White Paper
Converged IP/MPLS Backbone Networks for
With Release 4 of the third-
generation (3G) architectural
standards for mobile networks,
mobile operators can now
reduce costs, enhance rev-
enues, and decrease time to
market for new voice-over-IP
(VoIP) and traditional voice
services. When mobile oper-
ators deploy a new split
architecture to support voice,
and consolidate 2G and 3G
voice over an IP/Multiprotocol
Label Switching (IP/MPLS)
backbone network, existing
2G and newer 3G voice traffic
can greatly benefit from simpli-
fied operations, multigigabit
speeds, transport efficiency,
quality of service (QoS), traffic
engineering, and all of the
features required of carrier-
class networks.
2G and 3G Voice Services Integration
This paper describes how IP/MPLS technologies support the emerging
VoIP infrastructure in mobile networks to facilitate the convergence of
2G and 3G mobile voice services, including the evolution of the VoIP
network from the split architecture in 3G Release 4 to the introduction
of the IP-enabled media gateway, and how available technologies from
Cisco Systems® can help operators effectively manage converged
IP/MPLS mobile networks.
Summary
Most mobile operators are now firmly focused on consolidating transmission and
management of a broad range of mobile services deployed on disparate networks to
reduce their capital expenses (CapEx) and operating expenses (OpEx), increase busi-
ness agility, and more easily deploy new 3G IP-based services. Cisco® has helped both
wireless and wireline carriers accomplish such consolidation while greatly enhancing
performance and network features by converging disparate networks into one com-
mon IP/MPLS core to support both existing and future services.
The Cisco IP Next-Generation Network (IP NGN) architecture for mobile operators is
a roadmap to realize the vision of next-generation mobile services—the delivery of
data, voice, and video anywhere and anytime across virtually any access technology.
The Cisco IP NGN provides a migration path to an IP foundation and support for
both IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and non-IMS applications to achieve more ser-
vices, better control, and greater network efficiencies. It offers a superior platform for
converged services and support for flexible billing and service plans. Furthermore, it
allows interoperability with different radio access technologies, and open and distrib-
uted support for multiple-vendor implementations. The goal is a network environment
where multiple types of services can be continuously deployed to meet customer
demands in 3G and miscellaneous service environments. This is possible with an
extremely powerful and flexible architecture that features convergence at application,
service control, and network layers (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Cisco IP Next-Generation Network Architecture for Mobile Operators

VoIP
Application

Push Mobile Picture Mobile

over
Layer

to Talk Gaming Messaging TV

Mobile

Bandwidth Management • Traffic Engineering

Security • Service Assurance
Operational Layer
Self Identity Policy Billing
Service Open Framework
for Enabling
Service

Service
Layer

“Triple Play
Exchange
on the Move”
Framework
(Data, Voice,
Mobility Video, Mobility)
Network

Cell IP/MPLS Signaling

Layer

Radio Aggregation
Site Backbone over IP
Access Cisco Intelligent IP Transport

Intelligent Networking

Mobile operators need an application layer that interfaces with
the customer; a secure network layer that creates and delivers the
services; and between them both a service layer that orchestrates
the delivery, operations, features, and billing of the service itself.
The service layer is also known as the Cisco Service Exchange
Framework (SEF), and it supports both Session Initiation
Protocol (SIP)-based services and non-SIP-based services. SIP is
specified in the IMS framework as the glue for simple mobile and
wireline service transitions.
Intelligent networking with the Cisco IP NGN for mobile
architecture and associated technologies and platforms makes
it possible to connect all three layers to make next-generation
mobile services a reality. The complexity of operating such a
network is greatly simplified, and the network becomes more
resilient, integrated, and adaptive. As a result, mobile opera-
tors will have more services, greater efficiencies, better control,
and enhanced security in the operation of networks and the
delivery of services.
To date, many mobile operators using either Global System for
Mobile Communications (GSM) or Code Division Multiple
Access (CDMA) cellular technology standards have already
enhanced their 2G networks to deliver high-speed data services
using Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE),
General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), 1 x Radio Transmission
Technology (1xRTT), Evolution Data Optimized Overlay
(EV-DO), or WLAN technologies such as Wi-Fi. These services
often have different edge devices and different transmission
types, and they are slow to deploy and expensive to run on
separate networks.
In addition, most operators also maintain a number of IT,
billing, call center, and other operational support networks,
adding to the complexity and time of service deployment.

2
IP/MPLS VPNs have been used to collapse the disparate net-
works down in a very effective way, giving them their own IP
addressing space on the same converged platform, as seen in
Figure 2. This implementation has, thus far, generally included
data services, but not VoIP.
At right, Figure 2 shows various separate mobile data net-
works, including GPRS internal packet network (Gn) inter-
face, Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) interface (Gi),
and billing and Internet access networks used by the same
mobile operator. At right is the convergence of these services
at separate sites through IP/MPLS VPNs. The benefits include
lower transmission costs per megabit, fewer maintenance con-
tracts, a single management solution, and the enhanced ability
to quickly deploy new services within the same topology.
Challenge
The Evolution of 2G to 3G Releases for Voice Services
In the evolution from 2G to 2.5G to 3G specifications, ATM has
figured prominently as a requirement for Release 99 of 3G. The
introduction of ATM was meant to be a solution for integrated
voice, data, and video. But scalability and management are not
optimal to support increasing traffic on mobile networks while
the 2G time-division multiplexing (TDM) network continues to
be costly to maintain and operate. Converging 2G and 3G voice
over a packet-switched IP/MPLS network is the path forward to
reduce costs and gradually retire expensive TDM equipment in
the network. This requires multiple Gigabit Ethernet speeds,
greater capacity, and other features such as QoS to support the
latency-sensitive characteristics of voice end to end.

Now, with Release 4 specifications to 3G standards, mobile oper-

ators can further reduce their costs and simplify their architecture
as they deploy VoIP. A new split architecture allows mobile oper-
ators to reduce OpEx and cap investments through the eventual
retirement of existing mobile switching centers (MSCs).

Figure 2. Migration of Disparate Networks to a Single IP/MPLS Core

Gn Site 2 Site 4

Gi

IP/MPLS Core

Billing
Site 1 Site 6

Internet Site 3 Site 5

Site 2
Site 4
Site 1 Site 6
Site 3 Site 5

Many Networks on Common Sites with Different Single Network over High-Capacity Transmission
Edge Devices and Transmission Carrying All Services

3
Figure 3 shows a 2G TDM voice architecture. Voice traffic is
seen moving from each base transceiver station (BTS) at the
Radio Access Network (RAN) edge to a base station controller
(BSC) and moving to the RAN core to an MSC and a gateway
MSC (GMSC) to the public switched telephone network
(PSTN). Only voice services are shown. All of the voice is back-
hauled, and the switching and interconnect take place through
the MSCs. There are no IP or ATM services here. Instead, there
is a TDM-based T1/E1 infrastructure supported by an underly-
ing SONET/SDH layer in the RAN. This infrastructure supports
circuit-switched voice services and some data services as well.
The media gateway is an important step on the way to the IMS
standard reference architecture defined by the Third-Generation
Partnership Project (3GPP) and Third-Generation Partnership
Project 2 (3GPP2). The IMS architecture defines standards for
session control, connection control, and an applications services
framework along with subscriber and services data for a core net-
work for IP telephony and IP multimedia services. The Cisco IP
NGN for Mobile Operators is being developed in conjunction
with the evolution of these standards. Leading mobile suppliers,
including Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia, and Siemens, are bringing
forward their roadmaps for media gateways to support VoIP.

3G voice services have been possible with Release 99 of the 3G

Solution
standards (Figure 4), in which the RAN carries 2G voice over
The next deployment of voice services in mobile networks is 3G
TDM (gold line) and 3G Release 99 voice over ATM (blue line).
Release 4, which introduces a split architecture. For 3G voice
The media gateway (MGW) was also introduced to do voice-
traffic, the connection between the MGWs has a control plane
over-ATM to TDM conversion and some signaling. All of the
and a user plane. The control plane is IP based, and Signaling
back-end switching continues to be handled by MSCs. The radio
System 7 (SS7) is enabled through the MSC server. The user
network controller (RNC) is a 3G version of the BSC, responsible
plane can handle TDM, ATM, or IP traffic. In the ATM example
for routing calls and regulating bandwidth. As voice traffic con-
shown in Figure 5, it is also possible to carry 3G ATM voice traf-
tinues to grow, the scaling of MSC-based core networks becomes
fic over IP/MPLS in the RAN core using Cisco Any Transport
more costly and lengthy in implementation. The challenge for
over MPLS (AToM) technologies. Previously, the user plane and
mobile operators is to move away from circuit switching and har-
control plane used TDM in a traditional MSC voice network.
ness the efficiency provided by new packet technologies, includ-
ing IP, while maintaining the same service quality.

Figure 3. 2G TDM Voice Solution

RAN Edge RAN Core

MSC GMSC
BTS PSTN

BSC

BTS

BSC MSC

SONET/SDH

4
Figure 4. 2G Voice with 3G Release 99 Voice

RAN Edge RAN Core

MSC GMSC
BTS PSTN

BSC

Node B

RNC MGW

BTS

BSC MSC

Node B

RNC MGW

ATM
SONET/SDH

Figure 5. 3G Release 4 Architecture with ATM Voice and Media Gateways

RAN Edge RAN Core

MSC GMSC
BTS PSTN

BSC

Node B
MGW
RNC
ATM
Over MSC
BTS MPLS Server

BSC MSC

Node B

RNC MGW
ATM
ATM IP/MPLS
SONET/SDH

5
With this split architecture, 3G voice is no longer handled by the
MSC, and mobile operators can cap their investment in circuit-
switched networks. Interest in this split architecture for voice is
based on the desire of mobile operators to retire their traditional
MSCs over time and offer VoIP. In some cases, the circuit-
switched gear is approaching end of life, and often it entails very
high OpEx. Few mobile operators want to invest further in what
is seen as a traditional technology of circuit switches while they
continue to add 3G services. VoIP is also considered much less
expensive when mobile operators use a 10-Gigabit converged IP
network instead of traditional transport over T1/E1 lines. This
3G Release 4 deployment stage was necessary because most ven-
dors supported 3G Release 4 ATM solutions.
The real savings and simplicity come when the MGWs trans-
form all types of voice services into VoIP across the IP/MPLS
RAN core. In Figure 6, the interconnects for the user plane and
the control plane for all voice services beyond the MGW are
based on IP technology. The 2G and 3G voice services are con-
verged over IP, and they no longer need the traditional MSC.
Some operators are also deploying the Release 4 split architec-
ture for 2G-only solutions to retire the exiting MSC networks
and make use of alternate IP-based interconnects.
Increased use of IP/MPLS to the RAN edge with 3G Release 5
and beyond will simplify and accelerate the introduction of
VoIP over the converged IP network end to end. As seen in
Figure 7, eventually IP/MPLS will become the transport technol-
ogy in the RAN infrastructure. With an IP/MPLS-based RAN
and core, mobile operators will be able to reap cost savings,
simplify network operations, and accelerate time to market for
new services.

Figure 6. 3G Release 4 Architecture with Media Gateway Voice Interconnect

RAN Edge RAN Core

GMSC
BTS PSTN
MGW
BSC

Node B

RNC ATM
Over IP/MPLS
MPLS
BTS MSC
Server
BSC

MGW
Node B

RNC
ATM
ATM IP/MPLS
SONET/SDH

6
Figure 7. 3G Release 5 and Beyond—IP/MPLS-Based RAN and Core

RAN Edge RAN Core

GMSC
BTS PSTN
MGW
BSC

Node B

RNC
IP/MPLS

BTS MSC
Server
BSC

MGW
Node B

RNC

IP/MPLS
DWDM

Mobile operator Vodafone UK was one of the first to deploy
3G voice and data traffic using the split architecture in an
ATM-over-IP/MPLS network. This was part of a major initia-
tive to consolidate multiple networks over an IP/MPLS core.
The company will migrate all 2G voice to the architecture,
introducing new VoIP services, while preserving existing ATM
investments. Vodafone estimates that it has cut its time to mar-
ket for new services in half and saved more than 20 percent in
operational costs with a converged IP/MPLS network while
gaining Gigabit speeds.
Vodafone UK deployed a converged packet network (CPN) that
converged multiple data networks carrying customer services
traffic and Vodafone UK enterprise IT services and support
functions. This new network was implemented and tested
across 34 locations throughout the United Kingdom in late
2004. In six months, transport of all 3G voice and data ser-
vices, desktop support and billing applications was migrated
onto the network. Migrating 2G voice will be the next goal.
The simplified IP network topology is providing a higher degree
of stability and availability. Maintenance and fault isolation
have been improved and accelerated. These changes have trans-
lated to greater customer satisfaction. Vodafone Group plans to
introduce the CPN and the split architecture for IP and tradi-
tional services to other Vodafone operating companies around
the world as part of the One Vodafone program.

7
Design Considerations for the Converged IP/MPLS
Mobile Network
Getting the physical network topology and structure of a con-
verged IP/MPLS network correct goes a long way toward signif-
icantly reducing complexity and subsequent problems. Design
considerations vary based on the transmission technology or
technologies in use, the location of core sites, and the sources of
voice and data. Capacity planning and active monitoring are
also very important activities to maintain QoS and high avail-
ability. It is important to know how much of the network is
being utilized and, in the event of failure, whether enough
capacity is still available for failover scenarios.
Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS-XR Software technologies
® from timing out and also prevents loss of data. Cisco
and tools support a variety of converged network management
best practices, including:
• Cisco Differentiated Services (DiffServ) is fully compliant with
the industry standard DiffServ architecture and offers applica-
tion-level QoS and traffic management in an architecture that
incorporates mechanisms to control bandwidth, delay, jitter,
and packet loss. Scalability is achieved by the mechanisms of
policing, shaping, and marking at the edge and then imple-
menting efficient queuing in the core. Different classes such as
voice, multimedia, signaling, business data, and best effort can
be defined and supported with tight service-level agreements
(SLAs) for latency, delay, convergence, and loss.
• Cisco Traffic Engineering can be used to provide a point-to-
point QoS guarantee when combined with DiffServ. This
allows operators to deploy guaranteed bandwidth services for
voice traffic along with planning tools (such as Cisco IP
Solution Center Traffic management) to help ensure that even
under failures the same capacity is available for critical ser-
vices. When combined with policy servers, such as a band-
width manager, this also has the potential to enable network-
wide Connection Admission Control (CAC) by interaction
with a softswitch.
• Cisco Fast Convergence techniques evolved because initially
routing protocols were developed to converge in a matter of
seconds or even minutes. This was considered acceptable for
data traffic but is unacceptable with voice traffic. Because of
increasing control-plane processor speeds and the ability to
8
develop adaptive routing protocols able to react quickly while
remaining stable under link flaps, convergence times have
been significantly reduced. Cisco supports fast convergence
techniques for Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP) (Intermediate
System-to-Intermediate System [IS-IS] Protocol, Open
Shortest Path First [OSPF]), Label Switched Path (LSP),
Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), Multiprotocol BGP (MP-
BGP), and VPNs.
• Cisco IP/MPLS Traffic Engineering Fast Reroute (FRR) is
another technology that contributes to guaranteed band-
width. It allows for extremely quick recovery if a node or
link fails. Such fast recovery prevents end-user applications
IP/MPLS FRR can locally patch traffic onto a backup tunnel
in case of a link or node failure with a failover time of 50
milliseconds, which is competitive with SONET and SDH.
Cisco is often asked to provide a network topology that will
support 99.999 percent network availability (or the equivalent
of five minutes of downtime per year). In a CPN over
IP/MPLS, there are different resiliency requirements based on
different kinds of services. In the event of a failure, it might be
acceptable for IP user data to sustain a failover time of 3 sec-
onds. For signaling, an outage of 60 seconds might be accept-
able. For voice services, however, an outage of less than 300 to
500 milliseconds may be required; otherwise, voice services
will be seriously affected.
• Cisco IP Solution Center is a carrier-class management solu-
tion that includes a family of network management applica-
tions to help mobile operators plan, provision, and manage
ATM, Frame Relay, TDM, Ethernet, Point-to-Point Protocol
(PPP), and High-Level Data Link Control (HDLC) traffic and
Layer 2 and Layer 3 VPNs across multiple sites through a
unified IP/MPLS backbone. Simplified provisioning and auto-
mated troubleshooting lower the total cost of ownership of
mobile networks. The four primary management modules of
the Cisco IP Solution Center are Layer 3 IP/MPLS VPNs,
Layer 2 VPNs, AToM MPLS Traffic Engineering, and MPLS
Troubleshooting. The Cisco IP Solution Center lets mobile
operators plan offline, troubleshoot conflicts, and then
deploy new services in a controlled manner.
• Cisco IP/MPLS Diagnostics Expert is an automated, work-
flow-based network management application that helps net-
work operators troubleshoot and diagnose problems in
IP/MPLS VPN deployments. It can coexist and integrate with
the Cisco IP Solution Center Layer 3 VPN Management
product. In the growing and competitive MPLS VPN market,
many providers and enterprises are under pressure to improve
the operational efficiency of their network operations centers
to reduce costs, contain headcount growth, and provide bet-
ter customer support. Troubleshooting an MPLS VPN is
often a manual task, requiring complex procedures not sup-
ported in traditional fault-management tools. Cisco IP/MPLS
Diagnostics Expert is designed around a knowledge base of
MPLS VPN failure scenarios, based on Cisco experience in
worldwide MPLS VPN deployments. It is the only MPLS
VPN diagnostic tool on the market that includes built-in
domain knowledge from Cisco IOS Software MPLS develop-
ment experts and the Cisco Technical Assistance Center
(TAC). If a VPN is not working properly, a network adminis-
trator can define the source and destination IP addresses, and
the tool then automatically runs a series of tests to diagnose
exactly where the problem is within the network, speeding up
the solution to the problem.
Measuring QoS in the Network
Two tools available within Cisco IOS Software can help mea-
sure QoS in a converged IP/MPLS network. They include:
• Cisco IP SLA measures availability and performance through
active probes or pings. It sends probes out across the net-
work, and it can measure jitter, delay, and application respon-
siveness. It can even go out to HTTP and Domain Name
System (DNS) servers and measure how quickly they are
reacting. Over time, these statistics can tell network adminis-
trators how well the network is performing. Alarms can be
set to give feedback if a problem occurs.
• Cisco NetFlow can determine the source, destination, port,
and QoS class of a traffic problem on the network. It can
determine the top 10 talkers on a network and what users
might be creating problems, and it can facilitate trend analy-
ses to define when transmission upgrades might be required.
Conclusion
Mobile operators can greatly benefit from providing converged
2G and 3G voice and data services over an IP/MPLS backbone.
Cisco has tested solutions, which closely conform to 3G Release
4 specifications, and has deployed them in enterprises and
mobile operator networks around the world. The right planning
tools for deployment and monitoring are also available to help
ensure that the converged packet network is a success.
Mobile operators are at different stages of migrating to 3G and
4G mobile network services and architectures and new IP services
and applications. The Cisco IP NGN architecture and products
for mobile operators—tested with successful deployments world-
wide—provide the end-to-end QoS, network security, scalability,
resiliency, and management enhancements for deploying data,
voice, and video services. These carrier-class, industry-leading
features run on powerful Cisco platforms, ranging from the
Cisco CRS-1 Carrier Routing System to Cisco 12000 Series edge
routers, which can scale from DS-0 on channelized interfaces up
to multiple OC-192/STM-64 or 10 Gigabit Ethernet, to the high-
performing Cisco 7600 Series routers, for provider edge and
enterprise metropolitan-area networks (MANs) and WANs.
Contact your Cisco account representative or partner today to
learn more about converged voice and data services over an
IP/MPLS backbone network.
For More Information
Vodafone UK Converged Packet Network Case Study
www.cisco.com/go/ibsg
Video on Demand: Cisco IP/MPLS Core Solutions for
Mobile Operators
www.cisco.com/pcgi-bin/sreg2/register/regmenu.pl
Cisco IP/MPLS Solutions for Mobile Operators
www.cisco.com/go/mobile
Cisco CRS-1 Carrier Routing System
www.cisco.com/go/crs
Cisco XR12000/12000 Series routers
www.cisco.com/go/12000
Cisco 7600 Series routers
ww.cisco.com/go/7600
9
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