GSM

GSM (Global System for Mobile communications)

GSM subscriber base has crossed 2 billion subscribers worldwide. SMS and International roaming facility has made this system very popular worldwide. GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) uses IPv4 and EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) is used for any packet switched application, such as an Internet connection.

MSC is like switch supporting SS7 signaling protocol and supported by HLR ( home Location Register), VLR ( Visitor Location Register). Air interface is there between handset and BTS. Due to low power of the handset coverage range per cell is limited to 1.6 Km Distance. Uplinking power of the handset is major constraint. Radiation pattern is lobe shaped and there are shadow areas in the coverage of the GSM Cell site.If multiple antennas are mounted on a single tower there could be may drop outs in that cell site. Problem is further enhanced if there are different operators on the same cell site. For new systems on the requirements are:

• 3GPP R5 Compliance
• Full support of HSDPA
• IP over Iu/Gb
• Support of SIGTRAN
• Iu/Gb Flex
• MVNO
• 2G/3G Service Based handover
• UESBI-Iu support in SGSN
• SGSN Support for Shared Networks
• User Priority Service
• Content Based Billing Enhancement
• IPv6 PDP type support
• IMS Bearing
• Single APN
• Support of Mobile IP

• 3GPP R6 & R7 Compliant
• Support of Gx
• One Tunnel Architecture
• IPv6 networking
• Iu-Flex Improvement
• Anti-Virus
• MBMS Phase II (Multicast)
• Integrated PDG for WLAN
• SAE

Network optimization requirements are:

• Increased network availability
• Easier introduction of new data services or additional voice capacity
• Reduced dropped calls, resulting in less subscriber churn
• Improved market perception of your network
• More capacity to support new marketing campaigns

3 GPP Standard UMTS Bands

3 GPP Planned Release

Planned improvements to GSM EDGE known as Evolved or E-EDGE will offer significantly improved data rates and provide a viable high speed mobile network alternative to UMTS for villages thus reducing the demand on UMTS spectrum. UMTS services in rural areas can be met with UMTS at 900MHz and service provider requires only 60% less cell sites compared to 2100MHz. GSM system total cost of ownership breakdown.