3G UMTS Mobile Terminating Call (SequenceProject)

User
Equipment
UE

UE-RNC Sessions

UTRAN

RNC-Core Network Sessions

RNC

Core Network

EventStudio System Designer 6

MSC/VLR

09-Feb-14 19:43 (Page 1)

A 3G-UMTS terminating call is described here. Setup radio bearers and RANAP signaling are covered in detail. You can click
on most RANAP messages to see the full content of the message.
This call flow has been generated with from a Wireshark PCAP file using VisualEther (http://www.eventhelix.com/VisualEther/).
The generated call flow was later modified with EventStudio (http://www.eventhelix.com/EventStudio/) to add comments and
terminal level interactions.
Core Network Pages UE
RANAP Paging
ranap

ranap
DomainIndicator = CS-Domain,
PermanentNAS-UE-ID = IMSI

SCTP SACK

MSC/VLR sends a Page

message for the terminating
call. The message contains
the IMSI for the subscriber.
SCTP ack for the paging
message.

RRC Connection Setup

RRC Connection Request
rrc

rrc
UE Identity,
UE Capabilities,
Establishment Cause

RRC Connection Setup

rrc

rrc
Transport Channel Information,
Signaling Radio Bearer

RRC Connection Complete

rrc

rrc
Ciphering Information

UE wishes to establish a
voice call so it requests a
Radio Resource Control
(RRC) connection.

The RNC accepts the RRC

Connection Request and
assigns a traffic channel.
The message also creates a
Signaling Radio Bearer
(SRB).
The UE responds back to
signal the completion of the
RRC Connection Setup.

RRC Connection Setup has

been completed between the
UE and the RNC. Signaling
Radio Bearer (SRB) is also
created at the time of the
RRC connection setup.

RRC

Page Response and Initial Call Handshake

Initial UE Message [Page Response]
rrc

rrc

The mobile sends an Initial

UE Message that carries the
Page Response as a NAS
(Non Access Stratum)
payload.

3G UMTS Mobile Terminating Call (SequenceProject)

User
Equipment
UE

UE-RNC Sessions
RRC

UTRAN

RNC-Core Network Sessions

Core Network

EventStudio System Designer 6

MSC/VLR

09-Feb-14 19:43 (Page 2)

RNC

RANAP Initial UE Message [DTAP Page Response]

ranap

ranap

The Page Response is sent

in a RANAP message.

sccp

SCCP connection setup is

confirmed.

LAI,
PLMN identity,
Mobile Country Code (MCC),
Mobile Network Code (MNC),
Global RNC-ID,
IMSI,
Mobile Station Classmark

SCTP SACK

SCCP Connection Confirm

sccp

SCTP SACK

The SCCP connection has

been established between
the RNC and the Core
Network.

SCCP

An Iu signaling connection is
now active between the RNC
and the Core Network.

Iu

RANAP DirectTransfer [DTAP Setup]

ranap

ranap
NAS-PDU,
SAPI

The MSC sends a Setup

message as NAS payload in
a Direct Transfer message.

SCTP SACK

Downlink Direct Transfer [DTAP Setup]

Send the Setup message to

the UE.

rrc

rrc

Uplink Direct Transfer [DTAP Call Confirmed]

rrc

Call Confirmation is received

as a NAS payload.

rrc

RANAP DirectTransfer [DTAP Call Confirmed]

ranap

ranap
Bearer Capability,
Supported Codec List

Call Confirmed message

with Bearer and Codec
information is sent from the
RNC to the MSC/VLR.

SCTP SACK

RAB Assignment
RANAP RAB Assignment Request
ranap

ranap
RAB-SetupOrModifyList,
RAB Id,
RAB-SetupOrModifyItem,
GuaranteedBitrate: 12200

Core Network initiates a

Radio Access Bearer (RAB)
Assignment. The message
specifies the Quality of
Service parameters.

SCTP SACK

Radio Bearer Setup

rrc

rrc

Radio Bearer Setup Complete

rrc

Setup the Radio Bearer to

assign circuit switched
resources to the voice call.
Terminal responds back.

rrc

3G UMTS Mobile Terminating Call (SequenceProject)

User
Equipment
UE

UE-RNC Sessions
RRC

UTRAN

RNC-Core Network Sessions

RNC

SCCP

Iu

Core Network

EventStudio System Designer 6

MSC/VLR

09-Feb-14 19:43 (Page 3)

Radio Bearer has now been

established between the UE
and the RNC.

RB

RANAP RAB Assignment Response

ranap

ranap
RABSetupOrModifiedList,
SetupOrModifiedItem,
RAB Parameters,
GuaranteedBitrate: 12200

RNC responds to Core

Network after completing RB
Setup with the Terminal.

SCTP SACK

The voice radio access

bearer has been
successfully created.

RAB

Alerting
The called subscribers
phone is now ringing.

begin
Ringing Called
Subscriber

Ring
Uplink Direct Transfer [DTAP Alerting]
rrc

The called subscribers

phone is now ringing.

rrc

RANAP DirectTransfer [DTAP Alerting]

ranap

ranap

Notifiy the Core Network that

the called subscriber is being
rung.

SCTP SACK

Waiting for the called

subscriber to answer the
call.
Called subscriber answers the call
Answer call
end
Ringing Called
Subscriber

Uplink Direct Transfer [DTAP Connect]

rrc

Notify that the called

subscriber has answered the
call.

rrc

RANAP DirectTransfer [DTAP Connect]

ranap

ranap

Notify the MSC/VLR that the

call has been answered.

SCTP SACK

RANAP DirectTransfer [DTAP Connect Acknowledge]

ranap

ranap

Core Network acknowledges

the call connect.

SCTP SACK

Downlink Direct Transfer [DTAP Connect Acknowledge]

rrc

rrc

The RRC layer transports

the Connect Acknowledge to
the UE.

3G UMTS Mobile Terminating Call (SequenceProject)

User
Equipment
UE

UE-RNC Sessions
RRC

RB

UTRAN

RNC-Core Network Sessions

RNC

SCCP

Iu

RAB

Core Network

EventStudio System Designer 6

MSC/VLR

09-Feb-14 19:43 (Page 4)

Conversation
Voice path is now active
between the User Terminal
and the Called Subscriber.

Voice Path

Conversation
rab

rab

rab

rab

rab

rab

rab

rab

rab

rab

Voice communication in
progress.

Conversation
Conversation
Conversation
Conversation

Called subscriber initiates a call clear

RANAP DirectTransfer [DTAP Disconnect]
ranap

ranap

The called subscriber has

initiated a call release. This
results in a Disconnect
message from the MSC/VLR
to the RNC.

SCTP SACK (3)

Downlink Direct Transfer [DTAP Disconnect]

rrc

RNC forwards the

disconnect to the UE.

rrc

Uplink Direct Transfer [DTAP Release]

rrc

UE sends the release

message.

rrc

RANAP DirectTransfer [DTAP Release]

ranap

ranap

Call release is sent to the

MSC/VLR.

SCTP SACK

RANAP DirectTransfer [DTAP Relesase Complete]

ranap

ranap

This message signals the

completion of call release.

SCTP SACK (3)

Downlink Direct Transfer [DTAP Release Complete]

rrc

Release the Iu Connection

rrc

RNC forwards the release

complete to the UE.

3G UMTS Mobile Terminating Call (SequenceProject)

User
Equipment
UE

UE-RNC Sessions
RRC

RB

UTRAN
RNC

RNC-Core Network Sessions

SCCP

Iu

RAB

Core Network

EventStudio System Designer 6

MSC/VLR

09-Feb-14 19:43 (Page 5)

ranap

The MSC/VLR initiates the

release of the Iu connection.

ranap

RNC also acknowledges the

Iu release.

sccp

Releasing the SCCP

connection.

sccp

Completed the release of the

SCCP connection.

RANAP Iu-Release
ranap
Cause = Normal Release

SCTP SACK

RANAP Iu-Release
ranap

SCTP SACK

RRC Connection Release

RRC Connection Release
rrc

rrc

RRC Connection Release Complete

rrc

rrc

SCCP Released
sccp

SCTP SACK

SCCP Release Complete

sccp

SCTP SACK

This call flow has been generated with from a Wireshark PCAP file using VisualEther (http://www.eventhelix.com/VisualEther/).
The generated call flow was later modified with EventStudio (http://www.eventhelix.com/EventStudio/) to add comments and
terminal level interactions.
Explore more call flow diagrams at: http://www.eventhelix.com/realtimemantra/telecom/