LTE Evolved Packet Core

All material is Copyright Informa Telecoms & Media

Your Tutor - Tony Wakefield

British Telecom Joined 1981

National Certificates in
Telecoms
Electronics
BSc (Hons) Electronics & Physics

Royal Navy for 8 Years

Telecoms Training since 1996

Training Director for Informa Telecoms Academy

Worked with many companies Vodafone, O2, Orascom, MTN, ZAIN,

ATOS, Motorola, Nokia, Ericsson ..

Programme Director for Tel Mini MBA and Distance Learning, + Technology
Training (SS7, CAMEL, 3G, GPRS, GSM, Bluetooth, WiMAX )

Hobby - Cycling

Agenda

Core Network Evolution

LTE EPC Architecture
EPC Node Functions
LTE EPC Operation
LTE EPC Protocols

Core Network Evolution

All material is Copyright Informa Telecoms & Media

Fixed Next Generation Network (NGN)

SIGTRAN

DSL
network

IP based

xDSL for local loop

Reduced capex/opex

Secure

May use IMS for voice or

service delivery

H.248
MEGACO

SS7
TDM

PSTN

UMTS Architecture with IP Core

Illustrates combined:

Release 4
MSC MGW and server

Release 5
GSNs and IMS

Internet

Gi

Node Bs

Single Core Network, Seamless Service Delivery

IP Multimedia
Subsystem

Service
Control

SIP

Service
Transport

Wi-Fi
WiMAX

Fixed
Line

IP core network

GSM
GPRS

3G

IMS - New subsystem to Control Services (IP Multimedia Subsystem)

Supports IP-based multimedia services (real-time and non-real time)

Based on IETF standards and protocols (e.g. SIP and SDP)

Fixed and mobile implementations

Access
Technologies

EPC Concept
Service control
IP Multimedia
Subsystem

Non - 3GPP Access

Technologies
Wi-Fi
WiMAX

Fixed
Line

3GPP Access
Technologies

GSM
GPRS

SIP
3G
Service
Transport

Evolved Packet Core

(IP core network)
LTE eUTRAN

New subsystem

Supports IP-based multimedia services (real-time and non-real time)

Based on IETF standards and protocols (e.g. SIP and SDP)

Fixed and mobile implementations

LTE Architecture (High Level)

External Networks
IMS, MMS, WAP,
Media Centres

Interworking with trusted

and non-trusted networks

WLAN

UMTS

eNBs

UE

E-UTRAN
New Radio Access Network
Brings Greater Efficiency,
Flexibility and Speed
EPC Evolved Packet Core
New Core Network - All IP for efficiency
Designed to provide efficient data transport
Flexible QoS / Bearer Allocation
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Terms For Reference

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LTE Long Term Evolution

E-UTRAN Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network

EPC Evolved Packet Core

eNB Evolved Node B

MME Mobility Management Entity

SGW Serving Gateway

PGW Packet Data Gateway (Sometime PDN-GW)

UE User Equipment

IMS IP Multimedia Subsystem

EPC Anchor Functions

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AAA and Diameter

Radius and Diameter are

similar in function
Diameter offers better
session control, proxying
and security

Diameter
AAA
server

Accounting
Time connected
Data volume
Number of
packets

Internet

Laptop

Access
point

Network
access
server

Access Request
Access Accept or Reject

12

LTE EPC Architecture

All material is Copyright Informa Telecoms & Media

LTE Architecture (High Level)

External Networks
IMS, MMS, WAP,
Media Centres

Interworking with trusted

and non-trusted networks

WLAN

UMTS

eNBs

UE

E-UTRAN
New Radio Access Network
Brings Greater Efficiency,
Flexibility and Speed
EPC Evolved Packet Core
New Core Network - All IP for efficiency
Designed to provide efficient data transport
Flexible QoS / Bearer Allocation
14

LTE Architecture E-UTRAN

New Access Network

Base Station - Evolved Node B

X2 interface for improved Handover and
Interference Management
Backhaul Connections are Critical, Capacity

Downlink Radio Interface

Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access

(OFDMA)
Improved Performance in Urban Areas
Multiple In Multiple Out (MIMO)

eNBs

Uplink Radio Interface

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Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access

(SC-FDMA)
Good Urban Area Performance
Designed for Good Battery Life

E-UTRAN

UE

LTE Architecture Evolved Packet Core (EPC)

EPC Evolved Packet Core
New Core Network
All IP for efficiency
Self Organising Network (SON)
PGW Packet Gateway
Connects to external networks
Internet, IMS, WAP, MMS
Manages the IP session

SGW Serving Gateway

Handles User Data
Controlled by the MME

eNBs

MME Mobility Management Entity

Overall control of UE and Data Sessions
Handle Handovers and Location Management
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UE

LTE Architecture - Interworking

Interworking

Defined interfaces for

interworking
UMTS/GPRS interworking
WiFi/WiMAX Interworking
Interworking with
Trusted/non-Trusted

WLAN

UMTS

eNBs

17

UE

LTE Architecture Service Provision

External Networks
IMS, MMS, WAP,
Media Centres

WLAN

UMTS

eNBs

18

UE

LTE Architecture Defined Interfaces

External Networks
IMS, MMS, WAP,
Media Centres

Interworking with trusted

and non-trusted networks

WLAN

SGi

UMTS

S2
S3,S4,S12
eNBs

S1-U

S5
S11

S1-MME

EPC Evolved Packet Core

New Core Network
All IP for efficiency
Self Organising Network (SON)
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X2

UE

E-UTRAN
New Radio Access Network
Brings Greater Efficiency,
Flexibility and Speed

EPC Node Functions

All material is Copyright Informa Telecoms & Media

SGW Functions
Local Mobility Anchor point for
inter-eNodeB handover

Assist the eNodeB reordering

function during inter-eNodeB
handover

WLAN

SGi

UMTS

S2
S3,S4,S12
S1-U

S5
S11

Mobility anchoring for inter3GPP mobility

ECM-IDLE mode downlink

packet buffering

Initiation of network triggered

service request procedure

Lawful Interception point in the

network

S1-MME

Packet routing and forwarding

Transport level packet marking

in the uplink and the downlink

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PGW Functions
Packet filtering, via deep
packet inspection

Allocation of UE IP
addresses

WLAN

UMTS

Downlink packet marking

Service level charging,

gating and rate enforcement

SGi

S2
S3,S4,S12
S1-U

S5

Terminates the SGi interface

towards the PDN

S11
S1-MME

22

Mobility anchor 3GPP and

non-3GPP

MME Functions

NAS signalling

Inter CN node signalling for

mobility between 3GPP access
networks

UE Reachability in ECM-IDLE
state Tracking Area list
management

WLAN

SGi

UMTS

PDN GW and Serving GW

selection

S2
S3,S4,S12

MME selection for handovers

with MME change

S1-U

S5
S11

S1-MME

SGSN selection

Authentication

Bearer management functions

including dedicated
bearer establishment

Lawful Interception of signalling

traffic

23

LTE EPC Operation

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The Default Bearer

LTE Network

IMS

Signalling (SIP)

EPC

25

Establishes Initial Bearer

IP Address Allocated on registration
Must maintain an always on connection
Transfers SIP Signalling to IMS

IMS
VoIP App

The Dedicated Bearer

LTE Network

IMS

Signalling (SIP)

EPC
Media (RTP)

26

Dedicated Bearer established with application

activation
Bearer properties negotiated with EPC
Bearer properties include QoS parameters

IMS
VoIP App

QoS Class Identifier Values

27

EPS Bearer Properties

EPC Roaming Architecture Home Routed

Traffic

28

EPC Roaming Architecture Local Breakout

29

Policy and Charging Control Architecture

30

LTE EPC Protocols

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S1 Interface Protocols
S1-U

Tunnelling Protocol Encapsulates

User IP Packets

S1-MME

32

SCTP provides reliable transfer

of signalling over S1
S1AP provides eNB control from
the MME

IP (user)
GTP-U
UDP/IP
L2
PHY

NAS
S1AP
SCTP
IP
L2
PHY

S5/S8 Interface Protocols

S5/S8

33

Tunnelling Protocol
Encapsulates User
IP Packets

IP (user)
GTP-U
UDP/IP
L2
PHY

S11 Interface Protocols

S11

Provides bearer
control mechanisms
for the user pane

GTP-C
UDP/IP
L2
PHY

34

S6 Interface Protocols

S6

MME HSS Interface

Exchange of user data
Diameter-SCTP replaces SS7

HSS

Diameter
SCTP
IP
L2
PHY
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Thanks
telecomsacademy@informa.com
tony.wakefield@informa.com
www.telecomsacademy.com

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