OVERVIEW OF EIA/TLA IS-41

James I. Yu
GTE Laboratories Incorporated
40 Sylvan Road
Waltham, MA 02254, U.S.A.

ABSTRACT automatic roaming and handoff, especially for the testing,

operation,and maintenance of the inter-system trunks.
This paper provides an overview of the North American
Mobile Application Part (MAP), which is documented A simple roaming validation p r d ~ between e the home
in Electronic Industries Association (EIA)/ Telecommu- and visited system was defined. The home system also
nications Industry Association (TLA) I n t e h Standards could infmthe visited system about the changes to the
(IS)41. The purpose of the IS41 series of recommenda- a u t h h t i o n period or the authorization status (e.g., from
tions is to address the ongoing and developing concerns authorized to denied). The Transaction Capabilities
of the Cellular Radio-telecommunications Industry with Application Part (TCAP)specified by CCI'IT was used
regard to US~~UI Senrices requiring s t a n d a d d inter- for association control and remote operations.
system procedures. In particular, the major enhancements
in each of the published IS41 revisions and the handoff 2.2 IS-41-A
and automatic roaming procedures are described.
IS41-A replaced the CCITT TCAP with the ANSI TCAP
1. INTRODUCTION for association control and remote operations in order to
interface with the Public Switched Telephone Network
It took only four years for the cellular industry in North (PSTN) or Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)
America to grow to a million subscribers. The subscriber in North America Data communication through networks
base has exceeded 7.5 million at present. Cellular such as X.25 and SS7 was allowed. When SS7 networks
terminals very often move from one cellular system to are used, only the Message Transport Part (MTP) routing
another because of their mobile nature. Cellular industry is allowed.
needed a standard for inter-system operation;therefbre.
the TIA TR45.2 Subcommittee was empowered to Automatic roaming procedures were developed that
develop IS41 [l] to meet that requirement. Sections 2 allowed automatic registration notification to the roamer's
and 3 of this paper explain the revision history and home system. The roamer's service profile (e.g.,
document organizationof I S 4 Sections 4 and 5 describe originatiodtembtionrestrictionsand the pfmed inter-
the handoff and automatic roaming procedures in IS41 exchange carrier information) and validation information
Revision B. Section 6 concludes the discussion. could be down-loaded to the visited system to assist in
call promsing. The home system could also update the
2. HISTORY OF IS41 sefvice profile and Validation information previously sent
to the visited system if they have been changed (e.g.,
The IS41 standard has evolved over a period of seven due to feature activation/&-activation).
years and has gone through three revisions. Revision 0
of IS41 (IS-41-0) was published in February 1988, Call delivery procedures were developed to route the
Revision A (IS-41-A) in December 1990. and Revision incoming calls to the mamers. In case of busy, no answer,
B (IS-41-B) in Decembet 1991. It is under C O I I ~ ~ U O U S no page response,or inactive, the incoming calls can be
revision to address new services that require standardized forwaded or redirected based on the subscribers' service
inter-system procedures. The major developments at each profile. When a cellular station becomes inactive, the
IS41 revision are briefly described below. home system is informed to block call delivery.
2.1 Is-41-0 The roaming subscribers were allowed to activdde-
activate the features and request special services while
IS41-0 completed the handoff-forward and handoff-back roaming outside the home system. Procedures were added
procedures for analog cellular stations. Inter-system data that allowed the home system to inform the visited
communications was restricted to direct, dedicated systems about data integrity problems associated with
facilities, leased or private, between pairs of participating this particular system's subscribers.
systems, for example, using point-to-point X.25 or
Signaling System No. 7 (SS7) links. Voice facilities for 2.3 IS-41-B
inter-system handoff were restricted to direct, dedicated
circuits, leased or private, between pairs of participating IS-41-B added path-minimization procedures to optimize
systems. Some Operation, Administration, and the number of inter-system trunks involved in a handoff
Maintenance (OABrM) procedures were defined for call. Handoff-forward and handoff-back procedures were

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 enhanced to support the dual-mode terminals. Feature temhal (e.g., power class), channel type (e.g., analog or
operations after handoff became allowed. digital), and preferred mode (e.g., W f u l l rate digital
channel or analog channel) for dual-mode terminal and
The Global Title Translation (Grr) capability of the serving cell identifbtion 0) is passed to the adjacent
SS7 Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP) was systems. Each adjacent system then optionally responds
added Guidelines for forwadbackward compatibility with a list of cell IDSand the measured signal qualities.
were adopted to ensure inter-operabilitybetween systems Based on the measurements received from the adjacent
using different IS41 revisions. systems, the serving system then decides whether inter-
system handoff should be performed and which adjacent
3. ORGANIZATIONOF IS41 system should handle the call:
IS41 is a series of recommendations entitled “Cellular 4.2 Handoff-Forwud
Radi~lecommunicationsInter-system Opemths.” The
recommendationsincluded in the series are: Figure 1 shows the handoff-forward example. The top
diagram shows thatMSC-A maintains radio contact with
IS41.1: Provides a functional overview cellular station X and decides to hand-off the call to
IS41.2 Desaibes the inter-system handoff MSC-B. The bottom diagram shows the resulting
m u r e s connections after the handoff-forward procedure is
IS41.3: Describes the automatic roaming completed. It shows @t an inter-system circuit between
p&ures MSC-A and MSC-B is established and MSC-B now
IS41.4 Describes the procedures related to maintains radio contact with cellular station X.
options,administration,and
maintenance
IS41.5: Describes data communications includbg
message farmats and coding
IS41 defmes a set of messages and praxdures relevant
to three network elements: Home Location Register
(HLR), Visitor Location Register (VLR), and Mobile
Switching Center (MSC). The HLR is a database that
stores information associated with the home subscribers.
The VLR is a database that stores infoxmation associated
with the roaming subscribers. The MSC is a piece of
switching equipment designed to pvide radio telephone
services to the cellular stations. The following two
sections briefly describe the inter-system handoff and
automatic roaming procedures.
4. LNTER-SYSTEM HANDOFF

Handoff is the process of transferring a call from one Figure 1. Handoff-forward from MSC-A to MSC-B.
radio channel to another. Inter-system handoff occuts
when the cellular station moves away from the serving 43 Hnndoff-Bxk
system. Three handoff processes, handoff-forward,
handoff-back, and path-minimization, are briefly Figure 2 shows the handoff-back example. The top
described below. All three processes begin with the diaglamshowsthatcellularstationx wasinitiallyhandled
handoff measurement procedure that determines whether by MSC-A and W ~ Shanded-Off to MSC-B (handoff-
inter-system handoff is to be performed and which of the forward), and is now moving back toward MSC-A. MSC-
adjacent systems is to continue serving the call. B decides to hand-off the call to MSC-A and knows that
MSC-A is the previous serving MSC. Therefore, it
Inter-system handoff occurs when the serving and new initiates the handoff-back procedure instead of the
base stations are in two Merent systems. The serving haudoff-forward procedure.
system usually aies to hand-off the call within the system
fmt. When it fails to do so, it then checks whether an ’Ihe bottom diagram shows the resulting connectionsafter
adjacent system can best serve the call. the handoff-back procedure is completed. It shows that
the inter-system circuit between MSC-A and MSC-B is
4.1 Handoff Measurement released, MSC-B is no longer involved in the call, and
MSC-A now maintains radio contact with cellular station
When MSC-A decides that the call may need to be X. If the handoff-forward procedure is performed, two
handed-off to an adjacent system, it invokes tbe Handoff inter-system circuits between MSC-A and MSC-B would
Measurement Request task. Information about the be used. and MSC-B would still be involved in this call.

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 the other between MSC-B and MSC-C, would be used,
and MSC-B would still be involved in the call.
4.5 Feature Operations After Handoff

IS-41-B allows the mobile stations to invoke features

after handoff. This is achieved by sending back a ‘‘flash”
Resulting Connections indication (with the dialed digits, if available) from the
serving MSC to the anchor MSC. For example, if the
user tries to set up a three-way conference call after
handoff, hdshe dials a &ectoq number and pushes the
SEND button. The anchor MSC is informed of the flash
request and the dialed digits, if available. Based on the
service profile and current call state (e.g., no call waiting
to be answered), the anchor MSC detennines that it is a
request for a three-way conference call. It then puts the
existing party on hold and sets up a call to the third-
Figure 2. Handoff-back from MSC-B to MSC-A. party. When the user pushes the SEND button again, the
serving MSC sends the “flash” indication to the anchor
4.4 Path-Minimization MSC. The anchor MSC then bridges the three parties to
form a three-way conference call. Please note that the
Figure 3 shows the path-minhhh’on example. The top conference bridge is maintained at the anchor MSC
diagram shows that cellular sration x was initially handled instead of the serving MSC.
by MSC-A and W ~ Sh~ded-Offto MSC-B. MSC-B
decides to hand-off the call to MSC-C and to perform The user cim activate or de-activate any subscribed
the path-minimization procedure to see whether it can be features after handoff by dialing the feature code and
removed from the call. If the path-- ’on procedure pushing the SEND button. The information is passed to
fails, MSC-B then may perform the handoff-forward the anchor MSC, which then detennines that the Remote
procedure. Feature Control Request task (described later) should be
invoked. Using the same operation, the call waiting
feature can be supportedafter handoff.
4.6 OA&M for Inter-MSCFacilities

IS41 has defmed a set of Operation, Administration,

and Maintenance ( O A W messages for operating and
maintaining the inter-MSC facilities. These OA&M
messages include Blocking, Unblocking, Resetcircuit,
Resulting Connections TrunkTest, and TrunkTestDisconnect. “Blocking”
removes a particular circuit from service, and
“Unblocking” puts a circuit back to service.
“Resetcircuit” restores a circuit’s condition to either idle
or blocked. TnmkTest” requests the remote MSC to
loop back a particular circuit for the purpose of testing.
“TrunkTestDisconnect” requests the remote MSC to
remove the loop back connection.
5. AUTOMATIC ROAMING

Figure 3. Handoff with path-minimization. Automatic roaming procedures allow a roamer to

originate calls at the visited systems after credit
In this example, MSC-A and MSC-C have inter-system worthiness has been validated, to invoke in the visited
circuits between them. The bottom diagram shows the system the subscribed features as is done in the home
resulting connections after the path-minimization system, and to receive calls destined to the roaming
procedure is completed. It shows that the inter-system subscriber. Three processes, registration,call origination,
circuit between MSC-A and MSC-B is released, MSC-B and call delivery,are described.
is no longer involved in the call, an inter-system circuit
between MSC-A and MSCC is established, and MSC-C 5.1 Registration
now maintains radio contact with cellular station X.
Without the path-minimization procedure, two inter- The visited system can detect the presence of a roamer
system circuits, one between MSC-A and MSC-B and in several ways, for example, via autonomous registration

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 from the cellular station or call origination from the
roamer. Figure 4 shows the registmion process which
starts when the serving MSC in the visited system detects
the presence of a roamer and notifiis its associated VLR.
Assuming that the VLR does not know the roamer, it
informs the roamer’s HLR about the roamer’s current
location. The VLR usually requests the roamer’s
validation infomation and service profile during the
registration notification process.
Old Serving Home New Serving
system. Not all the incoming calls to the roamer can be
delivered. For example, if the roamer has activated the
Call Forwarding Unconditional feature, the call will be
forwarded instead of delivered. Assume that an MSC
receives a call from the PSTN.This MSC is usually the
home MSC. But in some cases, it is a gateway MSC, not
the home MSC. “Originahg MSC” is used to indicate
that it is either the home MSC or a gateway MSC.
The originating MSC first asks the HLR for routing
information. The HLR knows that this particular
submiber is roaming and therefore asks the VLR in the

qi-Jlm/@ visited system for routing infonnation. The VLR relays

the request to the serving MSC. Assume that the roamer
is idle, so the serving MSC allocates a Tempomy Local
Directory Number (TLDN) and returns the information
to the VLR. The VLR then relays the informarion back
to the roamer’s HLR.

The HLR returns the “LDN and other infoxmation, such

as the roamer’s preferred interexchange carrier, to the
originating MSC. The originating MSC then routes the
call to the serving MSC, usually through the PSTN.

When the serving MSC receives the call using a TLDN,

it determines the corresponding Mobile Identification
Figure 4. Mobile registration. Number associated with the received TLDN and infonns
the base stations to page this roamer. After the cellular
The roamer’s HLR then records the m e r ’ s current station r e m the page response and the roamer answers
location and retuns the requested infotmatim to the VLR. the call, the serving MSC connects the roamer to the
If the roamer was previously registered elsewhere, the der.
HLR will notify the previously registered VLR that this
roamer has left its system. That VIR, upon receipt of 5.4 Miscellaneous
the notification, removes all records associated witb this
particular mmner and infomu the previously serving MSC A roaming subscriber can dial a feature access code to
that this particular roamer has left the system. activatehe-activate the subscribed features while roaming.
This is done through the Remote Feature Control Request
Upon receipt of the response from the HLR, the VLR in task. When the roaming subscriber’s service profile or
the current serving system stores the roaming subsaiber’s validation information has changed (e.g., due to remote
validation information and service profile, if received. feature operation), its associated HLR can send the
This information may be used to serve future call updated information to the VLR in the serving system
originations,call termination, and feature operations fkm by invoking the Qualification Directive or Service Profile
this roamer. Directive task. The Qualification Directive task is
designed so that only service profile or only validation
5.2 Callorigination information or both can be updated. However, the Service
Profile Directive task can be used only to update the
When the serving MSC receives a call origination request service profile.
from a roamer, it informs its associated VLR about the
presence of the roamer and requests the roamer’s “CCSInactive”* allows the home system to be informed
validation information and service profile. If the VLR that a roaming subscriber is inactive. An inactive mobile
has already registered this roamer and requested the station can be detected by the power-down registration
roamer’s validation infomation and service profile, it or no page response from the mobile station. This process
immediately returns the requested information to the allows the home system to disable the call delivery to
serving MSC. Otherwise, it will request the information this particular roaming subscriber. When a mobile station
from the roamer’s HLR. The serving MSC then
determines whether the call origination is allowed.
5.3 CaIlDelivery

Figure 5 shows an example in which an incoming call *CSS stands for “Cellular Subscriber Station” which is used
destined toward a roamer can be delivered to the visited throughout IS-41 as “mobile station.”

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 Originating System Home Serving System
n

1 I I

I I
call setup
I
I

I I I
1
I

-
Lesend
LOCRHMoaeq: Location Request INVOKVRETURN RESULT
ROUTREWrwtreq: Routing Request INVOKVRETURN RESULT
REGNOThegnot RegisbationNotification INVOKVRETURNRESULT
REGCANChegcanc: Registration Cance!lation INVOKVRETURN RESULT
TLDN: Temporary Local Diredory Number

Figure 5. Call &livery to an idle mobile station.

becomes active again (e.g., originates a call or performs 6. CONCLUSION

autonomous registration), the visited system can infm
the home system about the change of status by invoking
the Registration Notification task (may not ask far any
information).
The Call Data Request task is included because of a
speciiic request from one manufacturer. It is used by the
MSC-G to inform the roaming subscriber’s associated
HLR that the incoming call is associated with a special
seMce and to obtain the MIN, ESN,and current serving
system identity from that HLR. The MSC-G, if required,
can invoke the Routing Request task to request a TLDN
from the serving VLR.
I S 4 1 also &lines an Unreliable Roamer Data Directive
task so that the roaming subscriber’s associated HLR
can inform the associated VLRs about its data failure.
This allows the VLRs to remove the records of those
roaming subscribers associated with this particulat HLR.
The next time those roaming subscribers access the REmRENcEs
system, the serving system can use the Registration
Notification process to retrieve the service profile and [l] EINTIA
validation information.The home system is also infcnmed
of the current location of a roamer.
This papea provides an overview of TIA I S 4 1 that defines
the cellular inter-system operations in North America.
IS-41 defines the terminal mobility management
proced~thatarealsolmownastheMobileApplication
Part w) in the standards arena. ’he great success of
the cellular services,paging services,and cordless phones
demonstrates the telecommunications users’ demand for
mobility. This has triggered the study on personal
mobility, or Personal Communications Services (PCS),
the ability for telecommunications users to move freely
and to be able to access the subscribed services at any
network access point. There are many similarities between
terminal mobility management and personal mobility
management. Therefore, a good understanding of
terminal mobility management procedures such as IS41
is important for people working on personal mobility
management.
IS-41-B, “Cellular Radio-
telecommunications Intersystem Operations,”
December 1991.

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