Cellular Network Infrastructure

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h1. Circuit Switched Data (CSD)

CSD is a way to transport user data over circuit-switched GSM calls.  It is the cellular equivalent of the use of analog modems or ISDN TA over wired telephony networks: You dial a number, the usual call control protocol for signaling creates a dedicated, circuit switched connection to the destination.  If they answer the call, a transparent communication channel is established between both sides.

GSM CSD (in its single-slot variants, excluding HSCSD) implements

|_.22.002 Bearer Service|_.22.003 Teleservice|_.43.010 model|_.Description|

|BS20T|?|2b|transparent synchronous data|

|BS30T|?|1b|transparent asynchronous data. first converted aysnc->sync, then treated like sync|

|BS20NT|?|3b|non-transparent asynchronous data. Uses RLP (ARQ) protocol for less erros, but creates variable delay.|

|?|TS62T|5a|transparent facsimile group 3|

h2. Facsimile / Telefax

CSD is also what is used to implement Facsimile (Telefax) services over GSM.

h2. Interworking

When CSD services (sync/async/fax) are used between two GSM subscribers, no interworking is required.  The data is passed transparently end-to-end.

However, when interworking with the wired network is required, an interworking function (IWF) is required.

h3. Interworking with ISDN data calls

This is the situation where a GSM mobile subscriber is establishing a CSD call to a native ISDN subscriber.

In this case, the V.110 signal is rate-adapted at the IWF to the 64kBps of the ISDN bearer chanel.

h3. Interworking with analog modems in POTS or ISDN

In this case, the IWF terminates the V.110 from the GSM RAN and implements a modem towards the external POTS/ISDN subscriber.

h3. Interworking with analog Telefax in POTS or ISDN

This is similar to the analog modem situation above.

h2. Implementation Status

We currently don't implement these features yet, but we are aiming at implementing them in 2023.  For details, see "all Issues tagged with CSD":https://osmocom.org/issues?f%5B%5D=tags&f%5B%5D=status_id&fields%5B%5D=tags&fields%5B%5D=status_id&op%5Bstatus_id%5D=o&op%5Btags%5D=%3D&operators%5Bstatus_id%5D=o&operators%5Btags%5D=%3D&set_filter=1&v%5Bstatus_id%5D%5B%5D=&v%5Btags%5D%5B%5D=ASCI&values%5Bstatus_id%5D%5B%5D=&values%5Btags%5D%5B%5D=CSD

h2. Relevant specifications

|_.Number|_.Description|

|3GPP TS 22.002|CS Bearer Services|

|3GPP TS 22.003|CS Teleservices|

|3GPP TS 43.010|Decription of connection types. Note particularly Table 4 + section  6.4|

|3GPP TS 43.045|Fax G3|

|3GPP TS 44.021|Rate adaptation on MS-BSS interface|

|3GPP TS 44.022|RLP protocol (for non-transparent async)|

|3GPP TS 27.001|TA functions in MS|

|3GPP TS 27.002|TA functions for async bearers|

|3GPP TS 27.003|TA functions for sync bearers|

|3GPP TS 48.020|Rate adaptation on BSS-MSC interface|

|3GPP TS 29.007|Interworking between PLMN and ISDN|