Chapter - 7

IMS VoLTE Architecture

7.0 Introduction

The idea of IMS is old, but after it’s deployment with LTE users and operators can harness the true
power of IMS. VoIP call support over an LTE network requires IMS support. When a UE with an
active VoIP call leaves LTE coverage to an area with only 1xRTT coverage, the call can be
seamlessly handed over from the LTE-IMS to the 1xRTT CS domain. Call continuity from IMS to the
CS domain is maintained with the help of Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SRVCC) anchoring.

IMS – IP Multimedia Subsystem is a standalone system. It resides out of the LTE network and
connected to PDN Gateway through SGi interface.

 The IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) is an architectural framework for delivering Internet

Protocol (IP) multimedia services.
 IMS uses protocols that enable sending voice, data, and video between communication
devices of IP addressable data networks.

A minimum feature set of IMS is required to support VoIP over LTE

 Includes support for call waiting, conference calling, etc.

 Uses Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) for call setup
 AMR is the default codec
 Supports SMS over IP

The EPC has three main functional elements.

 The first one is Mobility Management Entity (MME). MME is the single most control point in
the EPC and responsible for most of the control plane functions.
 The second in the list is Serving Gateway (S-GW). All IP packets in uplink and downlink flow
through S-GW. S-GW is also responsible for handling handovers.
 The last in the list is P-GW or PDN Gateway. P-GW allocates IP addresses to UEs. It also
provides interfaces towards internet and IMS.

7.1 Architecture of EPC & IMS

The following architecture diagram shows EPC, IMS and the interface between them.
User Equipment (UE)

UE is a mobile terminal authorized to be used in an LTE network. UE may be a smartphone, tablet or

other communication devices.

An IMS powered UE has two main components.

 Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC)

 Session Initiation Protocol User Agent (SIP UA)

Universal Integrated Circuit (UICC)

Each UE must contain one UICC and each UICC may have one or more of the following modules.

 Subscriber Identity Module (SIM): SIM identity information used by a GSM network.

 UMTS Subscriber Identity Module (USIM): USIM information used by a UMTS or LTE
network.
 CDMA Subscriber Identity Module (CSIM) or Re-Useable Identification Module (R-
UIM). CDMA network uses this identity information
 IP Multimedia Services Identity Module (ISIM): IMS subsystem uses IMSI identity
information.

Let’s look into ISIM which is important when UE wants to use IMS resources in the network. ISIM
contains the following:

 IP Multimedia Private Identity (IMPI): IMPI is a global identity allocated by the home

network. IMPI contains home operator’s domain information.
 Home operator’s domain name
 IP Multimedia Public Identity (IMPU): IMPU acts like a telephone number. It can either be a
SIP URI (sip:@:) or a tel URI. Definition of tel URI from RFC 39664 (tel:).
 Secret Key: This long secret key is used for user authentication and SIP registration.
SIP User Agent (SIP-UA)

SIP User Agent resides in the UE to send and receive SIP messages. SIP-UA provides basic
telephony functionality. It can act in two different roles:

 User Agent Client (UAC): As a client to send SIP request

 User Agent Server (UAS): As a server to receive requests and send response

Evolved Packet Core (EPC)

For VoLTE and IMS prospective two nodes are important in the Evolved Packet Core.

Public Data Network Gateway (PDN-GW)

PDN Gateway allocates IP addresses to UEs. PDN-GW is also the point of communication between
EUTRA and non-3GPP services like the internet.

When IMS is available, there can be more that one PDN-GW in the EPC, one for internet and one for
IMS.

Policy and Charging Rule Function (PCRF)

The PCRF determines the allowed traffic types in real-time. It also checks how to account for the
traffic. Operators use this information for billing purpose.

Based on requests for IMS services, the PCRF also initiates the appropriate bearers.

When a UE starts a VoLTE call, the PCRF checks if the UE has a subscription to start VoLTE call. If
the UE has VoLTE subscription, PCRF setup dedicated bearer for IMS services.

IMS Core

IMS core handles session management and media control.

IMS core has the following important nodes.

1. Call Session Control Function (CSCF)

CSCF establishes monitors, supports, and releases multimedia sessions. It has three different
functional elements. These may or may not be separate physical entities.

 Proxy CSCF: P-CSCF acts as the initial point of contact from any SIP User Agent. It handles
all requests from the UE and is, from the UE’s point of view, the “SIP proxy” to the entire
subsystem.
 Serving CSCF: S-CSCF has knowledge about the user and what applications are available
to the user. It acts as a decision point. S-CSCF’s main job is to decide whether the user’s SIP
messages will be forwarded to the application servers.
 Interrogating CSCF: I-CSCF is the entity that initiates the assignment of a user to an S-
CSCF (by querying the HSS) during registration.

2. Home Subscriber Server (HSS)

HSS is a database that maintains user profiles and location information. It handles name and address
resolution. HSS is also responsible for authentication and authorization.

Subscriber Location Function (SLF)

SLF assigns HSS to a user in the home network. To achieve this function SLF keeps track of all HSS.

Media Gateways

Media Gateway resides at the interface between SIP-based IMS network and traditional PSTN
network.

We can find more details in RFC 3372.

RFC 3372 – Session Initiation Protocol for Telephones (SIP-T): Context and Architectures

Media Gateway Control Function (MGCF)

MGCF controls media gateways and converts codecs where necessary. Also, it may serve as a
breakout to a circuit-switched network.
When MGCF works as a breakout to CS network, it is also responsible for:

 managing the conversion of signaling messages,

 converting SIP messaging to the Bearer Independent Call Control (BICC) and,
 ISDN User Part (ISUP) protocols used in legacy systems.

Breakout Gateway Control Function (BGCF)

When MGCF does not include breakout to CS network, BGCF takes care of this functionality.

IMS Core Network. The IMS Core Network within the VoLTE architecture
provides the service layer for providing Multimedia Telephony.

SGW (Serving Gateway):

 The SGW routes and forwards user data packets, while also acting as the mobility anchor for the
user plane during inter-eNodeB handovers and as the anchor for mobility between LTE and other
3GPP technologies (terminating the S4 interface and relaying the traffic between 2G/3G systems
and PGW).
 For idle state UEs, the SGW terminates the DL data path and triggers paging when the DL data
arrives for the UE.
 It manages and stores UE contexts and performs replication of the user traffic in case of lawful
interception.
 The SGW and PGW functions could be realized as a single network element.
PGW (Packet Data Network Gateway):
 The PGW provides connectivity between the UE and external packet data networks.
 It provides the entry and exit point of traffic for the UE.
 A UE may have simultaneous connectivity with more than one PGW for accessing multiple Packet
Data Networks.
 The PGW performs policy enforcement, packet filtering for each user, charging support, lawful
interception and packet screening.
 The SGW and PGW functions could be realized as a single network element.

HSS (Home Subscriber Server):

 The HSS is a network database that holds both static and dynamic data elements related to
subscribers.
 The HSS provides user profile information to the MME and IMS core during UE attach and IMS
registration.
PCRF (Policy Charging and Rules Function):
 The PCRF provides policy control decisions and flow-based charging controls.
 The PCRF determines how a service data flow shall be treated in the enforcement function (PGW
in this case) and ensure that the user plane traffic mapping and treatment is in accordance with
the user’s profile.

IMS : 
 A default bearer is set up for IMS signaling streams when the UE attaches to the network.
 After the UE initiates a call, SIP signaling streams for call connection is transmitted over the
default bearer through the P-GW to the IMS Core.
 A dedicated bearer for IMS voice media streams is set up during call connection.
 Voice media streams of the calling and called parties are transmitted over the dedicated bearer
 The P-CSCF is the initial point of contact for session signalling for the IMS-enabled VoLTE UE.
 The P-CSCF behaves as a SIP proxy by forwarding SIP messages between the UE and the IMS Core
Network, maintains the security associations between itself and the VoLTE UE, and incorporates
the Application Function aspect of PCC to enable binding of the IMS session with the bearer for
applying dynamic policy and receiving notifications of bearer level events.
 The P-CSCF may be implemented in an Access Session Border Controller which may also
incorporate the IMS-ALG/IMS-AGW.
I-CSCF (Interrogating Call Session Control Function):
 The I-CSCF is the contact point within an operator’s network for all connections destined to a
user of that network.
 On IMS registration, it interrogates the HSS to determine which suitable S-CSCF to route the
request for registration.
 For mobile terminating calls, it interrogates the HSS to determine which S-CSCF the user is
registered on.
S-CSCF (Serving Call Session Control Function):
 The S-CSCF provides session set-up, session tear-down, session control and routing functions.
 It generates records for billing purposes for all sessions under its control, and invokes Application
Servers based on IFCs received from the HSS.
 The S-CSCF acts as SIP registrar for VoLTE UEs that the HSS and I-CSCF assign to it.
 It queries the HSS for the applicable subscriber profiles and handles calls involving these end
points once they have been registered.
Telephony Application Server (TAS):
 The TAS is an IMS Application Server providing support for a minimum set of mandatory
MultiMedia Telephony (MMTel) services as defined by 3GPP e.g. supplementary service
functionality, and profiled within GSMA PRD IR.92
MRF (Media Resource Function)
 The MRF is a common media resource function, for use by IMS Application Servers and I/SCSCFs,
to provide media plane processing independent of application types, 
IBCF/TrGW (Interconnection Border Control Function/Transition Gateway)
 The IBCF/TrGW is responsible for the control/media plane at the network interconnect point to
other PMNs.
 The IBCF/TrGW may be implemented in an Interconnect Session Border Controller.
BGCF (Breakout Gateway Control Function
 The BGCF is responsible for determining the next hop for routing of SIP
messages.
 This determination is based on information received within the SIP/SDP and
routing configuration data (which can be internal configuration data or ENUM/DNS
lookup).
 For CS Domain terminations, the BGCF determines the network in which CS
domain breakout is to occur and selects the appropriate MGCF.
 For terminations in peer IMS networks, the BGCF selects the appropriate IBCF to
handle the interconnect to the peer IMS domain.
 The BGCF may also provide directives to the MGCF/IBCF on which Interconnect
or next network to select.
 Such directives may be given by the inclusion of a routeing header pointing to the
next network ingress node.