VoIP-Interface

This chapter includes the VoIP-interface specific description of IP bearer setup, of the user plane protocol stack, of RTP usage, and of the packetization time. 3.5.1 GCP/SIP Interworking The 3GPP TS 29.163, Reference [1], specifies procedures for handling connections on the VoIP-interface in the M-MGw. The procedures are transferred with GCP messages by using the GCP Annex C.11 parameters. The procedures are formed by using the companion protocol SDP (Session Description Protocol). The SDP specifies details for the session, such as media stream characteristics, port numbers and IP addresses of the source and sink of a media stream to establish the IP bearer connection. For PCM, EFR codec, and G.729 codec the values to be used in SDP fields are defined by the IETF RFC 3555, Reference [11], and for AMR codec by the IETF RFC 4867, Reference [12]. For the UDI data connections the values of SDP fields are defined in IETF RFC 4040, Reference [27]. For the telephony events the values of SDP fields are defined by the IETF RFC 4733, Reference [13]. In interworking between CS network and IMS the connection data is exchanged by using the SIP protocol. In interworking between the CS network and an external IP-based wireline network or a PLMN, the connection data is exchanged by using the SIP-I protocol. If the GCP EP5 or EP6 profile is used, the MSC does not distinguish between the traffic towards the IMS and the external IP-based networks, so the VoIP-interface is called the Unidentified interface. If the GCP EP7 profile is used, the traffic towards the IMS is referred to as the Mb-interface, and the traffic towards the external IP-based networks is referred to as the External SIP-I interface. The MSC Server propagates the SDP-coded message data between SIP or SIP-I and GCP protocols according to the principles specified in the TS 29.163, Reference [1]. For GCP the M-MGw supports procedures specified by the 3GPP TS 29.163, Reference [1]. The bearer setup connection related procedures are as follows: Reserve IMS Connection Point Configure IMS Resources Reserve IMS Connection Point and Configure Remote Resources

An example of the IP bearer setup in IMS from a M-MGw perspective is illustrated in Figure 15.

Figure 15 Example of Bearer Setup on VoIP-Interface 3.5.2 Protocol Stack The 3GPP TS 29.163, Reference [1], specifies the user plane protocol stack used on the VoIP-interface. Principles for transporting the user plane on top of RTP are specified as RTP profile, defined by the IETF RFC 3551, Reference [14], and by the IETF specified payload formats. For AMR codec the payload format is specified in the IETF RFC 4867, Reference [12]. For PCM, EFR codec, and G.729 codec the payload format is specified in the IETF RFC 3551, Reference [14]. The clearmode data connections are specified in IETF RFC 4040, Reference [27]. The Telephony Events are specified in the IETF RFC 4733, Reference [13]. The M-MGw supports transport of the IP user plane over the Gigabit or 10 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces. The protocol stack including the site internal Ethernet connectivity is shown in Figure 16.

Figure 16 Protocol Stack for IP User Plane on the VoIP-Interface 3.5.3 RTP Usage This chapter includes the VoIP-interface specific description of RTP usage. Descriptions are given for timestamp clock frequency, for payload type support, for Marker (M) bit handling, for sequence number handling, for synchronization source (SSRC) handling, and for contributing source (CSRC) handling. 3.5.3.1 Timestamp Clock Frequency For the VoIP-interface the clock frequency for setting the timestamp depends on the transported payload. The used clock frequency is 8000 Hz for the payload formats that the M-MGw supports. 3.5.3.2 Payload Type The MSC Server indicates to M-MGw the payload types for VoIP-interface connections with the bearer connection procedures shown in GCP/SIP Interworking Section 3.5.1. The M-MGw accepts dynamic payload type with values between 96 and 127 for connections using AMR or EFR. For connections using PCM and G.729 the M-MGw accepts both static and dynamic payload type values. The static values are 0 for -law coded PCM and 8 for a-law coded PCM. The static value for G.729 is 18. The dynamic values for PCM and G.729 are between 96 and 127. For the clearmode data connections, the M-MGw accepts dynamic payload type with values between 96 and 127. It is possible that different payload types are used for sent and received RTP frames. On the VoIP-interface the M-MGw supports also telephony events (DTMF) carrying a different payload type than the value that is used for speech frames. The M-MGw supports dynamic payload type with values between 96 and 127 for this purpose. 3.5.3.3 Marker Bit (M-bit) When AMR, EFR, or G.729 codec is used, the M-MGw sets the value 1 for the marker bit field for the first outgoing RTP packet containing speech after a silence period. Otherwise, the M-MGw uses the value 0 for outgoing RTP packets. The M-MGw ignores the marker bit value of the incoming RTP frames. 3.5.3.4 Sequence Number

The sink M-MGw uses the sequence number for detecting lost packets and out of order packets. The out of order RTP packets are discarded. The source M-MGw steps the sequence number in each RTP packet. 3.5.3.5 Synchronization Source (SSRC) See Section 3.3.3.4. 3.5.3.6 Contributing Source (CSRC) The source M-MGw does not send the CSRC identifier. The sink M-MGw does not use the CSRC identifier. 3.5.4 RTCP Usage The description in Section 3.3.4 applies also to the VoIP-interface, this section only lists the differences from that section. The usage of RTCP packets for an VoIP-interface connection is controlled with the SDP coded information that is received via GCP. Contents of this information follow the IETF RFC 3556, Reference [16]. The MSC Server can activate the RTCP usage for a call either in call setup phase or during the call. The MSC Server can also deactivate the RTCP usage during the call. The M-MGw sends an RTCP BYE packet to the remote peer RTP node at RTP session release, if RTCP is used for the session. Usage of the peer aliveness supervision function for the VoIP-interface is controlled with a specific node level parameter. The peer aliveness supervision is in use when the value of this parameter has been set as active and when sending of RTCP SR and RR packets is active for the connection. 3.5.5 Packetization Time On the VoIP-interface the M-MGw supports packetization times of 20 ms and 40 ms for AMR and EFR codecs. For PCM, Fax voice-band data, and clearmode data, the packetization time can be between 5 ms and 40 ms in steps of 5 ms. For G.729 codec the packetization time can be between 10 ms and 40 ms in steps of 10 ms. The MSC Server indicates the packetization time towards the M-MGw on a per connection basis.