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LTE & EPC Architecture LTE Attach Procedure: Version: 3.0 (March 2013)
LTE & EPC Architecture LTE Attach Procedure: Version: 3.0 (March 2013)
LTE & EPC Architecture LTE Attach Procedure: Version: 3.0 (March 2013)
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3GPP Network Architecture
Network
+ Radio Access
Network (RAN)
Core Network (CN)
Mobile
(U)SIM Equipment (ME)
Radio Resource Management Security, IP connectivity, Mobility
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LTE Network Architecture
Internet
HSS
P-GW
S6a
S5
S11 S-GW
Evolved Packet Core
(EPC)
S-GW
MME
S1-MME
S1-U
S-GW
MME
S1-MME
S1-MME S1-U
S1-U
eNB
RB Control Inter Cell RRM
Radio Admission Connected Mode
Control Mobility Mgmt
X2
eNB eNB eNB eNB Measurement
Scheduler
OAM
LTE-Uu Control-Plane
Functional Entity Radio Bearer
Transmission
User-Plane (L1/L2/L3)
Functional Entity
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Block Diagram example: LTE
Architecture
HSS
Interfaces
Reference Points
S1-MME S6a
MME
Operators IP
S11
Services
S10
SGi
S1u Serving S5
UE eNB PDN GW SGi
Internet
GW
LTE-Uu
X2
Functional Entity
Logical Entity
Network Entity
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LTE Architecture Key Concepts
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Architecture Concept: Access Stratum vs Non-Access Stratum
• On the signaling plane, the UE
IMS Internet communicates with two entities
in the infrastructure:
HSS
P-GW
(a) the eNB and
(b) the MME (via the eNB).
• Access-stratum (AS): UE <->
S-GW eNB.
AS consists of both user-
S-GW
MME plane and control-plane.
The user-plane protocol is
Non-Access PDCP and control-plane
Stratum protocol is RRC.
(NAS)
• Non-access Stratum (NAS):
UE <-> MME.
eNB
eNB eNB
NAS is only in the control-
Radio Resource Control plane. The protocol is
(RRC)
called the NAS protocol.
UE Access Stratum
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Protocol Stacks: Control Plane
NAS NAS
RLC RLC IP IP IP IP IP IP
MAC MAC L2 L2 L2 L2 L2 L2
PHY PHY L1 L1 L1 L1 L1 L1
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Protocol Stacks: Control Plane & User Plane
NAS NAS
RLC RLC IP IP IP IP IP IP
MAC MAC L2 L2 L2 L2 L2 L2
PHY PHY L1 L1 L1 L1 L1 L1
Application Application
TCP/UDP TCP/UDP
IP IP IP
RLC RLC IP IP IP IP
MAC MAC L2 L2 L2 L2
PHY PHY L1 L1 L1 L1
S5
LTE Uu S1-U
UE eNB S-GW P-GW End Host
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User Identifier in the Network
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(International Mobile Subscriber Identifier) IMSI -
Structure
World 3 digits
MCC: Mobile Country Code
MCC
310
Country
286 404
01 02 03 Identifies an operator
Subscriber
Max 15 digits Identification Number
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Uniquely identifies a subscriber
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Operator Identity
A mobile operator’s network is also known as a Public Land Mobile
Network (PLMN).
The identity used for an operator’s network is called the PLMN-
Identity (PLMN-ID) and consists of the Mobile Country Code and the
Mobile Network Code.
An operator may be identified by more than one PLMN-ID
World 3 digits
MCC: Mobile Country Code
MCC
310
Country
286 404
01 02 03 Identifies an operator
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MSISDN – Structure
US Turkey India
2-3 digits
… … … Identifies an operator
Turk
Turkcell Vodafone Avea
Telecom 9-10 digits
Number
Max 15 digits
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+90 533 123 4567
Uniquely identifies a subscriber
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Identities and Plumbing for LTE
IMSI IMSI IMSI
GUTI GUTI
C-RNTI C-RNTI
SRB-0 HSS
SRB-1 S1-MME
MME
SRB-2 NAS
GTPC-1
SRB Identity
GTPC-1
Data Radio Bearer 10
GTP-U-10 GTP-U-10
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LTE Attach Procedure
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Objective of UE Attach Procedure
Internet • The goal of “attaching” to the
UE’s IP address
network is to obtain an IP
HSS
address to communicate with
P-GW
outside world.
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Objective of UE Attach Procedure
Internet • The goal of “attaching” to the
UE’s IP address
network is to obtain an IP
HSS
UE Context:
KEY: IMSI
address to communicate with
UE Context: P-GW
KEY: IMSI ….. outside world.
…..
S6a
• During the process of “attach”
UE Context:
KEY: IMSI
S-GW ….. The UE is authenticated and
authorized to use send/receive
S-GW data.
MME
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UE Performs attach – Part 1 of 4
UE HSS
eNB MME SGW
PGW
o UE has synchronized to the downlink frame of the eNB and hence
0. knows Interne
0. UE has the DL frame boundaries. The UE has read the MIB and from there the
selected eNB SIB2 of the eNB and knows when the random access channel (RACH)
slots are in the uplink direction.
5. The eNB now transmits RRC Connection Setup message including the C-
UL-SCH: SRB1 RNTI that was received from the UE. This step resolves any contention
that could have occurred due to two UEs using the same preamble
6. RRC Connection Complete sequence in RACH access step.
NAS Msg Attach
Request, IMSI 6. The UE now transmits a message to the MME in the time-slot allocated in
NAS Msg PDN
the previous step. The UE also includes its IMSI in the message.
Connect Req
RNTI Radio Network Temporary Identity
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RA-RNTI
C-RNTI
Random Access RNTI
Cell RNTI
RAPID Random Access Preamble ID
UE Performs Attach – Part 2 of 4
HSS
UE eNB MME SGW
eNB selects PGW
MME
Interne
S1-MME
7. Initial UE Message
S6a
8. Auth Info Request
NAS Msg: Attach
IMSI, ..
Request, IMSI, ..
NAS Msg PDN
User
9. Auth Info Answer
Connect Req Kasme, AUTN, RAND,XRES Authentication
DL-SCH:CCH SRB1 Procedure
10. DL NAS Xport
11. DL Info Xfer Authn Request
Authn Request: MME Compares
AUTN, RAND, RES with XRES.
If same, AKA
12. UL Info Transport successful
13. UL NAS Xport
Authn Response
Authn Response:
RES
UL-SCH: SRB1
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AKA: Authentication and
Integrity Protected
Info
UE Performs Attach – Part 3 of 4
HSS
UE eNB MME SGW
NAS Security PGW Interne
GTPC
20. Create Session GTPC
Request (IMSI, TEIDs, 21. Create Session
PGW IP,…) Request (IMSI, TEIDs,
…)
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Data Radio Bearer-10 GTPU-10 Tunnel
21 21 Integrity Protected
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UE Performs Attach – Part 4 of 4 DHCP
HSS Server
UE eNB MME SGW
SRB-0 PGW Internet
SRB-1
SRB-2 S1-MME GTPC Session GTPC-1 Session
Data Radio Bearer-10 GTPU-10 Tunnel GTP-U-10 Tunnel
IP address
of the UE is
routed to this
interface
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Architecture key Concept: Roaming
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Roaming Concept HPLMN
Domain = epc.mnc01.mcc286.pub.3gppnetwork.org
HSS
IMS Internet IMS Internet
HSS
P-GW P-GW
S6a S6a
S5 S5
S-GW S-GW
MME MME
S1-MME S1-MME
S1-U S1-U
HPLMN VPLMN
Domain = epc.mnc01.mcc286.pub.3gppnetwork.org
Domain = epc.mnc01.mcc404.pub.3gppnetwork.org
X2 X2 X2
X2 eNB
eNB eNB eNB eNB eNB
LTE-Uu LTE-Uu
Non-Roaming Roaming IMSI = 286 + 01 + 1234567890
IMSI = 286 + 01 + 1234567890 Turkey Turkcell
Turkey Turkcell HPLMN Home PLMN
VPLMN Visited PLMN
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General:
LTE/EPC Specifications 23.003 Identifiers
29.303 DNS
33.401 Security Stage 2&3
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