Internship Report

GSM+3G

Mehreen Arif
EE113119
BS(EE)
TIP (telephone industries of Pakistan)
 Submitted to the NOC Radio Department,

Telephone industries of Pakistan (Ufone), Islamabad, Pakistan

In request of an approval of the completion of an internship in the NOC Radio

Department

Duration: 6 Weeks (June 26th, 2014 – August 8th, 2014)

Supervisor: Muhammad Ashfaq Ahmad (Assistant manager)

NOC Executive (Back Office)

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 PREFACE

UFONE owes a pivotal importance in the region through its vibrant functions. This is the deep-
seated motivator that geared up me to join UFONE for internship. Moreover, the practice and
familiarity during this tenure would also attest helpful and alleviating in the awaiting proficient
life. I have believe that this report will guide and ease the readers to understand the operations of
GSM and 3G in Pakistan and more prominently have good knowledge about UFONE, one of the
most important and leading organization in corporate sector.

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 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Absolute praise for Almighty Allah, provider of hope, guidance and knowledge without whose
constant remembrance, I would not have overcome my moments of despair.

I am grateful to Allah almighty, for enabling me to fulfill this tiring, but interesting job for the
completion of my internship report

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 DEDICATION

I would not be going justice in presenting this internship report without mentioning the people
around me who have been inextricably related with the completion of this report. I wish to record
my honorable regards to all those who helped a lot in completion of this report especially to

Supervisior : Ishfaq Khan

I also appreciate the valuable services and moral support from my friends. Finally I wish to place
on record, my heartfelt thanks, regards, and gratitude to my parents. Their guidance support and
trust enable me to through this report

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Table of Contents

ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................ 7
Chapter 1 ........................................................................................................................................ 8
GENERAL OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................ 8
1) Introduction: ..................................................................................................................... 8
2) Position description: ......................................................................................................... 8
3) Applicability to degree and program:............................................................................... 8
Chapter 2 ........................................................................................................................................ 9
STUDING PROJECT .................................................................................................................. 9
1) Basic Network Overview ................................................................................................. 9
2) GSM system ..................................................................................................................... 9
3) Radio Interface ............................................................................................................... 11
4) From Speech to Radio Transmission ............................................................................. 12
5) Cellular Principles .......................................................................................................... 13
6) The Frequency Reuse Distance ...................................................................................... 14
7) Cell Sectorization ........................................................................................................... 14
8) Types of cells: ................................................................................................................ 15
9) 3G system: ...................................................................................................................... 16
Chapter 3 ...................................................................................................................................... 17
WORKING DETAILS .............................................................................................................. 17
1) Server handling: ............................................................................................................. 17
2) VENDOR: ...................................................................................................................... 17
3) Comments: ..................................................................................................................... 18
Chapter 4 ....................................................................................................................................... 19
Summary.................................................................................................................................... 19

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 ABSTRACT

The aim of this internship was to familiarize our-self with the practical life in an organization
and try to implement our theoretical and practical knowledge in the field that we gained during
our stay at the university.

This report is the practical part of the most vital practice of our internship program. This report
has been written to know how big organizations like UFONE manage their work to achieve their
common goals.

In the first phase of the report there is the general introduction about the company and then
different terms have been explained, then the mission and different strategies of the organization
I personally observed have been explained.

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Chapter 1

GENERAL OVERVIEW
1) Introduction:
Ufone (PTML) is a Pakistani GSM cellular service provider. It was the third mobile operator to
enter Pakistani market. It commenced its operations, under the brand name of Ufone. Ufone is
among the largest GSM mobile service provider and fourth largest mobile service in terms of
subscriber base of over 24 million. It has a market share of 18% among mobile operators

Pak Telecom Mobile Limited was awarded a free GSM license in 1999.

Ufone started its 3G services on trial bases in major cities of Pakistan and on May 23, 2014, it
launched its services commercially and launched its 3G packages for both its Prepaid and
Postpaid customers.

Main HR department of Ufone is in blue area.HR referred me to the TIP (telephone industries of
Pakistan), which is in I9-2 Islamabad (industrial area).

2) Position description:
I worked as an internee in NOC Radio technical department. My supervisor was Muhammad
Ishfaq Ahmed (assistant manager of technical NOC radio department). I first studied the GSM
and 3G technologies. I did some excel work as data entering. And I also solved the hardware and
software issues of BTS and BSC. If due to any issue site is down in some area due to some minor
major or critical error. Token is generated against that site using the software. With the help of
token error is indicated, that at which BTS or BSC error is. By calling at that specific area issue
is being solved.

Working environment was very comfortable and NOC department team helped me during work.

3) Applicability to degree and program:

As this internship relates to telecommunication field, this will be helpful for me in my elective
courses. Most job scope in industries is of telecommunication

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Chapter 2

STUDING PROJECT
1) Basic Network Overview
The network can carry two types of information:

 Traffic:
It concerns all the «user to user» information. It can be voice as well as data.

 Signaling:
The network also requires carrying information for its own working. Their purposes are
numerous: traffic data routing, maintenance, security etc. These data are usually not visible from
user’s point of view.

There exist several signaling types:

 PTS (Per-Trunk Signaling):

Signaling and voice component are transmitted on the same facility. PTS requires the voice
component to be completely built, even if the call can’t be completed.

 CCS (Common Channel Signaling):

Two separate paths are used for information transfer (one for traffic, another for all-related
signaling information). Thus, CCS allows the voice component to be built separately which
allows resources to be saved.

2) GSM system
A GSM system is basically designed as a combination of three major Subsystems:

 Network Subsystem (NSS)

 Radio Subsystem called the Base station Subsystem (BSS)
 Operation Subsystem (OSS).

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 Network Subsystem (NSS):
The Network Subsystem (NSS) includes the equipment and functions related to end to end calls,
management of subscribers, mobility, and interfaces with the fixed network (PSTN). It is built on
the switch of the system called Mobile-services Switching Center (MSC).
BSC of some area are connected to the switch (MSC).MSC’s connected to each other.MSC is
associated with 4 databases.
 VLR
 HLR
 AuC
 EIR

VLR (Visitor location register):

This contains the information about the subscriber present in area. If the subscriber leaves this
area, the information is stored in the VLR of another MSC.

HLR (Home location register):

Similar to VLR but the information is static. HLR memorizes the identity number of the VLR
where it can find its subscriber.

AuC (Authentication center):

Operators have to pay attention to the resources used therefore network is provided with the
system of user authentication.

EIR (Equipment Identity register):

Contains the list of valid and invalid mobile equipment

PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network)

Pstn is a service of voice call. The PSTN is almost entirely digital in its core and
Includes mobile as well as fixed telephones.

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  Base station Subsystem (BSS):
The Base station Subsystem (BSS) includes the equipment and functions related to the
management of the connection on the radio path. It mainly consists of Base Transceiver Stations
(BTS) communicating with the Mobile Station (MS) and one Base Station Controller (BSC)
managing the flow of information between the BTS and the MSC.

The radio equipment of a BSS may be composed of one or more cells, such a BSS may contain
one or more Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs).

A BSS contains only one Base Station Controller (BSC).

 Operation Subsystem (OSS):

The Operation Subsystem (OSS) mainly contains Operation and Maintenance Center for NSS
(OMC-S) and Operation and Maintenance Center devoted to the BSS (OMC-R). It is connected
to all equipment in the switching system and to the BSC (BTSs are not connected to the OSS).

3) Radio Interface

There exist three types of interfaces:

1) Abis Interface
2) Ater Interface
3) A Interface
 Abis Interface
Message exchanges between the BTS and the BSC:

• Traffic exchanges.
• Signaling exchanges for call set up and BTS operation and maintenance.

 Ater Interface
Handling messages between BSC and TCU (TransCoder Unit).

 A Interface
Message exchanges between the MSC and the BSS (TCU):

• Users traffic transport (speech + data).

• Signaling transport.

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 4) From Speech to Radio Transmission
From speech to radio signal, several operations are performed. The reverse transformations are
performed on the receiver side.

Main operations are the following:

 Digitizing:
Speech blocks are first digitized to obtain digital blocks: 20 ms speech = 260 bits.

 Source coding:
Uses low bit rate code for air interface.

 Channel coding:
Uses codes enabling detection and correction of signals errors. The result is a flow of code
words (456 bits long).

 Interleaving and burst formatting:

Spread the bits of several code words to expand data of the same block in different bursts. The
results are a succession of blocks, one block for each channel burst.

 Ciphering:
Modify the contents of these blocks through a "secret recipe" known only by the mobile
telephone and the Base Transceiver Station, thus protecting data from eavesdropping.

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 Modulation:
Transforms the binary signal into an analog signal at the right frequency and moment using
Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying (GMSK).

 Transmission:
Amplifies and radiates the resulting signal as radio waves via an antenna.

 Diversity:
Are different techniques used to provide the reception quality.

 Demodulation:
From the radio waves captured by the antenna, the portion of the received signal which is of
interest to the receiver is demodulated.

 Deciphering:
Reverses the encryption "secret recipe".

 Burst de-formatting :
Puts the bits of the different burst back in order to rebuild the code words.

 Channel Decoding:
Reconstructs the source information from the output of the demodulator using added redundancy
to detect or correct possible errors.

 Speech decoding:
Operates as suitable filters receiving the voice parameters, then performs them out analog
speech.

5) Cellular Principles
The first step in designing a GSM cellular network consists in dimensioning the cells which are
the basic elements of the system.

The operator is given a limited number of radio channels which leads to limited resources in a
given cell, depending on the chosen frequency reuse policy.

It appears then that a cell is determined by two factors:

 One is radio range depending on antenna height, environment, quality of

service.
 And the other is traffic or subscribers per cell.

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 6) The Frequency Reuse Distance
Channels are reused at regular distance intervals. The mechanism that governs this
process is called frequency planning.

Reuse distance is calculated by following formula:

𝐶 1 𝐷 𝛾
= ( )
𝐼 6 𝑅
D=distance
R=radius
C = "useful" signal
I = Interfere signal
γ = Constant depending on the environment type.
Ex: down-town γ = 4
rural γ = 2.

7) Cell Sectorization

There are three types of site coverage:

 Omni directional Site Antennas

 Bisectorial Site Antennas
 trisectorial Site Antennas

Each site is equipped with optimum antennas.

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Sectorization provides higher cell range thus allowing reduction of number of sites
and easier frequency reuse.

8) Types of cells:
There are different types of cells

 Micro cell
 PICO cell
 Macro cell
 Concentric cell
 Extended cell
 COW cell

 Micro cell:
Antenna below the roof for small coverage.

 PICO cell:
Antenna inside building for very small coverage.

 Macro cell:
Antenna radiating above roofs for large coverage.

 Concentric cell:
Macro cell with system coverage limitation inside another macro cell.

 Extended cell:
Macro cell with system coverage extension.

 COW cell:
Cell on wheel.

9) GSM Benefits
 Worldwide market
 Open system
 Roaming
 Technology low cost
 High resistance to interferences
 Transmission data rate

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  Transmission Security

10) 3G system:
3G, short form of third Generation, is the third generation of mobile telecommunications
technology. This is based on a set of standards used for mobile devices and mobile
telecommunications. 3G telecommunication networks support services that provide an
information transfer rate of at least 200 Kbit/s in 3G system BTS and BSC names are replaced by
Node B and RNC.

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Chapter 3

WORKING DETAILS

I worked in technical department (NOC radio department). I solved the hardware and software
issues of BTS and BSC. If due to any issue site is down in some area due to some minor major or
critical error. Token is generated against that site using the software. With the help of token error
is indicated, that at which BTS or BSC error is. By calling at that specific area issue is being
solved.

Working environment was very comfortable and NOC department team helped me during work.

1) Server handling:
Whole Pakistan is divided into 3 parts

 Central
 North
 South

Central part is more divided into three parts C1, C2 and C3.

North part is divided into two parts N1 and N2

South is divided into three parts S1, S2 and S3.

Different clients are handling the Central, North and South part and solving the BTS and BSC
issues. In alarm viewer the external alarms are indicated as major, minor or critical errors. If due
to any issue site is down in some area due to some minor major or critical error. Token is
generated against that site using the software. With the help of token error is indicated, that at
which BTS or BSC error is. By calling at that specific area issue is being solved.

2) VENDOR:
Ufone vendor is Huawei Company. Ufone is using the BTS and BSC of Huawei.

With huawei technologies Ufone is running its huge network and providing different
communication facilities to its customers.

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 Old BTS version:
Ufone was using 3012 Huawei that was old one. There was no 3G support in this version. DDPU
and DTRU cards were inserted in the feeder cables.

 Recently using BTS version:

Ufone is using 3900 Huawei now. It has the capability of 3G. GRFU (6TRX) and DRFU (2TRX)
cards are inserted in the feeder cables.

3) Comments:

 Working at the Ufone is very effective for me, especially in the ongoing course wireless
communication
 There are many terms in the course which I got know how about them.
 Another observation about Ufone is that they are reducing paper work and going towards
the paper less environment.
 Ufone is giving chance to new comers (fresh engineers) in field which is a very positive
point emerging in this firm.
 Almost 60 percent of staff is the young, talented, and hardworking.

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Chapter 4

Summary

The 6 weeks experience of working at Ufone was good one. I completed my tasks/projects in a
meaningful way with the help of co-workers. I am thankful for their support .co-workers often
have more useful insights into your performance, attitude, and growth than a supervisor because
they have seen you on a more regular basis. The people were helpful.

During summer internship program in technical department (NOC radio department) of Ufone, I
got a chance to work in a professional environment and utilize and explore my skills. I worked
with professional and experienced people. UFONE referred me to the TIP (telephone industries
of Pakistan), where I handled the BSS software and hardware issues related to BTS and BSC. I
got an introduction to GSM network and after that I myself deeply studied about GSM network,
and also to the use of software for handling the hardware and software issues of BTS and BSC.
Basically this whole internship relates to the telecommunication field.

During internship I realized that you have to maintain the friendly and cooperative environment
and have to do hard work yourself.

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