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Introduction to Mobile Cellular Networks

Part I: 3G Mobile Core Network in a Nutshell

VU 389.168
Advanced Wireless Communications 1
14.10.2013

Outline of this Lecture


Cellular Mobile Networks: (14.10.2013 - 18.11.2013 / Svoboda)
PS-Core Network (GSM, UMTS)
PS-Core Network (LTE, LTE-A)
Link Error Analysis and Prediction
Measurement and Analysis in mobile Networks
Video in Error Prone Environments (25.11.2013 - 16.12.2013 / Rupp)
Principles of Video Encoding
Error Detection and Concealment
Cross Layer Error Resilience in Video Streaming
End to End Video Quality Estimation
Traffic in Mobile Networks (13.01.2014 - 27.01.2014 / Svoboda)
Detection of Anomalies in a Network
Traffic Flows
Traffic Modeling in High-Delay Environments
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What this lecture is about


Video and Multimedia Transmissions over Cellular
Networks

Cellular networks (GSM, UMTS, LTE, LTE-A)


Packet switched data transmission
Video and other services
Cross layer approaches

How to measure/analyze/optimize such services


What you should already know
Cellular network (basics)
UDP, TCP, IP,
eMail / HTTP / streaming (basics)

HTTP
IP
TCP
UDP

HyperText Transport Protocol


Internet Protocol
Transport Control Protocol
User Datagram Protocol
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The Problem
Today data services generate more traffic than voice
Radio link is expensive and limit resource

Data services
consume more bandwidth at less revenue
QoS definition is problematic

Looking for ways to offer constant QoS at reduced datarate/bandwidth needs

Measurement and analysis of existing traffic


Link layer modeling from IP point of view
Cross layer optimization (video streaming, )
Traffic modeling with respect to cellular networks
QoS

Quality of Service
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Possible Solutions
Communication system are split into independent atomic
layers
Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference model

Data transmission
Two consecutive layers: payload
Two corresponding layers: payload, signaling

Processing information stays within the layer


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Some (more) Motivation


Today every layer is optimized to a large extend
e.g.: receivers fight for < 1dB improvement

Idea: use processing information from multiple layers


Soften the boundaries between two layers
e.g.: variable priority for video streaming and web browsing

Optimization problems get much harder


Optimum often hard to prove

X
TB

Transport Block
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Outline of today's talk


Evolution of mobile cellular networks
3G Network Hierarchy
3G core network Elements
3G protocol Hierarchy
Simple procedures in mobile cellular networks
Journey of a packet through the network

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Network Architecture
Hierarchical ordering of functional groups
Functional structures/groups
Defined by functions / procedures
Consist of one or several physical elements

Interfaces (reference points)


Points allowing for interconnection between functional structures

IP
MS
UE

Internet Protocol
Mobile Station
User Equipment
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Network Architecture: Example GSM/GPRS


GSM (2G): digital circuit switched network for voice
All services reserve the same fixed bandwidth
Charging on time unit basis
Data rate: 9.6 kbit/s

GPRS (2.5G): extension for packet switched traffic


Packet switched (PS) domain is introduced
PS oriented shared data channels at the radio link
Data rate: ~114 kbit/s
GSM
GPRS
SIM
BTS
BSC
PCU
MSC
SGSN
GGSN

Global System for Mobile


Communication
General Packet Radio Service
Subscriber Identity Module
Base Transceiver Station
Base Station Controller
Packet Control Unit
Mobile Switching Center
Serving GPRS Support Node
Gateway SGSN
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Network Architecture: Example UMTS/HSPA


UMTS (3G):
The UTRAN (UMTS RAN) is added to existing 2.5G networks
WCDMA, soft handover, QoS,

Link speed is variable but fixed to certain values.


Data rate: 384 kbit/s

HSPA (3.5G):
Real packet switched radio bearers (similar to GPRS)
No more soft handover
Data rate: 7.2 Mbit/s
PS
UMTS
HSPA
USIM
NodeB
RNC

Packet Switched
Universal Mobile
Telecommunications System
High Speed Packet Access
Universal SIM
NodeB
Radio Network Controller
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Evolution of (digital) Cellular Networks


GSM (2G) GPRS (2.5G)
No changes on the radio interface
Large changes in RAN
Birth of the PS-Core (!)

GPRS (2.5G) UMTS (3G)


Large changes in the RAN
The first network designed for PS traffic

Small changes in the Core

UMTS R99 (3G) HSPA (3.5G)


Changes in the radio interface
No changes in the Core

RAN
PS
GSM
GPRS
UMTS
HSPA

Radio Access Network


Packet Switched
Global System for Mobile
Communication
General Packet Radio Service
Universal Mobile
Telecommunications System
High Speed Packet Access
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The Complete Picture of a 3G Core Network

2G

3G

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Summary of (digital) Cellular Networks


Main Components of a Cellular Network
User equipment
Radio access network
Core network

GSM: digital and circuit switched

RAN
PS
GSM
GPRS
UMTS
HSPA

Radio Access Network


Packet Switched
Global System for Mobile
Communication
General Packet Radio Service
Universal Mobile
Telecommunications System
High Speed Packet Access

GPRS: adds the CN PS-domain to GSM


UMTS: pseudo PS radio links, RAN UTRAN
HSPA: PS radio links for UMTS, no soft handover
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The Core Network Elements

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The Mobile Switching Center (MSC)


Routing grid for Circuit Switched (CS) services
Main functions:

Interconnect of CS services
Mobility Management
Localization
Signaling

Protocols:
PCM30 / PCM30 (not AMR!)

Interfaces:
IuCS / SS7(E)

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The Serving GPRS Support Node


Counter part to the MSC in the Packet Switched (PS)
domain
Main functions:

Security / authentication
Mobility Management (MM): cell update, etc.
Handling of data sessions (routing)
Caching user subscriber data

Protocols:
GTP / GTP (not terminated in SGSN!)

Interfaces:
IuPS / Gn

RNC

Iu-ps

SGSN
Gn

SGSN

Gn

GGSN

Gr

HLR
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The Gateway GPRS Supporting Node (GGSN)


The Gatekeeper to the outer Territories
GGSN hides the GPRS infrastructure
Main functions:

Handling of the PDP Context


Building a bridge to the external networks eg. Internet
Converting the IP packets to GTP protocol
Billing, QoS,

Protocols:
GTP / IP

Interfaces:
Gn (GTP) / Gi (IP)
SGSN

Gn

GGSN

Gi

INTERNET

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The Home Location Register (HLR)


Database holding static user information

MSISDN = MS - ISDN
CC Country Code
NDC National Dest. Code
SN Subscriber Number

Telephone number (MSISDN = CC + NDC + SN)


Subscriber number (IMSI = MCC + MNC + MSIN)
Security issues AUC (key)
IMSI Int. Mobile Subscriber Id
MCC Mobile Country Code
QoS parameters
MNC Mobile Network Code
MSIN Mobile Station Id Number
Available services (voice, packet....)
Position information: Visitor Location Register (VLR)

Protocols:
IP

Interfaces:
C

Gr, C
Gr

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Summary of Core Network Elements


Core Network Elements
CS: MSC, G-MSC
PS: SGSN, GGSN
OM: HLR, VLR, EIR,

MSC / SGSN interconnect RAN to the CN


G-MSC / GGSN interconnect CN with other networks
HLR holds all static user information
VLR local copy of HLR in SGSN
CS
Circuit Switched
PS
Packet Switched
Further Management units:
OM
Operation and Maintenance
EIR, OMC,

MSC
G-MSC
SGSN
GGSN
HLR
VLR

Mobile Switching Center


Gateway MSC
Serving GPRS Supporting Node
Gateway GPRS Supporting Node
Home Location Register
Visiting Location Register
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The Protocols

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The Protocol Hierarchy

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The Control Plane

SDH

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The User Plane

IP

PDCP

Iu - UP

Iu - UP

RLC

GTP-U

GTP-U

GTP-U

GTP-U

MAC

ATM/
UDP

ATM

UDP/
ATM

UDP/ATM

SDH

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The GPRS Mobility Management (GMM)


GPRS version of the MM protocol (MM still needed)
Managing the mobility of the terminals

Present location
Connections management services
User identity confidentiality
User states:
Idle: the subscriber is not attached
Standby: the subscriber is attached
Ready: the subscriber is active

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The RAN Application Part (RANAP)


Handles the signaling between UTRAN and PS-CN (Iu)
Booking ATM lines, Changing Setup, .

Includes all control information for UTRAN


3 Classes of elementary procedures:
General control services
Notification services
Dedicated control services

Some functions:
Iu Release (1)
Overload Control (2)
RAB Assignment (3)
RAB

Radio Access Bearer


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The Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP)


Task:
Abstraction between UMTS and transport system (ATM, IP)
Transport System is hidden.

Supports

connection -less and oriented extension to MTP


Address translation
Full OSI layer 3 compatibility
Below SS7 protocol

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The GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP v0)

For the connection between RNC, SGSN, GGSN


Payload is attached to GTP headers (8Bytes)
Used for signaling and data
Fields:

Version: GTP v0 or v1
Protocol Type: GTP, GTP (GTP protocol is used to transfer charging data to the
Charging Gateway Function)
Flags: Extension, Sequence, N-PDU
Message Type: What is this GTP message about
Length: length of payload
Tunnel Endpoint Identifier: Start/End point of the GTP tunnel (user, APN)

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The GTP -U / -C
GTP-C(ontrol)
GPRS mobility management between GSNs
Logically attached to the GTP-U tunnel physically separated
Functions:
Create/Update/Change PDP Context
Echo Request/Response
RAN Information

GTP-U(ser)

Hides mobility from IP layer


Supports reordering of T-PDUs
TEID is always unique
Functions:
Data Transmission
Tunnel Setup/Release/Error
Echo Request/Response

TEID

Tunnel Endpoint IDentifier


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Summary of Core Network Protocols


Protocol hierarchy
Non-access / Access Stratum
Radio / Transport Network Layer

Core network protocols:

GMM:
RANAP:
SCCP:
GTP-U:
GTP-C:

location, user mobility,


signaling between UTRAN and CN
abstraction between UMTS layers and transport layer
transport of user data payload
managing of corresponding GTP-U (always in pairs)

Every user has a least one GTP tunnel (pair) active


SGSN records the states of these protocols for every user
CS
PS

Circuit Switched
Packet Switched

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Let's start the Journey . . .

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Processed Steps

Now we will use the basics.


GPRS attach
PDP context activation
Mobile Station starts to send data (IP Packets)

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Activating a PDP Context

Svoboda

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Protocol Mapping

Original

Image Size = 2000 Bytes

1472

20

Data1 (1472)

TCP

20

528

IP
1500

20

20

Data2

TCP

IP

IP Layer
USER

1500

UTRAN

48 5

20

GTP

UDP

IP

48 5

48 5

48 5

48 5

GTP

UDP

20
IP

GTP Layer +
UDP, IP Core

48 5
ATM Layer

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Sending the Packet: UTRAN-SGSN

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Sending the Packet: SGSN-GGSN


SGSN

GGSN

Gn

PAYLOAD
(1500)

PAYLOAD
(1500)

PAYLOAD
(1500)

TCP Header (20)

TCP Header (20)

TCP Header (20)

IP Header (20)

IP Header (20)

IP Header (20)

GTP Header (8)

GTP Header (8)

UDP (8)
IP (20)

ATM (5)

PDH (var)

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Sending the Packet: Outer Regions


Where
is the
bird?
GGSN
INTERNET

PAYLOAD
(1500)
PAYLOAD
(1500)

TCP Header (20)


IP Header (20)

TCP Header (20)


IP Header (20)

Ethernet

Ethernet

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Summary of this lecture

Network hierarchy
Core network elements
Protocol hierarchy
How a data (IP) transmission over mobile cellular networks
works
Important things/abbreviations

Subscriber:
Elements:
Interfaces:
Procedures:

IMSI, TIMSI, GTP


RNC, SGSN, GGSN, NodeB
Gi, Gn, IuCS, IuPS
PDP, GMM

Next stop: UTRAN

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Thank you for your attention

Questions?
psvoboda@nt.tuwien.ac.at

Where to look?
[1]

RANAP on Iu: 3gpp 25.413; 23.108 (E Interface)

[2]

Iu User Plane: 3gpp 25.415

[3]

GTP: 3gpp 29.060

[4]

Core Network Basics: 3gpp 23.002

[5]

www.umtslink.at

[6]

http://www.techfest.com/networking/

[7]

http://www.manualy.sk/protocols2/pbook/gprs.htm#GTP

[8]

http://www.manualy.sk/protocols2/pbook/umts.htm

[9]

http://www.tkn.tu-berlin.de/curricula/ws0405/vl-umts/

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AAL2
ALCAP
APN
AS
ASN.1
ATM
BSC
BTS
CC
CN
CRNC
CS
DCH
DL
DRNC
DRNS
DSCH
EP
GERAN
GGSN
G-MSC
GMM/SM
Management
GPRS
GSM
GTP
GWCN
HLR
IE
IMEI
IMSI

ATM Adaptation Layer type 2


Access Link Control Application Part
Access Point Name
Access Stratum
Abstract Syntax Notation One
Asynchronous Transfer Mode
Base Station Controller
Base Transceiver Station
Call Control
Core Network
Controlling RNC
Circuit Switched
Dedicated Channel
Downlink
Drift RNC
Drift RNS
Downlink Shared Channel
Elementary Procedure
GSM/EDGE Radio Access Network
Gateway GPRS Supporting Node
Gateway Mobile Switching Center
GPRS Mobility Management / Session

Abbreviations (1)

General Packet Radio System


Global System for Mobile communications
GPRS Tunneling Protocol
GateWay Core Network
Home Location Register
Information Element
International Mobile Equipment Identity
International Mobile Subscriber Identity

IPv4
IPv6
MAC
MBMS
MM
MOCN
MSC
MTP
NACC
NAS
NRT
N-PDU
P-TMSI
PCM
PCU
PDCP
PDP
PDU
PLMN
PS
PSTN
QoS
RAB
RANAP
RLC
RNC
RNS
RRC
RT

Internet Protocol (version 4)


Internet Protocol (version 6)
Media Access Control
Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service
Mobility Management
Multi Operator Core Network
Mobile services Switching Centre
Message Transfer Part
Network Assisted Cell Change
Non Access Stratum
Non-Real Time
Network Protocol Data Unit
Packet TMSI
Puls Code Modulation
Packet Control Unit
Packet Data Convergence Protocol
Packet Data Protocol
Protocol Data Unit
Public Land Mobile Network
Packet Switched
Public Switched Telephone Network
Quality of Service
Radio Access Bearer
Radio Access Network Application Part
Radio Link Control
Radio Network Controller
Radio Network Subsystem
Radio Resource Control
Real Time
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