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LTE PTT Broadband Trunking Solution

White Paper

Huawei Technologies CO., LTD.


All Rights Reserved
LTE PTT Broadband Trunking Solution White Paper INTERNAL

Contents

1 Trunking Communications and Development Trend ........................................................... 3


1.1 Introduction to the TRS ................................................................................................................................................ 3
1.1.1 Challenges to and Development Trend of the TRS .................................................................................................... 4
1.1.2 Existing Trunking Systems ........................................................................................................................................ 6

2 Huawei LTE PTT Broadband Trunking Solution .................................................................. 7


2.1 Network Architecture .................................................................................................................................................... 7
2.2 Excellent System Performance ..................................................................................................................................... 9
2.2.1 Performance Counters................................................................................................................................................ 9
2.2.2 Capacity Counters .................................................................................................................................................... 10
2.3 Advanced Hardware Platform ..................................................................................................................................... 10
2.4 Advanced Video Intercom........................................................................................................................................... 13
2.5 Service Functions........................................................................................................................................................ 14
2.6 Trunking VPN ............................................................................................................................................................. 15
2.7 Powerful Dispatch console ......................................................................................................................................... 17
2.8 Open API .................................................................................................................................................................... 18
2.9 Terminal Application Interface ................................................................................................................................... 19
2.10 Various Terminals ..................................................................................................................................................... 20
2.11 Deployment Scheme ................................................................................................................................................. 22

3 Solution Development ............................................................................................................... 23


3.1 Interworking with the Existing Trunking Systems ..................................................................................................... 23
3.2 E2E Encryption ........................................................................................................................................................... 24

4 Application Case ......................................................................................................................... 25


5 Conclusion and Prospect ........................................................................................................... 27

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1 Trunking Communications and


Development Trend

1.1 Introduction to the TRS


The Trunked Radio System (TRS) was first developed at the end of 1960s and the beginning
of 1970s. The basic service feature of the TRS is push to talk (PTT). Service experience of the
PTT is similar to that of interphones. Unlike common point-to-point (PTP) and full-duplex
mobile communications, the PTT uses the half-duplex and point-to-multi-point (P2MP)
communication mode. The calling party can initiate a call to one people or a group of people
by pressing a key, and the call can be immediately set up. Trunking communication services
include private calls (namely, single calls or individual calls), group calls, and broadcast calls.
The most popular group call of trunking communications is the half-duplex voice call held by
multiple persons.
The network of the TRS covers the large area or medium area. The TRS consists of the
dispatch console, switching control center, base station, and mobile station. In most cases, the
TRS provides multiple call functions, such as group calls, emergency calls, and initiating calls
to or receiving calls from the public network. In addition, the TRS can provide users with
functions, such as reliable communication channels, fast call setup, priority classification, and
dynamic regrouping.
Trunking communications provides high network reliability, high network capacity, short call
setup time (less than 500 ms), and high network security, and supports large group and large
area calls.
The TRS has the advantages, such as easy-to-use and fast call setup. The system is widely
used in many dedicated dispatching communication fields, such as railway transportation,
shipping communications, port navigation, aviation services, weather forecast, forests, mining
work, public security, electric power, petroleum, and disaster assistance. Enterprises and
government organizations can construct a common trunking network based on onsite
requirements. In the TRS, corresponding call groups, such as the government administration
group, public facility management group, environment and health group, police and security
guard group, fire fighting group, and vehicle dispatching group, can be set for different
industries, enterprises, or departments based on service requirements. With the development
of mobile communications, the application of the TRS has been widely accepted by the public.
Many countries also issue operation licenses to TRS carriers and use the TRS as a public
trunking network. The trunking network provides public services in addition to the services
for carriers. In addition, some public network carriers enable PTT services in their public
mobile networks for public users or lend PTT services to enterprises or organizations as a
trunking virtual private network (VPN).

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1.1.1 Challenges to and Development Trend of the TRS

Similar to the public mobile communications network, the trunking communications network
is also developed from the analog technology to the digital technology and from only having
voice services to having voice and data services. The 1G trunking communications network is
an analog system that uses FDMA and provides only voice services. The 2G trunking
communications network is a digital system that uses TDMA and provides only limited data
rates (lower than 50 kbit/s) in addition to voice services. The 2G trunking communications
network can also provide some basic data services, such as the data query and small-sized file
and image transmission, but cannot provide services, such as video intercom and video
surveillance.
With the service development of trunking users and improvement of the communications
technologies, trunking users are showing an increasing demand for new services such as the
video, multimedia, and high-speed mobile broadband. However, the first- and
second-generation trunking communications networks cannot meet requirements due to
technology limitations. The 3G public mobile communications system can provide the mobile
data rates of 2 Mbit/s in the downlink and 384 kbit/s in the uplink. Although the 3G-based
digital trunking system can provide certain video and multimedia capabilities and has
achieved some success, providing PTT, mobile broadband, and video services anytime and
anywhere still cannot be achieved due to limited data bandwidths.
The MIMO- and OFDM-based LTE mobile communications technology provides high
spectral efficiency and supports the peak rate of 150 Mbit/s in the downlink and the peak rate
of 50 Mbit/s in the uplink. This brings real innovation for mobile broadband. MIMO is short
for multiple-input multiple-output. OFDM is short for orthogonal frequency division
multiplexing. The large-scale deployment and mature application of the LTE network
provides a basis for the combination of mobile broadband and professional trunking
communications and the implementation of broadband trunking communications.

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With the rapid development of the mobile Internet and the wide application of data services,
broadband has become the development trend of all radio communications systems.
According to the conclusion in TWC 2012, TErrestrial Trunked RAdio (TETRA) and critical
communication need to be combined with the LTE in the future. Therefore, the evolution to
the LTE becomes the development trend of the TRS.

4G MBB
trunking system

 4G mobile broadband
 All IP and flat architecture
3G digital
trunking system  Excellent performance
2G digital trunking  Rich and integrated
system  3G and digital service on one platform
Analog trunking  All IP platform  Open platform
system  High voice quality  High voice quality
 Circuit switched
 Multiple channels  Data services  Rich media services (PTV)
Circuit switched
 Digital technique  Picture and low bit rate  High security and privacy
 Multiple channels
 TDMA video
 FDMA LiTRA
TruStar
 Specialized department
TETRA
MPT - 1327

The PTT can be used as a distinctive service for the public mobile communications network.
It brings the following benefits:
 Meet the requirements of fashion people on multi-party chat and communications.
 Improve the average revenue per user (ARPU) and reduce the off-net customer ratio.
 Help carriers develop the enterprise and government users.
 Maximize the use of investment in live networks and increase revenue.
Among public network carriers, Nextel in the United States is the most successful one that
implements the PTT services. Nextel began to use the iDEN technology since 1995 to enable
the large-scale commercial use of PTT services. This helps combine the digital cellular and

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intercom with the text and digit. The successful operation of the PTT services provides better
performance in the increase of the user number and the ARPU value, and in user loyalty.
In a public mobile communications market that is stepping into the 4G era, the PTT services
will be one of the most important services that can attract users. PTT services can also help
carriers explore high profit markets.

1.1.2 Existing Trunking Systems


 TETRA
TETRA is defined by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).
TETRA is the second-generation TRS. It is also a narrowband digital trunking system
that rose in 1990s. TETRA uses the TDMA mode and the carrier bandwidth of 25 kHz.
Each carrier has four timeslots. Multiple carriers are used for frequency reuse to avoid
interference. The reuse coefficient is 7 or higher. TETRA supports both voice and
low-speed data (7.2 kbit/s per timeslot and no more than 28.8 kbit/s) communications,
and only data services, such as simple data query.
 TruStar
TruStar (Trunking Star) is the new-generation digital trunking solution that is developed
by Huawei based on the third-generation mobile communications technology
CDMA2000. In addition to the CS domain and PS domain inherited from the
CDMA2000 network, the TruStar system has a trunking domain. The trunking domain
enables the TruStar system to provide services, such as voice services, short message
services (SMSs), high-speed data services, trunking communications, and professional
dispatching. The three domains share the RAN resources, thereby reducing investment.
TruStar uses the CDMA technology to implement trunking communications. Trunking
communications improve the spectrum utilization, support more users, and provide voice
services and data services with the date rate of 1 Mbit/s, thereby supporting certain
multimedia services.
 QChat
QChat is a PTT communications technology that is developed by Qualcomm based on
the CDMA 1xEVDO network. It belongs to the public network trunking solution. QChat
uses the binary QChat Signaling Protocol (QSP) to control the call connection. The call
setup delay can be shortened to less than 1s. QChat supports the following service
functions: single calls, group calls, temporary group call setup, chat rooms, and status
presentation. Group calls are implemented in unicast mode. QChat is deployed on the
Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) network for promoting the 3G value-added services
(VASs).

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2 Huawei LTE PTT Broadband Trunking


Solution

In compliance with the development trend of the digital TRS, Huawei develops the
LTE-based broadband TRS. The LTE PTT solution provides trunking services on LTE
networks by adding a PTT server and related terminals to carriers' existing networks based on
the standard LTE network.
The solution has the following key features:
 High performance
 Broadband and video
 Open standard
 Open API and rich applications
 VPN (public enterprise network) and low network construction and maintenance costs
 Professional trunking service quality assurance (priority and resource reservation)
Thanks to the flattened architecture of the LTE network and broadband-based air interface
design, the call setup time and E2E delay are greatly reduced. Like traditional trunking,
Huawei LTE PTT can provide better performance experience. Based on the standard evolved
multimedia broadcast/multicast service (eMBMS) feature of the LTE, LTE PTT can provide
large group calls with unlimited number of users.
Huawei draws lessons from and inherits 2G/3G trunking R&D experience and achievements
during the R&D, and provides comprehensive traditional trunking service functions in LTE
PTT.
Based on the high spectrum efficiency and bandwidth of the LTE network, LTE PTT can
provide PTT video intercom, mobile video surveillance, large file transfer, remote assistance,
and mobile dispatch consoles.

2.1 Network Architecture


Huawei LTE PTT broadband trunking solution complies with the PTT standards proposed by
3GPP and Open Mobile Alliance (OMA). The solution uses the all-IP architecture and uses
the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and Real-Time Transport Protocol (RTP) as the major
signaling protocols. In addition, it provides PTT services on the LTE network based on the
open and extensible network architecture.

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By adding PTT servers and terminals supporting PTT services to the standard LTE network,
the LTE PTT solution can provide trunking services. The LTE PTT solution can provide more
optional trunking services by adding other applications to the basic network. For example, the
dispatch console provides trunking dispatch console services and the LBS Server provides
positioning services.

Figure 2-1 Logical Network Architecture of LTE PTT solution

Huawei LTE PTT broadband trunking solution’s network architecture is shown as follows.

Figure 2-2 Network Architecture of Huawei LTE PTT broadband trunking solution

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Network element description:


PTT Server
It is responsible for user authentication, forwarding, and user/group status management.
Management Client
It is responsible for trunking user creation & deletion, group creation & deletion, and
group attribute modification.
Dispatch console
An enterprise has one dispatcher, who uses a dispatch console to perform user or group
dispatch, including group members and group status query, call participation, and temporary
dispatch.
APP
It provides functions of PTT on an APP client. Users can query member status or group
list. They also can initiate private calls, group calls, and video calls on the APP client.
U2000
U2000 is a unified element management system which is responsible for O&M of PTT
servers. The O&M functions include log management, alarm management, tracing,
configuration management, real-time monitoring, and installation.
Web LMT
It is a local maintenance terminal. It provides functions including alarm management,
tracing, real-time monitoring, and configuration maintenance.
Other NEs are standard NEs in LTE systems, which are not described here.

2.2 Excellent System Performance


2.2.1 Performance Counters
Table 2-1 Performance counters of the LTE PTT system

Delay End-to-end PTT PTT Access Time End-to-end


Access Time (KPI2) (KPI1) (s) Latency
(s) (KPI3) (s)

PTT (single call) < 0.8 (accounting for < 0.2 (accounting for < 0.4
95% of the calls) 95% of the calls)
PTT (group call) < 0.8 (accounting for < 0.2 (accounting for < 0.4
95% of the calls) 95% of the calls)
PTV (video < 0.8 (accounting for < 0.2 (accounting for < 0.5
intercom) 95% of the calls) 95% of the calls)

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When only voice services are used, the PTT single call and group call setup time reaches 800
ms, PTT is achieved, the floor application time reaches 200 ms during a call, and the delay
can hardly be sensed. In addition, the E2E voice delay also can be lower than 400 ms.
When video intercom is used, a call can be set up within 800 ms and the E2E delay can be
lower than 500 ms.
The performance of the LTE PTT broadband trunking system is as good as the traditional
trunking system and meets the strict requirements of professional users.

2.2.2 Capacity Counters


Table 2-2 lists counters related to the capacity supported by the PTT server.

Table 2-2 Capacity counters

Item Specifications
Number of registered Trunking users 100,000
Number of concurrent online Trunking users 80,000
Number of registered Trunking user groups 10,000
Number of users in a Trunking user group (unicast) 300 per group
Number of users in a Trunking user group (multicast) 1000 per group

The PTT server uses the extensible Fusion Engine platform and extensible software
architecture of Huawei to improve the system capacity based on the service development and
customer requirements in the future.

2.3 Advanced Hardware Platform


In the LTE PTT solution, the PTT server uses the Huawei FusionEngine hardware platform
that features high availability, openness, convergence, high reliability, and high performance.
FusionEngine is a carrier-class universal and COTS hardware platform that offers excellent
service and media processing capabilities, including 4 Series Chassis, as FE8001 (1U)/
FE8002 (3U)/ FE8010 (14U)/FE8016 (21U) as shown in Figure 2-1.
FusionEngine has the following features:
 Compatibility
 Compatible with mainstream industry software and middleware platform
FusionSphere, VMWare, KVM, RHEV etc
 Standardization
 Universal x86/ARM computing,
 General purpose storage using HDD or SSD
 Popular network and I/O interfaces
 IT-ization

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 Follows Moore's Law so that keeping sync fast-paced IT industry High extensibility
 Convergence
 Infrastructure convergence
 Multi-service convergence
 Convergence of CT, IT and IP technologies
 Easy to deploy
 Support 800mm/1000mm depth of cabinet servers
 Support ETSI wide temperature range (long-term 0~45 ℃),
 Support CO/DC deployment standard
 High Bandwidth and Access Capabilities to Remove Bottlenecks of Data Plane Loads
 FusionEngine adopts a high-speed serial connection and switching structure.
 FusionEngine provides an access bandwidth of 40 Gbit/s, which is scalable to 100
Gbit/s to 200 Gbit/s.

Figure 2-3 Front view of an FusionEngine-based server in full configuration mode

Currently LTE PTT solution uses FE8002(3U) as shown in Figure 2-4, Figure 2-5 & Figure
2-6. The related specification is shown in Table 2-3.

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Figure 2-4 FusionEngine 8002 Chassis

Figure 2-5 Front View

Figure 2-6 Rear View

Table 2-3 FE8002 Specification

Item Specifications

Dimensions (H x W x D) 130.5mm × 442mm ×675mm


Weight ≤ 47.8 kg (full configuration)
Voltage 240 V DC; 200V AC~240V AC

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Item Specifications

Power consumption 2400 W (DC) 2000W(AC)

2.4 Advanced Video Intercom


Based on the high-speed data capability of the LTE network and the efficient video
transcoding capability of the Huawei Media Engine (HME), the LTE PTT solution can
provide the low delay of less than 400 ms, high resolution (supporting multiple resolutions),
and smooth video intercom experience. The solution can also provide video intercom only for
high-priority users based on the system load and bandwidth, greatly improving the
multimedia capability and user experience of trunking communications.

The HME is a multi-platform audio and video engine. The video engine component of the
HME supports various resolutions in H.264 format and functions, such as collection, display,
transcoding, network transmission, and encryption. In addition, the video engine features high
quality and low overhead, and supports software and hardware coding.
The video engine can provide high-definition (HD) images based on the intelligent image
recognition capability and intelligent compression algorithm.
The video engine reaches the low delay using the non-delay video pre-analysis algorithm,
low-delay code rate allocation algorithm, slice-level transcoding technology, and dynamic
jitter buffer technology.
The video engine has three key network adaptive technologies: network detection, dynamic
redundancy, and automatic rate selection.
In addition, the video engine can reduce the code rate to save the bandwidth when the image
becomes static. The video engine can also monitor the CPU usage. If the CPU processing
capability is insufficient, values of the communication parameters can be automatically
reduced.

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Through the preceding technologies, the HME can encode and decode 720P@15fps video
streams when the bandwidth is 1 Mbit/s.

The HME can support the Intelligent Optimization System (IOS) platform, but applications on the LTE
PTT client do not support the IOS platform.

Based on the video intercom, the LTE PTT can provide video and image transmission
between a UE and the dispatch console. The dispatch console can use the UE as a mobile
surveillance camera to implement random and flexible monitoring and information obtaining
at any time.

2.5 Service Functions


The LTE PTT broadband trunking solution is designed and developed by taking professional
trunking functions widely used in the second- and third-generation trunking systems into full
consideration. These functions are proposed and optimized in the actual application. They
comply with user habits and improve the work efficiency in many scenarios, and therefore
they are irreplaceable.
The LTE PTT broadband trunking system integrates traditional professional trunking
functions and new features, such as the video intercom based on high-speed mobile
broadband, large file transfer, and group sharing. It provides new services for customers and
better user experience.

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Rich trunking functions

Basic functions Supplementary Advanced functions


functions Discreet Listening
 Single call (PTP)  Voice playback  File Transmission
 Group call Group member list  Video Call
 Temporary group call and status display  VPN management
 Broadcast call  Group member Dynamic Group
 Late entry addition or deletion Number Assignment
 Floor priority preemption
 Trunking emergency
Speech duration
call
limitation
 User, group, and  Group priority
speaker number display  Preemptive call
 Group IM

2.6 Trunking VPN


The investment of the TRS is huge. Co-network trunking, for example, multiple enterprises
construct and share the networks or carriers construct the networks and then enterprises lease
these networks, is the development trend and common network construction mode. For
LTE-based PTT broadband trunking, co-network trunking is also the development trend. In
public network trunking, to share network experience with enterprise customers, facilitate
enterprise self-management, and reduce the management cost of carriers, the VPN function of
the trunking network is mandatory.
The trunking VPN in the LTE PTT system can provide isolated VPNs for each enterprise and
enable some users between various VPNs to communicate with each other and inter-VPN
joint scheduling.

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Management of the trunking VPN in the LTE PTT system is divided into two levels:
 Management of the entire system: It is implemented by carriers, including user
management and enterprise trunking VPN management.
 Management of the enterprise trunking VPN: It is implemented by the administrator of
the enterprise VPN.

System  Add, delete, modify, and query trunking users and the
Management dispatch console.
 Add, delete, modify, and query enterprise information.
 Add, delete, modify, and query enterprise members.
 Add, delete, modify, and query enterprise groups.
 Modify service configurations.
 Maintain the client version.
 Query and modify enterprise administrator information.
 Bind enterprise-associated IP addresses.
 Check enterprise statistical reports.

VPN Management  Chang the passwords of enterprise administrators.


 Set group priorities.
 Import and export group and member information.
 Maintain information about lower-level administrators in a
department.
 Maintain the dispatch console account.
 Check report information, such as the number and usage of
registered users of an enterprise.

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2.7 Powerful dispatch console


The LTE PTT system contains an optional dispatch console subsystem. The trunking dispatch
console is the command and dispatching center of a trunking system. As the service center of
the trunking system, the dispatch console allows a dispatcher to:
 Call trunking users and groups.
 Check the status of trunking users and groups.
 Implement advanced functions, such as break-in, forced release, and dynamic regrouping,
and perform management operations.
Figure 2-7 shows the functions of a dispatch console.

Figure 2-7 Functions of a dispatch console

Rich dispatching console functions

Basic functions Supplementary Advanced functions


functions
 Remote terminal
 Single call (PTP)  Broadcast
disabling and enabling
 Group call  Break-in  Environment listening
 Temporary group call  Forced release
 Temporary user
 Highest floor priority  User, group, and
invitation from a
 Dynamic regrouping member information dispatching console
 SM sending and display  Call authorization by a
receiving  Status information dispatching console
 Group SM display
 Call diverting for a
 Multi-call group
dispatching console
listening  Call recording and
 Call group replaying in a dispatching
combination console
 Group file distribution
 Operation recording

Figure 2-8 shows the interface of a dispatch console.

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Figure 2-8 Interface of a dispatch console

2.8 Open API


The LTE PTT system supports good openness and third-party development and customization,
and can integrate with the existing IT applications and Office Automation (OA) system of an
enterprise.
Openness of the LTE PTT system includes the following aspects:
 The system provides an open API and allows client software developed and customized
by customers or third-parties to integrate with other systems.
 The system provides client controls and a client software development tool package SDK.
SDK is short for software development kit. Third parties can develop new PTT clients
and dispatch consoles based on the SDK to implement industry-specific functions,
customized features, or other VASs, thereby meeting various demands of different
customers in different industries.
The client controls and SDK open the capabilities of the PTT system to external systems. In
this way, other systems can use the PTT system as their channels to send group SMs and
broadcast voice messages through the API, or use PTT-supported UEs as their temporary
mobile surveillance cameras.
Third-party enterprises or systems integrating with vendors can customize and develop some
features or functions in the LTE PTT trunking system. In this way, the LTE PTT trunking
system can integrate with other systems, such as the enterprise customers' application systems
or IT systems.
By using the SDK, the gateway can be developed to interconnect with other remaining analog
and digital trunking systems and enterprises' private branch exchange (PBX) telephone
systems. This helps use the existing communication facilities and achieve smooth transition.

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2.9 Terminal Application Interface


LTE PTT terminal application software can be installed on Android-based intelligent
terminals that support LTE (the version of Android must be 4.0 or later). In this way, a
common intelligent terminal becomes a professional trunking terminal.

Figure 2-9 shows the interface for a trunking single call. In most cases, common intelligent
terminals have no dedicated PTT keys. Therefore, users need to use the virtual PTT keys on
the touchscreen to apply for the floor and answer a call. The keys in different colors indicate
the status and floor status of a call.

Figure 2-9 Interface for a trunking single call

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Figure 2-10 shows the video intercom terminal interface and operation experience of a single
call.

Figure 2-10 Video intercom terminal interface and operation experience of a single call

2.10 Various Terminals


Users can use PTT over LTE services by downloading and installing LTE PTT client software
on an Android-based intelligent terminal that supports LTE. Customers can select desired

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terminals from various types of terminals. Alternatively, they can use their original terminals
to save costs.
Customers can purchase various mature terminals from the markets, including:
 Common mainstream smartphones
 High-end light, slim, and fashionable terminals
 Professional three-proofing terminals with related peripheral devices
A professional trunking terminal can provide the dedicated PTT keys, group selection button,
high-capacity battery that supports a long battery life, IP protection, and crash-proof
(MIL810C/D/E), which enable such a terminal to rival a traditional trunking terminal.

Figure 2-11 Motorola TC55 three-proofing LTE terminal (700 MHz frequency band)

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Figure 2-12 Samsung GALAXY Active three-proofing LTE terminal

2.11 Deployment Scheme


The deployment and evolution of the LTE PTT solution in the existing LTE network can be
divided into the following two stages:
 Standard LTE network + PTT server (The PTT server is embedded with the required
IMS function subset.)
PTT services are provided quickly on the existing network to attract more users.
 The network is evolved by following standard protocols and can provide better QoS for
PTT services.
The LTE access network is optimized to improve the access speed, coverage, and QoS.
In addition, more eMBMS CN devices are added to provide eMBMS-based PTT group
calls with larger capacity and less interface resources.

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3 Solution Development

3.1 Interworking with the Existing Trunking Systems


Enterprises and carriers have deployed a lot of digital trunking networks, such as the TETRA.
After users deploy the LTE PTT system, the original systems do not immediately exit the
network but continue to be used to protect investments. Therefore, the new LTE PTT system
will co-exist with the original trunking systems within a certain phase. The LTE PTT system's
interworking with the original trunking systems can improve the work efficiency and facilitate
user migration and smooth network swapping.
The existing trunking systems do not provide standard interconnection and interworking
interfaces. Therefore, proper interworking solutions must be customized for different systems.
The TETRA is used as an example. In most cases, the TETRA provides the dispatch console
API for secondary development, including the interface for implementing the dispatch
console's PTT call function. By using the dispatch console API, Huawei can customize and
develop the interworking gateway for the LTE PTT system and TETRA, thereby achieving
the single call interworking and hybrid group call between the LTE PTT system and TETRA.
Users or TETRA providers on the live network must provide their dispatch console APIs and
technical support for the development of the interworking gateway.

The interworking gateway feature is a customized feature. It is determined based on project


requirements and customers need to provide interfaces and technical information required for
interconnection and interworking.

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LTE PTT Broadband Trunking Solution White Paper INTERNAL

3.2 E2E Encryption


Compared with GSM and UMTS networks, the LTE network provides a more complete
encryption and integrity protection mechanism on the air interface. The protection, however,
needs to be enhanced on the wired network. Encryption protection that is performed only on
the link layer by segment still has security risks. Industry customers that have high security
requirements have strong requirements on application-layer E2E encryption. Huawei
introduces the hardware-based E2E encryption solution to the UMTS-based TruStar trunking
system. This solution meets the security requirements of high-end customers and has good
effect in actual applications.
The hardware-based E2E encryption solution will also be introduced to the LTE PTT trunking
system based on the TruStar technology in the future.

The hardware-based E2E encryption feature is a customized feature. It is determined based on project
requirements.

Encryption Path

Air Interface terrestrial link Air Interface

eNodeB eNodeB
Core Network
Encryption UE Encryption UE

 Voices, videos, and SMs are encrypted on any devices and links in the entire system, and
therefore cannot be intercepted.

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LTE PTT Broadband Trunking Solution White Paper INTERNAL

4 Application Case

Huawei provides the LTE PTT solution for Vodafone in WMC 2014. In WMC, Huawei shows
the LTE PTT solution as a Vodafone LTE trunking solution and enable customers, such as the
Vodafone chief technology officer (CTO) and senior government officials, to experience the
service.
Huawei LTE PTT solution is the only one PTT solution that supports video intercom in WMC
2014. With its excellent performance, good experience, and clear and smooth video, the
solution impresses Vodafone senior officers, government customers, and other visitors to the
WMC.

Figure 4-1 Demonstration of the LTE PTT solution in WMC 2014

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LTE PTT Broadband Trunking Solution White Paper INTERNAL

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LTE PTT Broadband Trunking Solution White Paper INTERNAL

5 Conclusion and Prospect

The rapid development and wide and in-depth application of mobile broadband services,
smartphones, and the mobile Internet bring huge impacts and also great opportunities of
transformation and upgrade to traditional industries and applications including the trunking
communications industry.
After years of utilization experience and service development requirements, users in the
traditional TRSs have strong demands on the following parts:
 Various communication services (for example, video services)
 High-speed and ready-to-use mobile broadband services
 Rich and complete data services
 Various and cost-effective terminals on which software can be installed to expand
functions
 Open, customizable, and extendable network and system platforms
However, the traditional TRSs can provide the date rate only of lower than 50 kbit/s due to
outdated technologies and can barely support the most basic applications, such as data query
data and text. The LTE network is mature and widely used, which provides a basis for the
fulfillment of the preceding demands. The LTE network uses the latest mobile
communications technologies. With the latest technologies, the LTE network can provide a
maximum downlink data rate of 150 Mbit/s and a maximum uplink data rate of 75 Mbit/s
with a bandwidth of 20 MHz. In addition, the LTE network has high spectral efficiency and
perfect QoS assurance mechanisms, and therefore can carry real-time services, such as voice
and video services. Therefore, it has become the latest development trend for customers to
construct a professional TRS based on the LTE network to integrate the advantages of the
TRS and LTE network and provide a new driving force for trunking communications.
To follow this trend, Huawei provides the LTE-based professional trunking communications
solution, LTE PTT. The LTE PTT solution can provide mobile broadband, group voice call,
and group video call services for a UE in a network at the same time. As an open platform and
API, the solution allows users to perform customization and application extension. In addition,
to improve the performance and capacity of the LTE PTT system, the LTE network needs to
be optimized to rival the professional trunking communications system.
As the new-generation broadband TRS, the LTE PTT system provides new energy and vitality
for trunking communications based on the LTE technology and provides better assurance for
users' service development and success.

2016-01-15 Huawei confidential. No spreading without permission. Page 27 of 27

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