Which equipment provides the primary communications link to subscriber handsets in a wireless network?

• A. Mobile Switching Center
• B. Core Network
• C. Base Station Transceiver System(BTS)
• D. Base Transceiver Station (BTS)

Answer: (C)

The key idea is the direct radio connection to mobile devices—the air interface. The Base Station Transceiver System is the radio portion of the network that transmits and receives signals to and from subscriber handsets, handling the actual wireless link (modulation, timing, power control, etc.) and connecting to the rest of the network for control and resource management. The Mobile Switching Center handles call setup and routing through the network, not the radio link itself. The Core Network provides services and interconnection but, again, isn’t the direct link to phones. While Base Transceiver Station is a common term for this radio equipment, the option emphasizing the System reflects the radio subsystem that forms the primary link to user devices.