GSM on the Net

Olle Granberg

GSM on the Net introduces an entirely new concept for business communications, offering voice, data and multimedia services over corporate intranets. The voice service can be either fixed or mobile (in the latter case using GSM access). GSM on the Net provides operators and business users with a means of optimizing personal and organizational communications and work processes by adding terminal and user mobility to their existing IP network. The author describes GSM on the Net and different solutions to its implementation. He also presents a review of ITU-T Recommendation H.323, which underlies this new business communication system.

Box A Terminology
Endpoint A terminal, gateway or multipoint control unit (MCU) that generates and terminates information streams. An endpoint can initiate and receive calls. Payload The actual user information transported between endpoints. (A packet contains address information and payload.) Terminal mobility A terminal can be moved around geographically without losing contact with the system. User mobility A user can opt to access GSM on the Net in different ways. Regardless of whether a phone or a PC is chosen as a means of access, the system will keep track of the user and the terminals capabilities.

Background
The handling and sharing of information is of vital importance to the business world. To this end, many companies have installed a local area network (LAN) to make in-house networking and communication more efficient. Internet/intranet, e-mail and databases are a few examples of applications and entities accessible from a LAN. Voice communication is handled by a private branch exchange (PBX) on the company premises or by a centrex service in the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Different solutions have been applied to the problem of enhancing wireless telephony within the office. The systems most frequently used are digital enhanced cordless telecommunications (DECT) and the GSM macro network (Figure 1). In DECT, all user services reside in the PBX, while all wireless-related services (for example, roaming and handover) are handled by a mobility server. In the case of GSM, new features are introduced in the macro network in order to support typical

office services. For example, home zones make it possible to distinguish between external calls and calls made in the office; virtual private networks (VPN) support private numbering plans. Radio coverage is achieved either by means of radio base stations (RBS) or different forms of indoor arrangements, such as indoor RBSs with multicasting antennas. So far, all switching is performed in the macro network. The PBX market is changing rapidly, however, and sooner or later todays solutions, which are based on proprietary hardware and a circuit-switched environment, will be replaced by PBXs operating according to the Internet protocol (IP). Clearly, therefore, a sustainable, long-term solution for GSM in the office will have to be based on IP.

System concept
The purpose of GSM on the Net is to serve as a real-time system in a converged network that handles all communications within a company. Voice, data and video will be processed over a unified IP network: the companys intranet. The system can be accessed in a variety of ways (for example, by means of GSM phones, IP phones and PCs) to provide full user mobility. Its second key featureterminal mobilitysupports roaming to the GSM macro network. In other words, the system offers the convenience of one phone and one number. The user and terminal mobility provided means that GSM on the Net keeps track of a user and his or her terminals capabilities, regardless of whether users are in or outside of the office and whether they can be reached over the phone or on a PC.

Macro GSM with VPN services

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Figure 1 Present-day office solutions.

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Figure 2 A GSM on the Net system.

System architecture
General

GSM on the Net is based on ITU-T Recommendation H.323 (Box D), which describes terminals, equipment and services for multimedia communication over a packetbased network. The basic concept of H.323 is that of separating call control (signaling in the call setup phase) and connection control (data flows between endpoints). When the path has been established, the actual data flow constitutes a real-time connection between the two (or more) terminals concerned.

All nodes in GSM on the Net are connected to the corporate intranet, and communication between system nodes and terminals is handled over the Internet protocol. IP addresses and ports ensure that data and signaling flows are routed to the correct destinations in the system (or to external networks). The corporate intranet can have a very complex topology with many routers and widely scattered locations. Even remote terminals, such as modem-connected home terminals or IP-tunneled connections, are included in the intranet, thereby forming part of the system (Figure 2).

Box B Abbreviations
AN API AUC BTS DECT EIR GPRS GSM HLR IETF IP ISDN ISP Access node Application program interface Authentication center Base transceiver station Digital enhanced cordless telecommunications Equipment identity register General packet radio service Global system for mobile communication Home location register Internet Engineering Task Force Internet protocol Integrated services digital network Internet service provider ITU LA LAN MAP MCU MSC PLMN PSTN QoS RBS RSVP SMS SoLSA VLR VPN WAN International Telecommunication Union Location area Local area network Mobile application part Multipoint control unit Mobile switching center Public land mobile network Public switched telephone network Quality of service Radio base station Resource reservation protocol Short message service Support of local service areas Visited location register Virtual private network Wide area network

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Applications API

Service node

Figure 3 A users service profile is stored in the service node, not in each type of access. This means that all specified services are available to users, no matter what type of terminal they use to access the system.

GSM access

Fixed phone access

Fixed terminal access, e.g. PC

Service node

The service nodewhich is the core of GSM on the Netis responsible for call setup, user administration, security and other systemrelated services. The functionality of this node is what enables user mobility. The purpose of a call is to reach another user; the type of terminal used by the called party and the location of that party are less important.
Call setup

The service node controls all calls made between different types of terminal and translates addresses between different types of access (for instance, between ordinary PSTN phone numbers and addresses in the system). The setup procedure also involves negotiating terminal capabilities, such as bandwidth limitations and man-machine interfaces.
User administration

the service node (Figure 3). The profile lists every service that the user wants to access; for example, mailbox and call forwarding. Users access the system by choosing a terminal: a PC, an IP phone or a GSM phone (locally or in the macro network). If access is allowed, the user is automatically connected to all services registered in his or her user profile. However, the man-machine interface or limitations in bandwidth in the chosen access may reduce or inhibit the use of some services. Other basic functions performed by the service node are authentication, resource management, and least-cost routing. The latter function is responsible for finding the most cost-effective route. For example, a call from an office in Sweden to an office in the US can be routed through a gateway in Sweden and via the PSTN to the US subscriber; through the company intranet to a gateway in the US and on to the called subscriber. The service node includes an application program interface (API) to high-level applications, such as voice mail and e-mail convergence, web-initiated dialing, or vertical applications, which include sales support, customer-care systems, and orderservicing and logistics systems.
Access node

User administration is another important function. Every user has a system identity and a service profile that are registered in

The functionality of the (wireless) access node enables GSM terminals to access the system. In this sense it resembles the mobile switching center (MSC), the visited location register (VLR), and the base station controller (BSC). (The access node will also contain functions for supporting general packet radio servicesGPRSwhen these become available in the GSM macro network.)

Box C Benefits of GSM on the Net

For the operator, GSM on the Net offers: increased GSM trafficnew subscribers and lower churn. Furthermore, the business users behavior pattern, in terms of calling frequency and call duration, will transfer to global use as well; profit marginsif supplied by the operator, system equipment (servers and phones) will boost profit margins through increased product sales and more service agreements; new servicesthe provision of convergence services will generate more revenue. Exam-

ples include service packages, which can be tailored to suit individual organizations and vertical market applications. For the user, GSM on the Net offers: freedom at workthe same look and feel wherever the system is accessed (whether the user is in the office, at a subsidiary, at home, or traveling); conveniencehaving GSM integrated into the office gives the convenience of one phone and one number. The same phone is used, regardless of user whereabouts, within or outside of the office; cost-effectivenessimplementation costs

are low because existing PCs and LANs are used. Similarly, operation costs are low thanks to low-tariff, local traffic (through local switching); differentiated user authorization; available resources for administration (for example, the IT support team); adaptabilitythe system is a smoothly fitting part of the existing network environment (and applications) and can easily be expanded and improved with respect to capacity, functional content, and quality; scalabilityflexible service and application design (server applications), easy-to-add base stations and handsets.

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Box D ITU-T Recommendation H.323

ITU-T Recommendation H.323 describes terminals, equipment and services for multimedia communication over packet-based networks (for example, an intranet or the Internet). H.323 terminals and equipment can carry real-time voice, data and video, or any combination including video telephony. The scope of H.323 does not include the network interface, the physical network, or the transport protocol used on the network. The network over which H.323 terminals communicate can be a single entity or multiple segments with complex topologies. H.323 terminals can be integrated into personal computers or implemented in stand-alone devices, such as video telephones. Support of voice is mandatory, while data and video are optional. The general approach to the use of the underlying transport network in H.323 is to employ different transport channels for voice, data, video and control, and to provide a means of synchronizing packets at the endpoints (Figure D1). Functional entities Four different functional entities described in H.323: Terminal Gatekeeper Gateway unit Multipoint control unit (MCU) Address translationthe gatekeeper translates alias addresses into transport addresses. Admission controlthe gatekeeper authorizes network access, based on call authorization, bandwidth or some other criteria selected by the manufacturer. Bandwidth control. Zone management. The gatekeeper provides the abovementioned functions for terminals, MCUs and gateways that have registered with it. The gatekeeper may also perform optional functions, such as call-control signalingthe gatekeeper may choose to complete call signaling with the endpoints and process the call itself. Alternatively, the gatekeeper may direct the endpoints to connect the call signaling to each other; call authorizationthe gatekeeper can reject calls from a terminal on the grounds of authorization failure. Other reasons for rejection may include restricted access to or from a specific terminal or gateway, and restricted access during certain periods; bandwidth managementthe gatekeeper checks the number of H.323 terminals that are allowed simultaneous access to the network. The gatekeeper can reject calls from a terminal if it judges available bandwidth to be insufficient; call managementthe gatekeeper can keep a list of ongoing H.323 calls. This information may be necessary to indicate that a called terminal is busy and to provide bandwidth management data. the necessary conversion between different types of terminal. The gateway provides the appropriate translation between transmission and communication procedures. It is responsible for call setup and clearing on both the intranet side and the circuit-switched network side. The gateway also translates between audio, video and data formats.

Multipoint control unit The multipoint control unit (MCU) consists of two logical entities: the multipoint controller (MC) and the multipoint processor (MP). The multipoint controller controls three or more terminals that participate in a multipoint conference. It negotiates capability with the terminals, in order to provide common levels of communication; it may also control conference resources, such as multicasting video. The multipoint processor is responsible for mixing, switching and other processing of media streams under the control of the multipoint controller.
Basic calla summary The gatekeeper function controls calls. A call is initiated by a user (A) at one endpoint. User A makes the call by entering user Bs name or some alias. Terminal A connects to the gatekeeper and requests a connection to user B. The gatekeeper sets up the other part of the connection (between the gatekeeper and user B) and supplies each terminal with its counterparts address (IP address and port number). The two terminals open at least two real-time data streams (one in each direction) between them. Unless some characteristics of the session change, the gatekeeper performs no tasks while a call is in progress. Examples of changed characteristics include cases where more bandwidth is required (due to a change from, say, voice only to voice and video) or where a new party is added to the session.

are

Terminal An H.323 terminal is an endpoint in the network that provides real-time, two-way communication with another H.323 terminala gateway unit or an MCU (in H.323, the term endpoint refers to terminals, gateways and MCUs as elements capable of receiving or initiating calls). Gatekeeper The purpose of a gatekeeper is to provide the following services to the H.323 endpoints:

Gateway unit A gateway unit is an endpoint in the (packetized) network that provides real-time, two-way communication between H.323 terminals in the network and other ITU-T terminals in a wide area network (WAN) or another H.323 gateway. The gateway unit provides

H.323 endpoint

Video transport Voice transport Data transport

H.323 endpoint

Figure D1 Data streams for voice, data and video are transported on separate channels according to H.323.

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The access node manages radio resources, mobility, and communication functions. It can also interrogate (with MAP/SS7) the home location register (HLR), and handles roaming numbers and radio networks; for example, paging and handover control. The access node is involved when calls are set up to (or from) a GSM terminal. The node itself does not carry any traffic, however; it merely controls communication between GSM terminals. In terms of the GSM macro network, the access node and its underlying structure of base transceiver stations (BTS) and terminals is perceived as an arbitrary MSC/VLR service area in the network.
GSM/BTS

public land mobile network (PLMN), PBXs and the Internet. The gateway translates between transmission formats and communication procedures. It also translates between audio, video and data formats, including voice coders and, as an option, video coders (Ericssons gateway supports H.323 mandatory coders and GSM full-rate and enhanced full-rate coders).
External interface to PSTN/ISDN

The public switched telephone network can be reached via ISDN access, either over the basic rate interface (2B+D) or the primary rate interface (ITU-T: 30B+D, ANSI: 24B+D).
External interface to the PLMN

GSM terminals access the system through the GSM/BTS, which serves as a gateway between the air interface and the LAN environment. In GSM on the Net, a GSM subscription is regarded as a terminal, not as a user subscription. In principle, any user who is registered in the system could be logged on by means of an arbitrary GSM mobile phone, but normally a GSM terminal is associated with a user.
Gateway

The interface to the PLMN can either include signaling only, or both signaling and payload. Basically, signaling between GSM on the Net and the PLMN supports GSM mobile terminals in the system. Examples of entities that can be reached in the PLMN include: MSC/VLR; HLR and authentication center (AU); equipment identity register (EIR); message center (for the support of shortmessage services).
External interface to a PBX

A gateway is the interconnection between GSM on the Net and other networks. Examples include interfaces to the PSTN, the
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Qsig signaling protocol. Later, other PBX protocols may also be supported along with a limited set of supplementary services.
The Internet

Physical implementation
The service and access nodes are implemented on standard servers. This is feasible because the nodes, as specified in H.323, do not carry any real-time traffic. In a small system, the functionality of the two nodes can be co-located on one physical server, which may also serve other applications. Large systems might need more than one service and access node to cope with traffic load.

The Internet interface makes it possible to reach other H.323 networks and terminals. Here it should be observed that a multisite company is regarded as one GSM on the Net system.
Application node

The application node enables other (highlevel) applications to interact with GSM on the Net over an API. This is in tune with the growing trend toward integrating information processing into telecommunications, which will lead to the development of a new class of integrated business applications. Some examples of new, advanced convergence features made possible by the unified network that could be implemented into a GSM on the Net environment are listed below. Web-initiated dialing (Click-toTalk) Users surfing on the net can click on a phone icon on the screen to retrieve from a directory the phone number of the person or organization they want to call. Instead of dialing the number, they simply click on it to initiate the call. A typical banking application for people who make their transactions over the Internet enables users to get in touch with a bank clerk to discuss a financial matter or to seek assistance. Directory-assisted dialing GSM on the Net makes it possible to initiate a call from the companys telephone directory (or the public directory) instead of having to enter the digits manually. Unified messaging All mail services (voice mail, e-mail, fax mail, video mail) can be conveniently provided in a single mailbox. This service can be supplemented with a media conversion feature, such as voice-to-text and text-tovoice. Simplified integration with LANbased business support systems Integration with customer-care systems, billing systems, order-servicing and logistics systems, sales applications, and so forth. One example is the automatic display of customer data and delivery status when a customer calls.
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System configurations
The GSM on the Net concept can be configured either as a system owned by a company or as a service provided by a mobile operator or an Internet service provider (ISP). The following examples show two different configurations: one for small and mediumsized companies and one for large companies.
Small and medium-sized companies

Small and medium-sized companies are likely to choose a solution where a carrier an operator or an ISPprovides the system as a service. The ISPs offering to the small or medium-sized company is a combined data/Internet and fixed/mobile telephony solution. The physical transmission to the office (which is normally rather costly) can be shared with other services provided by the ISP. Needless to say, such an arrangement is advantageous in terms of data transmission and even more so from a cost perspective. In the example shown in Figure 4, the ISP operates all server-based nodes in GSM on the Net. The ISP is responsible for interacting with the GSM operator in matters related to SS7 transmission links and frequency handling. Multimedia is offered within the range of services provided by the ISP; for example, Internet access, news, and e-mail. In the way of new equipment, all that is required in the office are access devices; for example, IP phones, GSM base stations and, of course, mobile terminals.
Large companies

As a rule, large companies operate their own system and are also capable of handling their relation with the PLMN operator. In most cases, a companys multiple sites are interconnected by means of an intranet.
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Figure 5 Large-company solution.

GSM/ BTS

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In the example shown in Figure 5, the large office serves its satellite offices with different system functions. An intranet provides the means of intra-company communication. This type of large intranet is also supported by advanced system functions that are capable of finding least-cost routes and locating users roaming between offices.

Accessing the system

General

Different types of access are included in GSM on the Net and new ones will be implemented in the future. Basically, access can be divided into four categories: Fixed terminals connected to the intranet. Examples include IP phones and PCs with H.323 terminal software. Terminals connected to the external network (the Internet). This type of terminal is normally, but not necessarily, accessed via a firewall or proxy server. Terminals outside of the system; for example, PSTN phones. This type of terminal is accessed via the gateway. Wireless access (GSM access).

A fundamental idea is that user perception of services accessed on different types of terminal should be the same. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that an access method or a terminal may have limitations that restrict or inhibit the use of a service. Some types of access might introduce a service or function that is unique from other types of access. In such a case, the inherent service or function will be hidden if a similar one exists in the system (for instance, voice mail). The aim is to support in-system services regardless of where access has been made. One example is short numbers, which remain valid even when a GSM mobile terminal is roaming in the macro network. If a service is unique to a specific type of access, then the system will transport the service as transparently as possible to the terminal.
GSM

GSM access is a key feature of GSM on the Net. It offers wireless access that can be used both within and outside of the office. However, the introduction of GSM in an office environment introduces several new requirements. Areas of particular interest are

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subscriber handling, radio-network handling, frequency handling, charging, and operation and maintenance. Without going into detail, the basic ideas of the GSM on the Net solution are as follows: The user should not notice any difference, no matter whether the terminal is used in or outside of the office. Services and system behavior are, to the greatest possible extent, based on GSM on the Netnot on the external GSM system. This means that GSM on the Net is in control of services in and outside of the office. A special, low-tariff charge (or no charge) is applied within the system.
Roaming

area defined by the system. SoLSA functionality will soon be added to the GSM standard.

Quality of service
The resource reservation protocol (RSVP) represents one method of controlling quality of service (QoS); differentiated service is another method. In either case, the function must be initialized in the network. Network elements, such as routers, are normally capable of handling RSVP and differentiated service, but in a typical network these functions are not activated. RSVPa complex protocol that more or less emulates a circuit-switched system results in long call-setup times and will not be supported by GSM on the Net. Differential service, by contrast, is based on a simple principle and is being standardized by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). It has already been implemented in several routers. GSM on the Net will use differentiated service to control quality of service.

Roaming between internal and external areas takes place in the regular way. A location update is sent to VLR/HLR when a user moves to another location area (LA). If a mobile terminal is within the office, it is registered in the internal VLR (that is, the VLR functionality in the access node) and the HLR will indicate that VLR. If the terminal is outside of the office, it is registered in an external VLR. Even in the case of handover, GSM on the Net acts as any MSC/VLR, from the external GSM systems point of view.
Service areas and SoLSA

Conclusion
Ericsson has developed a new IP-based business communication systemGSM on the Net that offers voice, data and multimedia services over corporate intranets. The system enables operators and business users to optimize their communications by adding terminal and user mobility to their existing IP network. GSM on the Net serves as a real-time system in a converged network that handles all communications within a company. Its multi-access feature ensures user mobility, while terminal mobility supports roaming to the GSM macro network. That way, the system offers the convenience of one phone and one number. The integration of information processing into telecommunications will lead to the development of a new class of integrated business applications, and this is where the new system comes in handy. A wide range of advanced convergence features made possible by a unified network can be implemented in a GSM on the Net environment.

Low tariffs and more advanced services mean that mobile terminals should, whenever possible, be registered in the office radio network. A mobile terminal in active mode is controlled by the BSC locating function. In this case it would be possible to change the locating function to keep terminals within the service area of GSM on the Net. However, this cannot be done with mobile terminals in idle mode. These terminals select cells by signal strength only, and the service area will thus coincide with the cell border. A function called support of local service area (SoLSA) will be added to further strengthen the bond between the mobile terminal and the system location area. This function makes the mobile terminal select cells belonging to GSM on the Net (almost) independently of signal strength. It forces terminals to stick to the location

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