CS Fallback to UTRAN

CS Fallback – Feature Description at System level

CS Fallback (CSFB) from LTE to UTRAN moves UEs needing to set-up a CS voice
call to UTRAN by reusing the UMTS network.

Mobile devices, normally camped on the LTE network for data services, are
forced to fall back to the UMTS networks when subscribers want to use CS
services, such as voice.

This option offers complete services and feature transparency by enabling

mobile service providers to leverage their existing UMTS or GSM networks for
the delivery of CS services, including prepaid and post-paid billing.
CS Fallback – Feature Value

The drivers for CS fallback are the following:

- the LTE network may not support voice calls (VoIP & IMS not deployed),
- emergency calls are not supported by a Release 8 IMS,

- operators may set UE preferences to CS Voice for coverage reasons or until

the network is SRVCC-capable

The main concern is the swiftness of the procedure: the longer CSFB takes, the
poorer the perception of voice services will be for LTE users
CSFB Core
CSFB Core
CSFB Core

-UE to support CSFB capability and required mobility procedure required by the
dependent features.
-MME to support CSFB service request
-LTE and UTRAN Core networks to support CSFB procedure and required
interfaces.
-Connectivity between cores must be assured.
Feature and Parameters
Feature and Parameters 1/3

Activation Services:
ActivationService::isCsFallbackToUtraAllowed to be set to ‘true’
ActivationService::isMobilitytoUTRANAllowed to be set to ‘true’.
ActivationService::isMeasurementGapsAllowed to be set to‘true’.

UE Measurent Configuration:
When CS fallback to UTRA is activated in eNB:
-Operator should configure one or multiple instances of MeasurementIdentityConf with
measurementPurpose set to ‘Mobility-Inter-RAT-to-UTRA’ and measObjectLink and
reportConfigLink pointing to the properly configured MeasObjectUTRA instance (with valid
carrierFreq as configured in a UtraFddNeighboringFreqConf instance) and
ReportConfigUTRA instance (with triggerTypeInterRAT set to ‘eventB1’, ‘eventB2’,
‘event’A1’ and ‘eventA2’), MeasurementIdentityConf with measurment Purposes set to
‘leaving Coverage Alarm’, ‘Entering Coverage Alarm’, ‘Below Serving Threshold’
-Operator should also configure one or more rnc access pointing to UTRAN rnc.
Feature and Parameters 2/3

Some measurement parameters definition:

ThresholdEutraRsrsp:
This threshold parameter is configured for eventA1 and eventA2.

Hysteresis:
This parameter configures the RRC IE hysteresis included in the IE reportConfigEUTRA in the
MeasurementConfiguration IE. This parameter defines the hysteresis used by the UE to trigger an intra-
frequency event-triggered measurement report.

Timetotrigger:
This parameter sets the time duration time during which the conditions to trigger an event report have
to be satisfied before sending a RRC measurement report in event triggered mode.

ReportInterval:
This parameter configures the RRC IE reportInterval included in the IE reportConfigEUTRA in the
MeasurementConfiguration IE. The ReportInterval indicates the interval between periodical reports. The
ReportInterval is applicable if the UE performs periodical reporting (i.e. when reportAmount exceeds 1),
for triggerType ‘event’ as well as for triggerType ‘periodical’.
Feature and Parameters 3/3
Call Flows
CS Fallback Trigger in the ENB for an RRC-IDLE UE

UE eNB MME

The UE has previously performed a combined Attach, indicating to the MME that it is CS Fallback capable

PAGING Only for

PAGING CNDomain = cs a mobile
terminated
cn-Domain = cs call

RRC CONNECTION REQUEST

establishmentCause = mo-Access or mt-Access

RRC CONNECTION SETUP

The Service Type is one of:
-mobile originating CS fallback or 1xCS fallback
-mobile terminating CS fallback or 1xCS fallback
RRC CONNECTION SETUP COMPLETE -mobile originating CS fallback emergency call
DedicatedInfoNAS = Extended Service Request or 1xCS fallback emergency call
> Service Type INITIAL UE MESSAGE
> CSFB Response
NAS-PDU = Extended Service Request
RRC-Establishment-Cause

INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST

CSFallbackIndicator
CS Fallback : Redirection

UE eNB MME

INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST or UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUEST

CSFallbackIndicator

In the case of CS Fallback

triggered by an Initial
Context Setup Request,
when the eNB decides to
perform a redirection,
security will not be
activated and SRB2 / DRBs
are not set up: the call is
immediately released

INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP RESPONSE or

UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION RESPONSE

RRC CONNECTION RELEASE

releaseCause = other
redirectedCarrierInfo
UE CONTEXT RELEASE REQUEST
Cause = cs-fallback-triggered

UE CONTEXT RELEASE COMMAND

UE CONTEXT RELEASE COMPLETE

CS Fallback Trigger in the ENB for an RRC-IDLE UE
How the UE Indicates Support of CS Fallback (1/2)

8.2.4.6 MS network capability

24.301 (8.3.0)
A UE supporting A/Gb mode or Iu mode shall include this IE to indicate its capabilities to the network.

<MS network capability value part> ::=

<GEA1 bits>
<SM capabilities via dedicated channels: bit>
<SM capabilities via GPRS channels: bit>
<UCS2 support: bit>
<SS Screening Indicator: bit string(2)>
<SoLSA Capability : bit>
<Revision level indicator: bit>
<PFC feature mode: bit>
24.008 (8.7.0) <Extended GEA bits>
<LCS VA capability: bit>
<PS inter-RAT HO to UTRAN Iu mode capability: bit>
<PS inter-RAT HO to E-UTRAN S1 mode capability: bit>
<CSFB Capability: bit>
<ISR support: bit>
<SRVCC to GERAN/UTRAN capability: bit>
<EPC capability: bit>
<Spare bits>;
How the UE Indicates Support of CS Fallback (2/2)
Table 8.2.4.1: ATTACH REQUEST message content

IEI Information Element Type/Reference Presence Format Length

Protocol discriminator Protocol discriminator M V 1/2
9.2
Security header type Security header type M V 1/2
9.3.1
Attach request message identity Message type M V 1
9.8
EPS attach type EPS attach type M V 1/2
9.9.3.11
NAS key set identifier NAS key set identifier M V 1/2
24.301 Old GUTI or IMSI
9.9.3.21
EPS mobile identity M LV 5-12
(8.3.0) 9.9.3.12
UE network capability UE network capability M LV 3-14
9.9.3.34
ESM message container ESM message container M LV-E 2-n
9.9.3.15
19 Old P-TMSI signature P-TMSI signature O TV 4
10.5.5.8
50 Additional GUTI EPS mobile identity O TLV 13
9.9.3.12
52 Last visited registered TAI Tracking area identity O TV 6
9.9.3.32
5C DRX parameter DRX parameter O TV 3
9.9.3.8
31 MS network capability MS network capability O TLV 4-10
9.9.3.20
13 Old location area identification Location area identification O TV 6
9.9.2.2
9- TMSI status TMSI status O TV 1
9.9.3.31
11 Mobile station classmark 2 Mobile station classmark 2 O TLV 5
9.9.2.4
20 Mobile station classmark 3 Mobile station classmark 3 O TLV 2-34
9.9.2.5
40 Supported Codecs Supported Codec List O TLV 5-n
9.9.2.10
How the Network Indicates Support of VoIP (1/2)

Table 9.9.3.12A.1: EPS network feature support information element

IMS voice over PS session indicator (IMS VoPS) (octet 3, bit 1)

Bit
24.301 1
(8.3.0) 0 IMS voice over PS session in S1 mode not supported
1 IMS voice over PS session in S1 mode supported

Bits 2 to 8 of octet 3 are spare and shall be coded all zero.

How the Network Indicates Support of VoIP (2/2)
Table 8.2.1.1: ATTACH ACCEPT message content

IEI Information Element Type/Reference Presence Format Length

Protocol discriminator Protocol discriminator M V 1/2
9.2
Security header type Security header type M V 1/2
9.3.1
Attach accept message identity Message type M V 1
9.8
EPS attach result EPS attach result M V 1/2
9.9.3.10
Spare half octet Spare half octet M V 1/2
24.301 9.9.2.9
(8.3.0) T3412 value GPRS timer
9.9.3.16
M V 1

TAI list Tracking area identity list M LV 7-97

9.9.3.33
ESM message container ESM message container M LV-E 2-n
9.9.3.15
50 GUTI EPS mobile identity O TLV 13
9.9.3.12
13 Location area identification Location area identification O TV 6
9.9.2.2
23 MS identity Mobile identity O TLV 7-10
9.9.2.3
53 EMM cause EMM cause O TV 2
9.9.3.9
17 T3402 value GPRS timer O TV 2
9.9.3.16
59 T3423 value GPRS timer O TV 2
9.9.3.16
4A Equivalent PLMNs PLMN list O TLV 5-47
9.9.2.8
34 Emergency number list Emergency number list O TLV 5-50
9.9.3.37
64 EPS network feature support EPS network feature support O TLV 3
9.9.3.12A
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