GPRS/EDGE

OVERVIEW
 Course contents
• GPRS Background and Evolution
• GSM/GPRS network
• GPRS Architecture
• IP Addressing in GPRS
• GPRS Air Interfaces
• MS types and Coding Schemes
• Mobility Management
• PDP Context Activation Sequence
• GPRS Roaming
• GPRS Charging
• Practical Demonstration of GPRS
 GPRS

BACKGROUND
AND
EVOLUTION
 GPRS BACK GROUND
• With Mobile penetration reaching its full potential, GPRS gives
Mobile operators competitive edge and optimum use of the
infrastructure.
•SMS is a good example of just how hungry users are for data
services.
• The main Objective of GPRS is to offer the access to standard
data networks, using protocols e.g. TCP/IP and X.25
• Transactions such as Credit Card checks and a variety of
telemetric applications benefit from the fast session set-ups.
• GPRS enables efficient use of radio resources by allowing many
data users to share the same interface on a statistical basis.
•The main benefits of GPRS are that it reserves radio resources
only when there is data to be sent
• Mobile users doesn’t have to connect to the network each time he
wants to transfer the data, he can stay connected all day.
 Evolution from GSM to 3G
The GSM Growth Phases

3G

EDGE
GPRS
2.5G

HSCSD

GSM
2G
 GSM Evolution

2G 2.5G 3G

GSM GPRS EDGE UMTS

GSM GPRS EDGE UMTS

200 KHz carrier 200 KHz carrier 200 KHz carrier 5 MHz carrier
8 full-rate time slots 115 Kbps peak data rates Data rates up to 384 Kbps 2 Mbps peak data rates
16 half-rate time slots 8-PSK modulation New IMT-2000 2 GHz spectrum
Higher symbol rate

HSCSD

HSCSD
Circuit-switched data
64 Kbps peak data rates
MAIN ADVANTAGES FOR OPERATORS
• More Revenue :
By providing more than a mobile connection.
Also operator can charge on the basis of type and amount of
content accessed.
• Huge Potential Market for Data Sevices :
Mobile Phone and Internet, both are fastest growing
technologies and GPRS is the merger of two.
• Fast Roll-out and Continuous Network Expansion :
GPRS is an integral part of GSM.
• GPRS uses excess voice capacity for data :
GPRS Packets are transmitted in short, free periods between
busy hour calls.
 Free GSM Capacity
GPRS packets can be transmitted in
16
the short free periods between busy
hour calls 14

12
2TRX = 14 Speech TS
2% blocking means 10
8 Erlang speech traffic
TCH 8

On average 6 TS free ! 6

4
16

14
2
12

10
TC
H 8 0
6

4
1:00 PM 1:15 PM 1:30 PM 1:45 PM
2

03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00 00:00

 GPRS Vs GSM
GPRS Vs GSM
1. SUPPORTS BOTH CKT. Only circuit switched.
SWITCHED as well as
packet switched service.
2. MS Utilizes Automatic No re-transmission is
retransmission (ARQ) at provided.
data link layer to re-transmit
error frames.
3. Multiple time slots can be Single time slot per user.
allotted to a single user
4. One time slot can be allotted Single time slot per user.
to several users.
5. Charging/ billing more complex Simple time-based billing.
(Volume based, Q.O.S. based)
 TYPICAL GPRS SERVICES
* Communications- E-mail, fax,
intranet/ internet access.
* Value added services - Information services, games,
e-commerce.
* Location-based applications - Navigation, traffic conditions,
airline/rail schedule, location finder.
* Vertical applications - Freight delivery, fleet management,
sales-force automation
* Location sensitive A user nearing a cinema hall or
Advertising - a restaurant receives flashes of
advertisement
 GPRS

NETWORK ELEMENTS
 GSM NETWORK ELEMENTS
The Main elements of GSM are:
• NSS :
•MSC
•VLR
•HLR (Includes Authentication Center and Equipment Identity Register)

• BSS :
•BSC
•BTS
•Transcoder
• NMS
•Fault Management
•Configuration Management
•Performance Management
 GPRS Network Elements
• Network Element Software Hardware
• SGSN SG1 DX Platform
• GGSN G1 IP650
• Firewall Checkpoint IP650
• Ethernet Switch N/A Cisco Catalyst
• DNS HP-UX 11.00 HP 9000 A class
• CG HP-UX 10.20 HP K class
• Border Gateway BGP4 IP650
• DHCP HP-UX 11.00 HP 9000 A class
 GPRS

ARCHITECTURE
 GPRS Interface
MSC/ HLR EIR SMS-
VLR GMSC
Signalling and data

Gr Gf Gd Signalling
Gs

SGSN
BSC
GGSN External
Gb Gn Gi packet
network

Air (Um)
Gn
GGSN Inter-PLMN
Gp GPRS
Backbone
 SGSN Role
• Authentication, Authorization
• GTP tunneling to GGSN
• Ciphering & compression
• Mobility Management
• Session Management
• Interaction with HLR, MSC/VLR
• Charging & statistics
• NMS interfaces
 GGSN Role

• Interface to external data networks

• Encapsulate in GTP and forwards end user
data to right SGSN
• Routes mobile originated packets to right
destination
• Filters end user traffic
• Collects charging and statistic information
for data network usage
 GPRS

AIR INTERFACES
 Different GPRS Capacity Types

Circuit
TRX 1 CCCH TS TS TS TS TS TS TS Switched
Territory
TRX 2 TS TS TS TS TS TS TS
TS TS
TS Packet
Switched
Territory
Additional Dedicated
GPRS GPRS GPRS
Capacity Capacity Capacity

Territory border moves based

on Circuit Switched traffic load
 GPRS

MS CLASS
&
CODING SCEMES
 MS Class
• CLASS A:
Supports simultaneous attach, simultaneous activation,
simultaneous monitor, simultaneous invocation, and
simultaneous traffic.
• CLASS B:
Simultaneous traffic shall is not supported. The mobile user
can make and/or receive calls on either of the two services
sequentially but not simultaneously. The selection of the
appropriate service is performed automatically
• CLASS C:
Supports only non-simultaneous attach. Alternate use only.
• The status of the service which has not been selected is detached,
that is, not reachable.
GPRS Channel Coding Schemes
 GPRS

MOBILITY MANAGEMENT
 Mobility Management State
GPRS
Attach / Detach

Idle READY Ready

Timer Expiry

Packet
STANDBY Standby TX/RX
Timer Expiry

MS location known to
MS location known to cell level.
MS location SGSN level. MS is transmitting or has
not known. MS is capable of receiving just been transmitting.
Subscriber is not Point-to-Multipoint data MS is capable of receiving
reachable by the and being paged for Point-to-Point data and
GPRS NW. Point-to-Point data Point-to-Multipoint data.
 Routing Area

RAI = MCC+MNC+LAC+RAC
 GPRS Mobility Management

Routing Area :
The RA is a new concept for tracing the MS location.

Cell =< RA =< LA served by one SGSN

RAI = MCC + MNC + LAC + RAC

Every time the MS sees the new RAI is has to initiate the RA
update procedure.
 GPRS Mobility Management
Mobility Management States :
•The IDLE State is when the MS is not connected.

•The Standby State is when the MS is connected to the GPRS

Network

•The Ready State is when the MS is ready to connect to the external

IP Network.

Changing between states can be initiated from the MS, from the
network and from the timers set.
PDP CONTEXT

ACTIVATION
 PDP Context Activation
Accessing the HLR
• (1) MS sends "Activate PDP
Context Request" to SGSN
•Access Point Name
•PDP Type (IP)
HLR •PDP Address (empty ==
dynamic)
BTS BSC 2.
SS7
1.
APN= • (2) SGSN checks against HLR
"Intranet.Ltd.com" SGSN •Access Point Name
DNS •Dynamic / static IP address

GPRS Access
Backbone Point
IP Network Intranet

GGSN

Internet
• Access Point Name = Reference to an external packet
data network the user wants to connect to
 SECURITY IN GPRS
GPRS SYSTEM HAS INHERITED THE GSM PH-2 SECURITY FUNCTIONS
• Authentication of the subscriber
• IMEI Checking
• User Identity Confidentiality (TMSI in GSM, P-TMSI in GPRS)
• Ciphering of the data traffic between MS and SGSN

ADDITIONAL GPRS SECURITY FEATURES ARE

• Private IP Addressing in the GPRS backbone.

• Ciphered links and authentication between nodes in the GPRS Backbone.
• Screening of packets coming from the external networks (Firewall).

(P-TMSI is used to derive the Temp Logical Link Identity (TLLI))

 The Abbreviation
GPRS = General Packet Radio
System

EGPRS = GPRS + EDGE modulation

 EDGE – Provide 3G services today

• Provide 3G services with existing licenses

• New modulation optimized for wireless data services
• Link adaptation: Take highest possible rate
• Covered by existing GSM licenses
• Same channel structure, network infrastructure, frequency
planning and protocol as today’s GSM
 Evolution to EDGE
SMS G/IW MSC

Gd HLR AUC
M P
S
BTS U BSC MSC/VLR
C
Gr
ISP Network
Gb Gs

M EDGE Gi
TRU SGSN GGSN
S

Gn Gn Corporate
Backbone Network
Network
EDGE increases capacity

voice voice voice voice voice

Standard GSM Transceiver

Free Free
voice voice voice voice voice Data
TS TS

EDGE Transceiver
 System upgrade for EDGE

EDGE TRU
B R
S B
C S

BSC Software Upgrade EDGE enabled RBS

What EDGE would mean to subscribers

• Streaming Applications
• Very high speed downloads
• Corporate Intranet connections
• Quicker MMS
• Video Phone
• Vertical corporate applications – Video
Conference, Remote presentations
Thank You!