GPRS System Overview

Overview

This course is primarily designed for engineers working for network operators and for equipment manufacturers who are involved in network planning, commissioning, network optimization, strategy determination, deployment, equipment design or manufacturing of GPRS network equipment. Some will find that this course will satisfy their complete requirements, while for others it will provide one element in a wider study based on primary material and other related Wray Castle courses.

This course is also very useful for engineers and scientists working in areas related to GPRS operation. This includes those working with service delivery, service developers, billing, Government security or forensic work, technical support staff and those in technical management roles.

On completion of this course the delegate will be able to:

• define what GPRS is, state why it has been developed and explain its benefits
• outline the basic Internet Protocol (IP) procedures and explain how the IP addressing scheme works
• describe the functions of the GPRS network elements and name the interfaces that connect them
• describe how GPRS interworks with the GSM network
• list GPRS channels and their structures and explain when and how they are used
• discuss GPRS resource allocation and data delivery
• explain the system, network area and mobile station identities used in GPRS
• describe how cell selection and reselection is performed in GPRS
• define Quality of Service (QoS) in the context of GPRS and identify the different QoS classes
• explain the signalling flows that enable GPRS attach, detach, PDP context activation and purge
• list the protocols that are used in GPRS, state where each is used and define its basic function

In addition to gaining a good understanding of the GPRS network and its capabilities, attending this course will enable the delegate to deliver operational improvements and generate cost savings or reduce project timelines by:

• improving network design, planning, operations and maintenance
• avoiding the laborious search through specifications, standards and white papers, while benefiting from a practical analysis and interpretation of such documentation by experienced engineers
• knowing better where to look to accelerate research and fact finding and facilitate earlier project completion
• improving the equipment procurement process by better analysis and challenge of technical specifications and supplier responses, thus giving greater certainty to on-target performance and value-for-money purchasing
• shortening the learning curve and speeding productive inputs from new team members and freeing more experienced employees’ time
• evaluating better a system’s capabilities through improved knowledge, leading to superior operations and maintenance performance
• providing greater confidence in the sale of equipment by anticipating customers’ technical requirements and
• being able to promote relevant superior equipment performance

and, after the course, Wray Castle’s unrivalled post-course support comes into effect.

Section 1 – 1.75 hours   GPRS Basics
Circuit switching and packet switching
Benefits of GPRS
GPRS – a bearer service
GPRS applications
WAP over GPRS
An internet subnetwork
Creation of packets
Segmentation and Reassembly (SAR)
Packet Assembler Disassembler (PAD)
Routing and routers
Connectionless service
Connection-oriented service
The OSI Seven Layer Reference Model
GPRS protocols and the OSI Model
Addressing mechanisms
The IP addressing scheme
Tunnelling

Section 2 – 1.75 hours   The GPRS Network
The GPRS mobile
GPRS network elements
Packet Control Unit (PCU)
Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN)
Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN)
GPRS interworking
Interworking with WAP and MMS
EDGE and EGPRS
The GERAN

Section 3 – 3 hours   Air Interface
Overview of channel types
Physical and logical channels
Logical channel mapping
Packet Broadcast Control Channel (PBCCH)
Packet Common Control Channel (PCCCH)
Packet Traffic Channel (PTCH)
Logical channel mapping
The GPRS air interface
The 52-frame multiframe
Uplink State Flag (USF)
Initiation of mobile-originated packet transfer
Radio block allocation
Mobile-terminated packet transfer
Mobile-originated SMS transfer
Mobile-terminated SMS transfer
Mobile-originated MMS transfer – intra-network

Section 4 – 2.5 hours   Network Procedures
Identities, addressing and numbering
Quality of Service (QoS)
The QoS profile
QoS parameters
GPRS MM states and procedures
GPRS attach and detach
PDP context activation
PDP context modification
PDP context deactivation
Purge function
GPRS state transitions
GPRS mobile classes
GPRS location management
Routing Area Identity (RAI)
Update procedures
Periodic RA/LA update
GPRS roaming
GPRS Roaming Exchange (GRX)
Security and confidentiality
Authentication
Ciphering
Charging and billing

Section 5 – 0.5 hour   Charging and Billing for GPRS
GPRS billing architecture
Collection of billing data
Call Detail Records (CDRs)
Tariffing parameters
Examples of packet-switched billing scenarios
Connection to an external data network
PS call from a VPLMN to an HPLMN
Roaming
Exchange of charging information between networks

Section 6 – 2.5 hours   GPRS Protocols
The GPRS transmission plane
Gn and Gb interface protocols
Um interface protocols
Downlink data transfer
Initiation of downlink transfer

This course has been developed for staff requiring a broad overview of a technology area. It assumes some underlying technical ability and may require general knowledge of telecommunications and of network operation. It also assumes general engineering skills and knowledge appropriate to the course topic.

Along with a paper copy of comprehensive course notes the delegate will receive an electronic version on CD. This provides delegates with an easily transportable and fully searchable reference tool, including all the colour detail of the course presentation.

Following attendance on any Wray Castle course the delegate will automatically become eligible for free post-course support. If a delegate has any questions relating to the course content, this service puts the delegate in direct e-mail contact with a Wray Castle expert.

This course is designed for instructor-led training. The practical and/or complex nature of the course is best delivered in a class where the Wray Castle expert trainer can demonstrate and explain the content using a variety of specialist delivery techniques.

Delegates wanting more in-depth information about GPRS operation will benefit from GPRS Air Interface. Our IMS and SIP course may be relevant to those working with core networks. Those working in 3G networks and advancing into LTE should consider our UMTS courses and our growing LTE portfolio. For those working with IP, our Hands-on IP, Broadband Access Technologies and IP Engineering Overview courses will be of interest.

The General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is the most widely adopted mobile packet data delivery technology in the world. It utilizes an Internet Protocol (IP)-based core network and involves significant changes to the way the GSM air interface is structured. It also forms the basis of the future structure of mobile network transmission and switching.

This Wray Castle course provides an overview of the GPRS system. The course begins with an overall description of GPRS and progresses to look at its network architecture and operational aspects. The subsequent section covers the structure of the GPRS air interface and the basics of uplink and downlink packet transfer. This leads into a study of GPRS operational procedures, covering important aspects such as mobility, location management, billing and security. This is followed by a high-level view of the GPRS protocols. The course finishes with a brief introduction to the third generation (3G).

Prerequisites

In order to achieve the maximum benefit from attending this course, it is recommended that delegates are familiar with the architecture and general operation of a GSM network. This is best obtained through attendance on our GSM System Overview course. Familiarity with the concept of packet switching will also be beneficial.