31
MVNO Strategies for 4G LTE Migration Webinar Welcome! October 25, 2012 MVNO Strategies for 4G LTE Migration Webinar Welcome! October 25, 2012 Diametriq Proprietary www.diametriq.com
MVNO Strategies for 4G LTE Migration
Webinar
Welcome! October 25, 2012
MVNO Strategies for 4G LTE Migration
Webinar
Welcome! October 25, 2012
Diametriq Proprietary
www.diametriq.com
Today’s Webinar
2
Dan Wonak, Director of
Marketing and Business
Operations, Diametriq
• Diametriq – Offers LTE control signaling solutions to meet the needs of LTE network
operators. The company is built on the assets of IntelliNet Technologies,
a wireless solutions company founded in 1992. The company’s
application-enabled Diameter Routing Engine™ (DRE) addresses traffic
management, interoperability and service migration issues. The DRE
includes a Diameter Routing Agent (DRA), Diameter Edge Agent (DEA),
a Subscription Locator Function (SLF) and a Diameter Interworking
Function (IWF). For more information, visit www.diametriq.com.
Today’s Webinar
3
Randy Snyder, President,
Wireless Research Services
• Wireless Research Services – Offers wireless and cellular telecommunications consulting services,
specializing in wireless network technology, systems and platforms.
Consulting services include design, development, marketing and
managing wireless network systems, protocols, software, infrastructure
and technology products. For more information, visit www.wrsvs.com.
4
• MVNO Strategies for 4G LTE Migration
– What are the primary challenges facing MVNOs today with the rise of LTE?
– What is required for true MVNO interoperability with LTE?
– How can MVNOs successfully and quickly take advantage of LTE?
Today’s Topic
2G/3G MVNO
Policies
Subscriber Management
Billing
4G LTE Network
5
• Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)
– Companies that provide wireless network services, BUT do not own spectrum or radio infrastructure
– Purchase network and radio capacity in bulk from the “parent” Mobile Network Operator (MNO)
– Own and manage their own subscribers, offer specialized services or pricing plans
– Compete directly with MNOs and may provide some “unique” features to its customer base
– MVNOs maintain some network infrastructure:
• MSCs (in some cases)
• HLR, or partitioned space in the MNO’s HLR
• Billing System
• OSS/OMC
• Value-added Services (e.g. messaging, voice-mail, etc.)
Typical MVNOs (brief review)
Global MVNO Distribution
6
7
New Challenges for MVNOs Using 4G LTE
• Biggest MVNO problems to overcome
– Want to offer the latest smart devices to compete
– Want to offer the latest 4G LTE services
– Need to operate with MNOs already migrating to 4G LTE
– Security across 4G LTE MNO boundaries
– Seamless roaming for their subscribers to
4G LTE networks
– Maintain own billing, policies and
value-added services
– Avoid becoming an island!
How Can MVNOs Stay Competitive?
8
• Take advantage of 4G LTE technology and services
• Keep costs down (avoid wholesale equipment upgrades)
=
Why All the Fuss?
9
• 2G/3G MVNO networks are not fully compatible with 4G LTE
• Core network signaling has moved from traditional MAP, SS7
and RADIUS protocols to all-Diameter protocol signaling in
4G LTE
• MVNOs typically operate under smaller margins – upgrading
network infrastructure and specialized applications to 4G LTE
is costly!
=
Make It Work!
10
2G/3G MVNO
Policies
Subscriber Management
Billing
4G LTE Network
– What is the “glue”?
– What does the glue stick to?
– How does it work?
SS7
GSM ANSI-41
RADIUS SOAP
CAMEL
WIN
Diameter
The Glue
11
• Diameter Signaling Controller (DSC)
– Diameter is a ubiquitous protocol in 4G LTE networks
– Enables interworking and interoperability among disparate network
technologies
– Supports security across network boundaries
– Enables seamless roaming into 4G LTE networks
– Preserves infrastructure investments
– Enables full network compatibility between 2G/3G and 4G LTE
Diameter Signaling Controller (DSC)
12
• Diameter Signaling Interworking and Interoperability
– Legacy network interworking with 4G LTE MNOs
– Legacy network interoperability with multi-vendor infrastructure
• Diameter Signaling Protocol Conversion
– From and to multiple Diameter variants
– From and to Signaling System 7 (SS7)
– From and to mobile application layer protocols, web services protocols,
authentication, authorization & accounting (AAA) protocols (RADIUS)
Solution Must Support Fundamental Changes
in the Underlying Signaling Protocols
Diameter Signaling Controller (DSC)
13
• Security
– Diameter interfaces require security across operator boundaries
– Multi-level security includes TLS, Ipsec, firewalls, access control
– Acts as the entry point and egress point of the MVNO
– Visited networks need not be aware of the MVNO’s
network
– MVNO network can scale and be re-configured without
affecting other networks
Inter-network Security is Paramount
Diameter Signaling Controller (DSC)
14
• Seamless 4G LTE Roaming
– Seamless use of features and services enable MVNO subscribers to
roam into 4G LTE networks
– MVNOs can offer the latest smart devices to compete
– Subscriber, billing and specialized feature and service
information maintained in the MVNO’s HLR
– AAA protocol services invoked from the visited 4G LTE
network operate seamlessly
Seamless Global Roaming is Absolutely
Required by Subscribers
Diameter Signaling Controller (DSC)
15
• Enables Full Network Compatibility
– Preserves existing applications, features and services using GSM MAP,
CAP, ANSI-41 MAP, WIN and SS7 that otherwise require upgrade to
Diameter
– Preserves existing billing, policy, administrative and
value added customer services
– Preserves existing CapEx in 2G/3G infrastructure and
services
– Enables new Diameter-based applications alongside existing
applications
Provide 4G LTE Services to Subscribers Quickly
without Expensive Infrastructure Upgrades
Legacy Interworking & Vendor Interoperability
to and from Diameter
16
• Legacy application layer signaling protocols connect to MNOs
for basic and enhanced services
– GSM MAP (Mobile Application Part)
– GSM CAP (CAMEL Application Part)
– ANSI-41 MAP
– ANSI-41 WIN (Wireless Intelligent Network)
• Legacy SS7/SigTran for transport and network layer signaling
Legacy Interworking & Vendor Interoperability
to and from Diameter
17
• Legacy RADIUS & SOAP for AAA, policies, operations
and admin services
– Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (billing and accounting)
– Simple Object Access Protocol (XML-based for web services)
A DSC Must be Flexible
18
DSC
Basic 4G LTE Network Reference Model
19
Diameter Signaling in the Evolved Packet Core (EPC)
Example 2G/3G MVNO Connectivity Using DSC
20
DSC
AuC
HLR
Billing
OSS
Value Added
Services
2G/3G MVNO
PCRF
HSS
MME
S-GW
OCS
EIR
CSCF
AS
IMS
P-GW Diameter Signaling
CAP/SS7
WIN/SS7
GSM MAP/SS7
ANSI-41 MAP/SS7
RADIUS
Internet
eUTRAN
S6a
S13
Cx, Sh
Ro
Rx
Gy
Gx
SGi
S5
S11 Custom
Applications
Security Protocols
Diameter Variants
4G LTE MNO
Example 4G MVNO Connectivity Using DSC
21
DSC
EIR
HSS
OCS
PCRF
Value Added
Services
4G LTE MVNO
PCRF
HSS
MME
S-GW
4G LTE MNO
OCS
EIR
CSCF
AS
IMS
P-GW Diameter Signaling Internet
eUTRAN
S6a
S13
Cx, Sh
Ro
Rx
Gy
Gx
SGi
S5
S11
Security Protocols
Diameter Variants
Gy, Ro
• Provides interworking between SS7 and Diameter
• Provides interworking between ANSI-41 MAP
or GSM MAP and Diameter
• Provides interworking between ANSI-41 WIN
or GSM CAP and Diameter
• Provides interworking between AAA/billing
systems, operational/admin systems
• Enables roaming with 4G LTE MNOs and
2G/3G MNOs
• Must support TS 29.305: 3GPP Interworking Function (IWF)
for Diameter – MAP
22
DSC Interworking & Protocol Conversion
• Protocol conversion between Diameter commands and AVPs &
SS7 messages and parameters
• Convert between SS7 and Diameter protocols using, perhaps,
scripts or plug-ins
23
Interworking Function
SS7 Protocol Stack
Interworking Function
(IWF)
Hosted SS7 Applications
IWF Plug-in
IWF Scripts
Diameter Protocol Stack
24
DSC Diameter Protocol Interoperability
for Vendor Specific LTE Implementations
• Diameter clients and servers support different releases and
versions of the 3GPP standards and custom variants!
• Must provide flexible capabilities
– Enable clients, servers and applications that support different variants of
Diameter to interoperate
– Should provide automated protocol negotiation, but…
• Standards allow protocol customization that are unpredictable!
• AVPs may be added, deleted, modified, re-grouped or reordered, so…
– A DSC must enable dynamic customization on a peer-to-peer basis
• Must enable MVNOs to manage 3rd party Diameter clients and
servers especially for roaming where there is no control over the
vendors
• Must support RFC 3588: IETF Diameter Translation Agent (TLA)
• Flexible Diameter protocol functionality for multiple standards
and custom interfaces, encodes & decodes AVPs
• Security: TLS, IPsec, firewall, access control
• Manages peer connections and manages messages
• Peer configurations for transport attributes
• Interface Dictionary for command codes, AVPs, vendor-specific
interfaces
25
Diameter Protocol Stack
Diameter Protocol Stack
Interface Dictionary
Peer Config
Security Protocols
• Converts Diameter messages, interface versions
• Transformations may be performed with scripts or plug-ins
• Manages AVP values, custom protocol options
26
Transformation Function
Diameter Transformation Function
Transformation Plug-in
Interface Dictionary
Peer Config
Transformation Scripts
Well-defined Protocol Translation
27
Summary
28
• MVNOs can provide unique services on top of 4G LTE
networks
• MVNOs can make network changes without impacting any
interfaces with MNOs
• MVNOs can leverage all that 4G LTE offers quickly and
cost effectively
• MVNOs can preserve infrastructure investments
• A DSC offers security, protocol conversion, interoperability,
seamless 4G LTE roaming and 4G LTE compatibility
Questions
29
Dan Wonak, Director of Marketing and Business Operations, Diametriq
Randy Snyder, President, Wireless Research Services
Additional Resources
30
• White Papers – www.diametriq.com/category/resources/white-papers/
• Impact of the LTE Migration for MVNOs
• LTE Signaling Traffic: What’s Really Going On?
• Measuring the Explosion of LTE Signaling Traffic – A Diameter Traffic Model
• A Storm is Brewing – An LTE Signaling Storm
• The Service-Enabling Diameter Signaling Controller (DSC)
• The Evolution of Diameter Signaling
• The Diameter Signaling Controller – Old Wine in a New Bottle?
• The Role of the Diameter Signaling Controller (DSC) in LTE and VoLTE
• Diameter Proxy
• Diameter in the Evolved Packet Core
Thank You
