Modular EGPRS Installation Guide (Osmocom + SDR)

Chapter 1 β€” Overview

This guide describes the modular installation of an EGPRS (GPRS/EDGE) infrastructure based on Osmocom and SDR (USRP, BladeRF).
Each chapter details a module, its role, dependencies, and options.
Everything can be scripted for Dockerfile integration or manual deployment on Debian/Ubuntu 22.04+.

Chapter 2 β€” System Dependencies

First, install the essential build tools, libraries, python, and debugging tools:

  • Compilation: gcc, g++, make, cmake, autoconf, automake, libtool, etc.

  • System libs: libusb-1.0-0-dev, libedit-dev, libfftw3-dev, liburing-dev, …

  • Python development: python3-dev, python3-pip, python3-numpy, python3-mako, python3-lxml, python3-six, …

  • Additional tools: nano, git, wget, curl, tmux, doxygen, ethtool, etc.

Install command:

apt update
apt install -y <all-listed-packages>

Chapter 3 β€” SDR & Hardware (UHD, BladeRF)

3.1 β€” UHD (USRP/Ettus)

  • libuhd-dev, uhd-host: Drivers and tools for USRP devices.

  • Firmware images:

python3 /usr/lib/uhd/utils/uhd_images_downloader.py

  • udev rule for auto-detection:

wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/EttusResearch/uhd/refs/heads/master/host/utils/uhd-usrp.rules && cp uhd-usrp.rules /etc/udev/rules.d/

3.2 β€” BladeRF (Nuand)

  • libbladerf-dev + build from source:

git clone https://github.com/nuand/BladeRF /opt/GSM/BladeRF
cd /opt/GSM/BladeRF && mkdir build && cd build
cmake .. && make -j$(nproc) && make install && ldconfig

Chapter 4 β€” Core Osmocom Libraries

These libraries are the foundation of the entire Osmocom GSM stack.

  • libosmocore: GSM primitives, timers, protocol management.

  • libosmo-netif: Network interfaces.

  • libosmo-abis: Abis interface support (BTS ↔ BSC).

Build each library:

git clone https://github.com/osmocom/<repo>
cd <repo> && autoreconf -fi && ./configure && make -j$(nproc) && make install && ldconfig

(replace <repo> with the library name)

Chapter 5 β€” GSM/EDGE Core Stack

Osmocom provides a separate module for each core network component:

  • osmo-hlr: Home Location Register (subscriber database)

  • osmo-msc: Mobile Switching Center (calls, SMS, mobility)

  • osmo-bsc: Base Station Controller (BTS management, handover)

  • osmo-sgsn: Serving GPRS Support Node (GPRS/EDGE session management)

  • osmo-ggsn: Gateway GPRS Support Node (IP/data gateway)

  • osmo-mgw: Media Gateway (voice/data streams)

  • osmo-pcu: Packet Control Unit (GPRS/EDGE frame management)

  • libosmo-sigtran: SIGTRAN/SS7 over IP

  • libsmpp34: SMPP library (SMS handling)

  • libgtpnl: GTP (GPRS Tunneling Protocol for mobile data)

Generic build example:

git clone https://github.com/osmocom/<module>
cd <module> && autoreconf -fi && ./configure [OPTIONS] && make -j$(nproc) && make install && ldconfig

  • Options like --enable-gtp-linux, --enable-iu, --enable-smpp, etc, are set depending on the module.

Chapter 6 β€” Radio Layers (TRX/BTS)

  • osmo-trx: SDR Transceiver (modulation, A5/x, radio PHY)

  • osmo-bts: Software interface for the TRX (BTS software)

    • Option: --enable-trx to enable SDR mode.

Typical build:

git clone https://github.com/osmocom/osmo-trx
cd osmo-trx && autoreconf -fi && ./configure --with-uhd && make -j$(nproc) && make install && ldconfig

git clone https://github.com/osmocom/osmo-bts
cd osmo-bts && autoreconf -fi && ./configure --enable-trx && make -j$(nproc) && make install && ldconfig

Chapter 7 β€” Services & Additional Tools

  • osmo-sip-connector: GSM ↔ VoIP SIP gateway (for IP calls)

  • SIM tools: pcsc-tools, pcscd, libpcsclite-dev

  • iptables, tmux, nano, python3-pip: System utilities

  • python3-requests: For API/network scripts

Install example:

apt install -y iptables tmux nano python3-pip python3-requests
pip3 install requests

Chapter 8 β€” Modular Script (bash)

#!/bin/bash
# EGPRS/Osmocom Stack Modular Installer
# Builds a complete SDR-enabled GSM/EDGE stack: USRP, BladeRF, full Osmocom core, and all dependencies.
# Author: Bastien / bbaranoff (software-defined-radio.com)
# Tested: Ubuntu 22.04+

set -e
N=$(nproc) || N=2
ROOT=/opt/GSM

# ----------------------------------------
# Chapter 2 β€” System Dependencies
# ----------------------------------------
install_deps() {
    echo "==> Installing base system and build dependencies..."
    apt update
    apt install -y \
        gcc g++ make cmake autoconf automake libtool pkg-config \
        libedit-dev libfftw3-dev libusb-1.0-0-dev liburing-dev \
        nano git wget curl tmux doxygen ethtool \
        python3 python3-dev python3-pip python3-six python3-mako python3-lxml python3-numpy python3-pybind11 python3-requests python3-scipy python3-setuptools python3-ruamel.yaml \
        libpcsclite-dev pcsc-tools pcscd cpufrequtils libsctp-dev libconfig++-dev libconfig-dev libmbedtls-dev \
        libtalloc-dev libgnutls28-dev libmnl-dev libortp-dev libdbd-sqlite3 iproute2 iputils-ping \
        libsqlite3-dev libdbi-dev libc-ares-dev libsofia-sip-ua-glib-dev telnet \
        systemd systemd-sysv dbus dbus-user-session ccache libboost-all-dev libncurses5 libncurses5-dev \
        libusb-1.0-0 libusb-dev iptables udev
}

# ----------------------------------------
# Chapter 3 β€” SDR Drivers & Firmware
# ----------------------------------------

install_uhd() {
    echo "==> Installing USRP/UHD dependencies and downloading firmware images..."
    apt install -y libuhd-dev uhd-host
    python3 /usr/lib/uhd/utils/uhd_images_downloader.py
    # Install Ettus USRP udev rules
    wget -O /etc/udev/rules.d/uhd-usrp.rules https://raw.githubusercontent.com/EttusResearch/uhd/refs/heads/master/host/utils/uhd-usrp.rules
    echo "export UHD_MODULE_PATH=/usr/lib/uhd/modules" >> /root/.bashrc
}

install_bladerf() {
    echo "==> Installing BladeRF dependencies and building from source..."
    apt install -y libbladerf-dev
    git clone https://github.com/nuand/BladeRF $ROOT/BladeRF || true
    cd $ROOT/BladeRF
    mkdir -p build && cd build
    cmake .. && make -j$N && make install && ldconfig
}

# ----------------------------------------
# Chapter 4 β€” Osmocom Base Libraries
# ----------------------------------------
build_osmo_lib() {
    echo "==> Building Osmocom core libraries: libosmocore, libosmo-netif, libosmo-abis"
    for repo in libosmocore libosmo-netif libosmo-abis; do
        git clone https://github.com/osmocom/$repo $ROOT/$repo || true
        cd $ROOT/$repo
        autoreconf -fi
        ./configure
        make -j$N
        make install
        ldconfig
    done
}

# ----------------------------------------
# Chapter 5/6 β€” Core Network, Radio, and Edge Modules
# ----------------------------------------
build_osmo_core() {
    echo "==> Building Osmocom network, radio and GPRS modules..."
    
    # HLR (subscriber DB)
    git clone https://github.com/osmocom/osmo-hlr $ROOT/osmo-hlr || true
    cd $ROOT/osmo-hlr && autoreconf -fi && ./configure && make -j$N && make install && ldconfig

    # Media Gateway
    git clone https://github.com/osmocom/osmo-mgw $ROOT/osmo-mgw || true
    cd $ROOT/osmo-mgw && autoreconf -fi && ./configure && make -j$N && make install && ldconfig

    # SIGTRAN (SS7 over IP)
    git clone https://gitea.osmocom.org/osmocom/libosmo-sigtran $ROOT/libosmo-sigtran || true
    cd $ROOT/libosmo-sigtran && autoreconf -fi && ./configure && make -j$N && make install && ldconfig

    # libsmpp34 (for SMS)
    git clone https://github.com/osmocom/libsmpp34 $ROOT/libsmpp34 || true
    cd $ROOT/libsmpp34 && autoreconf -fi && ./configure && make -j$N && make install && ldconfig

    # libgtpnl (for GTP tunnel support)
    git clone https://github.com/osmocom/libgtpnl $ROOT/libgtpnl || true
    cd $ROOT/libgtpnl && autoreconf -fi && ./configure --enable-gtp-linux && make -j$N && make install && ldconfig

    # Core network elements (order matters: GGSN, SGSN, MSC, BSC, PCU)
    git clone https://github.com/osmocom/osmo-ggsn $ROOT/osmo-ggsn || true
    cd $ROOT/osmo-ggsn && autoreconf -fi && ./configure --enable-gtp-linux && make -j$N && make install && ldconfig

    git clone https://github.com/osmocom/osmo-sgsn $ROOT/osmo-sgsn || true
    cd $ROOT/osmo-sgsn && autoreconf -fi && ./configure --enable-iu && make -j$N && make install && ldconfig

    git clone https://github.com/osmocom/osmo-msc $ROOT/osmo-msc || true
    cd $ROOT/osmo-msc && autoreconf -fi && ./configure --enable-smpp --enable-iu && make -j$N && make install && ldconfig

    git clone https://github.com/osmocom/osmo-bsc $ROOT/osmo-bsc || true
    cd $ROOT/osmo-bsc && autoreconf -fi && ./configure --enable-iu && make -j$N && make install && ldconfig

    git clone https://github.com/osmocom/osmo-pcu $ROOT/osmo-pcu || true
    cd $ROOT/osmo-pcu && autoreconf -fi && ./configure && make -j$N && make install && ldconfig

    # Radio layers: TRX, BTS
    git clone https://github.com/osmocom/osmo-trx $ROOT/osmo-trx || true
    cd $ROOT/osmo-trx && autoreconf -fi && ./configure --with-uhd && make -j$N && make install && ldconfig

    git clone https://github.com/osmocom/osmo-bts $ROOT/osmo-bts || true
    cd $ROOT/osmo-bts && autoreconf -fi && ./configure --enable-trx && make -j$N && make install && ldconfig

    # SIP connector for VoIP/SIP support
    git clone https://github.com/osmocom/osmo-sip-connector $ROOT/osmo-sip-connector || true
    cd $ROOT/osmo-sip-connector && autoreconf -fi && ./configure && make -j$N && make install && ldconfig
}

# ----------------------------------------
# Chapter 7 β€” Python & System Utilities
# ----------------------------------------
install_python_utils() {
    echo "==> Installing pip dependencies and updating UHD images..."
    pip3 install requests
    # (Re)download UHD firmware images in case not done above
    python3 /usr/lib/uhd/utils/uhd_images_downloader.py || true
}

# ----------------------------------------
# Main Sequence
# ----------------------------------------
main() {
    install_deps
    install_uhd
    install_bladerf
    build_osmo_lib
    build_osmo_core
    install_python_utils
    echo "==> All modules installed. You can now proceed with configuration and runtime scripts."
}

main "$@"

Chapter 9 β€” Summary & Best Practices

  • Each module is an independent building block, build in sequence (libs β†’ core β†’ radio β†’ services)

  • For EGPRS, the order BTS/TRX/PCU/SGSN/GGSN is critical (data flows through each component)

  • Separation of modules = easier maintenance & debugging.

  • Always check system/hardware dependencies (USRP drivers, BladeRF firmware, udev rules…)