Abstract
This chapter deals with the description of the various applied Mobile System Architectures, showing the evolution path towards the IP Convergence issue, with the introduction of the IP Multimedia Subsystem. It contains the most important networks entities of the different Mobile Networks Systems and their integration to the IMS. Being the core of the Fixed-Mobile Converge, IMS’ operation, functionality and interoperability with the other Telecom platforms are analyzed. Furthermore, aiming in a cost effective high QoS solution, typical performance evaluation strategies of the network manufacturers are described. Its scope is to give an overview of the existing architectures, their network components, their characteristics and their differences, while also show how nearly all traditional Telecom networks can be converged, with the use of the IMS, to an all-IP network, where various applications can be accessed by heterogeneous network platforms.
TopIms—A Standardized Next Generation Network Architecture For Fixed/Mobile Convergence
Initially radio communication was based on simple single cell analogue systems. After the early 80ties introduction to mass market, digital systems were soon adopted. It is not only the architectural technology but also the transmitted information and data rate that characterize the different generations. To be more precisely, the widely applied and used generations till the present time can be summarized in the following:
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1st Generation (1G): Transmission of analogue Information
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2nd Generation (2G): Analogue systems give their place to digital ones and Transmission of digital Information is adopted.
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2nd+ Generation (2G+): Implementation based on combined Voice and Packet Technology. Introduction of the GPRS.
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3rd Generation (3G): Based on the UMTS Standard.
Key Terms in this Chapter
FW: Fire Wall.
BGCF: Breakout Gateway Control Function.
RNC: Radio Network Controller.
IETF: Internet Engineering Task Force.
SCTP: Stream Control Transmission Protocol.
EIR: Equipment Identity Register.
SGSN: Serving GPRS Support Node.
HSPA: High-Speed Packet Access.
3GPP: Third Generation Partnership Project .
NAT: Network Address Translation.
UDP: User Datagram Protocol.
FMC: Fixed – Mobile Convergence.
GRAN: GSM Access Network.
GSTN: General Switched Telephony Network.
RNS: Radio Network Subsystem.
HLR: Home Location Register.
WCDMA: Wideband Code Division Multiple Access.
TISPAN: Technical committee within ETSI for Next Generation Networks.
IP: Internet Protocol.
AAA: Authentication, Authorization and Accounting.
BTS: Base Transceiver Station.
IN: Intelligent Networks.
GPRS: General Packet Radio Service.
MRFP: Media Resource Function Processor.
SMS: Short Message Service.
EGPRS: Enhanced GPRS.
EDGE: Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution.
MRF: Media Resource Function.
I-CSCF: Interrogating-CSCF.
GERAN: GSM EDGE Access Network.
WiFi: Wireless Fidelity.
PDN: Public Data Networks.
HSCSD: High Speed Circuit Switched Data.
BSS: Base Station Subsystem.
QoS: Quality of Service.
MSC: Mobile Switching Center.
WiMAX: Worldwide interoperability for Microwave Access.
S-CSCF: Serving-CSCF.
MRFC: Media Resource Function Controller.
HSDPA: High-Speed Downlink Packet Access.
PoC: Push to talk over Cellular.
NSS: Network Switching Subsystem.
RAN: Radio Access Network.
PCU: Packet Control Unit.
SIP: Session Initiation Protocol.
CN: Core Network.
ETSI: European Telecommunications Standards Institute.
CAMEL: Customised Applications for Mobile networks Enhanced Logic.
BS: Base Station.
GSM: Global System for Mobile communications.
UMTS: Universal Mobile Telecommunications System.
GGSN: Gateway GPRS Support Node.
HSOPA: High Speed OFDM Packet Access.
OMC: Operations and Maintenance Center.
CSCF: Call Session Control Function.
MGW: Media Gateway.
VLR: Visitor Location Register.
O&M: Operation and Maintenance.
UTRAN: UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network.
TCP: Transmission Control Protocol.
TDM: Time Division Multiplexing.
OFDM: Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing.
VOIP: Voice over IP.
IMS: IP Multimedia Subsystem.
ISC: IMS Service Control.
CCU: Channel Control Unit.
PLMN: Public Land Mobile Network.
SLF: Subscriber Location Function.
RTP: Real-time Transport Protocol.
CDMA2000: Code Division Multiple Access.
WLAN: Wireless Local Area Network.
BSC: Base Station Controller.
PSTN: Public Switched Telephony Network.
HSS: Home Subscriber Server.
ECSD: Enhanced Circuit Switched Data.
GMSC: Gateway MSC.
AC: Authentication Center.
MGCF: Media Gateway Control Function.
HSUPA: High-Speed Uplink Packet Access.
ISUP: ISDN User Part.
P-CSCF: Proxy-CSCF.