AAL2

ITU-T I.366.2
AAL2 provides bandwidth-efficient transmission of low-rate, short and variable packets in delay
sensitive applications. It supports VBR and CBR. AAL2 also provides for variable payload
within cells and across cells. AAL type 2 is subdivided into the Common Part Sublayer (CPS )
and the Service Specific Convergence Sublayer (SSCS ).
AAL2 CPS Packet
The CPS packet consists of a 3 octet header followed by a payload. The structure of the AAL2
CPS packet is shown in the following illustration.

CID

8 bits

LI

UUI

HEC

Information payload

6 bits 5 bits 5 bits

1-45/64 bytes

AAL2 CPS packet

AAL5
The type 5 adaptation layer is a simplified version of AAL3/4. It also consists of message and
streaming modes, with the CS divided into the service specific and common part. AAL5 provides
point-to-point and point-to-multipoint (ATM layer) connections.
AAL5 is used to carry computer data such as TCP/IP. It is the most popular AAL and is
sometimes referred to as SEAL (simple and easy adaptation layer).
AAL5 CPCS PDU
The AAL5 CPCS PDU is composed of the following fields:

Info

Trailer

CPCS payload

Pad

0-65535

0-47

UU CPI Length CRC

4 bytes

AAL5 CPCS PDU

ATM Adaptation Layer 2 (AAL2) is an ATM adaptation layer for Asynchronous

Transfer Mode (ATM), used primarily in telecommunications; for example, it is used
for the Iu interfaces in the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, and is also
used for transporting digital voice. The standard specifications related to AAL2 are
ITU standards

What is AAL2?
AAL2 is a variable bitrate, connection-oriented, low latency service originally intended to adapt
voice for transmission over ATM. Like other ATM adaptation layers, AAL2 defines segmentation
and reassembly of higher-layer packets into ATM cells, in this case packets of data containing
voice and control information. AAL2 is further separated into two sub-layers that help with the
mapping from upper layer services to ATM cells. These are named Service Specific Convergence
Sub-layer (SSCS) and Common Part Sub-layer (CPS).
The AAL2 protocol improves on other ATM Adaptation Layers, by packing lots of small packets
efficiently into one standard-sized ATM cell of 53 bytes. A one-byte packet thus no longer has an
overhead ratio of 52 unused bytes out of 53 (i.e. 98%). Potentially, total of 11 one-byte CPS
packets (plus 3/4 of a 12th CPS packet) could squeeze into a single cell. Of course, CPS packets
can come in other sizes with other CIDs, too. When the transmission is ready, the CPS packets
are all multiplexed together into a single cell and transported over standard ATM network
infrastructure.
The transport networks for ATM are well standardized fiber optic (SDH/Sonet, i.e. STM-1/OC-3
or higher) or copper cable (PDH, i.e. E1/T1/JT1 or higher bandwidth fixed lines) based
synchronous networks with built-in redundancy and OAM-related network features which
Ethernet networks never had originally (in order to keep things simple) but are sorely missed in
metro Ethernet standard networks.[citation needed]
Efforts to improve Ethernet networks are in a sense trying to reinvent the wheel la ATM.[citation
needed]
AAL2 is one example of a useful benefit of ATM, as a general standard for Layer 2
protocols. ATM/AAL2's efficient handling of small packets contrasts with Ethernet's minimum
payload of 48 bytes vs the 1-byte minimum size for an AAL2 CPS packet.
AAL2 is the standard layer 2 protocol used in all Iu interfaces, i.e. the interfaces between UMTS
base stations and UMTS Radio Network Controllers (RNCs) (Iu-B), inter-RNCs (Iu-R), UMTS

RNCs and UMTS Serving GPRS Support Nodes (SGSNs) (Iu-PS), and UMTS RNCs and media
gateways (MGWs) (Iu-CS).[1]

Overview of The Universal Mobile Telecommunication System

(DRAFT, July 2002)

Table of Contents
1. 3G Systems
2. UMTS Services
3. UMTS Architecture
4. Core Network
5. Radio Access
6. User Equipment
1. 3G Systems
3G Systems are intended to provide a global mobility with wide range of services including
telephony, paging, messaging, Internet and broadband data. International Telecommunication
Union (ITU) started the process of defining the standard for third generation systems, referred to
as International Mobile Telecommunications 2000 (IMT-2000). In Europe European
Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) was responsible of UMTS standardisation
process. In 1998 Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) was formed to continue the
technical specification work. 3GPP has five main UMTS standardisation areas: Radio Access
Network, Core Network, Terminals, Services and System Aspects and GERAN.
3GPP Radio Access group is responsible of:

Radio Layer 1, 2 and 3 RR specification

Iub, Iur and Iu Interfaces
UTRAN Operation and Maintenance requirements
BTS radio performance specification
Conformance test specification for testing of radio aspects of base stations
Specifications for radio performance aspects from the system point of view

3GPP Core Network group is responsible of:

Mobility management, call connection control signalling between the user equipment and the
core network.
Core network signalling between the core network nodes.
Definition of interworking functions between the core network and external networks.
Packet related issues.

 Core network aspects of the lu interface and Operation and Maintenance requirements
3GPP Terminal group is responsible of:

Service capability protocols

Messaging
Services end-to-end interworking
USIM to Mobile Terminal interface
Model/framework for terminal interfaces and services (application) execution
Conformance test specifications of terminals, including radio aspects

3GPP Services and System Aspects group is responsible of:

Definition of services and feature requirements.
Development of service capabilities and service architecture for cellular, fixed and cordless
applications.
Charging and Accounting
Network Management and Security Aspects
Definition, evolution, and maintenance of overall architecture.
Third Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP) was formed for technical development of
cdma2000 technology which is a member of IMT-2000 family.
In February 1992 World Radio Conference allocated frequencies for UMTS use. Frequencies
1885 - 2025 and 2110 - 2200 MHz were identified for IMT-2000 use. See the UMTS Frequency
page for more details. All 3G standards are still under constant development. In 1999 ETSI
Standardisation finished for UMTS Phase 1 (Release '99, version 3) and next release is due
December 2001. UMTS History page has a list of all major 3G and UMTS milestones. Most of
the European countries and some countries round the world have already issued UMTS licenses
either by beauty contest or auctions.

2. UMTS Services
UMTS offers teleservices (like speech or SMS) and bearer services, which provide the capability
for information transfer between access points. It is possible to negotiate and renegotiate the
characteristics of a bearer service at session or connection establishment and during ongoing
session or connection. Both connection oriented and connectionless services are offered for
Point-to-Point and Point-to-Multipoint communication.
Bearer services have different QoS parameters for maximum transfer delay, delay variation and
bit error rate. Offered data rate targets are:
144 kbits/s satellite and rural outdoor
384 kbits/s urban outdoor

 2048 kbits/s indoor and low range outdoor

UMTS network services have different QoS classes for four types of traffic:

Conversational class (voice, video telephony, video gaming)

Streaming class (multimedia, video on demand, webcast)
Interactive class (web browsing, network gaming, database access)
Background class (email, SMS, downloading)

UMTS will also have a Virtual Home Environment (VHE). It is a concept for personal service
environment portability across network boundaries and between terminals. Personal service
environment means that users are consistently presented with the same personalised features,
User Interface customisation and services in whatever network or terminal, wherever the user
may be located. UMTS also has improved network security and location based services.

3. UMTS Architecture
A UMTS network consist of three interacting domains; Core Network (CN), UMTS Terrestrial
Radio Access Network (UTRAN) and User Equipment (UE). The main function of the core
network is to provide switching, routing and transit for user traffic. Core network also contains
the databases and network management functions.
The basic Core Network architecture for UMTS is based on GSM network with GPRS. All
equipment has to be modified for UMTS operation and services. The UTRAN provides the air
interface access method for User Equipment. Base Station is referred as Node-B and control
equipment for Node-B's is called Radio Network Controller (RNC). UMTS system page has an
example, how UMTS network could be build.
It is necessary for a network to know the approximate location in order to be able to page user
equipment. Here is the list of system areas from largest to smallest.

UMTS systems (including satellite)

Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN)
MSC/VLR or SGSN
Location Area
Routing Area (PS domain)
UTRAN Registration Area (PS domain)
Cell
Sub cell

4. Core Network
The Core Network is divided in circuit switched and packet switched domains. Some of the
circuit switched elements are Mobile services Switching Centre (MSC), Visitor location register

(VLR) and Gateway MSC. Packet switched elements are Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN)
and Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN). Some network elements, like EIR, HLR, VLR and
AUC are shared by both domains.
The Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) is defined for UMTS core transmission. ATM
Adaptation Layer type 2 (AAL2) handles circuit switched connection and packet connection
protocol AAL5 is designed for data delivery.
The architecture of the Core Network may change when new services and features are
introduced. Number Portability DataBase (NPDB) will be used to enable user to change the
network while keeping their old phone number. Gateway Location Register (GLR) may be used
to optimise the subscriber handling between network boundaries. MSC, VLR and SGSN can
merge to become a UMTS MSC.

5. Radio Access
Wide band CDMA technology was selected to for UTRAN air interface. UMTS WCDMA is a
Direct Sequence CDMA system where user data is multiplied with quasi-random bits derived
from WCDMA Spreading codes. In UMTS, in addition to channelisation, Codes are used for
synchronisation and scrambling. WCDMA has two basic modes of operation: Frequency
Division Duplex (FDD) and Time Division Duplex (TDD). UTRAN interfaces are shown on
UMTS Network page.
The functions of Node-B are:

Air interface Transmission / Reception

Modulation / Demodulation
CDMA Physical Channel coding
Micro Diversity
Error Handing
Closed loop power control

The functions of RNC are:

Radio Resource Control

Admission Control
Channel Allocation
Power Control Settings
Handover Control
Macro Diversity
Ciphering
Segmentation / Reassembly
Broadcast Signalling
Open Loop Power Control

6. User Equipment
The UMTS standard does not restrict the functionality of the User Equipment in any way.
Terminals work as an air interface counter part for Node-B and have many different types of
identities. Most of these UMTS identity types are taken directly from GSM specifications.

International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)

Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (TMSI)
Packet Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (P-TMSI)
Temporary Logical Link Identity (TLLI)
Mobile station ISDN (MSISDN)
International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI)
International Mobile Station Equipment Identity and Software Number (IMEISV)

UMTS mobile station can operate in one of three modes of operation:

PS/CS mode of operation: The MS is attached to both the PS domain and CS domain, and
the MS is capable of simultaneously operating PS services and CS services.
PS mode of operation: The MS is attached to the PS domain only and may only operate
services of the PS domain. However, this does not prevent CS-like services to be offered over the
PS domain (like VoIP).
CS mode of operation: The MS is attached to the CS domain only and may only operate
services of the CS domain.
UMTS IC card has same physical characteristics as GSM SIM card. It has several functions:

Support of one User Service Identity Module (USIM) application (optionally more that one)
Support of one or more user profile on the USIM
Update USIM specific information over the air
Security functions
User authentication
Optional inclusion of payment methods
Optional secure downloading of new applications