NEXT GENERATION NETWORKS A view on migration paths from existing fixed and mobile networks

Souheil MARINE Jean-Marie BLANCHARD

Why Next Generation Networks ?

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Convergence between the packet-based Internet and telephony networks

Driven by technological evolution Demand for a universal service network Service provision of the telephony network model Openness and flexibility of the Internet model A packet transport based network where the transport, control and service layers are separated from each other and interact through open interfaces

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Take the best from each

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Possible Definition of a Next Generation Network

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The target is well defined but how to get there ?

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Sminaire TIC/IMT-2000, Abidjan, 9-12 Septembre 2002 2

Migration Rationale
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Migration of current telephony networks (2 billion users worldwide) should preserve the existing investments Key investments in any network are in provisioning access for end-users to the network services (80% of the costs)

Any technological changes become costlier when they get closer to end-users and should be justified by added value brought with them Continuity of services offered to end-users Inter-working between new and old technologies Cost control of the migration process Network consolidation and optimization and/or New revenues driven from new services
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Migration must be driven by basic principles

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Migration should above all be driven by economic considerations

Sminaire TIC/IMT-2000, Abidjan, 9-12 Septembre 2002 3

Proposed Migration Approach

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Approach in 5 steps where each is justified by new services or advantages brought from consolidation Application of each step to the specific case of fixed and mobile (GSM and future 3G UMTS) networks The proposed migration steps are generic

Application of each step depends on the specific operator context All are not compulsory and do not follow in the same sequence There is no one size fits all migration scenario Emphasis put on significant network elements needed for service provision, on signaling relations between end-users and the network and between network entities

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Network views of migration steps are not exhaustive

Sminaire TIC/IMT-2000, Abidjan, 9-12 Septembre 2002 4

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Step 1 Fixed: Access to the Internet and Converged Internet/Telephony services

Parlay, JAIN, SIP ApGW Application Servers INAP PINT, SPIRITS WWW Servers SCP

Internet

STP

Transit ISDN/PRA ISUP NAS

SS7

ISUP Transit

Packet Network
BAS DSLAM

TDM
Local Access Node Voice Data Signaling

Local

Dial-up DSL Modem Modem POTS, ISDN

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Step 1 Fixed: Access to the Internet and Converged Internet/Telephony services

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Basic telephony service and its associated supplementary services

TDM based transport SS7 based signaling Calling Cards, Free phone,Voice virtual private networks, In dial-up mode or in broadband mode with DSL technology Benefit from the simultaneous availability of a telephony access and Internet access in the case of broadband Internet access Examples of converged services: Click-to-Dial, Internet Call Waiting, Web Augmented Calling, Unified Messaging,...
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Intelligent Network Services

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Internet access

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Converged Voice/data services

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Step 1 Mobile: Introduction of GPRS Packet Services

Mobile Core Circuit Switching
MSC/VLR PSTN

BTS

Gs A

HLR

BTS

Abis

Border Gateway

BSC

Ater
BTS

Gb GPRS Box

IP SGSN Gn backbone

GGSN

Gi

Internet / Intranet

Mobile Radio

DNS / DHCP

Charging Gateway

WAP Gateway

Mobile Core Packet Switching

Sminaire TIC/IMT-2000, Abidjan, 9-12 Septembre 2002 7 All rights reserved 2002, Alcatel

Step 1 Mobile: Introduction of GPRS Packet Services

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General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) introduced as a solution for offering an always-on access mode to data services for mobiles

Optimized use of the scarce radio resource

Share the bandwidth for data services between users of a given radio coverage zone (cell) Radio resources are not monopolized during idle periods

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No modification of the existing radio and core infrastructure for voice services

GPRS adaptation equipment added to existing radio infrastructure GPRS specific core infrastructure re-usable in further evolution steps

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GPRS service platform

Offers access to Internet/Intranet data networks and to service portals (first step towards future UMTS services) All rights reserved services 2002, Alcatel Optimize provision of 2G data like Short Messages (SMS) Sminaire TIC/IMT-2000, Abidjan, 9-12 Septembre 2002 8

Step2 Fixed: Network consolidation and introduction of new multi-service access nodes
SCP INAP

Internet
Transit ISUP (IMT)

STP

SS7

ISUP

TDM
ISUP

NAS V5.2 V5.2 Voice Multi-service Access Nodes ATM, IP

Packet Network
BAS DSLAM ADSL-NT

Local V5.2 or Local proprietary Access Node Voice Data Signaling POTS, ISDN

Sminaire TIC/IMT-2000, Abidjan, 9-12 Septembre 2002 9

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Step 2 Fixed: Network consolidation and introduction of new multi-service access nodes
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Switch consolidation

Maximize number of line, minimize number of nodes Upgrade of switch fabric and processors for higher capacity and speed Add NGN-ready multi-service access nodes

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Access Consolidation

End-user in native packet access mode DSL but also other alternative next generation local loop technologies (cable networks, wireless local loop, satellite,) Introduce Voice-over-DSL (loop emulation service) and extend voice service offer without modification of the legacy switches

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Optimize interconnection to the data network for dial-up access

Interconnection at local exchanges level (offload transit level) Use of ISUP and Inter Machine Trunks (IMT) instead of ISDN/PRA
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Sminaire TIC/IMT-2000, Abidjan, 9-12 Septembre 2002 10

Step 2 Mobile: Introduction of UMTS Radio Access Networks

SCP

HLR

GSM RAN

SGSN

MSC

PSTN

QoS-enabled IP backbone
Core Router
UMTS RAN

Internet
GGSN

Optical Core
Edge Router

Edge Router

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Step 2 Mobile: Introduction of UMTS Radio Access Networks

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Initial introduction of 3G UMTS radio access network (UTRAN) as coverage islands

Rest of the network coverage kept with legacy GSM 2G/2.5G radio

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Combined 2G/3G HLR, MSC, SGSN and GGSN network equipment support both types of access (Alcatels approach)

Smooth upgrade of early 2G equipment Edge router concentrates ATM streams coming from UTRAN

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Backbone data network introduced with QoS features

Front-end for both packet and circuit streams Evolves into an access gateway in future evolution steps

Core router switches IP traffic with MPLS/DiffServ support Enhanced intelligent network interfaces for mobiles towards SCP
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New service capabilities with location based service support

Sminaire TIC/IMT-2000, Abidjan, 9-12 Septembre 2002 12

Step 3 Fixed: Voice over Packet for Trunking

INAP SCP INAP ISUP, BICC, SIP-T

Internet
H.248

STP

SS7

ISUP Transit ISUP

TDM

BICC Local or Transit Local or Transit

Packet Network

Switch with MGC function or Softswitch

Integrated Gateway

Voice Data Voice/Packet Signaling

Sminaire TIC/IMT-2000, Abidjan, 9-12 Septembre 2002 13

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Step 3 Fixed: Voice over Packet for Trunking

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Gradually offload voice trunking traffic to the packet network Network consolidation by removal of an upper transit level or optimization within a transit level

Voice-over-Packet trunking through integrated gateways in the LEX/TEX Alternative solution based on external trunking gateways controlled by a Switch with Media Gateway Control (MGC) function or a Softswitch Use of SS7 based BICC signaling for co-existence with PSTN/ISDN services Reuse of existing IN services for business continuity Simpler Quality of Service issues

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First mastering of voice over packet technology at aggregate level

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Service transparency of Voice over Packet use for end-users

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Sminaire TIC/IMT-2000, Abidjan, 9-12 Septembre 2002 14

Step 3 Mobile: Voice service over Packets (Core and Access)

SCP HLR

Co La ntr ye ol r

BICC
MSC server GMSC server

Co n La nec ye tiv r ity

H.248
A-MGW

H.248

GSM RAN

PSTN
T-MGW

AMR/AAL2 Core Router Edge Router

Internet
GGSN

UMTS RAN

Edge Router

Optical Core
SGSN

QoS-enabled IP backbone

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Step 3 Mobile: Voice service over Packets (Core and Access)

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Generalization of UTRAN access

Voice coming in packet mode (ATM/AAL2) from the access network

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Leverage on the QoS-enabled IP backbone to support voice services in NGN way

Keep voice in original packet mode for mobile-mobile calls

Avoid unnecessary and quality decreasing encoding/decoding

Evolution of 2G/3G integrated MSCs into MSC servers (Alcatels approach) Use of the H.248 open interface to control Media gateways Based on the same platform as the Edge Router Mediation device for voice applications over ATM/AAL2
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Media gateways for Access and Trunking functionality

Sminaire TIC/IMT-2000, Abidjan, 9-12 Septembre 2002 16

Step 4 Fixed: Voice over packet up to access level

SCP INAP Switch with MGC function or Softswitch

Internet

STP

ISUP ISUP Transit H.248

SS7
Voice/Packet Gateway Access Node Voice Data Voice/ Packet Signaling

TDM
Local AN

Packet Network
Centralized Access Gateway

Multi-service Access Node with Integrated Access Gateway

DSLAM

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Step 4 Fixed: Voice over packet up to access level

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Extend use of packet transport to the access network for voice services

Introduction of Access Gateways

Integrated within next generation multi-service access nodes or Standalone centralized access gateways

Access gateways are controlled by a switch with MGC function or a softswitch

Same services portfolio as on the PSTN/ISDN Tighter integration of voice and packet services

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Improved network consolidation

control of the voice traffic from fewer MGC Switches or Softswitches Voice traffic gradually moved from the control of old generation switching equipment to the control of upgraded MGC switches or Softswitches
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Sminaire TIC/IMT-2000, Abidjan, 9-12 Septembre 2002 18

Step 5 Fixed: Multimedia Services

Application Servers SCP INAP Portal ISUP ISUP Transit H.248 Softswitch SIP, H.323 HTTP SIP Parlay JAIN SIP WWW Servers

Internet

STP

ISUP

SS7 TDM

Packet Network
BAS DSLAM

Local Voice Data Voice/Packet Signaling

AN

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Step 5 Fixed: Multimedia Services

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End-users connected through next generation multi-service access nodes will adopt IP terminals for multimedia services

Better benefit of the high bandwidth, always-on and interactivity associated with such next generation access networks

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New IP terminals will be controlled by Multimedia Softswitches through a new type of NGN signaling

SIP or H.323 Access network will focus on resource provision under the softswitch control depending on the service used

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A multimedia softswitch offers network services but also third party services through portals and open interface

Network operator becomes the intermediary broker between application providers and their clients
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Sminaire TIC/IMT-2000, Abidjan, 9-12 Septembre 2002 20

Step 5 Mobile: Multimedia Services

3rd party Application 3rd party Application 3rd party Application

Application layer

Integrated Management

Service Co-ordination layer

Portal Multimedia Softswitch HSS V/G-MSC Server

Media server

Session layer

HLR

T-MGW A-MGW
UMTS RAN
SIP Terminals

PSTN
GGSN

SGSN

Internet
Optical Core
QoS-enabled IP backbone

Transport & connectivity layer

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Step 5 Mobile: Multimedia Services

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IMS is the operator solution to differentiate from commoditypriced best-effort data services

Offering end-to-end Quality of service Network operator as the broker of added-value services

Services can be offered by 3rd party service providers

New business model unlocking new revenue sources Re-use of the currently deployed packet switched IP backbone and network equipment (SGSN and GGSN) New NGN signaling with new type of end-user terminals

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Multimedia Softswitch providing new services

SIP protocol with proper extensions to ensure end-to-end QoS per service invocation

Open interfaces towards 3rd party service provider Inter-working with voice services through interface with MSC Server
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Sminaire TIC/IMT-2000, Abidjan, 9-12 Septembre 2002 22

Conclusions
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Migration to NGN is an evolution of existing networks Driven by

Enhanced capabilities of Broadband access Demand for new services from customers Widespread acceptance and appropriation of new services But also on the maturity of the newly introduced technologies Each migration depends on specific operator conditions, strategy, andavailable budget Migration process must be self-financed by revenue from new services and/or cost reductions from network optimization Interoperability with the installed base is a key condition for success
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Speed of migration depends on

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There is no universal migration scenario

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