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Multimedia Subsystem
The IMS-Connectivity- One network Experience
Introduction
In the past few years, a number of things lead operators towards convergence. Mobile handsets and mobile application developers
have advanced very fast in the last few years and support lot of new technologies which sometimes network doesn't. Also, all kinds
of access devices are allowing people to access an IP centric voice infrastructure. Since services can be
accessed from a range of devices, users started demanding uniform access to services regardless of the type of
access. Also, wireline operators needed to consider ways to access wireless services to increase revenues.
Wireless operators, in turn, were already seeing handset sales peak and needed new ways to expand their
markets as well; the most obvious area being converged business services. Some new types of access have also
come up in the recent times. For example WLAN was not a compelling technology few years back but today it is
something that operators can't ignore. All this led to need of a common IP centric network core that is access
independent. The IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) defined by 3GPP provides such an enabling architecture that is
access independent, central in the move towards convergence. However since it was first introduced for wireless
network, Release 5 (the first 3GPP release containing IMS subsystem) was heavily biased towards 3 rd generation
wireless networks. Now each access type is being 'enabled' to work with an IMS core, be it DSL,
WLAN or GPRS.
IMS builds upon the soft-switch based network introduced for first time in release 4 of 3GPP and was introduced
for the first time in release 5. This white paper introduces IMS subsystem and includes details of the functional
elements, interface points, protocols and detailed call flows.
IMS envisages a network core that can work with various kinds of
packet core.
IMS envisages a network core that can work with various kinds of
access technologies. It is an overlay subsystem on top of existing
packet core.
The softswitch shown in Figure 1 is divided in to three call state
control functions (CSCFs). These are analogous to a Mobile
Switching Centre (MSC) in the Release 4/ Release 99
architecture and are primarily SIP servers with enhanced call
handling functionality. These handle the call request from user
equipment for purpose of establishing multimedia session
between UEs.
Network transformation
Now let's look at the network transformation. All the networks are
divided mainly into 3 layers: transportation/access, session
control & services. So the first convergence has to happen at
transportation level. This results in access independence. Next
step is that session control has to converge. Different networks
handle call in different way so in order to have convergence
at session control layer, there has to be a common signaling
core architecture which is used by all access mediums. IMS
achieves this.
Reference Architecture
From service description point of view, IMS is primarily an overlay
on top of existing and future packet networks using SIP,
MEGACO & DIAMETER as the main protocols. It reuses SIP
protocol as defined by IETF and has added some extensions to
fulfill mobility and other requirements. As far as interoperability
with existing CS domain networks is concerned, IMS provides
reference points from where IMS network can connect to circuit
switched network using gateways.
One of the key points here is that although P-CSCF is the first
point of contact for a UE, it is the S-CSCF that handles user
request and hence enables user to use his subscribed feature
always irrespective of the capabilities of the visited network.
This is also called Virtual Home Environment (VHE).
4. HSS (Home Subscriber Sub System): It is a replacement of
HLR and AUC in the traditional wireless network. It stores
subscriber profile and also some authentication information
that is used by S-CSCF for authenticating the subscriber at
the time of registration.
5. App Server: App server hosts services that are provided to
subscriber when they desire. Application Servers are invoked
when S-CSCF notices that criteria related to a call are met
and hence app server needs to take control of the call.
6. Breakout Gateway Control Function (BGCF): When
S-CSCF determines that the call needs to breakout of the IMS
domain and go into other networks like PSTN, it passes call to
BGCF. BGCF then determines whether call needs to
breakout in the same domain or it needs to pass the call to
another BGCF in some other IMS domain. If former is the
case it passes control to the MGCF which then uses media
and signaling gateways (MGW and SGW respectively) to
pass call to other network.
How it works
Let's take an example call flow involving P, I & S CSCF.
Following figure shows two IMS domains having various CSCF.
UE-B is a domain B subscriber currently roamed into network A
and similarly UE-A is a subscriber from domain A, which has
roamed into domain B.
Signaling
Media
IP Connectivity
Step 1-c
Step 1-b
Step 2-a
Step 3-a
Step 2-b
P-CSCF
IP Connectivity
In order to be connected to an IMS domain, user has to be
connected to the IP world first. Release 5 of IMS assumes GPRS
for the IP connectivity but in release 6 when WLAN was
introduced, IMS adopted the concept of IP Connectivity access
network (IP-CAN) as any access network that can connect the
user equipment (UE) to the P-CSCF. Future releases will test
more variants of the IP-CAN.
So here is how multi access IMS network will finally look like:
P-CSCF
user.
HSS
HSS is the data storage for an IMS domain. It stores data related
to user identities, registration information, access parameters
and service-triggering information. For authentication, it stores a
secret key for each mobile subscriber, which is used to generate
dynamic security data for each mobile subscriber. Data are used
for mutual authentication of the International Mobile Subscriber
Identity (IMSI) and the network.
There may be more than one HSS in the network in which case
SLF is used to locate the relevant HSS.
SLF
It is used to resolve the HSS applicable for a particular subscriber
when there are multiple HSS in the network.
S-CSCF
S-CSCF is the CSCF that finally serves call termination to /
call origination from a UE. It also handles REGISTER request
sent by UE when it is registering from visited network. There
may be multiple S-CSCF each performing similar / different
roles.
MRFC / MRFP
These come into picture when specialized media processing is
required for a call. For example if announcements, conferencing
etc is needed then media resource function (MRF) is needed.
MRFC is contacted by S-CSCF or AS via Sip signaling and it in
turn communicates with via H.248 interface to invoke the
media services.
BGCF
It comes in picture when call has to leave IMS network and enter
some other network e.g. PSTN. The Breakout Gateway Control
Function (BGCF) is responsible for choosing where a breakout
to the CS domain occurs. The outcome of a selection process
can be either a breakout in the same network or another network.
If the breakout happens in the same network, then the BGCF
selects a Media Gateway Control Function (MGCF) to handle a
session further. If the breakout takes place in another network,
then the BGCF forwards a session to another BGCF in a
selected network.
MGCF
MGCF provides the call control functionality for calls that are
terminated into / originated from non-IMS networks. It uses
gateways to convert media and signaling functionality from other
network formats to IP. it gets the IP converted common channel
signaling information and performs interworking between this
and SIP protocol since CSCFs in IMS use SIP for call control.
Mw reference point
This is the SIP based signaling interface between various SIP
servers viz. S-CSCF, I-CSCF & P-CSCF. Following actions /
procedures apply to this interface / reference point:
During UE registration process this interface is used to send
Reference Points
Following diagram shows reference points and interfaces
between all IMS nodes, it is taken from 3GPP specification 3GPP
TS 23.002:
using MESSAGE.
Cx reference point
Cx interface is between CSCFs and HSS. It is based on
DIAMETER protocol and is used by I-CSCF and S-CSCF
whenever they require access to subscriber profile data. I-CSCF
needs this to get the S-CSCF assigned to the subscriber. SCSCF also needs this interface for a variety of reasons e.g. for
getting authentication information when it needs to authenticate
a user that is registering through the P-CSCF.
Mj reference point
When BGCF receives a call from CSCF, and it selects MGCF for
the breakout, it uses this interface to communicate with MGCF.
Protocol used is SIP. Evidently, it is used in conjunction with Mi
reference point.
Dx reference point
When multiple HSSs are present in the system, CSCFs need to
contact SLF for knowing which HSS to use for handling a given
subscriber. This interface is based on DIAMETER protocol and is
always used in conjunction with Cx interface. It uses the
redirection logic of DIAMETER protocol.
Mk reference point
In case BGCF needs to communicate with another BGCF
instead of MGCF for the breakout to occur, it uses Mk reference
point to communicate. Protocol used by this interface is SIP.
Mn reference point
This is the interface between CSCF and MGW for creating
context and setting up bearer for IMS to CS call and vice versa.
Protocol used is H.248
Mp reference point
This is the interface between MRFC and MRFP and is used to
setup media channels for specialized media handling when
CSCF require so. Protocol used on this interface is H.248
Mr reference point
This is the interface between CSCF and MRFC and is used when
specialized media handling is required for the call. Protocol used
is SIP.
Go reference point
Mm reference point
Mg reference point
It is the interface between MGCF and CSCF and is used for
session control procedure for calls that are destined to / received
from circuit switched networks. It uses SIP signaling. It is job of
MGCF to convert CS domain signaling into SIP signaling and
send the same to CSCF using this interface.
Mi reference point
When call needs to breakout of IMS domain and go into other
network then CSCF uses this interface to send call to BGCF
Gq reference point
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