Planning and Implementing Multimedia
Messaging Service (MMS) in General
Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Network
Master’s Thesis Presentation
Student: Li Tan (59727M)
Supervisor: Prof.Sven-Gustav Häggman
Presentation Outline
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Introduction
MMS in GPRS Network
Case Study: Planning and Implementing
MMS in GPRS Network
Summary and Conclusions
Introduction
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General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is a
data-centric packet bearer service, which
enables the packet data to be sent and
received across the mobile network.
Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is
similar to Short Message Service (SMS) but it
offers the multimedia capability to mobile
messaging.
GPRS is currently used as the data bearer of
MMS due to its high data rate and increasing
popularity.
Introduction (cont.)
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MMS is such a new technology that neither
vendors nor mobile operators have much
experience about it.
The major research problem addressed in
this thesis is how to plan and implement MMS
in the existing GSM/GPRS network of mobile
operators.
The objective of this thesis is to describe the
common problems in planning and
implementing MMS in GPRS network and
provide solution to these problems.
Introduction (cont.)
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The scope of this thesis work is about the
planning and implementation of multimedia
messaging service itself.
The solving method for the above mentioned
research problem is performing a case study.
The result of this thesis work is applicable as
a general guidance for MMS planning and
implementation for the commercial mobile
operators.
MMS in GPRS Network
MMS is a Wireless Application
Protocol (WAP) Application
Multimedia Messaging
Case Study
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The case study is about planning and
implementing MMS in GPRS network for a
mobile operator.
The mobile operator in the case study is an
imaginary operator. The most important data
for the operator are constructed from the
actual data of primary mobile operators all
over the world.
Requirements Analysis – Basic
Requirements
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Support the basic MO – MT messaging functionality
Support the MO – ET and EO – MT messaging
functionality
Support the MO – AT and AO – MT messaging
functionality
Support the Inter-MMSC messaging functionality
Provide the reporting and statistical functionality
Provide the interface to the operator’s Network
Management System (NMS)
Provide the charging data generation and charging
system interfacing functionality
Requirements Analysis –
Special Requirements
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Supporting Mobile Number Portability
(MNP)
Interfacing to the operator’s selfdeveloped subscriber database
Legacy Support
Personal Album (PA) service
Security
Planning MMS in GPRS
Network
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The first principle of planning MMS in
GPRS network: use a dedicated
WAPGW for MMS traffic.
This is due to the different properties of
multimedia messaging traffic and WAP
browsing traffic. The multimedia
messaging traffic is much more bursty
than WAP browsing traffic.
Connect MMS Solution to
GPRS Network
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Access Point Name (APN) must be defined in
the DNS server of GPRS backbone.
Gateway IP Address – the GGSN must know
to which WAPGW the multimedia messaging
traffic should be routed.
MMSC URL – the URL of MMSC to accept
the POST or GET request from WAPGW
Performance and Stability
Dimensioning
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The second principle of planning MMS in
GPRS network: do a careful performance and
stability dimensioning at the planning stage.
The cluster solution was chosen to achieve
the performance and stability requirements
from the operator.
The MMSC product vendor must do the
formal performance and stability testing for its
product.
IP Network Planning
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The IP network planning is the most important
part of planning MMS in GPRS network.
The third principle of planning MMS in GPRS
network: make a high-performance IP
network infrastructure.
The fourth principle of planning MMS in
GPRS network: high-availability solution must
be used to achieve the reliability.
Load Balancing via BIGIP
Switch
Legacy Support V.S. Personal
Album (PA)
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Both applications accept the multimedia message routed from
MMSC.
Both applications store the multimedia message in the internal
database.
Both applications allow the subscriber to view or further
manipulate the multimedia message via certain web portal.
Both applications allow the subscriber to send multimedia
message to the other subscribers.
Both applications generate the short message.
Due to the similarity between these two applications, it is better
to implement them in a similar way and use the same server to
host them.
This leads to the fifth principle of planning MMS in GPRS
network: centralize the similar functionality to ease the
implementation, operation and maintenance.
Planning and Implementation
Roadmap for MMS in GPRS
Implementing MMS in GPRS
Network
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The first principle of implementing MMS
in GPRS network: perform a careful
plan inspection before doing the system
commissioning.
The second principle of implementing
MMS in GPRS network: do a formal
performance test again during system
acceptance test phase to avoid
performance appraisal problem.
Summary and Conclusions
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Five principles about planning MMS in GPRS
network have been described through the case study:
 Use a dedicated WAPGW for MMS traffic
 Do
a careful performance and stability
dimensioning at the planning stage
 Make
a
high-performance
IP
network
infrastructure
 High-availability solution must be used to achieve
the reliability
 Centralize the similar functionality to ease the
implementation, operation and maintenance
Summary and Conclusions
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Two principles about implementing
MMS in GPRS network have been
described through the case study:
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Perform a careful plan inspection before
doing the system commissioning
Do a formal performance test again during
system acceptance test phase to avoid
performance appraisal problem