Evolution of mobile technologies, Evolved Packet core, management of Policy and Recharge through PCRF.

1. PCRF
From pre-LTE to Broadband

2. Layout
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History.
EPC as a concept.
Objectives of EPC.
Major functions of EPC.
Policy and Charging Control.
Benefits of Policy Control.
Where it fits in Broadband network.

3. History
I came,
I saw,
I conquered !
Julius Caesar

4. History - Basic Cellular Architecture

5. History - Cell Network Data
- GPRS (115 kbps)
- EDGE (473 kbps)
- UMTS (2 Mbps)
- HSDPA (14 Mbps)
- LTE (100 Mbps)

6. EPC - Need and Standardization
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Explosion in Data traffic and usage patterns.
Advance in microchip technology.
3GPP.
Standardization benefits:
○ Freedom in choosing a vendor.
○ Market Expansion, cost reduction, increasd benefits.

7. EPC
● 3GPP work on SAE (system architecture
evolution) work item.
● SAE was responsible for EPC (Evolved
Packet Core Network) as an all-IP solution.
● EPC is designed to support high bandwidth
services at high data rates.

8. EPC - Objectives
● New core network architecture to support high data rate
and reduced latency.
● To support mobility between multiple heterogeneous
access systems (WiMAX, CDMA, 3G, 2G).
● All IP architecture, to enhance the capability of 3GPP
systems to cope with rapid
growths in IP data traffic.

9. EPC - Major Functions
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Authentication and Security.
Policy and Charging Control and QoS.
Packet Routing.
Mobility Management.
IP Address Allocation.

10. EPC - Policy& Charging Control and
QoS
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Segmented data plans.
Traffic & quota management.
Roaming.
Bill shock prevention.
Personalized alerts and promotions.
Congestion control.

11. EPC - Policy & Charging Control and
QoS

12. SPR
● Subscription profile repository.
● contains information such as user specific
policies and data needed for subscriptionbased policies and bearer level charging
rules by the PCRF.

13. Online Charging System
● OCS
● Credit management system for prepaid
charging.

14. Offline Charging System
● OFCS.
● Receives events from the PCEF and
generates charging data records (CDRs) for
the billing system.

15. Application Function
● AF
● Offers applications that require the control
of IP bearer resources.
● Communicates with the PCRF to transfer
dynamic service information.

16. PCEF
● Enforces gating and QoS for individual IP
flows on the behalf of the PCRF.
● Provides usage measurement to support
customer charging.
● BRAS, BNG, ISG.

17. PCRF
● Policy and charging rules function.
● Provides policy control and flow based charging control
decisions.
● Receives session information from Application function
(AF) over Rx interface, subscription information from
SPR over Sp interface as well as information from the
access network via the Gx.
● Takes all the information and configured operator
policies then creates a service session level policy
decisions which are being enforced by PCEF.

18. Mapping to Broadband