- The
of the
the
E1/T1
transmission
sub-module
(FIPA)
FIPAfollowing
offers eighttransmission sub-modules can be used:
87
balanced E1/T1-interfaces.
E1 transmission sub-module (FIEA) - The FIEA offers eight
unbalanced E1-interfaces.
Flexbus transmission sub-module (FIFA) - The FIFA offers two
Flexbus interfaces connecting radio links that belong to the Flexi
Hopper family. FIFA can also be used for connecting other
transmission devices supporting Flexbus interface.
Abis over IP Ethernet and E1/T1 (FIQx) - The FIQx transmission
sub-module offers two Fast Ethernet, one Gigabit Ethernet and,
four balanced E1/T1 interfaces. The optical transceiver module is
required for Gigabit Ethernet.
Abis over IP Ethernet and E1 (FIYx) - The FIYx transmission submodule offers two Fast Ethernet, one Gigabit Ethernet and, four
unbalanced E1 interfaces. The optical transceiver module is
required for Gigabit Ethernet.

RF Module (FXxx)
The RF module can include one, two or three
transceivers or pipes.
One transmitter and receiver (one branch) can create one
sector, designed to concurrently transmit and receive
multicarrier signals of multiple radio technologies. It
contains two receive chains to provide the functionality of
2-way receive diversity functionality.
It is possible to chain up to 3 radio modules.
External and internal interfaces in FXxx are:
88
48V DC input
External Alarm interface compatible with FPA
3 optical interfaces (OBSAI RP3-1)
6 Antenna interfaces - 3 duplexed and 3 RX diversity
FXDA/B, FXEA/B, FXDJ have 3 RX diversity outputs and
FXCx/FXFx has 6 Rx outputs
Integrated DC line OVP, Class II rated to 5kA pulse (FXFB, 90
W RF Module variants)
Remote Electrical Tilt (RET) support (FXFB, 90 W RF Module
variants)

RRH Remote Radio Head
The remote radio head (RRH) is a fully operational RF
module that is easy to install on a mast, pole, or wall..
It can be installed up to 200 meters away from the
other modules of the Flexi MR BTS or up to 15
kilometers.
The dual-transmit (2TX) remote radio head is
available for two frequency bands and offers 2 x 40 W
output power using two multicarrier power amplifiers
(MCPA) that can handle up to two carriers each.
The key benefits of the remote radio head are:
89
High output power combined with small dimensions

and low power consumption
Prepared for HSPA Evolution and LTE applications.
It can be provided DC or AC power locally
Supports RRH chaining, where 1 SM can handle up to
3 chains that contain up to 4 remote radio heads per
chain with a total maximum of 12 remote radio heads.
Other equipments
RET (Remote Electrical Tilt)
Amplifier)
90
MHA (Master Head
Introduction
BSS Overview
BSS Radio Network
Abis and MML
Commissioning
91
Legacy Abis Interface
92
The Abis is the interface between the BSC

and the BTS.
It is a 2 Mbit/s interface.
The capacity of the Abis interface depends

on the type of Signalling (16kbit/s, 32kbit/s,
64kbit/s) used between the BSC and the
BTS.
The allocation of the channels within the

Abis interface is free (TCH must occupy two
successive timeslots).
For EDGE configuration its possible to

define dynamically Abis pools (DAP) in 64
kbit/s steps.
Abis Interface
Each BTS has one O&M channel, OMUSIG (or
BCFSIG):
it is an LAPD link connected to the BCF

unit in the BTS
the bit rate is 16, 32 or 64 kbit/s
One TRX can handle 8 x 16 kbit/s traffic

channels (TCHs):
93
it needs 2 PCM timeslots for TCHs in Abis

1 TRX has 1 LAPD link, TRXSIG with 16,
32 or 64 kbit/s bitrate
BSC User Interface - MMI
Text based user interface

Available locally in OMU, or remotely via Telnet/SSH
MMI = Man Machine Interface
System consisting of software. It is used by the
operator to perform operation and maintenance
functions in the exchange system.
MML = Man Machine Language

A command language with which the operator can
manage the operation of the exchange.
DIALOG / MML SESSION

Sessions are either local sessions or remote
sessions.
Communication between the system and the user
using MML command language.
94
Command Structure
There are hundreds of commands, so to make it easier to work with them, they are categorized into
command groups. The command groups are further grouped into command classes. The command
hierarchy is like a tree with branches. On the main level there is the list of command classes. Each
command class is a list of command groups. Finally, the command groups are lists of commands.
A command consists of command letters and parameters. Parameters can be grouped into parameters
blocks. Parameters blocks are separated with colons and parameters belonging to the same parameter
block are separated with commas. A command is terminated with a semi-colon. A return after a semicolon executes the command.
95
The command Z, followed by a

question mark, gives you the list of
the command classes.
To see the command groups within
a command class, you would type
the letter indicating the command
class.
For example, Z A, followed by a
question mark, gives you the list of
command groups within the Alarm
System Administration command
class.
96
Radio Network Elements

BCF Base Control Function, ZEF...
BTS Base Transceiver Station, ZEQ...
FHS Frequency Hopping System
TRX Transceiver, ZER...
TSL Radio Time Slots
BTS SW BTS Software Package, ZEW...
HOC Handover Control Parameters, ZEH...
POC Power Control Parameters, ZEU...
Adj. Cell Adjacent Cells Parameter, ZEA...
UMTS Adj. Cell WBTS Adjacent Cells Parameter,
ZEA...
97
98
BTS 2
BTS 1
BSC
ZEE...
HW Database
TRX
TRX 1
1
TRX
TRX 2
2
TRXSIG / BCFSIG
TRX
TRX 5
5
TRX
TRX 6
6
ZDTI
ZDSB
ZEV...
BTS SW
ZEW...
BCF
1ZEF...
BTS Power
Control
ZEU...
BTS 3
ZEQ...
TRX
TRX 3
3 ZER...
TRX
TRX 4
4
BTS ZEA...
-Adjacencies
BTS
-Handover Control
ZEH...
99
BCF, BTS, TRX Handling
Usefull commands
ZEF_ BCF
ZEQ_ BTS
Units states and alarms
ZER_ TRX
ZUSI;
ZE_S Change BCF, BTS, TRX state
To display units state
ZAHO; Active alarms in BSC

ZEOL; Active BTS alarms
For A Interface:
ZAHP; BSC alarm history
ZNET;
ZEOH; BTS alarms history
ZNHI:<Signalling Network>; Display BSSAP status
Display A interface information (SL, routes)
ZNRI:<Signalling Network>; Display route status

Physical layer (PCM monitoring)
ZAHO:ET,<ET Index>; PCM alarms
For Gb interface and GPRS/EDGE:
ZYEF:ET,<ET Index>>; PCM state
ZFUI;
ZYMO:ET,<ET Index>; PCM statistics
ZFXO:<NSVCI>; NSVCI information

ZQRI;
For Abis interface:
IP configuration
ZEQO:<BTS>:GPRS; Check GPRS at BTS level
ZDTI:<DChannel>::<PCM=PCM number>;
DChannel states
Display
ZEEI:<BCF or BTS>; Display the Radio network (BCF, BTS,

TRX)
ZERO:<BTS>,<TRX; Display the TRX configuration
ZESI:<DAP Id>
configuration
Bearer channel information
Display EDGE dynamic pool
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0
<Change
information classification in footer>
ZESI:<DAP Id>; Display EDGE dynamic pool configuration

check and Fallback
ZEWO:<BCF>;
Check BCF SW
ZWQO:CR;
Check the BSC SW version
ET Interface
If necessary, change the working state (ZUSC) to
WO-EX.
If the ET is already connected, it has a controlling

BCSU (Base Station Controller Signaling Unit) and
process info. The controlling process can be
SC7PRB: A interface
ABIPRB: Abis interface
ERATES: Gb interface
EQMANA means the ET is not connected.
10
1
GPRS cell specific parameter

First the operator has to activate the GPRS feature
in the BSC with the cell- specific parameter GPRS
enable (GENA) and define which TRXs are capable
of GPRS with the parameter GPRS enabled TRX
(GTRX) .
To activate the EGPRS feature, the operator uses the
BTS-specific parameter EGPRS enable (EGENA) .
The BTS can contain both EDGE-capable and nonEDGE-capable TRXs (HW), if GPRS is disabled in the
non-EDGE-capable TRXs.
The operator needs to define which TRXs are
capable of EGPRS with the parameter GPRS enabled
TRX (GTRX) .
The BSC can upgrade or downgrade the number of
radio resources allocated for GPRS use according to
the varying needs of the circuit switched and GPRS
traffic.
10
2
10
3
ZEEI - OUTPUT RADIO NETWORK CONFIGURATION

You can list the whole BSC (ZEEI;) or list the configuration by
specifying BTS#, SEG#, BCF#, BTS Name etc.
What you can get its CI, LAC, Type of site (Multiradio, Edge,
Ultrasite), Working state (Working, Locked), Allocated
frequencies (BCCH), Hopping type (RF, BB), Occupied FR, HR
timeslots and GPRS timeslots (gives the current territory size,
not necessary occupied).
ARFCN
BCF
ET
BCF Type
Control channels
LAC Cell Id
BCSU
BTS Name
BTS id
OMUSIG name and

state
TRX Id
Calls
States
10
4
Example
10
5
10
6
10
7
TRX - Channels
10
8
Example
Creating site
Steps to create the site:
DAP
BTS Parameters
OMUSIG
HOC and POC
LAPD
TRX
BCF
BTS
Neighbours (Incoming and Outgoing 2G, Outgoing

3G).
MAL LIST
GPRS (GENA and EGENA)
Attach MAL LIST to BTS
EXTERNAL ALARMS
Unlock Site
Once this steps are finished, confirm the sites features and if its unlocked using:
ZEEI:BCF=<bcf>;
10
9
Example
Pre-checks
Pre-check the site and realise if the some of the features are already created:
ZEEI:BCF=<bcf>; ----------- Check BCF. Should appear: /* BCF NOT FOUND */
ZEEI:BTS=<bts>&<bts>; --Check BTS. Should appear: /* BTS NOT FOUND */
ZWUP:ET,<et>
ZUSI:ET,<et>; ---------------- Check if ET is WO. If not (SE-NH):
ZUSC:ET,<et>:SE;
ZUSC:ET,<et>:TE;
ZUSC:ET,<et>:WO;
ZESI:ID=<dap>; ------------- Check DAP. There should be no information, DAP not yet existing
ZEEI::BCSU; ----------------- Gives BCSU information to distribute among BCF and LAPD
ZFXI:NSEI=<nsei>; --------- Gives PSEI to create DAP
11
0
Commands
#DAP
ZESE:ID=<dap>,CRCT=<ET>-<1timeslot>,SIZE=<timeslots>,PSEI=< ZFXI:NSEI=xxx>;
ZESE:ID=356,CRCT=1874-18,SIZE=9,PSEI=12;
#OMU
ZDSE:OMxx:BCSU,< ZEEI::BCSU; O&M >:62< O&M,"62 ... OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
PROCEDURES>,1:32(or 1:64 = subtimeslots),<ET>-<timeslot>,<column>;
ZDSE:OM346:BCSU,3:62,1:32,1874-31,0;
# LAPD
ZDSE:<LAPDname>:BCSU,(ZEEI::BCSU; D-CHANNEL TELECOM LINKS):0 (" 0 ... SIGNALLING PROCEDURES,
DEFAULT VALUE"),<TRX>:32 OU 64 (subtimeslots),<ET>0, 2 or 4 (subtimeslots);
ZDSE:T3461:BCSU,1:0,1:64,1874-27;
ZDSE:T3462:BCSU,2:0,2:32,1874-28,0;
11
1
Elements
#BCF
ZEFC:xxx,E or M(E=EDGE,=MULTIRADIO):DNAME=(OMUSIG);
ZEFC:356,E:DNAME=OM356;
#BTS
ZEQC:BCF=xxx,BTS=xxx,NAME=(BTSname),SEGNAME=(SEGname):CI=xxx,BAND=800:NCC=
x,BCC=x,MCC=xx,LAC=xxxx:HOP=RF or N (RADIO FREQUENCY or none),HSN1=xx,HSN2=xx:RAC=xx;
ZEQC:BCF=346,BTS=346,NAME=GU20831,SEGNAME=ALBODECIMAX:CI=20831,BAND=800:NCC=0,BCC=
2:MCC=740,MNC=1,LAC=10278:HOP=RF,HSN1=57,HSN2=57:RAC=0;
#MAL List
ZEBE:MAL,xx,<band>:FREQ=< FREQ1 >& <FREQ2>&< FREQ3>;
ZEBE:MAL,3,800:FREQ=130&154&232;
Attach to MAL list to BTS
ZEQA:BTS=346:MAL=3,MO=0,MS=1;
11
2
#HOC and POC

ZEHC:SEG=346;
ZEUC:SEG=346;
#TRXS
ZERC:BTS=xxx,TRX=xx:PREF=P or N (TRX PREFERENCIAL or not),GTRX=Y or N;DAP=xx:TSC=<BCC>,FREQ=<BCCH
and following TRX MALFREQ0, MALFREQ1>PCMTSL=<ET><timeslot>:DNAME=<LAPDname>:CH0xxxx=,CH1=xxxxCH7=xxxx;
ZERC:BTS=346,TRX=1:PREF=P,GTRX=Y,DAP=346:TSC=1,FREQ=136,PCMTSL=18741:DNAME=T3461:CH0=MBCCH,CH1=SDCCB,CH2=CCCHE,CH3=SDCCH,CH4=TCHD,CH5=TCHD,CH6=TCHD,CH7=TC
HD;
ZERC:BTS=346,TRX=2:PREF=N,GTRX=Y,DAP=346:TSC=1,FREQ=130,PCMTSL=18743:DNAME=T3462:CH0=TCHD,CH1=TCHD,CH2=TCHD,CH3=TCHD,CH4=TCHD,CH5=TCHD,CH6=TCHD,CH7=TCHD;
#UNLOCK
ZDTC:OM476:WO;
ZDTC:T3461:WO;
ZERS:BTS=346,TRX=1&&4:U;
ZEQS:BTS=346:U;
#GPRS AND EDGE

11
ZEQV:BTS=376:CDEF=16,CDED=8,EGENA=Y;
3
<Change
Exercise
Creating a Site on Labs Flexi BSC
# LAPD
ZDSE:<LAPDname>:BCSU,(ZEEI::BCSU; D-CHANNEL TELECOM LINKS):0 (" 0 ...
SIGNALLING PROCEDURES, DEFAULT VALUE"),<TRX>:32 OU 64
(subtimeslots),<ET>0, 2 or 4 (subtimeslots);
#OMU
ZDSE:OMxx:BCSU,< ZEEI::BCSU; O&M >:62< O&M,"62 ... OPERATION AND
MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES>,1:32(or 1:64 = subtimeslots),<ET><timeslot>,<column>;
#BCF
ZEFC:xxx,M(MULTIRADIO):DNAME=(OMUSIG);
#BTS
ZEQC:BCF=xxx,BTS=xxx:CI=xxx,BAND=800:NCC=
xx,BCC=xx,MCC=xx,LAC=xxxx:HOP=RF or N (RADIO FREQUENCY or none):RAC=xx;
#TRXS
ZERC:BTS=xxx,TRX=xx:PREF=P or N (TRX PREFERENCIAL or not),GTRX=Y or
N:TSC=<BCC>,FREQ=<BCCH and following TRX MALFREQ0,
MALFREQ1>PCMTSL=<ET>11
<timeslot>:DNAME=<LAPDname>:CH0xxxx=,CH1=xxxxCH7=xxxx;
4
Commands
#LAPD
ZDSE:T0001:BCSU,0:0,1:32,373-20,0;
ZDSE:T0002:BCSU,1:0,1:32,373-20,4;
#OMUSIG
ZDSE:OM002:BCSU,1:62,1:64,373-31;
#BCF
ZEFC:2,M:DNAME=OM002;
#BTS
ZEQC:BCF=2,BTS=2:CI=40060,BAND=800:NCC=7,BCC=3:MCC=268,MNC=06,LAC=00101:HOP=N:RAC=
031;
#TRX
ZERC:BTS=2,TRX=1:PREF=P,GTRX=N:TSC=3,FREQ=235,PCMTSL=3731:DNAME=T0001:CH0=MBCCH,CH1=SDCCH,CH2=TCHD,CH3=TCHD,CH4=TCHD,CH5=TCHD,CH6=TCHD,C
H7=TCHD;
ZERC:BTS=2,TRX=2:PREF=N,GTRX=N:TSC=3,FREQ=132,PCMTSL=37311
3:DNAME=T0002:CH0=TCHD,CH1=TCHD,CH2=TCHD,CH3=TCHD,CH4=TCHD,CH5=TCHD,CH6=TCHD,CH7
5
<Change
information
classification in footer>
=TCHD;
Introduction
BSS Overview
BSS Radio Network
Abis and MML
Commissioning
11
6
Commissioning
Preparing for Commissioning
Before commissioning, the physical installation of
the BTS (modules, cabling, antennas and radios)
must be completed.
Make sure a PC with 2G Flexi BTS Site Manager
installed.
Parameter values must be available to be entered
during commissioning. The parameter values are
provided by the network planning process.
BSC settings: the BTS site must already be created
at the BSC for commissioning to be successfully
completed.
Transmission network setup: the transmission
link(s) between the BSC and the BTS must already
be set up so that there is a transmission path from
the BSC to the BTS for all the Abis channels.
11
<Change7 information classification in footer>
Software needed in order to do commissioning/

supervising the Flexi Mutiradio is 2G Flexi BTS
Site Manager (mandatory).
Software can be downloaded via NOLS.
Please ensure that both manager software must
be compatible with the software level installed in
the BTS.
User can check the compatibility at Software
compatibility of Flexi Multiradio BTS document in
NED or Information Browser.
2G Flexi BTS Manager

Nokia Siemens Networks 2G Flexi BTS Site Manager
allows the BTS operators to:
Commission
Configure
Monitor the BTS
These tasks are performed with option:
at the BTS site (known as Local
Connection)
via communication from the OSS system.
BSC site (known as Remote Connection).
2G Flexi BTS Site Manager is for maintaining and
commissioning Flexi Multiradio base transceiver
stations.
11
8
<Change

To launch the 2G Flexi BTS Manager user can click shortcuts in the Start Menu, and following window will
come up.
11
9
<Change
12
0
<Change
Flexi 2G BTS Site Manager window

The main functions of Flexi BTS manager are:
BTS commissioning
BTS supervision
BTS maintenance
BTS testing
In main menu, the view are:
Alarms
Base Station
Commissioning
Supervision
Transmission
Tests
12
1
<Change
Commissioning Wizard
12
2
<Change

Commissioning
The Commissioning Wizard will guide
user through configuration. By clicking
"next" button the wizard will continue
to the next configuration screen.
The wizard consist following screen:
Site specific Information
Hardware Configuration
Transmission Parameter
12
3
<Change
Module Configuration
configure various
radio modules,
synchronization
master, and radio
masters
12
4
<Change
Local Sector setting
configure and
associate antennas of
only one type of RF
unit (RM) to a
particular local sector
and specify per TRX
power
12
5
<Change
Antenna Settings
Select the antenna line

settings, specify MHA
settings, provide information
for feeder voltage, feeder
loss, VSWR minor and major
limits for the selected
antenna
12
6
<Change
RET settings
configuration of RETs
in either online or offline
mode
12
7
<Change
Physical settings
Setting the
functionality of
interface (E1 or
T1)
12
8
<Change
Abis Termination
In Satellite Abis, specify if
there is a satellite circuit in

the link between the BTS and
the BSC
Enable Abis Signal
Mapping allows the BSC to
dynamically provide the Abis
allocations (TRXSIG, TCH,
EDAP) for a BTS
If Allow Abis Allocations
from BTS Manager is ticked
(enabled), user can allocate
the Abis allocations from the
BTS Manager but these
allocations can be overridden
by the BSC
12
9
<Change
Abis Allocation
Enter the Abis Allocation
parameters (OMUSIG,
TRXSIG, TCH and EDAP)
If Enable Abis Signal
Mapping is chosen, only
OMUSIG can be specified, the
rest will be mapping by the
BSC
If Enable Abis Signal
Mapping is chosen and
Allow Abis Allocations
from BTS Manager is ticked
, all signaling can be
allocated in Abis, but these
allocations can be overridden
by the BSC
13
0
<Change
SCF preview
Summary
From this summary, user
can check whether the
commissioning step has
been completed.
This can be checked by
looking at the indication
color of each step, green
means ok, red means not
complete
13
1
<Change
Commissioning completed
13
2
<Change
After commissioning
13
3
<Change
13
4

NSN 2g GSM Basics

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2G - GSM

Global System for

Basics for newcomers

BSC Hardware and Functionality

Flexi Multiradio BTS

BSS Radio Network

Abis and MML

Basic Call Procedures

Nokia Solutions and Networks 2015

Introduction of GSM (2G, second generation) in the 90s:

Unlimited mobility within a network

Introduction of messaging services:

SMS (Short Messaging Service)

The Core Network controls your call, transmits

The Radio Network provides the user access to

Consists of many of these antennas (BTS, Base Station

To perform a phone call, you need a Mobile

To be able to use your mobile phones there is a

850 MHz (GSM-R, rail communications)

The lower the frequency band, the higher the

Originally, GSM was mainly intended to

The Radio Networks provides access to the

The antennas are positioned in such a way

The Base Stations and their antennas are

In order to perform all tasks regarding user

The subscriber phone number which corresponds to the

One important feature of GSM is the unlimited

Mobile Station Mobile phone and the SIM Card

Core Network switching tasks and call handling

Three basic procedures illustrate the principle of GSM:

Call Setup locating the user and establishing a connection

Handover providing mobility while making a call

Higher data transmission rates

Classical phone networks are so called circuit

Each user establishes a circuit or channel when

GPRS introduces a more efficient way of data

GSM offers minimum uplink data rates 9.6 kbit/s

In order to obtain higher data rates several data

The data transmission channels can be classified

Data channels transporting data packets from the

GPRS supports transmission rates of 9.6, 13.4, 15.6,

GSM offers minimum uplink data rates 9.6 kbit/s

The mobiles are classified by its so called multislot

2 channels in the uplink and 3 in the downlink

All mobile networks have basically the same

The Core Network controls your call, transmits your

To upgrade a GSM network to support GPRS,

Serving GPRS Support Node SGSN

The SGSN is responsible for the management of the

The GGSN acts as gateway between the GPRS

Significantly increased data rates compared to GPRS

Whereas GPRS offers maximum data rates of up to

E-GPRS is based on GPRS, it combines up to eight

On the hardware side the transceivers in the

provides higher bit-rates per channel

Nokia Solutions and Networks 2015

Nokia Solutions and Networks 2015

BSC Hardware and Functionality

Flexi Multiradio BTS

BSS Radio Network

Abis and MML

Basic Call Procedures