| ==Phrack Inc.== |
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| Volume One, Issue Five, Phile #9 of 12 |
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| Mobile Telephone Communications |
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| By Phantom Phreaker |
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| Presented by The Alliance |
| (618)667-3825 |
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| Mobile telephone communications is not the same thing as Cellular. Mobile |
| telephone service is not as advanced as Cellular, and not as efficient. Mobile |
| telephone service limits the number of customers sharply, while Cellular is |
| designed to solve the problems of Mobile telephone service. |
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| The signals for Mobile communications are sent by high-power transmitters and |
| antennas that provide an area of approx. 20-30 miles with service. |
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| A base unit of a Mobile communications system transmits and receives on |
| different frequencies at the same time. Typical power for the radio base |
| station transmitter is 200-250 watts. |
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| Mobile telephone facilities tie in with the normal fixed-position telephone |
| system, however base units can be owned by a Radio Common Carrier (RCC). RCCs |
| running mobile telephone systems are charged by the telephone company for use |
| of the normal phone system. |
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| DIAGRAM: |
| -------- |
| ^-Base antenna Mobile unit |
| | | |
| |- - - - - - - - - /-- --\ |
| | ^Signal^ | (Car) | |
| --------------------------------------- |
| ^-------<-20-30 Miles->---| |
| ^ |-From |
| /===========\ | mobile |
| |Receiver/ | | antenna |
| |Transmitter| ============= |
| /===========\ |Receiver/ | |-| |
| |Control | |Transmitter|-|*| |
| |Terminal | ============= |-| |
| \===========/ ^ |
| | Handset |
| | <-Telephone |
| | <-Land line |
| | |
| ======= ======= |
| | C.O.| | C.O.|---[-*-] |
| ======= ======= |*| |
| | | ----- |
| | | Fixed |
| ========= ========= Phone |
| |Switch |--------------|Switch | |
| |Network| Transmission |Network| |
| ========= Link ========= |
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| --------------------------------------- |
| (Above diagram from 'Understanding Telephone Electronics' chapter 10.) |
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| As you can see from the above diagram, calls placed from the Fixed position |
| telephone are routed through a Central Office as normal, through a Switch |
| Network, to another Switch network, and to another CO. From the second CO |
| (nearest to the Mobile unit), the signals are sent on a telephone line to the |
| control terminal, to the receiver, then to the base unit (antenna). From the |
| base unit, the radio signals are sent to the site of the mobile telephone. |
| Calls from the mobile telephone operate in the same manner. An idle radio |
| channel is selected (like seizure of a trunk for a LD call) and the signals are |
| sent over the mobile network. |
| If no channel is available for use, then a busy indication is triggered |
| (similar to a re-order). If a channel is available, the customer will be |
| prompted with a dial tone, similar to normal fixed-position telephone service. |
| The area that this would work in is called the subscriber's home area. When a |
| mobile telephone service subscriber leaves the service area, he is then |
| referred to as a Roamer. Since the mobile unit is out of the service area, |
| special preparations have to be made to continue communications to/from that |
| mobile unit. |
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| SIGNALLING |
| ---------- |
| Mobile signalling tones are selected (like touch tones) to avoid possible |
| reproduction of the signalling tone on the voice link, to cause a signalling |
| mistake. The IMTS (Improved Mobile Telephone Service) uses in band signalling |
| of tones from 1300Hz-2200Hz. Another method of signalling is the MTS (Mobile |
| Telephone System). MTS is older than IMTS, and MTS uses in band signalling of |
| tones from 600Hz-1500Hz, and some use 2805 Hz in manual operation. |
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| CALL COMPLETION |
| --------------- |
| In this instance, let's say a call is being placed from a normal telephone to |
| a Mobile unit. First off, the base station selects one idle channel and places |
| a 2000Hz idle tone on it. All on hook Mobile units active in that service area |
| find and lock onto the channel that carries the 2000Hz idle tone. Now each |
| Mobile unit listens for it's specific number on that channel. When an idle |
| channel becomes busy, a new channel is selected for use, and the process is |
| repeated. |
| Now the caller's call is sent through the telephone network the same way as a |
| normal telephone call. When this call reaches the control terminal, the |
| terminal seizes the already marked idle channel (with every on-hook mobile unit |
| listening to it) and applies a 1800Hz seize tone. This tone keeps other mobile |
| units from using it to complete other calls. The called number is outpulsed |
| over the base station transmitter at ten pulses per second, with idle tone |
| represented as a mark, and a seize-tone represented as a space. |
| Since every idle mobile unit is waiting on that channel, they compare the |
| number being outpulsed with their own number. If the first digit of the called |
| mobile unit is three, and a specific mobile unit 'listening' on the channel has |
| a first digit of four, it stops listening to that channel, and moves to the |
| next channel with 2000Hz applied. |
| When the mobile unit receives the correct destination number, all other |
| mobile units are no longer listening on that particular channel. When the 7 |
| digit number is received, the mobile supervisory unit turns on the mobile |
| transmitter and sends an acknowledgement signal (2150Hz guard tone) back to the |
| control terminal. If this signal isn't received in three seconds after |
| outpulsing, the seize tone is removed from that channel, and the call is |
| dropped. If the signal is received at the control terminal, then the mobile |
| phone will ring (standard two seconds on, four seconds off). If the mobile unit |
| being called doesn't answer in forty five seconds, the call is also dropped. |
| When the person answers the mobile phone and takes it off hook, the mobile |
| supervisory unit sends a connect tone of 1633Hz, for an answer signal. When |
| this is received by the control terminal, the ringing stops, and a voice path |
| between the two phones is established. When the mobile subscriber hangs up, a |
| disconnect signal is sent which consists of alternating disconnect/guard tone |
| (1336Hz and 2150Hz respectively) signals. Then the mobile unit begins searching |
| for another idle channel, and readies itself for more calls. |
| For an outgoing call placed by the Mobile subscriber, the mobile unit must |
| already be locked on the idle channel. If the unit is not, a warning light will |
| flash advising the user of the problem. This is similar to a re-order signal. |
| If the unit is already on an idle channel, the calling number will be sent to |
| the control terminal for billing purposes. |
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| CELLULAR TELEPHONES |
| ------------------- |
| To improve over the problems of mobile telephone service such as low amount of |
| users, high price, etc. AT&T invented the Cellular Concept, or the AMPS |
| (Advanced Mobile Phone System). This is the cellular phone concept that is used |
| in major cities. Los Angeles, Ca. currently has the largest cellular |
| communication system in the world. |
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| Calls sent to cellular telephones are sent through the MTSO (Mobile |
| Telecommunications Switching Office). The MTSO handles all calls to and from |
| cellular telephones, and handles billing. |
| All incoming calls from the MTSO are sent to a Cell site in each cell, to the |
| actual cellular telephone. The major difference between mobile and cellular is |
| that cellular can use the same channel many more times than a mobile telephone |
| system can, providing more customers and making the service less expensive. |
| Once a vehicle goes out of range of one cell site, the signal is transferred |
| immediately, with no signal loss, to another cell site, where the call is |
| continued without interruption. This is called a Cellular hand-off. |
| Cellular communications areas are divided up into several cells, like a |
| honeycomb. |
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| DIAGRAM |
| ------- |
| /---\ /---\ /---\ |
| / * \/ * \/ * \ |
| ==== |Cell ||Cell ||Cell | |
| |CO| | Site|| Site|| Site | |
| ==== /---\\ /\ /\ / |
| | / * \\---/ \---/ \---/ |
| | |Cell | /---\ /---\ |
| | | Site|/ * \/ * \ |
| | \ /|Cell ||Cell | |
| ====== \---/ | Site|| Site | |
| |MTSO| \ /\ / |
| ====== \---/ \---/ |
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| --------------------------------------- |
| More cell sites are used for the area they are needed for. The signals are |
| sent from the MTSO to the each cell site. So if you were travelling in the cell |
| site to the far left, the signal from the MTSO would be sent to that cell. As |
| you move, the signal is moved. |
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| Here is a quote from AT&T's Cellular Telephones pamphlet. |
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| 'AT&T cellular phone transmission sounds as good as your home and office |
| phone. Basically it's a simple concept. Each metropolitan area is divided into |
| sectors which form a honeycomb of cells. Each cell incorporates its own |
| transmitter and receiver which connects to the local phone network. |
| As you drive from cell to cell, sophisticated electronic equipment transfers |
| or 'hands off' the call to another cell site. This automatic sequence maintains |
| service quality throughout the conversation without interruption.' |
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| I hope this file has been of some assistance to anyone who is curious about |
| the more technical aspects of the telephone system. |
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| References |
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| Understanding Telephone Electronics-by Texas Instruments 1983 |
| TELE Magazine issues three and four |
| AT&T Mobile communications pamphlet |
| AT&T Cellular concept pamphlet |
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| -End of file- |
| 4/14/86 |
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