Actix Training Module

E/GPRS technology introduction

All contents of this document are the property of Actix and are provided for information purposes only. The information in this document is subject to change without notice. Actix will not be held liable for technical or editorial omissions made herein, and will not be held liable for incidental, consequential or other similar damages resulting from the use of its products. Copyright Actix 2006. All Rights Reserved

GPRS Network Overview

Fundamental E/GPRS network structure

GPRS Network- GGSN

Gateway GPRS Support Node
Inter-working Node to external IP network

Main Functions:
Routing of incoming packets to SGSN Access point to PDN for outgoing packets Security/Firewall Billing support Session Management and Communication Setup to external network

GPRS Network-SGSN
Serving GPRS Support Node
Forwards Incoming Packets to BSC/PCU Forwards Outgoing Packets to GGSN

Primary Functions are

Ciphering and Authentication Billing/creation of charging data records (CDR) Mobility Management- Routing Area Updates (GMM) Session Management- Handled in conjunction with GGSN (SM)

GPRS Networks- GMM

GPRS Mobility Management (GMM)
Required to enable mobility of GPRS Mobile Station (MS) SGSN informs Home Location Register (HLR) of MS under its control MS informs network of its location by performing Routing Area (RA) updates SGSN updates GGSN of MS location

GPRS Networks- GMM

Three Possible GMM states

GPRS Networks- GMM

GMM Idle
Last known MS location in HLR MS not accessible for packet transfer MS detached from GPRS network

GMM Standby
No data can be transferred Network resources assigned for GMM- aware of MS location RA updates and cell reselections performed MS can be paged for packet services

GMM Ready
Paging received in MS and response in GGSN Can activate/deactivate PDP contexts MS attached to GPRS network

GPRS Networks- SM
GPRS Session Management
Upon PDP Context Activation, the SGSN establishes a PDP context with GGSN Used for Routing of packets

GPRS GMM/SM Statistics

GMM/SM are end to end functions controlled from Core Network
GMM statistics evaluated from GPRS attach analysis GPRS Attach Failures Occur due to
GPRS Sleeping Cell GPRS not enabled on cell Poor Radio

SM Statistics evaluated from PDP context activation analysis PDP Context Activation Failures occur due to
SIM not provisioned for GPRS No PDCH or PCU resources available Poor radio

Therefore the analysis of these statistics forms an important part of the GPRS network troubleshooting process

GPRS GMM/SM Statistics

GPRS Attach Procedure
Attach request sent by MS to SGSN Authentication is undertaken unless an MM session is already underway The SGSN indicates the MS location to the HLR The SGSN sends an Attach Accept message to the MS, in addition to a Packet TMSI (PTMSI) The MS acknowledges the received P-TMSI with an Attach Complete message

GPRS GMM/SM Statistics

PDP Context Activation Procedure
The MS sends an Activate PDP Context Request message to the SGSN. Security functions may be executed. The SGSN validates the Activate PDP Context Request , and assigns an IP address The SGSN sends an Activate PDP Context Accept message to the MS.

GPRS Network-BSC/PCU
Packet Control Unit
Controls Air Interface Resources Controls Setup, Supervision and Disconnection of PS Calls

GPRS Network-BTS and MS

Base Transceiver Station transmits and receives information over air interface GPRS capable MS connects to GPRS network and transmits and receives packet data
Class A MS can have simultaneous CS connection and PS transfer Class B MS can have simultaneous attachment to CS and PS domain, but must suspend PS transfer if paged for CS connection Class C can attach to CS or PS but not simultaneously

GPRS capable MS can have different multi-slot capability. The most common:
1+2 1+3 1+4 2+4

Logical Link and Radio Resource

Logical Link from SGSN to MS Logical link management functions concerned with the maintenance of a communication channel between an individual MS and the PLMN . The logical link establishment, maintenance and release is used for:
MS attach Link status supervision and control link changes De-allocation of resources

Logical Link and Radio Resource

Radio resource management (RR or GRR) functions concerned with the allocation and maintenance of physical channels and the maintenance of the air interface. Two GPRS RR modes
Packet Idle Mode - Can still be in GMM ready mode Packet Transfer Mode- when data transfer is ongoing

The RR sub-functions are

Cell reselection- GRR in packet idle mode on cell re-selection Power Regulation

GPRS Protocol Stack

For GPRS the TDMA frame as structured for the GSM is always used, but the physical channels (that is, the radio resources) are managed differently. The transmission (payload) protocol architecture for the GPRS system is shown in figure below.

GPRS Protocol Stack

The protocol stack pertaining to the MS

GPRS Protocol Stack

Application Layer
Packet data units generated by client software in MS

Sub-Network Dependent Convergence Protocol

Single protocol supports data links from various network layer protocols (IP/X25) Multiplexes data from different network layers to single LLC

Logical Link Control Protocol

The Logical Link Control (LLC) protocol provides a reliable logical link between the MS and its SGSN New LLC connection created on RA update LLC performs
Sequential reassembly of frames to/from the SNDCP & RLC/MAC layer. Control flow between the MS & SGSN Ciphering Error detection, recovery (where possible) and notification of unrecoverable errors, by means of the Frame Check Sequence (FCS)

GPRS Protocol Stack

RLC/MAC layer The RLC/MAC layer contains two functions
Radio Link Control (RLC)
The RLC provides a radio-solution-dependent reliable link. The RLC segments and codes LLC-PDU frames for transmission across the air interface.

Medium Access Control (MAC)

The MAC function defines procedures that enable a number of MS to share the Um interface by using different physical channels it controls the access signalling (request and grant) procedures for the radio channel, and the mapping of LLC-PDU frames onto the GSM physical channel

GPRS Protocol Stack

Physical Layer Functions
Forward Error Correction Interleaving Congestion Detection Synchronisation and Timing Advance Control Monitoring Radio Link Quality Power Control Procedures

GPRS Protocol Stack

RLC/MAC Block
The multiplexing of packet data over the physical air interface is handled by the RLC/MAC layer DL limit 32 users per TRX UL Limit 6 users per TS PDCH Resources are either reserved or dynamic PDCH allocated per TRX as a Packet Set (P-SET) Each TBF can utilise PDCH from 1 P-SET only A summary of the key header information fields and modes associated with this process

RLC/MAC Block
Temporary Block Flow (TBF)
The TBF is a physical connection between two RR entities which allow the unidirectional flow of upper layer PDUs over the air interface. An MS can have a TBF in one or both directions

Temporary Flow Indicator (TFI)

Each TBF is assigned a TFI (or address) for the duration of that TBF. When a TBF is assigned, the MS is informed of which time slot(s) to use and its TFI address. A number of MSs can be assigned resources on the same time slot(s). The header of every downlink traffic block contains a TFI that shows which MS the radio block is addressed to, thus the addressed MS will use that traffic block.

Uplink State Flag (USF)

The header of every downlink traffic block also contains the Uplink State Flag (USF). The USF is used to notify the MS with uplink TBFs on that time slot, which one of them that may send an uplink radio block in the next group of four bursts.

RLC/MAC Block Coding Schemes

Prior to transmission over air interface, RLC/MAC blocks are coded Four Schemes are defined; CS1-CS4 Link adaptation schemes controlled allow change in coding scheme according to radio channel quality CS1- rate convolution coding
3USF + 181 bits + 40 BCS + 4 tail = 228 bits * 2 = 456 bits/4 = 114 bits Max RLC throughput per Timeslot is 181bits/20ms= 9.05kbps

CS2- rate convolution coding

6USF + 268 bits + 16 BCS + 4 tail = 294 bits * 2 = 588 -132 = 456 Max RLC throughput per Timeslot is 268 bits/20ms= 13.4kbps

RLC/MAC Block Coding Schemes

For BLER < 10%
CS 1 C/I < 10.3, 9.05kbps CS 2 C/I < 12.6, 13.4kbps CS 3 C/I < 14, 15.6kbps CS 4 C/I < 18.3, 21.4kbps

EDGE
Enhanced Data for Global Evolution GSM uses GMSK modulation: +/- Phase = 0 or 1
1 bit per symbol

EDGE utilises GMSK and 8-PSK 8PSK has 8 phase states

3 bits per symbol ~ Triple the rate of GMSK

EDGE
GPRS has 4 coding schemes EDGE has 9 modulation and coding schemes
MCS1: GMSK, 8.8kbps MCS2: GMSK, 11.2kbps MCS3, GMSK, 14.8kbps MCS4, GMSK, 17.6kbps MCS5, 8PSK, 22.4kbps MCS6, 8PSK, 29.6kbps MCS7, 8PSK, 44.8kbps MCS8, 8PSK, 54.4kbps MCS9, 8PSK, 59.2kbps

EDGE
Link Quality Control 2 Modes, Link Adaptation and Incremental Redundancy UL is always Link Adaptation DL uses either IR is a more complex algorithm