2G

GSM stands for global system for mobile communication. It was developed by Group Special
Mobile of Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).

2G is short form for second-generation cellular technology. Second-generation 2G

cellular networks were commercially launched on the GSM standard in 1991.

Three primary benefits of 2G networks over their predecessors were:

(a) All text messages sent over 2G are digitally encrypted, allowing the transfer of data in
such a way that only the intended receiver can receive and read it.
(b) 2G systems were significantly more efficient on the spectrum enabling far greater
wireless penetration levels
(c) 2G introduced data services for mobile, starting with SMS text messages.
(d) 2G technologies enabled the various networks to provide the services such as text
messages, picture messages, and MMS (multimedia messages).

The most common 2G technology was the time division multiple access (TDMA)-based GSM.

2G Architecture
Mobile Station MS

It is also called Mobile Terminal (MT)

The MS consists of two parts:

(a) Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) : A SIM contains subscriber-related information,
Short message , Names of preferred Networks to provide service, Personal Identity Number
(PIN), Contains IMSI, TMSI, LAI.
(b) Mobile Equipment (ME) : Non-customer-related hardware and software specific to the
radio interface, ME cannot be used if no SIM is on the MS except for emergency calls only,

The MS is the property of the subscriber, The SIM is the property of the service provider.

Base Station System (BSS)

It contains two parts:

(a)Base transceiver station (BTS) : Contains Transmitter, Receiver, Signaling equipment
specific to the radio interface in order to contact the MSs.
(b) Base station controller (BSC) : This is for Radio channel assignment, Handoff
management, Connect to an MSC, Connect to several BTSs

Network and Switching Subsystem (NSS)

It provides below functions:

(a) Telephone switching functions
(b) Subscriber profiles
(c) Mobility management

Components in NSS:

(a) MSC : provide basic switching function

(b) Gateway MSC (GMSC): Route an incoming call to an MSC by interrogating the HLR
directory.
(c) HLR and VLR : maintain the current location of the MS.
(d) Authentication Center (AuC) :is used in the security management.
(e) Equipment Identity Register (EIR) : is used for the registration of MS equipment.

3G
3G is short form for Third-generation cellular technology. Third-generation 3G cellular
networks were commercially launched on the GSM standard in 1998.

It came out with below features :

(a) Universal global roaming

(b) Multimedia (voice, data & video)
(c) Increased data rates : 384 kbps while moving, 2 Mbps when stationary at specific
locations
(d) Increased capacity (more spectrally efficient)
(e) IP architecture

Applications:

(a) One to many messaging : Record message via voice or text, Deliver message via voice, SMS,
WAP, or email

(b) Unified communications : While listening to a voice message from a customer,

obtain a text display of recent customer activity

Its's initial vision included LAN, WAN and Satellite services.

3G Architecture
The UMTS network architecture can be divided into three main elements:
(a) User Equipment (UE): The User Equipment or UE is the name given to what was
previous termed the mobile, or cellphone. The new name was chosen because the
considerably greater functionality that the UE could have. It could also be anything between
a mobile phone used for talking to a data terminal attached to a computer with no voice
capability.

(b) Radio Network Subsystem (RNS): The RNS also known as the UMTS Radio Access
Network, UTRAN, is the equivalent of the previous Base Station Subsystem or BSS in GSM.
It provides and manages the air interface for the overall network.

(c) Core Network: The core network provides all the central processing and management
for the system. It is the equivalent of the GSM Network Switching Subsystem or NSS.

In view of the different ways in which data may be carried, the UMTS core network
may be split into two different areas:

Circuit switched elements: These elements are primarily based on the GSM network
entities and carry data in a circuit switched manner, i.e. a permanent channel for the
duration of the call.

Packet switched elements: These network entities are designed to carry packet data.
This enables much higher network usage as the capacity can be shared and data is carried
as packets which are routed according to their destination.

Circuit switched elements

The circuit switched elements of the UMTS core network architecture include the following
network entities:

(a) Mobile switching centre (MSC): This is essentially the same as that within GSM,
and it manages the circuit switched calls under way.

(b) Gateway MSC (GMSC): This is effectively the interface to the external networks.

Packet switched elements

The packet switched elements of the 3G UMTS core network architecture include the
following network entities:

(a) Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN): As the name implies, this entity was first
developed when GPRS was introduced, and its use has been carried over into the UMTS
network architecture. The SGSN provides a number of functions within the UMTS network
architecture.

(b) Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN): Like the SGSN, this entity was also first
introduced into the GPRS network. The Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) is the central
element within the UMTS packet switched network. It handles inter-working between the
UMTS packet switched network and external packet switched networks, and can be
considered as a very sophisticated router. In operation, when the GGSN receives data
addressed to a specific user, it checks if the user is active and then forwards the data to the
SGSN serving the particular UE.
Shared elements

The shared elements of the 3G UMTS core network architecture include the following
network entities:

(a) HLR

(b) VLR

(c) EIR

4G
LTE stands for Long Term Evolution, Next Generation mobile broadband technology.

(a) Promises data transfer rates of 100 Mbps

(b) Based on UMTS 3G technology
(c) Optimized for All-IP traffic

Advantages of LTE are listed below:

(a) High Network Throughput
(b) Low Latency
(c) Low operating cost
(d) Faster data uploads/downloads
(e) Improved end user experience

4G Architecture
The high-level network architecture of LTE is comprised of following three main
components:

• The User Equipment (UE).

• The Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN).
• The Evolved Packet Core (EPC).

The User Equipment (UE)

The internal architecture of the user equipment for LTE is identical to the one used by UMTS
and GSM which is actually a Mobile Equipment (ME). The mobile equipment comprised of
the following important modules:

Mobile Termination (MT) : This handles all the communication functions.

Terminal Equipment (TE) : This terminates the data streams.

Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) : This is also known as the SIM card for LTE
equipment’s. It runs an application known as the Universal Subscriber Identity Module
(USIM).

A USIM stores user-specific data very similar to 3G SIM card. This keeps information about
the user's phone number, home network identity and security keys etc.

The E-UTRAN (The access network)

The E-UTRAN handles the radio communications between the mobile and the evolved packet
core and just has one component, the evolved base stations, called eNodeB or eNB. Each
eNB is a base station that controls the mobiles in one or more cells. The base station that is
communicating with a mobile is known as its serving eNB.

The Evolved Packet Core (EPC) (The core network)

The Home Subscriber Server (HSS) : component has been carried forward from UMTS
and GSM and is a central database that contains information about all the network
operator's subscribers.

The Packet Data Network (PDN) Gateway (P-GW) : communicates with the outside
world ie. packet data networks PDN, using SGi interface. Each packet data network is
identified by an access point name (APN). The PDN gateway has the same role as the GPRS
support node (GGSN) and the serving GPRS support node (SGSN) with UMTS and GSM.

The serving gateway (S-GW) : acts as a router, and forwards data between the base
station and the PDN gateway.

The mobility management entity (MME) : controls the high-level operation of the mobile
by means of signalling messages and Home Subscriber Server (HSS).

The Policy Control and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) : is a component which is not
shown in the above diagram but it is responsible for policy control decision-making, as well
as for controlling the flow-based charging functionalities in the Policy Control Enforcement
Function (PCEF), which resides in the P-GW.