VoLTE Signaling Flow

Call Setup scenario

Vijay Kumar Bansal

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Agenda

EPS Bearer
QoS
QCI Call Flow
E-RAB Understanding

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Basic EPS Session and Bearer

Uu S1 S5 SGi
PDN
eNodeB SGW PGW

PDN Connection (EPS Session)

EPS Bearer EPS Bearer ID

(EBI)
E-RAB
E-RAB ID

• PDN Connection (EPS Session): handling flows of the IP packets ,that are labeled with UE IP addresses,
between a UE and a PDN
• Represented by UE IP address and APN (“IMS” APN for VoLTE)
• EPS Bearer: a pipe through which IP packets are delivered over the LTE network between UE and P-GW
• UE can have multiple EPS bearers concurrently (up to 11 EPS bearers, EBI range: 5-15)
• EBI allocated by an MME
• E-RAB: a bearer between UE and S-GW, allocated by eNB, E-RAB ID = EBI
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Type of EPS Bearers

Default EPS Bearer Same APN

Same IP Addr.
Dedicated EPS Bearer 0..n Diff. QoS

PDN Connection
Default Bearer
One default bearer is created when UE attaches to LTE
and at least one default bearer remains active as long as
UE attached to LTE  always on
Additional default bearers (PDN connection) may be
created when simultaneous access to services available
via multiple APNs needed, e.g. Internet APN for internet
services and IMS APN for VoLTE services
Default bearers are always non-BGR bearers
GW
Dedicated Bearer
Dedicated bearer is created for QoS differentiation
purposes and triggered by network or UE
Dedicated bearers are controlled and established by
network based on operator policy
Dedicated bearers are either non-GBR or GBR bearers

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Agenda

EPS Bearer
QoS Call Flow
E-RAB Understanding

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QoS for VoLTE

• LTE uses the concept of bearers to carry the data between UE and the core network, and to
provide QoS differentiation
• UE negotiates its capabilities and expresses its QoS requirements during a SIP session setup or
session modification procedure
o Media type and bit rate
o Direction of traffic
o Packet size
o Packet transport frequency
o Usage of RTP payload for media
o Types and bandwidth adaptation
• Information delivered to PCRF by IMS during session establishment
• PCRF creates policy rules based on session data and push appropriate policy rules (BW, QoS,
traffic flow) to P-GW
• P-GW interprets the rules and takes actions to establish required EPS bearers for VoLTE

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QoS for VoLTE

• In LTE Network QoS is implemented between UE and P-GW (UE eNB S-GW  P-GW)
• QoS is applied in a EPS bearer level  all traffic mapped to the same EPS bearer receives
the same bearer level packet forwarding treatment
• Different treatment requires separate EPS bearers
• VoLTE needs both default and dedicated EPS bearer
• Dedicated EPS bearer is needed for voice media(RTP) because default bearer QoS is not
sufficient
• Default EPS bearer is for SIP Signaling

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VoLTE Bearer Combination – QoS Parameters
• QoS Class Identifier (QCI) –Indicator QCI Guarantee Priority Delay Budget Loss Rate Application
Voice
used as reference to parameters 1 GBR 2 100 ms 1e-2 VoIP
data
controlling the treatment of bearer- 2 GBR 4 150 ms 1e-3 Video call
level packet forwarding (priority,
resource type, delay & packet loss 3 GBR 3 50 ms 1e-3 Real time gaming
values) 4 GBR 5 300 ms 1e-6 Streaming
• Allocation & Retention Priority (ARP) – 5 Non-GBR 1 100 ms 1e-6 IMS signalling SIP
Indicator used to prioritize resources 6 Non-GBR 6 300 ms 1e-6 Streaming, TCP
for new & existing bearers during
7 Non-GBR 7 100 ms 1e-3 Interactive gaming
congestion situations (priority level,
pre-emption capability & vulnerability) 8 Non-GBR 8 300 ms 1e-6
Streaming, TCP
9 Non-GBR 9 300 ms 1e-6

• The VoLTE service has specific bearer combination requirements (TS 23.203).
- QCI1 dedicated bearer for the speech.
- QCI5 bearer for SIP signaling to the IMS.
- non-GBR bearer (QCI9) for data transfer (always-on).

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Agenda

EPS Bearer
QoS Call Flow
E-RAB Understanding

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LTE & VoLTE Signaling flow - high level understanding

RRC Connection Setup

Signaling connection with MME
Initial Attach Authentication and Security mode
LAU & TAU update

RRC & S1AP Signaling Connection

Dedicated bearer setup

Default bearer setup Default APN “Internet”

Default QoS “QCI-9”

Default Bearer with QCI-9

IMS Registration
IMS Signaling bearer setup (APN
QCI-5 Bearer establishment & IMS Registration “IMS”)
QoS “QCI-5”

Default Bearer ( QCI-9 ) & IMS Signaling bearer (QCI-5)

UE is ready to make or receive VoLTE Calls QCI – QoS Class Identifier

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Registration Process Overview
How VoLTE terminal get, access to internet and Ready for VoLTE calls
UE-A eNB MME HSS CSCF S-GW P-GW PCRF

1 Radio Setup

PDN Connectivity Request for Default Data APN

2 Primary Default Bearer Setup

Radio Bearer Setup for Data APN

PDN Connectivity Request for IMS APN

3 Second Default Bearer Setup

Radio Bearer Setup for IMS APN

4 IMS Registration

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L3/SIP message flow 1/4

Initial Attach and

Default Bearer
Activation “QCI9”

NW Capabilities

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L3/SIP message flow 2/4

QCI5 Setup

P-CSCF address

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L3/SIP message flow 3/4

IMS Server
Registration

RRC Connection
release due to
inactivity

401 Unauthorized is returned as S-CSCF has

not been assigned yet to the User

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L3/SIP message flow 4/4
RRC/L3 messages
removed for
simplicity
IMS Registration

Call Initiate
Response from MT end

QCI1 EPS Bearer Activation

Confirmation of QCI1 Bearer Activation to MO end

Response of UPDATE (Confirmation of QCI Bearer Activation at MT end

RBT started (Ringing initiated at MT end)

OK (INVITE)
Call Started

Call terminated

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E2E Call Flow
Example
Assumptions:
‘IMS’ default bearer (QCI5) establishes before ‘Internet’ default bearer (QCI6)

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Initial EPS Attach and Primary Default Bearer Activation

3. Update location
request, e.g. IMSI
HSS MSS PCRF P-CSCF
2. eNB forwards attach S6a SGs/Sv
Rx

request to selected MME

MME Gx
0. UE performs
RRC setup
S1-MME S11 Gm

Uu

S1- U
S5

eNB
SGW PGW

1. UE sends Initial Attach Request (EPS attach type= combined EPS/IMSI

attach) and PDN Connectivity Request to eNB with UE voice capabilities and
preferences, e.g. voice domain preference, SRVCC

Source: adapted from Thomas Hammann

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Initial EPS Attach and Primary Default Bearer Activation
5. Create Session Request (Access Point Name=ims.mnc010.mcc555.gprs, PDN Type=IPv4, AMBR,
Bearer Context (EBI=5, Bearer QoS (Priority Level, PVI, PCI, QCI=5, GBR/MBR UL/DL=0/0/0/0) ))

HSS MSS PCRF P-CSCF

Rx
S6a SGs/Sv

MME Gx

S1-MME S11 Gm

Uu

S1- U
S5

eNB
SGW PGW
4. Update-LocationAnswer (Subscription-Data (AMBR (APN-ConfigurationProfile (Context-Identifier=1,
APN-Configuration (Context-Identifier=1, Service-Selection=ims, AMBR, EPS-Subscribed-QoS-Profile
(QCI=5, ARP (Level, PVI, PCI))), APN-Configuration (Context-Identifier=2, Service-
Selection=internet.ng2.mnet, AMBR, EPS-Subscribed-QoS-Profile (QCI=6, ARP (Level, PVI, PCI)))))

Source: adapted from Thomas Hammann

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Initial EPS Attach and Primary Default Bearer Activation
9. Update location
request, e.g. IMSI 8. Create Session Response (PAA, Bearer Context EBI=5,
Bearer QoS (QCI=5, ARP (Priority Level, PVI, PCI))
HSS MSS PCRF P-CSCF
Rx
S6a SGs/Sv

MME Gx

S1-MME S11 Gm

Uu

S1- U
S5

eNB
SGW PGW

6. Credit Control Request (Called-Station-Id=ims.mnc001.mcc450.gprs, Framed-IP-Address,

Default-EPS-Bearer-QoS (QCI=5, ARP), QoS-Information ( AMBR UL/DL))

7. Credit Control Answer (Default-EPS-Bearer-QoS (QCI=5, ARP), QoS-Information ( AMBR UL/DL))

Source: adapted from Thomas Hammann

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Initial EPS Attach and Primary Default Bearer Activation
14. Attach Complete, Activate default EPS bearer context accept
10. Location Update Accept
15. Modify bearer 16. Modify bearer
12. RRC reconfiguration  e.g. request Response
UE gets bearer information, EPS HSS P-CSCF
MSS PCRF
bearer QoS, UE IP address and P- Rx
CSCF IP address S6a SGs/Sv

13. Initial Context MME Gx

Setup Response

S1-MME S11 Gm

Uu

S1- U
S5

eNB
SGW PGW

11. InitialContextSetupRequest (uEaggregateMaximumBitrate UL/DL ) E-RABToBeSetupItemCtxSUReq ( e-RAB-ID=5, e-

RABlevelQoSParameters(QCI=5,RetentionPriority(priorityLevel, PVI, PCI)) , Attach Accept (Attach Result=Combined
EPS/IMSI attach, EPS network feature Support ( IMS VoPS=1)), Activate default EPS Bearer context request (Access Point
Name=ims, PDN address, EPS quality of service (QCI=5, MBR/GBR UL/DL=0/0/0/0), APN aggregate maximum bit rate,
Negotiated QoS (preR8 QoS))
Source: adapted from Thomas Hammann
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Initial EPS Attach and Primary Default Bearer Activation
Initial Context Setup Request: MMEeNB
11. InitialContextSetupRequest (uEaggregateMaximumBitrate UL/DL ) E-RABToBeSetupItemCtxSUReq ( e-RAB-ID=5,
e-RABlevelQoSParameters(QCI=5,RetentionPriority(priorityLevel, PVI, PCI)) , Attach Accept (Attach Result=Combined
EPS/IMSI attach, EPS network feature Support ( IMS VoPS=1)), Activate default EPS Bearer context request (Access
Point Name=ims, PDN address, EPS quality of service (QCI=5, MBR/GBR UL/DL=0/0/0/0), APN aggregate maximum bit
rate, Negotiated QoS (preR8 QoS))

D:\GoLF\SOA\
VoIP\VoLTE\EUS WS\Trace files

Source: adapted from Thomas Hammann

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Secondary Default Bearer Activation

HSS MSS PCRF P-CSCF

Rx
S6a SGs/Sv

2. eNB forwards attach

request to selected MME MME Gx

S1-MME S11 Gm

Uu

S1- U
S5

eNB
SGW PGW

1. PDN Connectivity Request to eNB.

• PDN Type: IPv4v6, IPv6, IPv4
• APN: <internet>

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Secondary Default Bearer Activation
5. Credit Control Answer (Default-EPS-Bearer-QoS (QCI=6, ARP), QoS-Information ( AMBR UL/DL))

6. Create Session Response (PAA, Bearer Context EBI=6,

Bearer QoS (QCI=6, ARP (Priority Level, PVI, PCI))

HSS MSS PCRF P-CSCF

Rx
S6a SGs/Sv

MME Gx

S11
S1-MME Gm

Uu

S1- U
S5

eNB
SGW PGW

3. Create Session Request (Access Point Name=internet.ng2.mnet.mnc010.mcc555.gprs, PDN Type=IPv4, AMBR,

Bearer Context (EBI=6, Bearer QoS (Priority Level ,PVI, PCI, QCI=6, GBR/MBR UL/DL=0/0/0/0) ))

4. Credit Control Request (Called-Station-Id=internet.ng2.mnet.mnc010.mcc555.gprs, Framed-IP-Address,

Default-EPS-Bearer-QoS (QCI=6, ARP), QoS-Information ( AMBR UL/DL))

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Source: adapted from Thomas Hammann
 Secondary Default Bearer Activation
10. Attach Complete, Activate default EPS bearer context accept
11. Modify bearer 12. Modify bearer
request Response
HSS MSS PCRF P-CSCF
9. E-RAB Setup Response
Rx
S6a SGs/Sv

8. RRC reconfiguration  e.g. UE

gets bearer information, EPS MME Gx
bearer QoS, UE IP address
S1-MME S11 Gm

Uu

S1- U
S5

eNB
SGW PGW

7. E-RABSetupRequest (uEaggregateMaximumBitrate UL/DL ) E-RABToBeSetupItemCtxSUReq (e-RAB-ID=6, e-

RABlevelQoSParameters (QCI=6,ARP (priorityLevel, PVC, PCI)) , Activate default EPS Bearer context request (Access Point
Name=internet.ng2.mnet, PDN address, EPS quality of service (QCI=6, MBR/GBR UL/DL=0/0/0/0), APN aggregate
maximum bit rate, Negotiated QoS (preR8 QoS))

Source: adapted from Thomas Hammann

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 Thank you

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