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What Are LTE Interfaces

The document discusses the main interfaces in LTE networks, including Uu between UE and eNB, S1-MME between eNB and MME, X2 between eNBs, S11 between MME and SGW, and S5 between SGW and PGW. The interfaces use protocols like RRC, S1-AP, X2-AP, GTPv2, and GTP-U.

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Dhiraj Singh
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100 views2 pages

What Are LTE Interfaces

The document discusses the main interfaces in LTE networks, including Uu between UE and eNB, S1-MME between eNB and MME, X2 between eNBs, S11 between MME and SGW, and S5 between SGW and PGW. The interfaces use protocols like RRC, S1-AP, X2-AP, GTPv2, and GTP-U.

Uploaded by

Dhiraj Singh
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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What are LTE Interfaces?

The following are LTE Interfaces : (Ref: TS 23.401 v 841)

 S1-MME :- Reference point for the control plane protocol between E-UTRAN and MME.
 S1-U:- Reference point between E-UTRAN and Serving GW for the per bearer user plane tunnelling and inter eNodeB
path switching during handover.
 S3:- It enables user and bearer information exchange for inter 3GPP access network mobility in idle and/or active state.
 S4:- It provides related control and mobility support between GPRS Core and the 3GPP Anchor function of Serving
GW. In addition, if Direct Tunnel is not established, it provides the user plane tunnelling.
 S5:- It provides user plane tunnelling and tunnel management between Serving GW and PDN GW. It is used for
Serving GW relocation due to UE mobility and if the Serving GW needs to connect to a non-collocated PDN GW for
the required PDN connectivity.
 S6a:- It enables transfer of subscription and authentication data for authenticating/authorizing user access to the
evolved system (AAA interface) between MME and HSS.
 Gx:- It provides transfer of (QoS) policy and charging rules from PCRF to Policy and Charging Enforcement Function
(PCEF) in the PDN GW.
 S8:- Inter-PLMN reference point providing user and control plane between the Serving GW in the VPLMN and the
PDN GW in the HPLMN. S8 is the inter PLMN variant of S5.
 S9:- It provides transfer of (QoS) policy and charging control information between the Home PCRF and the Visited
PCRF in order to support local breakout function.
 S10:- Reference point between MMEs for MME relocation and MME to MME information transfer.
 S11:- Reference point between MME and Serving GW.
 S12:- Reference point between UTRAN and Serving GW for user plane tunnelling when Direct Tunnel is established.
It is based on the Iu-u/Gn-u reference point using the GTP-U protocol as defined between SGSN and UTRAN or
respectively between SGSN and GGSN. Usage of S12 is an operator configuration option.
 S13:- It enables UE identity check procedure between MME and EIR.
 SGi:- It is the reference point between the PDN GW and the packet data network. Packet data network may be an
operator external public or private packet data network or an intra operator packet data network, e.g. for provision of
IMS services. This reference point corresponds to Gi for 3GPP accesses.
 Rx:- The Rx reference point resides between the AF and the PCRF in the TS 23.203.
 SBc:- Reference point between CBC and MME for warning message delivery and control functions.
The main interfaces in LTE are Uu, S1-MME, X2, S1-U, S11 and S5.

LTE Uu : -
This is the air interface between UE and eNB. LTE layer 1 is dealt with later. RRC is the protocol that is used for
communication between UE and eNB. Above RRC there is a NAS layer in UE. This NAS layer terminates at MME and eNB
shall silently pass the NAS messages to MME.

LTE S1-MME: -

eNB and MME communicate using this IP interface. S1-AP is application layer interface. The transport protocols used here is
SCTP. (Stream control transmission protocol).

LTE X2: -
This interface is used by a eNB to communicate to other eNB. This again is a IP interface with SCTP as transport. X2-AP is
the application protocol used by eNB’s to communicate.
LTE S11: -
An IP interface between MME and SGW! GTPv2 is the protocols used at the application layer. GTPv2 runs on UDP transport.
This interface must and should run GTPv2.
LTE S5: -
This is the interface between SGW and PGW. This again is an IP interface and has two variants. S5 can be a GTP interface or
PMIP interface. PMIP variant is used to support non-trusted 3GPP network access.
LTE S1-U: -
User plane interface between eNB and SGW! GTP-U v1 is the application protocol that encapsulates the UE payload. GTP-U
runs on UDP.

All the above IP interfaces can be of IPv4 or IPv6. Few interfaces can be of IPv4 and
few can be of IPv6. From the specification side there are no restrictions.

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