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Wireless Network Structure. Lecturer: Michael O'Grady Course: MSc Ubiquitous & Multimedia Systems Unit: Context Sensitive Service Delivery Lecture:. Objectives. Describe GSM Outline the evolution of GSM to 3G Describe the implications for services of this evolution.
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Wireless Network Structure Lecturer: Michael O'Grady Course: MSc Ubiquitous & Multimedia Systems Unit: Context Sensitive Service Delivery Lecture:
Objectives • Describe GSM • Outline the evolution of GSM to 3G • Describe the implications for services of this evolution. • Review the Cellular Concept • Introduce WiFi, Bluetooth and Satellite telephony • Introduce Software Defined Radio
History of GSM - I • 1982 Group Spéciale Mobile formed (origin of term GSM) • 1897 Initial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by network operators representing 12 countries • coordinate introduction of GSM • agree time scales • plan the introduction of services • coordinate routing, billing and tariffs • 1988 - Validation & trials
History of GSM - II • 1989 - European Telecommunications Standard Institute (ETSI) formed • 1991 - Launch delayed due to lack of mobiles • 1992 - Officially launched • 1993 - Commercial services start outside Europe • 2003 - Over 200 countries • 2004 - Over 1 billion subscribers? Ref: http://www.gsmworld.com
Anticipated Benefits of GSM • Superior speech quality • Low terminal costs • Better security • Low power portable terminals • Support for international roaming • New services
Motivations for GSM • Political Considerations • Impending EU unification • Deregulation of mobile telephony • Economic Considerations • single market • cost benefits through economies of scale • potential for export
GSM Services - Phase 2+ • Primarily concerned with the improvement of Bearer (data!) services • Full data rate @ 14.4 kb/s • High Speed Circuit Switched Data (HSCSD) • General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) • Some additional supplementary services also specified
The GSM Family - 1 • GSM 900 • Uplink - 890 MHz to 915 MHz • Downlink - 935 MHz to 960 MHz • GSM 1800 • Also known as • PCN (Personal Communications Network) • DCS 1800 (Digital Cellular System 1800) • Uplink - 1710 MHz to 1785 MHz • Downlink - 1805 MHz to 1880 MHz
The GSM Family - 2 • GSM 1900 • also known as PCS 1900/DCS 1900 • deployed main in North America • Uplink - 1850 MHz to 1910 MHz • Downlink - 1920 MHz to 1990 MHz • Dual-Mode/Tri-band phones • Roaming agreement necessary
Mobile Station (MS) • Mobile Equipment • Fixed • Portable • International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number • Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) • Personal Identification Number (PIN) • International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number • Enables access to subscribed services • Smart card
Interfaces in GSM • Interfaces of fundamental importance and documented by the standardization organizations • Interface Definition An Interface may be defined by a set of technical characteristics describing the point of connection between two telecommunication entities. For example, the connection between a telecommunication network and the customers apparatus. • Example: Air Interface (Um Interface) • Interface between Mobile Station and Base Station Subsystem
Base Transceiver Station - BTS • Usually referred to as the Base Station • Provides the interface to the network for the MS • Handles all communications with the MS • Less “intelligent” than analogue equivalent • cheaper than analogue systems • bypass analogue in less wealthy countries • “intelligence” now deployed on MS • for example, when to perform a handover • Transmitting power determines cell size
Base Station Controller - BSC • Controls Base Stations • up to several hundred depending on manufacturer • Manages radio channels • allocation and release • Coordinates Handover • Physical location may vary • Abis interface • between BSC and BTS
Network SubSystem(NSS) • Nerve Centre of entire GSM network • Manages all • call processing • subscriber related functions • Contains • the core switching component • a number of databases • gateways to other networks • Uses Signalling System Number 7 (SS7)
Mobile Switching Centre (MSC) • Performs all switching/exchange functions • Handles • registration • authentication • location updating • A GSM network must have at least one MSC • May connect to other networks • Gateway MSC (GMSC)
Home Location Register (HLR) • Administrative information for all subscribers • IMSI number • actual phone number • permitted supplementary services • current location i.e. which VLR subscriber is currently registered with • parameters for authentication and ciphering • One HLR per GSM PLMN
Visitor Location Register (VLR) • Contains data on all MSs currently in the area served by the MSC • permanent data (identical to that in HLR) • Consulted during • call establishment • caller authentication • Usually integrated with MSC so that geographic area covered by both coincides • signalling requirements simplified considerably
Equipment Identity Register (EIR) • Maintains lists of IMEI numbers of all valid and invalid equipment for the network • IMEI - International Mobile Equipment Identity • An IMEI may be invalid if • stolen • not approved for use on the network, possibly due to some defect • EIR consulted during registration/call setup
Authentication Centre (AUC) • Protected database • Stores all algorithms used for authentication purposes • Knows which one has been issued to the subscriber (stored on SIM card) • provides HLR or VLR with parameters for completing authentication
Other Network Components • Operations & Maintenance Centre • Intelligent Networking • Billing Centre • SMS Gateway
GPRS MS • Two Components • Mobile Terminal (MT) • SIM card • Three Classes of terminal • Class A - simultaneous circuit switched (GSM) and packet switched (GPRS) traffic • Class B- supports both GSM and GPRS connections but not both at the same time. One call is suspended for the duration of the other • Class C - handless both GPRS or GSM but can only be connected to one at the same time.
GPRS BSS • GPRS has minor impact on the BSS • Packet Control Unit introduced • Usually integrated into the BSC • Essentially, a software update
GPRS NSS • Two new nodes introduced for packet data • Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) • handles all packet data for the appropriate geographic area • monitors GPRS users • handles security and access control • may be regarded as the packet switched equivalent of the circuit-switched MSC • Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) • internetworking functionality • routes incoming data to correct SGSN • translates between different protocols and formats • Details of data services added to HLR
GPRS - Summary • Data capacity increased considerably • Depending on configuration • @ 14.4 kb/s per channel, 115.2 kb/s achieved • @ 21.4 kb/s per channel, 171.2 kb/s achieved • BUT up to 8 users per channel! • Minimum set-up time • “always-on” connection • Charging determined by actual data not time
Integrating EDGE • Minimum changes to the existing network • New Modulation scheme • 8 phase shift keying (8PSK) • 3 bits of information per signal pulse • data rates increased by a factor of three
EDGE - MS • Upgrade is necessary • Situated complicated by • higher data rates on the downlink only • higher data rates on both the uplink and downlink
EDGE - BSS • Significant changes • software upgrades on all BTSs and BSCs • New transceiver unit for all BTSs • support legacy GSM & GPRS traffic • switch to EDGE only as required
EDGE - NSS • Minimum impact on the core network • SGSN & GGSN practically independent of data rates • Some minor software upgrades
UMTS - MS • User Equipment • Mobile Equipment • UMTS SIM (USIM) • Air interface • UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA) • W-CDMA • TD-CDMA
UMTS BSS • Radio Network Subsystem • Two new network elements • Node B • equivalent of a BTS • Radio Network Controller • supports a number of Node Bs • equivalent of a BSC • Obviously, UMTS has major implications for the BSS
UMTS NSS • Core Network (CN) • Minimum changes • mainly software upgrades
Enabling UMTS Services - 1 • Some initiatives launched to aid the deployment of new services • Mobile Station Execution Environment (MExE) • categorize handsets using classmarks • SIM Application Toolkit (SAT) • standardized execution environment • ensures interoperability between any SIM and any ME • Virtual Home Environment (VHE) • roaming users enjoy the same standard of services and the exact same services wherever they roam.
Enabling UMTS Services - 2 • Customised Applications for Mobile networks Enhanced Logic (CAMEL) • essential for the VHE • Open Services Access (OSA) • provides a standard scalable and extensible interface through which standard network functionality can be accessed • Recall propriety nature of telecommunications networks!
Other Initiatives • Parlay Consortium • Java Intelligent Network Initiative (JAIN) • Mobile Games Interoperability Forum (MGI Forum) • M-Services • GSM Association • Common set of services available globally
The Cellular Principle • Relies on the concept of concurrency • delivered through channel reuse i.e. reusing channels in different cells • Total coverage area is divided into cells • only a subset of channels available in each cell • All channels partitioned into sets • sets assigned to cells • Rule: assign the same set to two cells that are sufficient geographically distant so that interference is small • Net result: increased capacity!
Advantages of Cellular Networks • More capacity due to spectral reuse • Lower transmission power due to smaller transmitter/receiver distances • More robust system as Base Station problem only effects the immediate cell • More predictable propagation environment due to shorter distances
Disadvantages of Cellular Networks • Need for more infrastructure • Need for fixed network to connect Base Stations • Some residual interference from co-channel cells • Handover procedure required
WiFi • Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) • IEEE 802.11b • 50m range approximately • Data rates vary • 11 Mb/s in theory • 7 Mb/s is more realistic • Walls can reduces range and throughput • Number of users can reduce data rates
WiFi Problems • Security • WiFi was not designed with robust security in mind • Interference • operates in unlicensed 2.4 GHz spectrum • competes with other products e.g microwave ovens! • Scarcity of “hotspots”
Bluetooth • 1998 • Goal: eliminate the need for cables • Short range - 10m • data rate - 1 Mb/s • Example of an ad-hoc network • network formed on an “as-needed” basis
Bluetooth Topology • Piconet • Two or more Bluetooth devices • One master • regulates traffic between devices • Remainder termed slaves • Scatternet • Two or more piconets • Note that a device can be a member of more than one piconet at a given time.
Software Defined Radio • Incompatible technologies • Gardai, Fire brigade etc • Different protocols, air interfaces etc • Legacy telecommunications systems • Solution • Implement modules in software! • Power consumption …. • Additional Processing required • Goal – Ubiquitous Connectivity….
Cognitive Radio • 3G – cellular parameters fixed • SDR – parameters dynamic • CR – parameters “intelligently” adapted • Sense environment – usage patterns etc • Learn patterns, rules etc • Act accordingly • Note: most spectrum unused!!!!!!!!! Objective – maximise spectrum efficiency