When a station calls a mobile station, we can term it as a Mobile Terminated Call (MTC).

For e.g. when a call is made from a MTNL landline to an Airtel mobile phone we call it as
an MTC.
The mobile terminated call set-up is described below.
 Initially the user dials the mobile number. It reaches the PSTN/ISDN/Switching
office where it is identified as a GSM call (by the destination code mentioned)
and forwards it to the gateway MSC i.e. GMSC.
 The GMSC identifies the HLR for the subscriber (which is coded in the phone
number) and signals the call set-up to the HLR.
 The HLR then checks if the number is a valid number and whether that user has
subscribed to this particular service. If so then an MSRN (Mobile Subscriber
Roaming Number) is requested from the subscriber’s current VLR.
 After receiving the MSRN, the HLR determines the MSC responsible for the
mobile station and sends this information to the GMSC.
 The GMSC then forwards the call setup request to the concerned MSC.
Till now we were finding the phone. Now since we have partially-located it we try
calling it so as not to waste more time.

 MSC requests the current status of Mobile Station (i.e the subscriber’s cell-
phone) from VLR.
 Now the MSC initiates paging in all cells it is responsible for (i.e location area). It
searches in all cells as finding the exact cell would be time consuming.
 If any response is found by any BTS, the VLR performs a security check
(encryption etc.). The VLR then asks the MSC to connect to the MS.

Role of HLR in Mobile terminated call Set-up:

 The HLR is contacted by the gateway MSC (GMSC) for the MS location area.
 The HLR current VLR number of a particular MS.
 The HLR basically acts just as a parent guide towards a MS.

Role of VLR in Mobile terminated call Setup:

 The MSC checks with the VLR for the list of available service for a particular
subscriber.
 The VLR provides a temporary number called as MSRN (Mobile Subscriber
Roaming Number)
 The VLR also contains other parameters with respect to a MS like Location area
Code (LAC) and TMSI.
 The VLR basically acts as the central point of contact for the MSC.
 It is also responsible for the authentication of a MS once it has been located by
the MSC,

The typical signaling sequences shows the following features-:

  Location updating
 Mobile call origination
 Mobile call termination
 Authentication and ciphering
 Inter-MSC call handoff

Location Updating

1. The MS sends a location update request to VLR (new) via the BSS and MSC.
2. The VLR sends the location update message to HLR serving the MS which include
the address of the VLR(new) and IMSI of the MS. This updating of HLR is not
required if the new LA is served by the same VLR.
3. The service and security related data for the MS is downloaded to the new VLR.
4. The MS is sent an ackowledgement of successful location update.
5. The HLR requests the old VLR to delete data related to relocated MS.

Mobile Call Origination

 1. The MS sends the dialed number indicating service requested to the MSC
(via BSS)
2. The MSC checks from the VLR if the MS is allowed to requested service. If
so, MSC asks the BSS to allocate neccessary resources for the call.
3. If the call is allowed , the MSC routs the call to GMSC (gateway mobile
switching centre).
4. The GMSC routs the call to local exchange of called user.
5. The LE (local exchange) alerts (applies ringing ) the called terminal.
6. Answer back (ring back tone) from the called terminal to LE.
7. Answer back signal is routed back to the MS through the serving MSC
which also completes the speech path to MS.

Mobile call termination

1. The PSTN (public switched telephone network) user dials the MSISDN of the called
user in GSM.
2. The LE routes the call to GMSC of the called user .
3. The GMSC uses the dialed MSISDN to determine the serving HLR for the GSM user
and interrogates it to obtain the required routing number.
4. The HLR requests the current serving VLR for the called MSfor a MSRN (MS
roaming number) so that the call can be routed to correct MSC.
5. The VLR passes the MSRN to the HLR.
6. The HLR passes the MSRN to the GMSC.
7. Using the MSRN the GMSC routes the call to the serving MSC.
8. The MSC interrogates the VLR for the current location area identity (LAI) for the
MS.
9. The VLR provides LAI for the MS.
10. The MSC pages the MS via appropriate BSS. The MS responds to the page and sets
up the neccessary signaling links.
11. When the BSS has established the neccessary radio links , the MSC is informed and
the call is delivered to the MS.
12. When the MS answers the call , the connection is completed to the calling PSTN user.
Authentication and Encryption

1. At terminal location update , VLR sends IMSI to HLR

2. HLR returns security triplets (RAND,SRES,Kc) to the VLR.
3. For authentication and ciphering the VLR sends RAND to the MS.
4. Using stored A3 algorithm and secret key Ki stored in the SIM, and RAND provided
by the VLR, the MS calculates the SRES and return it to VLR. Using A8 algorithm and
Ki , the MS also calculates the cipher key Kc.
5. If the SRES returned by the MS matches with the stored SRES in the VLR , the VLR
sends the cipher key Kc to the BTS which uses Kc for ciphering the radio
path(downlink).

The MS uses it's Kc to cipher the radio path (uplink) using encryption algorithm A5.

Inter-MSC Handoff

1. BSC A informs MSC A that MS needs handover from BTS A to BTS B.

2. MSC A informs MSC B that handover from BTS A to BTS B is underway.
3. MSC A commands BSC A/BTS A to proceed with handover to BTS B.
4. BTS A commands MS to change to a specified channel on BTS B.
5. MS informs BTS B that it is on specified channel.
6. BTS B informs BSC A/MSC A that handover is complete.
7. MSC B informs MSC A that handover to BTS B is complete.

Requirements for GSM handover

The process of handover or handoff within any cellular system is of great importance. It is a
critical process and if performed incorrectly handover can result in the loss of the call. Dropped
calls are particularly annoying to users and if the number of dropped calls rises, customer
dissatisfaction increases and they are likely to change to another network. Accordingly GSM
handover was an area to which particular attention was paid when developing the standard.

Types of GSM handover

Within the GSM system there are four types of handover that can be performed for GSM only
systems:

 Intra-BTS handover: This form of GSM handover occurs if it is required to change the
frequency or slot being used by a mobile because of interference, or other reasons. In this
form of GSM handover, the mobile remains attached to the same base station transceiver,
but changes the channel or slot.
 Inter-BTS Intra BSC handover: This for of GSM handover or GSM handoff occurs when
the mobile moves out of the coverage area of one BTS but into another controlled by the
same BSC. In this instance the BSC is able to perform the handover and it assigns a new
channel and slot to the mobile, before releasing the old BTS from communicating with the
mobile.
 Inter-BSC handover: When the mobile moves out of the range of cells controlled by one
BSC, a more involved form of handover has to be performed, handing over not only from
one BTS to another but one BSC to another. For this the handover is controlled by the MSC.
 Inter-MSC handover: This form of handover occurs when changing between
networks. The two MSCs involved negotiate to control the handover.