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Signaling Analysis Manual
M900/M1800 Base Station Subsystem Chapter 4 Location Update Procedure
4.1 Overview
In GSM system, MS location information need be known by HLR, VLR and MS,
When the location information changes, it is required that the relevant information in
HLR, VLR and MS should be consistent, which can be realized through the location
updating procedure. As the major procedure of location management, the location
updating procedure is always initiated on MS side.
The location updating procedure is a general procedure, and is used for 3 purposes,
i.e. normal location updating, periodic updating and IMSI attach.
The normal location updating procedure is used to update the registration of the
actual location area of MS in the network. The location updating type information
element in the LOCATION UPDATING REQUEST message shall indicate normal
location updating.
When the network indicates that MS is unknown in VLR, the normal location
updating procedure will be started, as a response to the MM connection
establishment request.
In case that location updating is unsuccessful, to limit the number of location
updating attempts, an attempt counter need be used. The attempt counter is reset
when MS is switched on or a SIM card is inserted.
Upon successful location updating, MS sets the update status to "UPDATED" in SIM
(UPDATED status indicates the last location updating request is successful) , and
save LAI, TMSI, Cipher Key and Cipher Sequence Number in SIM, and stores the
received new location area information in SIM.
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M900/M1800 Base Station Subsystem Chapter 4 Location Update Procedure
The normal location updating procedure, periodic location updating procedure and
IMSI attach procedure are basically the same (The difference are described in
details in relevant subsections below). See Figure 4-1 for the location updating
procedure.
CC (10)
Location Updating Accept (11)
Location Updating Reject (12)
TMSI Reallocation CMP (13)
Clear Command (14)
Clear Complete (15)
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M900/M1800 Base Station Subsystem Chapter 4 Location Update Procedure
The procedure is controlled by timer T3212 in MS. If the timer has not been started,
the timer shall be started each time MS enters the "NORMAL SERVICE" or
"ATTEMPTING TO UPDATE" sub-state of the "MM IDLE" state. When MS leaves
the "MM Idle" state (MM IDLE state indicates MS in inactivation state, namely, it
doesn't process any call procedure, only in interception state. For example, in MOC
or MOT procedure, MS will leave MM_IDLE state), timer T3212 shall continue
running until it is overtime.
In the following cases, the timer shall be stopped (MS shall set the timer to its initial
value for the next location update).
z A LOCATION UPDATING ACCEPT or LOCATION UPDATING REJECT
message is received.
z An AUTHENTICATION REJECT message is received.
z The first MM message (Such as LOCATION ACCEPT, CM SERVICE ACCEPT
etc.) is received, or ciphering mode setting is completed in the case of MM
connection establishment, except when the most recent service state is
"LIMITED SERVICE".
z MS has responded to paging and thereafter has received the first correct layer
3 message except RR message.
z Timer T3212 expires.
z MS is deactivated (i.e. MS switched off or SIM removed).
When timer T3212 expires, the location updating procedure shall be started.
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M900/M1800 Base Station Subsystem Chapter 4 Location Update Procedure
system information at the time the T3212 timer expires indicates that periodic
location update shall not be used. The timeout value is contained in control channel
description IE of the SYSTEM INFORMATION TYPE 3 message.
The T3212 timeout value shall not be changed when MS is in the state of "NO CELL
AVAILABLE", "LIMITED SERVICE", "PLMN SEARCH or PLMN SEARCH-NORMAL"
etc.
When a change of the T3212 timeout value has to be taken into account and the
timer is running (at change of the serving cell or, the broadcast of T3212 timeout
value), MS shall take the mod that the current T3212 value to the new T3212
timeout value as the new initial value.
The IMSI attach procedure is the complement of the IMSI detach procedure. It is
used to indicate the IMSI as active in the network. There is a flag (ATT) in the
SYSTEM INFORMATION TYPE 3 message, which indicates whether the attach and
detach procedures are required to be used or not.
The IMSI attach procedure is invoked when the IMSI is activated by MS, if the
detach/attach procedures are required by the network.
IMSI attach is performed by using the location updating procedure. The location
updating type information element in the LOCATION UPDATING REQUEST
message must in this case indicate IMSI attach.
Any timer used for triggering the location updating procedure (e.g. T3211 and T3212)
is stopped if running.
As no RR connection exists at the time when the location updating procedure has to
be started, the MM sublayer within MS will request the RR sublayer to establish a
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M900/M1800 Base Station Subsystem Chapter 4 Location Update Procedure
The network may initiate the classmark interrogation procedure, for example, to
obtain further information on MS's encryption capabilities.
The network may initiate the identification procedure, e.g. if the network is unable to
get the IMSI based on the TMSI and LAI used as identification by MS
The authentication procedure may be initiated by the network upon receipt of the
LOCATION UPDATING REQUEST message from MS.
The ciphering mode setting procedure may be initiated by the network, if a new
TMSI has to be allocated.
V. Attempt counter
The attempt counter is incremented by 1 each time a location update procedure fails.
In the following cases, the attempt counter shall be reset.
z MS is powered on
z A SIM card is inserted
z Location update is successfully completed
z Location update is completed with cause 11/12/13
z Service state changes from "ATTEMPTING" into "UPDATE"
z A new location area is entered
z Timer T3212 expires
z Location update is triggered by a CM sublayer request
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In case the identity confidentiality service is active, the TMSI reallocation may be
part of the location updating procedure. The TMSI allocated is then contained in the
LOCATION UPDATING ACCEPT message together with LAI. The network shall in
this case start the supervision timer T3250.
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For cause 11/12/13, MS shall delete any LAI, TMSI and ciphering key sequence
number stored in from SIM, reset the attempt counter, and set the update status to
"ROAMING NOT ALLOWED". MS shall store the LAI or the PLMN identity in the
relevant forbidden list, i.e. in the "forbidden PLMN list" for cause 11, in the list of
"forbidden location areas for regional provision of service" for cause 12, and in the
list of "forbidden location areas for roaming" for cause 13. In addition, MS will
memorize if cause 13 is received, so to perform PLMN selection instead of cell
selection when it is back to the "MM IDLE" state.
When the location updating procedure is completed, MS shall (except in the case
that MS has a follow-on CM application request pending and has received the
follow-on proceed indication) set timer T3240 and enter the state of "WAIT FOR
NETWORK COMMAND", expecting the release of RR connection. The network may
decide to keep the RR connection for network-initiated establishment of a new MM
connection, or to allow for MS-initiated MM connection establishment.
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M900/M1800 Base Station Subsystem Chapter 4 Location Update Procedure
If random access failure occur, Timer T3213 is started. When it expires, the random
access procedure is attempted again. The location updating procedure is aborted if
random access fails twice successively.
4) RR connection failure
The procedure is aborted.
5) T3210 timeout
The procedure is aborted, and the RR connection is terminated.
6) RR released before the normal end of procedure
The procedure is aborted.
7) Location updating rejected, due to cause except 2/3/6/11/12/13
MS waits for release of the RR connection. In cases 4~7 and for repeated failures
as defined in case 3, MS proceeds as follows. Timer T3210 is stopped if still running.
The RR connection is released if timer T3210 expires. The attempt counter is
incremented by 1. The next actions depend on LAI and the value of the attempt
counter.
Case 1: The update status is "UPDATED", and the stored LAI is equal to the one
received on the BCCH from the current serving cell. The attempt counter is smaller
than 4.
In case 1, MS shall keep the update status to "UPDATED". The MM IDLE sub-state
after RR connection release is "NORMAL SERVICE". MS shall memorize the
location updating type used in the location updating procedure. It shall start timer
T3211 when the RR connection is released. When timer T3211 expires, the location
updating procedure is triggered again with the memorized location updating type.
Case 2: Either the update status is different from "UPDATED", or the stored LAI is
different from the one received on the BCCH from the current serving cell, or the
attempt counter is greater or equal to 4.
In case 2, MS shall delete any LAI, TMSI and ciphering key sequence number
stored in SIM, set the update status to "NOT UPDATED" and enter the MM IDLE
sub-state "ATTEMPTING TO UPDATE" when the RR connection is released. If the
attempt counter is smaller than 4, MS shall start timer T3211. Otherwise, it starts
timer T3212.
X. Abnormal cases on network side
1) RR connection failure
If a RR connection failure occurs during a common procedure which is integrated
with the location updating procedure, the behavior of the network should be
according to the description of that common procedure.
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M900/M1800 Base Station Subsystem Chapter 4 Location Update Procedure
The location updating procedure is a general procedure for three purposes: normal
location updating, periodic updating and IMSI attach.
The BSC retrieves the periodic location updating period from the “T3212” field in the
[System information table] and sends it to the MS through the SYSTEM
INFORMATION TYPE 3 message.
The BSC sends a LOCATION UPDATING REQUEST message to the MSC to set
up an SCCP connection over interface A. This message includes the CGI of the
serving cell. See [BSC Cell Table] for the CGI.
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