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LTE X2 Handover
X2 Handover Case The X2 handover is used when direct connectivity exits between the source and target eNBs with X2 interface Handover Preparation The X2 handover procedure is performed without Evolved Packet Core (EPC) involvement, i.e. preparation messages are directly exchanged between Source eNB and Target eNB Handover Execution There is direct tunnel formed between source and target eNBs for downlink data forwarding in handover execution time

1. Before Handover

2. Handover Preparation

3. Handover Execution

4. Handover Completion

5. After Handover

MME 2 2 Source eNB

SAE-GW

MME 2 2 Target eNB Source eNB

SAE-GW

MME

SAE-GW

MME

SAE-GW

MME

SAE-GW

2 2

Target eNB

Source eNB

Target eNB

Source eNB

Target eNB

Source eNB

Target eNB

1 4

1 3

1 3

UE

moving

UE

moving

UE

moving

UE

moving

UE

Source eNB makes the HO decision Direct Tunnel Setup (X2 Transport Bearer between Source eNB and Target eNB)

Detach from Source eNB Direct Packet Forwarding (DL traffic from Source eNB to Target eNB)

Path Switch procedure between Target eNB and MME Release S1 Bearer of Source eNB Release X2 Transport Bearer for direct Packet Forwarding S11 (GTP-C) Signaling UL Traffic DL Traffic

DRB (Data Radio Beaer) Signaling in Radio

S1 Bearer (GTP Tunnel) S1 Signaling

X2 Bearer (GTP Tunnel) X2 Signaling

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NMC Consulting Group was founded on year 2002 and is advanced, professional network consulting company which is specialized for IP Network area like FTTH, Metro Ethernet and IP/MPLS, Service area like IPTV and IMS lastly, Wireless network area like Mobile WIMAX and LTE. Copyright 2002-2011 NMC Consulting Group. All rights reserved.

LTE X2 Handover

LTE X2 Handover
Source Target

UE
EMM-Registered ECM-Connected RRC-Connected

eNB

eNB

MME
EMM-Registered ECM-Connected

S-GW

P-GW

HSS

PCRF

RRC-Connected S1 Bearer (UL/DL) S5 Bearer (UL/DL) Internet

DRB (UL/DL)

Measurement Report
Serving Cell (Radio Signal Strength), Target Cell (PCI, Radio Signal Strength)

Triggering the UE to send a Measurement Report based on triggering event (e.g., when a neighboring cell becomes better than the serving cell in terms of radio signal strength)

Handover Decision by Source eNB Derive KeNB*

Handover Request

Handover Preparation

ECGI of the Target Cell (of Target eNB), UE-AMBR, UE Security Capability, KeNB*, E-RAB to be setup (E-RAB ID, QCI, ARP, S1 S-GW TEID) eNB generates AS keys from KeNB (KeNB = KeNB*) Receive S1 TEID (UL) S1 TEID (UL) for Source eNB S1 Bearer Established (UL) Admission control with E-RAB QoS (QCI, ARP) Target eNB reserves RRC resource and allocates a new C-RNTI (e.g., Target C-RNTI)

Handover Request Ack

Receive Target eNB TEID (DL)

X2 Transport Bearers {E-RAB ID, Target eNB TEID}, Handover Command (Target C-RNTI, Target DRB ID (UL/DL), Target eNB AS Security Algorithm) Create Target eNB TEID (DL) X2 Transport Bearer (DL) Established DL: From Source eNB to Target eNB Create DRB ID (UL/DL)

Handover Command (RRC Connection Reconfiguration)

Target C-RNTI, Target DRB ID (UL/DL), Target eNB AS Security Algorithm) Receive DRB ID (UL/DL) Detach from the source eNB

Handover Execution

UE can not send & receive packets

RRC-Idle

UE generates KeNB (KeNB = KeNB*) & AS keys

SN (Sequence Number) Status Transfer

DL Count (DL PDCP SN), UL Count (UL PDCP SN) S1 Bearer (UL/DL) X2 Transport Bearer (DL) S5 Bearer (UL/DL) Internet

Synchronization Buffering DL Packets UL Allocation Handover Confirm (RRC Connection Reconfiguration Complete)
Target C-RNTI DRB Established (UL/DL) RRC-Connected AS Security setup S1 Bearer (UL/DL) X2 Transport Bearer (DL) DRB (UL/DL) DRB (UL/DL) S1 Bearer (UL) S5 Bearer (UL/DL) Internet S5 Bearer (UL/DL) Internet Start to send the Buffered DL Packets to the UE

Path Switch Request

Create S1 TEID (DL) ECGI, TAI, Received UE Security Capability, E-RAB to be switched in DL (E-RAB ID, S1 Target eNB TEID)

Modify Bearer Request

EPS Bearer in DL (EPS Bearer ID, S1 Target eNB TEID), ECGI, TAI Receive S1 TEID (DL)

Handover Completion

S1 Bearer Established (DL)

Modify Bearer Request Indication of IP-CAN Session Modification (CCR) EPS Bearer ID, ECGI, TAI
IMSI, UE IP, ECGI, TAI

Acknowledge of IP-CAN Session Modification (CCA) Modify Bearer Response Modify Bearer Response
EPS Bearer ID EPS Bearer in DL (EPS Bearer ID) Switch to DL path S1 Bearer (UL/DL) X2 Transport Bearer (DL) EM EM Send End Marker Packet For re-ordering in the Target eNB, the S-GW sends End-Marker packet(s) on the old path immediately after switch the path

Target eNB sends packets to UE from old path (X2) until receiving End-Marker, after then it sends packets from new path (S1) S1 Bearer (UL/DL)

DRB (UL/DL)

S5 Bearer (UL/DL)

Internet

Path Switch Request Ack UE Conext Release

X2 Transport Bearer (DL) Released EMM-Registered ECM-Connected RRC-Connected S1 Bearer Released (UL/DL) RRC-Connected EMM-Registered ECM-Connected UE E-RAB to be switched in UL (E-RAB ID) Target eNB 3 3 4 5 EM 5 EM End Marker S-GW 4 EM Source eNB Source eNB release UE context

LTE X2 Handover