Interfaces & Interworking with 3GPP& Non-3GPP

Network

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 S1 Interface

• S1-AP protocol is designed for a single interface, namely the MME to eNodeB
interface. The protocol is named after the interface name (S1) and the addition of AP
(Application Part) which is the 3GPP term for signalling protocol between two
nodes.
• S1-AP supports all mechanisms necessary for the procedures between MME and
eNodeB and it also supports transparent transport for procedures that are executed
between the MME and the UE.
• S1-AP consists of Elementary Procedures. An Elementary Procedure is a unit of
interaction between the eNodeBs and the MME. These Elementary Procedures are
defined separately and are intended to be used to build up complete sequences in a
flexible manner.
• S1-AP relies on a reliable transport mechanism and is designed to run on top of
SCTP.

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 S1 Interface
S1 Interface

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 S1 Interface
S1AP Elementary Procedures, class 1

Elementary Initiating Message Successful Outcome Unsuccessful outcome

Response Message
Procedure, class 1 Response Message
Handover Preparation HANDOVER REQUIRED HANDOVER COMMAND HANDOVER PREPARATION
FAILURE

Handover Resource Allocation HANDOVER REQUEST HANDOVER REQUEST HANDOVER FAILURE

ACKNOWLEDGE

Path Switch Request PATH SWITCH REQUEST PATH SWITCH REQUEST PATH SWITCH REQUEST
ACKNOWLEDGE FAILURE
Handover Cancellation HANDOVER CANCEL HANDOVER CANCEL
ACKNOWLEDGE

E-RAB Setup E-RAB SETUP REQUEST E-RAB SETUP RESPONSE

E-RAB Modify E-RAB MODIFY REQUEST E-RAB MODIFY RESPONSE

E-RAB Release E-RAB RELEASE COMMAND E-RAB RELEASE RESPONSE

Initial Context Setup INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP
REQUEST RESPONSE FAILURE

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 S1 Interface

S1AP Elementary Procedures, class 1

Elementary Initiating Message Successful Outcome Unsuccessful outcome

Response Message
Procedure, class 1 Response Message
Reset RESET RESET ACKNOWLEDGE

S1 Setup S1 SETUP REQUEST S1 SETUP RESPONSE S1 SETUP FAILURE

UE Context Release UE CONTEXT RELEASE UE CONTEXT RELEASE

COMMAND COMPLETE
UE Context Modification UE CONTEXT UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION
MODIFICATION REQUEST RESPONSE FAILURE

eNB Configuration Update ENB CONFIGURATION ENB CONFIGURATION ENB CONFIGURATION

UPDATE UPDATE ACKNOWLEDGE UPDATE FAILURE

MME Configuration Update MME CONFIGURATION MME CONFIGURATION MME CONFIGURATION

UPDATE UPDATE ACKNOWLEDGE UPDATE FAILURE

Write-Replace Warning WRITE-REPLACE WARNING WRITE-REPLACE WARNING

REQUEST RESPONSE

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 S1 Interface
S1AP Elementary Procedures, Class 2

Elementary procedure, class 2 Initiating Message

Handover Notification HANDOVER NOTIFY
E-RAB Release Indication E-RAB RELEASE INDICATION
Paging PAGING
Initial UE Message INITIAL UE MESSAGE
Downlink NAS Transport DOWNLINK NAS TRANSPORT
Uplink NAS Transport UPLINK NAS TRANSPORT
NAS non delivery Indication NAS NON DELIVERY INDICATION
Error Indication ERROR INDICATION
UE Context Release Request UE CONTEXT RELEASE REQUEST
Downlink S1 CDMA 2000 Tunneling DOWNLINK S1 CDMA 2000 TUNNELING
Uplink S1 CDMA2000 Tunneling UPLINK S1 CDMA2000 TUNNELING
UE Capability Info Indication UE CAPABILITY INFO INDICATION
eNB Status Transfer ENB STATUS TRANSFER
MME Status Transfer MME STATUS TRANSFER
Deactivate Trace DEACTIVATE TRACE
Trace Start TRACE START

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 S1 Interface
S1 Handover
RRC
CONNECTED

RRC
CONNECTED

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 X2 Interface

• Inter-connection of eNodeBs supplied by different manufacturers;

• Support of continuation between eNodeBs of the E-UTRAN services offered via the
S1 interface;
• Separation of X2 interface Radio Network functionality and Transport Network
functionality to facilitate introduction of future technology
• The main purpose for X2 is to support the active mode UE mobility (Packet
Forwarding).

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 X2 Interface
X2 Protocol Model

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 X2 Interface
Functions of X2AP

• Setting up the X2
• Resetting the X2
• Mobility Management
• Load Management
• Reporting of General Error Situations
• eNodeB Configuration Update

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 X2 Interface
X2AP Elementary Procedures, class 1
Elementary Initiating Message Successful Outcome Unsuccessful outcome
Response Message
Procedure, class 1 Response Message
HANDOVER PREPARATION HANDOVER REQUEST HANDOVER REQUEST HANDOVER PREPARATION
ACKNOWLEDGE FAILURE

RESET RESET REQUEST RESET RESPONSE

X2 SETUP X2 SETUP REQUEST X2 SETUP RESPONSE X2 SETUP FAILURE

ENB CONFIGURATION UPDATE ENB CONFIGURATION ENB CONFIGURATION ENB CONFIGURATION

UPDATE UPDATE ACKNOWLEDGE UPDATE FAILURE

RESOURCE STATUS REPORTING RESOURCE STATUS RESOURCE STATUS RESOURCE STATUS

INITIATION REQUEST RESPONSE FAILURE

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 X2 Interface

X2AP Elementary Procedures, Class 2

Elementary procedure, class 2 Initiating Message

LOAD INDICATION LOAD INFORMATION

HANDOVER CANCEL HANDOVER CANCEL

SN STATUS TRANSFER SN STATUS TRANSFER

UE CONTEXT RELEASE UE CONTEXT RELEASE

RESOURCE STATUS REPORTING RESOURCE STATUS UPDATE

ERROR INDICATION ERROR INDICATION

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 X2 Interface
X2 Handover

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 S11 Interface Procedure

• The S11 interface is defined between MME and the Serving GW. Due to the
separation of the control and user plane functions between MME and Serving GW,
the S11 interface is used to create a new session and then manage these sessions that
has established connection within EPS.
• The S11 interface is always triggered by some events either directly from the NAS
level signalling from the terminal or creating a connection towards a new PDN.
• In case of handover, the S11 interface is used to relocate the Serving GW when
appropriate, establish direct or indirect forwarding tunnel for user plane traffic and
manage the user data traffic flow.

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 S5/S8 Interface Procedure

• The S5/S8 interface is defined between the Serving GW and the PDN GW. The S5
interface is used in non-roaming scenarios where as S8 interface is the roaming variant
of S5 and is used in roaming scenarios with the Serving GW in the visited network and
the PDN GW in the home network.
• When the GTP variant of the protocol is used, the S5/S8 interface provides the
functionality associated with creation/deletion/modification/change of bearers for
individual user connected to EPS.

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 S10 Interface Procedure

• The S10 interface is defined between two MMEs. The main function of this protocol
is to transfer the contexts for individual terminals attached to the EPC network and
thus sent on a per UE basis. This interface is primarily used when MME is relocated.

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 IMS & End to End Signaling

The IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) is a generic platform offering IP-based multimedia
services. IMS provides functions and common procedures for session control, bearer
control, policy and charging.
The CSCF (Call Session Control Function) plays a key role in IMS architecture, for
establishing, terminating or modifying IMS sessions. The CSCF is actually a specific
type of SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) server
SIP is the base protocol developed by the IETF for the management of IP-based
multimedia sessions and services

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 Inter-working with 3GPP systems

• The way of interworking basically requires a single subscription allowing the end-
user to attach over network.
• SGSN implements four new interfaces. Three of these(called S3, S4 and S16) rely on
an updated version of the GTP protocol.
• The fourth new interface is S6d which mimics the MME S6a interface towards the
HSS for retrieving subscriber data from the HSS.
• S3 is a signalling-only interface. It is used between the SGSN and the MME to
support inter-system mobility. S16 is the SGSN-SGSN interface, while S4 is
connecting the SGSN and the Serving GW.
• S12 is a direct connection between the Radio Network Controller (RNC) in the
WCDMA radio network and the Serving GW.

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 Inter-working with 3GPP systems

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 Inter-working with Non-3GPP systems
Besides the common and access-independent feature set for service treatment, the EPC
architecture allows for interworking between 3GPP technologies (i.e., GSM/GPRS,
WCDMA/HSPA and LTE) and non-3GPP technologies (e.g., CDMA , WLAN or a fixed
access technology).

Key interfaces for inter-working with non 3GPP accesses

Ø S2a : It provides the user plane with related control and mobility support between
trusted non 3GPP IP access and the Gateway.

Ø S2b : It provides the user plane with related control and mobility support between
ePDG and the Gateway.

Ø S2c : It provides the user plane with related control and mobility support between UE
and the Gateway.

Ø Gxa : It provides transfer of (QoS) policy information from PCRF to the Trusted Non-
3GPP accesses.

Ø Gxb : This interface is not specified within this release of the specification.

Ø Gxc : It provides transfer of (QoS) policy information from PCRF to the Serving
Gateway

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 Inter-working with Non-3GPP systems

There are two types of Non-3GPP system:

Ø Trusted non-3GPP accesses can be the one that is owned and operated by the LTE
HPLMN. It is secured.

Ø Untrusted non-3GPP accesses can be the one that is not owned and/or operated by
the LTE HPLMN.It is not secured.

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 Inter-working with Non-3GPP systems

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 Reference Points

Ø S1-MME: Reference point for the control plane protocol between E-UTRAN and MME.

Ø S1-U: Reference point between E-UTRAN and Serving GW for the per bearer user
plane tunnelling and inter eNodeB path switching during handover.

Ø S3: It enables user and bearer information exchange for inter 3GPP access network
mobility in idle and/or active state.

Ø S4:It provides related control and mobility support between GPRS Core and the 3GPP
Anchor function of Serving GW.

Ø S5: It provides user plane tunneling and tunnel management between Serving GW and
PDN GW.

Ø S6a: It enables transfer of subscription and authentication data for

authenticating/authorizing user access to the evolved system (AAA interface) between
MME and HSS.

Ø Gx: It provides transfer of (QoS) policy and charging rules from PCRF to Policy and
Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) in the PDN GW.

Ø S8: Inter-PLMN reference point providing user and control plane between the Serving
GW in the VPLMN and the PDN GW in the HPLMN. S8 is the inter PLMN variant of S5.

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 Reference Points

Ø S9: It provides transfer of (QoS) policy and charging control information between the
Home PCRF and the Visited PCRF in order to support local breakout function.
Ø S10: Reference point between MMEs for MME relocation and MME to MME
information transfer.
Ø S11: Reference point between MME and Serving GW.
Ø S12: Reference point between UTRAN and Serving GW for user plane tunneling when
DirectTunnel is established.
Ø S13: It enables UE identity check procedure between MME and EIR.
Ø SGi: It is the reference point between the PDN GW and the packet data network.
Ø Rx The Rx reference point resides between the operator's IP Services and the PCRF .

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