Mobile Wireless Networks
Mark L. Ayers · 2012
Mobile wireless networks utilize a complex interconnected network of equipment that performs the functions necessary to provide wireless voice and data services to subscribers. This chapter discusses each mobile wireless network element, the redundancy techniques employed, and availability analysis techniques. The network Switching Subsystem (NSS) is the subsystem of the mobile wireless network responsible for call switching and mobility management. The base station controller (BSC) in cellular networks is responsible for managing the radio resources and handset requests provided by the base transceiver stations (BTSs). The BTS equipment includes the transceiver radio hardware, antennas, and modulation functionality necessary to implement the over-the-air interface of the cellular network. Mobile wireless networks rely heavily on transport networks for transmission and routing of signals carrying voice and data in the network. These networks interconnect the mobile switching center (MSC), BSC, and BTS devices utilizing time-division multiplexed (TDM) and packet-based (Ethernet) circuits and networks. Controlled Vocabulary Terms base stations; mobile communication; switching systems; telecommunication switching; wireless networks