Mobile

Wireless

Exponential Growth of World Wide

GSM Data Users

in million subscriber

Growth in mobile data is expected to be 70% p.a. in next 5

yrs (Merryl Lynch)

90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

innovators

early adaptors

early majority

Late majority

~ 1%

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

Dramatic Increase of Mobile

Data Volume
UMTS study funded by the European Comission

Mbytes per user per month

data will account for up to 75% of total mobile traffic

by 2005 up to 40% of people in the EU will be using mobile
phones
35
30
25
20
15
10

Today
0.8 Mb/user/month

5
0
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

Wireless Data Network Drivers

Information access
PDAs
Network computers
Alpha paging,
information distribution
Web/WAP technology

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

Services Most Often Requested

After Basic Wireless Telephony Service
Call Forwarding

37%

Paging

33%

Internet/E-mail

24%

Traffic/Weather

15%

Conference Calling

13%

News

Data
Applications

3%

Source: CTIA Web Page

Peter D. Hart Research Associates, March 1997
N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

Data Services on Cellular

Standards for packet services on cellular are
already defined
GSM: GPRS - GSM Packet Radio System
CDMA: IWF and MobileIP

Both utilize bandwidth over the

backhaul/backbone to gateway devices
A data network built for packet data transport can
reduce the need to expand the backbone beyond
voice requirements

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

Wireless Market Segments

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

Residential WLANs

Found in office environment for wireless

network access
Either infrared or radio
Standards are
Bluetooth
IEEE 802.11

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

Fixed Wireless
Provide high speed wireless link to
connect remote sites
Point-to-point or point-to-multipoint
Line-of-sight or non-line-of-sight systems
Two standards
LMDS Local Multipoint Distribution System
MMDS
N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

Mobile Wireless Networks

Usually digital cellular radion networks

Provide voice and data services
1G analog transmission
2G digital cellular networks (like GSM)

Circuit switched
2G+

HSCSD (circuit switched bundeled timeslots)

GPRS (voice CS, data PS)
3G like UMTS

Completely packet switched voice and data

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

10

GPRS and other Mobile Wireless

Technologies
Technology

Type

Throughput

Investment

GSM data

Circuit 9.6 kbits/s

HSCSD

Circuit 56 kbits/s Medium

Std. Body

Low ETSI
ETSI

Availability

Now
1999 - 2000

EDGE Packet 380 kbits/s

Medium

Ericsson

GPRS Packet 150 kbits/s

Medium

ETSI

2000-2001

ETSI

2002

UMTS Packet

2 Mbits/s

HSCSD
EDGE
GPRS
UMTS
N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

High (radio)

2000-2001

High Speed Circuit Switched Data

Enhanced Data Rate for GSM Evolution
General Packet Radio Service
Universal Mobile Telephone Service
01_mobile_wirel

11

GSM Packet Data Service Options

Two services as part of "Phase 2+" of the GSM
specification

High Speed Circuit Switched Data

(HSCSD)
General Packet Radio Service
(GPRS)

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

12

High Speed Circuit Switched Data

(HSCSD)
allows the combination of multiple timeslots
Channels can be multiplexed together to offer a data rate of up
to 56 Kbit/s when using all four slots (14.4 Kbs/channel)
because each time slot could carry a conventional conversation,
the use of multiple slots restricts the capacity for speech traffic,
resulting in the handset user specifying a minimum acceptable
data rate and a preferred (and usually higher) data rate
will prove particularly useful for applications with high-speed
data requirements, such as large-scale file transfers, advanced
fax services and mobile video communications

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

13

General Packet Radio Service

(GPRS)
available over GSM networks
Data is packet switched - voice remains circuit switched
may also be supported as part of other standards, such as DECT and
TDMA
based on the transportation and routing of packetized data
Capacity limitation is hence in terms of the amount of data being
transmitted rather than the time of connection
reduces the time spent setting up and taking down connections
works with public data networks using Internet protocol & X.25
"bursty" applications such as e-mail, traffic telematics, telemetry,
broadcast services, and Web browsing
requires modifications to the GSM system architecture and has
targeted commercial availability in the 1999 timeframe
N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

14

HSCSD vs GPRS
HSCSD is a small market
HSCD doesnt do anything to ease spectrum capacity
constraints that operators are facing
GPRS benefits
ultimately, higher speed data
the packet data element is most important because it uses the
spectrum in a better way
not tying up a whole channel end-to-end for one user

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

15

Enhanced Data Rate for GSM Evolution

(EDGE)
GSM Standard bodies are defining data networking
technologies which will build upon GPRS
One such technology is Enhanced Data Rate for GSM
Evolution (EDGE)
EDGE will offer a theroretical rate of up to 384 Kbs.

Beyond EDGE, 3G (UMTS) cellular systems will eventually

offer data rates up to 2 Mbs

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

16

Universal Mobile Telephone Service

UMTS
3G mobile system
Developed within ITU-2000 framework
Frequency bands
Terrestrial: 1885 2025 MHz and 2110 2200 MHz
Sattelite:

1980 2010 MHz and 2170 2200 MHz

Data rates up to 2Mbps

Inherent IP support
Fully packet switched (data and voice)
Concept of VME (Virtual Home Environment)
N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

17

GSM Cellular Packet Data

BSS Base Station Subsystem
BSC Base Station Controller
BTS Base Transceiver Stations
BTS

BSS

Backhaul

SSS Switching Subsystem

VLR Visitor Location Register
HLR Home Location Register
AUC Authentication Center
EIR Equipment Identity Center
MSC Mobile Switching Center
GPRS SGSN and
VLR
GGSN provide
packet data
SSS
HLR
services
AUC
EIR

BSC

MSC
BTS

MSC
BSC

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

Transit
Net

01_mobile_wirel

Internet
GGSN

Transit
Net
SGSN
GSN GPRS Support Node
SGSN Serving GSN
GGSN Gateway GSN
18

GSM Network Areas

Base Station
Subsystem
BS

BS

BSC

BSC

BS
BS

BSC

AUC

HLR

BS
BSC

EIR
BS

BS

BSC

VLR

BS

MSC

BSC

Switching Subsystem

BS
BS

BSC

BS
BSC

MSC Service Area

BS

Location Area
BS

BSC

BS
BSC

Cell

BS

Service Area 1
Service Area 2
Service Area n

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

19

Base Station
Subsystem
BS

BS

BSC

GSM Network Areas

BSC

BS
BS

HLR

BS

BSC

AUC

BSC

EIR
BS

BS

BSC

VLR

BS

MSC

BSC

Switching Subsystem

BS
BS

BSC

BS
BSC

MSC Service Area

BS

Location Area
BS

BSC

BS
BSC

Cell

BS

Service Area 1
Service Area 2
Service Area n

GSM network consists of geographical areas

Location Areas LA
made up of a group of cells served by a BSC
BSC hndles inter cell signaling updates
Keeps track of the cell a user is located

MSC/VLR Service Areas

MSC administers several BSCs
handles signaling traffic of inter LA updates

Public Land Mobile Networks PLMNs

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

20

GPRS Logical Architecture

SMS-GMSC
SMS-IWMSC

SM-SC

C
Gd

MSC/VLR

HLR
D

Gs

Gr

Gb
TE

MT
R

BSS
Um

SGSN

Gn

SGSN

Gc
Gi
PDN

GGSN
Gn

Gp

TE

Gf
EIR

GGSN
Other PLMN

Signalling Interface
Signalling and Data Transfer Interface

PS GPRS uses completely different network architecture as underlying GSM network

Thus introduction of two new network nodes GPRS Support Nodes
SGSN Serving GSN (GPRS Support Node)
GGSN Gateway GSN (GPRS Support Node)
N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

21

SGSN and GGSN Functionality

SMS-GMSC
SMS-GMSC
SMS-IWMSC
SMS-IWMSC

MSC/VLR
MSC/VLR
A

Gs
Gs
Gb
Gb

C
Gd
Gd
D

SM-SC
SM-SC
C
HLR
HLR

Gc
Gr
Gc
Gi
Gr
Gi
TE
MT
BSS
SGSN
GGSN
TE
MT
BSS
SGSN
GGSN
Gn
R
Um
Gn
Gn Gf
Gp
R
Um
Gn
Gf
EIR
Gp
EIR
SGSN
GGSN
SGSN
GGSN
Other PLMN
Other PLMN
A

PDN
PDN

TE
TE

Signalling Interface
Signalling Interface
Signalling and Data Transfer Interface
Signalling and Data Transfer Interface

SGSN
Keeps track of users location

Performs security functions and access control

GGSN
Provides internetworking functions with external
networks
Simply a strong router with IP and X.25 capability
N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

22

Further Elements and Enhancements

SMS-GMSC
SMS-GMSC
SMS-IWMSC
SMS-IWMSC

MSC/VLR
MSC/VLR
A

Gs
Gs
Gb
Gb

C
Gd
Gd
D

SM-SC
SM-SC
C
HLR
HLR

Gc
Gr
Gc
Gi
Gr
Gi
TE
MT
BSS
SGSN
GGSN
TE
MT
BSS
SGSN
GGSN
Gn
R
Um
Gn
Gn Gf
Gp
R
Um
Gn
Gf
EIR
Gp
EIR
SGSN
GGSN
SGSN
GGSN
Other PLMN
Other PLMN
A

PDN
PDN

TE
TE

Signalling Interface
Signalling Interface
Signalling and Data Transfer Interface
Signalling and Data Transfer Interface

SGSNs are connected to PCUs (Packet Control Units which are

part of the BSC)
Via Gb interface with FR links

GSNs are interconnected over Gn interface via IP backbone

GPRS backbone or GPRS network

HLR is enhanced with GPRS subscriber information

SMS components are upgraded to support SMS transmission
via SGSN
N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

23

Intra and Inter PLMN Backbone

Networks
Gp interface
Packet Data Network

Inter-PLMN Backbone
Gi

Gp

GGSN

BG

Intra-PLMN Backbone

SGSN

SGSN

PLMN A

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

Gi

BG

GGSN

Intra-PLMN Backbone

Connects two
independent GPRS
networks for message
exchange
Message exchange done
by BG (router)

Gi interface

SGSN
PLMN B

Connection between
operators GPRS
networks and external
networks (Internet)
01_mobile_wirel

24

GPRS Support Nodes

BS

BSC

BS
BSC

BS
BS

BSC

BS
BSC

BS

BS

Mobility router

GGSN
SGSN

BS

BSC

Internet

SGSN

GSN is main element

in GPRS
infrastructure

BSC

BS

Provides connection

IP Backbone
BS

BSC

BS

SGSN

BSC

GGSN

Intranet
ISP

BS
BS

BSC

BS
BSC

BS

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

Enables interworking
with various data
networks

25

GGSN
Used to access external data network
IP router containing all necessary
routing info for attached GPRS users
Routing info used to tunnel PDUs to
MSs current point of attachement
(SGSN)
Allocation of dynamic IP addresses
Either itself or external DHCP server
N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

26

SGSN

Serves MS in terms of packet data services

SGSN establishes connection via GGSN to requested data
network
Maintains all data structures (contexts) for
Authentication
Routing process

In case of roaming (SGSN and GGSN in different PLMNs)

interconnected via Gp interface
Provides security and others

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

27

PCU

Located in the BSC

Acts as an interface to the SGSN
Distinguishes data and voice
Sends data over FR via SGSN into GPRS
backbone
Realized in SW or HW
N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

28

APN

Access Point Name

Defined by ETSI in order to deal with huge
number of IP networks to connect to
Uniquely identifies the network a user
wants to access
L3 protocols defined are IPv4 and IPv6
N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

29

APN

N+I_2k

Access Point
Name (username)

Type (Ipv4, Ipv6,

X.25)

Access mode
(non/transparent)

DHCP local pool

information

Accept network
initiate PDP
create request

List of PDP
contexts on the
APN

IP for DHCP,
RADIUS

IP for charging
gateway

2000, Peter Tomsu

Contains
Name of foreign NW
Network access mode

Stored in HLR
User may select APN
by himself from the
MS

01_mobile_wirel

30

GPRS Concepts

APN: targeted network (ISP, intranet)

PDP context: session id
1) reach the SGSN (telecom part)
2) reach the GGSN serving the APN
(GTP=moving tunnel)
3) reach the APN (dedicated link, tunnel)

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

31

GPRS PDN Interworking Model

GGSN

IP
GPRS Bearer

Gi

IP
L2
L1

GGSN is access point for internetworking

Seen from outside as normal router
GPRS network seems to be normal IP subnet
N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

32

GPRS Transmission Plane

Application
IP / X.25

IP / X.25
Relay

SNDCP

SNDCP

GTP

GTP

LLC

LLC

UDP /
TCP

UDP /
TCP

IP

IP

Relay

RLC

RLC

BSSGP

BSSGP

MAC

MAC

Network
Service

Network
Service

L2

L2

GSM RF

GSM RF

L1bis

L1bis

L1

L1

MS

Um

BSS

Um radio interface
Uses same PL coding as classical GSM
Thus no HW changes
TE requires up to 8 slots / TDMA frame

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

Gb

SGSN

Gn

GGSN

Gi

GTP GPRS Tunneling Protocol

SNDCP Subnetwork Dependent
Convergence Protocol
BSSGP Base Station System
GPRS Protocol
01_mobile_wirel

33

Gb Interface

Application
Application
IP / X.25
IP / X.25
SNDCP
SNDCP
LLC
LLC

Relay
Relay

RLC
RLC

RLC
RLC
MAC
MAC
GSM RF
GSM RF

MS
MS

IP / X.25
IP / X.25

Relay
Relay

Um
Um

SNDCP
SNDCP

GTP
GTP

GTP
GTP

LLC
LLC

UDP /
UDP /
TCP
TCP

UDP /
UDP /
TCP
TCP

IP
IP
L2
L2

IP
IP
L2
L2

L1
L1

L1
L1

BSSGP
BSSGP

BSSGP
BSSGP

MAC
Network
MAC
Network
Service
Service
GSM RF
L1bis
GSM RF
L1bis

Network
Network
Service
Service
L1bis
L1bis

BSS
BSS

Gb
Gb

SGSN
SGSN

Gn
Gn

GGSN
GGSN

Gi
Gi

Link layer is FR
BSSGP (BSS GPRS) conveys routing and QoS
info between BSS and SGSN
SNDCP encapsulates IP traffic between terminal
and SGSN
Multiplexing of L3 connections
Ciphering, segmentation, compression
N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

34

Gn Interface

Application
Application
IP / X.25
IP / X.25
SNDCP
SNDCP
LLC
LLC

Relay
Relay

RLC
RLC

RLC
RLC
MAC
MAC
GSM RF
GSM RF

MS
MS

IP / X.25
IP / X.25

Relay
Relay

Um
Um

SNDCP
SNDCP

GTP
GTP

GTP
GTP

LLC
LLC

UDP /
UDP /
TCP
TCP

UDP /
UDP /
TCP
TCP

IP
IP
L2
L2

IP
IP
L2
L2

L1
L1

L1
L1

BSSGP
BSSGP

BSSGP
BSSGP

MAC
Network
MAC
Network
Service
Service
GSM RF
L1bis
GSM RF
L1bis

Network
Network
Service
Service
L1bis
L1bis

BSS
BSS

Gb
Gb

SGSN
SGSN

Gn
Gn

GGSN
GGSN

Gi
Gi

GTP (ETSI) tunnels IP packets between

SGSN and GGSN
One tunnel per active TE

Runs either over UDP or TCP

Port #3386
IP

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

UDP

GTP

DATA

01_mobile_wirel

35

MS
R reference point
TE

Um

MT

Gi reference point
GPRS network 1

MS

PDNs or
other networks

Gp

GPRS network 2

MS could be
Only GPRS phone
User with NW connection via GPRS to his
PC
N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

36

Transparent Internet Access

The GGSN is effectively a router

The GPRS network appears to the PDN as another IP subnet

User who wants to get connected to internet

MS is given an IP address out of the operators address space
Could be statically or dynamically allocated
May be public or private
Authentication performed by SGSN via HLR
N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

37

Transparent Internet Access

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

38

Non Transparent Access

Corporate
VPN

GGSN
GPRS IP
Backbone

GSM

Internet
L2TP & IPsec Tunnel

SGSN
Firewall
and NAT

Firewall
and NAT

Allows user to select SPs of his choice

Connection to intranet VPN for email access, intraweb, databases
Has to request IP address and perform authentication in company network
Realized by SGSN during PDP context activation via selected APN
MS sends authentication request
GGSN requests authentication and IP address from specified server (Radius,
DHCP) of customers intranet
Use of Ipsec and/or L2 tunnel for terminating private IP addresses at GGSN via
Internet
N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

39

Interworking Between GPRS

Roaming Users

BGP (RFC 1771)

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

40

QoS on GPRS

BTS

BSC

H.323
client

FR

FR CoS

SGSN

IP QoS

Priotities CAR

IP QoS

WFQ

CRTP

CRTP

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

Transit
Net

GGSN

IP QoS
WFQ
WRED

01_mobile_wirel

IP

H.323
GW

PSTN

H.323
Gateway
IP QoS

41

Quality of Service
Mapping between GPRS QoS and IP QoS levels

Delay Class

Precedence

Mean-Throughput Resulting canonical QoS

Class

Best Effort

any

any

Best Effort

1, 2, 3

low

any

Best Effort

1,2, 3

any

Best Effort

Best Effort

1,2, 3

normal

specified

Normal

1,2,3

high

specified

Premium

Use of IP CoS mechanisms in GGSN/SGSN and in the Backbone:

WRED, WFQ, CAR
Admission Control (GGSN): traffic Total BW
N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

42

Backbone Issues

Leverage End-to-End Consistency

WFQ, WRED, CAR
MPLS (GGSN as edge router)
Integrated management

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

43

IP Address Management

GGSN can hold (local pool/DHCP):

Operators public IP addresses
Operators private IP addresses (NAT)
Others public IP addresses (local pool)
Others private IP addresses (local pool,
dedicated I/F)

configuration per APN

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

44

IP Address Management
GGSN can allocate addresses:
transparently (local pool using built-in DHCP
server/DHCP)
non-transparently (CHAP/IPCP processing,
RADIUS/DHCP requests generation) through IOS
built-in RADIUS/DHCP clients

configuration per APN

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

45

GSM to UMTS Evolution

N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

46

Evolution Towards
UMTS

UMTS Backward compatibility to legacy systems

Operators will try to use existing infrastructure as long as possible
Development steps
1) MIP on top of GPRS
2) optimize existing routing mechanisms
3) SGSN and GGSN combined in one node
In future UMTS will completely integrate PSTN
VSCs will replace all class 4 and class 5 switches
Calls will be routed over IP backbone
N+I_2k

2000, Peter Tomsu

01_mobile_wirel

47

Questions ???