Introduction to GPRS

GSM900
DCS1800

1
Objectives

At the end of the module the participant will be

able to:
• Describe the relationship between GPRS and
GSM
• Describe the difference between packet
switching and circuit
switching and the meaning of these to data
services
• Describe some benefits of GPRS
— to end-users
— to operators
• List some business reasons for GPRS
• List some possible GPRS applications that would
generate revenue 2
Background

Current trends in mobile markets:

• Mobile traffic is growing faster than fixed traffic
— More than 400 million GSM mobile phones
— Prediction: In 10 years # mobiles > # of PSTN lines
• Data traffic is growing faster than voice traffic
— More than 150 million Internet users worldwide → growing
— Many fixed network operators carry more data traffic than voice
• Mobile traffic growth + Data traffic growth = GPRS
growth!
• In many countries, majority of people have a mobile
phone
• Mobile operators have to stay competitive
— Setting competitive tariffs
— Offering value-added services

3
Internet Growth Rates

in million
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100 © eTForecasts
0
1989 1990 1995 1999 2000 2002 2005

4
Driving Forces for the Internet Growth

today

• low cost PCs

• email
• Intranet harmonisation and tomorrow
• growing content in the Web
• business to business
electronic commerce
• business to consumer
electronic commerce • broadband connections (last mile)
• etc. • mobile commerce
• Web enabled mobile phones
• Web based radio and TV
• etc.

5
Components of a GSM network

• Network Switching Subsystem (NSS)

— Mobile Switching Centre (MSC)
— Network databases
• Base Station Subsystem (BSS)
— Base Transceiver Station (BTS)
— Base Station Controller (BSC)
— Transcoder and Rate Adaptation Unit (TRAU)
• Network Management Subsystem (NMS)
— Operations and Maintenance Centre (OMC)
• Mobile Station (MS)
— Mobile Equipment (ME)
— Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)

6
GSM Public Land Mobile Network

BSS NSS
Network Switching
Subsystem PSTN/
• Switching ISDN
• Mobility Management
MS (incl. authentication)
• Connection
Management
• Charging
Base Station Subsystem
• Radio Resource
Management
(incl. Transcoding)
BSS • Radio Link Management
NMS
Network Management
System
• Fault Management
• Configuration
Management
• Performance 7
GSM Public Land Mobile Network

Um
BSS NSS
BTS
A PSTN/
TRAU MSC/VLR GMSC
BSC ISDN
MS BTS

BTS A
TRAU EIR HLR AC

BSC
BTS
BSS
NMS

8
GSM network architecture

Mobile Stations
Base Station Subsystem Network Management System
Base Station
Controller Database Server Network
Planning
Data System
Communication Workstations
Network
Network Measurement
Base System
Transceiver Communications
Stations Server

Network Subsystem
Home Location Register/
Authentication Centre/
Equipment Identity
Register TCP/IP

Data Communications
Digital Cross Server
Connect
PSTN/ISDN
Transcoder Mobile Switching Centre/
Submultiplexer Visitor Location Register
Voice
mail

Short Message IN Service Control Point

Service Centre
A-Interface Air Interface X.25 Interface Abis Interface

9
Network Management Subsystem

Unix
Workstations
HLR/AC/EIR
MSC/VLR Database and
Communications
Servers Router

NMS/2000

TCSM
BSC
GSM Network
Data
Communications
Network (DCN)

Tasks of NMS:
• Fault management
• Configuration management
• Performance management

10
Radio Interface Concepts

Duplex Transmission

Frequency Division Duplex Time Division Duplex

e

e
tim

tim
Uplink

Downlink

Uplink
k

Downlink
in

lin
l
Up

wn

Uplink
Do

Downlink

frequency frequency
11
Circuit switched vs. Packet switched

Circuit switched

Packet switched

12
 Circuit switched Packet switched
Telepho Data
ne
network networ
s ks
• End-to-end connection (call) • No connection needed
establishment needed
• Resources are shared between
• Dedicated resources (e.g. PCM-tsl) for different user sessions, not
one user are reserved during call dedicated
establishment
• Resources are requested on
• Only 30 - 40% of resources are demand, more efficient use
effectively used for speech transfer
• Packets are not sent in real time ⇒
• Speech is transferred in real time buffering and delay

• Speech does not accept delays • Error correction and detection

possible
• Errors in transmission are not so critical
for speech • Charging is usually based on
• Charging is usually based on time volume ⇒ number of packets
13
 Circuit switched Packet switched
Telepho Data
ne
network networ
s ks
Physical circuit
PCM-tsl Virtual circuit (VC) No
(CONS) VC
X.25 IP
• End-to-end connection (call) (CONS)
establishment needed (CLNS)
• Dedicated resources (e.g. PCM-
tsl) for one user are reserved • No connection needed
during call establishment • Resources are shared between
• Only 30 - 40% of resources are different user sessions, not
effectively used for speech
transfer
dedicated
• Speech is transferred in real • Resources are requested on
time demand, more efficient use
• Speech does not accept delays • Packets are not sent in real
• Errors in transmission are not time ⇒ buffering and delay
so critical for speech • Error correction and detection
• Charging is usually based on possible
time • Charging is usually based on
14
Subscribers’ Point of View

conte
nt conten
Network t
server

15
Implementor’s View of GPRS Network

Subscriber

Voice MSC/VLR HLR

Radio
CCB
Network BSC
Traditional GSM
Operator
Infrastructure
CG
SGSN

Billing Systems
NMS
Integration ???

IT Infrastructure

Internal
DNS
GGSN
Border
Gateway
Help Desk
GPRS Billing DNS
Roaming
NMS
Internet Access
LIG Corporate Access
Inter-Operator GPRS
Backbone Network IP Access External Services,
Routers WAP and others...
Firewalls
Addressing
Authentication
Security

16
GSM Data Services Shortcomings

Operators‘ point of view

• inefficient use of radio
Users‘ point of view
resources
• 9.6 kbps transmission rate ceiling
• displeased customers
• max. 160 characters for SMS
• circuit switched services expensive for
bursty applications
• Radio interface problems may lead to
data losses
• Data integrity may not be given
via the Internet
• call establishment duration

17
What is GPRS?

• Technology which permits mobile data communication

using packet switching techniques
• GSM allows circuit switched (CS) data transfer
— Data transfer on a dedicated channel (connection oriented)
— Connection setup procedure needed as in modem
— Subscriber charged according to time of connection
— TS is held for duration of connection - waste of resources
• GPRS designed as an extension to digital cellular
networks
— Connectionless packet switched (PS) data service
— Standardised by ETSI
— Radio resources shared between CS and PS data
— New terminals are required

18
Overcoming the Bottleneck Um

Increased data transmission rates

via new Coding Schemes

CS-1 CS-2
CS-3 data rates on
9.05 13.4
15.6 CS-4 on physical channel
kbps kbps (one timeslot)
kbps 21.4
kbps

All physical channels

Bundling of up to must be located on
8 physical channels the same TRX

“Net” transmission rate up to

171.2 kbps
19
 CS traffic leaves some capacity for PS traffic

GPRS packets can be

transmitted using free GSM
capacity 16

14
Circuit switched traffic has
priority! 12

10

TCH 8

16 4
14
12
2
10
TCH

8
6 0
4
2 1:00 PM 1:15 PM 1:30 PM 1:45 PM
0
3:00 6:00 9:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00 0:00

20
 Overcoming the Bottleneck Um

“capacity on demand”
dynamic allocation of
radio resources to
circuit & packet switched

Multiplexing
several users sharing one
physical channel

Asymmetric
allocation of uplink and
downlink resources

21
Who are the GPRS users?

Private users
• Demand for
value-added
services
• Messaging
• Internet

Industrial Business users

• Corporate intranet access
applications • Mobile ISP for small enterprises

22
Private users

Personal messaging: E-mail, Browsing

pictures, voice • WAP terminals for using WAP-
• All-in-one enabled services
communicator • Regular web browsing
• MMS terminal for possible with
mobile Multimedia all-in-one communicator
Messaging Service
Mobile

Lapto • Small group of advanced users,

p
with a laptop for personal use
• Normal customer requirements
on ISP:
e-mail, web, news, chat…
• Mobile operator's ISP
infrastructure
provides standard Internet 23
Business users: Corporate intranet access

• Corporate networks are primarily

using IP
• Business users usually have a
laptop
• Access to existing IP-based
applications on the corporate
intranet: e-mail, intranet and
Internet browsing, database lookup
and entry, etc.
• Resilient background transfer: No
more "LOST CARRIER" during file
download
• The remote office becomes a
reality; remain networked wherever
you are

24
 Operator Type 1

Mobile Access Operator

• Operator acts as transparent bit-
pipe

• Limited differentiation
Internet possibilities: price, bit rate,
availability, etc.

• The ISPs control the

end-customers through actual
services and content access
WWW

ISP or • Small risks for the operator:

low cost, small revenue
content opportunity
provider

25
 Operator Type 2

Full-Service Operator
• Operator adds value by offering
services with value to the end-
user

Corporations • Opportunity to differentiate:

Internet Content — customer loyalty
providers — new customers and
revenue streams
Multimedia — brand recognition
Service
Center • Higher risk, new competencies
required

SMS,
HSCSD,
GPRS,
3rd generation

26
Key learning points (1/3)

• GPRS uses a packet-based technique which will enhance

GSM data services significantly, especially for bursty
Internet/intranet traffic.
• Some application examples:
— bus, train, airline information
— locating restaurants and entertainment venues
— weather information
— security information
— lottery
— e-commerce
— banking
— e-mail
— web browsing

27
Key learning points (2/3)

• The main advantages of GPRS for users:

— Instant access to data as if connected to an office LAN
— Charging based on amount of data transferred (not the time
connected)
— Higher transmission speeds

• The main advantages for operators:

— Fast network roll-out with minimum investment
— Excess voice capacity used for GPRS data
— Smooth path to 3G services

28
Key learning points (3/3)

• In circuit switching each time a connection is required

between two points, a link between the two points is
established and the needed resources are reserved for the
use of that single call for the complete duration of the call.
• In packet switching, the data to be transferred is divided
up into packets, which are then sent through the network
and re-assembled at the receiving end.

29
 Review Questions to
„Introduction to GPRS“

30
Review

1. Give an example of a CS network and identify three

characteristics. :

PSTN, classical mobile telephony networks

a) Connection orientated
b) Optimised for speech transmission (real-time
and low arrival jitter)
c) No error correction

31
Review

2.  Give an example of a packet switched network and identify

three characteristics.

Internet (IP), X.25, Frame Relay

a) User data organised in packets
b) Connectionless (e.g IP) and connection
oriented (e.g. X.25) network solutions are
available
c) Non-real time data transfer
d) Statistical multiplexing

32
Review

3. Name two benefits of GPRS.

a) Increased radio interface efficiency

b) Charging based on volume is possible
c) Higher data rates are possible – in
comparison to GSM
d) Coverage holes do not automatically result in
data losses for the end user
e) Smooth transition to 3G
f) Always-connected access to data networks
g) New data services can be applied
h) Fast network roll-out is possible

33
Review

4. Give three examples of services that could be carried over

GPRS.

a) WAP
b) e-mail
c) e-commerce
d) industrial applications – telemetry
e) corporate access
f) gaming

34