5G EPS Fallback

5G to 4G Handover

5G Enthusiasts of Beyond Telco Indonesia (BTI)

Introduction
A Network Operator providing 5G NR and 4G LTE service, but it
may not be possible to have 5G coverage everywhere and at
some point when 5G coverage or service not available to 5G
system (5GS) may attempt to fallback the RAT to 4G Evolved
Packet System (4G-EPS). EPS Fallback can be defined as
the mobility procedure where network trigger the procedure for
UE to change Radio Access from 5G to 4G.
Mobility 5G to 4G, 4G to 4G and 4G to 5G

we can see the gNB and eNB are co-located and gNB is operating on higher frequency band
with lower coverage footprint and eNB operating on lower frequency band with larger coverage
footprint.
Types of EPS Fallback
Considering the 5G and 4G interworking, the EPS Fallback can be
supported using following two methods:

• Method #1: 5G to 4G Inter-RAT Handover

• In this method, N26 interface between AMF and MME use Forward
Relocation procedure and session management context and user plane
tunnels in core network are exchanged over from SMF/UPM to MME/S-GW.

• Method #2: 5G to 4G Release with Redirection

• In this method, 5G radio connection is released with the 5G RRC Release
instructing UE to reselect to a 4G cell where a new radio connection can be
started for the VoLTE call. In this case the UE context is transferred from the
AMF to the MME over the N26 interface.

The choice of method used for EPS fallback depends on UE capability

and 5G Core Network Capability.
5G to 4G Inter RAT Type
• HO based on coverage (NR > LTE)
• When a UE establishes a radio bearer, the gNB sends the UE the
measurement configuration message containing A2 measurement
configurations, based on which the UE performs measurements. If the gNB
receives A2 measurement reports, it delivers inter-RAT B2 measurement and
A1 measurement configurations. When UE reports event B2, gNB can trigger
the inter-RAT HO, After receiving A1 measurement reports, the gNodeB stops
inter-RAT handover measurements.

• HO based on Voice Service (NR > LTE)

• When the UE establishes a Voice Flow (5QI=1) and the bearer policy of the
voice service is carried on the LTE network, the gNodeB rejects the setup of
the Voice Flow and instructs the UE to perform B1 measurements. After
receiving B1 measurement reports from the UE, the gNB finds the qualified
LTE cell according to the PCI carried in the B1 measurement reports.
 Inter-RAT 5G to 4G Handover Signalling

We can see 5GS includes 5G RAN (Radio, DU, CU) connected to 5GC
and 4G EPS includes 4G RAN (Radio, BBU) connected to 4G EPC.
Individual 5G and 4G Core nodes also maintain the control plane and user plane connectivity
e.g. control plane AMF connected to MME via N26 Interface and UPF connects to gateways via S5-U interface.
Handover Call Flow
 Handover Call Flow
Initial, UE is connected with 5G Cell and having active data session
and observe A2 measurement event indicating the 5G serving cell is below then the defined thresholds.
gNB may configure B2 event with meas object defining 4G EARFCN to find out a suitable 4G cell.
UE start looking for 4G cell on define EARFCN e.g. 39150 and report the PCI as soon as B2 event is satisfied.

Note: Inter RAT handover can be triggered based on B1 or B2 event,

it’s purely depends on the vendor implementation

H/O Call Flow Summarized as below

• Step#1 RRC: MeasurementReport
• Step#2 NGAP: HandoverRequired
• Step#3 gtp-v2: Forward Relocation Request
• Step#4 S1AP: HandoverRequest
• Step#5 S1AP: HandoverRequestAcknowledge
• Step#6 gtpv2: Forward Relocation Response
• Step#7 NGAP: HandoverCommand
Handover Call Flow
Step#1 RRC: MeasurementReport

The UE sends a MeasurementReport message to the source gNB including the serving cell
and neighboring 4G cell signal strength as indicated below.
Handover Call Flow
Step#2 NGAP: HandoverRequired

After receiving the measurement report,

the serving gNB check the reported 4G Cell PCI in neighbor relation table (NRT)
and if nieghbor is available it can initiate the HandoverRequired message
over N2 interface using NGAP protocol towards AMF.

It includes UE identities (AMF-UE-NGAP-ID, RAN-UE-NGAP-ID), Handover Type,

Handover Cause, Target Cell ID, PDU session to be handover
and Source to Target Transparent Container having the full UE context and capabilities.
Handover Call Flow
Step#3 gtp-v2: Forward Relocation Request

The serving AMF sent Forward Relocation Request to Target MME

over the N26 interface using the gtp protocol.

It includes the IMSI, TEIDs, UE PDN information, Target Information and cause.
Handover Call Flow
Step#4 S1AP: HandoverRequest

The taget MME sends the Handover Request to target eNB

including MME-UE-S1AP-ID, Handover Type, Hanodver Cause,
E-RAB information, Source to Target Transparent Container,
UE Capabilities and UE security context.
Handover Call Flow
Step#5 S1AP: HandoverRequestAcknowledge

After receiveing the Handover request from MME, target 4G eNB start the UE admission
procedure, if the resources are available then eNB and respond
with HandoverRequestAcknowledgement including UE IDs (MME-UE-S1AP, eNB-UE-S1AP),
list of admitted e-RABs and Target to Source Transport Container.

If eNB does have enough resousrce to admit the UE, it can send Handover Failure with
appropriate casue mentioning no resource available.
Handover Call Flow
Step#6 gtpv2: Forward Relocation Response

After Handover Acknownledge, the MME send Forward Relocation Response to 5G AMF
over N26 interface including the TEIDs and UE Bearer Context.
Handover Call Flow
Step#7 NGAP: HandoverCommand

AMF sends a Handover Command to source gNB. This message includes, information
received in step#5 . The source gNB can now send a Handover Command to the UE in
step#8 as RRC message mobilityFromNRCommand.

After receiving the Handover Command, the UE will leave the source cell and start the
connection towards the target 4G cell.
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