3G Roaming Restriction

1
1.1 Selection or Reselection of a PLMN

Overview

When being powered on or roaming, a UE's first task is to find and connect to a network to obtain the services provided by the network. In this case, the UE in idle mode may perform the following operations: selection or reselection of a PLMN, selection or reselection of a cell, and location registration. After a UE is powered on, it first selects a PLMN, then selects a cell, and finally completes location update.

After a UE is powered on, it first selects a PLMN, and then selects a cell of this PLMN. After finding a cell of the PLMN, the UE learns of the information about the neighboring cells from broadcast system messages, and then selects to reside in a cell providing the best-quality signal among these cells. Next, the UE initiates a location registration procedure. After successful location registration, the UE resides in the cell providing the best-quality signal successfully. The benefits of cell residence are as follows:

Enables a UE to receive system messages broadcast by the PLMN. Enables a UE to initiate a random access within the cell. Enables a UE to receive paging messages within the network. Enables a UE to receive broadcast messages within the cell.

The selection or reselection of a PLMN aims to select an available PLMN. To achieve this goal, a UE generates a list where the available PLMNs are arranged in the sequence of priority, and then searches the list for the PLMN with the highest priority. The selection or reselection of a PLMN can be completed in two modes: automatic and manual. Automatic selection of a PLMN means that a UE automatically selects a PLMN based on PLMN priorities. Manual selection of a PLMN means that a subscriber selects a PLMN among all the displayed available PLMNs. In the PLMN list, the registered PLMN (RPLMN) enjoys the highest priority. There are two files in a USIM, namely EFLOCI and EFPSLOCI, which record the information about the RPLMN. The content of EFLOCI and EFPSLOCI is as follows:

Table 1-1 Content of EFLOCI Bytes 1 to 4 5 to 9 10 11 Description TMSI LAI RFU Location update status M/O M M M M Length 4 bytes 5 bytes 1 byte 1 byte

Table 1-2 Content of EFPSLOCI Bytes 1 to 4 5 to 7 8 to13 14 Description P-TMSI P-TMSI signature value RAI Routing Area update status M/O M M M M Length 4 bytes 3 bytes 6 bytes 1 byte

An LAI or RAI is saved in one of the two files. The LAI (= MCC + MNC + LAC) or RAI (= LAI + RAC) contains the MCC and MNC, which indicate the registered RPLMN. In either automatic or manual selection of a PLMN, after a UE is powered on, it first tries to select the RPLMN. If the selection of the RPLMN is successful, the PLMN selection procedure ends. If the selection of the RPLMN fails, the UE generates a PLMN list in which the PLMNs are sequenced by priority: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Home PLMN (HPLMN) PLMNs indicated in the file named User Controlled PLMN Selector with Access Technology in the USIM, that is, a list of subscriber controlled PLMNs PLMNs indicated in the file named Operator Controlled PLMN Selector with Access Technology in the USIM, that is, a list of carrier controlled PLMNs PLMNs with better signal quality (sequenced randomly) Other PLMNs (sequenced by signal quality from best to worst)

The IMSI (MCC + MNC + MSIN) is recorded in the USIM, and the UE can obtain the HPLMN (MCC + MNC) from the IMSI. The lists of subscriber controlled PLMNs and carrier controlled PLMNs are recorded in the EFPLMNwAcT and EFOPLMNwACT files of the USIM, in which ACT (access technology) specifies whether the GSM or UMTS network in the same PLMN is preferentially selected. The PLMNs with better signal quality and other PLMNs are found by the UE frequency by frequency.

The UE searches for the PLMNs one by one based on the preceding PLMN priority sequence and tries to register its location on a PLMN. The UMTS network evolves from the GSM network, but the access technologies used by them are different (GERAN for GSM and UTRAN for UMTS). Therefore, the preferential access technology must be specified for each PLMN. The priority of the access technologies is indicated in the file named User Controlled PLMN Selector with Access Technology or Operator Controlled PLMN Selector with Access Technology. If this priority is not indicated, usually the UE selects the GERAN preferentially. The reselection of a PLMN is required in the following scenarios:

PLMN reselection requested by a subscriber: A subscriber can manually initiate a PLMN reselection procedure in any case. PLMN reselection after a UE registers with the visited PLMN (VPLMN): After a UE registers with the VPLMN due to handover or roaming, the UE is aware of this registration because the VPLMN and the HPLMN have the same MCC but different MNCs. In this case, the UE tries its best to reselect the HPLMN by periodically searching for the HPLMN. The search period is written in a file of the USIM, ranging from six minutes to eight hours. The carriers can prohibit this search function. In this case, the period in the USIM file is set to 0.

The following figure shows the process of PLMN selection and reselection.

Figure 1-1 Automatic selection and reselection of a PLMN

Switch Off

Null

Switch on, no SIM

Switch on with SIM SIM inserted Is there a RPLMN ? No B SIM removed or invalid SIM No SIM

Select registered PLMN

Yes

User reselection

C Registration success Indicate selected PLMN

Trying RPLMN

A Registration failure Select first * PLMN in list

Select next * PLMN in list

LU response "Roaming not allowed" E On PLMN A Registration successful On VPLMN of home country Loss of radio and timeout coverage of selected PLMN ** occurs D Any allowable PLMNs available ? No Wait for PLMNs to appear Registered PLMN available and allowable E A C User re-selection Trying PLMN Registration failure, more in list

Registration failure, no moreB in list

Yes A

Move last selected PLMN temporarily into (d) on list

Any PLMNs No available & Allowable ? Yes Select first available and allowable PLMN in list

Select RPLMN Initiate HPLMN or HPLMN if search none

HPLMN search in progress HPLMN not found E HPLMN found Select HPLMN

PLMN available and allowable, which is not RPLMN C

F * "List" consists of points i) to v) except in case of a user re-selection in which case list consists of points i) to vi)

** Includes effective loss of coverage due to LAs being forbidden in all potentially suitable cells

Through the selection and reselection of a PLMN, a UE can select and roam between a GSM network and a WCDMA network with no need to upgrade the two networks. Through the reselection of a PLMN, a UE can return to the WCDMA network from the GSM network. To enable a WCDMA UE to automatically select the WCDMA network when roaming from the GSM network to the WCDMA network, a carrier can set the WCDMA and GSM networks as different PLMNs and set the WCDMA network as the HPLMN in the USIM of the UE. In addition, the carrier can control the PLMN selection time.

1.1.2 Selection of an ePLMN

ePLMN, short form for equivalent public land mobile network, provides a solution for subscribers to reside and roam between the shared networks and home networks. Carriers

can configure ePLMNs, between which the communication network resources can be shared. That is, the ePLMN feature allows subscribers to be served by other networks than their home networks based on their selections. The network selected by a subscriber must be saved in the USIM card and included in the ePLMN list provided by the carrier upon subscription or location update. An ePLMN is added to the USIM card of a UE in the following way: A carrier can configure the equivalent relation between different PLMNs at the network side to make these PLMNs equivalent. Thus, mobile subscribers homed to these PLMNs can select which network to reside from the ePLMNs provided by the carrier. The carrier configures the ePLMN list on the MSC server. One ePLMN list can contain at most five ePLMNs. When sending a Location Updating Accept message to a UE, the MSC server includes the related ePLMN list in the message, as shown in Figure 1-2. Then, the UE adds the PLMN ID of the existing network to the ePLMN list and saves the list in the USIM card. The ePLMN list is updated when the location update or combined location update request is accepted next time.

Figure 1-2 ePLMN list contained in the Location Updating Accept message

If the UE is located in a VPLMN, it periodically tries to obtain services from the HPLMN or PLMN with a higher priority. If the UE stores an ePLMN list, it selects one ePLMN from the list as its serving VPLMN, which enjoys a higher priority than the other PLMNs in the same country. Therefore, if the ePLMN is not supported and the VPLMN is not the HPLMN (or PLMN with a higher priority) of the UE, the UE reselects an HPLMN; if the UE stores an ePLMN list, the UE selects one ePLMN from the list as its serving VPLMN and reselects a cell. The following figure shows the ePLMN networking covering the 2G and 3G networks.

Figure 1-3 ePLMN networking covering the 2G and 3G networks

The UE/MS selects a network (for example, ePLMN1 or ePLMN2) from the ePLMN list. UE/MS

ePLMN1 ePLMN2

NodeB MGW BTS

BSC NodeB RNC MSOFTX3000 BTS

HLR

1.2 Selection or Reselection of a Cell

After selecting a PLMN, the UE starts to select a cell providing the highest-quality signal in this PLMN. If the UE finds that the reselected cell belongs to another LA or RA, the UE initiates a location update procedure, so that the network can obtain the latest location information about the UE. The system information block 1 (SIB1) contains CN common GSM-MAP NAS system information or PS domain system information , which reveals the LAC and RAC. The UE checks whether the LA or RA changes based on the LAC and RAC. Table 1-3 Content of CN common GSM-MAP NAS system information 8 LAC 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 octet 1 octet 2

Table 1-4 Content of PS domain system information 8 RAC Spare NMO 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 octet 1 octet 2

If the location registration or update of the UE fails (for example, the network rejects the location registration or update request of the UE), or the UE leaves the current PLMN coverage, the UE can reselect another available PLMN. The process of cell reselection is as follows: 1. Searching for a cell

To find a certain PLMN faster, if the UE stores certain information (such as frequency or scramble) about this PLMN, it first uses this information for cell search. This information is saved in the USIM or non-volatile memory of the UE. The procedure of searching for a cell is as follows: 1) 2) The UE synchronizes with the timeslot of the cell by using the synchronization code of the physical shared channel (PSCH). The UE synchronizes with the frame of the cell by using the synchronization code of the secondary synchronization channel (S-SCH), and at the same time determines the scramble group of the cell. The UE obtains the primary scramble of the cell through the common pilot channel (CPICH), and then the UE can read the broadcast channel.

3)

If the UE has already known certain information (such as frequency and primary scramble) about the cell, the preceding steps are completed faster. 2. Reading the broadcast channel

The UE reads the management information base (MIB) and checks whether the found PLMN is the required one. If the found PLMN is the required one, the UE looks for the other SIBs and obtains the content of these SIBs based on the dispatch information about the other SIBs contained in the MIB. If the found PLMN is not the required one, the UE searches for a cell from the next frequency. If finding a neighboring cell that meets the requirements, the UE resides in this cell and reads the needed system information. Then, the UE initiates a location registration procedure. If finding that no cell meets the requirements, the UE considers that there is no network signal, and then continues to select or reselect another PLMN. The following figure shows the general process of cell selection and reselection.

Figure 1-4 Selection and reselection of a cell by a UE in idle mode

go here whenever a new PLMN is selected cell information stored for the PLMN no cell information stored for the PLMN

Stored Information Cell Selection no suitable cell found suitable cell found

no suitable cell found

Initial Cell Selection

suitable cell found

Cell Selection when leaving connected mode

suitable cell found

no suitable cell found

Camped normally

NAS registration rejected

return to idle mode

leave idle mode

trigger

suitable cell selected

Connected Mode

Cell Reselection Evaluation Process

no suitable cell found

go here when no USIM in the UE

Any Cell Selection

USIM inserted

no acceptable cell found an acceptable cell found acceptable cell found

Cell Selection when leaving connected mode

Camped on Any Cell

suitable cell found

return to idle mode

leave idle mode trigger

acceptable cell selected no acceptable cell found

Connected Mode (Emergency calls only)

Cell Reselection Evaluation Process

1.2.2 Cell Reselection Strategy and Cause

Table 1-5 Cell reselection strategy for the 2G/3G convergent network Preferentially Select 3G Differences in technology Requirements for equipment providers A UE can preferentially select the 3G network through PLMN or cell reselection. To ensure that the 3G network is preferentially selected, the MSC server must support ePLMN or adjustment at the wireless side. UEs must support preferential selection of a 3G cell. 1. 3G UEs can preferentially access the 3G network and enjoy the 3G services and tariff. 2. 3G UEs can preferentially select 3G cells. 3. The wireless equipment must ensure the preferential selection of the 3G network and prevent frequent network handovers. Preferentially Select 2G A UE can preferentially select the 2G network through PLMN or cell reselection. To ensure that the 2G network is preferentially selected, the MSC server must support ePLMN or adjustment at the wireless side. UEs must support preferential selection of a 2G cell. 1. At the initial stage of 3G network construction, the 2G network coverage is better than the 3G network coverage. If the 2G network is set as a preferential selection, 3G UEs cannot select the 3G network after accessing the 2G network, and thus cannot enjoy 3G services and tariff. 2. 3G UEs can preferentially select 2G cells.

Requirements for and impact on carriers

Same as the PLMN selection strategy, the cell reselection strategy should also ensure that UEs preferentially reside in the 3G network. In idle mode, a UE can roam between different networks through cell reselection. The cell reselection strategy is as follows: 1. A UE reselects a 2G cell only when roaming out of the 3G network to ensure continuous network coverage. 2. Once the UE returns to the 3G network, it reselects a 3G cell. The network selection strategy of a UE upon power-on and the cell reselection strategy of the UE in idle mode ensure that the UE preferentially resides in the 3G network, and take the advantage of the 2G network for better coverage. The cell reselection strategy uses the 2G network to compensate the coverage defect of the 3G network at its initial construction stage, thus enabling 2G carriers to make the best of their early investments on the 2G network and maintain their competitiveness in network coverage. With only a minor change on the 2G network, the cell reselection strategy enables a UE to return to the 3G network from the 2G network, ensuring 3G subscribers' preferential access to the 3G network when the 3G network is available and carriers' competitiveness in service provisioning. To enable a UE to return to the WCDMA system from the GSM system through cell selection and reselection requires upgrading the GSM system. In addition, the standards for measuring signal quality are different in the two systems, and thus the parameters related to cell selection and reselection must be set

correctly; if any related parameter is set incorrectly, improper selection or frequent cycle selection of cells might occur between the systems. In addition, a UE can return to the WCDMA network from the GSM network through PLMN reselection, and thus cell selection and reselection is not recommended to implement this function.