GSM is a globally accepted standard for digital cellular communications. GSM stands for Global System for Mobile Communication and is an open, digital cellular technology used for transmitting mobile voice and data services. A GSM network is made up of multiple functional entities and interfaces that facilitate sending and receiving of signaling and traffic messages. It is a collection of transceivers, controllers, switches, routers, and registers.

The GSM network can be divided into following broad parts.

• The Mobile Station (MS)
• The Base Station Subsystem (BSS)
• The Network Switching Subsystem (NSS)
• The Operation Support Subsystem (OSS)

The MS and the BSS communicate across the Um interface, also known as the air interface or radio link. BTS and BSC will communicate across A-bis interface and The BSS communicates with the Network Service Switching center across the A interface.

At the MSC, the information is mapped across the A interface to the MTP Layers 1 through 3 from the BSC. Here the equivalent set of radio resources is called the BSS MAP. The BSS MAP/DTAP and the MM and CM are at the upper layers of Layer 3 protocols. This completes the relay process. Through the control-signaling network, the MSCs interact to locate and connect to users throughout the network. Location registers are included in the MSC databases to assist in the role of determining how and whether connections are to be made to roaming users.

GL’s MAPS™ GSM A Emulator is an advanced protocol simulator/tester for GSM simulation over A Interface that can simulate MSC and BSC network elements for exchanging BSSMAP and DTAP messages as defined by 3GPP standards. The tester supports Error tracking, regression testing, conformance testing, load testing/call generation and generation of high volumes of GSM traffic over TDM as well as IP interface. It is able to run pre-defined test scenarios against GSM A interface test objects in a controlled & deterministic manner.

With the purchase of RTP licenses (PKS102, PKS108), MAPS™ GSM A IP supports CS Domain RTP traffic such as –Tx Rx File, Tones, Digits, FAX, User-defined traffic, IVR, Loopback and VQT.

With the purchase of RTP Core license (PKS102), MAPS™ GSM A supports transmission and detection of various RTP traffic such as, digits, voice file, single tone, dual tones, IVR, FAX*, Video*, and VQT*. With regular RTP traffic, the maximum Simultaneous Calls up to 2500, and Calls per Second up to 250 is achievable. Almost all industry standard voice codec supported.

MAPS™ GSM A IP supports mobility management procedures over GSM A interface such as Location Management Procedure, Mobile Originating and Terminating Procedures, and Handover Management Procedures. It supports send/receive SMS simultaneously using signaling channel with the voice/data/fax services over a GSM network.

GSM A Interface Emulator supports powerful utilities like Message Editor, Script Editor and Profile Editor which allow custom call scenarios to be created or existing scenarios to be modified.

With the purchase of TDM traffic licenses (xx610, xx620, xxFT0) GSM traffic can be simulated over T1/E1 interfaces. Supported traffic includes transmission and detection of digits, voice files, single tone, dual tones, FAX, Dynamic VF, User defined Traffic, IVR, and VQT.

GL has enhanced the MAPS™ protocol emulation tool to simulate multi-protocol and multi-interface offering a complete range of test solutions, covering the entire 2G, 3G, and 4G network.

By mimicking real-world customer behavior in lab environments, our solutions allow mobile operators and equipment manufacturers to verify their wireless networks before deployment. In other words, one can setup a virtual real-time network simulating all the network elements using “MAPS 2G Wireless Lab Suite”. The test suite supports simulation of GSM Abis, GSM A, C/D/E, Gb, and GnGp interfaces.

MAPS™ GSM A IP is also available in High Density version (requires a special purpose network appliance and PKS109 RTP HD licenses). This is capable of high call intensity (hundreds of calls/sec) and high volume of sustained calls (tens of thousands of simultaneous calls/platform).

** Some of these traffic types requires additional licenses – contact GL for more information

• Simulate BSC or MSC nodes
• Complete GSM A signaling simulation over IP along with RTP traffic
• Supports transmission and detection of RTP traffic – Auto digits, voice file, single /dual tones, Fax, IVR, and User defined traffic
• Access to all BSSMAP and DTAP message parameters like TMSI, IMSI, CIC, MCC, LAC, and more
• User controlled access to optional parameters such as timers
• Supports Authentication, TMSI Reallocation, Encryption, and other optional procedures
• Ready scripts for Mobile Originating, Mobile Terminating, Location Updating procedures, Mobile Originating and Terminating SMS, and Handover Management procedures
• Auto packet impairment with Latency, Packet Effects, and Packet Loss
• Supported codec types include G.711, G.729, G.726, GSM, AMR, EVRC, SMV, iLBC, SPEEX, G.722, and more. *AMR, EVRC variants requires additional licenses.
• User-friendly GUI for configuring the SCTP/TCP Layer
• HD appliance supports high density call simulation of up to 20,000 calls with traffic (5000 calls per port) – Requires additional hardware and licenses
• Setup a virtual real-time GSM network simulating all the network elements using ‘2G and 2.5G GSM GPRS Communications Network Lab Suite ’
• Supports all Call Control, Mobility Management, Radio Resource Management, SMS (Short Message Service), and Handover Management procedures
• Multiple UE related information can be accessed directly from Database, CSV files, or through regular XML Profiles for bulk call generation
• CSV or Database based profiles support massive number of UE records, and also support SMS calls ratio option to dynamically control the ratio of SMS and Voice calls to be generated
• Supports user defined graphs and statistics for monitoring performance of Signaling and RTP traffic
• Export call statistics PDF and XML file format report generation
• Customization of traffic parameters to be calculated and displayed for voice quality metrics such as Listening MOS, Conversational MOS, Packet Loss, Discarded Packets, Out of Sequence Packets, Duplicate Packets, Delay and Jitter.