Retail
Subscription
to Advertise
  • ISSUES
    • 1996 to 1999
      • 1996
        • May 1996
        • June 1996
        • July 1996
        • August 1996
        • September 1996
        • October 1996
        • November 1996
        • December 1996
      • 1997
    • 2000 to 2009
      • 2006
        • January 2006
        • February 2006
        • March 2006
        • April 2006
        • May 2006
        • June 2006
        • July 2006
        • August 2006
        • September 2006
        • October 2006
        • November 2006
        • December 2006
      • 2007
        • March 2007
        • April 2007
        • May 2007
        • July 2007
        • August 2007
        • September 2007
        • November 2007
        • December 2007
      • 2008
        • January 2008
        • February 2008
        • March 2008
        • April 2008
        • May 2008
        • June 2008
        • July 2008
        • August 2008
        • September 2008
        • October 2008
        • November 2008
        • December 2008
      • 2009
        • January 2009
        • February 2009
        • March 2009
        • April 2009
        • May 2009
        • June 2009
        • June 2009
        • July 2009
        • August 2009
        • September 2009
        • October 2009
        • November 2009
        • December 2009
    • 2010 to 2019
      • 2010
        • January 2010
        • February 2010
        • March 2010
        • April 2010
        • May 2010
        • June 2010
        • July 2010
        • August 2010
        • December 2010
      • 2011
        • January 2011
        • February 2011
        • March 2011
        • April 2011
        • May 2011
        • June 2011
        • July 2011
        • August 2011
        • September 2011
        • October 2011
        • November 2011
        • December 2011
      • 2012
        • January 2012
        • February 2012
        • March 2012
        • April 2012
        • May 2012
        • June 2012
        • July 2012
        • August 2012
        • September 2012
        • October 2012
        • November 2012
        • December 2012
      • 2013
        • January 2013
        • February 2013
        • March 2013
        • April 2013
        • May 2013
        • June 2013
        • July 2013
        • August 2013
        • September 2013
        • November 2013
        • December 2013
      • 2014
        • January 2014
        • February 2014
        • March 2014
        • April 2014
        • May 2014
        • June 2014
        • July 2014
        • August 2014
        • September 2014
        • October 2014
        • November 2014
        • December 2014
      • 2015
        • January 2015
        • February 2015
        • March 2015
        • April 2015
        • May 2015
        • June 2015
        • July 2015
        • August 2015
        • September 2015
        • October 2015
        • November 2015
        • December 2015
      • 2016
        • January 2016
        • February 2016
        • March 2016
        • April 2016
        • May 2016
        • June 2016
        • July 2016
        • August 2016
        • October 2016
        • November 2016
        • December 2016
      • 2017
        • January 2017
        • February 2017
        • March 2017
        • April 2017
        • May 2017
        • June 2017
        • July 2017
        • August 2017
        • September 2017
        • October 2017
        • November 2017
        • December 2017
      • 2018
        • January 2018
        • February 2018
        • March 2018
        • April 2018
        • May 2018
        • June 2018
        • July 2018
        • August 2018
        • September 2018
        • October 2018
        • November 2018
        • December 2018
      • 2019
        • January 2019
        • February 2019
        • March 2019
        • April 2019
        • May 2019
        • June 2019
        • July 2019
        • August 2019
        • September 2019
        • October 2019
        • November 2019
        • December 2019
    • 2020 to 2023
      • 2020
        • January 2020
        • February 2020
        • March 2020
        • April 2020
        • May 2020
        • June 2020
        • July 2020
        • August 2020
        • September 2020
        • October 2020
        • November 2020
        • December 2020
      • 2021
        • January 2021
        • February 2021
        • March 2021
        • April 2021
        • May 2021
        • June 2021
        • July 2021
        • August 2021
        • September 2021
        • October 2021
        • November 2021
        • December 2021
      • 2022
        • January 2022
        • June 2022
        • February 2022
        • July 2022
        • March 2022
        • April 2022
        • August 2022
        • May 2022
        • December 2022
      • 2023
        • January 2023
        • February 2023
        • March 2023
        • July 2023
        • April 2023
        • May 2023
        • June 2023
  • FOR DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION
  • BT AWARDS
    • BT Top 40
      • BT Top 40 2021 – 2022
    • BT Top 30
      • BT Top 30 2018 – 2019
    • BT Top 25
      • BT Top 25 2011 – 2012
      • BT Top 25 2012 – 2013
      • BT Top 25 2013 – 2014
    • BT Top 20
      • BT Top 20 2009 – 2010
      • BT Top 20 2010 – 2011
    • BT Top 10
      • BT Top 10 2008 – 2009
      • BT Top 10 2007 – 2008
      • BT Top 10 2006 – 2007
      • BT Top 10 2005 – 2006
      • BT Top 10 2003 – 2004
      • BT Top 10 2000 – 2001
      • BT Top 10 1999 – 2000
      • BT Top 10 1998 – 1999
      • BT Top 10 1997 – 1998
      • BT Top 10 1996 – 1997
      • BT Top 10 1995 – 1996
  • ABOUT US
No Result
View All Result
Business Today
No Result
View All Result

Sri Lanka on the World Map of Digital Cellular

in July 1996
0

The Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), represents a determined step by Sri Lanka towards the achievement of the ideals of Universal Personal Telecommunications (UPT), says HANS WIJAYASURIYA.

Hans Wiljasuriya, an electronics engineering graduate from the University of Cambridge UK, received his Ph.D in Digital Cellular Radio from University of Bristol UK, in 1994. He is currently General Manager, Engineering, at MTN Networks (Pvt.) Ltd., and plays an active role setting up Sri Lanka’s first GSM Digital Cellular Network

The manifold benefits of digital communications, unsurpassed security, global standardisation and the realization of the “global number” dream through international roaming, blend to provide the mobile telephone subscriber in Sri Lanka with the state-of-the-art in cellular telephone.

The investment and expertise required to achieve the objectives of transnational mobile communications were so demanding that it took the technical and financial cooperation of the European countries almost a decade, to bring the GSM network into commercial operation. Today, 162 GSM networks are operational in over 88 countries. Sri Lanka has been among the first South East Asian countries to join the GSM world. followed recently by India and other neighbouring countries.

Universal Personal Telecommunications (UPT) is a telecommunications dream, whereby a subscriber is identified by a single number, irrespective of his or her location in the world, and of the terminal equipment (i.e. handset, fax, computer etc.), or network being used. This dream has inspired many a revolution in the telecommunications industry over the last decade. The most significant step towards UPT made so far, has been the establishment of the GSM system. GSM, signifies not only a technological victory over existing analogue networks and their inherent shortcomings but also a victory over political and geographic barriers in the achievement of global communications.

The Cellular Telephone has come a long way since the first mobile telephone service was born in St. Louis, Missouri, USA in Needless to say, the first mobile telephone networks were manually operated i.e., they required the intervention of an operator to effect the required circuit connections. Furthermore, service areas were restricted to that of a single base station (reception and transmission site) a single cell system in today’s jargon. It was not until 1971 however, that the cellular concept first came into being.

Towards the end of the last decade, mobile communications based on analogue technology became increasingly accessible to consumers from various strata of society, mainly due to low production costs and the fact that research and development costs has long been recovered by the industry. Increasing penetration of cellular telephones soon led to the congestion of analogue systems in the developed countries. The latter, together with the demands of consumers for higher quality services and Integrated Digital Services Network (ISDN) facilities in line with the growth of the Information Technology (IT) industry, led researchers and industrialists to look for a new generation of mobile telecommunication technology. In the wake of such activity, it was becoming increasingly obvious that the existing analogue systems had limitations which could only be overcome through a migration to digital techniques.

A digital revolution was to follow in the cellular industry, with many competing technologies and standards being proposed. Of these, GSM remains the only proven standard with incomparable global acceptance. The acceptance of GSM is unmatched as it provides a unified picture of the application of the principles of UPT, Personal Communication Systems (PCS) and the state-of- the-art in cellular technology. The digital trend however is well established, and it won’t be long before analogue technologies will increase in price due to lower production and obsolescence, while digital pricing begins to reflect the benefits of economies of scale.

A fundamental limitation of the analogue systems is with respect to system capacity-resulting in congestion and deteriorating quality. Digital systems allow greater efficiency in frequency, with a natural growth path available towards smaller cells and lower power transmitters, allowing more voice channels and reduced congestion. Analogue transmissions are extremely susceptible to all forms of interference, both natural (e.g. multipath fading due to reflected signals) and those which are system generated (e.g. transmissions from neighbouring cells). In addition to the inherent capability of digital systems to operate under more severe interference conditions, digital systems can be supplemented with error detection and correction techniques and digital equalizers To the consumer this manifests itself in the form of a clear and noise-free communication channel.

As mobile telephones were being used increasingly in sensitive environments of competitive business and national security, the existing analogue technology appeared embarrassingly naked to simple eavesdropping devices. Furthermore, large-scale cellular fraud was to spread across the analogue world with the cloning of handsets becoming a common practice in many countries. Eavesdropping is eradicated in digital systems due which can be incorporated at little additional cost.

A key shortcoming of the many analogue systems across the world

GSM is not only a revolution in mobile radiotechnology, but also in the philosophy behind the development of futuristic cellular networks

was the absence of standardization with respect to handsets as well as infrastructure equipment. This was most evident in the light of the trend of standardization prevalent in the IT world over the last decade. In accordance with this trend, mobile communications was also in dire need of such global standardisation. The first step towards such a global system was taken by the Conference Europeenne des Postes et Telecommunications (CEPT) in 1982, through the formation of a standardisation body named the Group Speciale Mobile (GSM). The mobile communication system which emerged was to be renamed the Global System for Mobile Communications. The task of this group was to specify a radio communication system for Europe at 900 MHz

In 1988, the standardisation activities of CEPT were to be transferred to the newly formed European Telecommunications Standard Institute (ETSI) which included not only administrators but also industry groups, research bodies and operators. The wide knowledge base so introduced at the design and specification stage has played a vital role in the success story of GSM to-date. GSM was designed to overcome the limitations of the existing analogue system, some of which were mentioned above. In addition to enhancing voice mobile communications, particular emphasis was placed on access to the Integrated Digital Services Network (ISDN) related services. In line with UPT, the novel concept introduced in GSM, was that mobile communications service were to be associated with an individual subscriber, rather than with terminal equipment.

GSM follows the Personal Communication System (PCS) concept whereby the network specific portion (i.e. handset or data terminal) is Isolated from the subscriber specific part (i.e. subscriber details, mobile number, service access details etc.) In the case of GSM, the subscriber specific part resides on a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card or microchip. This allows a subscriber to use any handset via his personalised SIM with billing being refereed to his/her SIM account as opposed to the handset. This differs from the anaingue approach where subscriber personalisation is performed on the handset.

With reference to privacy and security, GSM employs complex user authentication and identity protection procedures Many of these enhanced security features are derived from the use of the SIM card. At the most basic level. stolen cards on handsets can be barred from the network within seconds of notification, and if necessary even to GSM networks worldwide.

The global nature of the GSM specifications and the strict con formance to these specifications by member countries and manufacturers allows a GSM subscriber to use his SIM with his or any other GSM handset in any GSM network in the world, subject to the existence of roaming agreements between the operators concerned. A GSM user is recognised and registered automatically when his/her equipment is switched on in the visited country and all calls are re-routed on international circuits to his/her new location. The location of the subscriber hence becomes transparent since he/she is contactable on the same number within the GSM world, which as mentioned earlier spans over 65 countries. Carrying the SIM concept (of separating network and subscriber) a step further, the same SIM can be used in handsets compatible with different digital networks. The latter is already a reality with SIM card roaming being launched between GSM (900 MHz) networks used widely outside the USA, and PCN (1900 MHz) networks used within the United States. It is hence clear that the objectives of Universal Personal Telecommunications (UPT) are well within the reach of the digital cellular networks of today.

It is important to note that GSM is not merely a standard voice communications. GSM spans advanced bearer services with data speeds of 9600 bps (extended to 64,000 kbps) and G3 Fax. The short messaging service provides bi-directional alpha-numeric messaging with direct access to e-mail. Furthermore, specific interfaces are now available to provide internet access on GSM. The GSM specifications are continuously revised with working groups already mapping out new facilities to carry GSM well into the next century. More advanced bearer services such as video text and other ISDN facilities are in the pipeline for implementation in the near future.

What is most significant is the fact that GSM is not only a revolution in mobile radiotechnology, but also in the philosophy behind the development of futuristic cellular networks. It is hence ensured that while mobile radio technology must and will continue to advance in line with the state of-the-art in telecommunications and electronics in general, the concepts and high level architecture of GSM will be preserved well into the next millennium.

Please login to join discussion

Business Today August 2023

Business Today September 2023

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

© 2023 BT Options. All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • ISSUES
    • 1996 to 1999
      • 1996
      • 1997
    • 2000 to 2009
      • 2006
      • 2007
      • 2008
      • 2009
    • 2010 to 2019
      • 2010
      • 2011
      • 2012
      • 2013
      • 2014
      • 2015
      • 2016
      • 2017
      • 2018
      • 2019
    • 2020 to 2023
      • 2020
      • 2021
      • 2022
      • 2023
  • FOR DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION
  • BT AWARDS
    • BT Top 40
      • BT Top 40 2021 – 2022
    • BT Top 30
      • BT Top 30 2018 – 2019
    • BT Top 25
      • BT Top 25 2011 – 2012
      • BT Top 25 2012 – 2013
      • BT Top 25 2013 – 2014
    • BT Top 20
      • BT Top 20 2009 – 2010
      • BT Top 20 2010 – 2011
    • BT Top 10
      • BT Top 10 2008 – 2009
      • BT Top 10 2007 – 2008
      • BT Top 10 2006 – 2007
      • BT Top 10 2005 – 2006
      • BT Top 10 2003 – 2004
      • BT Top 10 2000 – 2001
      • BT Top 10 1999 – 2000
      • BT Top 10 1998 – 1999
      • BT Top 10 1997 – 1998
      • BT Top 10 1996 – 1997
      • BT Top 10 1995 – 1996
  • ABOUT US

© 2023 BT Options. All Rights Reserved