LWN.net News from the source
| From: | Harvind Samra <hssamra-AT-kestrelsp.com> | |
| To: | discuss-gnuradio-AT-gnu.org | |
| Subject: | The OpenBTS project - an open-source GSM basestation using the USRP and VoIP | |
| Date: | Wed, 03 Sep 2008 19:42:56 -0700 | |
| Message-ID: | <1220496176.3263.37.camel@localhost.localdomain> | |
| Archive-link: | Article, Thread |
Hi all,
I wanted to introduce a new open-source project we've created, the
openBTS project.
The Open BTS Project is an effort to construct an open-source Unix
application that uses the USRP to present a GSM air interface ("Um") to
a standard GSM handset and uses the Asterisk software PBX 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.
Please take a look at
http://openbts.sourceforge.net/
We recently took our existing code to Burning Man 2008, and we were able
to successfully operate as a GSM basestation.
We'll be releasing portions of the code and architecture in the next
several weeks, and we're looking to recruit contributors to the project.
Hopefully, with a community effort, we'll have a more robust, elegant
system. Any questions or comments can be sent todburgess@kestrelsp.com
or hssamra@kestrelsp.com
Thanks to the USRP and gnuradio projects and communities for helping us
make this possible!
--- Harvind Samra
Posted Sep 4, 2008 18:29 UTC (Thu) by daney (subscriber, #24551) [Link]
Posted Sep 4, 2008 18:44 UTC (Thu) by pcampe (guest, #28223) [Link]
I vaguely remember that, if you could impersonate a BTS, you can crack a GSM SIM and clone it in no more than 6 hours.
Posted Sep 4, 2008 18:54 UTC (Thu) by oak (guest, #2786) [Link]
In which part of the world? US? The news item mentioned "developing
world"...
Posted Sep 4, 2008 19:05 UTC (Thu) by pcampe (guest, #28223) [Link]
I don't see any problem in access the OpenBTS web site (that sooner or later will contain schematics, source code, ecc..) for people living in the first world.
Posted Sep 5, 2008 0:06 UTC (Fri) by JoeBuck (subscriber, #2330) [Link]
You'd need a license to turn the thing on, since GSM operates on regulated frequency bands.
Posted Sep 4, 2008 19:06 UTC (Thu) by drag (guest, #31333) [Link]
--------------
I would think it would be completely legal if you have a radio operators license of some sort. I mean it's not like the government can make it illegal for people start their own cellular phone companies.
Posted Sep 4, 2008 20:56 UTC (Thu) by pcampe (guest, #28223) [Link]
Posted May 21, 2009 14:52 UTC (Thu) by 071203 (guest, #58711) [Link]
Posted Sep 4, 2008 21:47 UTC (Thu) by dburgess00 (guest, #53751) [Link]
As the guy who filed the FCC application for the Burning Man GSM test, I can tell you that what we
did was completely legal. Our license was WD9XKN, STA file #0353-EX-ST-2008, good for one
week in an area 10 miles NE of Gerlach, NV. We also coordinated spectrum use with a licensed
cellular carrier in the area. All of this is presented in the project web page.
What you describe is an IMSI-catcher. That's not what we were doing.
-- David A. Burgess
Posted Sep 4, 2008 22:03 UTC (Thu) by pcampe (guest, #28223) [Link]
Posted Sep 4, 2008 19:28 UTC (Thu) by bferrell (subscriber, #624) [Link]
Posted Sep 4, 2008 19:42 UTC (Thu) by robert_s (subscriber, #42402) [Link]
Posted Sep 4, 2008 21:14 UTC (Thu) by yootis (subscriber, #4762) [Link]
Posted Sep 5, 2008 0:13 UTC (Fri) by robert_s (subscriber, #42402) [Link]
Posted Oct 8, 2009 13:46 UTC (Thu) by degan (guest, #61248) [Link]
Posted Oct 9, 2009 15:21 UTC (Fri) by bronson (subscriber, #4806) [Link]
Remember that OpenBTS is hard and requires custom hardware. You won't be able to just set up your own mobile phone network in a weekend.
Copyright © 2008, Eklektix, Inc.
Comments and public postings are copyrighted by their creators.
Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds