OpenBTS – Network Design & System Analysis By Hassan Ali Mohammed Hussein Magdy Hussein Ali Mohammed Mohammed Sabry Amin Mohammed Mahmoud Abbas Under the Supervision of Prof. Dr. Magdi Fikri A Graduation Project Report Submitted to the Faculty of Engineering at Cairo University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University Giza, Egypt July 2012 Contents List of Figures .............................................................................................................................................. iv List of Tables ................................................................................................................................................ v Table of Symbols and Abbreviations ........................................................................................................... vi Acknowledgment ....................................................................................................................................... viii Abstract ........................................................................................................................................................ ix Chapter 1 - Introduction to OpenBTS ........................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Software Defined Radio (SDR) .................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1 What is SDR? ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.1.2 History of SDR ..................................................................................................................... 1 1.1.3 Architecture ........................................................................................................................... 2 1.1.4 Operation Concept ................................................................................................................ 3 1.1.5 Advantages of SDR ............................................................................................................... 3 1.1.6 SDR Application ................................................................................................................... 4 1.2 USRP............................................................................................................................................. 4 1.2.1 What is USRP? ..................................................................................................................... 4 1.2.2 UHD ...................................................................................................................................... 5 1.2.3 USRP Component ................................................................................................................. 6 1.2.4 USRP B100 ........................................................................................................................... 7 1.3 OpenBTS....................................................................................................................................... 9 1.3.1 Introduction and History ....................................................................................................... 9 1.3.2 Traditional GSM networks .................................................................................................. 10 1.3.3 OpenBTS and Traditional GSM ......................................................................................... 14 1.3.4 OpenBTS Future ................................................................................................................ 15 1.3.5 OpenBTS Advantages ......................................................................................................... 15 1.3.6 Hardware requirement for OpenBTS .................................................................................. 15 1.3.7 OpenBTS P2.8 Release ....................................................................................................... 16 1.3.8 OpenBTS Modules .............................................................................................................. 16 Chapter 2 - Network design ........................................................................................................................ 19 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 19 2.2 OpenBTS in rural area ................................................................................................................ 19 2.2.1 System Modeling ................................................................................................................ 19 2.2.2 Simulation results ................................................................................................................ 23 ii 2.2.3 Propagation model .............................................................................................................. 24 2.3 OpenBTS in Oasis road............................................................................................................... 28 2.3.1 System Modeling ................................................................................................................ 28 2.3.2 Simulation results ................................................................................................................ 40 2.3.3 Propagation model .............................................................................................................. 46 2.4 Network’s components specifications and prices: ...................................................................... 50 2.4.1 Typical RF chain figure:- .................................................................................................... 50 2.4.2 Telephone pole “Network tower”: ...................................................................................... 50 2.4.3 Component Specifications: - ............................................................................................... 51 Chapter 3- Signaling between GSM and OpenBTS .................................................................................... 53 3.1 GSM Signaling ............................................................................................................................ 53 3.1.1 Logical Channels................................................................................................................. 53 3.2 Mobile Originated Call Setup ..................................................................................................... 55 3.2.1 Traditional GSM signaling .................................................................................................. 56 3.2.2 Traditional GSM L3 messages ............................................................................................ 57 3.2.3 Adapted GSM Signaling ..................................................................................................... 58 3.2.4 Adapted GSM L3 Messages ............................................................................................... 60 3.3 Description of L3 Messages: ....................................................................................................... 62 Chapter 4- Conclusion and Future Work .................................................................................................... 64 4.1 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 64 4.2 Future Work ................................................................................................................................ 65 Chapter 5 - Appendices ............................................................................................................................... 66 5.1 Appendix –A UHD Build ......................................................................................................... 66 5.2 Appendix –B OpenBTS P2.8 Installation and Configuration .................................................... 74 5.3 Appendix –C Propagation Models .............................................................................................. 80 5.4 Appendix –D VSAT ................................................................................................................... 90 5.5 Appendix –E Matlab Codes ........................................................................................................ 94 5.5.1 Codes: ................................................................................................................................. 94 References ................................................................................................................................................. 107 iii List of Figures Figure 1 - USRP TX &RX Path .................................................................................................................... 2 Figure 2 - USRP B100 .................................................................................................................................. 5 Figure 3 - USRP Component ........................................................................................................................ 6 Figure 4 - USRP B100 Motherboard ...........................................................................................................