Planning and Implementing Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) in General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Network

1. Planning and Implementing MultimediaMessaging Service (MMS) in General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Network Master’s Thesis Presentation Student: Li Tan (59727M) Supervisor: Prof.Sven-Gustav Häggman

2. Presentation Outline • Introduction • MMS in GPRS Network • Case Study: Planning and Implementing MMS in GPRS Network • Summary and Conclusions

3. Introduction • General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is a data-centric packet bearer service, which enables the packet data to be sent and received across the mobile network. • Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is similar to Short Message Service (SMS) but it offers the multimedia capability to mobile messaging. • GPRS is currently used as the data bearer of MMS due to its high data rate and increasing popularity.

4. Introduction (cont.) • MMS is such a new technology that neither vendors nor mobile operators have much experience about it. • The major research problem addressed in this thesis is how to plan and implement MMS in the existing GSM/GPRS network of mobile operators. • The objective of this thesis is to describe the common problems in planning and implementing MMS in GPRS network and provide solution to these problems.

5. Introduction (cont.) • The scope of this thesis work is about the planning and implementation of multimedia messaging service itself. • The solving method for the above mentioned research problem is performing a case study. • The result of this thesis work is applicable as a general guidance for MMS planning and implementation for the commercial mobile operators.

6. MMS in GPRS Network

7. MMS is a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) Application

8. Multimedia Messaging

9. Case Study • The case study is about planning and implementing MMS in GPRS network for a mobile operator. • The mobile operator in the case study is an imaginary operator. The most important data for the operator are constructed from the actual data of primary mobile operators all over the world.

10. Requirements Analysis – Basic Requirements • Support the basic MO – MT messaging functionality • Support the MO – ET and EO – MT messaging functionality • Support the MO – AT and AO – MT messaging functionality • Support the Inter-MMSC messaging functionality • Provide the reporting and statistical functionality • Provide the interface to the operator’s Network Management System (NMS) • Provide the charging data generation and charging system interfacing functionality

11. Requirements Analysis – Special Requirements • Supporting Mobile Number Portability (MNP) • Interfacing to the operator’s self-developed subscriber database • Legacy Support • Personal Album (PA) service • Security

12. Planning MMS in GPRS Network • The first principle of planning MMS in GPRS network:use a dedicated WAPGW for MMS traffic. • This is due to the different properties of multimedia messaging traffic and WAP browsing traffic. The multimedia messaging traffic is much more bursty than WAP browsing traffic.

13. Connect MMS Solution to GPRS Network • Access Point Name (APN) must be defined in the DNS server of GPRS backbone. • Gateway IP Address – the GGSN must know to which WAPGW the multimedia messaging traffic should be routed. • MMSC URL – the URL of MMSC to accept the POST or GET request from WAPGW

14. Performance and Stability Dimensioning • The second principle of planning MMS in GPRS network: do a careful performance and stability dimensioning at the planning stage. • The cluster solution was chosen to achieve the performance and stability requirements from the operator. • The MMSC product vendor must do the formal performance and stability testing for its product.

16. IP Network Planning • The IP network planning is the most important part of planning MMS in GPRS network. • The third principle of planning MMS in GPRS network: make a high-performance IP network infrastructure. • The fourth principle of planning MMS in GPRS network: high-availability solution must be used to achieve the reliability.

17. Load Balancing via BIGIP Switch

18. Legacy Support V.S. Personal Album (PA) • Both applications accept the multimedia message routed from MMSC. • Both applications store the multimedia message in the internal database. • Both applications allow the subscriber to view or further manipulate the multimedia message via certain web portal. • Both applications allow the subscriber to send multimedia message to the other subscribers. • Both applications generate the short message. • Due to the similarity between these two applications, it is better to implement them in a similar way and use the same server to host them. • This leads to the fifth principle of planning MMS in GPRS network: centralize the similar functionality to ease the implementation, operation and maintenance.

20. Planning and Implementation Roadmap for MMS in GPRS

21. Implementing MMS in GPRS Network • The first principle of implementing MMS in GPRS network: perform a careful plan inspection before doing the system commissioning. • The second principle of implementing MMS in GPRS network: do a formal performance test again during system acceptance test phase to avoid performance appraisal problem.

22. Summary and Conclusions • Five principles about planning MMS in GPRS network have been described through the case study: • Use a dedicated WAPGW for MMS traffic • Do a careful performance and stability dimensioning at the planning stage • Make a high-performance IP network infrastructure • High-availability solution must be used to achieve the reliability • Centralize the similar functionality to ease the implementation, operation and maintenance

23. Summary and Conclusions • Two principles about implementing MMS in GPRS network have been described through the case study: • Perform a careful plan inspection before doing the system commissioning • Do a formal performance test again during system acceptance test phase to avoid performance appraisal problem