Circuit Switched Call Setup Flow Diagram

UE Node B SRNC
UE is assigned a U-RNTI (Unique to the PLMN and is Derived from SRNC identity And a unique SRNC RNTI (S-RNTI)

Core Network

1. RRC Connection Request

With establishment cause Originating Conversational Call, Terminating Conversational Call (incl. Page Response)

Admission Control algorithm is invoked - to confirm availability of resources (codes, power, channel elements, etc.)

RRC Setup Phase

Sent to the UE: - Transport channel DL BLER target - Rate matching for the SRB (128bit SF at physical layer)

Node B is requested to Reserve dedicated resources Resources are reserved Node B responds to the RNC Node B activates RLS supervision

2. Radio Link Setup

If admission is granted

3. Radio Link Setup Response 4. Data Transfer Bearer Sync

5. RRC Connection Setup

Sent to UE with an RRC state indicator ordering the UE to go to CELL_DCH state. Message includes info the UE need to construct a dedicated channel (logical, transport, and physical layer info)

If admission cannot be granted, an RRC Connection Reject message is sent

6. RRC Connection Setup Complete

After RRC Connection Setup, Node B Transmits DPCH to enable L1 synchronization Once synchronization has occurred, UE sends RRC Connection Setup Complete to the SRNC. This message includes UE radio access capabilities for the RLC, Transport Channel and Physical Channel

MAJOR MILESTONE for the UE - UE successfully completed the Random Access Procedure - UE has setup a Radio Bearer with the RNC (UE can now utilize fast power control And Soft Handover) NOTE: CN has no visibility of the UE at this point

7. Initial Direct Transfer (CM Service Request)

Initiated by the UE transmitting the NAS message (CM Service Request) to the Core Network. This NAS message will trigger the creation of an Iu signaling connection between the SRNC and the MSC

8. Initial UE
UE can compare its locally generated AUTN to the version sent in the Authentication Request message. If versions match, UE has successfully authenticated sender of the message (eliminating fraudulent Access to UE specific information)

9. DT (Authentication Request)
CN initiates security procedures - Ciphering - Authentication NOTE: During the Authentication Process: - AuC uses an IMSI-specific Authentication Key (K) - AuC uses a randomly-generated number (RAND) - to generate 5 security parameters known as QUINTET

NOTE: UE can generate the same QUINTET (using the received RAND) as the one generated by the AuC since the UEs SIM card Once the QUINTET parameters are generated, CN sends a NAS message (Authentication Request) to the UE. Contains the same Authentication NAS message contains embedded RAND used to generate the QUINTET and an Authentication Token (AUTN) derived fr 2 parms Key (K)

10. DL Direct Transfer (Authentication Request)

11. UL Direct Transfer (Authentication Response)

Pre-RAB or Signaling Phase

UE responds with a NAS message (Authentication Response) which contains one of the QUINTET parameters known as The Response (RES)

12. DT (Authentication Response)

CN compares RES with its locally generated RES known as Expected RES (XRES) to authenticate the UE. This is known as MUTUAL AUTHENTICATION

13. Security Mode Command 14. Security Mode Command

Since UE can generate the same QUINTET, IK and CK are known to the UE as well. SRNC sends RRC message Security Mode Command to start Integrity and Ciphering procedures. Initiate Integrity and Ciphering security features - Integrity ensures non-alteration of L3 messaging and ensures that the sender of the signaling is the appropriate sender - Ciphering encrypts the signaling and user data NOTE: Security Mode Command is a RANAP message. Contains the Integrity Key (IK) and the Ciphering Key (CK). IK and CK are two of the five QUINTET parameters. RNC uses these keys to perform Integrity and Ciphering security features.

15. Security Mode Complete

Security Mode Control procedure is finalized with an RRC Security Mode Complete message from the UE to the SRNC

16. Security Mode Complete

Also forwarded to the MSC via RANAP messaging

17. UL Direct Transfer (Setup)

Once Security Functions are enabled, UE sends a NAS message (Setup) to the MSC. NAS message contains the dialed digits, Bearer and Call Control capabilities of the UE.

18. Direct Transfer (Setup) 19. Direct Transfer (Call Proceeding)

MSC confirms the call setup request has been received and is in Progress with a CALL PROCEEDING message

20. DL Direct Transfer (Call Proceeding)

Now that RRC CONNECTION is established and UE AUTHENTICATION AND CIPHERING is enabled, UE can request the setup it requires for this call and the MSC can start NEGOTIATING THE CALL with the UE Upon successful MSC & UE negotiation, MSC triggers the setup of resources for the USER PLANE by means of the RAB ASSIGNMENT procedure. Since QoS parameters indicate that the Traffic Class is Conversational, the RRC state for the radio bearer to be setup is CELL_DCH NOTE: After resources have been setup for the USER PLANE, NAS messages are used to notify the UE that the call has been accepted. VOICE TRAFFIC can now be sent over the resources in the USER PLANE.

21. RAB Assignment Request

Once request has been initiated, MSC requests the UTRAN to allocate Radio resources via the RANAP message RAB ASSIGNMENT REQUEST

22. Radio Link Setup

If admission is granted, message is sent from RNC to Node B via NBAP signaling

23. Radio Link Setup Response

RAB Setup Phase

Node B responds to the RNC

24. Bearer Synchronization

RNC establishes Bearer Synchronization with the Node B

25. Radio Bearer Setup

RNC sends RADIO BEARER SETUP message to the UE. Embedded in this message is the info necessary for the UE to construct a dedicated channel to support the CS voice call. Sample info: RAB attributes, DL BLER target, Rate Matching

RAB Assignment used by the CN to notify the UTRAN of the appropriate QoS and attributes to deliver the requested service. - Maximum Bit Rate (UL and DL) - Guaranteed Bit Rate (UL and DL) - Maximum SDU size - Sub-flow SDU size - Sub-flows 1, 2 and 3 NOTE: Since this is requesting resources, the ADMISSION CONTROL algorithm is again invoked.

26. Radio Bearer Setup Complete

Once the RADIO BEARER has been configured and synchronized in the DL, UE sends a RRC RADIO BEARER SETUP COMPLETE message to the SRNC

27. RAB Assignment Response

SRNC sends a RANAP RAB ASSIGNMENT RESPONSE Message to the MSC NOTE: At this point, call has been successfully setup, And moves into the RETAINABILITY phase of the call

28. Direct Transfer (Alerting) 29. DL Direct Transfer (Alerting)

NAS message ALERTING is used to notify the UE that the other end has been notified of an incoming call

30. Direct Transfer (Connect)

Contributing RF engineers: Domingo, Rommel Goyal, Munish Jaychandran, Krishna Kaura, Gaurav Ledesma, Michael Magpantay, DonCasey Samudrala, Rajesh Saxena, Pankaj Suban, Jay Zhang, Brian For suggestions, please contact any member of the LA North RF Engineering Team
Once called party answers the call, MSC sends the NAS message CONNECT to the UE

31. DL Direct Transfer (Connect)

NOTE: At this point, the UE and MSC activate their respective VOICE CODERS

32. UL Direct Transfer (Connect Acknowledgement)

UE sends the NAS message CONNECT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT to the MSC

33. Direct Transfer (Connect Acknowledgement)