GSM+Factsheet

8/6/2019 GSM+Factsheet

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GSM factsheet

Version 0.4: 22 May 2001

FM/GF doh


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1 Introduction

GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is an extremely powerful and complexsecond-generation (G2) digital mobile radio system, which offers a wealth of services, goodoperating characteristics and a high degree of security.

In the mid-eighties, a large number of mutually incompatible analogue first-generation (G1)mobile radio systems were introduced in Europe, the USA and Japan. The best-knownstandards were: AMPS (in the USA and Canada), TACS (in England, Italy and Austria),Radiocom 2000 (in France), C 450 (in Germany and Portugal), and NMT (in all the Nordiccountries, the Benelux states and Switzerland).

As these conventional analogue mobile radio systems grew, it soon became clear that plansfor a future digital system with distinctly higher capacity were essential. A further objective for

such a new system was to achieve international compatibility, in order to replace thepatchwork of different analogue networks.

From 1982 to 1990 the ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute), in co-operation with the European industry and network operators, developed the GSM standard.GSM was the world's first digitalmobile radio standard with modern features, offering aboveall trans-national use (roaming).

The GSM system was originally designed for the voice telephony service. The growingdemand for new, faster data services was soon acknowledged and the GSM standard wasextended to include new functionalities such as HSCSD (High Speed Circuit Switched Data),GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) and EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSMEvolution). These services allow higher data rates and constitute the basis for new and

innovative data services.

2 Development in Europe

In 1987, in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the network operators of 13 Europeancountries agreed on the following minimum roll-out plan:

1991: putting into service of a GSM pilot network in each country

1993: coverage of the main cities including international airports

1995: coverage of all main traffic routes and large towns.

However, in most countries this plan was soon overtaken by the rapid success of GSM. Bythe end of 1993 the threshold of one million mobile radio customers was crossed. By mid-1994 more than 50% of the populated area of Europe enjoyed GSM coverage.

By the end of the year 2000, the number of mobile radio customers in the 15 EU statesamounted to approximately 130 million (approximately 450 million worldwide). Given theapproximately 375 million inhabitants of the 15 EU states, this gives an averagepenetrationof 35%.


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3 Licences in Switzerland

The first GSM network in Switzerland was launched commercially under the brand nameNatel D in the spring of 1993 at the Geneva car show by the then PTT (now Swisscom). At

that time Telecom PTT was the only mobile radio operator in Switzerland, because it was theonly organisation authorised to provide mobile communications as a monopoly service.

With the liberalisation of the telecommunications market and the entry into force of therevised Law on Telecommunications in 1998, the foundations were created for competition inmobile networks in Switzerland. As early as autumn 1997, ComCom (the FederalCommunications Commission) supported by preparatory work performed by OFCOM haddecided to invite tenders for two additional mobile radio licences, using the GSM standard.Subsequently, nine serious applications for licences were submitted by five candidates. Theensuing competition, based on criteria, finally led, in April 1998, to the licensing of twoadditional mobile radio operators in Switzerland: Diax and Orange. The two new networkswere rapidly constructed. Diax was able to start operating its network commercially by theend of 1998, and Orange by mid-1999.

By the end of 2000, it was possible to allocate additional frequencies in the so-called E-GSMband to the three mobile radio operators in Switzerland.

In early 2001, the number of mobile radio customers in Switzerland totalled approximately4.6 million. This corresponds to a penetration of 66%. In terms of market share, Swisscomhas 67%, Diax 16% and Orange 17%.

The bandwidths currently available (2001) to the GSM operators in Switzerland are shown intable 1 below.

Table 1: Bandwidths for the public GSM operators in Switzerland (early 2001).

Operator Frequencies in the 900 MHz banda) Frequencies in the 1800 MHz band Total

Swisscom 2 x 13.6 MHz 2 x 12.2 MHz 2 x 25.8 MHz

Diax

(TDC Switzerland AG)

2 x 15 MHz 2 x 11.8 MHz 2 x 26.8 MHz

Orange 2 x 2.2 MHz 2 x 24.8 MHz 2 x 27 MHz

Total 2 x 30.8 MHz 2 x 48.8 MHz 2 x 79.6 MHz

Comments:

a) Including frequencies in the E-GSM900 band (Extension-GSM band): Diax: 2 x 4.4 MHz, Orange: 2 x 2.2 MHz.

4 Services

An extensive range of services has been developed for GSM. Within the framework of thisbrief overview of GSM it is possible to list only the most important services.

TELESERVICES:

TELEPHONY SERVICES: normal voice telephony service with the possibility of makingand receiving calls to mobile or fixed users worldwide.

EMERGENCY CALL SERVICE: dialling 112 in any country connects the user to a national

emergency service.

SHORT MESSAGING SERVICE (SMS): offers the possibility of sending shortalphanumeric messages up to 160 characters long.


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FAX: allows transmission and reception of faxes at 2.4 9.6 kbit/s.

CARRIER SERVICES:

CIRCUIT-SWITCHED1 DATA TRANSMISSION: transparent and non-transparentsynchronous or asynchronous circuit-switched data transmission from 1.2 9.6 kbit/s.

HSCSD: circuit-switched data service at bitrates up to 57.6 kbit/s (see chapter 6.2.1).

GPRS: packet-switching2 data service at bitrates up to 171.2 kbit/s (see chapter6.2.2).

EXTRA SERVICES:

CALL OFFERING: diversion or forwarding services for incoming calls.

- Call Forwarding Unconditional (Service 21): if this form of call forwarding isactivated, an incoming call is forwarded to a national or international number

programmed by the subscriber.

- Call Forwarding on Mobile Subscriber Busy (Service 67): if the called subscriberis engaged, the next call is diverted to a pre-programmed number.

- Call Forwarding on No Reply (Service 61): forwarding of calls to a programmed anational or international number, if the called subscriber does not answer. Themobile subscriber can program delayed forwarding within a range of 5 to 30seconds.

- Call Forwarding on Mobile Subscriber Not Reachable (Service 62): forwarding ofcalls to a programmed a national or international number, if the called subscriberis not reachable, i.e. when the device is not switched on or is in an area which is

not covered.

CALL RESTRICTION: these services are restrictions or bars on incoming or outgoingcalls. Pre-programming of the service concerned by the network operator andactivation/deactivation by the mobile customer are necessary.

- Barring of All Outgoing Calls:all outgoing calls, national and international (apartfrom the emergency service) are barred.

- Barring of Outgoing International Calls:all outgoing international calls are barred.

- Barring of Outgoing International Calls except to the Home PLMN Country:barring as above, but if the mobile customer is abroad, he can make calls back tohis home country.

- Barring of all Incoming Calls:all incoming calls are routed to a spoken text (e.g."No calls can be received on this number at present").

- Barring of all Incoming Calls when Roaming outside the Home PLMN: if thesubscriber is abroad, incoming calls are not forwarded but routed to a spoken text(e.g. "No calls can be received on this number at present").

1

In circuit switching, the transmission channel is used exclusively by one application. The entire bandwidth of the channel isavailable exclusively to the application.2

In the case of packet switching, one existing transmission channel is used simultaneously by multiple users. A virtualtransmission channel is set up for each user. The available bandwidth of the channel is assigned statistically among the users,i.e. on the basis of requirements.


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CALL COMPLETION: These services provide enhanced facilities for call handling.

- Call Waiting:if a user is on a call and another call arrives, the called user is madeaware of this other call.

- Call Hold:if a call is in progress, it can be put on hold in order to answer anothercall or set up another call. Often used together with "Call Waiting".

NUMBER IDENTIFICATION: these services make it possible for the network operator orthe customer to identify the calling or called subscriber.

- Calling Line Identification Presentation (CLIP): the caller's number can bedisplayed to the called subscriber when an incoming call is received .

- Calling Line Identification Restriction (CLIR): allows a specific subscriber toprevent identification at the called user.

- Connected Line Identification Presentation (COLP): the number of the called

subscriber is indicated to the calling subscriber. In the case of call forwarding ordiversion, this may be different from the dialled number.

- Connected Line Identification Restriction (COLR):allows a specific subscriber toprevent indication of the called number to the calling subscriber.

LOCATION SERVICES: location services are used to determine the position of thehandset within the mobile radio network. At present it is only possible to establish thecell in which a subscriber is located. By the end of 2001, with new location services, itwill be possible to achieve a positioning accuracy (standard deviation) of 125 m.Location services can be used for various applications:

- determining a location in the case of emergency calls: in the case of an

emergency call from a mobile phone, the emergency services can determine theposition of the caller. This location service will be a legal requirement in the USAfrom 1 October 2001.

- location-based charging: operators have the possibility of making call chargesdependent on the caller's geographical location. For example, lower charges canbe imposed for calls from home or the office than elsewhere in the network(home and office zone calls).

- Commercial services: supervision of children; fleet management (e.g.optimisation of taxi journeys); finding the nearest hotel; finding the nearestrestaurant or filling station; determining locations; navigation; identifying thelocation of stolen handsets , etc.

5 Environmental considerations

5.1 Protection from non-ionising radiation

Both base station transmitter antennas and handsets emit non-ionising radiation into theenvironment.

As far the intensity of radiation from handsets is concerned, in Switzerland there are currentlyno legally binding protective provisions.


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Radiation from base stations, on the other hand, is limited by the decree on protection fromnon-ionising radiation (Verordnung ber den Schutz vor nichtionisierender Strahlung: NISV).The decree contains on the one hand requirements for individual items of equipment and onthe other hand it also limits the total high-frequency radiation and thereby, indirectly, the useof the frequency spectrum.

The decree states that the radiation from an individual mobile radio transmission installationat locations of sensitive use must not exceed the installation limit value. Sensitive locationsare rooms inside buildings in which people are present for long periods, children'splaygrounds as defined by planning law, and non built-up construction zones, where suchtypes of use are permitted. The installation limit value is specified for the electrical fieldstrength and for GSM900 equipment it is 4 V/m, for GSM1800 equipment 6 V/m and forequipment which transmits in both the 900 MHz band and the 1800 MHz band 5 V/m. Theinstallation includes all transmitter antennas for mobile radio and wireless subscriberconnections (WLL) which are located in close proximity. Compliance with the installation limitvalue is checked by the competent municipal or cantonal planning authority. For thispurpose, for each transmitter installation which it wishes to construct, relocate or modify, the

licensee completes a site data sheet which must contain technical specifications of theequipment and a prognosis of the radiation intensity in adjacent areas where people arepresent. This site data sheet is a component of the planning application and may be madeavailable to the public by the planning authority. The (blank) "Site data sheet for mobile radioand WLL base stations" can be found on the BUWAL internet site(www.buwal.ch/luft/d/n0.htm ).

To ensure that the installation limit value can be complied with, a certain separation betweenthe transmitter installation and sensitive locations is essential. This separation dependsgreatly on the transmitter power and the radiating direction of the installation, as well as onthe topographical conditions.

For the total high-frequency radiation, including that emitted by broadcasting, professionaland amateur radio equipment, the decree requires limitation at all locations where peoplemay be present even for short periods. The relevant limits known as the immission limitvalues are seldom reached or exceeded, and even then only in the immediate vicinity of atransmitter installation. In the site data sheet, the licensee provides proof that the immissionlimit values will not be exceeded.

5.2 Protection of nature and the countrys ide, area planning

The construction of new telecommunications networks necessitates the establishment of newinfrastructure e.g. antenna installations. In order to balance in practice the interests of

building telecommunications networks and the associated provision of telecommunicationsservices on the one hand and the interests of protection of nature and the countryside on theother, a working group of the Confederation and cantons (UVEK/BPUK) has been dealingwith questions of co-ordinating the planning and building approval procedures for radioinfrastructures, with the co-operation of the mobile network operators. The recommendationscan be consulted on the OFCOM internet site (www.bakom.ch).

In addition, within the framework of granting licences, operators' licences include obligationsto co-use antenna sites outside building zones, as far as possible. In the case of constructionof new sites, the legal requirements on area planning and protection of nature and thenational heritage must be complied with.

On 30.10.1998, the Federal Office for the Environment, Forests and the Countryside(BUWAL, Countryside Department) published a notice on consideration of the requirementsfor the protection of nature and the countryside and for forest conservation with regard to the


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construction of mobile radio antennas (www.buwal-landschaft.ch/d/planen/telekommuni-kation/grundsaetze_antennenbau.htm).

6 Technology

6.1 Traditional GSM

GSM is a fully digital system, i.e. all signals are transmitted digitally, even on the radiosection. This allows combined use of GSM for voice and/or data. In addition, highlydeveloped security measures against fraud and interception are integrated into the system.

The connection between the mobile station (MS) and the base station (BTS) is termed theradio interface. Data is sent on the radio channel as short packets (burst), with these beinginserted into frames of 8 time slots. During a call, an individual handset or base station

occupies precisely one such slot on a specific carrier frequency, i.e. one logical channel.During the call, the transmitter is switched off approximately 217 times per second (seeFigure 1). This channel access procedure is termed TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access).Normally, in one cell, multiple carrier frequencies with the TDMA structure shown in figure 1are emitted from the base station.

In each cell, the control channel is transmitted on a specific carrier frequency in the first timeslot from the base station to the handsets. The other seven time slots on this carrierfrequency can be used for calls. The control channel is used to transfer the network's systemdata to the handsets and to establish synchronisation between the base station and thehandsets. This carrier is constantly transmitted by the base stations at full power, so that thehandsets can find the cell when they are switched on, when they are roaming or during thehandover. This carrier is transmitted at full power on all eight slots even when no calls arebeing made in the cell.

Kanal 1 Kanal 2

1 TDMA-Rahmen (4,615 ms), entsprechend einer Pulswiederholrate von 217 Hz

Sendertastung fr Kanal 1

Kanal 6Kanal 5Kanal 4Kanal 3 Kanal 8Kanal 7 Kanal 1

1 Zeitschlitz (0,577 ms)

Figure 1: GSM's TDMA channel access method.

The modulation procedure used is GMSK (Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying). This modulationtechnique has the major advantage that it allows relatively cheap transmitters to be used.

The most important radio parameters of GSM are shown in Table 2 below.


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Table 2: Important radio parameters of GSM.

Parameter Value

Channel pattern for carrier frequencies 200 kHz

Frequencies for public GSM systems P-GSM900 (2 x 125 carrier frequencies):Handset sends (uplink): 890 - 915 MHzBase station sends (downlink): 935 - 960 MHz

E-GSM900 (additional 2 x 50 carrier frequencies to P-GSM900):Handset sends (uplink): 880 - 915 MHzBase station sends (downlink): 925 - 960 MHz

GSM1800 (2 x 374 carrier frequencies):Handset sends (uplink): 1,710 - 1,785 MHzBase station sends (downlink): 1,805 - 1,880 MHz

Duplex spacing GSM900: 45 MHzGSM1800: 95 MHz

Base station transmitting power The radiated transmitting power is of the order of 1 W up toseveral hundred W ERP per high-frequency carrier. As a rule,several high-frequency carriers are operated on one base station.

Maximum handset transmitting power (typical) GSM900: 2 WGSM1800: 1 W

Reception sensitivity, dynamic Handset: -102 dBmBase station: -104 dBm

Mode Duplex

Channel access method TDMA

Modulation GMSK (BT = 0.3)

Channel bit rate 270,833 kbit/s

Maximum data rate, non-protected (gross bit rate)

This data rate corresponds to the net data rate (see

below) plus the error protection (channel coding) on theair interface

22.8 kbit/s

Net data rates (with different channel codings)

This data rate is available to the subscriber or for theapplication

TCH/F2.4: 2.4 kbit/sTCH/F4.8: 4.8 kbit/sTCH/F9.6: 9.6 kbit/sTCH/F14.4: 14.4 kbit/s

Range approx. 30 km

One important element for digital speech transmission on the GSM air interface is the speechencoder/decoder in the handset. The analogue speech signal from the microphone issampled 800 times per second and converted into a digital signal. This signal is fed to thespeech encoder which codes this signal at the basic rate of 13 kbit/s. This signal is then

transmitted across the air interface by adding the channel coding (error protection on the airinterface) at the gross bit rate of 22.8 kbit/s.

6.2 The new HSCSD, GPRS and EDGE data services

In order to meet the demand for distinctly higher data rates than the 9.6 kbit/s originallyprovided by GSM, the GSM system has been fundamentally extended.

The principle of these new functionalities of HSCSD (High Speed Circuit Switched Data) andGPRS (General Packet Radio Service) is trunking: multiple slots (see Figure 1, page 7) areallocated to a specific call. The data rates of the individual users can therefore be increasedsubstantially. In addition to trunking, at the same time new channel codings (transmission

protection in the air interface) and in the case of EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSMEvolution) a new modulation technique are also being introduced. This enables the maximumpossible data rate on the air interface to be adapted optimally to the reigning transmissionconditions (interference, distance between base station and mobile, etc.).


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The average transmitting power of the mobile during a call is increased as a result of trunkingon the uplink, i.e. by the simultaneous occupancy of multiple slots by the user.

6.2.1 HSCSD (High Speed Circu it Swi tched Data)

As the name indicates, HSCSD is a circuit-switched data service. With HSCSD, up to fourslots of a carrier can be occupied by a single user. Since the net data rate per slot is 9.6kbit/s or 14.4 kbit/s depending on the channel coding, up to 57.6 kbit/s are available for theindividual users (see Table 3). This data service is relatively simple to incorporate intoexisting GSM networks, because the current GSM core network is already prepared for 64kbit/s circuit-switched data services. However, subscribers do need new handsets or plug-incomputer cards.

6.2.2 GPRS (General Packet Radio Service)

With the packet-switched GPRS service, data signalling rates up to 171.2 kbit/s aretheoretically possible. However, optimal propagation conditions must exist to achieve these

rates. The foreseeable signalling rates in real networks at least in the initial phase are farbelow this theoretical upper limit. Today (early 2001) data rates of approximately 40 kbit/sare offered in practice, i.e. 'only' three channels or rather slots are trunked with channelcoding CS-2 (see Table 3) for a specific call. The limiting factor in this context are thehandsets.

With GPRS, instead of making a channel exclusively available to a subscriber for the entireduration of a call, the capacity of the radio channel is utilised only when data actually existsfor transmission. This increases the spectrum efficiency of the system. Network capacity istherefore a resource which is available to all users simultaneously and at any time. Newmodels can also be introduced for charging. For example, a user can always be logicallyconnected to a server (always-on), but only pays for the data which is actually physically

transmitted (charging by volume). The time-consuming call set-up and disconnectionprocedures are therefore eliminated. This always-on principle with GPRS extends GSM tothe mobile internet.

As with HSCSD, for GPRS new handsets or plug-in computer cards also have to beintroduced. Unlike HSCSD, new elements are also required for GPRS in the fixed network inorder to support packet-switched services.

The mobile radio networks will be able to handle the new GPRS services in the course of2001. The GSM Association an association of GSM network operators expects GPRS tobe introduced in the first half of 2001 in more than 100 networks.

6.2.3 EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolut ion)

The introduction of EDGE, which is expected to take place from early 2002, promises afurther increase in all data rates by a factor of three, thanks to an improved modulationtechnique (8-PSK). EDGE will probably be used predominantly in conjunction with GPRS(see above). These services will de designated EGPRS (Enhanced GPRS).

The advantages of the types of modulation and channel coding used by EDGE can also beexploited together with HSCSD (see above). In this context the term ECSD (EnhancedCircuit Switched Data) is used. It offers the possibility of achieving the maximum data rate of57.6 kbit/s with less than four slots. In the case of the circuit-switched services, this is themaximum data rate, which is limited by the capabilities of the fixed network.

It is currently not possible to judge definitively whether EDGE or EGPRS will actually be

introduced. The opinions of the system suppliers and network operators are divided on thisquestion.


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Table 3: Examples of data rates of HSCSD, GPRS and EDGE (ECSD and EGPRS).

Service Channel coding Modulation Net data rate perslot

Maximum data rate

TCH/F9.6 9.6 kbit/s 4 x 9.6 kbit/s = 38.4 kbit/sHSCSD

(circuit-switched) TCH/F14.4 GMSK 14.4 kbit /s 4 x 14.4 kbit/s = 57.6 kbit/s

CS-1 (Code rate 0.5) 9.05 kbit/s 8 x 9.05 kbit/s = 72.4 kbit/s



GPRS

(packet-switched)

CS-4 (Code rate 1)

GMSK

21.4 kbit /s 8 x 21.4 kbit/s = 171.2 kbit/s

TCH/F28.8 28.8 kbit/s 2 x 28.8 kbit/s = 57.6 kbit/sa)ECSD (EDGE)

(circuit-switched) TCH/F43.28-PSK

43.2 kbit /s 1 x 43.2 kbit/s = 43.2 kbit/sa)

MSC-5 (Code rate 0.37) 22.5 kbit/s 8 x 22.5 kbit/s = 180 kbit/sEGPRS (EDGE)

(packet-switched) MSC-9 (Code rate 1)8-PSK

59.2 kbit /s 8 x 59.2 kbit/s = 473.6 kbit/s

Comments:

a) In the case of the circuit-switched services, the maximum data rate on the air interface is 57.6 kbit/s.

7 Frequencies

The GSM mobile radio system is operated in two frequency bands: in the 900 MHz frequencyband (GSM900) and in the 1800 MHz frequency band (GSM18003). All possible bands forpublic GSM mobile radio networks are shown in Table 2 on page 8. Basically, 2 x 35 MHzare available in the 900 MHz band and 2 x 75 MHz in the 1800 MHz band for public mobileradio systems. "2 x" means that the respective bandwidth is available both on the uplink(from the mobile to the base station) and on the downlink (from the base station to themobile).

In Switzerland, however, these bands are not yet available in their entirety: in the 1800 MHzband 2 x 25 MHz will be occupied by other services until 2002 and in the 900 MHz band arange of 2 x 2.8 MHz (incl. guard band) will remain reserved until the end of 2005 for theCT1+ cordless telephone system (see Figure 2).

75 MHz 75 MHz

1710 1785 1805 1880 MHz

35 MHz35 MHz

880 925915 960 MHz

GSM900 GSM1800CT1+ CT1+

In der Schweiz momentannoch nicht fr GSM verfgbar

Uplink Downlink Uplink Downlink25 MHz 25 MHz

Figure 2: Frequencies for GSM in Switzerland.

3

GSM in the 1800 MHz frequency band was originally introduced under the name DCS1800 (Digital Cellular System at1800 MHz). Since this system apart from the frequencies has the same functionalities as GSM900, the name was changedto GSM1800 in 1997.


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8 Networks

The most important GSM network elements are shown in Figure 3. The MSC (MobileSwitching Centre) is the heart of the mobile radio system. It performs routing and switching of

calls from origination to destination. The MSC is connected to other MSCs on the samenetwork or other GSM networks and is the switching centre to the public network. The twoimportant databases, HLR and VLR, store information on subscribers.

The main function of the BSC (Base Station Controller) is to manage the data for mobility. Amobile subscriber can move at will from the area of one radio cell to the area of any othercell. This procedure, during which the user perceives no interruption in his call, is termed thehandover.

The BTS (Base Transceiver Station) is primarily responsible for sending and receiving radiosignals from and to the mobiles.

MSCBSCMS

Luftschnittstelle

ISDN / PSTN

A Schnit ts telle zwischen MSC und BSCAbis Schnittstelle zwischen BTS und BSCBTS Base Transceiver Station - BasisstationBSC Base Station Controller - Kontrolleinrichtung der BasisstationMSC Mobile Switching Center - Zentrale fr Mobiltelefonie

HLR Home Location Register - HeimteilnehmerdatenbankVLR Visitor Location Register - Besucherteilnehmerdatenbank

ISDN Integrated Services Digital NetworkMS Mobilstation (Handy)

PSTN Public Switched Telephone Network

Abis ABTS

VLRHLR

Figure 3: Network configuration of GSM with the most important interfaces (highly simplified).

GSM mobile radio networks are constructed as cellular networks. A cellular system isdesigned as a honeycomb of contiguous radio cells which together guarantee the coverageof a given area. This means that mobile users are free to move within a network area withoutlogging on and off the network and without any perceivable interruption in calls. The cell

radius depends on the topology, traffic density and transmitting power and typically variesfrom a few hundred metres to a few kilometres.


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Abbreviations

1G First generation mobile radio systems (e.g. TACS, C 450, NMT)

2G Second generation mobile radio systems (e.g. GSM)

3G Third generation mobile radio systems (e.g. UMTS)

8-PSK 8 Phase Shift Keying

AMPS Advanced Mobile Phone Service

BPUK Swiss Conference of Directors of Planning and Environmental Protection

BT Relative filter bandwidth

BTS Base Transceiver Station (base station)

BUWAL Federal Office for the Environment, Forest and the Countryside

ComCom Federal Communications Commission

CT1+ Cordless Telephone (885-887 MHz paired with 930-932 MHz)

ECSD Enhanced Circuit Switched Data (HSCSD plus EDGE)EDGE Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution

EGPRS Enhanced GPRS (GPRS plus EDGE)

E-GSM Extended GSM900 band (includes P-GSM900 band)

ERP Effective Radiated Power

ETSI European Telecommunications Standards Institute

GMSK Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying

GPRS General Packet Radio Service

GSM Global System for Mobile communications

HLR Home Location Register

HSCSD High Speed Circuit Switched Data

ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network

MS Mobile station (handset)

MSC Mobile Switching Centre

NISV Decree on protection from non-ionising radiation

NMT Nordic Mobile Telephone

OFCOM Federal Office of Communications

P-GSM Standard or Primary GSM900 band

PLMN Public Land Mobile Network

PSTN Public Switched Telephone NetworkSMS Short Message Service

TACS Total Access Communications System

TCH/F Full rate Traffic Channel

TDMA Time Division Multiple Access

UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunications System

UVEK Federal Department for the Environment, Traffic, Energy and Communications

VLR Visitor Location Register

WLL Wireless Local Loop

Documents

GSM+Factsheet