The OpenBTS Wiki Subspace¶

OpenBTS® is an open-source Unix application that uses a software defined radio (like the USRP) to present a GSM air interface to standard GSM handset and uses a software PBX (Asterisk or Freeswitch) to connect calls. The combination of the ubiquitous GSM air interface with VoIP backhaul could form the basis of a new type of cellular network that could be deployed and operated at substantially lower cost than existing technologies in greenfields in the developing world.

In plain language, we are working on a new kind of cellular network that can be installed and operated at about 1/10 the cost of current technologies, but that will still be compatible with most of the handsets that are already in the market. This technology can also be used in private network applications (wireless PBX, rapid deployment, etc.) at much lower cost and complexity than conventional GSM.

Please note that this public wiki site compliments the official P2.8 portal maintained by Range Networks.

The pages are organized here by topic area. If you have something useful to add, please do so. To edit the wiki, you can register an account or use "guest" as a user name, and "gnuradio" as the password.

Source Code¶

Grab the official P2.8 version of the source code via SVN:

svn co http://wush.net/svn/range/software/public

If you wait write access to the rangepublic SVN repository, please contact david (at) rangenetworks.com for information.

An alternate OpenBTS-UHD version (derived from OpenBTS 2.6) is also available:

git clone https://github.com/ttsou/openbts-uhd.git

Read more about OpenBTS-UHD and differences from mainline at this wiki page.

Project Background¶

• OpenBTS/Background. Background information about the OpenBTS project and its long-term goals.
• OpenBTS/Plan. What we're working on and where you could help.
• OpenBTS/FAQ. The general project FAQ.

Working with OpenBTS¶

Mailing list¶

For OpenBTS discussions subscribe to openbts-discuss mailing list

I Want to Run OpenBTS!¶

• OpenBTS for Dummies - A step-by-step guide how to get minimal OpenBTS system up and running.
• OpenBTS/Releases. Where to get OpenBTS and what's in each release.
• OpenBTS/UHD. Using OpenBTS with the non-USRP1 devices.
• OpenBTS/E100. Running OpenBTS on an embedded E100 USRP.
• OpenBTS/BuildingAndRunning. (VERY OLD) How to build and run the OpenBTS and Transceiver applications.
• OpenBTS/SafeOperation. A check list for you to ensure you don't interfere with a public network.
• OpenBTS/smqueue. How to build and run the smqueue RFC-3428 store and forward server, our SMSC replacement.
• OpenBTS/support. Where to get help.

PBX Configurations¶

OpenBTS replies on an external SIP PBX for its call switching functions.

Asterisk¶

• OpenBTS/SettingUpAsterisk. How to configure Asterisk to work with OpenBTS and smqueue.
• OpenBTS/Asteriskscript. A hostdesking dialplan that seperates SIP entries and actual phonenumbers and maximize flexibility, security and ease. However, this configuration is not compatible with smqueue.
• OpenBTS/The use of autocreatepeer=yes. A line in /etc/asterisk/sip.conf in the [general] part that enables acceptance of any registration attempt of any SIP User Agent.

FreeSWITCH¶

• OpenBTS/SettingUpFreeSWITCH. How to configure FreeSWITCH to work with OpenBTS

OpenBTS Hardware and Testing¶

General¶

• OpenBTS/DesktopTestingKit. What you need and what you need to know for testing.
• OpenBTS/MS_Camping. The cell requirements to allow mobile station camping and some tips on getting your test phones to camp.

Phones¶

• OpenBTS/Compatibility. Phones known to work or not to work with OpenBTS. All phones ''should'' work, so this is debugging data. Please update this with your own discoveries.
• OpenBTS/NokiaDCT3. Why we love Nokia DCT-3 series handsets.

Clocks¶

• OpenBTS/Clocks. Comments on BTS clock quality and clock-related BTS bugs.
• OpenBTS/ClockModifications. How to use an external 52MHz clock. Hardware and software instructions.
• OpenBTS/ClockCalibration. How to calibrate USRP clock or check possible offset.

The Burning Man Tests¶

We use the Burning Man festival as an opportunity to run test networks.

2011¶

• http://papalegba2011.wikispaces.com/PublicInformation. Public information for the 2011 field test.

2010¶

• http://papalegba2010.wikispaces.com/PublicInformation. Public information for the 2010 field test.

2009¶

• http://openbts.sourceforge.net/FieldTest2/index.html. A collection point for write-ups and links.
• OpenBTS/BM2009RF. The BM 2009 analog paths. We're getting better at this. It's amazing what you can do with better planning and a little more money.

2008¶

• http://openbts.sourceforge.net/FieldTest/index.html. A write-up of the now-kinda-famous Burning Man 2008 field test.
• OpenBTS/BM2008RF. The kludged up playa rig. Professional RF engineers, please promise not to laugh.

GSM General Information¶

• The Um Interface. This is an overview of the GSM air interface, Um. This was originally going to be part of the OpenBTS documentation, but we put it in Wikipedia because it may be of interest to a wider audience. '''You need to understand this to understand most of the code in the GSM directory.'''
• BTS Design and Network Management Considerations
  • OpenBTS/MS_Camping. The cell requirements to allow mobile station camping and some tips on getting your test phones to camp.
  • OpenBTS/Clocks. Comments on BTS clock quality and clock-related BTS bugs.
• OpenBTS/The_Standard_Links. How to download The Standard
• OpenBTS/Reading_The_Standard. Recommendations for newcomers.
• OpenBTS/GSM_reading. Links to iIntroductions to GSM, GSM tutorials, etc. Everything non-standard about GSM.

OpenBTS Software Implementation¶

• http://openbts.sourceforge.net/dox_html. The Doxgen-generated guide to the source code.
• OpenBTS/IdleFilling. GSM idle-filling requirements and how OpenBTS implements them.
• OpenBTS/SMS. The specs for SMS and how we will use them.
• OpenBTS/Mobility. Mobility management processes.
• OpenBTS/MTC. The most complex transaction we do so far.
• OpenBTS/Profile. Where the computrons are going.
• OpenBTS/Logs. What does all those numbers mean?
• OpenBTS/MobileIdentity. How works IMSI,TMSI and IMEI.

OpenBTS Hardware Implementation¶

• OpenBTS/BM2008RF Burning Man 2008 RF Chains. The kludged up playa rig. Professional RF engineers, please promise not to laugh.
• OpenBTS/BM2009RF Burning Man 2009 RF Chains. We're getting better at this. It's amazing what you can do with better planning and a little more money.
• OpenBTS/Clocks. Comments on BTS clock quality and clock-related BTS bugs.
• USRP RF Tweaking - what can be done to improve USRP RF performance.
• FPGA source code - Source code for FPGA image used by OpenBTS aka USRP inband FPGA image. DO NOT USE the zip archive file at the bottom of this wiki page.

OpenBTS Network Integration Scenarios¶

• OpenBTS/NetworkIntegration/Independent. Setting up a system that provides roaming to standard GSM without cooperation of the GSM carrier.

Miscellany¶

• OpenBTS/Logo
• OpenBTS is a registered trademark of Range Networks, Inc.

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