GPRS Roaming -

Connectivity & Scenarios

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Company confidential
BSC
BTS
MSC
HLR/AuC
EIR
PoI
Billing System
OSS
IN
SMSC
SGSN GGSN
PDN
DNS
FW
DHCP
VAS
MS
CS
PS
GPRS Network Architecture (Recap)
3 Nokia Siemens Networks
Company confidential
GPRS Network Logical (Recap)
Mediation
IN
PLMN
1
ISP
SGSN
GGSN
FW
DNS
CG
VAS
HLR MSS
MS sends Attach Request" to SGSN.
SGSN sends "Create PDP
Context Request" to
respective GGSN
MS sends "Activate PDP Context Request" to
SGSN.

SGSN checks against HLR.

SGSN sends Attach Accept" to the
MS
SGSN queries DNS fro GGSN IP Address.
SGSN sends "Activate PDP
Context Accept" to the MS and
MS is assigned IP address.
GGSN sends "Create PDP
Context Response" back to
SGSN with IP Address.
DNS returns with corresponding GGSN IP..
GTP Tunnel is established between SGSN &
GGSN.
GPRS traffic starts flowing towards ISP OR
VAS according to the service.
Call Flow
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There are three important aspects of GPRS Roaming between two networks;

GPRS Location update:
The user should be able to do the location update in visited SGSN. For this,
the existing SS7 connectivity through GMSC, between two networks, is
used.

GPRS Traffic (DNS & PS Data):
The user should be able to use its own defined services without any change in
handset settings. The user always uses its Home GGSN to access its services.
This requires the connectivity between the GN network of two operators.
Border Gateway Router & GRX connectivity is used for this purpose.

Charging:
Since user is always connected to its HOME GGSN, the charging is
controlled by the home network. The visited SGSN also generates the
CDRs for the visited subscriber for the settlement through TapOuts.

GPRS Roaming
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GPRS Network Roaming
Mediation
IN
PLMN
1
ISP
SGSN
GGSN
FW
DNS
CG
VAS
HLR MSS
BGR/FW
PLMN-B
GRX
Direct GRX Connectivity
BGR is connected to GRX (GPRS Roaming
Exchange) Directly OR through ISP Router.
Border Gateway Router (BGR) /FW is connected
on Gn Vlan.
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Company confidential
Mediation
IN
PLMN
1
ISP
SGSN
GGSN
FW
DNS
CG
VAS
HLR MSS
BGR/FW
PLMN-B
GRX
GPRS Network Roaming
GRX Connectivity through ISP
PS: In Home OR Roaming Scenario, the users uses his HOME
GGSN as it uses own Home Services & Settings.

BGR can be connected
to GRX (GPRS Roaming
Exchange) through ISP
Router.

The GN Networks gets routed to each other network on the
GTP Ports through BGR & GRX..
The SGSN/GGSN of both the networks get connected to
each other for GPRS Traffic.
The DNS is configured with the GRX DNS as the ROOT DNS.
All the DNS queries other than the Home APNs gets
routed to GRX DNS.


GPRS Roaming Call Flows

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Company confidential
Mediation
IN
PLMN
1
ISP
SGSN
DNS
CG
HLR MSS
BGR/FW
PLMN-B
GRX
GPRS Call Flow InRoamer
GGSN
GGSN
FW
VAS
MS sends "Activate PDP Context
Request" to SGSN with its own
APN.
As this APN is not in DNS, DNS
responds back with GRX DNS
address.
SGSN Queries GRX
DNS.
GRX reverts back with Home DNS IP address. The Home
DNS provides the right GGSN Address.
GTP Tunnel is established between Visited SGSN &
Home GGSN.
User accesses its services through home GGSN.
SGSN Queries its DNS for
GGSN IP for this APN.
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Company confidential
Mediation
IN
ISP
GGSN
FW
DNS
CG
VAS
BGR/FW
PLMN-B
GRX
GPRS Call Flow OutRoamer
PLMN
1
SGSN
HLR MSS
SGSN
The APN resolution query comes to the Home DNS
from visited SGSN.
The Home DNS replies back with the correct GGSN IP
Address.
SGSN sends the Create PDP Request to GGSN and
GTP tunnel between Visited SGSN & Home GGSN is
established.
User accesses its services
through home GGSN.
GPRS Roaming - ICR
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Intra Circle Roaming refers to enabling the same services to the subscriber
belonging to a PLMN while moving in another PLMN in same telecom license
service area.

This uses few specific features in the SGSN which are;
EPLMN (Equivalent PLMN) With this feature, the defined PLMN
is treated as Home Equivalent PLMN. Because of this, the
Routing Area Update procedure is used to update the location
in visited SGSN rather than normal Cell Reselection/Attach
procedure.

Roaming Restriction: With this feature, only a defined
combination of RAs (Routing Areas) & IMSIs can be allowed for
Location Update in the SGSN.

As in normal Roaming Scenarios, normal GT routing (Through GMSC) is
used for GPRS Location Update. i.e. SS7 connectivity of SGSN with the
Remote HLR is through GMSC only.
A connectivity between Home GN (SGSN/GGSN) network & Visited GN
(SGSN/GSN) network is required.
GPRS - IntraCircle Roaming
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GRX
Cloud
Operator A
Operator B
BGR BGR
DNS DNS
GGSN
SGSN
GGSN
SGSN
Existing GRX link is used for the connectivity between two GN Networks.
The DNS query goes through GRX connectivity.
The GPRS Traffic also goes through the same GRX connectivity.
No Additional configurations are required in DNS for ICR partner.
Since in ICR scenario, the data traffic is expected to be on the higher side, cost incurred
by both the operators on GRX connectivity will go on the higher side.
GN Connectivity GPRS IntraCircle Roaming
Through GRX
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GRX
Cloud
Operator A
Operator B
GPRS Traffic
BGR BGR
DNS DNS
GGSN
SGSN
GGSN
SGSN
Existing GRX link is used for the connectivity between two GN Networks but for DNS query
only.
The DNS query goes through GRX connectivity.
The BGRs of the both the operators are directly connected using secured tunnels.
The GPRS Traffic goes through this Secured link between two operators.
No Additional configurations are required in DNS for ICR partner.
This saves the cost of both the partners towards the GRX connectivity.
GN Connectivity GPRS IntraCircle Roaming
Partial GRX
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GRX
Cloud
Operator A
Operator B
DNS Query
GPRS Traffic
BGR BGR
DNS DNS
GGSN
SGSN
GGSN
SGSN
GRX Links is not required for any purpose of ICR Roaming scenarios.
The DNS is configured with the APNs of ICR partner with their corresponding GGSN Ips.
The APNs get directly resolved by visited DNS.
The BGRs of the both the operators are directly connected using secured tunnels.
The GPRS Traffic goes through this Secured link between two operators.
This saves the cost of both the partners towards the GRX connectivity.
GN Connectivity GPRS IntraCircle Roaming
Direct Connectivity Preferred Mode
Operational Issues
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Location Update: (When the LU is not happening in SGSN)
Bring the handset into Always Online Mode.
- G, E or Dotted Arrows appear on the handset screen.
If not check for some other number belonging to same PLMN in some other area of the
same SGSN.
- If issues persists in the other numbers also in different areas, check the GT
routing in SGSN.
- If at other place, same PLMN sim is working
check the Services on that Sim card.
Check GPRS services in that cell (BTS Site). The services in the cell can be
checked by using the home SIM in the same area.
ICR Operational Issues
PDP Establishment: (When Location Update is successful.)
Check for the services of that number in SGSN profile.
If services are defined for that APN,
- Check for the APN resolution for same PLMN through SGSN.
If APN does not get resolved in the SGSN,
- check the DNS entries for that APN in the specific PLMN Zone.
IF DNS Entries & Servcies are OK, Check for the connectivity between Visited SGSN
and Home GGSN.
In some cases, it has also been observed that the OSPF routing malfunctions in the FW
and losses the connectivity with remote Gn Network.
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Throughput Issue: (When PDP is through)
The visited Subscriber is not able to access the throughput in visited area.
Check for the Services with the Home number in the same area.
If expected throughput is observed with Home Number,
- Check the QoS of the subscriber profile.
- Check for the Inter Connectivity link utilization.
- Check for the errors in this link.
- Check the ISP BW of the visited PLMN.
If expected throughput is not observed using home number also,
- Check the services in other area with the Home Number.
If services are OK in other areas, Get the previous area checked for the RF/Gb
Resources.
If expected throughput is not observed in other area also using home number also,
- Check for the Gb Utilization in the areas.
- Check for the PAPU Throughput Utilization.
- Check for the PAPU CPU Utilization.
- Check for the FW/Switch CPU Utilization.
ICR Operational Issues
The connectivity between the two operators is very important wrt to availability &
Utilization for the proper services between the ICR partners.
Thank You !!!!