PDP Context Modification

An SGSN can, due to subscriber data changes, modify parameters that were negotiated during the PDP context activation procedure. For example, the QoS and radio priority parameters can be modified. The following PDP context modification procedures are supported: MS-Initiated PDP Context Modification SGSN-Initiated PDP Context Modification GGSN-Initiated PDP Context Modification RNC-Initiated PDP Context Modification BSS-Initiated PDP Context Modification When an SGSN is requested to modify a PDP context, it transparently forwards the protocol configuration option received from the MS to the GGSN, or in the other direction, from the GGSN to the MS. To determine the PLMN in which the MS is located, the MCC and MNC where the MS is registered are forwarded to the GGSN. When using the GPRS Tunneling Protocol version 1 (GTPv1), the IMEISV and the RAT (GSM, GAN, or WCDMA) are also forwarded. The forwarding of MCC, MNC, IMEISV, MS Time Zone and RAT is handled through the optional feature Access Aware Core Edge (AACE). The function of AACE is partly restricted when the SGSN is configured to support multiple PLMNs. In this case, the SGSN does not indicate a change of MCC and MNC at an Intra-SGSN RAU. The forwarding of ULI is optional and handled through the feature GTP ULI Support. This feature also controls the usage of Home Zone charging differentiation. For GSM, the SGSN can be configured to include the RAT-type in the Modification message towards the GGSN when the MS is in a Home Zone area. This applies only to SGSN- or BSS- initiated PDP Context Modification. The RAT-type sent can be configured to indicate either GAN or GERAN. The NRSU/NRSN and BCM information are exchanged in PDP context modification procedure among the UE, SGSN and GGSN. The NRSU is carried in the Protocol Configuration Options IE in the PDP Context Modification Procedure, which is transparently transferred by the SGSN. The NRSN bit is set to 1 and added to Common Flags IE, which is contained in Update PDP Context Request messages (SGSN initiated modification), only when the SGSN supports the Network-Requested Secondary PDP Context Activation procedure. The bearer control mode (BCM), applicable to all PDP Contexts within the activated PDP Address/APN pair, is negotiated as in the activation procedure. The GGSN may change the negotiated Bearer Control Mode through the GGSN Initiated PDP Context Modification procedure.

1 MS-Initiated Modification
An MS might request PDP context modification to change the negotiated QoS. WCDMA System MS might also request it to reestablish preserved RABs. 1.1 Traffic Case

The MS-Initiated PDP Context Modification procedure is shown in Figure 1.

Figure1

MS-Initiated PDP Context Modification Procedure

The following steps describe the MS-Initiated PDP Context Modification procedure: 1. The MS sends a Modify PDP Context Request message to the SGSN. 2. The SGSN sends the GGSN an Update PDP Context Request message. The protocol configuration option is included in this message. For WCDMA Systems, the Evolved Allocation/Retention Priority is also included in this message. 3. The GGSN responds with an Update PDP Context Response message to the SGSN. The Evolved Allocation/Retention Priority is included if the GGSN supports this IE. For no response, see Section 6. 4. For GSM, the SGSN exchanges information related to ongoing user data transmission with the BSS, and initiates modification of the Packet Flow Context For WCDMA Systems, the SGSN and RNC exchange information for modifying the RABs between the MS and the SGSN 5. For WCDMA Systems, the radio bearer between the RNC and the MS is modified, or released and reestablished 6. The SGSN sends a Modify PDP Context Accept message to the MS.

2 SGSN-Initiated Modification
The SGSN can initiate parts of a PDP Context Modification procedure, for example, if the MS performs a RAU, SRNS Relocation or Packet-Switched (PS) Handover to a new SGSN offering a different QoS. In WCDMA Systems, the RNC can also request the SGSN to initiate a PDP context modification, for example, due to load changes. The SGSN initiates a full PDP Context Modification procedure if the QoS subscriber subscription data values are lowered in the HLR. 2.1 Traffic Case

The SGSN-Initiated PDP Context Modification procedure is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2

SGSN-Initiated PDP Context Modification Procedure

The following steps describe the SGSN-Initiated PDP Context Modification procedure: 1. The SGSN sends an Update PDP Context Request message to the GGSN, for example, to negotiate a new QoS. For WCDMA Systems, if the Subscribed evolved Allocation Retention Priority (ARP) value is changed, it will be provided to the GGSN in this message. 2. The GGSN responds with an Update PDP Context Response message to the SGSN, which includes the Evolved Allocation/Retention Priority if the GGSN supports this IE. For no response, see Section 6. 3. For GSM Systems, the SGSN and BSC may exchange information on Packet Flow Context (PFC) 4. The SGSN sends a Modify PDP Context Request message to the MS. 5. The MS responds with a Modify PDP Context Accept message to the SGSN. For no response, see Section 6. 6. For WCDMA Systems, the SGSN and RNC exchange information on RAB modification for payload traffic between the MS and the SGSN.

3 GGSN-Initiated Modification
The GGSN-Initiated Modification procedure is only applicable when Operator QoS Control is activated. In case the feature is deactivated, the GGSN signaling is ignored by the SGSN. For more information see Features and Functions Management. A supplement to the existing 3GPP standard is described below, this procedure requires a GGSN with corresponding support. As an example when radio resources are released due to inactivity, out of coverage or circuit-switched calls, the core network preserves the streaming and conversational bearers by modifying the Maximum Bit Rate (MBR) and Guaranteed Bit Rate (GBR) to zero in the SGSN and GGSN. Thus, to prevent the GGSN from dropping downlink packets due to the modification of bit rates, the SGSN optionally supports that a GGSN initiates a PDP Context Modification procedure when downlink packets arrive. 3.1 Traffic Case

The GGSN-Initiated PDP Context Modification procedure is illustrated in Figure 3.

Figure 3

GGSN-Initiated PDP Context Modification Procedure

The following steps describe the GGSN-Initiated PDP Context Modification procedure: 1. The GGSN sends an Update PDP Context Request to the SGSN. The Evolved Allocation/Retention Priority is included if the GGSN supports this IE. 2. For GSM, the SGSN and BSS exchange information related to ongoing user data transmission, and initiates a modification of the Packet Flow Context. For WCDMA Systems, the SGSN and RNC exchange information on RAB modification for payload traffic between the MS and the SGSN. 3. The SGSN sends a Modify PDP Context Request message to the MS. 4. The MS responds with a Modify PDP Context Accept to the SGSN. When no response, see Section 6. 5. The SGSN sends an Update PDP Context Response message to the GGSN. For WCDMA Systems, the Evolved Allocation/Retention Priority is included in this message.

4 RNC-Initiated Modification
For congestion and coverage reasons, the RNC is allowed to initiate a modification of MBR and GBR. More specifically, the RNC sends a RAB Modify Request message to the SGSN, triggering an SGSN-Initiated PDP Context Modification procedure as described in Section 2.

5 BSS-Initiated Modification
The BSS can request modification of an existing BSS packet flow context, for example due to a change in the resource availability in the BSS. 5.1 Traffic Case

The BSS-Initiated PDP Context Modification procedure is illustrated in Figure 4.

Figure 4

BSS-Initiated PDP Context Modification Procedure

The following steps describe the BSS-Initiated PDP Context Modification procedure: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. The The The The The The BSS sends an Modify BSS Packet Flow Context Request to the SGSN. SGSN sends an Update PDP Context Request to the GGSN. GGSN sends a Update PDP Context Response message to the SGSN. SGSN sends a Modify BSS Packet Flow Context Accept to the BSS. SGSN sends an Modify PDP Context Request message to the MS. MS sends a Modify PDP Context Accept message to the MS.

6 Modification Reject
If the SGSN does not receive an Update PDP Context Response message from the GGSN within a time specified by the Gn_T3-ResponseUpdate parameter, the SGSN retransmits the Update PDP Context Request message to the GGSN a number of times specified by the Gn_N3-RequestsUpdate. If no response appears after last retransmission the modification procedure is rejected. Also when the Update PDP Context Response message indicate the request is not accepted, the modification procedure is rejected. At rejection, if the modification procedure was initiated by the MS, the PDP context remains active with the same QoS, except for when the GGSN lacks a PDP context. If the modification procedure was initiated by the SGSN, the PDP context is deactivated at rejection. If, during an SGSN- or GGSN-initiated modification procedure, the SGSN does not receive a Modify PDP Context Accept message from the MS within a time specified by the T3386 parameter, the SGSN retransmits the Modify PDP Context Request message. If no response appears after last retransmission the PDP context is deactivated.