Version 1 Revision 0 O & M of GSM (Alcatel)

4 CONTROL CHANNELS
4.1 LOGICAL CHANNELS
One or more logical channels can be transmitted on a physical channel. There are different
t!es of lo"ical channels. The t!e of lo"ical channel is determined b the f#nction of the
information transmitted over it.
The follo$in" t!es of lo"ical channels e%ist&
Traffic channels
'roadcast channels
(ommon control channels
)edicated control channels
*ote that the first channel t!e carries s!eech and data+ and the other t!es control
information (si"nalin").
4.1.1 TRAFFIC CHANNELS
The traffic channels are #sed to send s!eech or data services. There are t$o t!es of traffic
channels. The are distin"#ished b their transmission rates.
The follo$in" traffic channels are !rovided&
4.1.1.1 TCH/F (Ta!!ic CHannel F"ll a#e$
The T(,-. carries information at a "ross bit rate of //.0 1bit-s (after channel codin"). The
net (or effective) bit rate at the T(,-. is for s!eech 12 1bit-s and for data 1/+ 3 or 2.3 1bit-s
(before channel codin"). The transmission rates of the data services allo$ services $hich are
com!atible to the e%istin"+ res!ectivel+ 4.3+ 5.0 and /.5 1bit-s 6ST* and 7S)* services.
4.1.1.% TCH/H (Ta!!ic Channel Hal! a#e$
The T(,-, carries information at a "ross bit rate of 11.5 1bit-s. The net bit rate at the T(,-,
is for s!eech 8.3 1bit-s and for data 3 or 2.3 1bit-s.
4.1.1.& TCH/EFR (Enhance' F"ll a#e$
The 9.R !rovides a voice codin" al"orithm offerin" im!roved s!eech :#alit. The al"orithm
is f#ll com!atible $ith a 'SM s!eech :#alit. The al"orithm is f#ll com!atible $ith a GSM
12 1bit-s s!eech channel. The main benefit $ill be im!roved voice :#alit $hich offers
!ros!ects to com!ete $ith 6ST* net$or1s.
A T(,-. or a T(,-, ma also be #sed to send si"nalin" information (for e%am!le call
for$ardin" and short messa"es).
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Version 1 Revision 0 O & M of GSM (Alcatel)
4.1.% (ROA)CAST CHANNELS
The information distrib#ted over the broadcast channels hel!s the mobile stations to orient
themselves in the mobile radio net$or1.
The broadcast channels are !oint<to<m#lti!oint channels $hich are only defined for the
do$nlin1 direction ('TS to the mobile station). The are fo#r t!es&
4.1.%.1 (CCH ((oa'cas# Con#ol CHannel$
Via the '((, the mobile station is informed abo#t the sstem confi"#ration !arameters (for
e%am!le >ocal Area 7dentification+ (ell 7dentit and *ei"hbor (ells). ?sin" this information
the mobile stations can choose the best cell to attach to. The '((, is also 1no$n as beacon.
4.1.%.% FCCH (Fe*"ency Coec#ion CHannel$
To comm#nicate $ith the 'TS the mobile station m#st t#ne to the 'TS. The .((, transmits
a constant fre:#enc shift of the radio fre:#enc carrier that can be #sed b the mobile station
for fre:#enc correction.
4.1.%.& SCH (Synchoni+a#ion CHannel$
The S(, is #sed to time snchroni@e the mobile stations. The data on this channel carries the
T)MA frame n#mber and the 'S7( ('ase Station 7dentit (ode).
4.1.%.4 C(CH (Cell (oa'cas# CHannel$
The ('(, is #sed for the transmission of "enerall accessible information (Short Messa"e
Service messa"es) in a cell+ $hich can be !olled b the mobile station.
4.1.& CO,,ON CONTROL CHANNELS
(ommon control channels are s!ecified as !oint<to<m#lti!oint channels $hich onl o!erate in
one direction of transmission+ either in the #!lin1 or do$nlin1 direction. There are three
t!es&<
4.1.&.1 -CH (-aging CHannel$
The 6(, is #sed in the do$nlin1 direction for !a"in" the mobile stations.
4.1.&.% AGCH (Access Gan# CHannel$
The AG(, is also #sed in the do$nlin1 direction. A lo"ical channel for a connection is
allocated via the AG(, if the mobile station has re:#ested s#ch a channel via the RA(,.
4.1.&.& RACH (Ran'o. Access CHannel$
The RA(, is #sed in the #!lin1 direction b the mobile stations for re:#estin" a channel for
a connection. 7t is an access channel that #ses the slotted Aloha access scheme.
The .ollo$in" fi"#re "ives an overvie$ of the different t!es of lo"ical channels.
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4.1.4 )E)ICATE) CONTROL CHANNELS
)edicated control channels are f#ll<d#!le%+ !oint<to<!oint channels. The are #sed for
si"nalin" bet$een the 'TS and a certain mobile station.
The are three t!es&
4.1.4.1 SACCH (Slo0 Associa#e' Con#ol CHannel$
The SA((, is a d#!le% channel $hich is al$as allocated to a T(, or S)((,. The
SA((, is #sed for transmission of si"nalin" data+ radio lin1 s#!ervision meas#rements+
transmit !o$er control and timin" advance data. *ote that the SA((, is onl #sed for non<
#r"ent !roced#res.
4.1.4.% FACCH (Fas# Associa#e' Con#ol CHannel$
The .A((, is #sed as a main si"nalin" lin1 for the transmission of si"nalin" data (for
e%am!le handover commands). 7t is also re:#ired for ever call set<#! and release. )#rin" the
call the .A((, data is transmitted over the allocated T(, instead of traffic dataA this is
mar1ed b a fla" called a stealin" fla". The !rocess of stealin" a T(, for .A((, data is
called !re<em!tion.
4.1.4.& S)CCH (S#an'1alone )e'ica#e' Con#ol CHannel$
The S)((, is a d#!le%+ !oint<to<!oint channel $hich is #sed for si"nalin" in hi"her laers.
7t carries all si"nalin" bet$een the 'TS and the mobile station $hen no T(, is allocated.
The S)((,s are #sed for service re:#ests (for e%am!le Short Messa"e Service)+ location
#!dates+ s#bscriber a#thentication+ ci!herin" initiation+ e:#i!ment validation and assi"nment
to a T(,. The net S)((, bit rate is abo#t 0.0 1bit-s.
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Traffic
(hannels
Si"nalin"
(hannels
>o"ical
(hannels
'roadcast
(hannels
(ommon
(ontrol
(hannels
)edicated
(ontrol
(hannels
.#ll Rate
,aft Rate
T(,-.
T(,-,
'((,
.((
,S(
,
('(,
6(
,
A((
,
RA(
,
SA((
,
S)((
,
.A((,
)o$
n
>in1
)o$
n
>in1
?!
>in1
Slo$
.ast
Version 1 Revision 0 O & M of GSM (Alcatel)
4.1.2 ,3LTI-LE4ING LOGICAL CHANNELS ONTO -H5SICAL
CHANNELS
Several of the above<mentioned t!es of lo"ical channels can be transmitted over one sin"le
!hsical channel (timeslot). The GSM s!ecifications 08.0/ s!ecif several combinations of
channel t!es (the se:#ence of lo"ical channels is fi%ed). The order of the lo"ical channels
de!ends on the channel combination.
4.1.6 CHANNEL CO,(INATIONS
The channel combinations are&
1. T(,-. B .A((,-. B SA((,-.
/. T(,-, B .A((,-, B SA((,-,
2. (T(,-. B .A((,-. B SA((,-.) or (T(,-, B .A((,-, B SA((,-,)
5. .((, B S(, B (((, B '((,
8. .((, B S(, B (((, B '((, B S)((,-5 B SA((,-5
3. (((, B '((,
=. S)((,-0 B SA((,-0
4.1.7 )EFINITIONS
The (((, is a channel that carries both the 6(, and the AG(, on the do$nlin1+ and the
RA(, on the #!lin1.
The e%tensions C-5D and C-0D in the above mentioned terms mean+ res!ectivel+ that fo#r and
ei"ht lo"ical channels are ma!!ed onto one !hsical channel (timeslot).
*ote that in channel combination 5+ 8 the '((, is al$as transmitted in timeslot 0 on the
first defined fre:#enc.
4.1.8 FRA,E T5-ES ON THE 3,1INTERFACE
The GSM<400 and GSM<1000 s!ecifications define several t!es of frames&
4.1.8.1 T),A !a.e
A T)MA frame consists of ei"ht timeslots (!hsical channels). The len"th of a timeslot is
0.8== ms. The len"th of a T)MA frame is therefore 5.3/ ms. *ote& beca#se data on a timeslot
is transmitted in b#rsts+ the len"th of a timeslot is often e%!ressed in '6 ('#rst 6eriod)A 1 '6
re!resents the len"th of 1 timeslot.
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4.1.8.% %61T),A ."l#i1!a.e
This m#lti<frame is defined as a s#ccession of /3 T)MA frames+ and corres!onds to the /3 %
0 '6 or 1/0 ms ccle #sed in the definition of the T(,-. and T(,-,.
4.1.8.& 211T),A ."l#i1!a.e
This m#lti frame is defined as a s#ccession of 81 T)MA frames+ and corres!onds to the 81 %
0 '6 ccle #sed in the definition of the T(,-.+ T(,-, and of the common channels.
4.1.8.4 S"pe !a.e
The s#!er frame is a s#ccession of 81 % /3 T)MA frames (3.1/ sec)+ and corres!onds to the
smallest ccle for $hich the or"ani@ation of all channels is re!eated.
4.1.8.2 Hype !a.e
The h!er frame is the n#mberin" !eriod. 7t is /050 % 81 % /3 % 0 '6 lon"+ or 2 ho#rs+ /0
min#tes+ 82 seconds and =30 milliseconds. 7t is a m#lti!le of all !revio#sl cited ccles+ and
determines all the ccles in the transmission of the radio !ath. 7t is in !artic#lar the smallest
ccle for fre:#enc ho!!in" and for ci!herin".
The fi"#re sho$s the frames t!es. (.i" in ne%t !a"e)
Fig / %
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