ATT Best Practices: LTE Performance & Optimization

LTE Call Flows

Rethink Possible
Fraz.Tajammul@ericsson.com
Abstract:
Main purpose of this document is to discuss LTE basic call flows.
It also introduces LTE network architecture, Nodes, their functionality as well as interfaces that
connect these network nodes.
A brief description of UE states is also i!en.
Contents:
"ocument consists of followin sections#
Network Architecture
Network Interfaces
UE States Transitions
LTE Call Flows
Revision:
Version Date Update
V1.0 July 12, 2011 LT !all Flo"s
#a$e 2
Networ Arc!itect"re:
E!ol!ed $acket %ystem &E$%' contains followin network elements#
EPS Architecture
E!ol!ed $acket %ystem &E$%' contains followin network elements#
#E: The User E(uipment.
Evolve$ #TRAN %eNo$eB&: The eNode) supports the LTE air interface and includes followin functions#
*unctions for +adio +esource Manaement# +adio )earer ,ontrol, +adio Admission ,ontrol, ,onnection
Mobility ,ontrol, "ynamic allocation of resources to UEs in both uplink and downlink &schedulin'-
%election of an MME at UE attachment when no routin to an MME can be determined from the information
pro!ided by the UE-
+outin of User $lane data towards %er!in .ateway-
%chedulin and transmission of pain messaes &oriinated from the MME'-
%chedulin and transmission of broadcast information &oriinated from the MME or /0M'-
Measurement and measurement reportin confiuration for mobility and schedulin.
'obilit( 'ana)ement Entit( %''E&: The MME manaes mobility, UE identities and security parameters. It includes
followin functions#
Non Access %tratum &NA%' sinalin and security-
Idle mode UE reachability &includin control and e1ecution of pain retransmission'-
Trackin Area list manaement &for UE in idle and acti!e mode'-
$"N .2 and %er!in .2 selection-
MME selection for hando!ers with MME chane-
+oamin- &terminatin %3a towards home 4%%'
Authentication
)earer manaement functions includin dedicated bearer establishment.
*ervin) +atewa( %*+,&: The %er!in .ateway is the node that terminates the interface towards EUT+AN. *or each
UE associated with the E$%, at a i!en point of time, there is one sinle %er!in .ateway. *unctions include#
$acket +outin and *orwardin
#a$e %
The local Mobility Anchor point for inter5eN) hando!er-
E5UT+AN idle mode downlink packet bufferin and initiation of network triered ser!ice re(uest
procedure-
E5UT+AN idle mode downlink packet bufferin and initiation of network triered ser!ice re(uest
procedure-
Accountin on user and 6o% ,lass Identifier &6,I' ranularity for inter5operator charin-
UL and "L charin per UE, $"N, and 6,I.
End marker handlin
$acket *ilterin with T*T
P-N +atewa( %P+,&: The $.2 is the node that terminates the %.i interface towards the $"N. If a UE is accessin
multiple $"Ns, there may be more than one $.2 for that UE. The $.2 pro!ides connecti!ity to the UE to e1ternal
packet data networks by bein the point of e1it and entry of traffic for the UE. The $.2 performs policy
enforcement, packet filterin for each user, charin support, lawful Interception and packet screenin.
$"N .2 functions include#
Mobility anchor for mobility between 7.$$ access systems and non57.$$ access systems. This is sometimes
referred to as the %AE Anchor function.
$olicy enforcement &atin and rate enforcement'
$er5user based packet filterin &by e.. deep packet
inspection' ,harin support
Lawful Interception &out of scope for phase
8' UE I$ address allocation
$acket screenin
Transport le!el packet markin in the downlink-
"L rate enforcement based on A$N Areate Ma1imum )it +ate &A$N5AM)+'
PCRF# $,+* is the policy and charin control element. $,+* functions include#
$olicy &6o% and atin'
control ,harin control
In non5roamin scenario, there is only a sinle $,+* in the 4$LMN associated with one UE9s I$5,AN
session. The $,+* terminates the .1, .1c and .1a interfaces.
Networ .nterfaces:
E!ol!ed $acket %ystem &E$%' contains followin network elements#
*/0C# +eference point for the control plane protocol between E5UT+AN and MME.
*/0## +eference point between E5UT+AN and %er!in .2 for the per bearer user plane tunnellin and inter eNode)
path switchin durin hando!er.
*1# It pro!ides user plane tunnellin and tunnel manaement between %er!in .2 and $"N .2. It is used for %er!in
.2 relocation due to UE mobility and if the %er!in .2 needs to connect to a non5collocated $"N .2 for
the re(uired $"N connecti!ity.
*2a# It enables transfer of subscription and authentication data for authenticatin:authori;in user access to the e!ol!ed
system &AAA interface' between MME and 4%%.
+3# It pro!ides transfer of &6o%' policy and charin rules from $,+* to $olicy and ,harin Enforcement *unction
&$,E*' in the $"N .2. The interface is based on the .1 interface.
#a$e &
+3a It pro!ides transfer of &6o%' policy information from $,+* to the Trusted Non57.$$ accesses.
+3c It pro!ides transfer of &6o%' policy information from $,+* to the %er!in .ateway
*4: It pro!ides transfer of &6o%' policy and charin control information between the 4ome $,+* and the <isited
$,+* in order to support local breakout function.
*/5# +eference point between MMEs for MME relocation and MME to MME information transfer.
*//# +eference point between MME and %er!in .2
*+i# It is the reference point between the $"N .2 and the packet data network. $acket data network may be an operator
e1ternal public or pri!ate packet data network or an intra operator packet data network, e.. for pro!ision of IM%
ser!ices. This reference point corresponds to .i for 7.$$ accesses.
67 The => reference point resides between the source and taret eNode).
#E *tates8 Transitions:
?EMM &E!ol!ed Mobility Manaement' is a NA% le!el protocol and is used for UE authentication
#a$e '
LTE Call Flows:
*ollowin call flows ha!e been discussed in the document#
Initial Call Setup
UE Initiated Detach
MME Initiated Detach
Active to Idle Transition
Network Initiated Idle to Active Transition
UE Initiated Service Request
S1 ased Inter eN !andover
"# ased Inter eN !andover
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*(stem Ac9"isition: UE performs fre(uency synchroni;ation and reads MI):%I)s from $),4 to ac(uire system
information. It then camps on the most suitable cell.
RRC Connection *et"p: The UE and eNode) e1chane sinalin to set up an ++, connection. The UE
then sends ++, ,onnection %etup ,omplete messae to the eNode).
Attac! Re9"est: The UE includes in the ATTA,4 +E6UE%T messae a !alid .UTI toether with the last
!isited reistered TAI, if a!ailable. If there is no !alid .UTI a!ailable, the UE shall include the IM%I in the
ATTA,4 +E6UE%T messae.
eNode) forwards the Attach +e(uest messae &includin# Messae Type, eN) UE I", TAI, ,.I etc.' to the
MME.
.$entit( Proce$"re: In the case of the first Attach, MME sends an Identity +e(uest to the UE. Identity procedure
is re(uired only if attach re(uest contains .UTI:last5TAI and the TAI is not local to MME
The UE responds with Identity +esponse includin Mobile Identity that is set to IM%I.
A"t!entication:*ec"rit(: In case of initial attach when there is no UE conte1t on the network, authentication
is performed. The MME sends an Authentication Information +e(uest to the 4%% and recei!es an
Authentication Information Answer which is used to send Authentication +e(uest to the UE. Authentication
procedure is optional. UE then sends an Authentication +esponse to the MME
#p$ate Location Re9"est: The MME sends the Update Location +e(uest includin the IM%I. The 4%%
replies with Update Location Answer. %ubscription "ata shall be present when the +esult is %uccess.
Create *ession Re9"est: The MME sends a ,reate %ession +e(uest to %.2 which is followed by confirmation.
.nitial Conte3t *et"p Re9"est:Attac! Accept: Attach Accept is sent as NA% $"U in the Initial ,onte1t %etup
&Messae Type, E5+A) I", 6o% parameters, Transport Layer Address, NA%5$"U, UE %ecurity ,apabilities,
%ecurity key' from MME to eNode).
Attach Accept messae contains new .UTI if the attach re(uest contained IM%I or forein:non5local .UTI. This
completes Attach +e(uest.
%ecurity procedure and UE ,apability e1chane is then performed.
RRC Connection Re0confi)"ration: The eNode) sends the ++, ,onnection +econfiuration messae
includin the E$% +adio )earer Identity to the UE, and the Attach Accept messae to the UE. The A$N is
pro!ided to the UE for which the acti!ated default bearer is associated.
.nitial Conte3t *et"p Response: The eNode) sends Initial ,onte1t %etup +esponse to the MME
#plin .nformation Transfer: The UE sends an Uplink Information Transfer messae. This messae includes
the Attach ,omplete messae for MME
Attac! Complete: eNode) encapsulates the Attach ,omplete messae and transfers it to MME.
'o$if( Bearer 'essa)e: /ne recei!in both ,onte1t %etup +esponse and Attach ,omplete, the MME sends a
Modify )earer +e(uest to %.2. %.2 sends the response and starts sendin the "L packets.
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#a$e 12
Brief -escription:
)ased on UE reports, source eN) decides to initiate %A5based hando!er to taret eN) if there is no =>
connecti!ity to taret eN).
eN) sends 4ando!er +e(uired &hando!er type, taret Id, cause etc.' messae to MME.
MME !erifies that source %.2 can continue to ser!e UE and sends 4ando!er +e(uest messae to taret eN).
Admission ,ontrol is performed by taret eN) and taret eN) confiured the re(uired resources accordin to the
recei!ed E5+A) 6o% information.
Taret eN) sends 4ando!er +e(uest Acknowlede messae to MME.
If indirect forwardin applies MME sets up ,reate Indirect "ata *orwardin Tunnel +e(uest to %.2. %.2
responds with confirmation.
MME sends 4/ command &4ando!er Type, E+A)s forwardin &optional' etc.' messae to source eN).
%ource eN) sends ++, ,onnection +econfiuration messae to UE with necessary parameters &taret eN)
security alorithm, %I)s etc.'.
%ource eN) sends %tatus Transfer messae !ia MME to taret eN) reardin downlink and uplink transmitter
status.
/nce UE successfully synchroni;es to the taret cell, it sends an ++, ,onnection +econfiuration ,omplete
messae to taret eN). "L packets forwarded from source eN) can be sent to the UE. Also uplink packets can be
sent from UE, which are forwarded to %.2.
Taret eN) sends 4ando!er Notify messae to taret MME. MME starts a timer to super!ise when resources in
%ource eN) and data forwardin resources in %.2 shall be released.
MME sends Modify )earer +e(uest &)earers conte1ts to be remo!ed, bearers need to be deacti!ated etc' messae
to %.2.
%.2 sends Bend markerC packet to source eN) and then releases resources towards it. /nce Bend markerC
reaches taret eN), %.2 can start sendin "L payload data comin from $.2. It also sends Modify )earer
+esponse messae to MME.
#a$e 1%
67 Base$ .nter eNo$eB ;an$over
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%ource eN) uses => interface to
initiate hando!er with taret eN).
$rocess is somewhat similar to %A
based hando!er with difference
t
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Taret eN)s.
#a$e 1&
For 0uestions1
Fraz Tajammul
Fraz.Tajammul@ricsson.co
m