Brett Lee

December, 2006




Some Frequency History


450 - NMT-450 - first widespread standard in Europe

800 - AMPS (Cellular) - first commercial standard in US - uses entire 800 band

850 - ?? 

900 - GSM

1800 - GSM (second one.  Generally a higher frequency = less distance but greater density)

1900 - PCS




Frequency bands used by GSM


  

    
System
    
Band
    
Uplink 
    
Downlink
    
Channel Number
  
  

    
GSM 400
    
450
    
450.4 - 457.6
    
460.4 - 467.6
    
259 - 293
  
  

    
GSM 400
    
480
    
478.8 - 486.0
    
488.8 - 496.0
    
306 - 340
  
  

    
GSM 850
    
850
    
824.0 - 849.0
    
869.0 - 894.0
    
128 - 251
  
  

    
GSM 900 (P-GSM)
    
900
    
890.0 - 915.0
    
935.0 - 960.0
    
1 - 124
  
  

    
GSM 900 (E-GSM)
    
900
    
880.0 - 915.0
    
925.0 - 960.0
    
0 - 124
  
  

    
GSM-R (R-GSM)
    
900
    
876.0 - 980.8
    
921.0 - 924.8
    
955 - 974
  
  

    
DSC 1800
    
1800
    
1710.0 - 1785.0
    
1805.0 - 1880.0 
    
512 - 885
  
  

    
PCS 1900
    
 1900
    
1850.0 - 1910.0
    
1930.0 - 1990.0
    
512 - 810




Of note: Sprint setup the first PCS (GSM-1900) network.  Sprint then sold their GSM business to Omnipoint (who later became T-Mobile).  Sprint decided to focus on CDMA (and pay big $$$ to Qualcomm).




Air Interface

AMPS - Analog (Uses FDMA)

IS-54 (TDMA (digital) of CONTROL channels) - First US 2G standard - United States Digital Cellular (USDC), or Digital AMPS (D-AMPS)

IS-95 - Qualcomm CDMA (cdmaOne) - Based on AMPS

IS-136 - TDMA (Sometimes USDC and D-AMPS refer to IS-136 also).  It is IS-54 plus TDMA DATA channels, SMS, ++





From Wikipedia

0G

    * PTT

    * MTS

    * IMTS

    * AMTS

    * OLT

    * MTD

0.5G

    * Autotel/PALM

    * ARP

1G

    * NMT

    * AMPS

    * Hicap

    * CDPD

    * Mobitex

    * DataTac

2G

    * GSM

    * iDEN

    * D-AMPS

    * IS-95/cdmaOne

    * PDC

    * CSD

    * PHS

2.5G

    * GPRS

    * HSCSD

    * WiDEN

2.75G

    * CDMA2000 1xRTT/IS-2000

    * EDGE (EGPRS)

3G

    * W-CDMA

   * UMTS (3GSM)

   * FOMA

    * TD-CDMA/UMTS-TDD

    * 1xEV-DO/IS-856

    * TD-SCDMA

    * GAN/UMA

3.5G

    * HSDPA

3.75G

    * HSUPA

    * HSOPA

4G




Frequency bands


    * SMR  (Specialized Mobile Radio)

    * Cellular (RF's differ in Americas, Europe and Asia)

	America: First = 800

	Europe:  First = 450 (NMT-450)  GSM 

    * PCS





  

    
2G
    
2.5G
    
2.75G
    
3G
    
3.5G
    
3.75G
  
  

    
GSM
    
GPRS
    
EDGE/EGPRS (2003)
    
UMTS
    
HSDPA
    
HSUPA
  
  

    
cdmaOne/IS-95
    
CDMA2000
    

    
EV-DO
    

    

  




AMPS (Uses FDMA for transport)

D-AMPS (TDMA) - Cingular and U.S. Cellular

GSM (Uses TDMA for transport)

CDMA (Signals share a the frequency channel - data scrambled)

GPRS 

EDGE plus HSDPA

EV-DO




Manufacturerss

    * Motorola Corp

    * Kyocera

    * Nokia Corp

    * Samsung

    * LG Electronics U.S.A. Inc.

    * Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications



Service provider

    * Cingular Wireless

   Cingular purchased AT&T Wireless in October 2004

    * Sprint Nextel

    * Verizon Wireless

    * T-Mobile




From: http://www.ulticom.com/html/resources/resources-ss7-protocols.asp

TCAP		<-- provides Transaction processing

SCCP		<-- routes TCAP; GTT translations (Global Titles -> Point Codes or SubSystem Numbers (SSN's))

MTP3		<-- provides the link, route, and traffic management aspects of MTP

MTP2		<-- provides the reliability aspects of MTP including error monitoring and recovery

MTP1		<-- defines the physical, electrical, and functional characteristics for the signaling data link




  

    
TCAP
    
TCAP
    
TCAP
    
TCAP
    
TCAP
  
  

    
SCCP
    
SCCP
    
SCCP
    
SCCP
    
SUA
  
  

    
MTP3
    
MTP3
    
MTP3
    
n/a
    
n/a
  
  

    
MTP3
    
M2PA
    
M2UA
    
M3UA
    
n/a
  
  

    
MTP1/SS7
    
SCTP
    
SCTP
    
SCTP
    
SCTP
  
  

    
n/a
    
IP
  





SS7 Protocol Layers

Signaling System 7 was introduced by AT&T in 1975 and approved by worldwide standard bodies in 1980.



SS7 basic functions are as follows:

MTP (Message Transfer Part) - Provides a reliable transfer and delivery of signaling information across signaling networks. 

SCCP (Signaling Connection Control Point) - Provides additional routing capabilities via SubSystem Numbers (SSNs). It also offers the capability of routing based on dialed digits or global title translation. 

ISUP (ISDN User Part) - Provides the transport of call set-up information between two signaling points. 

IUP (Interconnect User Part) - Supports customer services and network features at the point of interconnect between public networks in the UK. 

TCAP (Transaction Capability Application Part) - Provides the capability of transferring non-circuit-related information between signaling points. 

TUP (Telephone User Part) - Provides the transport of call set-up information between two signaling points only for voice services.



MTP

The Message Transfer Part (MTP) enabler provides the routing and network interface capabilities that support SCCP, TCAP, and ISUP. MTP is divided into three levels. MTP Level 1 defines the physical, electrical, and functional characteristics for the signaling data link. MTP Level 2 provides the reliability aspects of MTP including error monitoring and recovery. MTP Level 3 provides the link, route, and traffic management aspects of MTP. The MTP software and boards support ITU-T, ANSI, TTC, NTT, and Chinese variants of the protocol, enabling Signalware-based applications to be widely deployed.

Functions: 

MTP provides the means to:

Interface with the SS7 network 

Detect and correct errors to messages sent on signaling links 

Manage links and routes, thus mitigating failures and congestion within the network should they occur 

MTP provides routing services for SCCP and ISUP on a point-to-point basis. In addition, MTP supports TCAP, which depends upon SCCP, as well as the protocols such CAP, GSM MAP, TIA/EIA-41, and INAP that are supported by TCAP. 



In Signalware, MTP is implemented via Signalware software and boards, which support T1/E1, High Speed Link (HSL), and serial network interfaces.



SCCP

The Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP) enabler provides the connectionless transport of TCAP messages. Both Class 0 (Basic) and Class 1 (Sequenced) connectionless services are provided. SCCP also provides Class 2 (connection oriented) services, which are typically used by Base Station System Application Part, Location Services Extension (BSSAP-LE). In addition, SCCP provides Global Title Translation (GTT) functionality. The SCCP software supports ITU-T, ETSI, ANSI, TTC, and Chinese variants of the protocol, enabling Signalware-based applications to be widely deployed. 

Functions: 

The SCCP software provides the means to:

Route TCAP messages from end-to-end 

Translate from Global Title numbers to point code and subsystem numbers 

Establish and release connections 

SCCP provides routing services for TCAP on an end-to-end basis, which supplements the point-to-point routing of MTP. In addition, SCCP translates Global Titles to point codes and subsystem numbers, simplifying routing table maintenance within a network. Further, SCCP provides connection-oriented services. 





ISUP

The ISDN User Part (ISUP) enabler provides the signaling backbone between switching elements for basic and supplementary services for the call establishment, supervision, and release of circuit switched network connections for telecommunications services. ISUP supports analog and digital circuits, as well as call management signaling for data transmission. The ISUP software supports ITU-T, ETSI, ANSI, TTC, NTT, Chinese and many other national variants of the protocol, enabling Signalware® based applications to be widely deployed. 

Functions:

The ISUP software provides the means to:

Establish, maintain, and release calls and connections 

Supervise and manage the circuit infrastructure 

ISUP controls the circuits used to carry either voice or data traffic. In addition, the state of circuits can be verified and managed using ISUP. The management of the circuit infrastructure can occur both at the individual circuit level and for groups of circuits. 





TCAP

The Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP) uses the transport services of MTP and SCCP to support transaction based services associated with wireline, wireless, and IP networks. TCAP is used to support Intelligent Network services, mobility services, supplemental services, and short message services (SMS).

The TCAP software supports ITU-T, ANSI, Japanese, and Chinese protocol variants enabling Signalware-based applications to be globally deployed. 

Functions:

The TCAP software provides the means to:

Establish end-to-end connections between TCAP user parts 

Handle message dialogs between end-points 

TCAP information is embedded in the message service units that flow on the SS7 network. TCAP messages contain both transaction information and component information.



TUP

The Telephone User Part (TUP) enabler provides the signaling backbone between switching elements for basic call establishment, supervision, and release of circuit switched network connections for telecommunications services. TUP supports analog and digital circuits, and limited call management signaling. Since TUP lacks the support for ISDN services, it is found primarily in older networks that support strictly narrowband voice services. TUP is an ITU-T standard, however there are several national variants of the protocol, enabling Signalware® based applications to be widely deployed. 



From: http://www.ulticom.com/html/resources/resources-sigtran-protocols.asp

SIGTRAN Protocols 

Evolution to SS7 over IP

Currently the industry is focused on the efforts of the IETF SIGTRAN Working Group that addresses switched circuit network (SCN) signaling, with an emphasis on SS7 over IP. 

Protocols under development by the IETF SIGTRAN Working Group include:

M2PA (MTP 2 Peer-to-peer Adaptation Layer) - Enables SS7 links replacement over IP. 

M2UA (MTP 2 User Adaptation Layer) - Enables SS7 back-hauling from remote end-points over IP. 

M3UA (MTP 3 User Adaptation Layer) - Enables SS7 User Parts (e.g. ISUP and SCCP) to run over IP. 

SCTP (Streams Control Transmission Protocol) - Provides generic transport for SCN signaling. 

SUA (SCCP User Adaptation Layer) - Enables SS7 Application Parts (e.g. TCAP) to run over IP.