RAD International Technical Seminar May 2007

Abis & Ater Optimization

Presented by:
CBNetworks
Technical Support
support.technique@cbnetworks.fr
http://www.cbnetworks.fr
 Agenda

• Background

• Vmux-400/420 features

• How does it work?

• Vmux-4.xx Configurator Tool

• Statistics

• Interoperability

• Applications

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 2

 Optimization Market Needs
Market potential:
• 1 Billion potential cellular subscribers in GSM rural areas (Nokia
Chairman)
• Cellular backhaul relies on leased lines, private networks and
satellite connections
• Backhaul costs reach 40-60% of the operator’s OpEx
• 2.5G / 3G services and mobile users increase incurs additional
network investments (optimized 2G leased lines can be transferred
to 3G networks)

Connectivity optimization reduces costs

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 3

 GSM Network Architecture
Interface: E(PCM) A(PCM) / Ater* Abis
Solution: Vmux-2100/ Vmux-2100 / 420* Vmux-400/420
Gmux-2000

BSC
BTS

BTS
PSTN
MSC BSC
BTS BTS

BTS
MSC
BSC
BTS BTS

BTS
HLR VLR
*Depends on the GSM Transcoder location: BTS
- if located at MSC  Ater (Vmux-420)
- if located at BSC  A Interface (Vmux-2100/Gmux-2000)

BTS – Base Transceiver Station BSC – Base Station Controller (= BSS)

MSC – Mobile Switching Centre HLR & VLR – Home & Visitor Location Registers
http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 4
 Optimization and not Compression

BSC

Ater Abis Optimized data

BTS

ABIS/ ATER contains:

1. Compressed voice
2. Idle channels
3. Silence within active calls
4. Signaling + headers [ = overhead]
5. Data (such as GPRS / EDGE)

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 5

 Agenda

• Background

• Vmux-400/420 features

• How does it work?

• Vmux-4.xx Configurator Tool

• Statistics

• Interoperability

• Applications

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 6

 Vmux-400 – Features

• Average Optimization: Up to 3:1 (fractional uplink)

• User Input: 1 or 2xE1/T1 (ordering option)
• Uplink Interfaces: E1/T1, ETH/IP, Serial (all built-in)
• Clocking: Clock is transferred even when using ETH/IP
uplink
• Power Options: AC/DC
• Data compression: (NEW)
Compresses ~ 10% - 15% more
during peak hours (License is needed)
• Point to Multipoint (using bundles)
• Voice CODECs
• Interoperability with all Major vendors
• Tools, such as Bandwidth Calculator, Configurator …
http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 7
 Vmux-420 (Beta) – Features

• All Vmux-400 features (except Serial Uplink & T1)

• User Input: Up to 12xE1 (4, 8, or 12 - ordering option)
• Uplink Interfaces: Up to 6xE1 or ETH/IP (all built-in)
• Chassis: 1U, 19” wide
• Redundancy: full redundancy (Carrier Class Product)
• Dry Contact Alarm Relay
• TDM trunks aggregation (grooming)
• Interoperability between Vmux-400 and Vmux-420

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 8

 Vmux-420 Back Panel

• 2 Fully redundant Main Modules, in case of H.W

malfunction
• All ports connected to both Main Modules, supplying FULL
redundancy

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 9

 Vmux-400/420 Management
User terminal
Telnet
RV-LITE + SNMP traps

ConfiguRAD

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 10

 Agenda

• Background

• Vmux-400/420 features

• How does it work?

• Vmux-4.xx Configurator Tool

• Statistics

• Interoperability

• Applications

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 11

 Operation

Optimization process
1. Suppress Idle channels
2. Suppress traffic when there are Silence frames within active calls*
3. Remove Signaling HDLC flags (only valid signaling is transferred)
Suppress signaling FISU & LSSU (ATER segment only)

Vmux-400/420

FROM Vmux-400/420 ABIS (/ ATER)

Optimized Data Compressed Voice
BSC 1
(MSC) BTS (/BSC)

Optimization

(* when DTX mode is active in the GSM network)

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 12
 Data Compression
• How does it works?
- The data compression unit accumulates information coming from the optimization unit and
compresses it. The information is compressed similar to Zip a file in PC
• Performance
- Saves about 10 - 15% bandwidth during peak hours.
- Higher performance when there is more Data traffic (GPRS / EDGE - up to 50%)
- There are 2 compression levels: Normal level and High level.
• Why “Data”?
- The output from the optimization unit contains data and not voice
- This is non-destructive compression.
• Tradeoff for High Packet loss level
- Sensitive to packet loss therefore it is only good for networks with low packet loss.
• License dependant

Vmux-400/420

Vmux-400/420 ABIS / ATER

Optimized + Compressed Data Compressed Voice
1 2
BTS

Optimization Data
Compression
http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 13
 Traffic Types Supported – VOICE

Voice Codecs:
• FR (Full Rate)
• EFR (Enhanced Full Rate)
• AMR (Adaptive Multi-Rate)

• HR (Half Rate) Up to 24 timeslots

• AMR-HR Per Vmux-400 *

• Vmux-400/420 can automatically

detect the GSM sub-channel rate
(16kbps or 8kbps)

* Current H.W. limitation (there is no limitation for the Vmux-420)

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 14
 Traffic Types Supported – DATA
SMS / WAP:
Transferred as part of the signaling channel.

GPRS:
CS* 1,2,3 and 4 transported over timeslots
configured for TRAU traffic => BTS can use
any TRAU timeslot to transmit GPRS

EDGE:
Transported over timeslots configured for
TRANSPARENT.
BTS must use a predefined set of
timeslots for EDGE services

*CS = Code Scheme

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 15
 Clocking over TDM/IP Link

RCV (Uplink) RCV (Ingress)

TDM\IP
Network
Vmux-400 Vmux-400/420

ADAPTIVE = ENABLE ADAPTIVE = ENABLE

For IP uplink For IP uplink

BTS BSC
(LBT) (Clk Source)

• Clock transferred from BSC to BTS over any transmission

network (Adaptive clock recovery mechanism enables to transfer
the clock over ETH/IP – unique feature!)

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 16

 Clocking over Satellite IP Link

Internal RCV (Ingress)

Vmux-400/OCXO Vmux-400/420

ADAPTIVE = DISABLE IP network ADAPTIVE = DISABLE

BTS BSC
(LBT) (Clk Source)

• OCXO* (ordering option) for highly accurate internal oscillator

operating at 2.048Mhz  0.5 ppm (use when IP network jitter is
higher than 50 msec)

* Only needed on the BTS side

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 17
 Signaling Rate Detection
• Signaling Rate Detection
• Vmux-400/420 can automatically detect the data rate of the signaling channels (16,
32 or 64Kbps)
Before Vmux- 400/420 detects After Vmux- 400/420 detects
signaling channels rate signaling channels rate
Ts# Type Byte Bundle# Ts# Type Byte Bundle#
Reversal Reversal

1 Dynamic Yes 1 1 Sig64 Yes 1

2 Dynamic Yes 1 2 Sig64 Yes 1
| 3 Dynamic Yes 1 | 3 Sig64 Yes 1
v 4 Dynamic Yes 1 v 4 Dynamic Yes 1
5 Dynamic Yes 1 5 Dynamic Yes 1
6 Dynamic Yes 1 6 Dynamic Yes 1
7 Dynamic Yes 1 7 Dynamic Yes 1
8 Dynamic Yes 1 8 Dynamic Yes 1
9 Dynamic Yes 1 9 Dynamic Yes 1
10 Dynamic Yes 1 10 Dynamic Yes 1

Available Time Slot Types:

• TRAU: GSM Speech
All set to Dynamic
• Sig64/Sig32/Sig16: HDLC Signaling, 64/32/16 kbps
• Trp64/Trp32/Trp16: Transparent data, 64/32/16 kbps
http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 18
 Timeslot Type Detection (Ericsson)
• Timeslot Type Detection (Ericsson)
• After reboot, the Ericsson BSS changes timeslot assignment for speech and signaling. To
support this Vmux-400/420 can automatically detect the timeslot type (speech or signaling).
Before Vmux-400/420 detects timeslots type After Vmux-400/420 detects timeslots type
Ts# Type Byte Bundle# Ts# Type Byte Bundle#
Reversal Reversal

1 Dynamic Yes 1 1 Sig64 Yes 1

2 Dynamic Yes 1 2 Sig64 Yes 1
| 3 Dynamic Yes 1 | 3 Sig64 Yes 1
v 4 Dynamic Yes 1 v 4 TRAU Yes 1
5 Dynamic Yes 1 5 TRAU Yes 1
6 Dynamic Yes 1 6 TRAU Yes 1
7 Dynamic Yes 1 7 TRAU Yes 1
8 Dynamic Yes 1 8 TRAU Yes 1
9 Dynamic Yes 1 9 Dynamic Yes 1
10 Dynamic Yes 1 10 Dynamic Yes 1

Available Time Slot Types:

All set to Dynamic • TRAU: GSM Speech
• Sig64/Sig32/Sig16: HDLC Signaling, 64/32/16 kbps
• Trp64/Trp32/Trp16: Transparent data, 64/32/16 kbps
http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 19
 Agenda

• Background

• Vmux-400/420 features

• How does it work?

• Vmux-4.xx Configurator Tool

• Statistics

• Interoperability

• Applications

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 20

 Vmux-4.xx Configurator Tool:
Step 1
1. Site survey
1. Site survey 2. Configuration
3. Bandwidth estimation
Configuration Tool
Collecting information from the
mobile operator:

- GSM segment: ATER/ ABIS

- Vendor
- Uplink type: TDM / IP
- Timeslot assignment
- Downstream DTX (y/n)
- Clock transfer

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 21

 Vmux-4.xx Configurator Tool:
Step 2
1. Site survey

2. Configuration parameters 2. Configuration

3. Bandwidth estimation
Configuration Tool
Configure device according to
the information we got from
the survey.

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 22

 EXAMPLE:
Alcatel Time Slot Configuration
1. Site survey
BSC/BTS Configuration:
(6 x TRX, 48 GSM speech channels) 2. Configuration
3. Bandwidth estimation
Configuration Tool
Vmux-400 Time Slot Table:
Display Time Slots Configuration

Ts# Type Byte Reversal Bundle#

1 -- Yes 1
2 Sig64 Yes 1
| 3 TRAU Yes 1
v 4 TRAU Yes 1
5 Sig16 Yes 1
6 TRAU Yes 1
7 TRAU Yes 1
8 TRAU Yes 1
9 TRAU Yes 1
10 TRAU Yes 1

Available Time Slot Types:

• TRAU: GSM Speech
• Sig64/Sig32/Sig16: HDLC Signaling, 64/32/16 kbps
• Trp64/Trp32/Trp16: Transparent data, 64/32/16 kbps
http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 23
 Vmux-4.xx Configurator Tool:
Step 3
1. Site survey

3. Bandwidth considerations 2. Configuration

3. Bandwidth estimation
Configuration Tool
Bandwidth is influenced by the
following parameters:

Fixed
- Timeslot assignment
- Uplink type (IP or TDM)
- Using Downstream DTX.

Estimated
- Estimated silence within calls
- Estimated idle channels

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 24

 Vmux-4.xx Configurator Tool:
1. Site survey
Vmux-400/420 Configuration tool
2. Configuration
3. Bandwidth estimation
 Configuration Tool

Vmux-400 Configuration guide

Try it in workshop

Available at: http://www.cbnetworks.fr/ftp/rad/outils/ InfoCenter  Technical Resources

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 25
 Agenda

• Background

• Vmux-400/420 features

• How does it work?

• Vmux-4.xx Configurator Tool

• Statistics

• Interoperability

• Applications

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 26

 Statistics

• Uplink statistics: TDM/Serial/Ethernet uplink:

Evaluate bandwidth on uplink
• Signaling statistics:
Verify signaling channels are up
• TRAU statistics:
TRAU traffic analyzing
• Bandwidth control statistics:
Display calls stopped or discarded
• BW utilization statistics:
Display enhanced information
on bandwidth consumption

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 27

 Agenda

• Background

• Vmux-400/420 features

• How does it work?

• Vmux-4.xx Configurator Tool

• Statistics

• Interoperability

• Applications

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 28

 Vmux-400 Interoperability

• Interoperable with all major vendors:

Ericsson, Siemens, Nokia, Alcatel-

Lucent, Huawei, Motorola, Nortel, …

Vmux-400/420

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 29

 Agenda

• Background

• Vmux-400/420 features

• How does it work?

• Vmux-4.xx Configurator Tool

• Statistics

• Interoperability

• Applications

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 30

 GSM Service to Remote / Rural
Regions
Remote Site

Central Office ETH/ Vmux-400

IP
E1
MSC BSC ETH/IP BTS
Vmux-400
E1s E1
Hub
Transceivers Remote Site
E1

Vmux-400

ETH/ Vmux-400
IP
Central site E1
BTS
solution is needed

• Connection via satellite, microwave, terrestrial links, flexible

interfacing (IP/ETH/SERIAL/E1)
• Effective solution where the cellular operator pays for expensive
transmission links
http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 31
 GSM Service to Remote / Rural
Regions
Remote Site

Central Office ETH/ Vmux-400

IP
E1
MSC BSC BTS
Vmux-420
E1s
Hub
Transceivers Remote Site
ETH/IP
Up to 12 E1

ETH/ Vmux-400
IP
E1
BTS

• Connection via satellite, microwave, terrestrial links, flexible

interfacing (IP/ETH/SERIAL/E1)
• Effective solution where the cellular operator pays for expensive
transmission links
http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 32
 Summary

• RAD offers a full MSC-BSC-BTS cellular backhaul solution

• Cost effective voice optimization solution for central and

remote sites

• Up to 3:1 optimization of Abis/ Ater interface

• Up to 10% - 15% saving with Data Compression

• Connects over any uplink

• Interoperable with all major vendors

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 33

 thank you
for your attention

• Technical Support
• support.technique@cbnetworks.fr
• http://www.cbnetworks.fr
http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 34
http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 35
 Vmux-400 Ports

Control Port

E1 Uplink Serial Uplink ETH Management

(Egress/Output) (Egress/Output)
 to network  to network

User E1 Ports* ETH/IP Uplink

(Ingress/Input) (Egress/Output)
 from BTS/BSC/MSC  to network

* Ordering Options: 1 or 2 ingress E1 ports

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 36
 Vmux-420 Ports

Up to 6 E1 Uplink Control
Up to 12 User E1
(Egress/Output) Port 2 Redundant
Ports*
 to network Power
(Ingress/Input) supplies
ETH
 from Alarm
Management
BTS/BSC/MSC ETH/IP Uplink Relay
port
(Egress/Output)
 to network

* Ordering Options: - 4,8 or 12 Ingress E1 ports

- 2,4 or 6 Egress E1 ports
http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 37
 GSM Subchannel Rate Detection

GSM Subchannel Rate Detection

• Full Rate (FR): Each voice
channel is carried in a 16 kbps
sub channel

• Half Rate (HR): Each voice

channel is carried in a 8 kbps sub
channel

• Vmux-400/420 can automatically

detect the GSM subchannel rate
(16 kbps or 8 kbps)

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 38

 Ericsson Time Slot Configuration
BSC/BTS Configuration:
(10.5 x TRX, 84 GSM speech channels)
CH Sub Channel Content

1 CONC TRXC SIGNAL

How to configure Vmux-4.xx according to
2 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 SPEECH/DATA the timeslots table?
3 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 SPEECH/DATA
4 UNDEF IDLE
5 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 SPEECH/DATA • TS1, 21, 30 : Sig64
6 UNDEF IDLE
7 UNDEF IDLE • TS2, 3, 5, 11-20, 24, 29, 31 : TRAU
8 UNDEF IDLE
9 UNDEF IDLE • TS4, 6-10, 22-23, 25-28: : N/C.
10 UNDEF IDLE
11 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 SPEECH/DATA
12 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 SPEECH/DATA
13 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 SPEECH/DATA
14 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 SPEECH/DATA
15 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 SPEECH/DATA
16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 SPEECH/DATA
17 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 SPEECH/DATA
18 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 SPEECH/DATA
19 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 SPEECH/DATA
20 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 SPEECH/DATA
21 CONC TRXC SIGNAL
22 UNDEF IDLE
23 UNDEF IDLE
24 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 SPEECH/DATA Available Time Slot Types:
25 UNDEF IDLE
26 UNDEF IDLE • TRAU: GSM Speech
27 UNDEF IDLE
• Sig64/Sig32/Sig16: HDLC Signaling, 64/32/16 kbps
28 UNDEF IDLE
29 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 SPEECH/DATA • Trp64/Trp32/Trp16: Transparent data, 64/32/16 kbps
30 CONC CF/TRXC SIGNAL
31 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 MPLEX16 SPEECH/DATA

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 39

 Statistics: BW Utilization Statistics
Vmux400 / BSC ALRM
Display Total Accumulated Number of seconds
accumulated for each
bandwidth range

[ < 64 Kbps] ... (236024) [704 -767 Kbps] ... (44)

[ 64 -127 Kbps] ... (5) [768 -831 Kbps] ... (354)
[128 -191 Kbps] ... (314) [832 -895 Kbps] ... (233)
[192 -255 Kbps] ... (1203) [896 -959 Kbps] ... (23)
[256 -319 Kbps] ... (3455) [960 -1023 Kbps] ... (4)
[320 -383 Kbps] ... (14563) [1024-1087 Kbps] ... (0)
[384 -447 Kbps] ... (21003) [1088-1151 Kbps] ... (0)
[448 -511 Kbps] ... (13900) [1152-1215 Kbps] ... (4)
[512 -575 Kbps] ... (4231) [1216-1279 Kbps] ... (0)
[576 -639 Kbps] ... (911) [1280-1343 Kbps] ... (0)
[640 -703 Kbps] ... (43) [1344-1407 Kbps] ... (0)
... (N)
>

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 40

 Mobile Platforms

MSC BSC Vmux-400 Vmux-400

E1s Serial/
IP/E1 Serial/IP/E1
E1
E1
BTS

• Supply service to mobile platforms such as cruise ships

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 41

 Mobile Platforms

MSC BSC Vmux-400 Vmux-400

E1s Serial/
IP/E1 Serial/IP/E1
E1
E1
BTS

• Supply service in large and crowded events using trucks

http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 42

 Terrestrial Daisy – Chained BTS’s

FE1

BTS
FE1

BTS
MSC BSC Vmux-400 / 420 Vmux-400
E1s E1 E1
TDM or IP BTS
E1

FE1
DXC
BTS
FE1

FE1 BTS

BTS

• Requires Drop & Insert capability at the BTS

• Suitable when each BTS serves a small area
http://www.cbnetworks.fr - support.technique@cbnetworks.fr Abis & Ater Gateway TS-2007 Slide 43