What is GSM or 2G communication service. Briefly describe Architecture of GSM (Global System Of Mobile Communication).

What is GSM.

GSM is Global System for Mobile communication or 2G service. It is a digital mobile telecommunication system that is widely used in all over the world. GSM compress and digitize all the data, then send it's down a channel with two other streams of user data which data's has it's own time slot.
GSM uses a variation of time division multiple access (TDMA). Also the most widely used three digital wireless telecommunication technologies TDMA, GSM, and CDMA.

The GSM network architecture consists of different elements like  MSC, AuC,
HLR, VLR, base-station, controller etc.
It operates at either the 900 MHz or 1800 MHz frequency band.

Image Credit : Pixabay

Architecture of GSM.

The GSM network Architecture as defined in the GSM specifications can be grouped into four main areas:

• Mobile station (MS)
• Base-Station Subsystem (BSS)
• Network and Switching Subsystem (NSS)
• Operation and Support Subsystem (OSS)

Mobile station:-

Mobile station also called cell phone or mobile phones are the primary entity of a GSM cellular network. By this cell phones user can and operates GSM cellular network. 

There are a couple of things of the cell phone, but two main elements are the main hardware and the SIM. It is aloso known as Mobile Equipment (ME).

Image Credit : Pixabay

Base Station Subsystem (BSS):-

A major part of the GSM network is Base Station Subsystem (BSS). BSS is primarily associated with the mobiles on the network for communication.

It consists of two elements:

Base Transceiver Station (BTS): -

 Compressing the radio transmitter receivers and their antennas, BTS of GSM network is used.
Antennas transmit and receive signals for directly communicate with the mobiles.
 The BTS communicates with the mobiles and their user interface (UI). This communication is known as the UM interface with its associated protocols.