3GPP Mobile Communications: GSM

This chapter describes the architecture, core and radio systems of global system for mobile communications (GSM). The GSM network consists of the network and switching subsystem (NSS), the base station subsystem (BSS), and the operations subsystem (OSS), which controls the functioning of the NSS and the BSS. 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP's) organization consists of a project coordination group (PCG) and five technical specification groups (TSG). The chapter includes essential information about the interfaces, elements, modulation, coding, modes, functionality and performance of the system, as well as frequencies, terminals, planning, dimensioning and optimization of radio, transport and core networks. It presents practical use cases. There are also modern functionalities presented to optimize the capacity and interference levels of GSM as one part of the refarming strategies, and information about the advanced data and signaling methods which can be utilized until the end of the useful lifecycle of GSM networks.