T-111.

550 Multimedia Seminar

Carlos Herrero 55828H
Osmo Tolvanen 46958L
 What is MBMS and why Multicast/Broadcast is
introduced to UMTS
 MBMS Standarisation in 3GPP
 Reference architecture model
 Functional entities to support MBMS
 MBMS service provisioning: broadcast vs.
multicast
 MBMS Main open issues
 Conclusions and possible service solutions
• Multimedia Broadcast/Multimedia Service
• Aims to offer an efficient way to transmit data from
single source to multiple destinations over radio
network
 Network resources are saved
• MBMS is realised by addition of existing and new
functional entities of the 3GPP architecture
• For some applications multiple users can receive the
same data in the same time: It would benefical for the
network to transmit the data only once over a particular
link.
• Cell Broacast Services (CBS) can be used to transmit
low bitrate data to particular cells (service areas).
• IP multicast as such can not provide means for multiple
subscribers to share radio or core network resources in
UMTS system.
• “With incresing use of high bandwidth applications in
UMTS, especially with large number of users receiving
the same high data rate services, efficient informantion
distribution is essential. Thus broadcast and multicast
are techniques to decrease the amount of data within the
network and use the resources more efficiently.” 3GPP
TS 22.146
What is 3GPP?
• 3rd Generation Partnership Project
• Established in 1998
• A collaboration agreement between numerous
telecommunication standardisation bodies
• Aims to maintain and develop GSM and 3rd
Generation Mobile Systems by providing Technical
Specifications (TSGs)
 Technical specifications (TSGs) for MBMS

• TSG 22: TS 22.146 ”Requirements for MBMS”

• TSG 23: TS 23.246 “Architecture and functional description”
• TSG 25: TS 25.446 “UTRAN Interface Aspects”
• TSG 26: TS 26.346 “Codecs and Protocols”
• TSG 29: TS 29.846 “Procedure Description”
 Content
CBC Provider
PDN
(e.g. Internet)

OSA
SCS

Content
HLR CSE BM-SC Provider

Gmb
Gr
Gi

Uu Iu Gn/Gp Gi Gi Multicast
UE UTRAN SGSN GGSN BG Broadcast
Source

Gi
Iu/Gb
Multicast
Um Broadcast
Source
UE GERAN
Minimum number of changes to existing
infrastructure
User Equipment: UE
Radio Access Network: UTRAN/GERAN
Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN )
Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN)
Broadcast-Multicast Service Centre: BM-SC
 Content
CBC Provider

User
PDN
(e.g. Internet)

Equipment OSA
SCS

Content
HLR CSE BM-SC Provider

Gmb
Gr
Gi

Uu Iu Gn/Gp Gi Gi Multicast
UE UTRAN SGSN GGSN BG Broadcast
Source

Gi
Iu/Gb
Multicast
Um Broadcast
Source
UE GERAN
 Content
CBC Provider

Radio
PDN
(e.g. Internet)

Access OSA
SCS

Network HLR CSE BM-SC

Content
Provider

Gmb
Gr
Gi

Uu Iu Gn/Gp Gi Gi Multicast
UE UTRAN SGSN GGSN BG Broadcast
Source

Gi
Iu/Gb
Multicast
Um Broadcast
Source
UE GERAN
 Content
CBC
Serving
Provider
PDN
(e.g. Internet)

GPRS OSA

Support
SCS

Content

Node HLR CSE

Gmb
BM-SC Provider

Gr
Gi

Uu Iu Gn/Gp Gi Gi Multicast
UE UTRAN SGSN GGSN BG Broadcast
Source

Gi
Iu/Gb
Multicast
Um Broadcast
Source
UE GERAN
 Content
CBC Provider

Gateway
PDN
(e.g. Internet)

GPRS OSA
SCS

Support HLR CSE BM-SC

Content

Node
Provider

Gmb
Gr
Gi

Uu Iu Gn/Gp Gi Gi Multicast
UE UTRAN SGSN GGSN BG Broadcast
Source

Gi
Iu/Gb
Multicast
Um Broadcast
Source
UE GERAN
 Broadcast/ CBC
Content
Provider
PDN
(e.g. Internet)

Multicast
Service Centre OSA
SCS

Content
HLR CSE BM-SC Provider

Gmb
Gr
Gi

Uu Iu Gn/Gp Gi Gi Multicast
UE UTRAN SGSN GGSN BG Broadcast
Source

Gi
Iu/Gb
Multicast
Um Broadcast
Source
UE GERAN
• MBMS functions in two modes:

The Broadcast Mode

* available without subscription for all UEs in a cell
The Multicast Mode
* requires subscription
 The connection procedure

The multicast mode The broadcast mode

Subscription Service announcement
Service announcement
Session Start
Joining

Session start MBMS notification

MBMS notification
Data transfer
Data transfer

Session Stop Session Stop

Leaving
 Service announcement

Service announcement

• Operator may use different Session Start

mechanisms to inform users about
MBMS notification
available MBMS services (service
Data transfer
discovery)
Session Stop
• Announcements are available also
for those who are not subscribed
• Location information may be used
 Session start (network set up)

Service announcement

• Establishes the needed network Session Start

resources for the MBMS data
MBMS notification
transfer
Data transfer
• Resources are reserved from both Session Stop
core network and radio access
network
 MBMS notification

Service announcement

• Informs users about on-going or Session Start

fothcoming services
MBMS notification

• available for all users with Data transfer

activated MBMS services Session Stop
 Data transfer

Service announcement

• The data is transferred to the user Session Start

equipments (UEs)
MBMS notification

• The UE is in connected mode Data transfer

• No ciphering Session Stop

• No retransmitting, so there may be

some data loss
 Session stop

Service announcement

• The reserved network resources are Session Start

released when there’s no more data
MBMS notification
to be transferred
Data transfer

Session Stop
 time

UE1
Local service de-
UE local activation
service
activation

UE2

Idle period Data Data Data

of seconds transfer transfer transfer

Start Broadcast
Broadcast session start Session stop Stop
Service announc
announcement ement
Service 1 session1
Service 1 Session 2

Broadcast service Announcement

Broadcast of Data, received by any UE

which is present
 Subscription

Subscription

Service announcement
• First the user starts a relationship Joining

with the operator by subscribing to a Session start

spesific MBMS service MBMS notification

Data transfer
• After subscription the user may Session Stop
receive related MBMS service and Leaving

operator may charge for it

• Subscription can be made for
example in the internet
 Service announcement

Subscription

Service announcement
• Same as in broadcast mode Joining

Session start

MBMS notification

Data transfer

Session Stop
Leaving
 Joining

Subscription

Service announcement
• In the joining phase the user Joining

indicates to the network that he/she Session start

wants to specific multicast data MBMS notification

stream Data transfer

Session Stop
• Joining can be made at any time Leaving

• Used for charging so authentication

is needed
 Session start

Subscription

Service announcement
• Same as in broadcast mode with Joining

one exception: Session start

MBMS notification
• The network decides whether a Data transfer
common channel for all UEs in a cell Session Stop
is used, or separate channel for each Leaving

UE
 MBMS notification
• Same as in the broadcast mode Subscription

Service announcement
Data transfer Joining

Session start
• Data is encrypted
MBMS notification

• Otherwise same as in the broadcast Data transfer

mode Session Stop

Leaving

Session stop
• Same as in the broadcast mode
 Leaving

Subscription

Service announcement
• When user no longer wants to Joining

belong to a multicast group and Session start

receive data transfer MBMS notification

Data transfer
• Doesn’t unsubscribe the user from Session Stop
the service, just from the current data Leaving

transfer
• Can be made any time
 Subscription can be Service join by the
at any time user can be at any
time

UE1 time
events
subscription User service
to service1 service leave
join
subscription
UE2 to service1
events

Idle period Data Data Data

Service 1 of seconds transfer transfer transfer
events
Start Service 1 1st Session 1st session stop Stop Service 1
announcement start Service 1 Session 2 announcement
Service 1 session1

Transfer Announcement
of data
Data sent to Data sent to
Data sent UE1 and UE1 and Data sent
to UE1 UE2 UE2 to UE2
• Security: Network level or application level ciphering
• MBMS Service Area.
• System requirements at User Equipment.
• Codecs and protocols.
• Mobility of user equipment
• IP multicast traffic can be received by mobile subcscribers
already: However, IP multicast is transparent to UMTS
system and ptp connection between each UE and GGSN is
used.
• MBMS is transparent to end users (they have same
experience as with ptp connections) but saves resources on
the mobile operator side: optimization of the radio access
• For example in a sports event, playbacks can be
broadcasted to all audience UEs automatically
• Operators can use MBMS to inform about new services