 3G NETWORK ARCHITECTURE

 SRVCC
 VOLTE
 VOLGA
 CSFB
 3G refers to the third generation of mobile
telephony (that is, cellular) technology. The
third generation, as the name suggests,
follows two earlier generations
 The first generation (1G) began in the early
80's with commercial deployment of
Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS)
cellular networks. Early AMPS networks used
Frequency Division Multiplexing Access
(FDMA) to carry analog voice over channels in
the 800 MHz frequency band.
 The second generation (2G) emerged in the
90's in which some operators used Code
Division Multiple Access (CDMA) to multiplex
up to 64 calls per channel in the 800 MHz
band.
Across the world, many operators adopted
the Global System for Mobile communication
(GSM) standard, which used Time Division
Multiple Access (TDMA) to multiplex up to 8
calls per channel in the 900 and 1800 MHz
bands.
GPRS is sometimes called 2.5G, since it
predates 3G but is more advanced than 2G.
 The International Telecommunications Union
(ITU) defined the third generation (3G) of
mobile telephony standards – to facilitate
growth, increase bandwidth, and support
more diverse applications.
 For example, GSM could deliver not only
voice, but also circuit-switched data at
speeds up to 14.4 Kbps. But to support
mobile multimedia applications, 3G had to
deliver packet-switched data with better
spectral efficiency, at far greater speeds.
 Technologies evolved as follows -

1. General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) offered

speeds up to 114 Kbps.

2. Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution

(EDGE) reached up to 384 Kbps.

3. UMTS Wideband CDMA (WCDMA) offered

downlink speeds up to 1.92 Mbps.

4. High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA)

boosted the downlink to 14Mbps.
 Global System for Mobile (GSM) is cellular standard developed
to cater voice services and data delivery using digital
modulation.
 Its ubiquity makes international roaming very common
between mobile phone operators, enabling subscribers to use
their phones in many parts of the world. GSM differs from its
predecessors in that both signaling and speech channels are
digital,
 GSM also pioneered a low-cost (to the network carrier)
alternative to voice calls, the short message service (SMS, also
called "text messaging")
 Newer versions of the standard were backward-compatible
with the original GSM phones. For example, Release '97 of the
standard added packet data capabilities, by means of General
Packet Radio Service (GPRS). Release '99 introduced higher
speed data transmission using Enhanced Data Rates for GSM
Evolution (EDGE).
 GSM System Architecture PSTN
ISDN
BSC PDN
MS BTS
MSC
GMSC

BTS BSC
VLR
MS

BTS EIR
AUC
MS HLR
 Mobile Station (MS)
Mobile Equipment (ME)
Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)
 Base Station Subsystem (BSS)
Base Transceiver Station (BTS)
Base Station Controller (BSC)
 Network Switching Subsystem(NSS)
Mobile Switching Center (MSC)
Home Location Register (HLR)
Visitor Location Register (VLR)
Authentication Center (AUC)
Equipment Identity Register (EIR)
1. Mobile Equipment
◦ Portable, hand held device
◦ Uniquely identified by an IMEI (International Mobile
Equipment Identity)
◦ Voice and data transmission
◦ Power level : 0.8W – 20 W
◦ 160 character long SMS.

2. Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)

◦ Smart card contains the International Mobile Subscriber
Identity (IMSI)
◦ Allows user to send and receive calls and receive other
subscribed services
◦ Protected by a password or PIN
◦ Can be moved from phone to phone – contains key
information to activate the phone
1. Base Transceiver Station (BTS)
◦ Encodes, encrypts,multiplexes,modulates and
feeds the RF signals to the antenna.
◦ Communicates with Mobile station and BSC
2. Base Station Controller (BSC)
◦ Assigns Frequency and time slots for all MS’s
in its area
◦ Handles call set up
◦ It communicates with MSC and BTS
Mobile Switching Center (MSC)

 Heart of the network

 Manages communication between GSM and other networks
 Call setup function and basic switching
 Call routing
 Billing information and collection
 Mobility management
- Registration
- Location Updating
 MSC does gateway function while its customer roams to
other network by using HLR/VLR.
 Home Location Registers (HLR)

- permanent database about mobile subscribers in a

large service area (generally one per GSM network
operator)
- database contains IMSI, prepaid/postpaid, roaming
restrictions, supplementary services.

 Visitor Location Registers (VLR)

- Temporary database which updates whenever new MS

enters its area, by HLR database
- Controls those mobiles roaming in its area
 Authentication Center (AUC)
- Protects against intruders in air interface
- Maintains authentication keys and algorithms and
provides security.
- Generally associated with HLR

 Equipment Identity Register (EIR)

- Database that is used to track handsets using the
IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity)
- Only one EIR per PLMN (public land mobile network )
 General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is a new
bearer service for GSM that greatly improves and
simplifies wireless access to packet data
networks,e.g to the internet.
 It uses the existing GSM network to transmit and
receive TCP/IP based data to and from GPRS
mobile devices.
 GPRS is a non-voice service added to existing
TDMA time division multiple access networks,
one of the 2.5G technology upgrades. TDMA is
the underlying transport mechanism used by GSM
networks.
 High Speed (Data Rate 14.4 – 115 kbps)
 Efficient use of radio bandwidth (Statistical
Multiplexing)
 Circuit switching & Packet Switching can be
used in parallel
 Constant connectivity
 GPRS BACKBONE NETWORK

BSC
BSC
BTS BTS
MS
inter-PLMN
GPRS backbone
PLMN1
Gn SGSN Gp
Gp Gn SGSN
Border
intra-PLMN Border
gateway intra-PLMN
GPRS backbone gateway
GPRS backbone
Gn Gn
Gn
PLMN2
Gi
Gi
GGSN
External Packet GGSN
Data Network (PDN)
SGSN Host
Router
LAN
 GPRS network provides mobility
management, session management, and
transport for internet protocol packet
services in GSM network.
 GPRS Support Node (GSN)- It is node which
support use of GPRS in GSM network. There
are two key variant-
1. GGSN
2. SGSN
 It is main component of GPRS for
internetworking between GPRS and external
network. Thus it is router for sub network.
 It converts GPRS packets to appropriate PDP
format to send them on corresponding data
network. In other direction PDP address to
GSM address of destination host.
 It is responsible for IP address assignment.
 It is responsible the delivery of data packets
from and to the mobile with in geographical
area.
 The location register of SGSN stores location
information (current cell, VLR) and user
profile of GPRS users registered with SGSN.
 SRVCC, Single radio Voice Call Continuity, is a scheme that
enables Inter Radio Access Technology, Inter RAT handover as
well as a handover from packet data to circuit switched data
voice calls.
 By using SRVCC operators are able to make the handovers
while maintaining existing quality of service, QoS and also
ensuring that call continuity meets the critical requirements
for emergency calls.
 Some ideas for handover require that the handset has two
active radios to facilitate handover. This is not ideal because
it requires additional circuitry to enable the two radios to be
active simultaneously and it also adds considerably to battery
drain.
 When a mobile user wants to use GPRS it must
first activate PDP context (IP address and IMSI)
 When a GPRS mobile phone sets up a PDP
context, the access point is selected and access
point name is determined,
 An access point is:
An IP network to which a mobile can be connected
A set of settings which are used for that connection
A particular option in a set of settings in a mobile
phone
• This access point is then used in a DNS query
to a private DNS network. This process (called
APN resolution) finally gives the IP address of
the GGSN which should serve the access point
 The Voice over LTE, VoLTE scheme was devised as a result of
operators seeking a standardised system for transferring
traffic for voice over LTE.
 Originally LTE was seen as a completely IP cellular system just
for carrying data, and operators would be able to carry voice
either by reverting to 2G / 3G systems or by using VoIP in one
form or another.
 CSFB, Circuit Switched Fall Back
 SV-LTE - Simultaneous Voice LTE
 VoLGA, Voice over LTE via GAN
 One Voice / later called Voice over LTE, VoLTE
CSFB, Circuit Switched Fall Back

The circuit switched fall-back, CSFB option for providing voice over
LTE has been standardised under 3GPP specification 23.272.
Essentially LTE CSFB uses a variety of processes and network elements
to enable the circuit to fall back to the 2G or 3G connection (GSM,
UMTS, CDMA2000 1x) before a circuit switched call is initiated.

The specification also allows for SMS to be carried as this is essential

for very many set-up procedures for cellular telecommunications.
SV-LTE allows packet switched LTE services to run
simultaneously with a circuit switched voice service. SV-LTE
facility provides the facilities of CSFB at the same time as
running a packet switched data service. It has the disadvantage
that it requires two radios to run at the same time within the
handset which has a serious impact on battery life which is
already a major issue.
The VoLGA standard was based on the existing 3GPP Generic
Access Network (GAN) standard, and the aim was to enable LTE
users to receive a consistent set of voice, SMS (and other
circuit-switched) services as they transition between GSM,
UMTS and LTE access networks. For mobile operators, the aim
of VoLGA was to provide a low-cost and low-risk approach for
bringing their primary revenue generating services (voice and
SMS) onto the new LTE network deployments.
The Voice over LTE, VoLTE scheme for providing voice over an
LTE system utilises IMS enabling it to become part of a rich
media solution. It was the option chosen by the GSMA for use
on LTE and is the standardised method for providing SMS and
voice over LTE.
 GAN-based dual-mode mobile phones is required
 Limited operator support
 SRVCC-capable mobile is required
 Not 3GPP standardized yet - VoLGA is currently not a work
item in 3GPP
Thank you