Wireless Networks II: Performance & Cross-Layer Aspects

by Hans Peter Schwefel

• Mm1 Cellular Networks: GSM, GPRS, and UMTS

• Mm2 Network Performance: Methodology

• Mm3 Quality of Service, content & header compression

• Mm4 Security aspects of wireless networks

• Mm5 Reliability aspects

www.kom.auc.dk/~hps/WirelessNetworksII_Sp05/

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 1

Intro: Cellular systems

• Geographic region
subdivided in radio cells
• Base Station provides
radio connectivity to
Mobile Station within
cell
• Handover to
neighbouring base
station when necessary
• Base Stations
connected by some
networking
infrastructure

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 2
 Cellular systems: technologies & subscribers
1200

1000

GSM total
Subscribers [million]

800
TDMA total
CDMA total
600 PDC total
Analogue total
Total wireless
400
Prediction (1998)

200

0
year
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 3

Content
1. Introduction
• Cellular Concepts & Technologies
2. GSM
• Network Architecture, Air Interface
• Signalling/Call Setup, Mobility Support
• Data Services, HSCSD
3. GPRS & UMTS
• GPRS: Architecture, Air-Interface, Core-Network Modifications
• UMTS domains and architecture
4. IP transport in Packet Switched UMTS/GPRS Networks
• PDP contexts, APNs, TFTs
• Bearers
• ’full’ network architecture
Exercise

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 4
 GSM: Global System for Mobile Communication

History: • 2nd Generation of Mobile Telephony Networks

• 1982: Groupe Spèciale Mobile (GSM) founded
• 1987: First Standards defined
• 1991: Global System for Mobile Communication,
Standardisation by ETSI (European Telecommunications
Standardisation Institute) - First European Standard
• 1995: Fully in Operation

Today: • Deployed in more than 184 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe,

Australia, America)
• more than 747 million subscribers
• more than 70% of all digital mobile phones use GSM
• over 10 billion SMS per month in Germany, > 360 billion/year
worldwide

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 5

GSM – Architecture Network and Operation

Radio Subsystem (RSS) Switchung Subsystem Subsystem
Base Station
Subsystem
Components: Um Abis A
• BTS: Base Transceiver Station
• BSC: Base Station Controller
VLR
• MSC: Mobile Switching Center MS

• HLR/VLR: Home/Visitor Location BTS

Register BSC HLR AuC
• AuC: Authentication Center
• EIR: Equipment Identity Register
• OMC: Operation and MS O

Maintenance Center
BTS OMC
BSC
Transmission: MSC
EIR
• Circuit switched transfer
• Radio link capacity: 9.6 kb/s MS
(FDMA/TDMA) Connection to
BTS ISDN, PDN
• Duration based charging PSTN

Radio Link

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 6
 GSM Services
‘Traditional’ voice services
– voice telephony
primary goal of GSM was to enable mobile telephony offering the traditional bandwidth of 3.1 kHz
– emergency number
common number throughout Europe (112); mandatory for all service providers; free of charge; connection
with the highest priority (preemption of other connections possible)
– Multinumbering
several ISDN phone numbers per user possible
– voice mailbox (implemented in the fixed network supporting the mobile terminals)
– Supplementary services, e.g.: identification, call forwarding, number suppression,
conferencing

‘Non-Voice’ Services (examples)

• Fax Transmissions
• electronic mail (MHS, Message Handling System, implemented in the fixed network)
• Short Message Service (SMS)
alphanumeric data transmission to/from the mobile terminal using the signaling channel,
thus allowing simultaneous use of basic services and SMS
Hans Peter Schwefel
Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 7

GSM: Radio Technology

Cellular Concept:
• segmentation of geographical area into cells
– Cell sizes vary from some 100 m up to 35 km
depending on user density, geography, transceiver cell
power etc.
– hexagonal shape of cells is idealized (cells overlap,
shapes depend on geography) possible radio coverage
of the cell
idealized shape of the cell
• use of several carrier frequencies
– avoid same frequency in adjoining cells
• if a mobile user changes cells
Æ handover of the connection to the neighbor cell

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 8
 GSM: Air Interface I
Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA)
• Separate up-link (MTÆBTS) and down-link (BTSÆMT) traffic
– Two 25MHZ bands
• Distinguish 124 adjacent channels within each band
– Each channel 200kHz Frequenzband der Frequenzband der
Mobilstation Basisstation

Uplink Downlink
890 915 MHz 935 960

Radio Network Planning:

• Determine location of BTS
• Determine number of TRX per BTS Kanäle: 1 2 3 124
– Multiple transceivers (TRX) per BTS (e.g. 1,4 ,or 12)
Æ simultaneous use of different FDMA channels 200 kHz
• Assign subsets of 124 channels to BTSs

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 9

GSM: Air Interface II

TDMA Frame
Time Division Multiple 4,615 ms

Access (TDMA)
• Within each channel: sequence
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
of TDMA frames
• TDMA frames subdivided into
8 time-slots time slot:

data bits training data bits

57 26 57

3 tail bits 1 toggle 1 toggle 3 tail bits

bit bit

burst 148 bit

time slot 156,25 bit

0,577 ms

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 10
 GSM: TDMA hierarchy of frames
hyperframe
0 1 2 ... 2045 2046 2047 3 h 28 min 53.76 s

superframe
0 1 2 ... 48 49 50
6.12 s
0 1 ... 24 25

multiframe
0 1 ... 24 25 120 ms

0 1 2 ... 48 49 50 235.4 ms

frame
0 1 ... 6 7 4.615 ms
slot
burst 577 µs
Hans Peter Schwefel
Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 11

GSM Air Interface: Combination of

TDMA & FDMA 935-960 MHz
124 channels (200 kHz)
downlink
cy
en
qu

890-915 MHz
fre

124 channels (200 kHz)

uplink
higher GSM frame structures
time

GSM TDMA frame

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
4.615 ms

GSM time-slot (normal burst)

guard guard
space tail user data S Training S user data tail space
3 bits 57 bits 1 26 bits 1 57 bits 3
546.5 µs
577 µs
Hans Peter Schwefel
Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 12
 GSM: Logical
Channels

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 13

Functionalities in Radio Subsystem

• BTS comprises radio specific functions
• BSC is the switching center for radio channels

Functions BTS BSC

Management of radio channels X
Frequency hopping (FH) X X
Management of terrestrial channels X
Mapping of terrestrial onto radio channels X
Channel coding and decoding X
Rate adaptation X
Encryption and decryption X X
Paging X X
Uplink signal measurements X
Traffic measurement X
Authentication X
Location registry, location update X
Handover management X

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 14
 Overview: GSM protocol layers for signaling
Um Abis A
MS BTS BSC MSC
CM CM
MM MM
BSSAP BSSAP
RR RR’
RR’ BTSM BTSM SS7 SS7
LAPDm LAPDm LAPD LAPD • PCM: Pulse
Code Modulation
radio radio PCM PCM PCM PCM

16/64 kbit/s 64 kbit/s /

• Layer 1, Um: Radio 2.048 Mbit/s
– Creation & multiplexing of bursts, synchronisation,
modulation, en/decryption, channel coding, error • MM: Mobility Management
detection/correction
• CM: Call Management:
• LAPDm: variant ofLink Access Procedure for the D-Channel
– Call control
• RR: Radio Resource Management
– Short Message Service (SDCCH, SACCH)
• BTSM: BTS Management
– Supplementary service
Hans Peter Schwefel
Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 15

Example: Mobile Terminated Call

1. calling a GSM subscriber
4
2. forwarding call to GMSC HLR VLR
5
3. signal call setup to HLR 8 9
3 6 14 15
4. 5. request MSRN from VLR
calling 7
6. forward responsible station 1
PSTN GMSC MSC
2
MSC to GMSC
10 10 13 10
7. forward call to current MSC 16
8, 9. get current status of MS BSS BSS BSS
10, 11. paging of MS 11 11 11
12, 13. MS answers
11 12
14, 15. security checks 17
16, 17. set up connection MS

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 16
 Example: Message flow MS MTC
paging request
BTS

between MS and BTS channel request

for Mobile Terminated Call immediate assignment

paging response
authentication request
authentication response
ciphering command
ciphering complete
setup
call confirmed
assignment command
assignment complete
alerting
connect
connect acknowledge
data/speech exchange

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 17

Mobility Support I: Types of handover

1 4
3
2
MS MS MS MS

BTS BTS BTS BTS

BSC BSC BSC

MSC MSC

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 18
 Mobility Support II: Handover decision
receive level receive level
BTSold BTSold

HO_MARGIN

MS MS

BTSold BTSnew

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 19

Mobility support III: Handover procedure

MSC
MS BTSold BSCold BSCnew BTSnew
measurement measurement
report result

HO decision
HO required HO request
resource allocation
ch. activation

HO command HO request ack ch. activation ack

HO command HO command
HO access
Link establishment

HO complete HO complete
clear command clear command

clear complete clear complete

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 20
 Mobile Communication & Data Traffic
• The future Internet will mainly be accessed by mobile devices

1800 Subscriptions worldwide (millions)

Mobile
1600 Mobile
Subscribers
1400 Fixed
Mobile Internet
1200
Fixed Internet
1000
Mobile Internet
800 Subscribers
600
400
200
0
1995 2000 2005 2010

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 21

Data services in GSM

• Data transmission standardized with only 9.6 kbit/s
– advanced coding allows 14,4 kbit/s
– not enough for Internet and multimedia applications
• HSCSD (High-Speed Circuit Switched Data)
– mainly software update
– bundling of several time-slots to get higher
AIUR (Air Interface User Rate)
(e.g., 57.6 kbit/s using 4 slots, 14.4 each)
– advantage: ready to use, constant quality, simple
– disadvantage: channels blocked for voice transmission
AIUR [kbit/s] TCH/F4.8 TCH/F9.6 TCH/F14.4
4.8 1
9.6 2 1
14.4 3 1
19.2 4 2
28.8 3 2
38.4 4
43.2 3
57.6 4
Hans Peter Schwefel
Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 22
 Content
1. Introduction
• Cellular Concepts & Technologies
2. GSM
• Network Architecture, Air Interface
• Signalling/Call Setup, Mobility Support
• Data Services, HSCSD
3. GPRS & UMTS
• GPRS: Architecture, Air-Interface, Core-Network Modifications
• UMTS domains and architecture
4. IP transport in Packet Switched UMTS/GPRS Networks
• PDP contexts, APNs, TFTs
• Bearers
• ’full’ network architecture
Exercise

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 23

GPRS: General Packet Radio Service

• Packet Switched Extension of GSM

• 1996: new standard developed by ETSI
• Components integrated in GSM architecture
• Improvements:
– Packet-switched transmission
– Higher transmission rates on radio link (multiple
time-slots)
– Volume based charging Æ ‚Always ON‘ mode
possible
• Operation started in 2001 (Germany)

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 24
 GPRS - Architecture
Components:
• CCU: Channel Coding Unit GSM GPRS
• PCU: Packet Control Unit Components
• SGSN: Serving GPRS Support Node Um MS
• GGSN: Gateway GPRS Support Node BSS

• GR: GPRS Register

Transmission: B C
T C
• Packet Based Transmission S U
A Abis Gb Gp
• Radio link:
Other
– Radio transmission identical to GSM B P
S C PLMN
– Different coding schemes (CS1-4) C U Gn
– Use of Multiple Time Slots Gs
– On-demand allocation of time-slots
MSC SGSN GGSN
• Volume Based Charging
Gi

HLR GR PDN
G Gr

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 25

GPRS: Channel Coding and Multiplexing

Time Slot (MS-> BTS) 1 2 3 ..... 8

Coding Scheme 1 9,05 kbit/s 9,05 kbit/s 9,05 kbit/s

..... 9,05 kbit/s

Selection of Coding
Coding Scheme 2 13,4 kbit/s 13,4 kbit/s 13,4 kbit/s
depending on quality
of radio connection .....
Coding Scheme 3 15,6 kbit/s 15,6 kbit/s 15,6 kbit/s
.....
‚optimal‘ radio quality: Coding Scheme 4 21,4 kbit/s 21,4 kbit/s 21,4 kbit/s
no interference, etc. .....

Overall transmission rate 72.4.......171,2 kbit/s

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 26
 Examples for GPRS device classes

Class Receiving slots Sending slots Maximum number of slots

1 1 1 2
2 2 1 3
3 2 2 3
5 2 2 4
8 4 1 5
10 4 2 5
12 4 4 5

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 27

GPRS user data rates in kbit/s

Coding 1 slot 2 slots 3 slots 4 slots 5 slots 6 slots 7 slots 8 slots

scheme

CS-1 9.05 18.2 27.15 36.2 45.25 54.3 63.35 72.4

CS-2 13.4 26.8 40.2 53.6 67 80.4 93.8 107.2
CS-3 15.6 31.2 46.8 62.4 78 93.6 109.2 124.8
CS-4 21.4 42.8 64.2 85.6 107 128.4 149.8 171.2

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 28
 GPRS:
channel
types

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 29

Example: Channel Assignment

• 4 TRX Æ 4 FDMA channels

Æ 32 time slots
• 3 Signalling Channels
– 1TS: FCCH, SCH, BCCH (PBCCH),
PAGCH, RACH (PRACH)
– 2 TS: SDCCH
• 29 Tracffic Channels (TCH/PDTCH)
– GSM calls only
– GPRS calls only
– Common channels

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 30
 Performance Measurements in BSS
(examples)
User data throughput
Signalling Data Throughput
Transmitted PDUs
Retransmitted PDUs
Transmitted LLC Frames
Service Upgrade/Downgrade Measurements
Number of discarded LLC PDU
Number of Successful GPRS Paging Procedures
Number of available and assigned PDCH/cell
Number of used PDCH per Cell
Attempted, Rejected Packet Ressource Reassignments
Successful Packet Ressource Reassignements
.
.
.

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 31

GPRS architecture and interfaces

BSS SGSN GGSN PDN

MS

Um Gb Gn Gi

MSC HLR/
GR

VLR EIR

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 32
 GPRS Core Network Functions

Resource Configuration
Packet Handling Accounting
Management Management

Handover Control
Mobility and Interception Performance
Management SGSN Change Handling Management
Handling

Session Protocols
Fault & Maintenance
Management SMS Handling &
Management
Interfaces

Functions in SGSN and GGSN

Functions in SGSN

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 33

GPRS: Protocol Stack

• RLC: Radio Link Control • SNDCP: Sub-Network Dependent

– Acknowledged mode (reliable) or unacked Convergence Protocol
• LLC: Logical Link Control • GTP: GPRS Tunneling Protocol
– Acknowledged mode (reliable) or unacked – Mobility Support
• BSSGRP: BSS GPRS Protocol – GTP-C and GTP-U

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 34
 Data Units
in GPRS

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 35

Coding Schemes

• USF = Uplink State Flag

– ‘owner’ of time-slot in next uplink TDMA frame
– Allows multiplexing of up to 8 MS on one time-slot
• Block header contains Temporary Flow Identifier (TFI)
– TFI and direction identifies Temporary Block Flow (TBF)

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 36
 Mapping TBFs to Timeslots

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 37

GPRS: Obtaining IP Connectivity

• GPRS attach SGSN HLR
– Authentication of
MS BSS
– Establishment/Ini Um Gb Gr
tialization of
security functions
Attach Request
(NSAPI,TI,PDP Type)

Authentication/Ciphering Authentication/Ciphering

Insert Subscriber Data

(NSAPI,TI,PDP Type)
• PDP Context Setup
– Obtain IP Insert Subscriber Data Ack
address (NSAPI,TI,PDP Type)
Attach Accept
– Connect to (NSAPI,TI,PDP Type)
‚external‘ network
[see later] Attach Complete
(NSAPI,TI,PDP Type)

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 38
 Enhanced Data rates for the GSM Evolution
(EDGE)

Time Slot (MS-> BTS) 1 2 .... 8 Transmission Rate

New Modulation 8 PSK 48 kbit/s 48 kbit/s 48 kbit/s

Scheme ....

48.......384 kbit/s
• Advantages
– Increased Data Rate
– No Modificatíons in Core Network (SGSN/GGSN) required

• Disadvantages
– New Modulationscheme(8 PSK), not compatible to GSMK
– HW Changes in the BTS required
Hans Peter Schwefel
Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 39

3rd Generation Systems: IMT-2000

• Proposals for IMT-2000 (International Mobile Telecommunications)
– UWC-136, cdma2000, WP-CDMA
– UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) from ETSI
• Frequencies 1850 1900 1950 2000 2050 2100 2150 2200 MHz
ITU allocation MSS MSS
(WRC 1992) IMT-2000 ↑
IMT-2000
↓

T
GSM DE UTRA MSS T UTRA MSS
Europe D D
1800 CT D FDD ↑ ↑ D FDD ↓ ↓

GSM MSS MSS

China IMT-2000 ↑
IMT-2000
↓
1800

cdma2000 MSS cdma2000 MSS

Japan PHS
W-CDMA ↑ W-CDMA ↓

MSS MSS
North PCS rsv.
↑ ↓
America
1850 1900 1950 2000 2050 2100 2150 2200 MHz
Hans Peter Schwefel
Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 40
 Universal Mobile Telecommunication
System (UMTS)
• Currently standardized by 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP),
see http://www.3GPP.org
[North America: 3GPP2]
• So far, four releases: R’99, R4, R5, R6

Modifications:
• New methods & protocols on radio link Æ increased access bandwidth
• Coexistence of two domains in the core network
– Packets Switched (PS)
– Circuit Switched (CS)
• New Services
• IP Service Infrastructure: IP Based Multimedia Subsystems (IMS) (R5)

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 41

UMTS Domains CS MGW

M S C -S e r v ./V L R

G /E /N c
B S S ( R A N /G E R A N ) Nb
Mc
Nc
A b is A M S C - S e r v ./V L R
BTS CS MGW

BSC
G M S C -S e rv .

Um
D Mc
B TS
Gb C Nb
Iu C s

S IM - M E CS MGW

S IM
CS
ME H S S /A u C
D o m a in
UTRAN
Cx IM S D o m a in
U S IM Gs
Cu ( R e le a s e 5 )
Iu b is
MS Node B
Gr Gc
RNC M b /G i
Uu

Node B Gn
Iu r

Iu P S GGSN
SGSN
RNC

P S D o m a in

A cc ess C o r e N e tw o r k
N e tw o r k D o m a in
D o m a in

U s e r E q u ip m e n t In f r a s tr u c tu r e
D o m a in D o m a in

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 42
 UMTS Network Domains Service
Serviceand
andApplication
Application
Domain
Domain
• Radio Access Network
– Node B (Base station)
– Radio Network Controller (RNC)
User
UserEquipment
• Mobile Core Network Equipment
Domain
Domain
Access
Access
Network
Network
Core
Core
Network
Other
Other
Networks
Networks(IP/
(IP/ISDN)
ISDN)
Network
– Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) Domain
Domain Domain
Domain

– Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN)

– Mobile Switching Center (MSC)
– Home/Visited Location Register (HLR/VLR)
– Routers/Switches, DNS Server, DHCP Server, Charging/
Charging/Lawful
LawfulInterception/
Interception/OAM
OAM

Radius Server, NTP Server, Firewalls/VPN

Gateways
• Application/Services
• IP-Based Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)
– [see 9th Semester]
• Operation, Administration & Maintenance (OAM)
• Charging Network
• [Legal Interception]
Hans Peter Schwefel
Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 43

UMTS Radio Access Network (UTRAN): architecture

• CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) on Radio Link

• transmission rate theoretically up to 2Mbit/s (realistic up to ≈300kb/s)
Hans Peter Schwefel
Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 44
 Content
1. Introduction
• Cellular Concepts & Technologies
2. GSM
• Network Architecture, Air Interface
• Signalling/Call Setup, Mobility Support
• Data Services, HSCSD
3. GPRS & UMTS
• GPRS: Architecture, Air-Interface, Core-Network Modifications
• UMTS domains and architecture
4. IP transport in Packet Switched UMTS/GPRS Networks
• PDP contexts, APNs, TFTs
• Bearers
• ’full’ network architecture
Exercise

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 45

Transport of IP packets
IP tackets are tunnelled through the UMTS/GPRS network
(GTP – GPRS tunneling protocol)

User IP (v4 or v6)

Application
UTRAN SGSN GGSN
Terminal Server

Radio Bearer GTP-U GTP-U

Application

IP
IP IP
v4 or v6
v4 or v6 v4 or v6

Relay Relay

PDCP PDCP GTP-U GTP-U GTP-U GTP-U

RLC RLC UDP/IP UDP/IP UDP/IP UDP/IP

v4 or v6 v4 or v6 v4 or v6 v4 or v6
MAC MAC AAL5 AAL5 L2 L2 L2

L1
[Source: 3GPP]
L1 L1 ATM ATM L1 L1
Uu Iu-PS Gn Gi

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 46
 IP Transport: Concepts
• PDP contexts (Packet Data Protocol) activation
• done by UE before data transmission
• specification of APN and traffic parameters
• GGSN delivers IP address to UE
• set-up of bearers and mobility contexts in SGSN and GGSN
• activation of multiple PDP contexts possible
•Access Point Names (APN)
• APNs identify external networks (logical Gi interfaces of GGSN)
• At PDP context activation, the SGSN performs a DNS query to find out the GGSN(s)
serving the APN requested by the terminal.
• The DNS response contains a list of GGSN addresses from which the SGSN selects
one address in a round-robin fashion (for this APN).
•Traffic Flow Templates (TFTs)
• set of packet filters (source address, subnet mask, destination port range, source port
range, SPI, TOS (IPv4), Traffic Class (v6), Flow Label (v6)
• used by GGSN to assign IP packets from external networks to proper PDP context
• GPRS tunneling protocol (GTP)
•For every UE, one GTP-C tunnel is established for signalling and a number of GTP-U
tunnels, one per PDP context (i.e. session), are established for user traffic.
Hans Peter Schwefel
Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 47

IP Transport: PDP Context & APNs

Same PDP (IP) address and APN
ISP X
GGSN

PDP Context X1 (APN X, IP address X, QoS1)

APN X

PDP Context X2 (APN X, IP address X, QoS2)

SGSN
PDP Context selection ISP Y
Terminal based on TFT (downstream)
GGSN
APN Y

PDP Context Y (APN Y, IP address Y, QoS)

APN Z

PDP Context Z (APN Z, IP address Z, QoS)

ISP Z
[Source: 3GPP]

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 48
 UMTS Data Transport: Bearer Hierarchy
Air
Interface

TE MT UTRAN/ CN Iu CN
TE/AS
GERAN EDGE Gateway
NODE
End-to-End Service
(IP Bearer Service)

TE/MT Local UMTS Bearer Service External Bearer

Bearer Service Service Service

Radio Access Bearer CN Bearer

Service Service

Radio Bearer Iu Bearer Backbone

Service Service Bearer Service

Physical Physical
Radio Bearer Service
Service

RAN 3G SGSN 3G GGSN

User Equipment

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 49

The ’full picture’ of the UMTS packet switched domain

N e tw o rk IM S D o m a in A S N e tw o rk
M N O 1 `s N e tw o rk S e rvic e s
DNS V id e o M e s sa g e s
R A D IU S IM S HSS
SS7, Gc
V P N -G W Y
DNS DHCP DNS C o rp .
NS P -C S C F FT P AS
N e tw o rk
SS7, Gr I/S -C S C F AS
H L R /A u C

G i N e tw ork
DNS DNS
G n -P R I G n -S E C
Node In te rn e t
B DMZ ID S AS
BG
RNC
Node
B SG SN G GSN DNS
E xt HT T P
p ro x y
G n N e tw o rk ID S E -m a il M N O 3IM S
UE1
1 2 3

BG
4 5 6
7 8 9
* 0 #

BG UE3
DNS
E xt
M N O 1 `s B a c k bo ne

GRX M NO2
N e tw o rk
BG

Roaming Support: UE2

• UE attaches with SGSN in visited network

• PDP context is set-up to GGSN in home network (via Gp interface, GRX network)
Hans Peter Schwefel
Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 50
 Message Flow: PDP Context Setup

…
…

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 51

Summary
1. Introduction
• Cellular Concepts & Technologies
2. GSM
• Network Architecture, Air Interface
• Signalling/Call Setup, Mobility Support
• Data Services, HSCSD
3. GPRS & UMTS
• GPRS: Architecture, Air-Interface, Core-Network Modifications
• UMTS domains and architecture
4. IP transport in Packet Switched UMTS/GPRS Networks
• PDP contexts, APNs, TFTs
• Bearers
• ’full’ network architecture
Exercise

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 52
 Acknowledgements/References

• Lecture notes: Mobile Communciations, Jochen Schiller, www.jochenschiller.de

• Marco Hoffmann, Master Thesis, ‘Simulation of a flow-control algorithm between two nodes of
the GPRS network’, TU Munich and Siemens AG, 2001.
• Tutorial: IP Technology in 3rd Generation mobile networks, Siemens AG (J. Kross, L. Smith, H.
Schwefel)
• Various 3GPP Presentations. www.3gpp.org
• J. Schiller: ’Mobile Communications’. Addison-Wesley, 2000.
• GPRS books:
– T. Halonen, J. Romero, J. Melero: ‘GSM, GRPS, EDGE Performance: Evolution towards
3G/UMTS’, Wiley, 2003

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 53

Exercises I:
1. Data Rates: A user wants to do an FTP download of a 8MB Power-Point Presentation.
Compute the duration of this download for the following access technologies
• GSM data service
• HSCSD, 4 timeslots
• GPRS, 4 timeslots, CS-2 (downlink)
• EDGE, 8 timeslots
• Wired ISDN access (64kbit/s)
Give at least two reasons why the actual download times are likely to be longer than the ones
just computed.
Charging: The operator charges in GSM 15cent/min, in GPRS 0.1cent/kB. Compare the
costs of the GSM and GPRS download in the FTP case as well as for a Web-session
with duration of 1hour and overall data volume of 150kB.

2. IP transport in GPRS networks: a mobile user has set-up a PDP context to an ISP which
has assigned him the IP address 10.10.123.45 (private). The user now iniates a web access to
the CNN server. Describe the header structure of the IP packet which is sent downstream
from the GGSN to the SGSN (detailling the IP source and destination address).

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 54
 Exercises II:
3. Channel Assignment: In a certain radio cells, 2 channels are allocated resulting in 16
available timeslots. 3 timeslots are always used for control channels, 8 timeslots are reserved
for voice-calls (GSM) and the remaining time-slots are freely given to either GSM or GPRS
users.
Assume that there are no GSM users in the cell. GPRS users with two types of devices
are considered: i) 30% are supporting and asking for 2 down-link slots, ii) 70% are
supporting and asking for 4 down-link slots. GPRS sessions are started according to a
Poisson process with rate λ=2/min and with an exponentially distributed session duration
of on average 2min, during which they transmit with maximum data rate (CS-2).
Use the given simulation program to obtain average cell throughput, average throughput
per session, session blocking probability for the following strategies:
• Newly starting sessions either obtain the number of time-slots which they are
asking for, or they get blocked. Existing sessions are never downgraded.
• [If a session comes in newly, it obtains the remaining available time-slots up to the
number which it is asking for. If none are left, a station with the maximum number
of allocated time-slots is downgraded by one slot which is given to the new session.
]
Define a fairness criterion and evaluate it in the simulation.

Hans Peter Schwefel

Wireless Networks II, Lecture 1, Spring 05 Page 55