Wireless Intelligent Networking

ABSTRACT

Wireless Intelligent Network (WIN) is a concept being developed

by the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) Standards
Committee TR45.2. The motive of WIN is to drive intelligent network
(IN) capabilities, based on interim standard (IS)-41, into wireless
networks WIN is defined as an architecture that separates the service
logic and feature functionality from the wireless network switch and
places that functionality in other platforms of the network. . Not only
are subscribers insisting on more functionality, not only are subscriber
bases growing at tremendous rate, but as subscribers become
increasingly accustomed to using wireless phones, they are becoming
more mobile and require more services. Expectations for services have
gone beyond the need for emergency assistance; people require the
same functionality that they are using on their landline phones. The
wireless intelligent network (WIN) paradigm is the key to helping
service providers offer new enhanced services at fair rate. Examples of
services offered by WIN are incoming call screening, calling name
presentation, short message services, voice controlled dialing, speech to
text conversion etc. WIN supplies customized management of mobility
and enhanced services, provides capabilities for rapid service
introduction, service creation and service customization.
Wireless Intelligent Networking

1. INTRODUCTION

The intelligent network (IN) is an architectural concept that

enables the real time execution of network services and customer
applications in a distributed environment consisting of interconnected
computers and switching systems. Beginning in the early 1980’s, the IN
was applied to the development of new services in wireline telephone
networks. Notable successes were achieved in the United States long
distance telephone industry and virtual private network (VPN) services
contributed strongly to growth in traffic and revenue.

Wireless service providers are challenging equipment vendors to

help them meet the rigorous demands placed on them from subscribers
insisting on more functionality. Not only are subscribers insisting on
more functionality, not only are subscriber bases growing at
tremendous rate, but as subscribers become increasingly accustomed to
using wireless phones, they are becoming more mobile and requiring
more services. Expectations for services have gone beyond the need for
emergency assistance; people require the same functionality that they
are using on their landline phones. The wireless intelligent network
(WIN) paradigm is the key to helping service providers offer new
enhanced services, but equipment vendors have not been able to keep
up with requests for new triggers and protocols that the market
demands in order to provide enhanced services. To address the urgency
for quicker time to market and ubiquitous service offerings, alternative
means of providing enhanced services must be deployed while waiting
for the standards to finalize and for equipment vendors to catch up. As
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the market places pressure on the WIN architecture to improve time to
market requirements, many critical decisions will be made.

As we know that the wireless market is becoming increasingly

competitive, rapid development of enhanced services become critical to
a successful wireless strategy. Rapid creation and deployment of
services has become the hallmark of a wireline network based on IN
concepts. The WIN will bring those same successful strategies into the
wireless networks.

IN based services are expected to give network operators new

streams of revenue and to give end users a range of attractive
communication options.
Wireless Intelligent Networking

2.DEFINITION

Wireless Intelligent Network is a concept being developed by the

Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) Standards Committee
TR45.2. The character of the committee is to drive intelligent network
(IN) capabilities, based on interim standard (IS)-41, into wireless
networks. IS-41 is a standard currently being embraced by wireless
providers because it facilitates roaming. Basing WIN standard on this
protocol enables a graceful evolution to an IN without making current
network infrastructure obsolete.

WIN is defined as an architecture that separates the service logic

and feature functionality from the wireless network switch and places
that functionality in other platforms of the network.

The WIN is based on an architecture that separates call processing

from enhanced feature functionality. The mobile switching center
suspends control of call processing when it encounters a trigger,
passing control to the WIN network element. This element manages the
intelligence to provide the enhanced service.

Wireless Intelligent Network techniques allow new

communication services to be quickly developed and introduced across
a wireless network without requiring major updates. In addition to
creating revenue earning opportunities for wireless network operators,
Wireless Intelligent Networking
the new services give end users a high level of personal control over
their communication services.

EVOLUTION

The intelligent network standards developed on wireline

networks and ultimately migrated to mobile networks. It is important
to note that this head start has enabled fixed networks to capture a lead
in terms of network intelligence exploitation.

In Fixed network it is easier to apply network control and service

logic as the position of the user is static. The Wireline Intelligent
Network standards, Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) and
Intelligent Network Application Part (INAP), serve fixed networks well
but they are inadequate for mobile networks, where service mobility is
fundamental requirement.

The two primary means of intersystem communications for

mobile networks are ANSI-41 and GSM MAP. These standards serve
the industry well in terms of basic mobile operations such as support of
roaming operations and seamless support of most basic services.
However these standards do not by themselves provide capabilities
necessary for many advanced features found on the wireline networks
such as calling name delivery free phone (toll free services).

The need for improved intelligence leads to WIN. IN solutions

have revolutionized wireline networks. Rapid creation and deployment
of services has become the hallmark of a wireline network based on IN
Wireless Intelligent Networking
concepts. WIN will bring those successful strategies into the wireless
networks.

The evolution to WIN concept of service deployment delivers the

following advantages:-
• multivendor product offerings that foster competition
• uniform services to subscribers across service areas
• efficient network utilization
• rapid service creation and deployment
• supports a wide set of service applications
• helps get new services to market quickly
• simplifies database and service administration
• supplies customized management of mobility and enhanced
services
• presents an efficient test bed for new services and features

CONCEPT

WIN is based on wireline IN Concepts Model (INCM). The INCM

represents an architectural frame work and certain capabilities but not
services. During call processing, switch can detect events (triggers) at
various points where call processing can be interrupted to request IN
processing (at origination or termination of dialing). The switch then
queries service logic for further instructions. Service logic can be
programmed to provide new services. There are certain requirements
for WIN based services to be in reality such as flexible distribution of
Wireless Intelligent Networking
service logic functions, new services must co-exist with existing
wireless services.

3. INTELLIGENT NETWORK (IN)

An intelligent network (IN) is a service- independent

telecommunications network. That is intelligence is taken out of the
switch and placed in computer nodes that are distributed throughout
the network. This provides the network operator with the means to
develop and control services more efficiently. New capabilities can be
rapidly introduced into the network. Once introduced, services are
easily customized to meet individual customer’s needs. The main
benefit of IN is the ability to improve existing services and to develop
new sources of revenue.

IN Architecture
Wireless Intelligent Networking

IP

IN signaling

SN SSP SCP
Voice Channel

Service
Subscriber SSP

4. FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF INTELLIGENT

NETWORK

• Service switching point (SSP) – Its major function is to detect

events during call processing, called triggers that indicate an IN
call event. After triggering, the SSP suspends call processing and
starts a series of transactions with the SCP to determine the
handling of the call.

• Service control point (SCP) – It performs subscriber or application

specific service logic in response to a query from SSP and then
sends back instructions to perform specified functions and how to
continue call processing. It also provides mechanism for
introducing new services and customizing services and features.
Wireless Intelligent Networking
• Intelligent peripheral (IP) – It performs specialized resource
functions such as :-
• Playing announcements
• Collecting digits
• Speech recognization
• Recording and storing voice messages
• Facsimile services

• Service node (SN) – It is a programmable network node that

allows the service providers to create new circuit related services.
It also combines the capabilities of SCP and IP.

5. UNIQUE SERVICE REQUIREMENTS OF

WIRELESS

ROAMING

Mobility dictates a need for technology or standards that

make it possible for different networks to talk to each other. Subscribers
want to be able to use the same voice-activated services that they use in
their home city when they travel to Phoenix. They also want the service
to work in the same way. Roaming is one of the factors driving the WIN
standards now being developed.

Customers can roam out of their local calling area or out of

their service provider’s area. Both these situations require messaging of
data before the call is even put through to handle the setup,
Wireless Intelligent Networking
authorization, and proper billing for roaming services. With this
service customers can roam out of their local calling area or out of their
service provider area. All of these IN services require signaling system 7
(SS7) messages to be send back and forth between various devices. In
non intelligent applications, calls are simply routed, connected and then
disconnected. Wireless applications require additional SS7 messages to
make the service work. Intelligent networking is required for various
validations and billing reciprocation of wireless calls.
Wireless Intelligent Networking

CARRIER SELECT

Carrier select services can benefit both the provider and the
subscriber. They allow providers to select, based on codes or automatic
handset selection, the network that will be used to complete the call.
This way, a carrier can secure calls with its business partners. For
example, customers from Chicago roam to Dallas. When those
customers travel (if they keep the same frequency band of the Chicago
carrier) and make a call, it would normally be routed to the carrier’s
competitor- not its partner-in that area. However, with carrier select the
mode of a provider’s phone could go out and automatically select the
correct carrier. These services also allow subscribers the choice of
programming new sophisticated handsets to route calls selectively
which could save them money

HANDS-FREE OPERATION

Hands-free wireless services are the most sought-after services for

safety-minded customers today. They need features such as voice-
activated dialing and feature activation, which require special
technology that converts voice into data.

The network will migrate to using intelligent networking to route

the call to the intelligent-peripheral devices that provide the special
technology, such as voice recognition, that is necessary for hands-free,
voice controlled services. To get the message or voice signals routed to
Wireless Intelligent Networking
the devices that collect that information and translate it to data
information requires special routing of intelligent networking. An IN
application is a more efficient utilization of IP facilities

FEE STRUCTURE

Calls are being handed off among networks. After the call is
handled properly, billing takes place. IN flags can be written right into
the call record so that billing reflects the specific call handling. Using an
IN flag in the billing record makes processing between carriers much
easier.

Wireless companies con now get paid for calls coming into the
wireless network. These changes make billing relationships more
complex and will increase the need for IN flags.

DATA-SERVICE CAPABILITIES

Handset displays allow customers to use various massaging

services. One, called short message service (SMS), works much like a
pager. It allows phones to send and receive messages in addition to
making or taking telephone calls. SMS require many SS7 messages just
to set up the signaling and the mechanism to get the data through the
wireless network. It requires a significant amount of checks and
balances, finding the database, pulling up the message, encapsulating it
with the right header information to route it to the correct user, and
finally sending it out like a phone call.
Wireless Intelligent Networking

6. FUNCTIONAL COMPONENTS OF WIN

The WIN mirrors the wireline IN mode. In the WIN, more call
associated pieces of information are communicated between the MSC
and the SCP or HLR. The WIN moves service control away from the
MSC and up to a higher element in the network, usually the SCP.

Fig. Components of WIN

• Mobile Switching Center (MSC) as service switching point (SSP) –

In the IN, SSP is the switching function portion of the network.
The mobile switching center (MSC) provides this function in the
WIN.

• Service control Point (SCP) – This provides a centralized element

in the network that controls service delivery to subscribers. High-
Wireless Intelligent Networking
level services can be moved away from the MSC and controlled at
this higher level in the network. It is cost effective as MSC
becomes more efficient, does not waste cycles processing new
services, and simplifies new service deployment

• Intelligent peripheral (IP) – The IP gets information directly from

the subscriber, be it credit-card information, a PIN, or voice-
activated information. The peripheral gets information, translates
it to data, and hands it off another element in the network – like
SCP- for analysis and control.

• Signal transfer point (STP) – This is a packet switch in the

signaling network that handles distribution of control signals
between different elements in the network such as MSC and HLRs
or MSCs and SCPs. The advantage of an STP is that is that it
concentrates link traffic for the network. It can also provide
advanced address capabilities such as global title translation and
gateway screening.

• Location registers – These are used to supplement MSCs with

information about the subscriber. The number of subscribers that
the switch supports changes as roamers move in and subscribers
move to other switches. The database of active subscribers
changes very dynamically. Each MSC cannot have the database for
all potential users of that switch. The location registers helps to get
around that problem There are two types of location registers :-
Wireless Intelligent Networking
• Visitor location register (VLR) – Within an MSC there is a VLR
that maintains the subscriber information for visitors or roamers
to that MSC. Every MSC or group of MSCs will have a VLR

• Home location register (HLR) – Information on roamers is

obtained from subscriber’s HLR. Each subscriber is associated
with a single HLR, which retains the subscriber’s record. When
the subscriber roams to another switch, the VLR queries the
subscriber’s home HLR to get information about that subscriber.
When a phone call goes to a subscriber’s home MSC, the MSC
recognizes that the subscriber is roaming and asks the HLR for
subscriber’s location. The HLR will communicate that information
to the VLR and relay temporary location number received from
the visited system.
Wireless Intelligent Networking

7. WIN SERVICES

Enhanced services are increasing in popularity. At this point,

various carriers within different serving areas are implementing them
using available IN protocols and concepts. As WIN standards are
implemented, the same enhanced service will be applicable across
serving areas so that wireless users will have a more consistent interface
for seamless use while roaming. The WIN standards will make wireless
services really successful. The services developed during the first phase
by the committee are as follows:-

• Calling name presentation (CNP)

• Incoming call screening (ICS)
• Short message service (SMS)
• Voice control services
• Speech to text conversion (short message creation) (STC)
• Voice controlled dialing (VCD)
• Voice based user identification (VUI)
• Voice controlled feature activation and control (VCFC)
• Password call acceptance (PCA)
• Selective call acceptance (SCA)
Wireless Intelligent Networking

7.1 CALLING NAME PRESENTATION (CNP)

CNP displays the name of the calling party on the called party’s
terminal. When a call comes in for a wireless subscriber, the
subscriber’s home MSC receives the call. The home MSC queries the
HLR to determine where the mobile is located. The HLR sends a route
request to the MSC serving the subscriber and receives from the serving
MSC a temporary local directory number (TLDN), which is routed back
to the home MSC. The home MSC uses the TDLN to route the call over
the public switched telephone (PSTN) to the serving MSC. When the
call is delivered to the serving MSC, the caller’s number is also
delivered. Noting that the subscriber has calling name delivery service,
Wireless Intelligent Networking
the servicing MSC queries a number to name database. The text that is
returned to the serving MSC is sent to the mobile for display.

7.2 INCOMING CALL SCREENING (ICS)

ICS is an enhanced service which provides the capability of

routing or selective blocking of incoming calls to a subscriber. The ICS
service logic resides on the SCP which screens the call based on
screening factors and selects one of the many possible terminating
actions.

When a call arrives at the home MSC, the home MSC queries
the HLR for the location of the mobile, as described earlier. The query
to the HLR contains the calling party’s number. The HLR noting that
this subscriber has the ICS feature, queries the SCP database containing
Wireless Intelligent Networking
the approved list. The SCP replies back to the HLR if the number is on
the approved list. The HLR then continues processing the call by
sending a route request to the serving MSC as above or halting the
process of the call.

7.3 SHORT MESSAGE SERVICE

SMS allows phones to send and receive messages in addition to

making or taking telephone calls. It provides the ability to deliver short
message as a packet of data between two service users.

When SMSC has a message to send to a mobile, it queries the HLR

to determine the serving MSC. If the mobile’s location is not known, the
HLR replies to the SMSC with a message that the mobile’s location is
unknown. The SMSC stores the message until it receives notification of
Wireless Intelligent Networking
mobile’s location. The HLR retains the information that there is a short
message for the subscriber. When the mobile powers on, the serving
MSC sends a registration notification to the HLR and the HLR provides
the serving MSC with a registration notification return result and the
subscriber’s profile. The HLR recalls that the subscriber has a short
message waiting and sends a message to the SMSC with the mobiles
location. The SMSC acknowledges the information from the HLR and
continues with the delivery of the short message to the subscriber.

7.4 VOICE CONTROLLED SERVICES

Hand free services are the most sought after services today.
They need features like voice activated dialing and feature activation
which requires special technology that converts voice into data. The
network will migrate to using intelligent networking to route call to the
intelligent peripheral devices that provide the special technology, such
as voice recognition, that is necessary for hands free voice controlled
services.

• Speech to Text Conversion (STC)

STC permits a calling party to create a short alphanumeric

message by speaking to an ASR device that will perform speech to text
conversion. The short message may then be distributed by any means
available such as short message delivery.

• Voice Controlled Dialing (VCD)

Wireless Intelligent Networking

VCD allows a subscriber to originate calls by dialing digits

using spoken commands instead of the keypad. VCD may be used
during call origination or during the call itself

• Voice Based User Authentication (VUI)

VUI permits a subscriber to place restrictions on access to

service by using VUI to validate the identity of the speaker. VUI
employs s form of ASR technology to validate the identity of the
speaker rather than determine what was said by the speaker. VUI
requires that the subscriber register the service by training the ASR
system by recording a word or phase. When a user attempts to
access a service, the ASR system prompts the user to say the special
phrase.

• Voice Controlled Feature Control (VCFC)

VCFC permits a calling party to call a special VCFC directory

number, identify the calling party as an authorized subscriber with a
mobile directory number and personal identification number (PIN),
and specify feature operations via one or more feature control
strings. This service is similar to remote feature control (RFC) except
that the subscriber s allowed to dial feature control digits or
commands using spoken words and phrases instead of keypad
digits.
Wireless Intelligent Networking

PASSWORD CALL ACCEPTANCE (PCA)

PCA is a call screening feature that allows the subscriber to

limit incoming calls to only those calling parties who are able to
provide a valid password. Calls from parties who cannot provide a
valid password will be given call refusal while PCA is active.

SELECTIVE CALL ACCEPTANCE

SCA is a call screening service that allows the subscriber to

receive incoming calls only from parties whose calling party numbers
(CPNs) are in a SCA screening list. Calls without a CPN will be given
call refusal treatment while SCA is active.
Wireless Intelligent Networking

8. CONCLUSION

The movement to develop a WIN strategy was originally

triggered by wireless network operators under the auspices of the
Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA). They
developed a set of requirements calling for industry standards that
defined new network architecture incorporating the service flexibility of
INs with the mobility aspects of wireless networks.

New services can be developed on either the switch or the WIN

elements. Many factors, including technical and financial, need to be
considered for making the correct choice. These factors are those that
provide a solution that best meets the service providers requirements
for economy, efficiency and quality. The architecture plays an
important role in meeting and exceeding their expectations for new
services.

The development of WIN has resulted in an elegant solution,

which, while solving the problem of delivering supplementary services
in wireless networks, will maintain their integrity. Wireless IN
techniques enable a broad scope of service possibilities that are
attracting the attention of network operators. WIN technology creates
opportunities for market share and reducing churn by marketing
innovative services tailored to fit the individual needs of different types
of people and groups in business and residential applications.
Wireless Intelligent Networking

9. REFERENCES

• www.iec.org

• www.lucent.com

• www.mobilein.com

• www.ericsson.com

• www.telcordia.com

• www.onforum.com

• www.tiaonline.org
Wireless Intelligent Networking