Core Solution: Figure 3: Core Network With Multiple Radio Access Technologies
Core Solution: Figure 3: Core Network With Multiple Radio Access Technologies
Core Solution
From Evolved Packet Core (EPC) perspective the 2G/3G/LTE deployment can be done
either with combined or separated SGSN/MME element. The main difference is that
SGSN handles both user plane and control plane while MME handles only control plane
traffic.
During the traffic migration from 2G/3G to LTE, the demand for the S/PGW capacity is
expected to increase as LTE provides higher spectrum efficiency compared to 2G/3G.
With LTE users are always-on IP connected to EPC, whereas in 2G/3G the users are
typically attached to GPRS without PDP context. Due to this, the need for bearer and
signaling capacity is increased in EPC.
The SGSN may locate in the existing site from where traffic is routed to Serving
gateway. The MME location is not dependent on the user plane, which means that it
can either be centralized in the data center or combined with SGSN on regional level.
Nokia Siemens Networks EPC products Flexi Networks Server (Flexi NS) and Flexi
Network Gateway (Flexi NG) are based on the common ATCA platform. Flexi NS
provides flexible capacity allocation between control plane and user plane with common
software for MME, 2G SGSN and 3G SGSN. Flexi NG with unique 4D scaling provides
common gateway functionality supporting gateways for 2G/3G, HSPA, HSPA+,
I-HSPA and LTE.
6.