UMTS Core Network and Service Architecture

Overview:

The UMTS Core Network and Service Architecture course examines the various services in different releases (R99, R4, R5 and R6) of the 3GPP specifications provided by the core network. The core network evolution with different service capabilities is discussed. The course also covers IP-bases services in a mobile network such as Streaming, PoC and Presence. The service architecture in a UMTS network is examined with nodes and interfaces involved. It accounts for the protocols that are needed to implement the services, like TCP/IP, WAP and RTP.

Pre-requisites:

General mobile telecom and datacom knowledge is required. For background knowledge, we recommend the Apis courses UMTS System Overview and TCP/IP in the Mobile World.

Course contents

Introduction to Mobile Applications

• An overview of the evolution of the GSM/GPRS core network

• A discussion of GSM/GPRS Security, Services and Quality of Service today and tomorrow

• Mobile Network Introduction, GSM/GPRS/UMTS

• PS and CS bearer services.

• CS Multimedia, H.324/M

IP Protocols

• Introduction to TCP/IP

• Basic concepts, nodes and protocols in an IP architecture, including the functions of routers, DNS , DHCP and RADIUS

• IPv6 versus IPv4

• The role of IP at PDP-context activation

Release 4

• The evolution of the core network in R4

• The separation of the control functions from the bearers, i.e. the (G)MSC Server and the Media Gateway

• The implications of replacing switches with routers, introducing the new protocols, interfaces and nodes in this architecture

• Other new features in R4, including transcoder free operation, TrFO

Voice over IP

• VoIP architecture

• Control Plane using SIP

• Session Description Protocol, SDP

• Media Flow using RTP and RTCP

IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)

• Introducing the IP Multimedia Core Network Subsystem, IMS, using Session Initiation Protocol, SIP, for call control

• SIP Procedures and Protocols

• The IMS Architecture

• IMS Interaction with Service Networks

• New nodes, interfaces and protocols including the S-, I-, P-CSCF, BGCF, MRF and the MGCF

QoS and Charging

• The concept of QoS handling in a mobile network

• UMTS traffic classes

• The concept of charging in a CD and PS network

Messaging

• SMS and EMS introduction

• E-mail

• Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) architecture

• MMS Traffic example

• Interactions between MMS, SMS and e-mail.

Streaming Service

• Streaming Service Architecture

• Protocols and codecs

• Session Description Protocol, SDP

• Interaction with MMS

Presence Service

• Presence Service Architecture

• Common Presence and Instant Messaging (CPIM)

• Relationship with IMS

Push-to-talk over Cellular (PoC)

• PoC Architecture

• PoC Client, PoC Server

• Relation to IMS and Presence Service

Open Services Access - OSA

• The provision of non-standardised services via the QSA API to Service Capability Features for access to Service Capabilities in the Core Network

• The CN support for the Virtual Home Environment – VHE, using CAMEL, MExE and/or USAT

CAMEL

• The Intelligent Networks solution, evolved from the GSM standard into UMTS and GPRS

• Nodes, interfaces and protocols, including gsmSCF, gsmSSF, gprsSSF, gsmSRF and CAMEL Application Part phase 3

Security

• End-to-end application security

• Security protocols, e.g. IPsec, SSL/TLS

• Mobile specific solutions, e.g. WTLS

• DRM

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