Transcoding free voice transmission in GSM and UMTS networks

Sara Stančin, Grega Jakus, Sašo Tomažič

Abstract - Transcoding refers to the conversion between Transcoding introduces some undesired effects into the
two encoding schemes of a digital signal. It is usually signal. The most important are distortions and delays. The
performed where two interfaces do not support the same distortions are cumulative and are a consequence of:
encoding. Transcoding introduces some undesired effects  loss of audio information
into the signal, the most important of which are  quantization errors
distortions and delays. In this paper we give our attention
 algorithmic errors (pre-echo, metal sounds,
to possibilities of transcoding free operations in a GSM
(Global System for Mobile Communications) and UMTS oscillations etc.)
(Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) network.
Tandem Free Operation (TFO) in GSM networks enables Other downsides of transcoding are the need for
transmitting voice transparently trough the core network additional DSP (Digital Signal Processing) resources,
without transcoding. Although TFO has some advantages, unsupported cryptography between the endpoints and
such as improvement in speech quality and reduction of more difficult implementation. Due to the all of the
delays, it also has many limitations. Transcoder Free above-mentioned negative impacts on voice quality,
Operation (TrFO) is similar to TFO but is employed in transcoding should be avoided whenever possible [2].
the packet-based core networks, such as UMTS. TrFO
overcomes some of the TFO limitations. TrFO reduces To reveal the effects of transcoding on user experience,
bandwidth and voice call costs. It increases network various tests were conducted. Performance of various
capacity and is more robust than TFO. In a UMTS AMR codecs tandeming with GSM codecs is presented in
network, when TrFO is not possible, TFO can still be [3].
attempted. Interworking of both mechanisms is necessary
for mixed GSM/UMTS networks. In a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications)
network, encoding schemes for voice transmitted through
1. INTRODUCTION the core and radio parts of the network differ. In this
paper we present the possibility to serve a voice call in a
Despite the increasing data rates and the amounts of the GSM network without voice transcoding. We examine
transferred data, voice calls remain the most important what are the elements and logic necessary to provide this
application in the mobile domain. However, in the past, functionality in a GSM network. We also present the
the quality of voice was not a primary concern to the differences when providing transcoding free voice
mobile operators. Voice was compromised using transmission in a UMTS (Universal Mobile
aggressive voice compression to save the scarce and Telecommunications System) network and we give a brief
costly frequency spectrum. The advent of new radio overview of transcoding free voice calls when GSM and
access technologies, more efficient compression UMTS networks are interworking.
techniques, multifunctional mobile terminals supporting
multimedia applications and the consequent high user 2. GSM/UMTS NETWORK TRANSCODING
expectations forces mobile operators to offer higher SCHEMES
quality voice applications.
During a voice call in a GSM network, both mobile
One of the factors that have a negative impact on voice devices perform voice encodings to make user voice
quality in mobile networks is transcoding. The term suitable for GSM radio network transmission. On the
transcoding refers to the conversion between two GSM radio interface transmitted voice is encoded using
encoding schemes of a digital signal. Transcoding can be Full Rate (FR) [4], Half Rate (HR) [5], Enhanced Full
performed using the same format, this is known as self Rate (EFR) [6] or Adaptive Multi Rate (AMR) [7] codecs.
tandeming or two different formats known as cross These schemes incorporate voice compression necessary
tandeming. Transcoding is used where two interfaces do in order to assure better use of the limited-bandwidth
not support the same encoding scheme. radio channel. Voice frames are then typically
decompressed and re-encoded for transport over the 64
Ideally, transcoding of a compressed signal is performed kbps circuit switched links through the core network. For
without the prior decompression into some intermediate such transport, the G.711 standard is used that is common
format (e.g. G. 711 [1] for audio transcoding). However, in digital switched telephone networks. The reason
while such conversion is feasible in the context of video networks were designed in such a way is simple
processing, the audio and speech can currently employ connections to other networks (e.g. Public Switched
merely a ‘brute force’ approach. This means that before Telephone Network, PSTN) and possible additional voice
compression in the target format, decompression into processing in the core network itself, like for example
G.711 format is necessary. echo cancelation. In the common GSM voice transcoding
scenario it is therefore needed to perform transcoding.
Because of different supported voice encoding schemes presents the main network elements activated during call
when passing from the radio to the core network and setup where a GSM user initiates a voice call with another
reverse, transmitted voice must be transcoded. Figure 1 GSM user.

User A

TRAU CCU

BSC BTS
BSC
16 kbit/s
FR
64 kbit/s
G.711

MSC
BSC MSC
BSC
64 kbit/s User B
G.711
64 kbit/s
G.711
16 kbit/s
FR
BSC BTS
BSC
TRAU CCU

Figure 1: Voice transcoding in a GSM network.

in a GSM network Two units are responsible for voice the selected encoding scheme is sent in-bound, together
transcoding: the Transcoder and Rate Adaptation Unit with transmitted user data.
(TRAU) and the Channel Coding Unit (CCU). TRAU is
an independent network unit responsible for voice Figure 2 presents voice transcoding in a UMTS network.
encoding and decoding as well as for data rate adaptation. In UMTS, the standard voice encoding scheme for
Between two TRAU units in a mobile network, transmission over the UMTS radio network is the narrow-
transmitted voice is encoded to the 64 kbit/s G.711. The band AMR scheme [8]. The scheme consists of 14 modes
TRAU unit is logically a part of the BSC (Base Station providing bit rates from 4,75 kbit/s up to 12,2 kbit/s. The
Controller) while its physical location can be between the selected mode primarily depends on radio channel
BSC and the BTS (Base Transceiver Station) or between conditions and on voice content. Beside the standard
the BSC and the MSC (Mobile Switching Centre). The narrow-band scheme, wide-band AMR (AMR-WB)
second possibility enables cost reduction of the leased scheme can also be used consisting of bit rates from 6,60
lines between the MSC and the BSC due to lower bit kbit/s to 23,85 kbit/s and encoding the bandwidth up to 16
rates. kHz.

On the radio interface, GSM encoders support 16 kbit/s In general, transcoding operations in a UMTS network are
logical channels. 20 ms voice frames are encoded with a part of the media gateway (MGW) function set. Other
260 bits giving a bit rate of 13 kbit/s. The difference MGW functionalities are: announcement services, echo
between 13 and 16 kbit/s represents 60 bits of voice cancelation, DTMF (Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency)
coding information including coding scheme and rate bits. detection and generation, support for transport protocols
These bits are transmitted in the so-called TRAU frames. like ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode), IP (Internet
Protocol) or TDM (Time Division Multiplex), support for
The CCU is a part of the BTS. It takes care for channel lu interfaces, bad frame treatment, IP protocol-based
coding and radio network quality measurements. Upon functions like RTP/RTCP (Real-Time Transport Protocol/
this information, the CCU can determine a suitable Real-Time Transport Control Protocol), encryption and
encoding scheme. In a GSM network, information about QoS (Quality of Service).
 BSC BSC BSC BSC

BSC BSC

BSC BSC

Figure 2: Voice transcoding in a UMTS network.

3. TFO AND TRFO OPERATIONS bits (LSB) of the voice frames, giving a 16 kbit/s virtual
data tunnel. This is illustrated in Figure 3.
Tandem Free Operation (TFO) [9], [10] enables voice
frames encoded according to radio network codecs to be The remaining 6 bits still carry voice encoded in G.711.
transparently transmitted through the GSM core network This is important because when TFO operation fails,
avoiding TRAU transcoding. This is only possible if both transmission can easily be reverted to normal operation
devices encoding scheme lists include at least one mode. Instead of the 2 TFO bits, the remaining G.711 6
common encoding. TFO supports common codec bits are used to reproduce voice sent from the origin side.
negotiation between the two involved user terminals. The
TFO protocol uses dedicated messages and frames for the Enabling TFO functionality in a GSM network requires
negotiation and establishment of TFO connection between only the upgrade of TRAU units. As TFO operations
TRAU units. Because these frames are transmitted over require a transparent path, all devices between both
the 64 kbps link together with user data traffic, such TRAU units must transparently forward TFO frames.
communication is known as ‘in-band signalling’. A TFO
frame is transmitted by ‘stealing’ the two least significant

BSC BSC BSC

Figure 3: TFO voice transmission principle in a GSM network. Compressed voice is transmitted through the core
network by stealing the two least significant bits of the G.711 voice frames.
TFO supports GSM encoding mode adaptation to radio TrFO uses ‘out-of-band signalling’, which means that
network conditions. When speech is transcoded, the messages for transcoder-free operation negotiation and to
encoding mode is adapted on each of the connection sides establishment are not transmitted on the same link as user
separately. When TFO is active and one connection side data. Both mobile terminals report their codec capabilities
perceives radio network condition degradation, the TFO the corresponding serving MSC before the bearer path is
must initiate encoding mode change on both connection established. It is only when both sides negotiate the
ends without any negotiation. Both sides must perceive common encoding mode that the barrier can be
radio network condition improvement in order to adapt established. TrFO operation uses the Out of Band
the encoding mode. Transcoder Control (OoBTC) [11] mechanism which is
responsible for configuring the call without involving
TrFO (Transcoder Free Operation) [11, 12] is similar to transcoders. It supports encoding mode negotiation and
TFO but is employed in packet-based core networks encoding mode list changes/adaptations. Unlike TFO,
which are based on high bandwidth ATM or IP links TrFO is established and controlled before the call is
rather than on 64 kbps TDM links. In such core networks configured. Selected encoding mode can be changed later
it is therefore possible to transmit voice data streams with on during the call.
other codecs than 64 kbit/s G.711. The MSC can therefore
establish a voice connection without activating If avoiding transcoding in a UMTS network can not be
transcoders as illustrated in Figure 4. fully achieved, Remote Transcoder Operation (RTO) [12]
can include a single transcoder in the user data path. This
does not imply double voice transcoding of user voice.
From all possible in-path transcoders, the one used should
BSC BSC BSC BSC be the one closest to the user device supporting the higher
bit rate encoding scheme. Such a scenario is presented in
Figure 5 and is also applicable for establishing voice calls
Figure 4: TrFO voice transmission principle in a UMTS to and from PSTN networks.
network. A voice call can be established without
activating the transcoders.

BSC BSC BSC BSC

BSC BSC

BSC BSC

Figure 5: Single voice transcoding principle in a UMTS network.

BSC BSC BSC

BSC BSC BSC

BSC

Figure 6: TFO and TrFO interworking in a GSM/UMTS network.

The OoBTC procedure can result with choosing the would cause the corruption of TFO messages and
G.711 codec as the common codec in the UMTS network. consequently the failure of TFO transmission. To enable
In such a case, a transcoder is inserted in the appropriate the TFO, the IPE must be disabled or properly configured.
MGW in order to perform the necessary AMR and G.711
transcoding. The network initiating the call is informed Another event which interrupts TFO is the inter-BSC
about the selected codec G.711. In such a case, TFO handover when one of the TRAUs is replaced by the new
operations in the GSM network are pointless. one corresponding to the new BSC. In this case, the TFO
is temporarily interrupted but is later renegotiated if the
4. TFO AND TRFO EFFECTS new TRAU is TFO capable. The intra- and inter- BTS
handovers are generally not problematic since the TRAUs
Although TFO has some advantages, such as do not alter.
improvement in speech quality and reduction of delays, it
also has many limitations: TFO is also temporarily interrupted when DTMF tones or
 Only mobile to mobile calls are supported announcements must be inserted by a MSC. Since MSC is
not aware of the TFO, it can overwrite the TFO signalling
 Problems with the so-called digital transparency
and the compressed voice information. The distortion is
 Group and conference calls are not supported immediately detected by one of the TRAUs and the
 Problems with hard handovers tandem transcoding is temporarily re-established.
 The transmission of DTMF signalization and
announcements Group and conference calls are also problematic in the
context of TFO. The conference bridges, namely, most
The used codecs are negotiated independently during call- often function by mixing voice signals of involved parties
setup between mobile terminals and their corresponding encoded using G.711 codec. The mixing of compressed
TRAU units. Because the TFO procedure is configured voice signals and TFO messages would again distort the
after call-setup is completed, if non-compatible codecs are voice signal and the TRAU units would again have to
selected during the call-setup, TFO cannot be applied. reinsert the tandem transcoding. If a multi-party call turns
into a normal call between two parties, TFO can be
Another problem is associated with the so-called digital reconfigured.
transparency. The digital transparency refers to the case
when the digital content is not altered in any way by any Finally, one of the major drawbacks of TFO is its overall
of the network elements on the path between the TRAUs effect on network capacity. Even though TFO improves
(IPE, In-Path Equipment). Any intervention by the IPE voice quality and decreases delays, it does not improve
the overall capacity of the network. Uncompressed voice [3] 3GPP TS 26.090 - Mandatory Speech Codec speech
is, namely, still transmitted in parallel with TFO traffic. processing functions; Adaptive Multi-Rate (AMR) speech
codec; Transcoding functions"
On the other hand, TrFO reduces bandwidth and voice
call costs and increases network capacity (despite its [4] Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2+)
superior quality, AMR-WB codec also requires just a
(GSM); Full rate speech; Transcoding (GSM 06.10
third of the bit rate of the G.711 codec). TrFO is also
more robust than TFO as it supports sudden version 8.1.1 Release 1999), ETSI
reconfigurations (e.g. because of handovers) via out-of-
band signalling. Furthermore, it supports the use of [5] Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2+)
wideband codecs (e.g. AMR-WB) that are not compatible (GSM); Half rate speech; Half rate speech transcoding
with the G.711 (which is a narrow-band codec) and can (GSM 06.20 version 8.0.1 Release 1999)
therefore not be used with TFO. As AMR-WB can encode
twice the frequency range as older GSM and G.711 [6] Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2+)
codecs voice quality is improved. (GSM); Enhanced Full Rate (EFR) speech transcoding
(GSM 06.60 version 8.0.1 Release 1999)
When TrFO is not possible, TFO can still be attempted.
[7] ETSI TR 126 976 V6.0.0 (2004-12), "Performance
5. CONCLUSION characterization of the Adaptive Multi-Rate Wideband
(AMR-WB) speech codec“
In this paper, we presented the TFO and TrFO approaches
for avoiding undesired voice transcoding in mobile [8] 3GPP TS 26.103 Speech codec list for GSM and
networks. Both approaches enable better voice quality. UMTS
TrFO also has many other advantages, such as lower
delays and reduced processing requirements. The latter [9] 3GPP TS 23.053 Tandem Free Operation (TFO);
also reduces the cost of voice transmission. Service description; Stage 2

There are some open questions regarding the TFO/TrFO [10] 3GPP TS 28.062 Inband Tandem Free Operation
interworking such as mobile call handover from a UMTS (TFO) of speech codecs; Service description;
to a GSM network and increased signalling.
[11] 3GPP TS 23.153 Out of band transcoder control;
REFERENCES Stage 2

[1] ITU-T. "G.711.0: Lossless compression of G.711 [12] 3GPP2 Transcoder Free Operation; Stage 1 -
pulse code modulation" Requirements

[2] TIA TSB-116-A Telecommunications - IP Telephony