diff --git a/openbsc/src/libcommon-cs/common_cs.c b/openbsc/src/libcommon-cs/common_cs.c
index 99aa0cf..0efec23 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/libcommon-cs/common_cs.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/libcommon-cs/common_cs.c
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 /* Code used by both libbsc and libmsc (common_cs means "BSC or MSC").
  *
  * (C) 2016 by sysmocom s.m.f.c. <info@sysmocom.de>
+ * (C) 2008-2010 by Harald Welte <laforge@gnumonks.org>
+ * (C) 2014 by Holger Hans Peter Freyther
  * All Rights Reserved
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -17,3 +19,64 @@
  * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  *
  */
+
+#include <stdbool.h>
+
+#include <osmocom/gsm/gsm0480.h>
+
+#include <openbsc/common_cs.h>
+#include <openbsc/gsm_data.h>
+#include <openbsc/gsm_subscriber.h>
+
+/* Warning: if bsc_network_init() is not called, some of the members of
+ * gsm_network are not initialized properly and must not be used! (In
+ * particular the llist heads and stats counters.)
+ * The long term aim should be to have entirely separate structs for libbsc and
+ * libmsc with some common general items.
+ */
+struct gsm_network *gsm_network_init(void *ctx,
+				     uint16_t country_code,
+				     uint16_t network_code,
+				     mncc_recv_cb_t mncc_recv)
+{
+	struct gsm_network *net;
+
+	const char *default_regexp = ".*";
+
+	net = talloc_zero(ctx, struct gsm_network);
+	if (!net)
+		return NULL;
+
+	net->subscr_group = talloc_zero(net, struct gsm_subscriber_group);
+	if (!net->subscr_group) {
+		talloc_free(net);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	if (gsm_parse_reg(net, &net->authorized_regexp, &net->authorized_reg_str, 1,
+			  &default_regexp) != 0)
+		return NULL;
+
+	net->subscr_group->net = net;
+	net->auto_create_subscr = true;
+	net->auto_assign_exten = true;
+
+	net->country_code = country_code;
+	net->network_code = network_code;
+
+	INIT_LLIST_HEAD(&net->trans_list);
+	INIT_LLIST_HEAD(&net->upqueue);
+	INIT_LLIST_HEAD(&net->subscr_conns);
+
+	/* init statistics */
+	net->msc_ctrs = rate_ctr_group_alloc(net, &msc_ctrg_desc, 0);
+	net->active_calls = osmo_counter_alloc("msc.active_calls");
+
+	net->mncc_recv = mncc_recv;
+	net->ext_min = GSM_MIN_EXTEN;
+	net->ext_max = GSM_MAX_EXTEN;
+
+	net->dyn_ts_allow_tch_f = true;
+
+	return net;
+}