Call Processing
Click here for my GSM call processing article
This is the last page of the digital basic series. There's much more on radio in my cellular telephone basic series and in my radio series. If you think you've understood most of what I have written, and you want to learn more, download and read R.C. Levine's comprehensive, somewhat easy to read work on cellular and PCS by going here. It's a 368K download in .pdf format. About 100 pages for you to print out. It deals with PCS/GSM better than I can and in more detail than a web site permits. If you want something less extensive on PCS/GSM, but just as good, try the WebProforum at this link here: http://www.iec.org/online/tutorials/ (external link). It's a great read and you will soon be a PCS wizard.
I describe AMPS call processing in the cellular basics series I just mentioned. GSM or PCS call processing, unfortunately, is too difficult for any beginning article. The chart below, reprinted with permission from Clint Smith's Wireless Telecom FAQs, gives you an idea of the GSM complexity. This is chart one of two from his call processing article in his latest wireless book.
PLMN: Public land mobile network. BCCH: Broadcast Control Channel, FCB: Frequency control bursts. BSIC: Base station ID code. Reproduced by permission.
See how complex things get? And you have to translate his terms into something you are familiar for the chart to make sense. Best to go to the library to search for his book. Here is a review I wrote for McGraw Hill. I hope you enjoyed the series and if you know of something less complex on GSM/PCS call processing on the web, let me know.