GSMA 2013

Role of Diameter in LTE Roaming & Interoperability

Authentication, Mobility Management & Session Control
GSMA 2013
LTE Roaming is Coming.
GSMA 2013
Reference Example
Operator A (Home Network) Operator B (Visited Network)
4G Coverage Area
4G Coverage Area
GSMA 2013
Roaming Architecture 1
AF is in the IMS Network (PDN)
SIP (Mw) communication occurs through a GRE tunnel over the S8 interface (not shown in the
diagram for simplicity)
Mobility
Service
Subscriber
Data
Policy Control
Service
Local
Anchor
Point
External
Network
Gateway
B
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r

G
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e
w
a
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D
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t
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r

E
d
g
e

D
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e

GSMA 2013
Roaming Architecture 2
AF is in the respective IMS Network (PDN)
SIP (Mw) communication occurs through a GRE tunnel over the S8 interface (not shown in the
diagram for simplicity)
GSMA 2013
Prevalence of Diameter in EPS What We Have Seen
So Far
S6a S6d S13
Gx Rx S9
Authentication & Mobility Management
Session Management
S1-U S8
Interfaces using Diameter
Interfaces using GTP
S1-MME
SGi
Interface to the External World
S13
GSMA 2013
Routing & Edge Functions in a Network (PLMN/IPX)
GSMA 2013
Core v/s Edge Functions
Core Edge
C
h
a
r
g
i
n
g

S
y
s
t
e
m

GSMA 2013
Roaming Deployment Modes
Mobile Operator 2
IPX-DRA
IPX Provider
Mobile Operator 1
Mobile Operator 3
Mobile Operator 4
In this example
Mobile Operator 1 and 2 have a direct roaming agreement
Mobile Operator 3 and 4 have a direct roaming agreement
All other signaling for roaming is enabled by the IPX Provider
Connectivity
Interoperability
Routing & Load Balancing
GSMA 2013
Reference Example Revisited: Introducing Legacy
Interworking
Operator A (Home Network) Operator B (Visited Network)
3G Coverage Area
4G Coverage Area
Operator A (Home Network) Operator B (Visited Network)
4G Coverage Area
3G Coverage Area
GSMA 2013
3G Subscriber Moving into 4G Coverage Area
PCEF PCEF
S6a, S13 S6d, S13 Gy
SGSN SGSN MME MME
HPLMN
(3G)
VPLMN
(4G)
Gf
EIR EIR
Ge
Prepaid
SCP
Prepaid
SCP

Gr
HLR HLR
TCAP (SS7)
Diameter
IWF
GSMA 2013
4G Subscriber Moving into 3G Coverage Area
Gr ,Gf, Ge
SGSN SGSN
HPLMN
(4G)
VPLMN
(3G)
Gy
OCS OCS
S6d, S13
HSS HSS
Diameter
IWF
TCAP (SS7)
GSMA 2013
Voice Roaming: PS/CS Voice Interworking 1
Reference: GSMA IR.65: IMS Roaming & Interworking Guidelines
No IPX Provider
Role of Diameter:
PCC for Voice Call in
SP As network

Diameter Interfaces:
Rx, Gx, Gz

IWF required
GSMA 2013
Voice Roaming: PS/CS Voice Interworking 2
Role of Diameter:
Same as in previous slide
Reference: GSMA IR.65: IMS Roaming & Interworking Guidelines
GSMA 2013
Non-3GPP Access Roaming Architecture 1
Reference: 3GPP TS 23.402: Architecture enhancements for non-3GPP accesses

hPCRF
HSS
Trusted
Non-3GPP IP
Access
PDN
Gateway
HPLMN
SWd
Non-3GPP
Networks
VPLMN
vPCRF
3GPP AAA
Proxy
STa
3GPP AAA
Server
S2a
Gxa
S9
SGi
Gx
S6b
Operator's IP
Services
(e.g. IMS, PSS
etc.)
Rx
SWx
SWn
ePDG
SWa
Untrusted
Non-3GPP IP
Access
SWm
S2b
Gxb
Gxc
S8
S6a
3GPP
Access
Serving
Gateway
Home Routed
GSMA 2013
Non-3GPP Access Roaming Architecture 2
Reference: 3GPP TS 23.402: Architecture enhancements for non-3GPP accesses
Local Breakout

hPCRF
HSS
Trusted
Non-3GPP IP
Access
HPLMN
SWd
Non-3GPP
Networks
S6b
VPLMN
vPCRF
PDN
Gateway
3GPP AAA
Proxy
3GPP AAA
Server
Gxa
S9
S2a
Gx
Rx
SGi
SWx
STa
Visited network IP
services or proxies
to home network
services or PDN
Rx
Gxb
ePDG
S2b
SWn
SWm
Untrusted
Non-3GPP IP
Access
SWa
S5
Gxc
S6a
Operator's IP
Services
(e.g. IMS, PSS
etc.)
3GPP
Access
Serving
Gateway
GSMA 2013
Prevalence of Diameter in EPS A Holistic Picture
Some Non-3GPP Access Roaming Scenarios Have Not Been Represented
S6a S6d S13
Gx Rx
S9
Authentication & Mobility Management
Session Management
S1-U S8
Interfaces using Diameter
Interfaces using GTP
S1-MME
SGi
Interface to the External World
S13
Swx
STa SWa
SWm S6b
SWd
Gxb Gxc
S2a S2b
Interfaces using PMIP
Gy Gz
GSMA 2013
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