SIST ETS 300 590 E6:2003

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
SIST ETS 300 590 E6:2003
01-december-2003
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Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2) (GSM); Mobile-services Switching
Centre - Base Station System (MSC - BSS) interface; Layer 3 specification (GSM 08.08
version 4.12.1)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: ETS 300 590 Edition 6
ICS:
33.070.50 Globalni sistem za mobilno Global System for Mobile
telekomunikacijo (GSM) Communication (GSM)
SIST ETS 300 590 E6:2003 en
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

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SIST ETS 300 590 E6:2003

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SIST ETS 300 590 E6:2003
EUROPEAN ETS 300 590
TELECOMMUNICATION October 1998
STANDARD Sixth Edition
Source: SMG Reference: RE/SMG-030808PR5
ICS: 33.020
Key words: Digital cellular telecommunications system, Global System for Mobile communications (GSM)
R
GLOBAL SYSTEM FOR
MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS
Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2);
Mobile-services Switching Centre - Base Station System
(MSC - BSS) interface;
Layer 3 specification
(GSM 08.08 version 4.12.1)
ETSI
European Telecommunications Standards Institute
ETSI Secretariat
Postal address: F-06921 Sophia Antipolis CEDEX - FRANCE
Office address: 650 Route des Lucioles - Sophia Antipolis - Valbonne - FRANCE
Internet: secretariat@etsi.fr - http://www.etsi.org
Tel.: +33 4 92 94 42 00 - Fax: +33 4 93 65 47 16
Copyright Notification: No part may be reproduced except as authorized by written permission. The copyright and the
foregoing restriction extend to reproduction in all media.
© European Telecommunications Standards Institute 1998. All rights reserved.

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ETS 300 590 (GSM 08.08 version 4.12.1): October 1998
Whilst every care has been taken in the preparation and publication of this document, errors in content,
typographical or otherwise, may occur. If you have comments concerning its accuracy, please write to
"ETSI Standards Making Support Dept." at the address shown on the title page.

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ETS 300 590 (GSM 08.08 version 4.12.1): October 1998
Contents
Foreword .7
1 Scope .9
1.1 Normative references .9
1.2 Definitions and abbreviations.11
2 Application to interface structures .11
2.1 The BSS Operation and Maintenance Application Part.12
2.2 The Direct Transfer Application Part.12
2.3 The BSS Management Application Part .12
2.4 Handling of Abnormal Events Related to the BSSAP Header .12
3 The BSS Management Application Part.13
3.1 BSSMAP Procedures.13
3.1.1 Assignment.14
3.1.1.1 Successful Operation .14
3.1.1.2 Assignment Failure.15
3.1.1.3 Abnormal Conditions .16
3.1.2 Blocking and Unblocking.16
3.1.2.1 Successful Operation .16
3.1.2.2 Abnormal Conditions .17
3.1.2.2.1 Applying to the Single Circuit Block
Procedure .18
3.1.2.2.2 Applying to the Circuit Group Block
Procedure .18
3.1.3 Resource Indication.19
3.1.3.1 Successful Operation .19
3.1.4 Reset .20
3.1.4.1 Global Reset Procedure .20
3.1.4.1.1 Reset at the BSS .21
3.1.4.1.2 Reset at the MSC.21
3.1.4.1.3 Abnormal Conditions .21
3.1.4.1.3.1 Abnormal Condition at the BSS .21
3.1.4.1.3.2 Abnormal Condition at the MSC .21
3.1.4.2 Reset Circuit .21
3.1.4.2.1 Reset Circuit at the BSS .21
3.1.4.2.2 Reset Circuit at the MSC .22
3.1.4.2.3 Abnormal conditions .22
3.1.5 External Handover.22
3.1.5.1 Handover Required Indication .23
3.1.5.1.1 Generation of the HANDOVER
REQUIRED message .23
3.1.5.2 Handover Resource allocation.24
3.1.5.2.1 Operation of the procedure.24
3.1.5.2.2 HANDOVER RESOURCE
ALLOCATION FAILURE.25
3.1.5.2.3 Abnormal conditions .26
3.1.5.3 Handover execution.26
3.1.5.3.1 Operation of the procedure.26
3.1.5.3.2 Handover Failure .27
3.1.5.3.3 Abnormal Conditions .27
3.1.6 Internal Intra-Cell Handover Procedure.28
3.1.7 Internal Inter-Cell Handover Procedure.28
3.1.8 Handover Candidate Enquiry .29
3.1.8.1 Successful Operation .29
3.1.8.2 Abnormal conditions .29
3.1.9 Release of Radio Resource And Terrestrial Resource .29

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ETS 300 590 (GSM 08.08 version 4.12.1): October 1998
3.1.9.1 Release Due To Transaction Completion. 29
3.1.9.2 Release due to BSS generated reason. 30
3.1.9.3 Release due to successful handover. 30
3.1.10 Paging. 30
3.1.11 Trace Invocation . 30
3.1.12 Flow Control. 31
3.1.12.1 Philosophy. 31
3.1.12.2 Processor Overload at the MSC . 31
3.1.12.3 Processor/CCCH overload at the BSS . 31
3.1.12.4 Message throughput congestion. 32
3.1.13 Classmark Handling Procedures. 32
3.1.13.1 Classmark request procedure. 32
3.1.13.2 Classmark updating procedure. 32
3.1.14 Cipher Mode Control. 32
3.1.14.1 Successful Operation. 32
3.1.14.2 Abnormal Conditions. 33
3.1.15 General SCCP Abnormal Conditions. 33
3.1.16 Initial MS message . 34
3.1.17 Queueing Indication. 34
3.1.17.1 Operation of the procedure in case of assignment
procedure. 34
3.1.17.2 Operation of the procedure in case of hand-over resource
allocation procedure. 34
3.1.18 Data Link Control SAPI not Equal to "0" . 34
3.1.18.1 Data link set up across the radio interface. 35
3.1.18.1.1 MS to MSC direction . 35
3.1.18.1.2 MSC to MS Direction. 35
3.1.19 BSSMAP Error Handling. 35
3.1.19.1 Definitions of Types of Information Elements . 35
3.1.19.2 Erroneous Events. 36
3.1.19.3 Non-erroneous Events . 36
3.1.19.4 Other Events . 37
3.1.19.5 Appropriate Error Message and Cause Value . 37
3.1.19.6 Unequipped Circuit Identification Code. 38
3.1.20 Load Indication Procedure. 39
3.1.20.1 Operation of the procedure . 39
3.2 Message Formats and Coding. 40
3.2.1 Message Contents. 42
3.2.1.1 ASSIGNMENT REQUEST. 42
3.2.1.2 ASSIGNMENT COMPLETE . 42
3.2.1.3 ASSIGNMENT FAILURE . 43
3.2.1.4 BLOCK. 43
3.2.1.5 BLOCKING ACKNOWLEDGE. 44
3.2.1.6 UNBLOCK. 44
3.2.1.7 UNBLOCKING ACKNOWLEDGE. 44
3.2.1.8 HANDOVER REQUEST . 45
3.2.1.9 HANDOVER REQUIRED. 46
3.2.1.10 HANDOVER REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE. 46
3.2.1.11 HANDOVER COMMAND. 47
3.2.1.12 HANDOVER COMPLETE. 47
3.2.1.13 [spare] . 47
3.2.1.14 HANDOVER CANDIDATE ENQUIRE . 47
3.2.1.15 HANDOVER CANDIDATE RESPONSE. 48
3.2.1.16 HANDOVER FAILURE. 48
3.2.1.17 RESOURCE REQUEST . 49
3.2.1.18 RESOURCE INDICATION. 49
3.2.1.19 PAGING . 50
3.2.1.20 CLEAR REQUEST. 50
3.2.1.21 CLEAR COMMAND . 50
3.2.1.22 CLEAR COMPLETE . 51
3.2.1.23 RESET . 51
3.2.1.24 RESET ACKNOWLEDGE . 51
3.2.1.25 HANDOVER PERFORMED. 52

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3.2.1.26 OVERLOAD.52
3.2.1.27 MSC INVOKE TRACE.53
3.2.1.28 BSS INVOKE TRACE.53
3.2.1.29 CLASSMARK UPDATE.53
3.2.1.30 CIPHER MODE COMMAND .54
3.2.1.31 CIPHER MODE COMPLETE .54
3.2.1.32 COMPLETE LAYER 3 INFORMATION.54
3.2.1.33 QUEUEING INDICATION.55
3.2.1.34 SAPI "n" REJECT.55
3.2.1.35 [spare].55
3.2.1.36 [spare].55
3.2.1.37 HANDOVER REQUIRED REJECT .55
3.2.1.38 RESET CIRCUIT .56
3.2.1.39 RESET CIRCUIT ACKNOWLEDGE .56
3.2.1.40 HANDOVER DETECT.56
3.2.1.41 CIRCUIT GROUP BLOCK.57
3.2.1.42 CIRCUIT GROUP BLOCKING ACKNOWLEDGE.57
3.2.1.43 CIRCUIT GROUP UNBLOCK .57
3.2.1.44 CIRCUIT GROUP UNBLOCKING ACKNOWLEDGE .58
3.2.1.45 CONFUSION .58
3.2.1.46 CLASSMARK REQUEST .58
3.2.1.47 UNEQUIPPED CIRCUIT .59
3.2.1.48 CIPHER MODE REJECT .59
3.2.1.49 LOAD INDICATION .59
3.2.2 SIGNALLING ELEMENT CODING .60
3.2.2.1 MESSAGE TYPE.62
3.2.2.2 CIRCUIT IDENTITY CODE .63
3.2.2.3 [spare].63
3.2.2.4 RESOURCE AVAILABLE.64
3.2.2.5 CAUSE .64
3.2.2.6 IMSI .68
3.2.2.7 TMSI .68
3.2.2.8 NUMBER OF MSs.69
3.2.2.9 LAYER 3 HEADER INFORMATION.69
3.2.2.10 ENCRYPTION INFORMATION.69
3.2.2.11 CHANNEL TYPE .70
3.2.2.12 PERIODICITY.72
3.2.2.13 Extended Resource Indicator .72
3.2.2.14 TOTAL RESOURCE ACCESSIBLE .73
3.2.2.15 [spare].73
3.2.2.16 [spare].73
3.2.2.17 CELL IDENTIFIER.73
3.2.2.18 PRIORITY.75
3.2.2.19 CLASSMARK INFORMATION TYPE 2.76
3.2.2.20 CLASSMARK INFORMATION TYPE 3.76
3.2.2.21 INTERFERENCE BAND TO BE USED.76
3.2.2.22 RR CAUSE .77
3.2.2.23 TRACE NUMBER.77
3.2.2.24 LAYER 3 INFORMATION.77
3.2.2.25 DLCI.77
3.2.2.26 DOWNLINK DTX FLAG .78
3.2.2.27 CELL IDENTIFIER LIST .78
3.2.2.28 RESPONSE REQUEST .80
3.2.2.29 RESOURCE INDICATION METHOD.80
3.2.2.30 CLASSMARK INFORMATION TYPE 1.81
3.2.2.31 CIRCUIT IDENTITY CODE LIST.81
3.2.2.32 DIAGNOSTICS.82
3.2.2.33 CHOSEN CHANNEL .83
3.2.2.34 CIPHER RESPONSE MODE .83
3.2.2.35 LAYER 3 MESSAGE CONTENTS .84
3.2.2.36 CHANNEL NEEDED.84
3.2.2.37 TRACE TYPE .84
3.2.2.38 TRIGGERID.85

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ETS 300 590 (GSM 08.08 version 4.12.1): October 1998
3.2.2.39 TRACE REFERENCE. 85
3.2.2.40 TRANSACTIONID. 85
3.2.2.41 MOBILE IDENTITY . 85
3.2.2.42 OMCID . 86
3.2.2.43 FORWARD INDICATOR . 86
3.2.2.44 CHOSEN ENCRYPTION ALGORITHM. 86
3.2.2.45 CIRCUIT POOL . 87
3.2.2.46 CIRCUIT POOL LIST. 87
3.2.2.47 TIME INDICATION. 88
3.2.2.48 RESOURCE SITUATION . 88
3.2.2.49 CURRENT CHANNEL . 90
3.2.3 List of Timers in the BSSMAP Procedures. 91
3.3 SDL Representation Of The Procedures At The BSS. 91
4 Broadcast Information Control Channel . 91
5 Vocabulary. 91
6 List of diagrams . 92
Annex A (informative): Document change history . 100
History. 103

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ETS 300 590 (GSM 08.08 version 4.12.1): October 1998
Foreword
This European Telecommunication Standard (ETS) has been produced by the Special Mobile Group
(SMG) Technical Committee of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).
This ETS defines the layer 3 specification for the Base Station System (BSS) to Mobile-services Switching
Centre (MSC) interface.
The specification from which this ETS has been derived was originally based on CEPT documentation,
hence the presentation of this ETS may not be entirely in accordance with the ETSI/PNE rules.
Transposition dates
Date of adoption of this ETS: 23 October 1998
Date of latest announcement of this ETS (doa): 31 January 1999
Date of latest publication of new National Standard
or endorsement of this ETS (dop/e): 31 July 1999
Date of withdrawal of any conflicting National Standard (dow): 31 July 1999

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ETS 300 590 (GSM 08.08 version 4.12.1): October 1998
1 Scope
This European Telecommunication Standard (ETS) specifies the layer 3 procedures used on the BSS to
MSC interface for control of GSM services.
For the purposes of call control and mobility management, messages are not interpreted at the Base
Station System (BSS) which acts as a relay function. These messages and procedures are documented in
Technical Specification GSM 04.08, the only relevant issues covering these messages in this Technical
Specification are those concerned with error conditions at the interface, and the headers that are required
for the correct addressing of the messages. This is specified in more detail in Technical Specification
GSM 08.06.
The functional split between MSC and BSS is defined in Technical Specification GSM 08.02 and states
that the BSS is responsible for local radio resource allocation and in order to support this the required
procedures between BSS and MSC are defined in detail in this Technical Specification.
Technical Specification GSM 08.02 also states that the BSS is responsible for the scheduling of all
CCCH/BCCH messages and therefore some procedures for providing the BSS with the necessary
information to be passed on these channels for individual calls (ie paging) are defined in this Technical
Specification, but the scheduling is not discussed.
This interface and consequently these layer 3 procedures are designed to support BSSs providing one or
more cells.
1.1 Normative references
This ETS incorporates by dated and undated reference, provisions from other publications. These
normative references are cited at the appropriate places in the text and the publications are listed
hereafter. For dated references, subsequent amendments to or revisions of any of these publications
apply to this ETS only when incorporated in it by amendment or revision. For undated references, the
latest edition of the publication referred to applies.
[1] GSM 01.04 (ETR 100): "Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2);
Abbreviations and acronyms".
[2] GSM 03.03 (ETS 300 523): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Numbering, addressing and identification".
[3] GSM 03.09 (ETS 300 527): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Handover procedures".
[4] GSM 04.08 (ETS 300 557): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Mobile radio interface layer 3 specification".
[5] GSM 04.21 (ETS 300 562): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Rate adaption on the Mobile Station - Base Station System (MS -
BSS) interface".
[6] GSM 05.01 (ETS 300 573): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Physical layer on the radio path General description".

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ETS 300 590 (GSM 08.08 version 4.12.1): October 1998
[7] GSM 05.02 (ETS 300 574): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Multiplexing and multiple access on the radio path".
[8] GSM 05.03 (ETS 300 575): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Channel coding".
[9] GSM 05.04 (ETS 300 576): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Modulation".
[10] GSM 05.05 (ETS 300 577): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Radio transmission and reception".
[11] GSM 05.08 (ETS 300 578): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Radio subsystem link control".
[12] GSM 05.90 (ETR 108): "Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2);
GSM Electro Magnetic Compatibility (EMC) considerations".
[13] GSM 05.10 (ETS 300 579): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Radio subsystem synchronisation".
[14] GSM 08.02 (ETS 300 587-2): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Base Station System - Mobile-services Switching Centre (BSS -
MSC) interface Interface principles".
[15] GSM 08.06 (ETS 300 589): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Signalling transport mechanism specification for the Base Station
System - Mobile-services Switching Centre (BSS - MSC) interface".
[16] GSM 08.20 (ETS 300 591): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Rate adaption on the Base Station System - Mobile-services
Switching Centre (BSS - MSC) interface".
[17] GSM 12.00 (prETS 300 612-1): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Objectives and structure of Network Management (NM)".
[18] GSM 12.01 (ETS 300 612-2): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Common aspects of GSM Network Management (NM)".
[19] GSM 12.07 (ETS 300 612-3): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Operations and performance management".
[20] GSM 12.02 (ETS 300 613): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Subscriber, Mobile Equipment (ME) and services data
administration".
[21] GSM 12.03 (ETS 300 614): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Security management".
[22] GSM 12.04 (ETS 300 615): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Performance data measurements".
[23] GSM 12.05 (ETS 300 616): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Subscriber related event and call data".

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[24] GSM 12.06 (ETS 300 617): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); GSM Network change control".
[25] GSM 12.10 (ETS 300 618): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Maintenance provisions for operational integrity of Mobile Stations
(MS)".
[26] GSM 12.11 (ETS 300 619): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Maintenance of the Base Station System (BSS)".
[27] GSM 12.13 (ETS 300 620): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Maintenance of the Mobile-services Switching Centre (MSC)".
[28] GSM 12.14 (ETS 300 621): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Maintenance of location registers".
[29] GSM 12.20 (ETS 300 622): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Network Management (NM) procedures and messages".
[30] GSM 12.21 (ETS 300 623): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Network Management (NM) procedures and message on the A-bis
interface".
[31] GSM 12.22 (ETS 300 624): "Digital cellular telecommunications system
(Phase 2); Interworking of GSM Network Management (NM) procedures and
messages at the Base Station Controller (BSC)".
1.2 Definitions and abbreviations
Abbreviations used in this specification are listed in GSM 01.04, see Clause 5 for Vocabulary.
2 Application to interface structures
The underlying transport mechanism defined to carry signalling information between the BSS and the
MSC is the Message Transfer Part (MTP), and the Signalling Connection Control Part (SCCP) of
Signalling System No.7.
The MTP and SCCP are used to support communication between the MSC and two conceptual entities
within the BSS, these are:
- the BSS Operation and Maintenance Application Part (BSSOMAP);
- the BSS Application Part (BSSAP).
The BSS Application Part is split into two sub application parts, these are:
- the BSS Management Application Part (BSSMAP);
- the Direct Transfer Application Part (DTAP).
Distribution of messages between the two sub application parts is described in Technical Specification
GSM 08.06.
Figure 1 is a diagrammatical representation of these conceptual entities. It should be noted that this is not
intended to imply a particular implementation and is only for the purposes of specifying the interface.
Differentiation between BSSAP and BSSOMAP is by addressing mechanisms within the SCCP, using the
subsystem number (see Technical Specification GSM 08.06).

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2.1 The BSS Operation and Maintenance Application Part
If operation and maintenance messages are transferred by means of this interface then they shall use
SCCP messages. The application protocol for the Operation and Maintenance Application Part is defined
in the GSM 12 series Technical Specif
...