GSM - System Informations 1

GSM System Informations

Dipl.-Ing. Reinhold Krüger, ROHDE&SCHWARZ, Training Center Munich

1. Abstract

All GSM base stations forward continuously informations about their current system configuration
and other informations needed by the mobile phones before they are allowed to access the network.
These informations are organized in six different SYSTEM INFORMATION words containing
specific parameters.
Type 1 to 4 are transmitted within the BCCH (broadcast control channel). Type 5 and 6 are only
transmitted during an established individual radio link in downlink direction in a multiplexed
service channel called SACCH (slow associated control channel).
To transfer one system information word four bursts are needed. In a BCCH these four bursts are
available within one 51-multiframe, in a SACCH one system information word is spread over four
26-multiframes.

2.1. System Information Type 1

Information elements:
- cell channel description (chapter 3.1)

- RACH control parameters (chapter 3.7)

2.2. System Information Type 2

Information elements:
- neighbour cells description (chapter 3.5)
- PLMN permitted (chapter 3.6)
- RACH control parameters (chapter 3.7)

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2.3. System Information Type 3

Information elements:
- cell identity (chapter 3.8)
- location area identifikation (chapter 3.9)
- control channel description (chapter 3.4)
- cell options (chapter 3.2)
- cell selection parameters (chapter 3.3)
- RACH control parameters (chapter 3.7)

2.4. System Information Type 4

Information elements:
- location area identification (chapter 3.9)
- cell selection parameters (chapter 3.3)
- RACH control parameters (chapter 3.7)

2.5. System Information Type 5

Information elements:
- neighbour cells description (chapter 3.5)

2.6. System Information Type 6

Information elements:
- cell identity (chapter 3.8)
- location area identifikation (chapter 3.9)
- cell options (chapter 3.2)
- PLMN permitted (chapter 3.6)

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3. Content of Information Elements

3.1. Cell Channel Description

lenght: 17 octets

bit No. 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
octet 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0
cell channel description IEI
octet 2 CA-No 0 0 ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN
spare spare 124 123 122 121
octet 3 ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN
120 119 118 117 116 115 114 113

octet 17 ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN

008 007 006 005 004 003 002 001

CA - No: number of frequency band (0 in GSM)

ARFCN xxx: 0 this channel is not used in this cell
1 this channel is used in this cell

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3.2 Cell Options

length: 2 octets

bit No. 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
octet 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 1
cell options IEI
octet 2 0 PWRC DTX RADIO-LINK-TIMEOUT
spare

PWRC: power control

0 power control is not used
1 power control is used

DTX: DTX indicator

0 0 MS are allowed to use DTX
0 1 MS must use DTX
1 0 MS must not use DTX

RADIO-LINK-TIMEOUT
0 0 0 0 = 4
0 0 0 1 = 8
0 0 1 0 = 12

1 1 1 0 = 60
1 1 1 1 = 64

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3.3. Cell Selection Parameters

length: 3 octets

bit No. 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
octet 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0
cell selection parameters IEI
octet 2 CELL-RESELECT- MS-TXPWR-MAX-CCH
HYSTERESIS
octet 3 0 0 RXLV-ACCESS-MIN
spare spare

CELL-RESELECT-HYSTERESIS:
0 0 0 = 0 dB
0 0 1 = 2 dB
0 1 0 = 4 dB
0 1 1 = 6 dB
1 0 0 = 8 dB
1 0 1 = 10 dB
1 1 0 = 12 dB
1 1 1 = 14 dB

MS-TXPWR-MAX-CCH: range 0 to 31

RXLV-ACCESS-MIN: range 0 to 63

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3.4. Control Channel Description

length: 4 octets

bit No. 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
octet 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0
control channel description IEI
octet 2 0 ATT BS-AG-BLKS-RES CCCH-CONF
spare
octet 3 0 0 0 0 0 BS-PA-MFRMS
spare spare spare spare spare
octet 4 T 3212
time-out value

ATT: IMSI ATTACH/DETACH procedure

0 not allowed
1 must be performed
BS-AG-BLKS-RES:
number of AGCH blocks
CCCH-CONF configuration of CCCH
0 0 0 = 1 physical channel reserved for CCCH not combined with SDCCH
0 0 1 = 1 physical channel reserved for CCCH combined with SDCCH
0 1 0 = 2 physical channels reserved for CCCH not combined with SDCCH
1 0 0 = 3 physical channel reserved for CCCH not combined with SDCCH
1 1 0 = 4 physical channel reserved for CCCH not combined with SDCCH
BS-PA-MFRMS
number of multiframe periods for pagings to MS belonging to the same pagin group
0 0 0 = 2
0 0 1 = 3
0 1 0 = 4
...
1 1 1 = 9
T 3212 timeout value: range 0 to 255
T3212 defines the time in decihours (6 minutes) after that an MS has to perform a periodic location
update. For T3212 = 0 the MS do not execute a periodic update.

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3.5. Neighbour Cells Description

length: 17 octets

bit No. 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
octet 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0
neighbour cells description IEI
octet 2 BA-NO 0 BA- ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN
spare IND 124 123 122 121
octet 3 ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN
120 119 118 117 116 115 114 113

octet 17 ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN ARFCN

008 007 006 005 004 003 002 001

BA-NO: BCCH allocation number

(set to 0 in GSM)
BA-IND: BA sequence indication
range 0 and 1
ARFCN xxx: 0 channels belongs to BA
ARFCN xxx: 1 channel does not belong to BA

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3.6. PLMN permitted

lenght: 2 octets

bit No. 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
octet 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0
PLMN permitted IEI
octet 2 NCC permitted

NCC permitted: Used NCCs of this network

for instance:

NCC permitted = 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 means:

used are: NCC = 4 and NCC = 6

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3.7. RACH Control Parameters

length: 4 octets

bit No. 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
octet 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0
RACH control parameters IEI
CELL
octet 2 Max Retrans Tx-integer BARR RE
ACCESS
octet 3 AC AC AC AC AC EC AC AC
C15 C14 C13 C12 C11 C10 C09 C08
octet 4 AC AC AC AC AC AC AC AC
C07 C06 C05 C04 C03 C02 C01 C00

Max Retrans: maximum number of access attempts

0 0 = 1 attempt
0 1 = 2 attempts
1 0 = 4 attempts
1 1 = 7 attempts
Tx-integer: number of time slots to spread access attempts
0 0 0 0 = 3 timeslots spread
0 0 0 1 = 4 timeslots spread
division: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 20, 25, 32, 50
CELL-BAR-ACCESS: barring options indicator Zelle
0 = cell is not blocked
1 = cell is blocked for accesses
RE: call re-establishment
0 = call re-establishment allowed in this cell
1 = call re-establishment not allowed
EC: emergency call
0 = emergency call allowed in this cell
1 = emergency call allowed only for MS of access control class 11 to 15
AC Cn: access control classes n = 0, 1, 2, . . . ,8 ,9 , 11 ,12, 13, 14, 15

If switched to "1" members of the indicated AC class are not allowed to access the network.

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3.8. Cell Identity

length: 3 octets

bit No. 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
octet 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
cell identity IEI
octet 2 CI value

octet 3 CI value
(continued)

CI value: numerical value of cell identity (hexadecimal)

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3.9. Location Area Identification

length: 6 octets

bit No. 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
octet 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1
location area identification IEI
octet 2 MCC digit 2 MCC digit 1

octet 3 1 1 1 1 MCC digit 3

octet 4 MNC digit 2 MNC digit 1

octet 5 LAC

octet 6 LAC (continued)

MCC: Mobile Country Code

international standardized

MNC: Mobile Network Code

specified by national authorities to distinguish between several network operators

LAC: Location Area Code

determined by network operator

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