LTE PACKET CORE SYSTEMS

Seamless Mobility & QoS

Venkat Annadata
August 2013
Abstract:

Long - Term Evolution (LTE) complements the success of HSPA with higher peak data rates, lower latency and an
enhanced broadband experience in high - demand areas. This is accomplished with the use of wider - spectrum
bandwidths, OFDMA and SC - FDMA air interfaces, and advanced antenna techniques. These techniques enable
high spectral efficiency and an excellent user experience for a wide range of converged IP services. To take full
advantage of these broadband access networks and to enable the co - existence of multiple technologies through
an efficient, all - ip - packet architecture, 3GPP™ implemented a new core network, the evolved packet core (EPC).
EPC is planned for 3GPP Release 9 and is intended for use by various access networks such as LTE, HSPA/HSPA+
and non - 3GPP networks. The evolved packet system (EPS) comprises the EPC and a set of access systems such
as the eUTRAN or UTRAN. EPS has been designed from the ground up to support seamless mobility and QoS with
minimal latency for IP services.

This paper discusses an overview of the network architecture, simplified QoS mechanisms and
seamless mobility.

EVOLVING ALL-IP FLAT ARCHITECTURE SERVING AND PDN GATEWAYS

The 3GPP is evolving wireless networks to become flatter
and more simplified. In EPS’s user plane, for instance,
there are only two types of nodes (base stations and
gateways), while in the current hierarchical networks
there are four types, including a centralized RNC.
Another simplification is the separation of the control
plane, with a separate mobility-management network
element. It is worth noting that similar optimizations
are enabled in the evolved HSPA network architecture,
providing a likewise flattened architecture.
Between the access network and the PDNs (e.g., the
Internet), gateways support the interfaces, the mobility
needs and the differentiation of QoS flows. EPS defines
two logical gateway entities, the S-GW and the P-GW.
The S-GW acts as a local mobility anchor, forwarding
and receiving packets to and from the eNB where the
UE is being served.

A key difference from current networks is that the EPC is

defined to support packet-switched traffic only. Interfaces
are based on IP protocols. This means that all services
will be delivered through packet connections, including
voice. Thus, EPS provides savings for operators by
using a single-packet network for all services. Figure-1
provides a simplified network diagram for EPS, and
Figure 2 shows the simplified protocol stack for the
both user and control planes.

EVOLVED NODE-B (eNB)

A noticeable fact is that most of the typical protocols

implemented in today’s RNC are moved to the eNB. The
eNB, similar to the Node B functionality in the evolved
HSPA architecture, is also responsible for header
compression, ciphering and reliable delivery of packets.
On the control plane, functions such as admission control
and radio resource management are also incorporated
into the eNB. Benefits of the RNC and Node B merger
include reduced latency with fewer hops in the media
path, and distribution of the RNC processing load into
multiple eNBs.
The P-GW, in turn, interfaces with the external PDNs,
such as the Internet and IMS. It is also responsible
for several IP functions, such as address allocation,
policy enforcement, packet classification and routing,
and it provides mobility anchoring for non-3GPP access
networks. In practice, both gateways can be implemented
as one physical network element, depending on
deployment scenarios and vendor support.

MOBILITY MANAGEMENT ENTITY (MME)

The MME is a signaling-only entity, thus user IP packets

do not go through the MME. Its main function is to
manage the UE’s mobility. In addition, the MME also
performs authentication and authorization; idle-mode
UE tracking and reachability; security negotiations; and
NAS signaling. An advantage of a separate network
element for signaling is that operators can grow
signaling and traffic capacity independently. A similar
benefit can also be accomplished in HSPA Release 7’s
direct-tunnel architecture, where the SGSN becomes a
signaling-only entity.
EFFICIENT QoS
An important aspect for any all-packet network is a
mechanism to guarantee differentiation of packet flows
based on its QoS requirements. Applications such as
video streaming, HTTP, or video telephony have special
QoS needs, and should receive differentiated service
over the network. With EPS, QoS flows called EPS
bearers are established between the UE and the P-GW.
Each EPS bearer is associated with a QoS profile, and is
composed of a radio bearer and a mobility tunnel. Thus,
each QoS IP flow (e.g., VoIP) will be associated with
a different EPS bearer, and the network can prioritize
packets accordingly. The QoS procedure for packets
arriving from the Internet is similar to that of HSPA.
When receiving an IP packet, the P-GW performs
packet classification based on parameters such as
rules received from the PCRF, and sends it through the
proper mobility tunnel. Based on the mobility tunnel,
the eNB can map packets to the appropriate radio QoS
bearer. This procedure is shown in Figure 3.
EPS SEAMLESS MOBILITY
Seamless mobility is clearly a key consideration for
wireless systems. Uninterrupted active handoff across
eNBs is the first scenario one typically considers.
However, other scenarios such as handoffs across
core networks (i.e., P-GW, MME), transfer of access
technologies, and idle mobility are also important
scenarios covered by EPS.
SEAMLESS ACTIVE HANDOFFS
EPS enables seamless active handoffs, supporting VoIP
and other real-time IP applications. Since there is no
RNC, an interface between eNBs is used to support
signaling for handoff preparation. In addition, the S-GW
behaves as an anchor, switching mobility tunnels across
eNBs. The procedure is shown in Figure 4. A serving
eNB maintains the coupling between mobility tunnels
and radio bearers, and also maintains the UE context1.
As preparation for handoff, the source eNB (eNB 1)
sends the coupling information and the UE context to
the target eNB (eNB 2). This signaling is triggered by a
radio measurement from the UE, indicating that eNB 2
has a better signal. Once eNB 2 signals that it is ready
to perform the handoff, eNB 1 commands the UE to
change the radio bearer to eNB 2.
 2 1. Measurement Report
eNB 1 3 eNB 2
2. HO Request Context Transfer
4

1 3. HO Accept

4. HO Command

Fig - 4 Inter eNB handoff procedure (High Level)

For the eNB handoff to complete, the S-GW must update at the S-GW, based on signaling received from
update its records with the new eNB that is serving eNB 2 indicating that the radio bearer was successfully
the UE. For this phase, MME coordinates the mobility- transferred (Figure 5).
tunnel switch from eNB 1 to eNB 2. MME triggers the

S-GW 5. HO Complete
6
MME
6. User Plane Update

5 7. Switch Tunnel
7

eNB 1 eNB 2

Fig - 5 Mobility Tunnel Transfer during inter eNB Handoff

EFFICIENT IDLE MOBILITY

An additional mobility aspect to consider with a new MME

wireless core network is the mechanism to identify the
approximate location of the UE when it is not active.
EPS provides an efficient solution for idle mobility
management. The basic idea is to associate a cluster TA 1
of eNBs into tracking areas (TAs), as shown in Figure eNB
6. The MME tracks which TA the UE is in, and if the UE EPS
moves to a different TA, the UE updates the MME with eNB GW
its new TA. When the EPS GW receives data for an idle eNB
UE, it will buffer the packets and query the MME for
the UE’s location. Then the MME will page the UE in its eNB
most current TA. EPS includes a new concept, which eNB
is the ability of a UE to be registered in multiple TAs
simultaneously. This allows the UE to minimize battery eNB eNB
consumption during periods of high mobility, since it TA 2
does not need to constantly update its location with
the MME. It also minimizes the registration load on TA
boundaries. Fig - 6 Idle Mobility Tracking Areas
HETEROGENOUS NETWORK MOBILITY
LTE is envisioned as a complement to current HSPA/
HSPA+ networks in locations that have high demand
for data and enhanced broadband experience.
Therefore, LTE access networks will co-exist with the
widespread coverage of HSPA/HSPA+ networks, thus
requiring robust mechanisms to interoperate. For data
interoperability, EPC will support interfaces between
the existing SGSNs and the MME and S-GW, which will
allow data handoffs. For voice-service continuity, 3GPP
is also working on standardizing a voice-call continuity
approach that will enable seamless operation between
VoIP over LTE and circuit-switched voice over R99.
CONCLUSIONS
EPS provides operators with efficient and robust core
network architecture to support all IP services for LTE,
HSPA and non-3GPP access networks. Fundamentally,
it is a flattened architecture that enables simplified
network design while still supporting seamless
mobility and advanced QoS mechanisms. Many of the
typical RNC functions are incorporated into the eNB,
and the EPS defines a control plane with a separate
network element, the MME. QoS logical connections
are established between the UE and the EPS GW,
providing differentiation of IP flows throughout the whole
network, and meeting the requirements for low-latency
applications. The principles and design are similar to the
evolved HSPA architecture, providing operators with a
smooth migration path for their 3GPP core networks.
REFERENCES
• http://www.3gpp1.org/Highlights/LTE/LTE.htm
• www.ikr.uni-stuttgart.de/Content/itg/fg524/
Meetings/2006-09-29-Ulm/01-3GPP_LTE-SAE_
Overview_Sep06.pdf
• www.motorola.com/.../Service%20Providers/
Wireless%20Operators/LTE/_Document/
Static%20Files/6833_MotDoc.pdf
• www.ericsson.com/ericsson/corpinfo/
publications/review/2007_03/files/5_LTE_SAE.
pdf
• www.nokiasiemensnetworks.com/NR/
rdonlyres/E6AC2D3F-A876-465A-8535-
A612F9B2D485/0/Direct_Tunnel_Data_Sheet.
pdf
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