LTE Technical

Overview

Contents

Overview of LTE EPS (E-UTRAN + EPC)

End-to-End LTE Network Architecture

E-UTRAN and EPC: Network
Elements,
Auxiliary Networks: IMS and PCC
Interfaces, and Protocols

Goals of LTE (Throughput, Latency, and

End-to-End QoS, Coverage)

Achieving the LTE Goals via Network

Design

Operator Challenges
Design/Operation of an all-IP
Network (Transport, SCTP, VLAN
Provisioning)
Delivery of Data Services
Delivery of Voice/SMS Services
(VoIP using IMS, CSFB without IMS,
SRVCC using IMS, VoLGA)

Interworking between LTE and

Legacy Networks
Non-LTE Radio Access to EPC
Infrastructure Network Evolution
Path
Inter-system/Inter-RAT Handover
Handset/UE Requirements
(Conformance, battery life, RAT
support, availability)
Management of Services and
Subscribers (Seamless Service
Delivery across Access
Technologies, Services Network
such as IMS, SLAs, QoE, Service
Usage Statistics)

End-to-End
Network Architecture:

Evolved Packet System Architecture

Idle
Idle mode
mode Mobility
Mobility
Management
Management
HSS

Bearer
Bearer establishment
establishment

Master
Master Database
Database
User
User Subscription
Subscription data
data
User
User Security
Security info
info

S-GW
S-GW &
& P-GW
P-GW selection
selection

Evolved
Packet Core (EPC)
MME

2G/3G

Internet

SGSN
Packet data
data routing
routing
Packet

Packet
Packet filtering
filtering

Mobility anchor
anchor
Mobility

S-GW

Lawful Interception
Interception
Lawful

DSCP
DSCP Marking
Marking
ePDG

Idle mode
mode buffering
buffering
Idle

eNB

Charging
Charging
Lawful
Lawful Interception
Interception
Default
Default router
router for
for UE
UE

X2
eNB

Radio
Radio resource
resource management
management

Header
Header compression
compression &
& Encryption
Encryption

Untrusted
Non-3GPP IP

Trusted

Access

Non-3GPP
IP Access

Security
Security
Gateway
Gateway

End-to-End Network Architecture:

Auxiliary Networks

IMS Architecture
Sh

Mk

HSS

Mw

Gm

Cx

Mw

PSTN

Mj

ISC

Mn

Mi

Cx

PSTN
Network

Mr
Mn

Mb

Mb

Other IP
Network

Mb
IP-CAN

Mb

Mb
Core Transport

Signaling
Media

QoS Architecture (PCC)

SIP/SDP

AF
(P-CSCF)

Application
Function

IMS Network
SPR

EPS Bearer

PCRF

PCEF
(P-GW)

Policy
Decisions
Function
To Charging System

EPS Network
SPR: Subscription
Profile Repository

Policy
Enforcement
Function

Using PCC for End-to-End QoS

S1

LTE-Uu
UE

MME/S-GW

eNB

RRC Connection

S5/S8
P-GW

PCRF/AF

S1-MME Bearer
Default EPS Bearer

Application Level Signaling (e.g. SIP call) using Default Bearer

QoS Policy Decision

Apply
Admission
Control

Creation of new

bearers requested
Apply Policies

RRC Procedures

Response of new

Dedicated Radio
Bearer

Dedicated S1
Bearer

bearer created

Dedicated S5
Bearer

End-to-End Network Architecture:

Network Interfaces and Protocols

Key Control Plane Protocols of LTE

HSS

Diameter
NAS

SCTP/IP
stack

LL

eNB
X2AP
SCTP
LL

X2

eNB

S6a

S1AP

GTPv2-C

SCTP

UDP/IP

LL

MME

PCRF
Diameter
SCTP/IP
stack

Gx

LL

S5/S8

S1-MME
S-GW
Option 1

P-GW
Option 2

GTPv2-C

PMIPv6

UDP

IPv6

IP

LL

Key User Plane Protocols of LTE

GTPv1-U
UDP
IP

S-GW

P-GW

eNB
GTPv1-U
UDP
IP

Option 1
GTPv1-U

GRE

UDP

IPv4/IPv6

IP

eNB

Option 2

LTE Goals

E-UTRAN Performance Goals

Scalable Bandwidth
1.4/3/5/10/15/20 MHz

Data Rates
300 Mbps (DL) and 75
Mbps (UL) peak
3-4x HSDPA and 2-3x
HSUPA on average

Coverage
Meet performance targets up to
5 km
Slight degradation up to 30 km

Latency
< 100 ms (C-Plane)
< 5 ms (U-Plane)

Inter-RAT Handover Delays

< 300 ms (real-time)
< 500 ms (non-real-time)

Mobility
Optimized for low speeds (< 15 km/h)
Connections maintained at high speeds
(up to 500 km/h)

EPC Goals
Reduced Complexity and
Improved Latency

Seamless Mobility
across Access
Technologies

Enhanced Services
Load Sharing and
Redundancy

Enhanced QoS
Implementation

Achieving LTE Goals

via Network Design

E-UTRAN Design to Achieve LTE Goals

OFDMA in DL &
SC-FDMA in UL:
Higher Data Rates,
Scalable Bandwidth, &
Mobility Support

Simplified Network Architecture

and Short (1 ms) TTI:
Reduced Latency

Link Budget:
Better Coverage

E-UTRAN
Characteristics

eNB-eNB Connectivity for

Seamless Handover:
Reduced Latency

Resource
Management by eNB &
Entire Protocol
Stack in eNB:
Reduced Latency

Advanced Antenna
Techniques: High Data Rates

Simplified E-UTRAN
MME

S-GW

No Centralized
controllerRNC functionalities
moved to the eNB
X2 interface required for
intra-LTE mobility

S1

X2
eNB

X2

X2
eNB

Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN)

eNB

Air Interface Protocol Stack

Connection management
Radio bearer control
Mobility control
In-sequence delivery

QoS management

ARQ

Measurement control
Compression

Error handling

Ciphering

SC-FDMA in the uplink

RRC
PDCP
RLC

MIMO

MAC

OFDMA in the downlink

Multiplexing Radio Bearers

Priority handling
Scheduling

PHY

Hybrid ARQ

UE

LTE Uu

eNB

LTE Multiple Antenna Techniques

Transmit and Receive Diversity

Cyclic Delay Diversity (CDD)

Space Frequency Block Coding (SFBC)

SFBC/Frequency Switched Time Diversity (FSTD)

Antenna Selection

Significantly
Improves
Throughput

Types of
Multiple Antenna
Techniques

Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO)

Spatial Multiplexing

Space Division Multiplexing

(SDM) or Single User-MIMO
(SU-MIMO)
Beamformed MIMO

Improves
Reliability

Improves
Capacity/
Throughput

Beamforming Techniques
Variation of SU-MIMO
Multi User- MIMO (MU-MIMO) or
Space Division Multiple Access
(SDMA)

EPC Design to Achieve LTE Goals

Facilitates IP Convergence
by Allowing Various Access
Technologies:
Seamless Mobility

All-IP Pooled
Packet-Switched Core:
Simplified Architecture

S1-flex:
Redundancy and
Load Sharing

Salient
EPC
Features

PCC:
Enhanced QoS
Implementation

IMS
Connectivity:
Enhanced
Services

S1-flex: Many-to-Many S1 Interface

Operator A
MME

Operator B
MME

S-GW

S-GW

Advantages
Redundancy
Load
balancing

S1

Network
sharing

eNB

eNB

RAN Operator

eNB

Operator Challenges:
Pure LTE Network

Key Operator Challenges

Design for an All-IP
(pooling)Network
(Transport Design, SCTP,
VLAN Provisioning)

Delivering Packet
Data Services

LTE
Challenges

for an Operator
Delivering Voice and
SMS Services (VoIP,
SRVCC, CSFB, ISC,
VoLGA)

Transport Network Design

Away from an ATMbased Infrastructure

IPv4 & IPv6:

UE and
Network

Enormous
Traffic Volumes

Transport
Challenges
for an Operator
IP-based QoS
Implementation

IPSec: Where?

Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP)

Benefits of VLANs

Delivering Data Services

Extracting service and
customer centric
views

Cost efficient way to

monitor high
bandwidth control
and media

Data
Delivery Challenges
for an Operator

Monitoring data
services across
network technologies

Cost effective way to

monitor high bandwidth
pooled IP networks

Delivering Voice Services

VoIP using IMS
(UE within LTE)

VoLGA
(No IMS)

SRVCC
(VoIP to Legacy CS
Handover using IMS)

Voice
Delivery Options
for an Operator

CS Fallback (No IMS)

IMS Service
Continuity

What is CS Fallback?
PSTN

EPC

E-UTRAN

CS-CN

UTRAN/
GERAN

PS Services

CS and PS Services

CS Fallback capable UE

Depends on the existence of UMTS/GPRS umbrella

CS services are provided by the UTRAN/GERAN access technology

Inter RAT handoff to UMTS/GPRS when the UE needs to be using the voice
services

EPS Architecture for CS fallback

Other CS Services

UTRAN
Uu

LCS

SMS

Iu-CS

GERAN
A

MSC
Server

Um

SGs
UE

E-UTRAN
LTE-Uu

S1-MME
MME

SS

CS Fallback End-to-End View

GERAN
UTRAN

PAGING Response
Iu-cs/A
Iu ps
/G

PSTN
MSC
with

CSFB
SGSN
SGs

HO to 2G/3G
at the
beginning of
voice call

S3
S4
ING
PAG
ME
S1-M

MME

Combined
Mobility
Mgmt

HSS

a
S6

1
S1

E-UTRAN

S1-U

S-GW

S5

PS-path on S1-U may be pulled over to

S4 (or dropped) as a result of the CS
fallback

P-GW
SGi

PDN

What is Voice Call Continuity?

Circuit - Switched

IMS

Domain

Domain

VCC UE
Must monitor both
domains at RF level

Voice call transfer between CS and IMS domains

Inter-technology handoff, between domains

Different access technologies, radio or fixed
Different core networks

One step towards IMS Service Mobility

SRVCC Architecture & Functions

Handles relocation
procedure for voice part

GERAN
UTRAN

SRVCCCapable
UE

PSTN

MSCS/MGW

Iu-cs/A
Iups
/G

Holds the session

transfer number
D

+ SRVCC
SGSN
S4

Sv

S3

HS
S
S 6a

MME
S1-MME

E-UTRAN

S1-U

Splits voice
and non-voice
bearers

S11

S-GW

S5

P-GW

SGi
Voice
Anchor

SRVCC Impacted Nodes

IMS

SRVCC End-to-End View

GERAN
UTRAN

PSTN

MSC/MGW
+ SRVCC
SGSN

Sv

HS
S

IMS
MME

E-UTRAN

S-GW

P-GW

PSTN
Voice
Voice after HO

Non-voice
Non-Voice after HO

IMS Based HO Mechanism (continued)

IMS
2

Do
HO

GERAN

MSC+ICS
4 INV
ITE

TN]
S
[
etup
S
3

CS

CSCF

PS

UE
1

E-UTRAN

EPC

R
L

SCC AS

MGW
MGCF
Voice
Before
After

Signaling

A
L

PSTN
Remote ISDN Phone

VoLGA Service Architecture

VoLGA: Voice over LTE via Generic Access

This diagram contains material directly borrowed/copied from VoLGA Forum documents.
We need to draw our own diagram. VoLGA Forum has copyright over this material.

VoLGA References: VoLGA - Requirements V1.1.1 (2009-02), V.o.L.G.A. Stage 2 V0.2.0 (2009-04-29)

VoLGA Basics

What? GSM/UMTS circuit switched (CS) services available to UEs
accessing the EPS network via LTE.

Reuse the existing CS domain entities (e.g., MSC/VLR) that control

establishment of CS services under E-UTRAN coverage.

The VANC enables the UE to access the MSC/VLR using the generic
IP connectivity provided by the EPS.

For VoLGA, all signalling and user plane traffic is fully transparent to
the EPS access network. EPS sees all VoLGA traffic as normal user
plane traffic occurring over suitable EPS bearers.

VoLGA and IMS/CS Fallback: Could co-exist in the same serving
PLMN and/or supported by the same UE. However, a UE cannot use
CS Fallback and VoLGA simultaneously.

Generally, when the UE moves from LTE coverage to a
GERAN/UTRAN cell, it shall be deregistered from the VoLGA service.

Delivering SMS Services

Use of MME

Use of
Legacy Infrastructure

SMS
Delivery Options
for an Operator

LTE-3GPP
Interworking

LTE-3GPP Interworking:
Infrastructure Network Evolution

Network Evolution

MSC-S/
RNC
UE

PSTN

MGW

Node B

SGSN

GGSN

Internet

(Traditionally) ATM
Transport & T1/E1s/Microwave

UMTS

MGW

IP Transport &
Optical
Fiber/Microwave

LTE

IMS
Evolved
Packet

UE
eNB

Core

Non-LTE
Technologies
(Ex: UMTS)

LTE <-> Release 8 UMTS/GPRS Architecture

Enhanced to support:
1. S-GW, P-GW selection
2. MME selection

SGSN selection

GTPv2-C

UMTS/GPRS

S3

GTPv2-C

HSS

MME

SGSN
S4

GTPv1-U

S12
UTRAN

3GPP mobility anchor

S11

LTE Core

S-GW

S5

P-GW

P-GW Anchors the IP address

LTE Interworking with Pre-Rel 8 GPRS/UMTS

EPC
S5

E-UTRAN

S-GW

P-GW

S11

MME
Gn

UTRAN/
GERAN

SGSN

Gn or Gp
PLMN1

Pre- Rel 8 GPRS/

UMTS PS-CN

Retains the same mechanism as UMTS to GPRS interworking in pre Rel 8

MME & P-GW support GTPv1-C

SGSN thinks of MME as a peer SGSN & thinks of P-GW as GGSN

LTE-3GPP Interworking:
Scenarios

LTE-3GPP Interworking Scenarios

LTE-to-UMTS Handover
UMTS-to-LTE Handover
Non-LTE UMTS Access

Anchoring at the S-GW for Release 8 UMTS Access - I

PDN

2. S_GW and
P_GW selection.

P-GW

Maps NSAPI to
EPS Bearer1

3G PS-CN
MME

SGSN
1.

EPC
S-GW

PDP Context
Activation

3. Cre

(NSAPI, QOS, APN)

3G UTRAN

Node B

ate Se
Reque ssion
st
(IMSI,
be
PDN G arer contex
t
W add
ress)

E-UTRAN

eNB

4. Create Session
Request (IMSI, Bearer
context, PDN GW
address)

Anchoring at the S-GW for Release 8 UMTS Access - 2

PDN
P-GW
5. Create session
Response (Bearer context
IP address)

3G PS-CN
SGSN
7. PDP Context
Activation
Response (IP
address)

RNC

MME
6. Cre
a
Respo te Session
conte nse (Beare
xt, IP a
r
ddres
s)

3G UTRAN

Node B

EPC
S-GW

E-UTRAN
Direct
tunnel

eNB

UMTS-to-LTE Handover Preparation

4. MME

EPC

9. Forward relocation

selection

3G PS-CN

6. Create s
ession
Req/Res

response

MME

SGSN
3 . Re
loc
requ ation
ired

1. Measurem
ent report

11. Hand
ove
comman r
d

AC
eq/

B
3G Node
UTRAN

decision

rR
ove
and

RNC

8. Update Bearer
Req/ACK

relocation request

2. Handover

control to

S-GW
7. H

10.
Re
com locatio
man n
d

5. Forward

6a. Admission

E-UTRAN

eNB

tunnel end
point creation

LTE-to-UMTS Handover - Preparation

3G PS-CN
P-GW

EPC
S-GW

e
SGSN
ons
p
s
e
R
tion
a
c
t
Relo
ues
d
r
q
a
e
R
orw
tion
a
6. F
c
lo
5. Relocation
d Re
r
a
w
r
o
Req/Ack
4. F

7. H
OC

om
ma
nd

MME

3. HO required

2. HO decision

E-UTRAN
1. Measurement Report

eNB

5a. Prepare to
receive
DL GTP PDUs
from S-GW

RNC
UTRAN
Node B

Assume (1) No S-GW relocation

(2) Direct tunnel

LTE-3GPP
Interworking:
Service & Subscriber Management

Seamless Service Delivery

Services

PSTN
Gateway

Enterprise

WLAN
UMTS

LTE

Who Should Provide Service?

Supplementary Voice Services

Voice Handover?

IMS, Legacy 3G or 2G

SRVCC, Impact on PS
Services

E-911 Support
IMS, Legacy 3G or 2G

Operator
Decisions About
Services
SMS
Always CS, MME in LTE
or CS in 3G

IP-based Services
Always IMS, IMS or
Legacy Servers

Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

Consumer

Content Provider
Network Element Provider

Subscribed Plan

Promised

(Ex: Throughput
Promises)

Performance

Related to QoE

(Ex: 99.99% reliability)

Promised
Performance
(Ex: Availability and
Quality)

Quality of Experience (QoE)

Service
Operator

Consumer

Subscribed Plan (Performance Guarantees such as

throughput)
Services Used (Ex: web-browsing, e-mail, and VoIP)
Network Resource Utilization
UEs Access Technology and Radio Environment
End-to-End Tracking of all EPS Bearers/PDP Contexts for
LTE

Service Usage
Q: What services is the subscriber using?

Texting
Video Streaming
Countless
AppStore
Applications

Voice Calls
E-mail

Use service statistics for marketing, billing plans,

network provisioning

Summary

LTE is a Release 8 feature of 3GPP/UMTS.

LTE is expected to be the most dominant emerging 4G technology.

LTE uses OFDM and advanced antenna techniques to achieve
superior performance over the air interface.

Distributed or flat IP-based E-UTRAN reduces latency.

IP-based packet-switched EPC provides scalability , low latency, and
efficiency due to separate control and user planes.

Complexity of LTE operations and interfaces warrants extensive
monitoring of various interfaces to quantify air interface-specific, EPCspecific, and end-to-end KPIs.

Comprehensive monitoring of suitable interfaces would result in
expedited problem-solving, leading to enhanced user experience
promised by LTE.

Thank You!