APN Configurational Issues in Android OS Enabled Phones : Part-1

As many of us know, internet & MMS traffic are the most used data service types as of today. Streaming video, Corporate Intranet, Cloud services, VoD are gearing to take the customer experience to new levels . Still there are some of the fundamental issues to be dealt for a brighter win-win situation across the entire ecosystem of mobile telecom industry (Mobile Broadband + Voice) across the globe.

It is evident that offering mobile broadband using “LTE” technology is more efficient then any other existing one at present. LTE networks are mostly being built on existing 3G/2G Core Network infrastructures like SGSN/GGSN by duly upgrading them as MME/SGW respectively.

But the important big question is still on the “UE” Manufacturing.

There are big dilemmas like create only Dongle and move to VoLTE and get voice services or manufacture multi radio support capable handsets or not.

It is well known truth the Frequency Bands going o be one of the deciding factors of these questions.

For an example iPhone 5 supports few LTE Bands. And the handsets available in non US countries too but can it supports the frequency bands of those countries which may allocate different one than US?

http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_iphone_5-4910.php

This is an example of the main topic we are about to step into...APN

What is APN?

As explained in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Access_Point_Name

Access Point Name (APN) is a configurable network identifier used by a mobile device when connecting to a Mobile Services carrier. The carrier will then examine this identifier to determine what type of network connection should be created, for example: what IP addresses should be assigned to the wireless device, what security methods should be used, and how or if, it should be connected to some private customer network.
More specifically, the APN identifies the packet data network (PDN), that a mobile data user wants to communicate with. In addition to identifying a PDN, an APN may also be used to define the type of service, (e.g. connection to wireless application protocol (WAP) server, multimedia messaging service (MMS)), that is provided by the PDN. APN is used in 3GPP data access networks, e.g. general packet radio service (GPRS), evolved packet core (EPC).

So it is evident that APN helps the network to determine proper routing of the data packets.

Nokia, Sony, Sony Ericsson, Samsung (Bada-OS) & iPhone  (iOS 6) - All of them support multiple APN-Application Context Names. But phones loaded with android OS offers only one APN definitions and which is applicable for any applications invoked in that particular phone as explained simply in the following Figure-2.

 

Figure-1 3GPP R8 Standard Architecture

 

Figure-2 Dats Service Types & APN Usage

Impact 1: Unnecessary load for GGSN in finding the proper route towards MMSC/Other services.

Solution 1: Based on the specific MMSC Proxy address, DNS can provide the routing,

Disadvantage: DNS Capacity is compromised.

Impact 2 : QoS treatment will not be proper. QoS to be differentiated based on invoked service based on the invoked service rather than applying a standard profile HLR passes differential QoS to SGSN if subscribed differently. Even SGSN itself can alter the QoS according the requested APN. But not as per the requested “SERVICE” if that comes via the same APN. SGSN don’t have the ability to treat a particular type of traffic within an established DATA PIPE (i.e. GTP Tunnel).

Disadvantage: Customer experience compromised. Normally for such bad performances the network will be vivtim to pay the price whereas the issue lies somewhere else which is not easy for all to understand.

Solution 2: It is important that Android Platform to have multiple APN Definition capability as per 3GPP standard and each of the service/application should have the freedom to choose appropriate APNs based on manual /OTA Push configurations.


This discussions is more about QoS handling in the Um/Uu & Gb/IuPS interface.

Part 2 : End and Conclusion