SMSC and UMTS

Introduction
UMTS is the next stage in the future of mobile telecommunications and will offer more features and
services to a subscriber then ever before. These services benefit from the extra bandwidth (2Mbit/sec)
available on 3G (Third Generation) networks. Services such as video conferencing, large data
transfers, Internet access comparable to & exceeding fixed line quality of service as well as traditional
2G features will become available to the mobile subscriber.
UMTS is designed with the concept of a world-wide standard for mobile telecommunications in mind
and the reduction/elimination of problems in conventional 2G mobile standards such as voice capacity
limitations, different frequency ranges in differing regions and different underlying technologies which
prevent world-wide subscriber roaming.
UMTS will be released in phases with the first phase having reached approval in December 99, and
work is already in progress for the next phase due for release in 2000.
Spectrum distribution began in Q1 2000 with both auctions and Government allocations for potential
operators underway. UMTS is expected to be commercially available in 2001 in some regions with the
remaining regions coming online over the coming years. Indeed field trials of experimental 3G
systems are already underway. It is expected that world-wide there will be over 2 Billion subscribers
by 2010 and the billion-subscriber goal will be achieved by 2005.
The SMSC is a standardised and clearly defined part of the UMTS network.

SMS and UMTS

UMTS specifications are designed & approved by 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) and are
based on the current GSM standards. The standard for UMTS Short Message Service is described in
the ETSI specification 23.040.
As of November 2000 CMGs SMSC release 3.5 will be compliant to UMTS networks. It will be able to
interface to GSM/GPRS and UMTS networks simultaneously. Depending on the network
configuration, CMGs SMSC can be connected to a Signal Transfer Point (STP), directly to GSM and
UMTS MSCs, or a combination of both. The logical interface being used is MAP phase 3 according to
the mentioned UMTS standards.
An SMSC in an UMTS network will provide a store-and-forward mechanism able to provide all SMS
services being used in todays GSM networks, using proven technology. Using CMGs high end
solution already established SMS services in the GSM networks will benefit the introduction of UMTS
and growth of UMTS subscribers.
CMGs vision is that GSM networks will exists alongside UMTS networks for a long time to come.
Enabling SMS in an UMTS network provides the means for messaging between UMTS and GSM
users.
The result: A smooth evolution from GSM/GPRS towards UMTS for messaging.