Paging procedure

The paging procedure offers the network the means to start the establishment of a mobile terminating call with a given MS. The BSC is able to handle all cell identifier types within the PAGING message. The BSC requires parameters for calculating the paging group. The paging procedure is presented in the following figures.

Figure: Paging procedure when paging comes from MSC

Figure: Paging procedure when paging comes from SGSN In networks with GPRS capability, the PAGING message can also be routed through the SGSN. GPRS-related paging is used when paging an MS for a Circuit Switched or a Packet Switched call on a paging subchannel. The paging subgroup is calculated by the BTS. When the BSC receives paging from the SGSN, the BSC sends a CS-PAGING COMMAND or a PS-PAGING COMMAND (for packet data) to the BTS. For more information, see (E)GPRS in BSC. If the BTS does not support GPRS, the BSC sends a PAGING COMMAND to the BTS. The BTS builds paging request messages and sends them on the radio path. If the MS does not answer within a given time limit, the MSC repeats the PAGING COMMAND message.
PAGING

message

If the BSC receives the PAGING message from the MSC (a), the PAGING message includes the following data:

message type MS identity (IMSI) temporary MS identity (TMSI) (optional) cell identifier list (optional) channel needed (optional).

The cell identifier list identifies the cells where the PAGING message is sent. The BSC is able to handle all cell identifier types. If no cell identifier is included, the BSC pages the mobile in all cells it controls. The channel needed information element is used to indicate to the MS which channel will be needed for the transaction linked to the paging procedure. The inclusion of the channel needed element depends on the MSC.

Figure: Channel needed information element The Channel field (bits 1-2 of octet 2) is coded as follows: Table: Values of Channel field Value Channel needed 00 Any channel 01 SDCCH 10 TCH/F (full rate) 11 TCH/F or TCH/H (dual rate)
PAGING COMMAND

message

The PAGING COMMAND message includes the following data:

message header paging group MS identity channel needed (optional).

The BSC uses the IMSI value received in the PAGING message to calculate the mobile's paging group and sends the PAGING COMMAND (b) message to the BTS. Consequently, the BTS uses the paging group element included in the PAGING COMMAND message to calculate which DRX paging block to use to transmit the PAGING REQUEST MESSAGE (c) to the MS. The CCCH has two alternative configurations that are described below. The CCCH configuration affects the value of the paging group information element that is included in the PAGING COMMAND message. The maximum value of the paging group element is 81. BCCH + CCCH in a 51-frame multiframe 9 CCCH block BCCH + CCCH + 4 SDCCH (stand-alone dedicated control (ii) channel) 4 in a 51-frame multiframe 3 CCCH block paging group = ((IMSI mod 1000) mod (BS_CC_CHANS x N)) mod N number of paging blocks available in one 51-frame multiframe on N= one CCCH x BS_PA_MFRMS BS_PA_MFRMS = number of multiframes BS_CC_CHANS = number of CCCH channels in a TRX BS_AG_BLKS_RES number of blocks reserved for access grant, ranges from 0-7 in = configuration (i) and 0-2 in configuration (ii) (9-BS_AG_BLKS_RES)*BS_PA_MFRMS, if CCCH_CONF=0 N= configuration (i) (3-BS_AG_BLKS_RES)*BS_PA_MFRMS, if CCCH_CONF=1 N= configuration (ii) The value of the BS_CC_CHANS parameter varies according to the value of the CCCH_CONF parameter, as shown in the following figure. Table: Relation of BC_CC_CHANS and CCCH_CONF values CCCH_CONF BS_CC_CHANS 000 1 001 1 010 2 100 3 101 4 If the PAGING message includes both a TMSI and IMSI, the TMSI is used. The TMSI is a locally used number inside one Location Area which replaces the IMSI number in call setup. The TMSI improves security and ensures that any significant subscriber information, such as the IMSI, cannot be discovered during call setup. (i)

The channel needed element is optional: if the channel needed element is not present, its value is assumed to be 00 (any channel).
CS-PAGING COMMAND

message

The CS-PAGING COMMAND message includes the following data:

message header MS identity DRX parameter (optional) temporary MS identity (optional) channel needed (optional).

The MS identity (IMSI) is a mandatory information element. The DRX parameter and the temporary MS identity (TMSI) elements are optional. The channel needed element is also optional: its inclusion depends on the MSC. If the channel needed element is not present, its value is assumed to be 00 (any channel).
PS-PAGING COMMAND

message

The PS-PAGING COMMAND message includes the following data:

message header MS identity DRX parameter (optional) (temporary) MS identity (optional).