CS services in LTE- An Overview

Prepared by: Darshan Patil

Sr. Engineer, Alcatel Lucent Managed Solutions India

Summary
What? To support CS services in LTE
Why? Need to support CS services in LTE
When? Different Phases of evolution of Voice over LTE
(VoLTE)
How? Network methodologies to implement CS services
in LTE network

WHAT?
LTE is All- IP data only support technology using
packet switching
This subjects to challenges for CS services in LTE as
referred to all the legacy networks which support
them currently
Solutions to provide CS services in LTE network
Inter-networking solutions to provide CS services in
LTE network

WHY?
Current legacy networks increase expectations to improve
the efficiency of the services they are providing
This includes Voice, SMS, Video Call, High data rate internet
and streaming etc. Services
The evolution of LTE technology is to significantly improve
the user experience, substantially improving end-user
throughputs, increasing sector capacity, and reducing user
plane latency
Though, due to lack of Circuit switching, the technology has
a need to find some way outs to provide CS service
solutions at par with the current legacy networks
Also, till the time when LTE completely swaps the legacy
networks there is a need for internetworking with them

WHEN?

Comparison between
Dual Radio Solutions

Single Radio Solutions

o use two always-on radios (and

supporting chipsets), one for
packet switched LTE data and one
for circuit switched telephony,
and as a data fallback where LTE
is not available
o have emerged for LTE-CDMA2000
network interworking driven by
time-to-market pressures
o Battery gets drained faster due to
two radio antennas and chipsets

o use one radio to handle both

types of traffic, and use network
signaling to determine when to
switch from the PS network to
the CS network
o this solution is universally
accepted for LTE-3GPP network
interworking solutions
o Power consumption of the
battery is fairly reduced due to
single antenna single chipset.

Phases of Single radio solutions for

VoLTE
Phase I:
Circuit Switched Fall Back (CSFB) addresses the requirements of the
first phase of the evolution of mobile voice services, which began on
commercial scale in 2011
primarily due to inherent cost, size and power advantages of single
radio solutions on the device side.
CSFB is the solution to the reality of mixed networks today and
throughout the transition to ubiquitous all-LTE networks in the future
phases of LTE voice evolution
All the voice traffic is handled by current legacy CS networks
(UMTS/GSM/CDMA)
All the data traffic is handled by LTE PS network wherever and
whenever available
The traffic will be able to fallback to 2G/3G network in non-LTE
network

Phases of Single radio solutions for

VoLTE
Phase II:
The second phase in LTE voice evolution introduces native VoIP on LTE (VoLTE)
along with enhanced IP multimedia services such as video telephony, HD Voice
and Rich Communication Suite (RCS) additions like instant messaging, video
share and enhanced/shared phonebooks

This phase also uses a single radio solution with Single Radio Voice Call
Continuity (SRVCC) that seamlessly maintains voice calls as mobile users move
between LTE and non-LTE coverage areas
CSFB continues to be deployed during phase 2, to provide voice services for
roamers and CSFB only devices
Without SRVCC, a VoLTE call on a device moving out of LTE coverage will be
dropped, since no operators currently support VoIP on 3G

Phases of Single radio solutions for

VoLTE
Phase III:
converges the native power of IP to deliver
enhanced capacity, value-added services (e.g.,
voice and video over IP and rich communication
services) and interoperability across network
access methods and operators (LTE, 3G/ HSPA, WiFi and legacy telephony domains)

HOW?
Phase I: CSFB
The architecture in Figure below shows a simplified view of
the parallel LTE and 2G/3G networks.

Phase I: CSFB CN procedures

The legacy network (2G/3G) and LTE network co-exists
To support CS Fallback signaling and SMS transfer for
LTE devices, the MME connects to the MSC Server
MME is the mobility management entity serving users
while in LTE access. It is responsible for maintaining
SGs association towards MSC, initiating paging
procedure towards eNodeB during CSFB
MME Support SMS procedures
MSC is responsible for maintaining SGs association
towards MME for EPS/IMSI attached UE

SGs interface
It is the reference point between the MME and MSC server. SGs
interface is used for the mobility management and paging
procedures between EPS and CS domain, and is based on the Gs
interface procedures.
It enables the users device to be both CS and PS registered while
on the LTE access network. This interface also enables the delivery
of CS pages via the LTE access, as well as SMS, without having the
device leave LTE.
The SGs reference point is also used for the delivery of both mobile
originating and mobile terminating SMS.
At MME - MSC Server interface a new protcol SGsAP is being added
to support CS fallback. SGsAP protocol is based on the BSSAP+.
Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) is used to transport
SGsAP signaling messages.

CSFB- Incoming Call

With the default LTE data network connection in operation, a
mobile terminating (incoming) CS voice call triggers a page via
LTE to the users device, as shown in below Figure

CSFB- Incoming Call continued..

This page initiates CSFB, as the device sends an extended
service request to the network to transition to 2G/3G, as
shown in below Figure

Once transitioned, the legacy call setup procedures are

followed to setup the CS call.

CSFB- Incoming Call continued..

When the voice call ends, the device returns to LTE via idle
mode or connected mode mobility procedures, as shown in
below Figure

CSFB- Outgoing call

Mobile originating (outgoing) calls follow the
same transition from LTE (PS) to 2G/3G (CS),
except for the paging step, which is not
needed.

Simultaneous PS and CS services in

CSFB
Depends on the DTM feature availability with the
legacy network
In 3G networks, PS data sessions can also move
for simultaneous voice and data services.
In 2G networks, PS data sessions may be
suspended until the voice call ends and the
device returns to LTE, unless the 2G network
supports dual transfer mode (DTM), which
permits simultaneous voice and data.

Phase I: CSFB RAN procedures

Acquisition of the 2G/3G network and setup of the call can employ one of two
procedures: handover or redirection.

Handover

Redirection

Target cell is prepared in advance

Device enters in connected mode
during IRAT
Signal strength measurements
are done prior to HO to 2G/3G
(i.e in LTE access mode)
Process require more time to
identify the best cell
Under changing IRAT
environments, this method
proves to be not much efficient
Therefore it is not widely
followed method currently

Target frequency is indicated

UE may choose other IRAT
frequency cell if no cell could be
found out in target frequency
After UE has access to legacy
network, call setup procedure has
to be initiated
IRAT measurements are not
required prior to Redirection
As per statistics, a marginal loss in
performance in this method as
compared to Handover based IRAT
can be accepted to compensate
variable IRAT RF environment

CSFB w/ Reselection
Three types of procedures according to System Information
Blocks sent to the UE

1. Release 8 Basic Redirection:

UE reads all the SIBs before having an access to the
target cell

2. Release 8 with SIB skipping

Mandatory SIBs like 1,3,5,7 are only read by the UE. After
it accesses the target cell, in connected mode it reads the
neighbor info present in SIB 11

3. Release 9 Enhanced (SI tunneling)

where SIB information can be tunneled from the target
Radio Access Network (RAN) via the core network to the
source RAN and be included in the redirection message
sent to the device. This can avoid reading any SIBs on the
target cell.

CSFB Performance Indices

After commercial deployments, CSFB have been par with
the 3GPP performance requirements for 3G UMTS.
These basic requirements includes Call setup time (mobile
originated and mobile terminated), Call reliability, LTE to 3G
cell handover time, PS data interruption time.
Call reliability in case of Handover based CSFB process is
poor due to variable RF environment
Call reliability in case of Redirection based procedure is
better than Handover based as per statistics due to no
delay in between identification and accessing the target
cell.
Rel9- SI tunneling has slightly better call reliability (about
99%- 100%) than Rel8- Basic Reselection.

CSFB Outgoing Call setup penalty time

Sr. No RAN procedure

Transition to

Sub category

Call setup time

penalty

Handover Based

3G UMTS

NA

0.4S > CST of 3G

Redirection

3G UMTS

Rel8- Basic

2.5S > CST of 3G

Rel8- SIB skip

0.9S > CST of 3G

Rel9- SI tunnel 0.5S > CST of 3G

3

Handover

2G GSM

NA

2.6S > CST of 3G

2.7S > CST of 2G

Redirection

2G GSM

Rel9- Basic

2.6S > CST of 2G

2.5S > CST of 3G

Rel8- SIB skip

NA

Rel9- SI tunnel 0.6S > CST of 2G

0.5S > CST of 3G

CSFB Incoming Call

Sr. No RAN procedure

Transition to

Sub category

Call setup time

penalty

Handover Based

3G UMTS

NA

0.4S > CST of 3G

Redirection

3G UMTS

Rel8- Basic

2.5S > CST of 3G

Rel8- SIB skip

0.9S > CST of 3G

Rel9- SI tunnel 0.5S > CST of 3G

3

Handover

2G GSM

NA

Redirection

2G GSM

Rel9- Basic
Rel8- SIB skip
Rel9- SI tunnel

NA

CSFB Data Interruption time

The active session PS data interruption time during LTE PS to
2G/3G CS and reverse
Sr. No RAN procedure

Transition to

Sub category

Data
interruption
time

Handover Based

3G UMTS

NA

0.3S

Redirection

3G UMTS

Rel8- Basic

6.8S

Rel8- SIB skip

5.1S

Rel9- SI tunnel 4.8S

3

Handover

2G GSM

NA

Redirection

2G GSM

Rel9- Basic
Rel8- SIB skip
Rel9- SI tunnel

NA

LTE to 3G cell Handover time

Time taken to handover is never identical due to varied Rf
environment
Delay added by LAU may increase Ho time. Further if the
Lte cell is overlapped with multiple LAs, the delay can
increase up to 1-2 seconds
Fewer times, apart from updating LAs TAs, there would be
need to update HLR data between diff overlapping MSCs.
More uncertainties can add to the delay further.
Solutions to the above:
IU/A Flex
MTRF
MSC pooled architecture planning

Phase II: VoLTE and SRVCC

Voice over IP can be implemented in two ways:
1.
2.

using Over the top (OTT) VOIP applications such as skype, Ekiga,
Goober etc..
using native VOIP using additional entities such as IMS and MMTel in
core network

Using OTT services is not recommended as the Qos is similar to NRT

services with no special priorities to voice. Therefore, even the
voice quality of current legacy CS services is not matched
VoLTE, in contrast, operates as a native application in the users
device, enabling prioritization over other data streams to deliver
quality of service levels consistent with established user
expectations
In non-LTE network, this quality is taken care by 2G/3G networks
which can be accessed using SRVCC (Single Radio Voice Call
Continuity) method of IRAT HO

SRVCC Network Architecture

MMTel and Sv
The 3GPP/NGN IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) multimedia
telephony service (MMTel) is a global standard based on the
IMS, offering converged, fixed and mobile real-time
multimedia communication using the media capabilities such
as voice, real-time video, text, file transfer and sharing of
pictures, audio and video clips. With MMTel, users have the
capability to add and drop media during a session.
Sv is defined in TS 23.216, where it is defined as the reference
point between the MME/SGSN and MSC Server.

SRVCC Procedure
1.

User (UE) is in active voice call in LTE network using VoLTE with the help of
IMS as shown in below figure

2.

User moves from a LTE network to a non-LTE network (3G-UMTS), the active
call remains under the control of IMS throughout the handover process

SRVCC Procedure
3. Two step process of SRVCC from LTE to 2G/3G
IRAT Handover
IRAT handover is the traditional handover of the
users device from LTE radio access to
WCDMA/GSM radio access
Session transfer
Session transfer is a new mechanism to move
access control and voice media anchoring from
the LTE Evolved Packet Core (EPC) to the legacy CS
core

SRVCC Procedure
4. The handover process is initiated by a session
transfer request to the IMS/MMTel as shown
below

SRVCC Procedure
5. The IMS/MMTel responds simultaneously with two commands
i.

ii.

Sending an IRAT HO execution command to the LTE network on which

the voice call is in progress through MME & Lte RAN to instruct the UE
to prepare to move to CS network for the voice call
Sending a session transfer response to the CS n/w where the users
voice call is being sent asking to prepare to accept the call in progress

SRVCC Procedure
Both the n/w send acknowledgements
respectively and under the control of the IMS/
MMTel, the call is switched to 2G/3G n/w

Network upgrades required for SRVCC

methodology
Sr. No

Entity

Up gradation required?

LTE E-UTRAN

Yes

LTE EPS

Yes

IMS Core/ MMTel

Yes

2G/3G Core (MSC)

Yes

2G/3G RAN

No

UE (user equipment)

Yes

PI for SRVCC
o
1.

2.
3.
o
1.
2.
3.

Voice interruption time:

IRAT HO execution process requires more time than session
transfer procedure (of the order 0.01S). Therefore voice
interruption time is influenced primarily by the IRAT HO execution
time.
Further, we need to consider addition of time required to confirm
the HO execution after HO process
The total voice interruption time is at par with the 3GPP
guidelines of 0.3S
Call Retention rate depends on:
Probability of IRAT failure
Probability of Session transfer failure
Current stats show it as 99%

References

3GPP specs
Qualcom (VoLTE phases)
China Mobile (CSFB)
Nokia Seimens (CSFB)
Ericsson (VoLTE phases)
Alcatel-Lucent (LTE Network Architecture)

Future Scope of VoLTE

Enhanced SRVCC Next article
Video SRVCC Next article
CSFB and VoLTE Roaming (Phase III)