All IP cellular networks - Mobile Wireless Internet Forum MWIF, 3GPP, IETF

There are several organisations developing specifications for "All IP" cellular networks; i.e., fully IP protocols based networks. The specification work is on going in established standard developing organisations such as 3GPP, 3GPP2, and IETF, as well as in different industry forums such as 3G.IP and MWIF. Currently there are several ongoing efforts to define cellular network architectures that would enable fully IP based service delivery  i.e. not only data, but also speech service would be provisioned over IP bearer. Such network architectures are usually referred as All IP networks.

 3G.IP -- 3G.IP is an operator-driven initiative, which "actively promote a common IP based wireless system third generation mobile communications technology" as stated in forum's mission statement . The 3G.IP has defined reference architecture for All IP network architecture based on evolution of UMTS. 

Mobile Wireless Internet Forum (MWIF). MWIF is another operator-driven industry association, which "drive acceptance and adoption of a single mobile wireless and Internet architecture" as stated in the MWIF . The MWIF has specified an access independent All IP network architecture.

3 ^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). 3GPP is a global SDO that was formed between Chinese, European, Japanese, Korean, and North American national SDOs to specify GSM based 3^rd Generation cellular system, often referred as UMTS. Currently 3GPP is working on UMTS evolution to All IP network. The All IP specifications will be part of 3GPP Release 5.

  

Internet Engineering Taskforce (IETF). IETF is community of people "concerned with the evolution of the Internet architecture and the smooth operation of the Internet" as defined in IETF . IETF is not actually concerned All IP architectures as such, but is has specified and is assumed to specify, several protocols that will be essential for All IP networks.

                                                  ARCHITECTURE PROPOSALS

We describe the All IP network architecture proposals on table in 3GPP, 3GPP2, and MWIF. The reader should note that the work is still on going in all these forums. Thus, the architectures presented here are subject to change before the specifications are completed.

The Databases in 3GPP architecture are condensed into Home Subscriber Server (HSS). The HSS has two distinct functions: Home Location Register (HLR) and User Mobility Server (UMS). The former is equivalent of the HLR in 3GPP Release 99 (UMTS) specifications, which holds subscriber profile information needed in GPRS part of the network. The latter stores subscriber profiles required in the IPT core network.