Internet Protocol based Mobile Radio Access Network Architecture for Remote Service Areas

Sammanfattning: When it comes to their Radio Access Network (RAN) infrastructure, no two Mobile Operators, serving remote service areas, are alike. Despite situations and technologies being diverse, a well designed optimized RAN solution must adapt itself to the existing networking technologies, both with regard to legacy core networks and modern telecommunication networks in order to produce the best network which is possible subject to many constraints. There is a misconception in technical circles that an optimized internet protocol (IP) enabled RAN architecture is more theoretical than practical. On the contrary, the aforesaid is highly dependent on the technology used. Packet optimized IP- GSM Radio Access Network (GRAN) architecture is proposed in this thesis, it uses Internet Protocol (IP) rather than proprietary protocols for communication between Base Transceiver Stations (BTS), Base Station Controllers (BSC), and the Network Switching Subsystem (NSS). This architecture must deliver carrier-grade mobility, scalability, and reliability; while being optimized for efficient roaming, routing and backhauling from remote service areas. In a geographic arena that spans across the globe, classical circuit-switched networks are not cost efficient due to their integrated call control (signaling) and switching architecture. A solution to this may be soft-switching which separates the call control (Media Gateway Controller (MGC)) and switching (Media Gateway (MG)) into separate nodes. This methodology would fundamentally change the way circuit-switched services, such as traditional voice telephony, are handled. For a service provider this enables a much more efficient network, because it allows optimized equipment location for voice termination into other carrier networks. Co-location of media gateways with satellite ground stations enables local termination to the public switched telephone network (PSTN), thus offloading a great deal of the traffic from the backhaul transmission network of the mobile operator. This thesis adopts soft-switching as part of the call routing processes. The thesis considers the problem of transporting voice and signaling from-to the remote service areas, efficient routing and backhaul to the location of most suitable operator’s point of presence. The thesis explores an alternative which uses a packet switched backbone (e.g. IP based) to transport the media as close (geographically) to the dialed party as possible before terminating it at the PSTN network, thus achieving optimal routing of voice and signaling. Considering the aforesaid, the thesis describes a detailed network architecture and an operational system prototype for maritime GSM network deployment, as a befitting and challenging example of remote service area.