1 What is GPRS ?

1.1 Definition

Definition (3GPP TS 22.060)

 GPRS provides data transfer capabilities between a sending
entity and one or more receiving entities.
 These entities may be an MS or a Terminal Equipment, the
latter being attached either to a GPRS network or to an
external data network.
 The base station provides radio channel access for MSs to
the GPRS network.

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 1 What is GPRS ?
1.2 General architecture

A PSTN
NSS

BSS

GPRS PDN
Gb Core Network IP / PPP
IP

Gi

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 1 What is GPRS ?
1.3 Classes of MS

Class A
 Operates GPRS and other GSM services simultaneously.

Class B
 Monitors control channels for GSM GPRS and other GSM
services simultaneously,
 but can only operate one set of services at one time.

Class C
 Exclusively operates GPRS services.

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 1 What is GPRS ?
1.4 GPRS Main Concepts (1/4)

Use of radio resources in case of circuit switching

Radio interface Access node
CS <->PS

Radio timeslot

GSM
network PDN

CS PS

Fixed bit rate (9.6 kb/s)

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 1 What is GPRS ?
1.4 GPRS Main Concepts (2/4)

Use of radio resources in case of packet switching

Radio interface

Radio timeslot

GPRS PDN
network
PS
PS

Variable bit rate

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 1 What is GPRS ?
1.4 GPRS Main Concepts (3/4)

Radio resource assigned according to requirement

 Radio resource shared between users
 Various radio channel coding schemes are specified to allow
bit rates from 9 to more than 150 kb/s per user
 High bit rates if several channels are assigned to one MS
 Low bit rates if one channel is shared by several MSs.

Optimized use of the radio resource

 Use of the radio resources only when data is transferred
 Uplink and downlink resources reserved separately

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 1 What is GPRS ?
1.4 GPRS Main Concepts (4/4)

Dynamic allocation and sharing of radio resources

GPRS network
Radio timeslot

Radio
Block

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 1 What is GPRS ?
1.5 The benefits of GPRS

GPRS benefits
 BSS hardware (included OMC-R) is re-used from GSM
 Smooth GPRS introduction
 Higher data throughput thanks to EGPRS (EDGE)
 Data transfers can billed by volume instead of time
 An MS can exchange data by GPRS in parallel with a
conventional GSM call (if MS Class A)

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 1 What is GPRS ?
1.6 EGPRS

EGPRS is an enhancement of GPRS

 allows higher bit rates on the radio interface
 achieved by using
 a new modulation (8-PSK)
 and new coding schemes (MCS-1 to MCS-9) in the MS
and the BSS.

The same set of services provided by GPRS is available in

EGPRS.

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 1 What is GPRS ?
1.7 Quality of service profile

Peak throughput Class

9 classes the maximum data rate allowed to the user
Throughput class
Mean throughput Class
19 classes maximum data rate during a period

Reliability Class
5 classes acknowledgement of packets

Delay Class
4 classes total delay measured between R or S point and Gi

Precedence Class
3 classes relative importance of service under congestion

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 1 What is GPRS ?
1.8 Services

Always-on Media Fun

• Games (Hangman, Poker, …)
Directories • Screen Saver
• Yellow/White Pages • Ring Tone
Mobile Office • International Directories • Horoscope
• Operator Services • Biorhythm
• Voice (!)
• E-mail
• Agenda Music
• IntraNet/InterNet • Downloading of
• Corporate Applications Transportation music files or
• Database Access • Flight/train Schedule video clips
• reservation News
(general/specific)
• International/National News Location services
• Local News • Traffic Conditions
• Sport News • Itineraries
Vertical • Weather • Nearest Restaurant,
application • Lottery Results Cinema, Chemist,
• Traffic Management • Finance News… Parking;, ATM ...
• Automation
• Mobile branches
• Health M-commerce
Non physical
• on-line Banking Physical
• Ticketing • on-line shopping
• Auction • on-line food
• Gambling….

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2 GPRS Operation
 2 GPRS Operation
2.1 Main Entities

Overview NSS
PSTN
MSC/VLR
BSS HLR
with PCU

GPRS
Internet
Core Network

SGSN
GPRS IP
Backbone
GGSN
MS

DNS BG
DHCP
NTP

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 2 GPRS Operation
2.1 Main Entities

SGSN and GGSN

PLMN GSS
IP network 1

SGSN1
BSS1 GGSN1 IP network 2
IP
backbone
IP network 3

BSS2 SGSN2 GGSN2 IP network 4

IP network 5

GGSN3

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 2 GPRS Operation
2.1 Main Entities

Servers
SGSN

GPRS IP Backbone
GGSN

DNS

DHCP NTP
Name
IP
IP address
address

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 2 GPRS Operation
2.1 Main Entities

Border gateway

SGSN VPLMN IP GGSN

backbone VPLMN

MS

BG

Inter-PLMN
network

BG
GGSN
SGSN HPLMN IP backbone PDN

HPLMN

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 2 GPRS Operation
2.1 Main Entities

Interfaces

SMS-
Um BSS A MSC HLR
GMSC

Gs
Mobile Gb Gr Gd
GPRS

Gc

SGSN

Gn
Gi
SGSN GGSN PDN
Signaling + data

Signaling GPRS network

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 2 GPRS Operation
2.2 MS Mobility Management States

MS MM states

Stand-by
READY timer expiry

PDU transmission
Ready
GPRS Attach

GPRS Detach

Idle

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 2 GPRS Operation
2.3 MS Radio Resource Operating Modes

MS RR operating modes vs MS MM states

Packet Packet Packet

RR
transfer mode idle mode idle mode

MM Ready Standby

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 2 GPRS operation
2.4 Basic procedures

IP overview

http ftp smtp wap http ftp smtp wap

gtp

tcp 1 tcp 1
Routers

ip ip ip ip ip

SGSN IP network

GGSN

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 2 GPRS Operation
2.4 Basic Procedures

MS high protocol layers

GMM/SM SMS IP

NSAPIi

SNDCP NSAPI

TLLI LLC TLLI NSAPI

Radio layers

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 2 GPRS Operation
2.4 Basic Procedures

Transmission plane

Application
Application

IP IP IP
relay
SNDCP GTP GTP
SNDCP

LLC LLC UDP UDP

relay L2 (MAC)
RLC RLC (BSSGP) (BSSGP) IP IP
Frame Frame
MAC MAC L2 L2
relay relay
Physical Physical Physical Physical Physical Physical Physical
Layer Layer Layer Layer Layer Layer Layer

MS Um BSS Gb SGSN Gn GGSN Gi

(with PCU)

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 2 GPRS Operation
2.4 Basic Procedures

HLR GPRS data

For each MS
NMC-NSS
IMSI  MSISDN

 network access mode : GPRS | NSS | both

 subscribed « PDP contexts » (maximum of n) :

• PDP type : IP | PPP

MS HLR • [PDP address (IP@) ]
• Access point name (APN) or * (= wild card)
n times
• APN accessible through FPLMN-GGSN ?
• QoS profile
HPLMN
• etc ...

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 2 GPRS Operation
2.4 Basic Procedures

GPRS attachment
HLR

Authent_info_respq)

Update_loc_ack()
Insert_subs_data()


Authent_info_req()

Update_loc_req()
SS7
network

Attach-Request (IMSI) 
PLMN
MS_authentication_procedure 
GGSN
SGSN GPRS IP
backbone
Attach_resp (P_TMSI)
Attach_complete () 

BSS

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 2 GPRS Operation
2.4 Basic Procedures

GPRS attachment

 after a GPRS_Attach procedure

SGSN1
TLLI1 PDN1
GGSN1

GPRS IP
backbone

SGSN2

GGSN2 PDN2
GPRS - CN

LLC layer

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 2- GPRS Operation
2.4 Basic procedures

PDP context activation

DNS DHCP

GGSN1
PLMN Activate_PDP_req (PDN2)  4 PDN1

TLLI1 SGSN GPRS

backbone

Activate_PDP_resp(@IP_MS)

GGSN2
PDN2
BSS
Create_PDP_req (PDN2) 3

5 Create_PDP_resp (@IP_MS)

GPRS Core Network

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 2 GPRS Operation
2.4 Basic Procedures

PDP context activation Authentication and

accounting
DNS
RADIUS

GGSN1
PLMN Activate_PDP_req (PDN1) 
4
PDN1
TLLI1 SGSN GPRS
backbone Intranet/ISP
 Activate_PDP_resp(@IP_MS)

GGSN2
BSS
Create_PDP_req (PDN1) 3 DHCP
5
6 Create_PDP_resp (@IP_MS)

Address allocation
GPRS Core Network

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 2 GPRS Operation
2.4 Basic Procedures

PDP context activation

 after PDP_context_activation procedures
 after GPRS_Attach procedure

SGSN1
TID1=IMSI+ NSAPI1
TLLI1 PDN1
GGSN1
TID
2=
IM
SI+ IP
GPRS
NS
backbone AP
I2
SGSN2

GGSN2 PDN2
GPRS - CN

by the LLC layer by the GTP layer

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 2 GPRS Operation
2.4 Basic Procedures

PDP context activation

 after PDP_context_activation procedures
 after GPRS_Attach procedure  ul/dl data_transfers

SGSN1
TID1=IMSI+ NSAPI1
TLLI1 PDN1
GGSN1
TID
2=
IM
SI+ IP
GPRS
NS
backbone AP
I2
SGSN2

GGSN2 PDN2
GPRS - CN

by the LLC layer by the GTP layer

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 2 GPRS Operation
2.4 Basic Procedures

User data transfer

SGSN GGSN
over the Gi interface

over the Gn interface

U-data @ MS @ MS
U-data
@server @server

MS
U-data @ MS GTP UDP @sgsn
PDN
@server header header @ggsn

within the MS
@ggsn UDP GTP @server U-data
@sgsn header header @ MS
server

@server U-data @server U-data

@ MS @ MS

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 2 GPRS Operation
2.5 Charging

Charging process CCBS

ftp

MS CG
S_CDR G_CDR

M_CDR GTP’

GPRS
backbone
PDN
SGSN GGSN
BSS

 GPRS_Attach procedure  PDP_context_activation and data transfers

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 2 GPRS Operation
2.5 Charging

Charging process

SGSN VPLMN
backbone VPLMN

MS
BG
S-CDR CG CCBS

Inter-PLMN
network

BG
CCBS

HPLMN GGSN
CG backbone
PDN

HPLMN G-CDR

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 2 GPRS operation
2.6 Security

1- Secured network access

• Authentication of MSs and confidentiality of
their identity 2- Secured backbone IP network
• Possibility of encrypting user data Firewall = application-level filtering
• Possibility of verifying IMEI with an EIR (Gf) Filtering by access lists (in the GGSNs)

GPRS Network
Public Internet

3- Secured intranet access

APN with mandatory subscription
APN with access lists
APN with tunneling on Gi (IPsec)

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3 The Base Station Subsystem
 3 The Base Station Subsystem
3.1 3GPP Position

PCU function

CCU
PCU BSC SGSN
BTS
CCU

Gb
Um
BSC
CCU SGSN
BTS PCU
CCU

CCU Gb
BTS BSC PCU
CCU
Abis
CCU = Channel Control Unit SGSN
PCU = Packet Control Unit

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 3 The Base Station Subsystem
3.2 Alcatel’s Choice

PCU function

MFS

TRE
BTS BSC
PCU
TRE SGSN
MFS
GSL PCU
Gb
PCU
TRE BSC
BTS
TRE Ater
Abis
mux
Um

= GPRS Signaling Links

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 3 The Base Station Subsystem
3.3 Layered Model

User plane

IP

SNDCP SM GMM GMM SM SNDCP

LLC LLC
PCU
RLC BSSGP
relay BSS
RLC GP
MAC Frame Frame
MAC relay relay
relay
Physical L2-GCH Physical Physical
Physical L2-GCH
layer layer L1-GCH L1-GCH layer layer

MS BTS MFS Gb SGSN

Um Abis/Ater

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 3 The Base Station Subsystem
3.3 Layered Model

Signaling plane

BSCGP
BSCGP
L2-GSL L2-GSL
L1-GSL L1-GSL

RRM RRM

relay relay
physical physical
layer layer

Gb
MS Um BTS Abis BSC Ater MFS

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 3 The Base Station Subsystem
3.4 Gb Interface

Managed entities
BSS side GPRS Core Network side

BVCI=2

BVCI=2 PCM
BC NSVC1 PCM
PVC
BC BVCI=1
BVCI=1
BSC1 NSE1 NSE1
BVCI=3
PCM
BC NSVC2 PCM
PVC
BC
BVCI=3

F.R
Network
BVCI=5

BVCI=5 PCM
BC NSVC3 PCM
PVC
BC BVCI=4
BVCI=4
BSC2 NSE2 NSE2
BVCI=6
PCM
BC NSVC4 PCM
PVC
BC
BVCI=6

SGSN

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 3 The Base Station Subsystem
3.4 Gb Interface

Protocols
BSS side GPRS Core Network side

BVCI=2

BVCI=1
BSC1
BVCI=3

BSS GPRS Protocol BSS GPRS Protocol

BVC
(BSSGP) (BSSGP)
BVCI=5

BVCI=4 BSC2 NSE

BVCI=6 Network Service Control Network Service Control
(NSC) NS-VC (NSC)

Sub-Network Service PVC Sub-Network Service

(SNS) (SNS)
BC
Physical layer PCM PCM
Physical layer

Packet Control Unit function

Frame Relay SGSN
(PCU)

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 3 The Base Station Subsystem
3.5 Radio Interface

GPRS / EGPRS throughput

Maximum rate
Coding Scheme Modulation
per PDCH (kb/s)

CS4 GMSK 21.4

GPRS
CS3 GMSK 15.6
CS2 GMSK 13.4
CS1 GMSK 9.05

MCS9 8-PSK 59.2

MCS8 8-PSK 54.4
MCS7 8-PSK 44.8
EGPRS

MCS6 8-PSK 29.6 / 27.2*

MCS5 8-PSK 22.4

MCS4 GMSK 17.6

MCS3 GMSK 14.8 / 13.6*
MCS2 GMSK 11.2
MCS1 GMSK 8.8
* in case of padding

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 3 The Base Station Subsystem
3.5 Radio interface

TDMA frame and GPRS physical channels

TDMA frame 0 TDMA1 TDMA51

fi 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Multi-frame (52)

0 to 3
47 to 50
TS0 51
Block0 Block11

PDCH0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
8 physical
channels
PDCH7

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 3 The Base Station Subsystem
3.5 Radio interface

GPRS channels

Um Abis AterMux Gb
MFS
BTS BSC SGSN
(PCU)

Channel
Coding LLC PDUs
Radio blocks RLC/MAC PDU (1600 bytes max)

PDTCH 1 EGCH 1

0 11
PDTCH n EGCH n

0 11

Radio blocks
GMSK: 456 symbols
8-PSK: 464 symbols
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 3 The Base Station Subsystem
3.5 Radio interface

Master and Slave PDCHs

PDCH

PBCCH
PCCCH = PPCH + PAGCH + PRACH
MPDCH
PTCH = PDTCH + PACCH

SPDCH PTCH = PDTCH + PACCH

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 3 The Base Station Subsystem
3.5 Radio interface

UL transfer
start
of TBF1 end of
TBF1
MS network
TBF2 TBF3 TBF4
fULi time
Packet Channel Request

Packet Resource Assignment MFS

(list of PDCHi, token=T,TFIk)

MS starts listening to all DL blocks token value on the allocated PDCHi

DL PDCHi Ø Ø T T Ø T Ø T T T Ø

in block b
N token =T ?
Y
SEND on block b+1 (TFIk)

UL PDCHi ? Ø Ø TFIk TFIk Ø TFIk Ø TFIk TFIk TFIk

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 3 The Base Station Subsystem
3.5 Radio interface

DL transfer
MFS SGSN MS PDU

Paging Request ("packet") PS Paging

UL TBF: refer to Packet Paging Response

previous slide

Packet Resource Assignment

(list(PDCHj),TFIz)

MS starts listening to all DL blocks TFI value on the allocated PDCHj

DL PDCHj Ø Ø Z Z Ø Z Ø Z Z

N
in block b, TFI=TFIz ?
Y

The MS consumes the content of block b

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