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Wi-Fi Calling for Customer Retention

In many markets more and more people are giving up

their landlines relying on the mobile phone as their
primary point of contact. A poor mobile connection in
their homes will inevitably force users to switch to a
competing mobile operator with better coverage. For
mobile operators Wi-Fi Calling is the perfect customer
retention tool.

Wi-Fi Calling is all about indoor coverage

Wi-Fi is everywhere. People are already running the vast majo
rity of their data through Wi-Fi. According to a recent study by
Mobidia as much as 80% of all mobile data is going over Wi-Fi
and a big portion of this is, of course, indoor traffic including traffic from within peoples homes. Making matters worse, cellular
networks are having an increasingly harder time penetrating modern buildings and those LTE networks running on high frequency
bands will not make things easier for them.
What if you could use all of the different Wi-Fi networks that users
are connected to for transporting the voice calls that would normally go over the cellular network? All of a sudden mobile operators would be able to offer coverage for their voice services virtually
everywhere people spend most of their time.
This is the value proposition of next-generation Wi-Fi Calling, and
it is available today!
Dont mix this up with the Voice over Wi-Fi solutions (VoWiFi) that
have been available for many years. This is a next-generation Wi-Fi
Calling with VoWiFi and Voice over LTE (VoLTE) support natively integrated in the smartphone dialer, which offers a totally seamless user
experience. Newer smartphones such as the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus
support a seamless call transfer. When a user moves between LTE
and Wi-Fi networks, the call will continue without any interruption.
The next-generation Wi-Fi calling will still work for operators that
have not yet deployed VoLTE and are still using the circuit switched
GSM for voice. However, in this case the call will be terminated
when users move between the networks.

You dont even need your own Wi-Fi footprint

The next-generation Wi-Fi Calling works transparently over any
Wi-Fi connection through a tunnel (IPSec) between the smartphone and a gateway (ePDG) in the mobile core. This means that
mobile operators do not have to build their own Wi-Fi network or
even partner with Wi-Fi service providers. Next-generation Wi-Fi
Calling will work regardless as soon as users are connected to a
Wi-Fi network.

Wi-Fi calling is a cost saver and revenue generator

Wi-Fi calling reduces churn, which is a significant cost for operators. Mobile operators will potentially also be able to reduce the
cost for building out LTE base stations, as Wi-Fi calling will take
care of the indoor coverage for voice.
Wi-Fi calling works transparently over any Wi-Fi network, including when the user is abroad. This means zero roaming costs for the
mobile operator. If the operator chooses to transfer this cost savings
to subscribers by applying the same call rate for Wi-Fi calling wherever they are in the world, then Wi-Fi calling will become a revenue
generator as well. First movers can expect to acquire new customers
that travel extensively.

Let Aptilo help you with Wi-Fi Calling and more

Learn more about the details of Aptilos solution for next-generation
Wi-Fi Calling. Our advanced 3GPP AAA, which is the core component in the Aptilo SMP Wi-Fi Calling product, performs the critical
functions of authenticating users and applying any necessary policies for the Wi-Fi calling service.
Aptilos Wi-Fi Calling solution also offers innovative features such
as support for non-SIM devices and policy lookups, which goes
beyond the 3GPP standards. As the leading vendor in carrier Wi-Fi
service management, with 100+ customers in more than 70 countries, we have learned that this type of extended functionality
often is required in real-world deployments.
More details about our Wi-Fi Calling Solution in the following pages.

BENEFITS
Next-generation Wi-Fi Calling Solution
Benefits to the END USER
Single, uniform voice dialer on their smartphone.
Allows for voice services over any Wi-Fi network
(home, office, hotspots).
Wi-Fi Calling provides better indoor coverage.
Seamless call transfer support between Wi-Fi and
LTE (using VoLTE) and specific support in the device.
The next-generation Wi-Fi Calling solution is just as
seamless for the user as iMessage. Users will never
have to consider whether or not they are connected
to LTE or Wi-Fi. Voice calls will just work. From anywhere to anyone.
Roaming charges will be minimized. A call from anywhere in the world will be charged as a mobile call
in your home mobile network whenever you have
access to the Internet over Wi-Fi.

Benefits to the OPERATOR

Better indoor coverage compared to cellular macro
base stations. This solves an increasing problem
with the radio tight modern building structures.
Reduced churn.
Operators can get back in the drivers seat making
OTT players such as Skype and Viber less important
to subscribers.
Wi-Fi is a low-cost solution to enhance voice service coverage.
Operators do not necessarily even have to invest in
a Wi-Fi footprint. They can instead rely on existing
Wi-Fi networks.
Wi-Fi Calling is sharing similar infrastructure with
IMS-based VoLTE.
For mobile operators Wi-Fi Calling has become critical
for customer retention, as subscribers in many countries are giving up their landlines. With the smartphone as the primary device for keeping in contact
with friends and family, they will be forced to switch
to a competing mobile operator if the mobile connection is poor or non-existing.
Even though this new Wi-Fi Calling technology has
been available for some time, operators have been
hesitant. They have wanted to protect their voicerelated revenue including revenue from roaming
charges. However, new business models allowing for
flat-fee voice services, combined with the realization
that users will use OTT applications for calls as much
as they can, has removed the last obstacle for taking
Wi-Fi Calling to the next level.

Next-generation Wi-Fi Calling Using IMS and 3GPP Wi-Fi Access

Wi-Fi Calling has been around for a long time. Voice calls have been transmitted over Wi-Fi
either in the form of OTT applications such as Skype or as initiatives such as UMA and femtocells to enhance the reach of mobile voice services in subscribers homes.
The problem with OTT applications from an operators perspective is that the operator loses control. The UMA/femtocell initiatives have proven to be too expensive lacking widespread support among phone manufacturers. In an ideal world voice calling
should be totally seamless for the user, built-in natively in the device and work over
any network connection.
The technology has been available for some time but operators have been hesitant.
They have wanted to protect their voice-related revenue including revenue from roaming charges. However, new business models allowing for flat-fee voice services, combined
with the realization that users will use OTT applications for calls as much as they can, has
removed the last obstacle for taking Wi-Fi Calling to the next level.
In September 2014, mobile operator T-Mobile pioneered this next-generation Wi-Fi Calling solution. This is a paradigm shift for Wi-Fi Calling as it is now implemented with
native support embedded in the smartphones and working seamlessly through any Wi-Fi
connection.

Wi-Fi Calling using IMS and

untrusted Wi-Fi access in EPC

IMS Core
VoLTE/VoWiFi

Cx / Sh

HSS

- IMS Stack
- VoWiFi
Native
- VoLTE

SWx

Rx

3GPP AAA
Aptilo SMP
Wi-Fi Calling

S6b

PCRF
SGi

S6a

Gx

SWm

MME
S1-MME

LTE

S11

S-GW
S1-U

LTE RAN
eNodeB

EAP-AKA

Circuit
Switched

P-GW
Gxb

Wi-Fi

S2b
(GTP or PMIPv6)

IPSec
(SWu)

ePDG

Wi-Fi RAN
Untrusted

IPSec termination

What is next-generation Wi-Fi Calling Solution How does it work?

The next-generation Wi-Fi Calling solution uses devices with a native IMS stack and native
VoLTE and VoWiFi applications (Voice over LTE and Voice over Wi-Fi). Connection over any
Wi-Fi network is secured using the untrusted 3GPP Wi-Fi Access method. Dont be fooled
by the name untrusted; the connection is secured end-to-end through an IPSec tunnel
between the device and the ePDG in the mobile core. The IPSec connection is automatically
triggered anytime the device connects to a Wi-Fi network and has access to the Internet. The
device is authenticated for Wi-Fi Calling through a secure SIM Authentication via the 3GPP
defined SWm interface.
This brings two benefits to the operator: the connection is highly secure and the user can
be reached for Wi-Fi Calling whenever he/she is connected to the Internet.

The next-generation Wi-Fi Calling solution requires IMS

support with VoLTE/VoWiFi. Operators that are using
circuit-switched GSM for handling voice can still use
the next-generation Wi-Fi Calling solution but there
will be no seamless transfer of the calls between Wi-Fi
and LTE. The IMS support is still required in this case
for the VoWiFi.

Wi-Fi Calling Solution Device support

The next-generation Wi-Fi Calling solution is already
supported in smartphones from leading vendors such
as Apple, Samsung, HTC, Motorola and Nokia and the
device support for Wi-Fi Calling is expected to grow
quickly as new models are introduced. Next-generation
Wi-Fi Calling requires four things from the device:
A native IMS stack.
A native VoWiFi application.
A native VoLTE application (optional for seamless call
transfer).
Support for SIM Authentication using EAP-AKA.

Wi-Fi Calling Solution Seamless handover

between VoWiFi and VoLTE
Seamless handover means that the voice calls will
continue without any interruption as the user moves
between the Wi-Fi and LTE networks. New devices such
as iPhone 6 support this type of seamless handover. The
iPhone 6 also has built-in VoLTE support. Similar support
is expected soon from other leading vendors.

The role of the Aptilo SMP Wi-Fi Calling

product
We have built the Aptilo SMP Wi-Fi Calling product
around the advanced 3GPP AAA in the Aptilo Service
Management Platform (SMP). Real-world deployments often call for pragmatic and innovative solutions that go beyond the standards. Wi-Fi Calling is
no exception. Below we will go into more detail about
some of the innovative features that make Aptilos
Wi-Fi Calling solution stand out from the crowd.

Do you need support for carrier Wi-Fi and

offloading?
Just add the Aptilo SMP 3GPP AAA+ to the Aptilo
SMP platform. Even better: step up your Wi-Fi to the
full functionality available in the Aptilo Service Management Platform.

Providing innovative features for your Wi-Fi

Calling solution
As described above the real beauty with Wi-Fi Calling is that it will work seamlessly over any Wi-Fi network. Wi-Fi Calling works the same way regardless of
whether the users are connected over a Wi-Fi network
belonging to the operator or whether they are con-

Wi-Fi Calling using IMS and

untrusted Wi-Fi access in EPC
Aptilo Value Add

Other Db

IMS Core
VoLTE/VoWiFi

Policy
lookups
non-SIM
Support

Policy
Lookup

3GPP AAA

Wi-Fi Calling
Calling
Wi-Fi
Policy
Policy

D/Gr

HLR/HSS
SWx
S6a

- IMS Stack
- VoWiFi
Native
- VoLTE

CRM

Rx
Gx

PCRF
Gx

Aptilo
SMP
Wi-Fi
Calling
Aptilo
3GPP
AAA+
SWm

Circuit
Switched

SGi

S6b

MME
S1-MME

LTE

S11

S-GW

P-GW

S1-U

LTE RAN
eNodeB

EAP-AKA

Gxb

Wi-Fi
IPSec
(SWu)

S2b
(GTP or PMIPv6)

ePDG

Wi-Fi RAN
Untrusted

IPSec termination

nected to their home networks or hotspots where the operator has no control. The same
IPSec tunnel is established either way.
First the user needs to be authenticated to the Wi-Fi network to get access to the Internet.
Then the user needs to be authenticated to the Wi-Fi Calling service and get the IPSec tunnel established this part will always be an automatic process for the user.
This means that the Aptilo SMP 3GPP AAA+ can be involved in e.g. a SIM Authentication over an 802.1x Wi-Fi network belonging to the operator giving the user automatic
access to the Wi-Fi network and the Internet. In the next step the Aptilo SMP Wi-Fi Calling application performs another automatic SIM Authentication in order to authenticate the user for the Wi-Fi Calling service and to establish the IPSec tunnel. The two processes are independent from one another. In another situation the subscribers can be in
their home networks taking care of the authentication to the Wi-Fi network themselves
and then the Aptilo SMP Wi-Fi Calling application will kick-in to authenticate the user
for the Wi-Fi Calling service.
The Aptilo SMP Wi-Fi Calling performs the standard 3GPP AAA server functions for seamless authentication as mentioned above, but it also offers some valuable functionalities that
may be needed in a real-world implementation:

Multi-vendor support
Thanks to our over 100 carrier Wi-Fi deployments we have already proven interoperability
with all leading gateway vendors. If you do not see the vendor of choice in that list, rest
assured that we have the experience and flexibility in our system to quickly adapt to new
gateways.

Support not only for HSS but also for HLR

According to the standard EAP-AKA authentication for Wi-Fi Calling shall be performed via
the SWx interface towards the HSS. In addition to this, the Aptilo SMP Wi-Fi Calling supports EAP-SIM/AKA authentication towards the HLR through the D / Gr interface.

Handling of Wi-Fi Calling Policies

Some operators may allow everything for anyone everywhere when it comes to their Wi-Fi
Calling solution. Others may want to apply some restrictions and the best place to do this is

where the user is authenticated for the Wi-Fi Calling service. The Aptilo
SMP Wi-Fi Calling features an integrated policy engine to handle
these types of Wi-Fi Calling policies.
Need to control the user experience in your own or partners Wi-Fi network? The Aptilo SMP 3GPP AAA+ application, which can be implemented in the same Aptilo SMP platform as the Aptilo SMP Wi-Fi Calling, provides the operator with a tool to control the user experience
in their own Wi-Fi footprint. The built-in Wi-Fi Policy Engine has support
for many vendor-specific attributes (e.g. for QoS control) that are unique
to some gateway and Wi-Fi vendors. It can also handle Wi-Fi roaming
and authentication with third-party Wi-Fi networks.

Policy lookups from multiple sources for your Wi-Fi

Calling solution
The assumption that all policies reside in the PCRF is a theoretical one.
For most operators, policies are distributed over several nodes and systems such as PCRF, CRM systems and other databases. Aptilo SMP
Wi-Fi Calling can lookup policies from CRM and other databases. It
can receive policies via the Gx Diameter interface from the PCRF and
then combine all of these policies from multiple sources to figure out
what to do with the user.

What about non-SIM devices and Wi-Fi Calling?

Due to the strict requirements on the device the next-generation Wi-Fi
Calling solution will only work with the latest devices and definitively
not with Wi-Fi-only tablets lacking native support for Wi-Fi Calling.
Operators can choose to expand support for Wi-Fi Calling by installing
a third-party app in the device and, in the case of Android, this app can
be seamlessly integrated with the dialer.
However, Wi-Fi-only devices and a significant portion of the installed
base of smartphones do not support SIM Authentication. This will be a
major obstacle for Wi-Fi Calling for these types of devices. Without SIM

Authentication (EAP-SIM/AKA) there will be no GTP tunnel between the

ePDG and the P-GW. Here the Aptilo Wi-Fi Calling solution comes to the
rescue. The third-party app can use EAP-TTLS instead of EAP-SIM/AKA
for authentication and Aptilo SMP Wi-Fi Calling will then perform a
EAP-TTLS authentication but receive GTP parameters from the HLR/HSS
as if it were a SIM Authentication. Learn more about this award-winning
feature which we call Aptilo 3GPP Wi-Fi Access Unified Solution.

Wi-Fi Calling What are the potential drawbacks?

Wi-Fi Calling and QoS
It should be noted that by implementing a Wi-Fi Calling solution
operators have to give up some control over QoS for voice, as
the traffic will go over networks that they do not fully administer.
However, through the ever-increasing capacity of Wi-Fi networks
with 801.11ac providing Gigabit speeds and the improved capability to prioritize multimedia traffic with WMM, QoS will in most
cases not be a major challenge. Also, Wi-Fi Calling is offering an
alternative to cellular voice where the LTE network does not work
at all or is of poor quality.

Wi-Fi Calling and emergency calls

As with any Internet-based voice service, emergency service operators can have a hard time tracking the users location. Upon registration of the Wi-Fi Calling service the user has to register a default
location, usually the home address. The capabilities in Aptilos solution
to map APs with location will improve location information in Wi-Fi
networks over which the operator has control. Also, vendors such as
Apple have collected data mapping location information using individual Wi-Fi access points. It remains to be seen how regulatory agencies will view this, but the location issue is not relegated to the Wi-Fi
Calling solution only: the same kind of issue currently exists with OTT
voice applications.

View Webinar On-Demand

Wi-Fi Calling Webinar

insights into real-world deployments

telecoms.com/wi-fi-calling-insights-into-real-world-deployments

About Aptilo Networks

Aptilo Networks is a leading provider of carrier-class systems to manage data services with advanced functions for authentication,
policy control and charging. The Aptilo Service Management Platform (SMP) boasts pre-integrated functions to maximize functionality and fast-track deployments while minimizing impact on existing systems. It has become synonymous with Wi-Fi service
management and Wi-Fi offload in large-scale deployments with 100+ operators in more than 70 countries, and is a critical component of Wi-Fi calling.

Europe
+46-8 5089 8900
Americas
+1-866 861 3900
Middle East/Africa
+971 50 550 1365
Asia and the Pacific
+60 3 2780 6900

www.aptilo.com
v4 02-2015 Copyright Aptilo Networks