Introduction to ATSSS:

Access Traffic Steering, Switching and Splitting

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 ATSSS

• We touched on ATSSS briefly in 5G & FMC presentation – In this one we

will touch on some more details
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Traditional Mobile Operation
Voice (CS or PS)

Data

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Data over Wi-Fi
Voice (CS or PS)

Data

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Data and Voice over Wi-Fi

Voice (VoWiFi – PS only)

C
Data

PS voice is just IP Packet Data

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5G Enables Multiple Data Paths

Data

C
Data

Data

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Voice & Data are Independent of each other

VoNR (PS only)

Data

C
Data

Data

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ATSSS: Access Traffic Steering, Switching and Splitting
• New Access Traffic Steering, Switching and Splitting (ATSSS)
functionality has been designed in Release 16, which allows traffic
steering across multiple accesses at a finer granularities than a PDU
session.
• The ATSSS feature is an optional feature in Release 16 both on the UE
and the 5GC network
• ATSSS introduces the notion of Multi Access PDU session, a PDU
session for which the data traffic can be served over one or more
concurrent accesses (3GPP access, trusted non-3GPP access and
untrusted non-3GPP access).

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 Best Network
Steering = OR = Selection

Seamless
Improved
Switching =
TO / = Handover End-User
FROM
Experience

Network
Splitting = AND = Aggregation

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 Important Points about ATSSS #1
• ATSSS needs 5G Core (5GC)

• ATSSS allows the service provider (SP) to configure ATSSS rules and
push them to the device via the 5GC.
• These rules dictate how the device should utilize the 3GPP and Non-
3GPP access networks it may have available, specifically with
respect to sending uplink traffic.
• For downlink traffic, 5GC can provide rules to the UPF (User Plane
Function) which dictate which access network should be used for
which traffic flow.

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 Important Points about ATSSS #2
• Within the 5GC, control of ATSSS is largely handled by the PCF (Policy
Control Function), whose responsibility it is to provide ATSSS rules to
both the device and the SMF (Session Management Function) based on
service provider policy.

• The device/UPF could be configured with different “Steering

Functionality” options, such as:
• Higher Layer Steering Functionality
• Lower Layer Steering Functionality (can be applied to all higher layer
traffic types)

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 Architecture Reference Model for ATSSS Support
3GPP N2 N11 N7
Access AMF SMF PCF
N1

N3 N2 N4

N3 MPTCP
Proxy
MPTCP functionality N6
functionality
UPF DN
UE N1
PMF
ATSSS-LL
functionality Non-3GPP
Access
MPTCP – Multi-Path TCP Protocol
PMF – Performance Measurement Functionality

Based on 3GPP TS 23.501 4.2.10-1: Non-roaming and Roaming with Local Breakout architecture for ATSSS support

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 Higher Layer Steering Functionality
• MPTCP (Multipoint Transmission
Control Protocol) – carried out above
IP in the protocol stack, allows the
device to communicate with an
MPTCP Proxy within the UPF to
determine how TCP traffic associated
with applications can be split,
switched or steered.

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 Lower Layer Steering Functionality
• Can be applied to all higher layer traffic types:
• Active / Standby – for a given traffic flow, this will
categorize one of the access networks (3GPP or non-
3GPP) as active and the other as standby. The standby
access network will only be used for the traffic flow if the
active is unavailable.
• Smallest Delay – this steers a given traffic flow to the
access network which has the smallest delay with respect
to Round Trip Time.
• Load Balancing – this splits a traffic flow across both
access networks, based on a percentage split
• Priority Based – this will steer a traffic flow to the highest
priority access network, until that access network is
considered to be congested. At this point, traffic can also
be split towards the low priority access network.

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KT tests ATSSS
KT & Tessares
successfully test ‘5G
Low Latency Multi-
Radio Access
Technology’ in a
Commercial 5G
Network – Read the
press release here.

(Download slides from SlideShare)

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 Conclusion
• Initial priority for the Service Providers (SPs) is to deploy 5G Core (5GC),
starting next year

• Once 5GC is in place, we will start seeing SPs looking to deploy

advanced features like support for trusted & untrusted non-3GPP
Access

• Once they are in place, we will see ATSSS being implemented, tested
and deployed.

• Realistically, we will start seeing some operators use the feature in

2021/22
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 Further Reading on ATSSS
• Mpirical: 5G ATSSS
(This is the main reference for this video)
• Tessares: 5G ATSSS solution
• 3G4G: True Fixed-Mobile Convergence (FMC) with 5G
• 3GPP TS 23.501 v16.1.0: System Architecture for the 5G System; Stage 2
• Whitepaper: Fixed-Mobile Convergence in the 5G era: From Hybrid
Access to Converged Core - Massimo Condoluci, Stephen H. Johnson,
Vicknesan Ayadurai, Maria A. Lema, Toktam Mahmoodi, Maria A.
Cuevas, and Mischa Dohler (link)
• Operator Watch Blog: How is KT Reducing the Latency of their 5G
Network (link)

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 To learn more, visit:

3G4G Website – https://www.3g4g.co.uk/

3G4G Blog – https://blog.3g4g.co.uk/
Operator Watch – https://operatorwatch.3g4g.co.uk/
Thank You Connectivity Technology Blog – https://www.connectivity.technology/
3G4G Small Cells Blog – https://smallcells.3g4g.co.uk/

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