Voice over LTE, VoLTE formation

Originally the concept for an SMS and voice system over LTE using IMS had been opposed by
many operators because of the complexity of IMS. They had seen it as far too expensive and
burdensome to introduce and maintain.

However, the One Voice profile for Voice over LTE was developed by a collaboration between
over forty operators including: AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Nokia and Alcatel-Lucent.

At the 2010 GSMA Mobile World Congress, GSMA announced that they were supporting the
One Voice solution to provide Voice over LTE.

To achieve a workable system, a cut down variant of IMS was used. It was felt that his would be
acceptable to operators while still providing the functionality required.

The VoLTE system is based on the IMS MMTel concepts that were previously in existence. It has
been specified in the GSMA profile IR 92.

Voice over LTE, VoLTE basics

VoLTE, Voice over LTE is an IMS-based specification. Adopting this approach, it enables the
system to be integrated with the suite of applications that will become available on LTE.

Note on IMS:

The IP Multimedia Subsystem or IP Multimedia Core Network Subsystem, IMS is an architectural framework for

delivering Internet Protocol, IP multimedia services. It enables a variety of services to be run seemlessly rather

than having several disparate applications operating concurrently.

Click for an IMS tutorial

In order that IMS was implemented in fashion that would be acceptable to operators, a cut down
version was defined. This not only reduced the number of entities required in the IMS network,
but it also simplified the interconnectivity - focussing on the elements required for VoLTE.

Reduced IMS network for VoLTE

As can be seen there are several entities within the reduced IMS network used for VoLTE:
  IP-CAN IP, Connectivity Access Network: This consists of the EUTRAN and the
MME.

 P-CSCF, Proxy Call State Control Function: The P-CSCF is the user to network
proxy. In this respect all SIP signalling to and from the user runs via the P-CSCF whether
in the home or a visited network.

 I-CSCF, Interrogating Call State Control Function: The I-CSCF is used for
forwarding an initial SIP request to the S-CSCF. When the initiator does not know which
S-CSCF should receive the request.

 S-CSCF, Serving Call State Control Function: The S-CSCF undertakes a variety of
actions within the overall system, and it has a number of interfaces to enable it to
communicate with other entities within the overall system.

 AS, Application SERVER : It is the application SERVER that handles the VOICE
as an application.

 HSS, Home Subscriber Server: The IMS HSS or home subscriber SERVER is the
main subscriber database used within IMS. The IMS HSS provides details of the
subscribers to the other entities within the IMS network, enabling users to be granted
access or not dependent upon their status.

The IMS calls for VoLTE are processed by the subscriber's S-CSCF in the home network. The
connection to the S-CSCF is via the P-CSCF. Dependent upon the network in use and overall
location within a network, the P-CSCF will vary, and a key element in the enablement of VOICE
calling capability is the discovery of the P-CSCF.

An additional requirement for VoLTE enabled networks is to have a means to handing back to
circuit switched legacy networks in a seamless manner, while only having one transmitting radio
in the handset to preserve battery life. A system known as SRVCC - Single Radio VOICE Call
Continuity is required for this. Read more about SRVCC - Single Radio-Voice Call Continuity

VoLTE codecs
As with any digital VOICE system, a codec must be used. The VoLTE codec is that specified by
3GPP and is the adaptive multi-rate, AMR codec that is used in many other cellular systems from
GSM through UMTS and now to LTE. The AMR-wideband codec may also be used.

The used of the AMR codec for VoLTE also provides advantages in terms of interoperability with
legacy systems. No transcoders are needed as most legacy systems now are MOVING
towards the AMR codec.

In addition to this, support for dual tone multi-frequency, DTMF signalling is also mandatory as
this is widely used for many forms of signalling over analogue telephone lines.

VoLTE IP versions
With the update from IPv4 to IPv6, the version of IP used in any system is of importance.

VoLTE devices are required to operate in dual stack mode CATERING for both IPv4 and IPv6.
If the IMS application profile assigns and IPv6 address, then the device is required to prefer that
address and also to specifically use it during the P-CSCF discovery phase.

One of the issues with VOICE over IP type calls is the overhead resulting from the IP header.
To overcome this issue VoLTE requires that IP header compression is used along with RoHC,
Robust Header Compression, protocol for voice data packet headers.

By Ian Poole

IMS, or IP Multimedia Subsystem is having a major impact on the TELECOMMUNICATIONS

industry, both wired and wire-less.

Although IMS was originally created for MOBILE APPLICATIONS by 3GPP and 3GPP2, its use
is more widespread as fixed line providers are also being forced to find ways of integrating
mobile or mobile associated technologies into their portfolios.

As a result the use of IMS, IP multimedia subsystem is crossing the frontiers of mobile, wire-less
and fixed line technologies. Indeed there is very little within IMS that is wireless or mobile
specific, and as a result there are no barriers to its use in any TELECOMMUNICATIONS
ENVIRONMENT .

IMS basics
IMS, IP multimedia subsystem, itself is not a technology, but rather it is an architecture. It is
based on Internet standards which are currently the major way to deliver services on new
networks. However one of the key enablers for the architecture is the Session Initiation Protocol
(SIP), a protocol that has been devised for establishing, MANAGING and terminating sessions
on IP networks. The overall IMS architecture uses a number of components to enable multimedia
based sessions between two or more end devices.

One of the elements is a presence SERVER that handles the user status, and this is a key
element for applications such as Push to talk over Cellular (PoC) where the presence, or user
status is key to enabling one user to be able to talk to another.

With users now needing to activate many sessions using different applications and often
concurrently, IMS provides a common IP interface so that signalling, traffic, and APPLICATION
DEVELOPMENT are greatly simplified. In addition to this an IMS architecture means that
subscribers can connect to a network using multiple mobile and fixed devices and technologies.
With a variety of new applications from Push to talk over Cellular (PoC), gaming, video and more
becoming available, it will be necessary to be able to integrate them seamlessly for users to be
able to gain the most from these new applications.
It also has advantages for operators as well. Apart from enabling them to maximise their
revenues, functions including billing, and "access approval" can be unified across the
applications on the network, thereby considerably simplifying this area.

IMS development & history

IMS was developed by the cellular industry but to meet the growing needs across the mobile,
fixed and IT / computing networks.

It was developed out of a need for the telecommunication industry, and in particular the cellular
telecommunications industry to be able to allow for ubiquitous access to multimedia services
from any terminal.

IMS grew out of the political LANDSCAPE of the day. This shaped many elements of its design
and architecture, and as a result, it needs to viewed with this in mind.

The IMS standards were developed by a group called 3G.IP which was formed in 1999. This
group was soon taken under 3GPP where its work could be better harmonised with the work of
the cellular industry who it appeared would be the main users.

Accordingly IMS is defined within the 3GPP standards and its DEVELOPMENT can be tracked
within the different releases.

3GPP RELEASE APPROX YEAR DETAILS

Rel-5 2001 First introduction of IMS

Rel-6 2003 IMS emergency services

Combinational services
VOICE call continuity

Rel-7 2005 Single radio VOICE call continuity (SR-VCC)

Multimedia telephony

Rel-8 2007 IMS centralised services

IMS continuity services
Multimedia interworking between IMS and CS networks
IMS multimedia Telephony and supplementary services

Rel-9 2009 IMS emergency calls over GPRS and enhanced packet
system, EPS
Enhancements of IMS customised alerting tone service
IMS restoration services

Rel-10 2010 IMS services continuity - inter-device transfer

enhancements
One major push for its use came at Mobiel World Congress 2010, where GSMA announced they
were supporting what was then termed the "One World" initiative for carrying VOICE over LTE,
VoLTE. As the system was based around the use of IMS, many operators then decided it was
necessary to incorporate IMS capabilities within their networks.