American Journal of Engineering and Technology Research

Vol. 11, No.9, 2011

RESEARCH ON KEY PROBLEMS OF A-INTERFACE OVER IP

XUE YUE1 ,WEI BING2, LI KAI2, DUAN XIAO-DONG2, WANG SHUAI-YU2 1.Network Technology Research Institute, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876 2.China Mobile Research Institute Co., Ltd, Beijing 100053

ABSTRACT With the current trend of all IP based mobile network, transformation of taditional TDM-based 2G BSS is the last problem to be solved.. International standards have just completed the definition of A-interface over IP, and Industry achievement has not been totally completed. In this paper, the key problems and the industrial progress of A-interface over IP deployment are introduced, and the recommended solutions about deployment strategy A-interface over IP are proposed. KEY WORDS: IP BASED, A-interface, Key technologies, Deployment strategy, Industrial progress 1. BACKGROUND OF IP BASED MOBILE NETWORK A.DEVELOPMENT TREND OF IP BASED MOBILE NETWORK These years, IP technology is developing rapidly, and has gotten a great success in the Internet. Mobile communication and Internet technology are the fastest developing information technology and potentially have the largest market in the world. With the commercialization of the third generation mobile communication (3G) technology, and the popularization of Internet business , the two major technologies tend to a mutual integration. It has become the industry's consensus that mobile network will evolve to an all IP based network, and standards organizations have also proposed a network architecture based on all IP technology. Mobile softswitch technology was defined in 3GPP Rlease 4. In 2004 the IP based core network was firstly achieved by the relevant 3GPP protocols of mobile softswitch. Subsequently, 3GPP Release5 and Release 6 introduced the Iu-interface over IP, Release 7 achieved the control plane of Gb-interface and A-interface over IP. Release 8 defined the user plane of A-interface over IP, and ultimately achieved the end-to-end IP bearer in the mobile softswitch. B.SIGNIFICANCE OF IP BASED MOBILE NETWORK IP based mobile network is of great significance for the network development. It can effectively improve network performance, business support capabilities, the user experience, reduce the CAPEX and OPEX of telecom oprators, guarantee the long-term evolution of mobile network, and ultimately achieve a completely flat architecture of mobile network. Domestic mobile operators have constructed a large-scale softswitch tandem network based on IP bearer, so far more than half of the traffic is carried in IP based network. But a huge number of the

1528

American Journal of Engineering and Technology Research

Vol. 11, No.9, 2011

tradition 2G BSS are still based on TDM bearer, how to achieve IP BSS is most significant to all IP based network, and is the last problem left to be solved. 2. KEY PROBLEMS IN A-INTERFACE OVER IP A. CONCEPT OF A-INTERFACE OVER IP A-interface is the interface between BSC and MSC Server, across the core network and radio access network, so it is very significant. With the evolution of 3GPP from R6 to R7, A-interface was introduced with IP based signaling (SIGTRAN) to replace the original TDM signaling interface; But for the user plane, 3GPP protocols only defined TDM transmission. As a result transcoders were still located in the BSS, and A-interface only supported PCM (G.711) codec. With the evolution of 3GPP from R7 to R8, all IP based A-interface wass defined, and then BSCs signaling plane could be directly connected with MSC Server, BSCs user plane is connected to MGW based IP bearer. As a result, GSM compressed codecs can be transmited in A-interface, transcoders are only left in MGW. A-interface over IP has involved a large number of changes to the original protocols, including signaling plane and user plane [4] [6]. B. BENEFITS A-INTERFACE OVER IP A-interfaceto over IP has great significance for network simplify and evolution, the benifits are described as below: (1) Improving the quality of voice. With A-interface over IP, the Transcoder Free Operation (TrFO) during whole process will be available, which can enhance voice quality; (2) Flat signaling network archetecture. BSCs signaling directly interacts with MSC Server, SG can be removed; (3) Simplifying network organization of MSC POOL.With A-interface over TDM, MSC POOL was very difficult to be implemented for complex connection of E1 transmission. IP brought a flat network, reduced the difficulty of transport planning, and would allow MSC POOL implemented more smoothly; (4) simplifying network maintenance and management. When GSM core network and radio access network support IP based network simultaneously, network operator can unify the network type, reduce personnel skill requirement of maintenance, and simply the network maintenance and management. (5) Unifying transmission network planning and design. As 3G RAN is IP based, 3G RAN network must be based on IP transmission technology in future. IP BSS would allow 2G and 3G share unified transmission network plan.

1529

American Journal of Engineering and Technology Research

Vol. 11, No.9, 2011

C. PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS DUIRING IMPLEMENTING A-INTERFACE OVER IP We will face a variety of technological options during the implementation of A-interface over IP. The following introduce some major problems and resolution suggestion, mainly focused on the selection of IP/TDM dual stack, and G.711 over IP, MGW optimization policy, and the unified policy of TrFO: (1) Selection of IP/TDM dual stack technology The maturity and stability of A-Interface over IP may need further validation, and the interrupt of A-interfaces will directly lead to loss of business. To ensure the smooth transition from A-interface over TDM to A-interface over IP, 3GPP protocols defines the IP/TDM dualstack scenario that BSC should support both A-interface over IP and A-interface over TDM. 3GPP standards defined IP/TDM dual stack technology mainly based on the following considerations: 1) TDM bearer is a backup of IP bearer, TDM bearer can still be used when the IP bearer failure; 2) promoting a smooth transition AoTDM to AoIP. New calls are based on IP bearer,the existing calls still based on TDM bearer when TDM switch to IP; 3) TDM/IP sharing load.Traffic load distributed between TMD and IP bearer according to the percentage that was setted in advance. 4) TDM bearer can be used as the expansion of IP bearer. However, when A-interface based on IP bearer, the effect of using TDM as expansion is not obvious. Take GSM_EFR for example, GE interface can carry a traffic of about 23Kerl, much larger than 4Kerl which is typical BSCs traffic of the existing network, IP bearer can completely replace the TDM bearer. Meanwhile, the IP/TDM dual stack technology has the following problems: 1) Each call required a pre-set ratio for bearer selection, just as each switch between IP and TDM, which may cause the complexity and unstability of the equipment; 2) Maintaining both TDM/IP transport, data configuration is complex. Both the TDM/IP card procurement and allocation of resources should be considered, a default of configuration will result in a loss of business. Therefore, the IP/TDM dual stack technology is not suitable to apply in the existing network for its complexity and prosibility to reduce the network stability. Before the maturity IP BSC, redundant TDM resources can be used as security of emergency rewind, and BSC can be completely based on IP bearer when product maturity has been verified. (2) Selection of G.711 over IP technology In the process of Implementing A-interface over IP, transcoders are needed for the traffic between IP BSC and TDM BSC TDM which are in the same MSC. 3GPP protocol defined G.711 over IP technology in order to avoid reserving more transcoders(short of TC) in MGW during the the process of upgrading.G.711 over IP technology means that GSM compressed codecs encapsulated in the PCM (G.711) frame to be carried by UDP/IP protocol stack. But the effect that G.711 over IP technology brings to save the reserved TC resources in core network is not obvious. Take the following diagram for example, the total traffic is 4000erl, in

1530

American Journal of Engineering and Technology Research

Vol. 11, No.9, 2011

which traffic within the same BSC accounted for 10%. During the process of upgrading TDM BSC to IP BSC, only the traffic between TDM BSC and IP BSC needs extra TC resources. TC resources will increase by less than 7%. Resources of Existing equipment are designed according to the peak traffic, so no extra TC resources are needed if upgrade BSC in non-peak hours(BSCs load is below 50%). Specific analysis is described as following:

Fig.1 TC resources requirement in BSC upgrading from TDM to IP Meanwhile, G.711 over IP technology has the following problems: 1) Bandwidth is 3-4 times to the compressed codecs, the bandwidth utilization is low; 2)Only suitable to apply during the BSCs intra-MSC upgrading phase, which is a very short period. Therefore, G.711 over IP technology is not recommended in the application. (3) Principles of Optimization MGW Selection technology A-interface over IP can simplify transfer organization of A-interface, achieved a prerequisite for a BSC connecting to multiple MGWs and disaster recovery of A-interface. IF a BSC connect to multiple MGWs, optimization session routing can achieve through optimization MGW selection technology. Optimization MGW selection technology can be uesed to achieve optimization session route, principles are recommendations as followin: 1) For a call intra-BSC, the calling and called parts should select the MGW in the same site with BSC, in order to avoid a roundabout route; 2) For a call inter-BSC, the calling and called parties should try to select a common MGW in order to avoid occupating bandwidth of Nb-interface between MGWs; 3) Based on meeting the above principles, traffic between MGWs should try to share load on the balance. According to the above principles, optimization MGW selection technology can achieve balance load between MGWs, Improve bandwidth utilization of network, thus, improve the network performance and provid users with more stable voice quality. (4) TrFO technology TrFO is the abbreviation of Transcoder Free Operation. TrFO is out of band negotiation that calls which have no transcoders involved in the connection between the source codecs. [5] A-interface support GSM compressed codeces when based on IP bearer, which made TrFO possible, as described below:
1531

American Journal of Engineering and Technology Research

Vol. 11, No.9, 2011

Fig.2 A-interface over IP made TrFO possible TrFO technology can reduce the times of tanscoding between UEs during a call, thus, it saves the cost of resources and the resulting power consumption. However, TrFO technology has not been completely suitable to be applied in GSM network by now. Four major differences in industry programs lead to compatibility risks in the environment of multi-vendor equipments: 1) Out of band negotiation inter-MSC is limited to carry 8 codecs, however, the radio access supports multiple codecs(such as GSM_EFR, GSM_FR, GSM_HR, FR_AMR, HR_AMR, UMTS_AMR, UMTS_AMR2, FR_AMR_WB, UMTS_AMR_WB etc). AMR code includes multiple sets, and each set is considered as a single codec, so there will not be a respected TrFO without Unifying an codec carrying policy for Out of band negotiation. 2) For the inter-MSC fomat of AMR codec during out of band negotiation, differences exist in equipment manufacturers definition. There will not be a respected TrFO without Unifying a policy, and may even cause failed calls. 3) For the codec order carried inter-MSC during out of band negotiation, differences exist in equipment manufacturers policies. There will not be a respected TrFO nor choose the best codec without Unifying a policy. 4) For the principles of inter-MSC out of band negotiation, differences exist in equipment manufacturers programs, There will not be a respected TrFO nor choose the best codec without Unifying a policy. Therefore, before enabling TrFO, further research and analysis on the above problems are necessary. Developing a General Codec Policy (GCP)could avoid potential risks. 3. DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY OF A-INTERFACE OVER IP The development of A-interface over IP in GSM network, should be based on analysis of both construction costs and the effect of the network, and should be excuted under the premise of ensuring the network's security and stability. IP/TDM dual stack technology and G.711 over IP technology are not recommend according to above discussion. Under risk prevention and reasonable implemention principles, network

1532

American Journal of Engineering and Technology Research

Vol. 11, No.9, 2011

operator could improve advantages brought by A-interface over IP through optimization MGW selection technology and TrFO technology. 4. INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT OF A-INTERFACE OVER IP A-interface over IP was partly defined in 3GPP Release 7, which only defined the signaling plane. China Mobile had actively promoted A-interface over IP solution to the international standards, led to establish relevant SI/WI in 3GPP, and cooperated with main telecom operators and equipment manufacturers to define the fully A-interface over IP standards, which were provided as technical basis for A-interface over IP test, network construction and maintenance. In the year of 2010, China Mobile firstly completed the 3GPP standard based AoIP laboratory test and real site trial, with Huawei, ZTE, Ericsson, Nokia Siemens Networks, Motorola and other major network equipment vendors. The tests included both single vendor test and IOT test during which the core network and redio access network are from different vendors. The results show that the major equipment vendors have already supported current GSM features, related protocols of A-Interface over IP were compliance with 3GPP standards; Meanwhile vioce quality was improved when A-interface based on IP, other KPI indicators did not change obviously. 11 problems were found and had been solved through above verification, including 5 internal problems for different vendors, 6 compatibility problems between different vendors. The solution of these problems further impetused A-interface over IP industry to improve, laid the foundation for large-scale applications of A-interface over IP. 5. SUMMARIES Since all IP based network is a complex and arduous project, telecom operators should achieve it gradually. A-interface over IP is an important step of network evolution, and is also an important choice to enhance the MSC POOLs effect and application scope. It can save the transcoders and transmission resources, can improve service quality of network. A-interface over IP has brought a flat network, which consistent trend of network evolution and made the all IP based network possible to achieve. This paper has analyzed key problems and solution recommendations in A-interface over IP, and also introduced the progress of the industry. These outputs could be used as a reference for the large-scale deployment of A-interface over IP. Meahwhile, since codecs types in core network will increase significantly with A-interface over IP, it is necessary to research and formulate a General Codec Policy. GCP is to ensure that calls are successfully established and codecs are successfully negotiated, to reduce the times of transcoding, and to improve service quality. REFERENCES [1] WANG Shuai-yu; Duan Xiao-dong; Yang Guang. China Mobile Research Institute 2G Radio accese network A interface over IP Policy.Beijing Telecommunications Technology.2008

1533

American Journal of Engineering and Technology Research

Vol. 11, No.9, 2011

[2] DUAN Xiao-dong; WANG Shuai-yu; Wei Bing. China Mobile Research Institute 2G BSS IP evolution Summary. Beijing. Telecommunications Technology 2008 [3] Li Kai; WANG Shuai-yu; Wei Bing; China Mobile Research Institute. Technology Innovation and Development of Full Softswitching over IP. Beijing. Mobile Communications. 2010 [4] 3GPP TS 48008 v8.7.0-2009. Mobile Switching Centre-Base Station System interface [5] 3GPP TS 23153 v9.0.0-2009. Out of band transcoder control; Stage 2 [6] 3GPP TS 26102 v8.2.0-2009. Mandatory speech codec;AMR; Interface to Iu, Uu and Nb

1534