Home

What is 3G?

Newsflash

Small, Good-looking and Fast!
EDGE USB modems with upload and download speeds of up to 237kb/s are now available. For more details select Hardware Products in the main menu.

Main Menu

Advoize International

Advoize Group Talk

Online Shop

Services and Solutions

3GPP Release 99 Architecture

1. Access Network Entities

Base Station Subsystem

BSC – Base Station Controller
BTS – Base Transceiver Station

Radio Network Subsystem

RNC – Radio Network Controller
Node B

2. Core Network Entities

Entities in both PS and CS domains

HLR – Home Location Register
VLR – Visitor Location Register
AuC – Authentication Centre
EIR – Equipment Identity Register

Entities in the CS domains

MSC – Mobile service Switching Centre
GMSC – Gateway MSC

Entities in the PS domains

SGSN – Serving GPRS Support Node
GGSN – Gateway GPRS Support Node

3. Network Interfaces

Mobile terminal and mobile network interfaces

Um-interface: Interface between the mobile terminal and the BSS.
Uu-interface: Interface between the mobile terminal and the RNS.

Access network interfaces

Abis-interface: Interface between the BSC and the BTS.
Iub-interface: Interface between the RNC and the Node B.
Iur-interface: Interface between two RNCs.

CS core network and access network interfaces

A-interface: Interface between the MSC and the BSS.
IuCS-interface: Interface between the MSC and the RNS.

CS core network interfaces

B-interface: Interface between the MSC and its associated VLR.
C-interface: Interface between the HLR and the MSC.
D-interface: Interface between the HLR and the VLR.
E-interface: Interface between MSCs.
F-interface: Interface between the MSC and the EIR.
G-interface: Interface between VLRs.
H-interface: Interface between the HLR and the AuC.

PS core network and access network interfaces

Gb-interface: Interface between the SGSN and the BSS.
IuPS-interface: Interface between the SGSN and the RNS.

PS core network interfaces

Gr-interface: Interface between the SGSN and the HLR.
Gn-interface: Interface between the SGSN and the GGSN, in the same PLMN.
Gp-interface: Interface between the SGSN and the GGSN, in different PLMNs.
Gc-interface: Interface between the GGSN and the HLR.
Gf-interface: Interface between the SGSN and the EIR.
Gi-interface: Interface between the GGSN and external data networks.
Gs-interface: Interface between the SGSN and the MSC/VLR.

4. Radio Access Network (RAN) Architecture

The UMTS RAN (or UTRAN) was designed around the following principles:

Logical separation of signalling and data transport networks.
UTRAN and CN functions are fully separated from transports functions.
Macro diversity (FDD only) is fully handled in the UTRAN.
Mobility for RRC connection is fully controlled by the UTRAN.
The functional division across the interfaces shall have as few options as possible.
Interfaces should be based on a logical model of the entity controlled through this interface.
One physical network element can implement multiple logical nodes.

< Previous		Next >

[ Back ]