2G/2.

5G/3G
Architecture

Manu Mittal

2G to 3G Roadmap

2G

GSM Architecture

Data
Chart

Network Elements
HLR

Every PLMN requires access to at least one HLR as a permanent store

of data
Can best be regarded as a large database with access times that must
be kept as short as possible (for faster connectivity)
Maintains subscriber information on teleservices and bearer services
subscription, service restrictions, and supplementary services
Each subscriber is assigned to one specific HLR, which acts as a fixed
reference point and where information on the current location of the
user is stored

AuC

Always implemented as an integral part of the HLR

The reason for this is that although GSM mentions the interface between the
AuC and the HLR and has even assigned it a name, the H-interface, it was never
specified in sufficient detail to be a standalone entity

Contains a copy of the secret key (Ki) stored in the SIM

Calculates and provides the authentication-triplets, that is, the signed
response (SRES), the random number (RAND), and Kc

Data
Chart

Network Elements
VLR

Provides dynamic subscriber data management

As the subscriber moves from an old VLR to a new VLR, relevant data
is also transferred (additional data could be requested from the HLR)
The permanent data is the same as data in the HLR
The temporary data includes

Temporary Subscriber Identity (TMSI)

Location Area Identity (LAI) of an MH

VLR allocates mobile subscriber roaming numbers (MSRNs) for the
incoming call setup
Typically, a VLR is linked with a single MSC

EIR

Contains a list of all valid mobile equipment on the network, where

each mobile station is identified by its International Mobile Equipment
Identity (IMEI)

Network Elements
Base Station Controller (BSC):

Maintains radio connections towards Mobile Station

Maintains terrestrial connection towards the NSS

Base Transceiver Station (BTS):

Air interface signalling, ciphering and speech processing

Mobile Service Switching Centre (MSC):

Call control

BSS control functions

Internetworking functions

Charging

Statistics

Interface signalling towards BSS and external networks

Serving MSC: BSS connections, mobility management, inter-working
Gateway MSC: Connections to the other networks

GSM Protocol Architecture

MS

BTS

MSC

BSC

CM

CM

MM

MM

Layer 3

RR

RR
RR

BTSM

BTSM

Layer 2

LAPDm

LAPDm

LAPD

LAPD

Layer 1

Physical
layer

Physical
layer

Physical
layer

Physical
layer

Um Interface

A-bis interface

BSSAP

BSSAP

SCCP

SCCP

MTP

MTP

A interface

2G

2.5G

GPRS Architecture

GPRS Architecture - Components

New components introduced for GPRS services:

PCU (Packet Control Unit)

SGSN (Serving GPRS Support Node)
GGSN (Gateway GPRS Support Node)
IP-based backbone network

Old components in GSM upgraded for GPRS

services:

HLR
MSC/VLR
Mobile Station

Modified Elements:

BSS

Introduction of packet control functionality (PCU)

within the BSS to provide interface between packets
and GSM air interface

MSC

MSC requires changes to support inter-working to the

new packet network node SGSN

Gs interface plays a key role, be it synchronization of

Paging or combines CS/PS location updates

HLR

HLR requires changes to support GPRS subscriber,

feature, and mobility management data for GPRS Mobile
Subscribers

PCU (Packet Control Unit)

Converts packet data information into a format

that can be transferred over the air interface

Manages radio resources

Implements Quality of service (QoS)

measurement

SGSN (Serving GPRS support node)

At the same hierarchical level as the MSC

Transfers data packets between mobile stations and

GGSNs

Keeps track of the individual MSs location and performs

security functions and access control

Detects and registers new GPRS mobile stations located

in its service area

Participates into routing, as well as mobility management

functions

GGSN (Gateway GPRS support node)

It is the gateway in and out of the GPRS system

Functions:

Converts the GPRS packets from SGSN into the

appropriate packet data protocol format (e.g., IP or X.25)
and sends out on the corresponding packet data network

Packet routing and transmission

Access Control

Maintains the location information of the mobile stations

that are using the data protocols provided by that GGSN.

Collects charging information for billing purpose

IP Backbone

Protocol architecture based on the Internet Protocol (IP)

GTP (GPRS Tunneling Protocol) used to tunnel user data and

signaling between GPRS Support Nodes. All PDP (Packet Data
Protocol) PDUs (Protocol Data Units) shall be encapsulated by GTP

Two kinds of GPRS backbone Network:

Intra-PLMN backbone network: The IP network interconnecting

GSNs within the same PLMN.

Inter-PLMN backbone network: The IP network interconnecting

GSNs and intra-PLMN backbone networks in different PLMNs.

Two intra-PLMN backbone networks are connected via the Gp

interface using Border Gateways and an inter-PLMN backbone
network.

Border Gateway handles the packet transfer between GPRS

PLMNs.

Communication between GPRS station and IP

Host

GSM/GPRS Protocol Stack

Application Software Interface
Architecture
PDP
CM

SM
SNDCP

MM

GMM

RR

GRR

LAPDm

LLC
RLC
MAC

Layer 1 Controller ( GLL1)

Hardware Abstraction Layer
Hardware

Transmission plane MS-GGSN

Signaling plane MS-SGSN

2G

2.5G

3G

UMTS Network Architecture

A typical UMTS network can be modeled as comprising of

three basic parts:

User Equipment (UE)

Access Network (AN)
Core Network (CN)

UMTS Network Architecture Changes

Most of the change is in the Radio Access Network (RAN) part

of the mobile network

CN network elements in 3G are upgraded versions of their 2G

counterparts

Radio Access Scheme in 3G is different from that used in

GSM/GPRS - WCDMA

Change in Radio Access Scheme allows operators to support

multimedia services

What are NAS and AS?

AS provides means to carry information over the air interface and

the means to manage its resources
NAS includes protocols that apply between UE and CN

Access Network

Analogy between 2G and 3G AS architecture could be derived as:

RNC replaces the BSC

Node-B replaces the BTS
Radio Access Technology changes to WCDMA

UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network

(UTRAN)

Hierarchical structure
A Radio Network Controller (RNC)
and associated Node-Bs form a
Radio Network Sub-system (RNS)
A Node-B is connected to a single
RNC but an RNC is connected to
multiple Node-Bs
A new interface Iur introduced
for macro diversity
Interfac
e

Location

Equivalent in GSM

Uu

UE UTRAN

Um

Iu

UTRAN CN

Iu-CS: RNC MSC

Iu-PS: RNC
SGSN

Gb

Iur

RNC RNC

Non
e

Iub

Node B

Abis

UTRAN: Functions of Node-B

Connects with UE on Uu interface and RNC on Iub

Conversion of data to and from Uu interface

Forward Error Correction, Rate adaptation, Spreading/Despreading

Channel Coding

Measurement report to RNC, handover etc.

Inner loop Power control

UTRAN: Functions of RNC

Radio resource control & Channel allocation

Mobile Station Admission and Traffic load/congestion control
Power control settings
Outer loop power control
Handover control
Ciphering
Channelization and scrambling code allocation handling
Segmentation and reassembly
Data transmission scheduling in packet transfer mode
Broadcast signaling
Combining/distribution of signals from/to different node Bs in a
macro diversity situation

Core Network

Existing CN components used in GSM are still used - MSC, VLR,

HLR, SGSN, GGSN etc.

UMTS Protocol Architecture:

Layer 3

Radio Interface Protocols (Control plane & User plane)

Layer 2

These include:

Medium Access Control (MAC)

Radio Link Control (RLC)

Broadcast/Multicast Control (BMC)

Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP)

Radio Resource Control (RRC)

UMTS Protocol Architecture:

Radio Network Protocols (Control plane & User plane)

Radio Access Network Application Part (RANAP)

Control Plane
Protocols

Radio Network Subsystem Application Part (RNSAP)

Controls the signaling between two RNC over Iur interface

Node B Application Part (NBAP)

User Plane
Protocols

Controls signaling between Access & Core Network

Controls signaling for both Iu_CS and Iu_PS interfaces have the same control
plane
Equivalent in functionality to its GSM counterpart - BSSMAP (BSS Management
Application Part) and GPRS counterpart BSSGP (BSS GPRS Protocol)

Controls signaling between RNC and Node B over Iub interface

Iu User Plane Protocol

Iu Framing Protocol

CS network
SS7
Evolution

Iu Interface Protocols
Iu-CS

Iu-PS

CS network
SS7
Evolution

Iur & Iub Interfaces

Iur

Iub

Thank You!

CS core
Network

Control
Plane

User Plane

SS7 Signaling Evolution

Important
data in
HLR & VLR