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GPRScorenetwork
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

TheGPRScorenetworkisthecentralpartofthegeneralpacketradioservice(GPRS)whichallows2G,3Gand
WCDMAmobilenetworkstotransmitIPpacketstoexternalnetworkssuchastheInternet.TheGPRSsystemisan
integratedpartoftheGSMnetworkswitchingsubsystem.
Thenetworkprovidesmobilitymanagement,sessionmanagementandtransportforInternetProtocolpacket
servicesinGSMandWCDMAnetworks.Thecorenetworkalsoprovidessupportforotheradditionalfunctions
suchasbillingandlawfulinterception.Itwasalsoproposed,atonestage,tosupportpacketradioservicesinthe
USDAMPSTDMAsystem,however,inpractice,allofthesenetworkshavebeenconvertedtoGSMsothis
optionhasbecomeirrelevant.
PRSmoduleisanopenstandardsdrivensystem.Thestandardizationbodyisthe3GPP.

Contents
1 GPRStunnellingprotocol(GTP)
2 GPRSsupportnodes(GSN)
2.1 GatewayGPRSsupportnode(GGSN)
2.2 ServingGPRSsupportnode(SGSN)
2.2.1 CommonSGSNfunctions
2.2.2 GSM/EDGEspecificSGSNfunctions
2.2.3 WCDMAspecificSGSNfunctions
3 Accesspoint
4 PDPcontext
5 Referencepointsandinterfaces
5.1 InterfacesintheGPRSnetwork
6 Seealso
7 References
8 Externallinks
9 MainReference

GPRStunnellingprotocol(GTP)
GPRSTunnellingProtocolisthedefiningIPbasedprotocoloftheGPRScorenetwork.Primarilyitistheprotocol
whichallowsendusersofaGSMorWCDMAnetworktomovefromplacetoplacewhilecontinuingtoconnectto
theInternetasiffromonelocationattheGatewayGPRSsupportnode(GGSN).Itdoesthisbycarryingthe
subscriber'sdatafromthesubscriber'scurrentservingGPRSsupportnode(SGSN)totheGGSNwhichishandling
thesubscriber'ssession.ThreeformsofGTPareusedbytheGPRScorenetwork.
GTPU
fortransferofuserdatainseparatedtunnelsforeachPacketDataProtocol(PDP)context
GTPC
forcontrolreasonsincluding:
setupanddeletionofPDPcontexts
verificationofGSNreachability
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updatese.g.,assubscribersmovefromoneSGSNtoanother.
GTP'
fortransferofchargingdatafromGSNstothechargingfunction.
GGSNsandSGSNs(collectivelyknownasGSNs)listenforGTPCmessagesonUDPport2123andforGTPU
messagesonport2152.Thiscommunicationisdirectwithinasinglenetwork,orinthecaseofinternational
roaming,viaaGPRSroamingexchange(GRX).
Thecharginggatewayfunction(CGF)listenstoGTP'messagessentfromtheGSNsonTCPorUDPport3386.
ThecorenetworksendscharginginformationtotheCGF,typicallyincludingPDPcontextactivationtimesandthe
quantityofdatawhichtheenduserhastransferred.However,thiscommunicationwhichoccurswithinone
networkislessstandardizedandmay,dependingonthevendorandconfigurationoptions,useproprietary
encodingorevenanentirelyproprietarysystem.
GTPversionzerosupportsbothsignallinganduserdataunderonegenericheader.ItcanbeusedwithUDP(User
DatagramProtocol)orTCP(TransmissionControlProtocol)ontheregisteredport3386.GTPversiononeisused
onlyonUDP.ThecontrolplaneprotocolGTPC(Control)usingregisteredport2123andtheuserplaneprotocol
GTPU(User)usingregisteredport2152.

GPRSsupportnodes(GSN)
AGSNisanetworknodewhichsupportstheuseofGPRSintheGSMcorenetwork.AllGSNsshouldhaveaGn
interfaceandsupporttheGPRStunnelingprotocol.TherearetwokeyvariantsoftheGSN,namelyGatewayand
ServingGPRSsupportnode.

GatewayGPRSsupportnode(GGSN)
ThegatewayGPRSsupportnode(GGSN)isamaincomponentoftheGPRSnetwork.TheGGSNisresponsible
fortheinternetworkingbetweentheGPRSnetworkandexternalpacketswitchednetworks,liketheInternetand
X.25networks.
Fromanexternalnetwork'spointofview,theGGSNisaroutertoa"subnetwork",becausetheGGSNhidesthe
GPRSinfrastructurefromtheexternalnetwork.WhentheGGSNreceivesdataaddressedtoaspecificuser,it
checksiftheuserisactive.Ifitis,theGGSNforwardsthedatatotheSGSNservingthemobileuser,butifthe
mobileuserisinactive,thedataisdiscarded.Ontheotherhand,mobileoriginatedpacketsareroutedtotheright
networkbytheGGSN.
TheGGSNistheanchorpointthatenablesthemobilityoftheuserterminalintheGPRS/UMTSnetworks.In
essence,itcarriesouttheroleinGPRSequivalenttothehomeagentinMobileIP.Itmaintainsroutingnecessary
totunneltheprotocoldataunits(PDUs)totheSGSNthatservicesaparticularMS(mobilestation).
TheGGSNconvertstheGPRSpacketscomingfromtheSGSNintotheappropriatepacketdataprotocol(PDP)
format(e.g.,IPorX.25)andsendsthemoutonthecorrespondingpacketdatanetwork.Intheotherdirection,PDP
addressesofincomingdatapacketsareconvertedtotheGSMaddressofthedestinationuser.Thereaddressed
packetsaresenttotheresponsibleSGSN.Forthispurpose,theGGSNstoresthecurrentSGSNaddressoftheuser
andhisorherprofileinitslocationregister.TheGGSNisresponsibleforIPaddressassignmentandisthedefault
routerfortheconnecteduserequipment(UE).TheGGSNalsoperformsauthenticationandchargingfunctions.
Otherfunctionsincludesubscriberscreening,IPpoolmanagementandaddressmapping,QoSandPDPcontext
enforcement.
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WithLTEscenariotheGGSNfunctionalitymovestoSAEgateway(withSGSNfunctionalityworkinginMME).

ServingGPRSsupportnode(SGSN)
AservingGPRSsupportnode(SGSN)isresponsibleforthedeliveryofdatapacketsfromandtothemobile
stationswithinitsgeographicalservicearea.Itstasksincludepacketroutingandtransfer,mobilitymanagement
(attach/detachandlocationmanagement),logicallinkmanagement,andauthenticationandchargingfunctions.The
locationregisteroftheSGSNstoreslocationinformation(e.g.,currentcell,currentVLR)anduserprofiles(e.g.,
IMSI,address(es)usedinthepacketdatanetwork)ofallGPRSusersregisteredwithit.
CommonSGSNfunctions
DetunnelGTPpacketsfromtheGGSN(downlink)
TunnelIPpacketstowardtheGGSN(uplink)
CarryoutmobilitymanagementasStandbymodemobilemovesfromoneRoutingAreatoanotherRouting
Area
Billinguseraccordingtodataused.
GSM/EDGEspecificSGSNfunctions
EnhancedDataRatesforGSMEvolution(EDGE)specificSGSNfunctionsandcharacteristicsare:
Maximumdatarateofapprox.60kbit/s(150kbit/sforEDGE)persubscriber
ConnectviaframerelayorIPtothepacketcontrolunitusingtheGbprotocolstack
AcceptuplinkdatatoformIPpackets
Encryptdownlinkdata,decryptuplinkdata
Carryoutmobilitymanagementtothelevelofacellforconnectedmodemobiles
WCDMAspecificSGSNfunctions
Carryuptoabout42Mbit/strafficdownlinkand5.8Mbit/strafficuplink(HSPA+)
Tunnel/detunneldownlink/uplinkpacketstowardtheradionetworkcontroller(RNC)

Accesspoint
Anaccesspointis:
AnIPnetworktowhichamobilesetcanbeconnected
Asetofsettingswhichareusedforthatconnection
Aparticularoptioninasetofsettingsinamobilephone
WhenaGPRSmobilephonesetsupaPDPcontext,theaccesspointisselected.AtthispointanAccessPoint
Name(APN)isdetermined
Example:aricenttechnologies.mnc012.mcc345.gprs
Example:geocell
Example:internet
Example:hcl.cisco.ggsn
ThisaccesspointisthenusedinaDNSquerytoaprivateDNSnetwork.Thisprocess(calledAPNresolution)
finallygivestheIPaddressoftheGGSNwhichshouldservetheaccesspoint.AtthispointaPDPcontextcanbe
activated.
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PDPcontext
Thepacketdataprotocol(PDPe.g.,IP,X.25,FrameRelay)contextisadatastructurepresentonboththeserving
GPRSsupportnode(SGSN)andthegatewayGPRSsupportnode(GGSN)whichcontainsthesubscriber'ssession
informationwhenthesubscriberhasanactivesession.WhenamobilewantstouseGPRS,itmustfirstattachand
thenactivateaPDPcontext.ThisallocatesaPDPcontextdatastructureintheSGSNthatthesubscriberis
currentlyvisitingandtheGGSNservingthesubscriber'saccesspoint.Thedatarecordedincludes
Subscriber'sIPaddress
Subscriber'sIMSI
Subscriber'sTunnelEndpointID(TEID)attheGGSN
Subscriber'sTunnelEndpointID(TEID)attheSGSN

Referencepointsandinterfaces
WithintheGPRScorenetworkstandardsthereareanumberofinterfacesandreferencepoints(logicalpointsof
connectionwhichprobablyshareacommonphysicalconnectionwithotherreferencepoints).Someofthese
namescanbeseeninthenetworkstructurediagramonthispage.

InterfacesintheGPRSnetwork
Ga
TheinterfaceservestheCDRs(accountingrecords)whicharewrittenintheGSNandsenttothecharging
gateway(CG).ThisinterfaceusesaGTPbasedprotocol,withmodificationsthatsupportsCDRs(Called
GTP'andGTPprime).
Gb
InterfacebetweenthebasestationsubsystemandtheSGSNthetransmissionprotocolcouldbeFrameRelay
orIP.
Iu
InterfacebetweentheRadioNetworkControllerandtheSGSN.Theinterfaceexchangessignalingand
payload.
Gc
InterfacebetweentheGGSNandHLRsothattheGGSNcangetthelocationdetailsofamobilestation.To
avoidimplementingMAP/SS7intheGGSN,thisinterfaceisoptional.Whennotpresent,theGGSNroutes
inquirestotheHLRviaanSGSN.
Gd
InterfacebetweentheSGSNandtheSMSGateway.CanuseMAP1,MAP2orMAP3.
Ge
TheinterfacebetweentheSGSNandtheservicecontrolpoint(SCP)usestheCAPprotocol.
Gf
TheinterfacebetweentheSGSNandtheEquipmentIdentityRegister(EIR),usedforcheckingthemobile's
equipmentidentitynumber(IMEI)againstalistofreportedstolenmobilephones.
Gi
IPbasedinterfacebetweentheGGSNandapublicdatanetwork(PDN)eitherdirectlytotheInternetor
throughaWAPgateway.
Gmb
TheinterfacebetweentheGGSNandtheBroadcastMulticastServiceCenter(BMSC),usedforcontrolling
MBMSbearers.
Gn
IPbasedinterfacebetweenSGSNandotherSGSNsand(internal)GGSNs.DNSalsosharesthisinterface.
UsestheGTPProtocol.
Gp
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IPbasedinterfacebetweeninternalSGSNandexternalGGSNs.BetweentheSGSNandtheexternalGGSN,
thereisthebordergateway(whichisessentiallyafirewall).AlsousestheGTPProtocol.
Gr
InterfacebetweentheSGSNandtheHLR.MessagesgoingthroughthisinterfaceusestheMAP3protocol.
Gs
InterfacebetweentheSGSNandtheMSC(VLR).UsestheBSSAP+protocol.Thisinterfaceallowspaging
andstationavailabilitywhenitperformsdatatransfer.WhenthestationisattachedtotheGPRSnetwork,the
SGSNkeepstrackofwhichroutingarea(RA)thestationisattachedto.AnRAisapartofalargerlocation
area(LA).Whenastationispagedthisinformationisusedtoconservenetworkresources.Whenthestation
performsaPDPcontext,theSGSNhastheexactBTSthestationisusing.
Gx
TheonlinepolicyinterfacebetweentheGGSNandthechargingrulesfunction(CRF).Itisusedfor
provisioningservicedataflowbasedonchargingrules.Usesthediameterprotocol.
Gy
TheonlinecharginginterfacebetweentheGGSNandtheonlinechargingsystem(OCS).Usesthediameter
protocol(DCCAapplication).
Gz
Theoffline(CDRbased)charginginterfacebetweentheGGSNandtheChargingsystemUsesGTP'.
Lg
TheinterfacebetweentheSGSNandtheGatewayMobileLocationCenter(GMLC),usedforlocationbased
services.
S6d
TheinterfacebetweenSGSNandHomeSubscriberServer(HSS).ItisaDiameterbasedinterfacewhichis
usedfortransferringsubscriptionandauthenticationdataoftheusertoHSSforauthenticatingand
authorizinguseraccess.

Seealso
Basestationsubsystem
Packetcontrolunit
Networkswitchingsubsystem

References
Externallinks
3GPPwebpageincludingstandards(http://www.3gpp.org)
easyaccesstodifferentspecs(http://www.3gpp.org/specs/numbering.htm)
GPRSattachandPDPcontextactivationsequencediagrams(http://www.eventhelix.com/RealtimeMantra/Te
lecom/gprs_attach_pdp_sequence_diagram.pdf)

MainReference
3GPPTS23.060V13.4.0(201509)(http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/archive/23_series/23.060/23060d40.zi
p)
Retrievedfrom"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=GPRS_core_network&oldid=725064022"
Categories: 3GPPstandards Telecommunicationsinfrastructure
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