Core Network Technology Prof. Hamid Aghvami Centre for Telecommunications Research - King’s College London Wireless Multimedia Communications Ltd

Outline of Presentation Fixed IP-based Core Networks Mobile Core Networks IP-based IMT Network Platform( IP 2 ) Research Challenges Inter-working Issues Co-operation between UK and Japan

IP-based Fixed Network One of the priority policy areas of the government-led “e-Japan” programme is the establishment of an ultra high-speed network infrastructure. It has set goals to provide 24-hour connection to high-speed Internet access networks for at least 30 million households and ultra high-speed Internet access networks ( Mb/s) for 10 million households within 5 years. It has also set a deadline of 2005 for the deployment of IPv6 in all public and private networks. The government has lowered the tax on IPv6 equipment. All IP equipment currently manufactured by Japanese manufacturers has dual protocol stacks, both IPv4 and IPv6. The R&D activities in IP-based networks are founded on the recent IETF protocols and recommendations.

AMPS MCS NMT TACS ANSI-41 PDC GSM/GPRS Evolved ANSI-41 Evolved GSM/GPRS IPV4 IPV6 IP 2 Evolved ANSI-41 Evolved GSM/GPRS IMS USA Japan Europe Internet Evolution of Mobile Networks and Internet 3G2G1G Beyond 3G Phase I (3.5G) Phase II (4G) Mobile Networks

Study Group Structure IP 2 Ad-Hoc TTC (Telecommunication Technology Committee) Long-term All IP Conference ARIB (Association of Radio, Industry and Business ) 3GPPs, WWRF, IETF ITU-R WP8F ITU-T IMT SSG Radio Experts IT/NW Experts IP 2 Ad-Hoc Study Group

Chairman: Dr. Masami YABUSAKI (NTT DoCoMo) Vice-chairmen: Mr. Kazuyoshi SATO (Mitsubishi) Dr. Masayoshi OHASHI (KDDI) Member Companies; NTT DoCoMo, Inc.,Toshiba Corporation, KDDI Corporation, Seiko Epson Corporation, J-Phone Co., Ltd.,Sony Corporation, Nippon Ericsson K.K.KYOCERA Corporation, Fujitsu Limited,Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Lucent Technologies Japan Ltd.,CRL, NEC Corporation,NTC (Nippon Telecommunications Consulting Nippon Motorola Ltd., Co., Ltd.), Nokia-Japan Co., LTD.,NTT SOFT, NTT,QUALCOMM JAPAN, OKI Electric Industry Co., Ltd.,DENSO Corporation, SHARP Corporation, Hitachi Ltd., Siemens K.K.NTT Communication Corporation. Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd IP 2 Ad-Hoc Study Group

IP-based IMT Network Platform IP-based IMT Network Platform ( IP 2 ) main requirements: Huge multimedia traffic handling. Diversified radio access support. Advanced mobility management. Seamless/ubiquitous services

General architecture of the IP-based IMT network platform Applications AP1 AP2AP3APn Middleware IP-based transport NW LocationAccounting/billingMedia conversionDistribution Basic network management sub-layer RRMMMC/SM Security QoS Service support sub-layer IP Radio IP ISDN/ PSTN Internet IP-based IMT Network Platform

Research Challenges Full integration and convergence of mobile and Internet networks. - Common mobility management - Efficient and dynamic re-routing within the Internet for moving terminals - Separation of location management and routing management Design of middleware layer - Separation of basic network control from transport - Interaction between service support sub-layer and applications and between service support and basic network management sub-layers. No separation between RAN and CN. - Common interface between radio resource management and other network control entities

Research Challenges “ The greatest challenge is not a technical one; it is how to influence the IETF to adopt the common protocols and functionalities required for IP 2. Radical changes to existing IETF protocols and the IP layer model will be required.”

Inter-working Issues The inter-working of WLAN and 3G cellular networks is fully recognised and some study and research work have already been carried out. Although the benefit of inter-working between broadcast and cellular networks has been recognised, no research activities have yet been announced or reported. The use of WLAN equipment based on IEEE b is common in Japan within private networks and it seems that IEEE a will follow it. Recently, NTT Communications Corp. has launched its WLAN public services.

Co-operation between UK and Japan Co-operation was proposed between UK and Japan in the areas of: - Future network vision and its general requirements. - Evolution scenario from IMT-2000 networks. - Common global standardisation organisations and schedules. Co-operation was also proposed between the IP 2 Ad Hoc Study Group and Mobile VCE.