General Packet Radio

Service (GPRS)

A new Dimension to
Wireless
Communication
 Contents of Presentation
 GPRS and its Features
 GPRS Network Architecture
 GPRS Protocol Architecture
 GPRS Backbone Network
 GPRS interworking with External Network
 Call routing in GPRS
 Session Management in GPRS
 Location Management in GPRS
 Mobility Management in GPRS
 Logical Channels of GPRS
 GPRS Applications
 Constraints with existing
network
• Data Rates too slow – about 9.6 kbps
• Connection setup time too long
• Inefficient resource utilization for bursty
traffic
• Proves expensive for bursty traffic
utilization
• No efficient method for packet
transfers
 Comparison of GSM &
GPRS
GSM GPRS
Data Rates 9.6 Kbps 14.4 to 115.2
Kbps
Modulation GMSK GMSK
Technique
Billing Duration of Amount of
data
connection transferred
Type of Circuit – Switched Packet -
Connection Technology Switched
Technology
 What is GPRS ?
 General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is a
new bearer service for GSM that greatly
improves and simplifies wireless access to
packet data networks

 GPRS applies packet radio principal to

transfer user data packets in an efficient way
b/w MS & external packet data network
 Benefits of GPRS
 New Data Services
 High Speed (Data Rate 14.4 – 115 kbps)
 Efficient use of radio bandwith (Statistical
Multiplexing)
 Circuit switching & Packet Switching can be
used in parallel
 Constant connectivity
Statistical Multiplexing
 Salient Features of GPRS
 Important step on the path to 3G
 Standardized by ETSI
 GPRS is an overlay network over the GSM
 Provides Data Packet delivery service
 Support for leading internet communication
protocols
 Billing based on volume of data transferred
 Utilizes existing GSM authentication and
privacy procedures.
 High Data
Rate
 GPRS uses radio channel i.e. 200 kHz wide
 Radio channel carries digital data stream of
271 kbps
 This rate is divided into 8 time slots each
carrying 34 kbps per time slot
 Data rate 14 kbps per time slot achieved after
corrections
 GPRS can combine upto 8 time slots giving
data rate of 114 kbps
 GPRS Services
• Offers end-to-end packet switched data transfer
• Bearer Services
• PTP - Point-To-Point service (CLNS mode)
• PTM - Point-To-Multipoint service(CONS Mode)
• PTM-M Multicast service
• PTM-G Group call service
• Supplementary Services
• SMSShort Message Service
• CFU Call Forwarding Unconditional
 GPRS Services (Contd.)
• CFNRc Call Forwarding on mobile
subscriber not reachable
• CUG Closed User Group

• Quality of Service
• GPRS allows defining QoS profiles
• Service precedence, reliability,
delay,throughput
 GPRS Terminals
 Class A
– MS supports simultaneous operation of
GPRS and GSM services
 Class B
– MS able to register with the n/w for both
GPRS & GSM services simultaneously.
It can only use one of the two services
at a given time.
 Class C
- MS can attach for either GPRS or GSM
services
 GPRS Network Elements
GPRS Architecture is same as GSM except
few hardware modifications :
 GPRS includes GSNs
 SGSN : Serving GPRS
Support Node
 GGSN : Gateway GPRS Support
Node
 GPRS Register
 GSM SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE
PSTN

BSC ISDN
PDN
MS BTS
MSC/VLR

GMSC

BTS BSC

MS

BTS EIR
AUC
MS HLR
 Interfaces
 Gb – Connects BSC with SGSN
 Gn – SGSN – SGSN/GGSN (in the same
network)
 Gp – SGSN –GGSN (in different
networks)
 Gf – For equipment querying at registering
time
 Gi – Connects PLMN with external Packet
Data Networks (PDNs)
 Gr – To exchange User profile between
HLR & SGSN
 Gs – To exchange Database between
SGSN & MSC
 SGSN – Serving GPRS
Support Node
• Delivers data packets to mobile stations &
vice-versa

• Detect and Register new GPRS MS in its

serving area

• Packet Routing, Transfer & Mobility

Management

• Authentication, Maintaining user profiles

• Its location register stores location info. &

user profiles
 GGSN – Gateway GPRS
Support Node
• Interfaces GPRS backbone network & external
packet data networks
• Converts the GPRS packets from SGSN to the
PDP format (Packet data protocol)
• Converts PDP addresses change to GSM
addresses of the destination user

• Stores the current SGSN address and profile of

the user in its location register

• Performs authentication

• Many-to- many relations among SGSNs &

GGSNs
 GPRS Register

 GPRS Register is integrated with GSM-HLR.

 Maintains the GPRS subscriber data and
Routing information.
 Stores current SGSN address
 GPRS Backbone Network
 GSNs are connected through IP based backbone
 Two Backbones:
– Intra PLMN backbone networks that connects
GSNs of the same PLMN (public land mobile
network) & are private IP networks
– Inter PLMN backbone networks that connects
GSNs of the different PLMN. Roaming agreement
is necessary

 PLMN- Inter PLMN interconnect are called Border

gateways (performs security functions to protect
Intra- PLMN backbone against unauthorized users
and attacks).
 GPRS BACKBONE NETWORK

BSC
BSC
BTS BTS
MS
inter-PLMN
GPRS backbone
PLMN1
Gn SGSN Gp
Gp Gn SGSN
Border
intra-PLMN Border
gateway
GPRS backbone gateway intra-PLMN
GPRS backbone
Gn Gn
Gn
PLMN2
Gi
Gi
GGSN
GGSN
External Packet
Data Network (PDN)
SGSN Host
Router
LAN
 SNDCP - Sub Network Dependent
Convergence Protocol
 Used to transfer data packets between SGSN
and MS

 Multiplexing of several connections of

network layer onto one logical connection of
underlying LLC layer

 Compression and decompression of user

data and header information
 Data Link layer
 Divided into two sub layers :

• LLC layer (between MS-SGSN)

• RLC/MAC (between MS-BSS)

 LLC-Logical Link Control
 Establishes highly reliable logical link
between MS & its assigned SGSN

 Works either in acknowledged or

unacknowledged modes

 Data confidentiality is ensured by ciphering

functions
 RLC/MAC Layer
 Radio Link Control(RLC)
 Establish a reliable link between MS & BSS
 Segmentation and reassembly of LLC frames
into RLC data blocks

 Medium Access Control(MAC)

 Controls access attempts of an MS on radio
channels shared by several MSs.

 Both ack and unack. Modes of operation are

supported in RLC/MAC layer
 Physical Layer
 Divided into two sub layers :
 Physical Link Layer (PLL)

 Physical RF Layer (RFL)

 PLL – Provides a physical channel between

MS and BSS
 Channel coding, interleaving, detection

of physical link congestion

 RFL - Operates below PLL

 Inter working with IP
networks
 GPRS n/w can be interconnected with an IP-
based packet data network
 GPRS supports both IPv4 and IPv6
 GPRS n/w looks like IP sub network and
GGSN looks like a IP router
 DHCP, DNS servers are installed
GPRS –Internet Connection
 CALL
ROUTING
 DATA CALL ORGINATING

 DATA CALL TERMINATING

 DATA CALL ROUTING

BSC
BSC
BTS BTS
MS
inter-PLMN
GPRS backbone
Gn SGSN Gp SGSN
Border
intra-PLMN Border
gateway
GPRS backbone gateway Intra-PLMN
GPRS backbone
PLMN1 Gn
Gn PLMN2
Gi

GGSN
GGSN
External Packet
data network(PDN) Host
SGSN
Router
LAN
SESSION MANAGEMENT
IN GPRS
 Attachment & Detachment
Procedure
 GPRS attach
- User is registered in SGSN, after authentication
check from HLR
- SGSN assigns P-TMSI to MS

• GPRS detach
Disconnection of MS from GPRS network is called
-
GPRS detach
- It can be initiated by MS or by network(SGSN or
HLR)
 Session Management
 Mobile Station applies for PDP address
 For each session PDP (packet data
protocol) context is created & it contains
–PDP type

–PDP addressed assigned to MS

–
With active PDP context MS able to
send or receive data packets
 Allocation of PDP address can be static or
dynamic
PDP Context Activation
LOCATION MANAGEMENT
IN
GPRS
State Model of GPRS MS
 Location Management
Mobile station can be in 1 of the 3
states depending on traffic amount
– Idle : MS is not using GPRS
service

– Ready : Performing GPRS

Attach, MS gets into READY State

– Standby : When MS does not send

any packets for longer period of time,
Ready timer Expires
 Routing Area Update
 GSM Location Area(LA) is divided into
several Routing Areas(RA)
 RA consists of several cells
 SGSN is informed when MS moves to a new
RA
 MS sends a “Routing Area Update Request”
to its assigned SGSN
 Types of Routing Area
Update

• Intra SGSN Routing Area Update

• Inter SGSN Routing Area Update

Routing Area Update
 Mobility Management
Consists of two levels:
 Micro mobility management :
- Tracks the current RA or cell of MS
- It is performed by SGSN
 Macro mobility management :
- Keep tracks of MS’s current SGSN
- Stores it in HLR, VLR, and GGSN
 Applications of GPRS
 Web browsing
 Corporate & Internet Email
 Vehicle Positioning
 Remote LAN Access
 Home Automation
 Document Sharing/Collaborative
working