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QoSClassIdentifierWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

QoS Class Identifier

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

QoS Class Identifier (QCI) is a mechanism used in 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks to ensure
bearer traffic is allocated appropriate Quality of Service (QoS). Different bearer traffic requires different
QoS and therefore different QCI values. QCI value 9 is typically used for the default bearer of a UE/PDN
for non privileged subscribers.[1]

Background
To ensure that bearer traffic in LTE networks is appropriately handled, a mechanism is needed to classify
the different types of bearers into different classes, with each class having appropriate QoS parameters for
the traffic type. Examples of the QoS parameters include Guaranteed Bit Rate (GBR) or non-Guaranteed
Bit Rate (non-GBR), Priority Handling, Packet Delay Budget and Packet Error Loss rate. This overall
mechanism is called QCI.

Mechanism
The QoS concept as used in LTE networks is class-based, where each bearer type is assigned one QoS Class
Identifier (QCI) by the network. The QCI is a scalar that is used within the access network (namely the
eNodeB) as a reference to node specific parameters that control packet forwarding treatment, for example
scheduling weight, admission thresholds and link-layer protocol configuration.
The QCI is also mapped to transport network layer Layer parameters in the relevant Evolved Packet Core
(EPC) core network nodes (for example, the PDN Gateway (P-GW), Mobility Management Entity (MME)
and Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) ), by preconfigured QCI to Differentiated Services Code
Point (DSCP) mapping. According to 3GPP TS 23.203, 13 QCI values are standardized and associated with
QCI characteristics, in term of packet forwarding treatment that the bearer traffic receives edge-to-edge
between the UE and the P-GW. Scheduling priority, packet delay budget and packet error loss rate are the
set of characteristics defined by the 3GPP standard and they should be understood as guidelines for the
pre-configuration of node specific parameters to ensure that applications/services mapped to a given QCI
receive the same level of QoS in multi-vendor environments as well as in roaming scenarios. The QCI
characteristics are not signalled on any interface.
The following table illustrates the standardized characteristics as defined in the 3GPP TS 23.203 standard
"Policy and Charging Control Architecture".

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QCI

QoSClassIdentifierWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Resource
Type

Priority

Packet

Packet

Delay

Error

Budget

Loss

Example Services

GBR

100ms

102

Conversational Voice

GBR

150ms

103

Conversational Video

GBR

50ms

103

Real Time Gaming

GBR

300ms

106

Non-Conversational Video (Buffered Streaming)

65

GBR

0.7

75ms

102

Mission Critical user plane Push To Talk voice (e.g., MCPTT)

66

GBR

100ms

102

Non-Mission-Critical user plane Push To Talk voice

non-GBR 1

100ms

106

IMS Signalling

non-GBR 6

300ms

106

non-GBR 7

100ms

103

non-GBR 8

300ms

Video (Buffered Streaming) TCP-Based (for example, www,

email, chat, ftp, p2p and the like)
Voice, Video (Live Streaming), Interactive Gaming
Video (Buffered Streaming) TCP-Based (for example, www,

106

email, chat, ftp, p2p and the like)

Video (Buffered Streaming) TCP-Based (for example, www,

non-GBR 9

300ms

106

69

non-GBR 0.5

60ms

106

70

non-GBR 5.5

200ms

106

email, chat, ftp, p2p and the like). Typically used as default
bearer
Mission Critical delay sensitive signalling (e.g., MC-PTT
signalling)
Mission Critical Data (e.g. example services are the same as
QCI 6/8/9)

Every QCI (GBR and Non-GBR) is associated with a Priority level. Priority level 0.5 is the highest Priority
level. If congestion is encountered, the lowest Priority level traffic would be the first to be discarded.
QCI-65, QCI-66, QCI-69 and QCI-70 were introduced in 3GPP TS 23.203 Rel-12.

References
1. "3GPP TS 23.203 Policy and Charging Control Architecture". Retrieved 14 January 2015.

http://www.3gpp.org/DynaReport/23203.htm
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Categories: Telecommunications 3GPP standards LTE (telecommunication) Mobile technology
Mobile telecommunications Mobile telecommunications standards
This page was last modified on 25 February 2016, at 09:05.
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