Concepts of the BTS Multiplexing Mode

This section describes BTS multiplexing, that is, the multiplexing of the LAPD signaling on the E1 timeslots of the
Abis interface. The BSC6900 provides the 64 kbit/s statistical multiplexing mode and the physical 16 kbit/s
multiplexing mode.
Timeslots and Sub-Timeslots
The bandwidth of each E1 link is 2.048 Mbit/s, which consists of 32 timeslots. The transmission rate on each
timeslot is 64 kbit/s. Each timeslot is divided into four sub-timeslots, and the transmission rate on each subtimeslot is 16 kbit/s.
Timeslot Types of the Abis Interface
The timeslots of the BTS Abis interface are classified into the following types:
Operation and maintenance link (OML)
link for operation and maintenance of a BTS. Each BTS has only one OML, and the transmission rate on the
OML is 64 kbit/s. An OML can be multiplexed with only the RSLs of the same BTS. (By default, the OML
timeslot of a BTS is timeslot 31 on port 0 of the BTS control board)
Radio signaling link (RSL)
Signaling link of a TRX. Each TRX has one RSL at a rate of 64 kbit/s. RSLs can be multiplexed with only the
OML or other RSLs of the same BTS.
Extended signaling link (ESL)
Extended signaling link. When the timeslot assignment mode on the Abis interface of the BTS is set to
FLEX_ABIS, each BTS requires one 64 kbit/s ESL for transmitting the signaling of dynamic Abis timeslot
connection. ESL can be multiplexed with only the OML of the same BTS in a 64 kbit/s timeslot of the same
E1 link.
Traffic channel (TCH)
Traffic channel of a TRX. The full transmission rate is 16 kbit/s, and the half transmission rate is 8 kbit/s.
Idle
Idle timeslot of a BTS, which has a rate of 16 kbit/s. Idle timeslots can be multiplexed with only the TCHs of
the same cabinet group.
Semi
Monitoring timeslot of a BTS, which has a rate of 8 kbit/s, 16 kbit/s, 32 kbit/s, or 64 kbit/s and cannot be
multiplexed with timeslots of other types.
64 kbit/s Statistical Multiplexing Mode
Statistical multiplexing is a technology where n channels share one 64 kbit/s timeslot, each in a different time slice,
that is, Time Division Multiplexing (TDM). In statistical multiplexing mode, multiple channels are multiplexed onto
one 64 kbit/s bandwidth.
The 64 kbit/s statistical multiplexing mode consists of the following types:
1:1
2:1
3:1
4:1
5:1
6:1
That is, n:1 (n<=6), where n represents the number of signaling links and 1 represents one E1 timeslot (64 kbit/s)
on the Abis interface.
When the Abis interface uses a 64 kbit/s timeslot for signaling transmission, traffic channels cannot use the same
timeslot. RSLs use 64 kbit/s timeslots through multiplexing.
In all the n:1 multiplexing modes, the speech rate is 16 kbit/s or 8 kbit/s (half rate). Four full-rate traffic channels or
eight half-rate traffic channels occupy one 64 kbit/s timeslot on the Abis interface. The rate of all the signaling links
is 64 kbit/s. Based on the multiplexing mode (n:1), n signaling timeslots occupy one E1 timeslot (64 kbit/s) on the
Abis interface. All the timeslots implement 64 kbit/s switching in the Abis interface board of the BSC6900.
Physical 16 kbit/s Multiplexing Mode
In physical 16 kbit/s multiplexing mode, a 16 kbit/s sub-timeslot is permanently assigned to a channel, that is, this
channel exclusively uses this timeslot.
When the Abis interface uses a 16 kbit/s rate for signaling transmission, timeslots of the E1 link, excluding timeslot
0 (synchronization timeslot), can be configured as traffic timeslots or signaling timeslots. Therefore, the
multiplexing ratio is not involved.