LTE S1 Interface

Satish Kumar S,
Val&FS2,
Date: 22nd Sep,2021
 Contents
 LTE Network Architecture

 LTE Protocol Stack

 LTE UE Attach

 LTE Bearers

 S1 Interface

 S1AP Functions and S1AP Procedures

 Summary
LTE Network Architecture
LTE Protocol Stack
 LTE Protocol Stack
 SCTP(Stream Control Transmission Protocol)

 Relatively new transport layer to improve LTE and data transfer as a whole.

 Designed to increase messaging reliability over the network.

 Unlike TCP which uses a byte stream interface, SCTP works as a data stream and can even work with
multiple streams sending multiple messages called chunks. 

 Offers more flexibility in certain applications that require continuous data exchange such as VoIP. 

 SCTP can handle multiple simultaneous and multiplexed streams as opposed to TCP, which can handle
only one stream of data per end-to-end connection. 
LTE Protocol Stack
 SCTP(Stream Control Transmission Protocol)

Attribute TCP UDP SCTP

Reliability Reliable Unreliable Reliable

Connection Connection- Connection-
Connectionless
Management oriented oriented
Transmission Byte-oriented Message-oriented Message-oriented
Flow Control Yes No Yes

Congestion Control Yes No Yes

Fault Tolerance No No Yes

Data Delivery Strictly Ordered Unordered Partially Ordered
Security Yes Yes Improved
LTE Protocol Stack
 S1AP(S1 Application Protocol (S1AP)
 S1AP provides the signaling service between E-UTRAN and the evolved packet core (EPC)
 Major S1AP Functions:
 E-RAB management function
 Initial Context Transfer function
 UE Capability Info Indication function
 Mobility Functions
 S1 interface management functions
 NAS Signaling transport function
 Status Transfer
 Trace function
 Location Reporting
 Warning message transmission function
LTE Protocol Stack
 GTP(GPRS Tunneling Protocol)
 GTP is used to establish a GTP tunnel, for user equipment, between a Serving
Gateway (S-GW) and Packet Data Network Gateway (P-GW), and an S-GW and
Mobility Management Entity (MME).
 A GTP tunnel is a channel between two GPRS support nodes through which two hosts
exchange data.
 The S-GW receives packets from the user equipment and encapsulates them within a
GTP header before forwarding them to the P-GW through the GTP tunnel.
 When the P-GW receives the packets, it decapsulates them and forwards them to the
external host.
 GTP comprises the following separate protocols:
• GTP-C— Supports exchange of control information for creation, modification and
termination for GTP tunnels. It creates data forwarding tunnels in case of LTE handover.
• GTP-U— Transports user data within the core GPRS network and between the Radio Access
Network (RAN) and the core network.
 LTE UE Attach
1. Cell Search and Synchronization (MIB & SIBs)

2. Random Access Procedure (Preamble)

3. RRC Connection establishment

4. Attach and Authentication

5. Bearer Set up
 LTE UE Attach

LTE Initial UE Attach

 LTE Bearers

LTE Bearers

Reference:Protocol Signaling Procedures in

LTE(White paper by Radisys)
 LTE Bearers

 Two types of EPS Bearers

 Default EPS Bearer
 Dedicated EPS Bearer 
 Default EPS Bearer :
 Be established during Attach Process
 Allocate IP address to UE
 Does not have specific QoS (only Nominal QoS is applied)
 Dedicated EPS Bearer:
 Normally be established during the call setup after idle mode.
 Does not allocate any additional IP address to UE
 Is linked to a specified default EPS bearer
 Have a specific (usually guaranteed) QoS
 S1 Set up
S1 Set up Operation

Reference:3gpp TS 36.413
 Paging
 Purpose:
To enable the MME to page a UE in the specific eNB
 The MME initiates the paging procedure by sending the PAGING message to the eNB
 At the reception of the PAGING message, the eNB shall perform paging of the UE in cells which
belong to tracking areas as indicated in the List of TAIs IE.
Tracking Area(TA) and Tracking Area
Update(TAU)
 Why do we need TAs?
 While an LTE device (UE) is in active state (i.e. while communicating or RRC-
Connected state in LTE terms), its location is known by the LTE network at cell level
(i.e. on a cell granularity), e.g. in cell2 in eNB1.
 However, while the UE is in idle state (i.e. while not communicating or in RRC-Idle
state in LTE terms), its location is known by the LTE network at TA level (i.e. on a TA
granularity), instead of cell level.
 An operator defines a group of neighbor eNBs as a TA (These grouping are performed
at the initial deployment of the network.
 Each eNB is configured with its own TA.).
 A TA can be made up of cells or eNBs, but only those made up of eNBs will be used
here in this post. For example, eNBs in A neighborhood are defined as TA1, those in B
neighborhood as TA2, those in C neighborhood as TA3, and so on. 
Tracking Area(TA) and Tracking Area
Update(TAU)
Tracking Area(TA) and Tracking Area
Update(TAU)
 A TAC is the unique code that each operator assigns to each of their TAs
 TAI = PLMN ID + TAC.
 PLMN ID= MCC(Mobile Country Code) + MNC (Mobile Network Code)
 Unique code assigned to each operator in the world.
 For Example, Korea's MCC is 450, and SKT's MNC is 05. So, SKT, a Korean operator, has
an MCC of 450 and an MNC of 05. This format of assigning makes a TAI uniquely
identified globally.
 LTE network (the MME, to be accurate) has to have updated location information
about UEs in idle state to find out in which TA a particular UE is located.
 UE notifies the LTE network (MME) of its current location by sending a TAU
message (TAU Request message) every time it moves between TAs.
 Periodic TAU -- UE in idle state sends a TAU message (TAU Request message) to
an MME periodically even when the UE stays within a TA in the TAI list.
S1-Flex
 Functions of S1AP

 E-RAB management function

 Initial Context Transfer function

 UE Capability Info Indication function

 Mobility Functions for UEs

 Paging

 S1 interface management functions

 Functions of S1AP
 NAS Signaling transport between the UE and the MME

 S1 UE context Release function

 UE Context Modification function

 Status Transfer

 Trace function
 Functions of S1AP
 Location Reporting

 Warning message transmission

 RAN Information Management (RIM) function

 Configuration Transfer function

 S1AP Procedures
 Classified into TWO Categories
 Class 1 Procedures
 Class 2 Procedures

 Class 1 Procedures: Elementary Procedures with response (success

and/or failure).

 Class 2 Procedures: Elementary Procedures without response.

 S1AP Procedures
 E-RAB Management procedures
 E-RAB Setup
 E-RAB Modify
 E-RAB Release

 Context Management procedures

 Initial Context Setup
 UE Context Release Request (eNB initiated)
 UE Context Release (MME initiated)
 UE Context Modification
 S1AP Procedures
 Handover Signalling
 Handover Preparation
 Handover Resource Allocation
 Handover Notification
 Path Switch Request
 Handover Cancellation
 eNB Status Transfer
 MME Status Transfer

 Paging

 NAS transport
 S1AP Procedures

 Management procedures
 Reset
 Error Indication
 S1 Setup
 eNB Configuration Update
 MME Configuration Update
 Overload Start
 Overload Stop

 S1 CDMA2000 Tunneling Procedures

 UE Capability Info Indication

 S1AP Procedures

 Trace Procedures
 Trace Start
 Trace Failure Indication
 Deactivate Trace
 Cell Traffic Trace

 Location Reporting Procedures

 Location Reporting Control
 Location Report Failure Indication
 Location Report
 S1AP Procedures

 Warning Message Transmission Procedures

 Write-Replace Warning
 Kill

 eNB Direct Information Transfer

 MME Direct Information Transfer

 eNB Configuration Transfer

 MME Configuration Transfer

 LPPa transport
 References
1. LTE: Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN):S1 Application Protocol (S1AP)
(3GPP TS 36.413 version 10.1.0 Release 10)
2. 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects;
General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) enhancements for Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access
Network (E-UTRAN) access (Release 10)
3. http://www.sharetechnote.com/
4. https://www.eventhelix.com/
5. https://www.slideshare.net/
6. http://www.developingsolutions.com/
7. http://www.cse.unt.edu/~rdantu/FALL_2013_WIRELESS_NETWORKS/LTE_Alcatel_White_Paper.pdf
8. https://www.netmanias.com/en/?m=view&id=techdocs&no=5904&xtag=lte-network-
architecture&xref=lte-network-architecture-basic
9. Protocol Signaling Procedures in LTE By V. Srinivasa Rao, Senior Architect & Rambabu Gajula, Lead
Engineer
Thank You