GSM System Overview

Overview

This course is primarily designed for engineers working for equipment vendors and for network operators who are involved in equipment design, manufacture, network planning, network optimization, strategy determination or deployment of GSM technology. Some may find this course is all they need to know; for others it will provide a step towards further study on an appropriate Wray Castle Technical Level 3 course.

This course is also very useful for engineers and scientists working in areas related to GSM operation. This includes base station management, antenna or transmission line design, Government security or forensic work, service development, legal professionals supporting operators or local authorities, support staff and those in technical management roles.

On completion of this course the delegate will be able to:

• describe the GSM development and standardization process
• list the basic GSM service types and describe the typical GSM network performance
• describe and give examples of how value-added services can be used to enhance the user experience
• describe the structure of a GSM network in terms of the key network elements and interfaces
• identify the additional architectural elements required in a GSM network to provide General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) capability
• describe Intelligent Network (IN) aims, architecture and capability for GSM/GPRS
• describe the structure and fundamental radio characteristics of the GSM air interface
• characterize the key channel mappings and configurations used on the GSM air interface
• describe basic signalling flows for call control and mobility management
• outline mobile station activity in idle mode and dedicated mode
• list the GSM/GPRS security features
• describe how cellular techniques are used to boost coverage and

In addition to gaining a good understanding of the GSM system and its capabilities, this course will enable the delegate to deliver operational improvements and generate cost savings or reduce project timelines by:
improving network design, planning, operations and maintenance avoiding the laborious search through specifications, standards and white papers, while benefiting from a practical analysis and interpretation of such documentation by experienced engineers knowing better where to look to accelerate research and fact finding and facilitate earlier project completion improving the equipment procurement process by better analysis and challenge of technical specifications and supplier responses, thus giving greater certainty to on-target performance and value-for-money purchasing shortening the learning curve and speeding productive inputs from new team members and freeing more experienced employees’ time evaluating better a system’s capabilities through improved knowledge, leading to superior operations and maintenance performance providing greater confidence in the sale of equipment by anticipating customers’ technical requirements and being able to promote relevant superior equipment performance

and, after the course, Wray Castle’s unrivalled post-course support comes into effect.

Section 1 – 0.75 hours   An Introduction to GSM
What is GSM?
The mobile environment
GSM organizations and standards bodies
3GPP releases and numbering schemes

Section 2 – 2 hours   GSM Services
Network service provision
Service providers
Virtual operators
GSM services
Bearer services and data rates
Teleservices
Supplementary services
Value Added Services (VAS)
Short Message Service (SMS)
Cell Broadcast Service (CBS)
Enhanced Messaging Service (EMS)
Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS)
Comparison between SMS and MMS
Location Services (LCS)

Section 3 – 2 hours   Network Architecture
GSM network overview
GSM/GPRS identities
The Mobile Station (MS)
GSM/GPRS identities
GPRS mobile classes
The Base Station System (BSS)
A-bis and A interfaces
The Network Switching System (NSS)
GPRS system architecture
Messaging architecture
Group calls and broadcast architecture
CAMEL architecture

Section 4 – 1.75 hours   Frequencies and Propagation
GSM in the radio spectrum
Radio waves
The EM spectrum
GSM radio frequencies
Radio interference
Minimizing interference
The urban and rural environments
Multipath propagation
Fast fading
Rayleigh fading
Rician fading
Time dispersion and Inter-Symbol Interference (ISI)
Slow fading
Diversity reception
Frequency hopping

Section 5 – 1.75 hours   GSM and GPRS Channels
Multiple access techniques
Physical channels
Physical channel offset
Implementation of channels
Allocation of resources to GPRS
Channel functions
TDMA considerations
Timing of transmissions
Burst mode transmission
Tail bits and guard period
Extended range
Logical channels
Traffic channels
Broadcast Channels (BCH)
Common Control Channels (CCCH)
Dedicated Control Channels (DCH)

Section 6 – 1 hour   GSM Coverage
The cellular philosophy
Frequency reuse
Reuse distance
System growth
Cell types
In-building coverage
Geographical areas

Section 7 – 1.25 hours   Network Access
GSM operational modes
GPRS mobile states and state changes
Idle mode procedures
GSM cell selection
GPRS cell selection
System Information (SI)
Cell reselection
Dedicated mode procedures
Power control
Discontinuous Transmission (DTX)
Handover – types and triggers
The need for handover

Section 8 – 1.5 hours   Network Operation
Location updates
Detach/attach procedures
Location update signalling procedures
Mobile-originated call routing
Mobile-terminated call routing
Authentication and ciphering
Mobile-terminated SMS
GPRS attach
PDP context activation
The QoS profile

This course has been developed for staff requiring a broad overview of a technology area. It assumes some underlying technical ability and may require general knowledge of telecommunications and of network operation. It also assumes general engineering skills and knowledge appropriate to the course topic.

Along with a paper copy of comprehensive course notes the delegate will receive an electronic version on CD. This provides delegates with an easily transportable and fully searchable reference tool, including all the colour detail of the course presentation.

Following attendance on any Wray Castle course the delegate will automatically become eligible for free post course support. If a delegate has any questions relating to the course content, this service puts the delegate in direct e-mail contact with a Wray Castle expert.

This course is designed for instructor-led training. The practical and/or complex nature of the course is best delivered in a class where the Wray Castle expert trainer can demonstrate and explain the content using a variety of specialist delivery techniques.

Delegates involved with mobile-network operation or equipment design should consider GSM Architecture and Protocols, GPRS Air Interface or GSM Air Interface. Those involved in radio network planning or optimization can supplement this with Cell Planning for GSM Networks, 2G/3G Indoor Coverage Planning or Introduction to GSM Optimization. Technologies relating to GSM operation are covered in our IP, MPLS and CAMEL courses.

The Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) is a wellestablished technology providing a near global standard for a secondgeneration (2G) cellular telecommunication system. GSM’s capabilities have grown steadily since its introduction, resulting in a multi-faceted collection of interrelated technologies. Wray Castle has tracked this process to provide an up-to-date, comprehensive and technically accurate overview of the GSM system.

This Wray Castle course enables the delegate to construct a picture of the network elements, their key interactions and interconnection with the outside world, providing the technical knowledge required to appreciate the basic GSM system and its capabilities. This is then expanded for each of the key network domains into a clear and conceptualized description of typical features and capabilities for most operators’ current build. This guide to the rich mix of technologies and many acronyms that compose GSM will significantly shorten the learning curve in understanding this technology.

Prerequisites

This course is technical in nature and therefore an ability to understand technical language and concepts is a requirement. Some prior experience or knowledge of general telecommunication network practice would be beneficial.