VoLTE in IMS - Real Time Communication

7/29/2019 VoLTE in IMS | Real Time Communication
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Posted on March 6, 2015 by realtimecommunication.info
The year 2015 is definitely a year of VoLTE. VoLTE is

everywhere and operators are rolling out as crazy. There are
plenty of articles describing how the LTE or LTE-A do work. How often do you visit RT
We’ll put the LTE Packet Core part aside and take a look on the
It's a mistake, I'm looking
IMS related VoLTE architecture and VoLTE flows.
else
Voice over LTE service specified in GSMA IR.92. If you think it My first visit here
seriously with VoLTE, don’t waste your time on any blog and
I guess I have been here
read the VoLTE Service Description and Implementation Guide.
On the other hand real beginners can try our VoLTE Illustrated: I end up here time to time
Beginners Guide.
Watching for updates
The very basic architecture of IMS for VoLTE can look like this: I'm subscriber!
Other:
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Did you know that the articles

are continuously updated?
Last updates:
IMS/WebRTC Tracing and

Test Tools
Top Posts
VoLTE network architecture – simplified Ut interface - what is it for?

Third Party Registration
Sitemap
During the LTE attach procedure VoLTE client receives IP
VoLTE in IMS
address of P-CSCF. How to read Initial Filter Criteria
IMS and 5G
P-CSCF (Proxy Call Session Control Function) IP-SM-GW Transport Level
Interworking
An entry point for IMS signalling. It is directly
IMS Centralized Services -
connected to the VoLTE device (UE) over SIP Overview
protocol. XCAP Protocol
Diameter Overview
P-CSCF maintains the security associations between
itself and the UE.
The P-CSCF is usually a part of A-SBC.
A-SBC (Access Session Border Controller)

Provides connectivity for two or more IP networks,
including IPv4 and IPv6 interworking, NAT traversal,
etc.
Implements Security features, e.g. DoS, DDoS attack
prevention, Topology Hiding, Encryption, CAC, ..
Communicates with access network (e.g. LTE) and is
responsible
Privacy & Cookies: for cookies.
This site uses QoS By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
Handles Media Services, provides transcoding if
needed
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For the end-2-end signalling (voice call setup) we use SIP

Your IMS experience
protocol. The multimedia then goes out-of-band using RTP
protocol.
What the hack is IMS?!
The heart of IMS network is IMS Core. It consists of often I've just started
collocated I/S-CSCF, which cares about authentication, session

less than half year
routing and management.
less than 1 year
I-CSCF (Interrogating Call Session Control Function)

less than 3 years
I-CSCF provides a Location service. That means that
for each subscriber (or public service) I-CSCF is able 3 years and more
to locate the right S-CSCF.

I-CSCF also represents IMS network to peers. E.g. Vote
for peer networks the I-CSCF is the first point of View Results Crowds
contact.
S-CSCF (Serving Call Session Control Function)
The S-CSCF is responsible for basic IMS services. It
is a SIP server providing session set-up, session Recent Posts
tear-down, session control and routing functions. Rate Limit and Traffic Shaping
S-CSCF acts as SIP Registrar – stores the binding News: 5G – is our health the toll
to pay?
between Public User Identity (e.g. sip uri or tel uri)
AR, VR – Real-time
and its actual point of presence (Contact IP address) communication in 5G
and maintains user registration status. During VoLTE News: Wireshark is 20!
Comment: Real-time
registration procedure S-CSCF performs user
communication & AI
authentication. SIP URI Overview
S-CSCF also invokes Application Servers (TAS, VoLTE Conference Call
News: Bitcoin and
IPSMGW) based on rules (IFCs) received from the
Mobile Networks?
HSS. News: RTC in 2017
Multimedia in VoLTE
The IMS Core however doesn’t know anything about Voice or News: Mobile IoT Deployments
IMS and 5G
SMS service. That is a task for Application servers. The
VoLTE Flows and CS Network
Application Server for voice and video telephony is called TAS VoLTE KPIs
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.News: Trends in Telco
– Telephony Application Server or MMTel AS – Multimedia
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy VoLTE Flows – Basics
Telephony AS.
Comment: A Piece of Advice for
Every (Telco) Company
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Telephony Application Server (TAS) IMS Centralized Services –
Overview
The application server responsible for all the services NEWS: Number Portability
& ENUM
as address normalization, call diverting, call SIP Illustrated 5: SIP
forwarding, barring, etc. Session Routing
In a nutshell TAS is what makes the VoLTE SIP Illustrated 4: SIP Session
SIP Illustrated 3: Routing and
enhancements on top of the pure VoIP. IMS Registration
SIP Illustrated 2: SIP Message
VoLTE specification also defines SMS interworking. To support SIP Illustrated 1: Basics
GSMA Advanced Messaging –
SMS over SIP we have a dedicated Application Server called
RCS Universal Profile
IPSMGW. In more detail it is described in IPSMGW – Transport News: 2016 Summary
Level Interworking post. News: Finally 4G?
News: Telco Monitoring
News: RCS Reborn?
IMS Core and Application Servers don’t have any persistent
SCTP Introduction
storage. All the information about subscribers and their Challenges of Automated
services is stored in HSS (Home Subscriber Server). The Testing (for telcos)
News: IoT and Automatic
communication between HSS and I/S-CSCF or TAS makes use
Emergency Calls
of Diameter protocol. Diameter Overview
OTT and VoLTE Calls
Other IMS elements are: News: UAVs and LTE

IMS Presence Illustrated:
Beginners Guide
MRF – Media Resource Function News: testRTC Demo
Can be used as a media mixer or as a media server News: The World is to be All-IP
VoLTE Illustrated:
for playing of tones and announcements.
Beginners Guide
MGCF – Media Gateway Control Function News: IoT and SIM – does it
MGCF is used for the breakout to and from CS go together?
Rainy-day Scenarios – S-
network. Usually the MGCF and MGW – Media GW
CSCF Restoration
is a part of enhanced MSC. News: Internet in Vivo
BGCF – Breakout Gateway Control Function How to read Initial Filter Criteria
News: more than HD
BGCF might be used in case when S-CSCF is not
ePDG and IPSec
able to find the routing based on ENUM/DNS (e.g. News: WhatsApp pushes
PSTN number). Usually it is a part of IMS Core the WebRTC
(along with S-CSCF and I-CSCF). Thanks for your visit!

News: Top 10 IoT Technologies
News: IoT @ home
The IMS
Privacy definition
& Cookies: is very
This site broad By
uses cookies. and flexible.
continuing GSMA
to use VoLTE
this website, you agree to their use.
News: WebRTC – the way to go
standard restricts it and defines what services are mandatory
and how we should implement them. E.g. it defines how to
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implement Emergency Services, SRVCC, Roaming, SMS Categories
interworking, etc. In our post we will go through the basic LTE 5G (6)
IMS (48)
to LTE callflow.
IoT (10)
LTE (13)
Messaging (3)
OTT (5)
Whatsapp (3)
RCS (27)
IPSMGW (5)
Presence (6)
Uncategorized (22)
VoLTE (39)
VoWifi (11)
WebRTC (15)
Archives
February 2019 (1)

December 2018 (1)
IMS Network for T1 Operators
September 2018 (1)
July 2018 (2)
VoLTE Call Flow May 2018 (1)
March 2018 (1)
We said that S-CSCF is a heart of the IMS. The TAS (MMTel) is
January 2018 (2)
the brain. There are always at least two telephony application December 2017 (1)
servers and two S-CSCFs involved on a path from originator to November 2017 (1)
recipient. One which applies originating and one which applies October 2017 (4)
September 2017 (1)
terminating services.
August 2017 (1)
May 2017 (2)
March 2017 (2)
February 2017 (3)
January 2017 (2)
December 2016 (3)
November 2016 (1)
October 2016 (1)
September 2016 (1)
August 2016 (2)
July 2016 (2)
June 2016 (4)
VoLTE Call-Flow May 2016 (2)
April 2016 (3)
March 2016 (5)
What particular services will be applied is driven by the
February 2016and
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configuration of a TAS/MMTel and by subscriber and non- January 2016 (2)
subscriber data which is stored in HSS. November 2015 (5)

September 2015 (3)
July 2015 (1)
Before a subscriber can place or receive any call, he has to June 2015 (4)
register himself in the IMS network. We went through the May 2015 (3)
registration in several posts (Registration, How to read April 2015 (1)

March 2015 (8)
tcpdump – Registration). Once the user is successfully
January 2015 (3)
registered, the S-CSCF is able to route the incoming calls to December 2014 (7)
the user. This S-CSCF also knows which TAS did the 3rd party November 2014 (5)
registration and maintains a binding between the IMPU (public

user identity) and the TAS. This information is a part of the
user’s context.
When a subscriber (Johan) wants to initiate a new call he

sends a SIP INVITE message to the recipient (Rory). The basic
flow looks like this:
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VoLTE SIP signalling
VoLTE subscribers use SIP protocol in order to negotiate the

parameters of a multimedia (RTP) session. The SIP signalling
also allows the IMS network to secure sufficient resources for
the requested Quality of Service.
In IMS the SIP INVITE message is firstly sent to P-CSCF which

was assigned to the user during the registration. The P-CSCF
has a binding with the S-CSCF which is responsible for the
originator.
The S-CSCF routes the SIP INVITE to the O-TAS which
applies originating services (e.g. Outgoing Call Barring, Close and accept
triggering of playing announcements, Conferencing, etc.) and
can modify the recipient’s address (based on translation rules,

ENUM response, CAMEL triggering, etc.) Remember that TAS
acts as a B2BUA and can change any SIP header including the
Call-ID.
From O-TAS the SIP INVITE is sent back to the S-CSCF of the
originator. The S-CSCF finds a routing to the network of the
recipient (e.g. with help of DNS or ENUM). In our case
(recipient is registered in IMS) S-CSCF forwards the message
to I-CSCF in the terminating network.
I-CSCF will locate the S-CSCF which handles the context for
the recipient. S-CSCF triggers T-TAS for terminating services
(e.g. Incoming Call Barring, Call Forwading, etc.)
Finally the T-TAS forwards the SIP INVITE to the S-CSCF of

the recipient. The S-CSCF knows which P-CSCF maintains a
dialog with the recipient.
When the recipient receives the SIP INVITE he will respond

and the response backtracks all the way to the originator.
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VoLTE Call Flow (LTE-LTE Call)
Please note, so far we have been talking about logical

flow. Physically the O-TAS and T-TAS can be just one server
(e.g. originator and recipient are both registered on the same
S-CSCF, using the same A-SBC).
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VoLTE Flow on one site
SIP routing of VoLTE call in IMS is in more details discussed

in SIP Illustrated 5: SIP Session Routing.
In order to establish the media path the body of the SIP INVITE
and other signaling messages carries Session Description
Protocol (SDP) data.
v=0
o=volte-0-349-1 0346136471fad35443 1660635443 IN
s=SS VOIP
i=A VoLTE Session
c=IN IP4 223.112.161.118
t=0 0
m=audio 23448 RTP/AVP 116 118 111 110 8 0
a=msi:xyz@223.112.161.118
a=rtpmap:116 AMR-WB/16000
a=fmtp:116 mode-change-capability=2;max-red=220
a=rtpmap:118 AMR/8000
a=fmtp:118 mode-change-capability=2;max-red=220
a=rtpmap:111 telephone-event/16000
a=fmtp:111 0-15
a=rtpmap:110 telephone-event/8000
a=fmtp:110 0-15
a=rtpmap:8 PCMA/8000
a=rtpmap:0 PCMU/8000
Via SDP the originator and recipient exchange IP addresses

(223.112.161.118) and ports (23448) for the media stream
(RTP) and sets of supported codecs (AMR-WB, AMR, DTFM –
telephone-event,..). There are many more parameters, for now
it is important that once originator and recipient know the
IP:Port and codecs to be used, they can start to communicate
over
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out more, protocol.how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
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SDP Exchange
Later when one of the call parties wants to close the RTP
stream (hang-up), the client sends a SIP BYE message. After
the 200 OK response the session is finished.
Maybe you ask why is the signalling so complex? That is

because the IMS is very general. E.g. in case of roaming this
simple scenario can go across four different IMS networks:
VoLTE Call with Roaming
Although currently nearly no operators support IMS-based

roaming and mostly they are not connected to any other IMS
networks
Privacy at all,This
& Cookies: stillsite
the network
uses cookies. architecture
By continuing to can bewebsite,
use this quite you agree to their use.
complicated. Operators have multiple sites and there can be
several different types of sites (E.g. Access site, Core IMS site,
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Maintenance Site, Failover Site, RCS Site, …)
VoLTE architecture for multiple sites.
Now we know the very basic LTE-LTE flow. More detail

information about VoLTE are described in VoLTE flows –
close encounters.
SIP headers and routing is then explained in SIP Illustrated:

SIP by sip.
Basic VoLTE validation procedures are described at Validating

VoLTE document.
Other posts related to VoLTE:
IMS from 10.000 feet

SIP Illustrated: SIP by sip
VoLTE Flows – Basics – presentation
VoLTE Flows and CS Network – presentation
VoLTE Illustrated: Beginners Guide
Multimedia in VoLTE
At your service..
To find outIP-SM-GW Transport
more, including Level
how to control Interworking
cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
Ut interface – what is it for?

Close and accept
VoLTE Policy Control Summary
P-Early-Media – You are running low on credit!

It is about quality!
Mind the coverage hole!
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This entry was posted in IMS, LTE, VoLTE and tagged 4G, 4g architecture, 4G
network, ims volte call flow, SIP, volte and ims, volte architecture, volte basics,
volte call flow, VoLTE for beginners, volte for dummies, volte guide, volte ims,
volte introduction, volte network, volte overview. Bookmark the permalink.
← Group … Messaging It is about quality! →
8 thoughts on “VoLTE in IMS”
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Abizar Algifari says:
March 16, 2017 at 07:50
I shall name this websites as ” Volte for Dummies”. Love it !
 Liked by 1 person
 Reply
tttrainer says:
March 16, 2017 at 08:34
Thank you for reading Abizar!
 Like
 Reply
im574147421 says:
February 7, 2018 at 08:47
Thanks for this ,,, really nice
 Like
 Reply
Sandeep says:
February 21, 2018 at 17:09
Thanks, this is very good.
 Like
 Reply
tttrainer says:
February 21,more,
To find out 2018 including
at 17:27 how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
Glad it’s useful.
Close and accept

 Like
 Reply
AK says:
September 11, 2018 at 10:14
This is very informative portal about Volte/sip/lte.
 Like
 Reply
Lan says:
December 5, 2018 at 08:43
In your example of SDP message, the media path will use IP address
223.112.161.118 and ports 23448. Does this mean that if I do a packet capture
on the RTP stream, will the same address and port be visible as either a Source
Address or Destination Address?
Thanks!
 Like
 Reply
Realtimecommunication.info says:
December 5, 2018 at 09:15
Hi Lan,
yes, that is correct observations, IP addresses and ports from SDP will
appear in packet capture as sourse or destination addresses (and vice
versa).
Kind Regards,
Karel.
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7/29/2019 VoLTE in IMS | Real Time Communication

Real Time Communication

Home Sitemap SIP Illustrated: SIP by sip Q&A About

Follow Real Time Communication

The year 2015 is definitely a year of VoLTE. VoLTE is

Close and accept

Did you know?

Did you know that the articles

IMS/WebRTC Tracing and

VoLTE network architecture – simplified Ut interface - what is it for?

The P-CSCF is usually a part of A-SBC.

A-SBC (Access Session Border Controller)

For the end-2-end signalling (voice call setup) we use SIP

collocated I/S-CSCF, which cares about authentication, session

I-CSCF (Interrogating Call Session Control Function)

to locate the right S-CSCF.

Other IMS elements are: News: UAVs and LTE

(along with S-CSCF and I-CSCF). Thanks for your visit!

February 2019 (1)

subscriber data which is stored in HSS. November 2015 (5)

registration in several posts (Registration, How to read April 2015 (1)

registration and maintains a binding between the IMPU (public

When a subscriber (Johan) wants to initiate a new call he

Close and accept

VoLTE SIP signalling

VoLTE subscribers use SIP protocol in order to negotiate the

In IMS the SIP INVITE message is firstly sent to P-CSCF which

can modify the recipient’s address (based on translation rules,

Finally the T-TAS forwards the SIP INVITE to the S-CSCF of

When the recipient receives the SIP INVITE he will respond

Close and accept

VoLTE Call Flow (LTE-LTE Call)

Please note, so far we have been talking about logical

Close and accept

SIP routing of VoLTE call in IMS is in more details discussed

Via SDP the originator and recipient exchange IP addresses

Close and accept

Maybe you ask why is the signalling so complex? That is

VoLTE Call with Roaming

Although currently nearly no operators support IMS-based

VoLTE architecture for multiple sites.

Now we know the very basic LTE-LTE flow. More detail

SIP headers and routing is then explained in SIP Illustrated:

Basic VoLTE validation procedures are described at Validating

Other posts related to VoLTE:

IMS from 10.000 feet

Ut interface – what is it for?

P-Early-Media – You are running low on credit!

Be the first to like this.

← Group … Messaging It is about quality! →

March 16, 2017 at 07:50

I shall name this websites as ” Volte for Dummies”. Love it !

Thank you for reading Abizar!

Thanks for this ,,, really nice

Thanks, this is very good.

Glad it’s useful.

Close and accept

This is very informative portal about Volte/sip/lte.

Close and accept

Enter your comment here...

Close and accept

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