GSM Signaling System

Objectives

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

Know GSM system signaling model State various types of GSM protocol messages Understand GSM system basic signaling procedure

Content

GSM System Signaling Model GSM protocol message Basic Signaling Procedure

GSM Interface
Um Abis

SGSN BTS

GGSN

HLR/AUC

BTS Gb

Qx

EIR OMC

SMC

PSTN / PLMN / PSPDN / ISDN

BTS
NSMU FSMU TRAU

BSC
BTS Ater A

MSC/VLR/GMSC

GSM System Signaling Model

GSM system signaling model adopts the lowest three layer of OSI seven layer protocol model, from low to high:

Application layer Link layer/Network layer Physical layer

Physical Layer

The physical layer provides error protection transmission. It defines the electric parameters of transmission. In ZTE-GSM digital mobile communication systems, The physical layer of Um interface between MS and BTS is Radio link. Abis interface physical layer adopts 75-ohm coaxial cable or 120-ohm symmetrical twisted pair whose rate is 2Mbit/s.

Data Link Layer

The data link layer major functions: frame transmissionerror-free transmission and realize end-to-end bits transfer between two connective entities. Open maintenance and close the connection of two connective entities. The link layer protocol used by the GSM system at the radio interface is the LAPDm protocol (Dm channel link access procedure). The data link layer of Abis interface between BTS and BSC is LAPD (D channel link access procedure).

Application Layer

Application Layer

CM

MM

RR

CC

SS

SMS

Application Layer

Radio Resources (RR) management handles the establishment, maintenance and release of physical channels. Its major functions are performed by BSC. Part of functions are performed by BTS. Mobility Management (MM) deals with the mobile stations register and the identify of the mobile subscriber, The function are performed by MSC. The CM Layer is composed of three functional entities: Call Control (CC), deals with the functions to establish maintenance and release the callShort Message Service support (SMS) and Supplementary Service support (SS).

GSM protocol
Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)
Mobile Switching Centre (MSC)

MAP/TCAP + ISUP/TUP ISUP/TUP

Mobile Switching Centre (MSC) Base Station Controller (BSC) Base Transceiver Station (BTS)
)

))

DTAP + BSSMAP

BTSM

A interface

A-bis interface

MAP/TCAP

Authentication Centre (AUC)

Home Location Register (HLR)

Visitor Location Register (VLR)

Equipment ID Register (EIR)

To other VLR

MAP/TCAP

MAP/TCAP

GSM Protocol Architecture

MS
CM MM (CM) (MM) (RR) RR RR' Sig. layer 2 (LAPDm) Layer 1 (air) Sig. layer 2 (LAPDm) BTSM Sig. layer 2 (LAPD)

BTS
(CM) (MM) (RR) RR BTSM (CM) (MM)

BSC
DTAP CM (CM+MM) MM

MSC

BSSMAP SCCP

BSSMAP SCCP

I S MAP U P TCAP SCCP

Sig. layer 2 (LAPD) Sig. layer 1

MTP

MTP

MTP

Layer 1 (air) Sig. layer 1

Um Interface

Abis Interface

A Interface

Inter-MSC Interface

DTAP Direct Transfer Application Part BSSMAP BSS Management Application Part CM Call Management MM Mobile Management RR Radio Resource Management BTSM BTS Management

SCCP Signalling Connection Control Part MAP Mobile Application Part TCAP Transaction Capability Application Part ISUP ISDN User Part MTP Message Transfer Part

Content

GSM System Signaling Model GSM protocol message Basic Signaling Procedure

Um interface protocol stack

Um interface CM MM RR LAPDm Layer1 MS RR LAPDm Layer1 BTS

LAPDm frame format

The address field contains the service access point identifier (SAPI).

SAPI = 0 represents the signaling link SAPI = 3 represents the short message link N (S) represents the sending serial number N (R) represents the receiving serial number
Address Control Information

In the control field,

SAPI

N(S)

N(R)

Operation mode

Acknowledged mode: Requires the confirmation from the receiver. This mode provides a whole set of control mechanism for error recovering and flow control, the establishment mechanism and release mechanism for multi-frame operations. Unacknowledged mode: The receiver is not required to send a confirmation upon reception of a UI frame. This operation mode does not provide flow control or error recovering mechanism.

RR messages
Type Channel establishment message Message Immediate assignment Immediate assignment reject Ciphering message Ciphering mode command Ciphering mode complete Handover command Handover complete Handover message Handover failure Handover access Channel release message Paging message Channel release Paging request Paging response System info System info:18

MM messages
Type Message IMSI detach indication

Registration messages

Location updating accept

Location updating reject Location updating request Authentication reject Authentication request

Authentication response
Security messages Identity request Identity response TMSI reallocation command

TMSI reallocation complete

CM service accept Connection-management messages CM service reject CM service request

CC messages
Type Message Alerting Call confirmed

Call establishment messages

Call proceeding Connect Disconnect

Call clearing messages

Release Release complete

Congestion control notify

Miscellaneous messages Start DTMF

Stop DTMF

Abis Interface Protocol stack

Abis interface

RR BTSM LAPD Layer1 BTS BTSM LAPD Layer1 BSC

LAPD Protocol
1 flag Address Control 0-260 Information 2 FCS 1 flag

SAPI

TEI

N(S)

N(R)

SAPI = 0 represents the signaling link, SAPI = 62 represents the O&M link, and SAPI = 63 represents the management link of the LapD layer.

A interface protocol stack

CM A interface BSSAP SCCP MTP3 MTP2 RR MM BSSAP SCCP MTP3 MTP2

Layer1
BSC

Layer1
MSC

Relationship between SCCP and OSI model

HLR INAP OMAP VLR MAP BSSAP ISUP TUP

Layer 7
46

TCAP
ISP SCCP

Layer3
Layer2 Layer1

MTP-3 MTP-2 MTP-1

BSSAP
MSC CC MM RR BSSAP BSSAP RR RR BSS MS CC

DTAP

MM

BSSMAP

DTAP

BSSMAP

DTAP

Distribution

Distribution

SCCP MTP

SCCP MTP

LAPDm
L1

LAPDm
L1

BSSMAP

DTAP

SCCP message

CR Connection request CC Connection confirm CREF Connection refused RLSD Released RLC Release complete DT1 Data form 1 UDT Unit data UDTS Unit data service

BSSMAP Message -1

Assignment messages (setup of traffic channels)

Assignment request Assignment complete Assignment failure

Handover messages

Handover request Handover required Handover request ack. Handover command MS) Handover complete Handover failure Handover performed Handover candidate enquiry handed
Handover candidate response Handover required reject Handover detect

(to BSC: request for handover to that BSC) (to MSC: inter BSC/MSC handover required) (to MSC: acknowledge of handover request) (to BSC: contains new radio channel/BTS for the
(to MSC: commanded handover successful) (to MSC: commanded handover unsuccessful) (to MSC: BSC has performed internal handover) (to BSC: MSC requests list of MS that could be over to another cell) (to MSC: answer to handover candidate enquiry) (to BSC: required handover unsuccessful) (to MSC: commanded handover successful)

BSSMAP Message -2

Release messages

Clear command Clear complete Clear request SAPI n clear command SAPI n clear complete SAPI n reject

(release of traffic channel) (control of layer 2 SAPI n on the radio interface)

General messages

Reset Reset acknowledge Overload Trace invocation Reset circuit Block BTS) Blocking acknowledge Unblock Unblocking acknowledge

(initialisation of BSS or MSC due to failure)

(processor or CCCH overload) (start production of trace record (initialisation of single circuit due to failure)
(management of circuits/time slots between MSC and

Terrestrial resource messages

BSSMAP Message -2

Radio resource messages

Resource request (available radio channels in BSS cells) Resource indication Paging (paging of MS) Cipher mode command (start encryption) Classmark update (change of MS power class) Cipher mode complete Queuing indication (indicates delay in assignment of tch)

Content

GSM System Signaling Model GSM protocol message Basic Signaling Procedure

Mobile Originating Call Establishment Procedure -1

MS
CH REQ(1) CH RQD(2) CH ACT(3) CH ACT ACK(4) IMM ASS CMD(5) IMM ASS(6) SABM(7) EST IND(8) UA(10) CM SERV REQ(9) AUTH REQ(11) AUTH REQ(12) AUTH RSP(13) AUTH RSP(14) CIPH MODE CMD(15) CIPH MODE CMD(16) CIPH MODE CMD(17) CIPH MODE CMP(18) CIPH MODE CMP(19)

BTS

BSC

MSC

Mobile Originating Call Establishment Procedure -2

MS BTS
TMSI REALL CMD(21) TMSI REALL CMP(22) TMSI REALL CMP(23) SETUP(24) SETUP(25) CALL PRO(26) CALL PROCEEDING(27) ASSIGN REQ(28) CH ACT(29) CH ACT ACK(30) ASSIGNMENT COMMAND(31) SABM(32) EST IND(33) UA(34) ASSIGNMENT COMPLETE(35) ASSIGN CMP(36) RF CH REL(37) RF CH REL ACK(38)

BSC

MSC

TMSI REALL CMD(20)

Mobile Originating Call Establishment Procedure -3

MS BTS
ALERTING(40) CONNECT(41) CONNECT(42) CONNECT ACK(43) CONNECT ACK(44) MEAS REPORT(45) MEAS REPORT(46) DISCONNECT(47) DISCONNECT(48) RELEASE(49) RELEASE(50) RELEASE COMPLETE(51) RELEASE CMP(52) CLEAR CMD(53) CHANNEL RELEASE(54) DEACT SACCH(55) DISC(56) UA(57) REL IND(58) RF CH REL(59) RF CH REL ACK(60) CLEAR CMP(61) SCCP REL(62) SCCP REL ACK(63)

BSC
ALERTING(39)

MSC

Mobile Terminating Call Establishment Procedure -1

MS
PAGING RQT(3) CH REQ(4)

BTS
PAGING CMD(2) CH RQD(5) CH ACT(6) CH ACT ACK(7)

BSC

MSC
PAGING CMD(1)

IMM ASS CMD(8) IMM ASS(9) SABM(10) EST IND(11) UA(13) PAGE RSP(12) AUTH REQ(14) AUTH REQ(15) AUTH RSP(16) AUTH RSP(17) CIPH MODE CMD(18) CIPH MODE CMD(19) CIPH MODE CMD(20) CIPH MODE CMP(21) CIPH MODE CMP(22)

Mobile Terminating Call Establishment Procedure -2

MS BTS
TMSI REALL CMD(24) TMSI REALL CMP(25) TMSI REALL CMP(26) SETUP(28) CALL CONFIRMED(29) CALL CONF(30) ASSIGN REQ(31) CH ACT(32) CH ACT ACK(33) ASSIGNMENT COMMAND(34) SABM(35) EST IND(36) UA(37) ASSIGNMENT COMPLETE(38) ASSIGN CMP(39) RF CH REL(40) RF CH REL ACK(41) SETUP(27)

BSC

MSC

TMSI REALL CMD(23)

Mobile Terminating Call Establishment Procedure -3

MS
ALERTING(42) CONNECT(44) CONNECT(45) CONNECT ACK(46) CONNECT ACK(47) MEAS REPORT(48) MEAS REPORT(49) DISCONNECT(50) DISCONNECT(51) RELEASE(52) RELEASE(53) RELEASE COMPLETE(54) RELEASE CMP(55) CLEAR CMD(56) CHANNEL RELEASE(57) DEACT SACCH(58) DISC(59) UA(60) REL IND(61) RF CH REL(62) RF CH REL ACK(63) CLEAR CMP(64) SCCP REL(65) SCCP REL ACK(66)

BTS

BSC
ALERTING(43)

MSC

Location Update Procedure -1

MS
CH REQ(1) CH RQD(2) CH ACT(3) CH ACT ACK(4) IMM ASS CMD(5) IMM ASS(6) SABM(7) EST IND(8) UA(10) IDENTITY REQ(12) IDENTITY RSP(13) IDENTITY RSP(14) AUTH REQ(15) AUTH REQ(16) AUTH RSP(17) AUTH RSP(18) CIPH MODE CMD(19) CIPH MODE CMD(20) CIPH MODE CMD(21) CIPH MODE CMP(22) CIPH MODE CMP(23) LOC UPDATE REQ(9) IDENTITY REQ(11)

BTS

BSC

MSC

Location Update Procedure -2

MS BTS BSC MSC

LOC UPDATE ACC(24) LOC UPDATE ACCEPT(25) TMSI REALL CMP(26) TMSI REALL CMP(27) CLEAR CMD(28) CHANNEL RELEASE(29) DEACT SACCH(30) DISC(31) UA(32) REL IND(33) RF CH REL(34) RF CH REL ACK(35) CLEAR CMP(36) SCCP REL(37) SCCP REL ACK(38)

Intra Cell Handover Procedure

MS BTS
CH ACT(3) CH ACT ACK(4) ASSIGNMENT COMMAND(5) SABM(6) EST IND(7) UA(8) ASSIGNMENT COMPLETE(9) RECEIVE READY(10) HO PERFORMED(11) RF CH REL(12) RF CH REL ACK(13)

BSC

MSC

MEASURE REPORT(1) MEASURE REPORT(2)

Intra BSC Handover Procedure

MS BTS1 BSC BTS2
CH ACT(3) CH ACT ACK(4) HO CMD(5) HO CMD(6) HO ACCESS(7) HO DETECT(8)

MSC

MEAS REPORT(1) MEAS REPORT(2)

PHYSICAL INFO(9)
SABM(10) EST IND(11)

UA(12)
HO CMP(13)

RECEIVER READY(14)
HO CMP(15 HO PERFORMED(16) RF CH REL(17) RF CH REL ACK(18)

Inter BSC Handover Procedure

MS BTS1 BSC1 BTS2
HO REQUIRED(3)

BSC2

MSC

MEAS REPORT(1)

MEAS REPORT(2)

HO REQ(4)
CH ACT(5) CH ACT ACK(6) HO REQ ACK(7) HO CMD(8) HO CMD(9) HO ACCESS(10) HO DETECT(11) HO DETECT(12) PHYSICAL INFO(13) SABM(14) EST IND(15) UA(16) HO CMP(17) RECEIVER READY(18) HO CMP(19) HO CMP(20) CLEAR COMMAND(21)

RF CH REL(22)
RF CH REL ACK(23) CLEAR COMPLETE(24)

Call Re-establishment Procedure

MS BTS BSC
CLEAR REQ(2) CLEAR CMD(3) CLEAR CMP(4) CHANNEL REQ(5) CM RE-EST REQ(6) CIPH MODE CMD(7) CIPH MODE CMP(8) ASS REQ(9) ASS CMP(10) STATUS ENQUIRY(11) STATUS(12)

MSC

CONN FAIL IND(1)

Directed Retry Procedure

MS BTS1
CH REQ(1) CH RQD(2) CH ACT(3) CH ACT ACK(4) IMM ASS CMD(5) SABM(6) EST IND(8) UA(7) CR(9) CC(10) CM SERVICE ACCEPTED(11) SETUP(12) CALL PROCEEDING(13) ASS REQ(14) CHANNEL ACT(15) CHANNEL ACT ACK(16) HANDOVER COMMAND(17) HO DETECT(19) PHY INFO(20) SABM(21) EST IND(22) UA(23) HO CMP(24) ASS CMP(25) HO ACCESS(18)

BSC

MSC

BTS2

MS

Short Message Procedure On SDCCH When MS Is Calling -1

MS
CH REQ(1) CH RQD(2) CH ACT(3) CH ACT ACK(4)

BTS

BSC

MSC

IMM ASS CMD(5)

SABM(6) EST IND(8) UA(7) CM SERV REQ(9) CC(10) AUTH REQ(11)

AUTH RSP(12)
SABM(SAPI3)(13) EST IND(SAPI3)(15) UA(14) CIPH MODE CMD(16)

CIPH MODE CMP(17) CP DATA(18)

CP ACK(19)

Short Message Procedure On SDCCH When MS Is Calling -2

MS BTS
CP DATA(20)

BSC
CP ACK(21)
CLEAR CMD(22)

MSC

CHANNEL RELEASE(23) DEACT SACCH(24) DISC(25) UA(26) REL IND(27) RF CH REL(28) RF CH REL ACK(29) CLEAR CMP(30) SCCP REL(31) SCCP REL ACK(32)

Short Message Procedure On SDCCH When MS Is Called -1

MS
CH REQ(3) CH RQD(4) CH ACT(5) CH ACT ACK(6)

BTS
PAGING CMD(2)

BSC

MSC
PAGING CMD(1)

IMM ASS CMD(7)

SABM(8) EST IND(9) UA(10) CM SERV REQ(11) CC(12) AUTH REQ(13)

AUTH RSP(14) CIPH MODE CMD(15) CIPH MODE CMP(16)

CP DATA(17) EST REQ(SAPI3)(18) SABM(19) UA(20) EST CMP(SAPI3)(21)

Short Message Procedure On SDCCH When MS Is Called -2

MS BTS
CP DATA(22)

BSC

MSC

CP ACK(23) CP DATA(24)
CP ACK(25) CLEAR CMD(26) CHANNEL RELEASE(27) DEACT SACCH(28) DISC(29) UA(31) REL IND(30) RF CH REL(32) RF CH REL ACK(33) CLEAR CMP(34) SCCP REL(35) SCCP REL ACK(36)

Short Message Procedure On SACCH When MS Is Calling

MS BTS BSC MSC
ACTIVE CALL
CM SERVICE REQ1
CM SERVICE ACC(2) SABM(SAPI3)(3) EST IND(SAPI3)(5) UA(4)

CP DATA(6)
CP ACK(7) CP DATA(8)

CP ACK(9)

ACTIVE CALL

Short Message Procedure On SACCH When MS Is Called

MS BTS BSC MSC
ACTIVE CALL

CP DATA(1) EST REQ(SAPI3)(2) SABM(3) UA(4) EST CNF(SAPI3)(5) CP DATA(6)

CP ACK(7) CP DATA(8)
CP ACK(9)

ACTIVE CALL