What is HLR

Home Location Register

A Home Location Register (HLR) is the definitive database of mobile subscriber information for a wireless carrier's network. It is the real-time list that matches phones, phone numbers, user accounts and service plan information. It also keeps track of the user's location on the carrier's network, (or another carrier's network if roaming,) so incoming calls can be routed through the correct tower.

HLRs use the ANSI-41 or MAP protocol to identify and authenticate users, and manage roaming situations involving other networks.

The HLR is used to control what kinds of calls each user is allowed to make and how they are handled. The HLR can also control access to other services such as data.

The HLR also tracks individual devices, and can be used to blacklist phones that have been reported stolen.

The HLR is key to any wireless carrier's network, so an outage or problem with the HLR typically causes an effective outage or other major problems for a mobile network.

Larger carriers often have multiple HLRs, in which case each subscriber "belongs" to only one HLR.

3GPP LTE Long Term Evolution

LTE, HSPA, EDGE

LTE (both radio and core network evolution) is now on the market. Release 8 was frozen in December 2008 and this has been the basis for the first wave of LTE equipment. LTE specifications are very stable, with the added benefit of small enhancements being introduced in Release 9, a Release that will be functionally frozen in December 2009.

LTE (Long Term Evolution) is the project name of a new high performance air interface for cellular mobile communication systems. It is the last step toward the 4th generation (4G) of radio technologies designed to increase the capacity and speed of mobile telephone networks. Where the current generation of mobile telecommunication networks are collectively known as 3G (for "third generation"), LTE is marketed as 4G. However, it does not fully comply with the IMT Advanced 4G requirements. Most major mobile carriers in the United States and several worldwide carriers have announced plans to convert their networks to LTE beginning in 2009. The world's first publicly available LTE-service was opened by TeliaSonera in the two Scandinavian capitals Stockholm and Oslo on the 14th of December 2009. LTE is a set of enhancements to the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) which will be introduced in 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Release 8. Much of 3GPP Release 8 will focus on adopting 4G mobile communications technology, including an all-IP flat networking architecture. On August 18, 2009, the European Commission announced it will invest a total of €18 million into researching the deployment of LTE and 4G candidate system LTE Advanced.[1]

Motivation for 3GPP Release 8 - The LTE Release

Need to ensure the continuity of competitiveness of the 3G system for the future

User demand for higher data rates and quality of service

Packet Switch optimised system

Continued demand for cost reduction (CAPEX and OPEX)

Low complexity

Avoid unnecessary fragmentation of technologies for paired and unpaired band operation

LTE Release 8 Key Features

High spectral efficiency

— OFDM in Downlink, Robust against multipath interference & High affinity to advanced techniques such as Frequency domain channel-dependent scheduling & MIMO

— DFTS-OFDM(“Single-Carrier FDMA”) in Uplink, Low PAPR, User orthogonality in frequency domain

— Multi-antenna application

Very low latency

— Short setup time & Short transfer delay

— Short HO latency and interruption time; Short TTI, RRC procedure, Simple RRC states

Support of variable bandwidth

— 1.4, 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 MHz

Simple protocol architecture

— Shared channel based

— PS mode only with VoIP capability

Simple Architecture

— eNodeB as the only E-UTRAN node

— Smaller number of RAN interfaces, eNodeB « MME/SAE-Gateway (S1), eNodeB « eNodeB (X2)

Compatibility and inter-working with earlier 3GPP Releases

Inter-working with other systems, e.g. cdma2000

FDD and TDD within a single radio access technology

Efficient Multicast/Broadcast

— Single frequency network by OFDM

Support of Self-Organising Network (SON) operation

LTE Release 8 Major Parameters

LTE-Release 8 User Equipment Categories

LTE Release 8 Specifications

LTE is specified in 36 series technical specifications

The latest version of the LTE Release 8 specifications (September 2009 version) can be found in On-line in the 36 series

LTE Historical Information

The technical paper UTRA-UTRAN Long Term Evolution (LTE) and 3GPP System Architecture Evolution (SAE) is a good starting point.

Initiated in 2004, the Long Term Evolution (LTE) project focused on enhancing the Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA) and optimizing 3GPP’s radio access architecture.

Targets were to have average user throughput of three- to four-times the Release 6 HSDPA levels in the Downlink (100Mbps), and two to three times the HSUPA levels in the Uplink (50Mbps).

In 2007, the LTE of the 3rd generation radio access technology – "E UTRA" – progressed from the feasibility study stage to the first issue of approved Technical Specifications. By the end of 2008, the specifications were sufficiently stable for commercial implementation.

Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) was selected for the Downlink and Single Carrier-Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) for the Uplink. The Downlink supporting data modulation schemes QPSK, 16QAM, and 64QAM and the Uplink BPSK, QPSK, 8PSK and 16QAM.

LTE’s E UTRA uses a number of defined channel bandwidths between 1.25 and 20 MHz (contrasted with UTRA’s fixed 5 MHz channels).

4 x Increased Spectral Efficiency, 10 x Users Per Cell

Spectral efficiency is increased by up to four-fold compared with UTRA, and improvements in architecture and signalling reduce round-trip latency. Multiple Input / Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna technology should enable 10 times as many users per cell as 3GPP’s original W CDMA radio access technology.

To suit as many frequency band allocation arrangements as possible, both paired (FDD) and unpaired (TDD) band operation is supported. LTE can co-exist with earlier 3GPP radio technologies, even in adjacent channels, and calls can be handed over to and from all 3GPP’s previous radio access technologies.

In the same time frame as the development of LTE, 3GPP’s core network has been undergoing System Architecture Evolution (SAE), optimizing it for packet mode and in particular for the IP-Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) which supports all access technologies.

msisdn number or msisdn definition

msisdn number or msisdn definition
MSISDN is a number uniquely identifying a subscription in a GSM or UMTS mobile network. Simply put, it is the telephone number to the SIM card in a mobile/cellular phone. The abbreviation has several interpretations, most common one being "Mobile Subscriber Integrated Services Digital Network Number".[1]
The MSISDN together with IMSI are two important numbers used to identify a mobile subscriber. The former identifies the SIM, i.e. the card that is inserted into the mobile phone, while the latter is used to route calls to the subscriber. IMSI is often used as a key in the HLR ("subscriber database") and MSISDN is the number normally dialed to connect a call to the mobile phone. A SIM is uniquely associated to an IMSI, while the MSISDN can change in time (e.g. due to number portability), i.e. different MSISDNs can be associated to the SIM.

What is USSD for mobiles?

USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) is a Global System for Mobile(GSM) communication technology that is used to send textbetween a mobile phone and an application program in the network. Applications may include prepaid roaming or mobile chatting.USSD is similar to Short Messaging Service (SMS), but,unlike SMS, USSD transactions occur during the session only. With SMS, messagescan be sent to a mobile phone and stored for several days if the phone is notactivated or within range.
The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) supports USSD.

Very useful link

a communication protocol designed for transfer of short messages between short message centre and SMS application.

EDGE

EDGE is designed to enhance the existing GSM network and therefore should be cheaper to deploy than WCDMA. However, it doesn't offer the same kind of capacity improvements.

EDGE is an acronym for Enhanced Global Rates for Global Evolution. WCDMA stands for Wide Band Code Division Multiple Access, while GSM stands for Global Systems for Mobile Communications.
Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), Enhanced GPRS (EGPRS), or IMT Single Carrier (IMT-SC) is a digital mobile phone technology that allows increased data transmission rates and improved data transmission reliability.

EDGE (also known as Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution) is a radio signalling technology for 3G mobile networks. It boosts data transfer rates and volumes on existing GSM/GPRS networks by significantly increasing data transfer speeds.

How does EDGE work?

EDGE works by improving the signalling interface used to communicate over the radio waves. Typically, EDGE brings three times the performance of GPRS, achieving an average data rate of 80 to 160 kbps per user with mobile terminals supporting 2-4 timeslots. It is great for applications that transfer large amounts of data between a mobile phone and enterprise networks - such as rich email messages that include attachments.

About EDGE

Due to its high data transfer rates, EDGE has been adopted as part of ITU's (International Telecommunication Union) family of technologies. Currently, EDGE is standardized by the same 3GPP standardization body as the 3G technology, WCDMA, harmonizing the development of both EDGE and WCDMA.

EDGE benefits

* Faster connection
* Greater data volumes achieved
* Significant increase in functionality
* Can interoperate with GSM networks for global coverage

Push to talk

What is Push to talk?

Push to talk is a software technology for mobile phones that is designed to let you use your phone in real-time direct one-to-one and one-to-many voice communication. The primary technologies behind Push to talk are SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) and IP networks, such as GPRS, or WCDMA.

How does it work?

Push to talk technology channels voice communication through a data network for always-on* functionality. Mobile phones that are equipped with Push to talk software and that have been subscribed to a mobile network's Push to talk communication service can establish a telephone conference with one person or a group of people. Pushing a specific or dedicated button on the mobile phone opens a voice channel to all selected participants, whose phones will automatically play the caller's voice through the phone loudspeaker. Because it is similar to walkie-talkie, Push to talk allows only one participant to talk at a time.

What are the benefits of Push to talk?

* A quick telephone conference with a group of people
* Participants don't have to answer the phone, as the speaker's voice is automatically played through their phones' loudspeakers


Push-to-talk (PTT), also known as Press-to-Transmit, is a method of conversing on half-duplex communication lines, including two-way radio, using a momentary button to switch from voice reception mode to transmit mode.

PTT PoC or Push to Talk over Cellular is a feature similar to walkie-talkie that is provided over a cellular phone network. A typical Push to Talk connection connects almost instantly. One significant advantage of PoC is allowing a single person to reach an active talk group at a button press, thus users no longer need to make several calls to coordinate with a group.

Push-to-talk calls are half duplex communications — while one person speaks, the other(s) listen(s). Traditional mobile phone networks and devices utilize full-duplex communications, allowing customers to call other persons on a mobile or land-line network and be able to simultaneously talk and hear the other party. Such communications require a connection to be started by dialing a phone number and the other party answering the call, and the connection remains active until either party ends the call or the connection is dropped due to signal loss or a network outage. Such a system does not allow for casual transmissions to be sent to other parties on the network without first dialing them up, like is allowed on two-way radios. Full-duplex operation on mobile phone networks is made possible by using separate frequencies for transmission and reception.

Mobile Push-to-Talk service, offered by some mobile carriers, adds functionality for individual half-duplex transmissions to be sent to another party on the system without needing an existing connection to be already established. Since the system is half-duplex (utilizing a single frequency), only one user can transmit by PTT at a time; the other party is unable to transmit until the transmitting user unkeys their PTT button. Currently, PTT service is supported only between parties on the same mobile carrier service, and users with different carriers will be unable to transmit to each other by PTT. However, the advancement of this service will likely bring interconnectivity of PTT traffic between different networks in the near future.

IMEI number - & its analysis

IMEI = "International Mobile Equipment Identity"

The International Mobile Equipment Identity - a unique 15-digit code used to identify an individual GSM mobile telephone to a mobile network. It can be displayed on most phones by dialling *#06#. It is also usually printed on the compliance plate under the battery.

ou can check all known information regarding manufacturer, model type, and country of approval of a handset.--http://www.numberingplans.com/?page=analysis&sub=imeinr

Retrieving IMEI Information from an older Sony or Sony Ericsson handset can be done by entering these keys: Right * Left Left * Left * (Other service menu items will be presented with this key combination).

The IMEI information can be retrieved from most older Nokia mobile phones by pressing *#92702689# (*#WAR0ANTY#), this opens the warranty menu in which the first item is the serial number (the IMEI). The warranty menu also shows other information such as the date the phone was made and the life timer of the phone.

Central Equipment Identity Register is a database of the IMEI numbers of blacklisted handsets. If a device's IMEI number is listed on CEIR, it is not supposed to work on any service provider.--http://www.gsmworld.com/using/security/index.shtml

A common usage of the CEIR is with stolen cellphones. Once a user reports to the operator about the theft, the cell phone's IMEI number goes to CEIR, supposedly making the device unusable in any network (although this does not always work).

At present, there are over 40 operators connected to the IMEI DB from the following countries:

• Belgium
• Chile
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Italy
• Kenya
• Malta
• Norway
• Portugal
• South Africa
• Spain
• Sweden
• United Kingdom

HSPA - Mobile Broadband Today

HSPA--High Speed Packet Access

HSPA is part of the GSM 3G network and is (predominately) a software upgrade of the network infrastructure. To use , you need

a mobile device.

HSPA has a great legacy, coming from the GSM family. It is the latest technology to enable even faster data rates for mobile

users available today. The evolution has seen familiar acroymns such as GPRS (the first packet technology giving around

128kb/s) to EDGE (an enhanced version offering around 240kb/s) and then the introduction of 3G networks increasing the data

rate to 384kb/s.

The various enhancements on the HSPA route are as follows:

HSDPA – High Speed Downlink Packet Access
– the ability to receive large files to your mobile device such as email attachments, PowerPoint presentations or web pages.

HSUPA – High Speed Uplink Packet Access – this is a further enhancement to increase the speed by which you communicate from

your mobile device. The upload speeds which were at 384kb/s with HSDPA are now increased to a maximum of 5.7Mb/s

HSUPA is available in a few countries today with 2008 really seeing this as common place.

HSPA Evolved – this is also known as HSPA+ is the next step and is more focused on delivering data services enabling

speeds of up to 42Mb/s in the downlink and 11Mb/s in the uplink. HSPA Evolved will be available in late 2008 early 2009.

All of these are acronyms mean Mobile Broadband, today!

Common terms used by mobile network operators to market the service are: 3G+, NextG, 3G Broadband, 3.5G and many

more. As Sri Lankans we faced this marketing showers...[Mobitel Vs. Dialog]


High-speed packet access (HSPA) and not WiMax is set to dominate mobile broadband in the coming years -- if hardware makers

get behind the technology.

A report by analyst Juniper Research predicts 70 percent of mobile-broadband subscribers will use the souped-up version of 3G

by 2012. Total mobile-broadband subscribers will number 1.2 billion by then, it said -- equivalent to nearly one in three

mobile subscribers worldwide.

HSPA -- high-speed packet access -- delivers mobile broadband speeds in excess of 500Kbps, and up to several Mbps. There are

currently around five million HSPA subscribers worldwide, according to international 3G advocate the UMTS (Universal Mobile

Telecommunications Services) Forum.

so guys you know now that HSDPA is years ahead of HSCSD

HSCSD (High Speed Circuit Switched Data) is a specification for data transfer over GSM networks. HSCSD utilizes up to four

9.6Kb or 14.4Kb time slots, for a total bandwidth of 38.4Kb or 57.6Kb.

14.4Kb time slots are only available on GSM networks that operate at 1,800MHz. 900Mhz GSM networks are limited to 9.6Kb time

slots. Therefore, HSCSD is limited to 38.4Kbps on 900Mhz GSM networks. HSCSD can nly achieve 57.6Kbps on 1,800Mhz GSM

networks.