IEEE 802.21 MEDIA INDEPENDENT HANDOVER
DCN: 21-06-0807-00-0000
Title: Follow-up feedback from FMCA on IEEE 802.21 functions
Date Submitted: November, 14th, 2006
Presented at IEEE 802.21 session #17 in Texas, USA
Authors or Source(s):
FMCA Operators: Brasil Telecom, British Telecommunications
Plc, Rogers Communications Inc, Telecom New Zealand
Abstract: Follow-up feedback from FMCA on IEEE 802.21
functions
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Discussion Items
• FMCA Overview
• FMCA Programme Update
• FMCA Vendor Affiliation Programme Update
• FMCA Operator Feedback on proposed 802.21 Functions
• FMCA Operator Scenarios
• Next Steps
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FMCA Overview
• Formed in mid-2004.
• Incorporated as a not-for-profit trade association under New York law,
USA, in August 2006.
• Global alliance of telecom operators focused on accelerating the
development and availability of Convergence products and services.
• 27 Leading integrated Telecom Operators = over 800 million
subscribers (1 in 3 of the world’s telecom users)
• Not a standards development organisation.
• FMCA Vendor Affiliation Programme launched globally. Applications
may be submitted as from December 2006.
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FMCA Priority Programmes
•
A key factor in enabling telecom operators to deploy Convergence
services:
• Common Operator Requirements for Converged products & services
to work in any environment.
•
Ensuring availability of Converged Devices:
• Specifying baseline specifications for Wi-Fi enabled devices.
•
Specifying Architecture & Interfaces for networks:
• Seamless authentication and registration in a common, secure and
consistent manner.
•
Defining procedures & interfaces for Interconnect:
• Enabling services to be fully interoperable between multiple operators
and across multiple networks.
•
Defining requirements for Converged Roaming:
• Encouraging a global Converged wireless-cellular roaming service for
telecom users.
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FMCA Vendor Affiliation Programme
• Framework for vendors to contribute to the Alliance’s work in
cooperation with the Alliance Members:
•
Delivery function within the FMCA Technical Working Group
that identifies and addresses technical requirements.
•
A set of work procedures and frameworks built around the
various Standards and Certification bodies.
• Timely generation and delivery of Technical Work Items that
will support the FMCA Priority Programmes:
•
Focus is on service, network and device interoperability
requirements.
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Operator Feedback on MIH functions
• FMCA Operators would like to understand the impacts of IEEE
802.21 on the following requirements:
• Lawful Intercept
• Emergency Services
• Country specific roaming/network selection requirements
• Anti-trust aspects regarding cost information
• Privacy laws with respect to location information
• Joint work item proposal (FMCA-IEEE 802.21)
• As the above requirements may restrict the general IEEE
802.21 enabled HO options, FMCA may be able to analyse the
specific impacts and may bring requirements related to
regulatory and legal aspects identified as potential triggers.
• This work item will require IEEE 802.21 participation.
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Operator feedback on IEEE 802.21 roaming
• Closer discussions required on how IEEE 802.21 can work with
current and proposed Operator roaming and operating models.
• Proposal joint FMCA – IEEE 802.21 audio call to clarify
roaming models.
• Consider creation of joint sub-working group
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Operator feedback on Information Elements
• What information does IEEE 802.21 need from FMCA
Operators on the different types of Information Elements
• Private
• Public
• Roaming
• What specific information does IEEE 802.21 need from FMCA
Operators on different parameters and options needed for
Information Elements.
• Have IEEE 802.21 thought about management options for
Information Elements, e.g. use of OMA DM?
• Proposed Joint Work Item – to identify a number operator
parameters that might qualify for relevant IEs.
• This will require IEEE 802.21 participation.
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Operator feedback on IEEE 802.21 IS
• Options for IS location – Access Node vs Network Application
Server?
• Does an open and standard interface exist for real-time access?
• Is the latency for retrieval appropriate for handover time
budgets?
• How can the addition of new access network types and specific
PoAs be supported? Can it be automated?
• How does IS know the current location of the client – who adds
the current location to the get?
• How is authentication/trust between the client and the IS
established and maintained?
• Benefit of having optional less complex implementation that
would not require the continuous update of the MIIS, may be
using network auto-discovery techniques?
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Operator feedback on handover
• Network Initiated handover is less well defined in terms of the
likely scenarios and desirability when this happens.
• Examples of network-side triggers
•
•
•
•
Pre-pay limit exceeded
New authentication for the same userId detected
Location update indicates a “home” or preferred access zone
Network congestion on current access detected, network initiates
handover to achieve load balancing:
• Network selection options – SIM/user vs network based
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Feedback on complex multimedia sessions handover
• Handover support for multimedia services, much harder
problem than “single media component” case (like voice
only).
• Preliminary FMCA analysis show that IS will need specific
IEs to respond to higher layers requirements in handing
over complex multimedia sessions (serving real time
multimedia services)
• A special case of handing over active IMS sessions between
access networks served by the same or different IMS
operator(s) should be considered.
• Need for view on how 802.21 MIH, Mobile IP and 3GPP
VCC will work together to achieve inter-technology
handovers
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Example Operator Deployment Scenario
 Operator (CDMA) sees an imminent use of the 802.21 MIH layer in
coordinating access technology handover across heterogeneous
networks, under the control of a common MIP based core network.
Without MIH support, handover will use basic RSSI indications for
handoff triggers – thus preventing the use of advanced fast handover
protocols already defined by the IETF.
While current cdma2000 packet data networks are based on MIPv4,
we envisage that the MIH layer in conjunction with Fast Handoffs
for IPv4 will allow fast lossless handover for future multimedia
services.
Handovers to be mobile or network initiated.
The 802.21 specification provides functionality to guide network
selection based on operator defined policy information, supplied via
the MIIS.
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Example Operator Deployment Scenario
GSM / GPRS / UMTS / HSPA / UMA / VCC (1)
• Operator (GSM / GPRS / UMTS / HSPA) deploys in a phased
approach, based on specifics of its market, technology maturity,
and terminals availability, the above listed mobile access
technologies
• During the intermediate phases of each new technology, that
particular access technology has an “island” type of
coverage overlaying the previously deployed technologies
coverage
• Intra-Operator Access Domains can be defined by the
operator and appropriate IEs assigned
• The IS can then define an operator-reconfigurable
hierarchical access structure that can be used in setting up
access preferences and map the network capabilities to the
offered services within each access domain constraints
• Particular operator domains may be defined based on regional
spectrum availability and regulations
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Example Operator Deployment Scenario
GSM / GPRS / UMTS / HSPA / UMA / VCC (2)
• Most GSM / GPRS / UMTS mobile operators are interested in
VCC (Voice Call Continuity), that delivers call continuity
between the PS networks and the extensive CS (GSM)
infrastructure
• Appropriate IEs may enable the IS to facilitate the discovery
of VCC capabilities part of a given operator domain
• The content of the corresponding IE fields are to be defined as
maximum number of possible states and their meaning
• The defined IEs may become part of the inter-operator roaming
agreements
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Summary key gaps
• Key gaps foreseen in 802.21:
• Business scenarios/models for key information elements and
roaming models.
•
Understanding of actual business benefits in terms of user
experience, etc
•
Validity and completeness of the Information Elements
within the IS
•
Network initiated handover scenarios
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Next Steps
• FMCA is aiming to cover roaming and inter-operability aspects
as part of the development and delivery of some of its Priority
Programmes.
• IEEE 802.21 will have the opportunity to contribute to these
requirements.
• FMCA would like to agree with IEEE 802.21 very specific
work items to be jointly developed and/or reviewed by FMCA
and IEEE 802.21, which should address the gaps foreseen in
802.21 by FMCA Operators; i.e.:
• Business scenarios/models
• User experience
• Information Elements
• Handover Scenarios
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