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LTE X2 Handover Messaging
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EventHelix.com
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LTE X2 Handover Sequence
Diagram
2013 EventHelix.com Inc. 2
Target
eNodeB
MME
UE
X2AP Handover Request Acknowledge
SGW
X2AP Handover Request
Source
eNodeB
X2AP SN Transfer Status
S1AP Path Switch Request
Modify Bearer
Request
Modify Bearer
Response
S1AP Path Switch Acknowledge
X2AP UE Context Release
Tracking Area Update Request
Tracking Area Update Response
Handover Command
Handover Confirm
Begin forwarding downlink
data from source to
destination eNodeB
Marks the end for forwarding
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Source eNodeB
Target eNodeB
X2AP Handover Request
X
2
A
P

H
a
n
d
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v
e
r

R
e
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s
t

(
I
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M
e
s
s
a
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e
)
Old eNB UE X2AP
Id
Cause
Handover desired
for radio reasons
Target Cell Id
PLMN Identity
eUTRAN Cell
Identifier
GUMMEI Id
GU Group Id
PLMN Id
MME Group Id
MME Code
UE Context
Information
MME UE S1AP ID
UE Security
Capabilities
AS Security
Information
Key eNB
eRABs to be Setup
List
eRAB 0
eRAB Id
eRAB Level QoS
Parameters
QCI
UL GTP Tunnel
Endpoint
Transport Layer
Address
GTP TEID

eRAB N-1 RRC Context

eNodeB decides to initiate an X2
handover based on:
UE reported RRC downlink signal
quality measurements
Uplink signal quality measured at
the eNodeB
eNodeB picks the target cell id for
the handover.
X2 handover is initiated if the If
the target cell is served by the
same MME as the current cell
The message includes UE context
information that identifies the UE
on the S1AP interface.
Security parameters are also
included in the message
Information about the radio
bearers is included in the message.
The per RAB information includes
QoS parameters
GTP Tunnel Information
The message also includes RRC
context information
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Target eNodeB
Source eNodeB
X2AP Handover Request
Acknowledge
X
2
A
P

H
a
n
d
o
v
e
r

R
e
q
u
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s
t

A
c
k
n
o
w
l
e
d
g
e

(
S
u
c
c
e
s
s
f
u
l

O
u
t
c
o
m
e
)
Old eNB UE X2AP Id
New eNB UE X2AP Id
eRABs Admitted List
eRAB Admitted Item 0
eRAB Id
UL GTP Tunnel
Endpoint
Transport Layer
Address
GTP TEID
DL GTP Tunnel
Endpoint
Transport Layer
Address
GTP TEID

eRAB Admitted Item N-

1
Transparent Container
Target to Source eNB
Payload
The target eNodeB receives
performs admission control on
receipt of the Handover Request.
The target eNodeB responds with
X2AP Handover Request
Acknowledge.
Information about the accepted
RABs is included in the message.
The Uplink and Downlink GTP
Tunnel information is included
for each RAB.
The tunnel assignments are
made at the target to transport
traffic during the handover.
A Handover Command message
sent via a transparent container.
The source eNodeB send this
message to the UE.
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Source eNodeB
Target eNodeB
X2AP SN Transfer Status
X
2
A
P

S
N

S
t
a
t
u
s

T
r
a
n
s
f
e
r

(
I
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M
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s
s
a
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)
Old eNB UE X2AP
Id
New eNB UE X2AP
Id
eRABs Subject to
Status Transfer
eRAB Subject to
Status Transfer 0
eRAB Id
UL Count Value
PDCP SN
HFN
DL Count Value
PDCP SN
HFN

eRAB Subject to
Status Transfer N-1
The source eNodeB now sends the
SN Transfer Status
The following fields are present for
each RAB
The uplink PDCP sequence
number
Uplink Hyper Frame Number
The downlink PDCP sequence
number
Downlink Hyper Frame Number
These fields are needed for
continuing ciphering and integrity
protection after the handover.
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Target eNodeB MME
S1AP Path Switch Request
S
1
A
P

P
a
t
h

S
w
i
t
c
h

R
e
q
u
e
s
t
eNB UE S1AP ID
eRABs to be
Switched DL List
eRABs to be
Switched DL Item 0
eRAB Id
Transport Layer
Address
GTP TEID
eRABs to be
Switched DL Item N-1
EUTRAN CGI
PLMN Id
Cell Id
TAI
PLMN ID
TAC
UE Security
Capabilities
Encryption
Algorithms
Integrity Protection
Algorithms
The target eNodeB requests
switching of the S1-U GTP tunnel
towards the target eNodeB.
The MME identifies the UE with
the eNB to UE S1AP ID
The message includes the new cell
id and the tracking area id
Security capabilities of the target
eNodeB are also included.
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MME SGW
Modify Bearer Request
M
o
d
i
f
y

B
e
a
r
e
r

R
e
q
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t

(
i
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m
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Bearer Context to
be Updated
EPS Bearer Id
S1-U eNodeB F-
TEID
TEID/GRE Key
The MME requests the SGW to
switch the path to the target
eNodeB.
The S1-U TEID received from the
target eNodeB is passed to the
SGW.
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SGW MME
Modify Bearer Response
M
o
d
i
f
y

B
e
a
r
e
r

R
e
s
p
o
n
s
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(
i
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m
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Bearer Context
Updated
EPS Bearer Id
S1 SGW F-TEID
TEID/GRE Key
SGW updates the bearer and
responds back
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S1AP: MMETarget eNodeB
S1AP Path Switch
Acknowledge
S
1
A
P

P
a
t
h

S
w
i
t
c
h

R
e
q
u
e
s
t
MME UE S1AP ID
eNB UE S1AP ID
eRABs to be
Switched UL List
eRABs to be
Switched UL Item
eRAB Id
GTP TEID
Security Context
The target eNodeB requests
switching of the S1-U GTP tunnel
towards the target eNodeB.
The MME identifies the UE with
the eNB to UE S1AP ID
The message includes the new cell
id and the tracking area id
Security capabilities of the target
eNodeB are also included.
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Target eNodeB
Source eNodeB
X2AP UE Context Release
X
2
A
P

U
E

C
o
n
t
e
x
t

R
e
l
e
a
s
e

(
I
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M
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)
Old eNB UE X2AP
ID
New eNB UE X2AP
ID
Sent when the target eNodeB has
successfully completed the path
switching and radio signaling for
the handover.
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UE-NAS MME-NAS
Tracking Area Update
Request
T
r
a
c
k
i
n
g

A
r
e
a

U
p
d
a
t
e

R
e
q
u
e
s
t
Uplink NAS
Transport
eUTRAN-CGI
PLMN Id
Cell Id
TAI
PLMN Id
TAC
Tracking Area
Update Request
EPS Update Time TA Updating
Old GUTI
M-TMSI
Last Visited
Tracking Area
EPS Bearer Context
Status
Bearer Context
Active
Sent if the just completed
handover resulted in a Tracking
Area Update
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MME-NAS UE-NAS
Tracking Area Update
Accept
T
r
a
c
k
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A
r
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a

U
p
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e

R
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t
Tracking Area
Update Result
EPS Update Result TA Updated
T3412
T3402
Sent if the just completed
handover resulted in a Tracking
Area Update
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Thank You
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2013 EventHelix.com Inc.
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