ETSI TS 101 376-3-23 V3.3.1 (2012-12)

GEO-Mobile Radio Interface Specifications (Release 3); Third Generation Satellite Packet Radio Service; Part 3: Network specifications; Sub-part 23: Radio Access Network; Overall description - Stage 2; GMR-1 3G 43.051

RTS/SES-00328-3-23

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 20-Dec-2012
• Technical Committee: SES SCN - Satellite Communications and Navigation
• Current Stage: 12 - Completion
• Due Date: 02-Jan-2013
• Completion Date: 21-Dec-2012
• Mandate: M/496

Standards Content (Sample)

Technical Specification
GEO-Mobile Radio Interface Specifications (Release 3);
Third Generation Satellite Packet Radio Service;
Part 3: Network specifications;
Sub-part 23: Radio Access Network;
Overall description - Stage 2;
GMR-1 3G 43.051
GMR-1 3G 43.051 2 ETSI TS 101 376-3-23 V3.3.1 (2012-12)

Reference
RTS/SES-00328-3-23
Keywords
3G, earth station, GMPRS, GMR, GPRS, GSM,
GSO, MES, mobile, MSS, radio, satellite
ETSI
650 Route des Lucioles
F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Cedex - FRANCE

Tel.: [phone]  Fax: [phone]

Siret N° 348 623 562 00017 - NAF 742 C
Association à but non lucratif enregistrée à la
Sous-Préfecture de Grasse (06) N° 7803/88

Important notice
Individual copies of the present document can be downloaded from:
http://www.etsi.org
The present document may be made available in more than one electronic version or in print. In any case of existing or
perceived difference in contents between such versions, the reference version is the Portable Document Format (PDF).
In case of dispute, the reference shall be the printing on ETSI printers of the PDF version kept on a specific network drive
within ETSI Secretariat.
Users of the present document should be aware that the document may be subject to revision or change of status.
Information on the current status of this and other ETSI documents is available at
http://portal.etsi.org/tb/status/status.asp
If you find errors in the present document, please send your comment to one of the following services:
http://portal.etsi.org/chaircor/ETSI_support.asp
Copyright Notification
No part may be reproduced except as authorized by written permission.
The copyright and the foregoing restriction extend to reproduction in all media.

© European Telecommunications Standards Institute 2012.
All rights reserved.
TM TM TM
DECT , PLUGTESTS , UMTS and the ETSI logo are Trade Marks of ETSI registered for the benefit of its Members.
TM TM
3GPP and LTE are Trade Marks of ETSI registered for the benefit of its Members and
of the 3GPP Organizational Partners.
GSM® and the GSM logo are Trade Marks registered and owned by the GSM Association.
ETSI
GMR-1 3G 43.051 3 ETSI TS 101 376-3-23 V3.3.1 (2012-12)
Contents
Intellectual Property Rights . 6
Foreword . 6
Introduction . 7
1 Scope . 9
2 References . 9
2.1 Normative references . 9
2.2 Informative references . 11
3 Symbols and abbreviations . 11
3.1 Symbols . 11
3.2 Abbreviations . 11
4 Satellite GERAN Architecture . 13
4.1 Satellite GERAN Reference Architecture . 13
4.2 UMTS Architecture applied to Satellite GERAN . 13
4.3 Protocol architecture in PS domain . 14
4.3.1 General . 14
4.3.2 User plane . 15
4.3.3 Control plane . 15
4.4 Protocol architecture in CS domain . 16
4.5 Iur-g interface . 16
4.6 Support for MSC/SGSN in pool . 16
4.7 CS services for Satellite GERAN Iu-mode . 16
4.8 User Equipment Specific Behaviour Information (UESBI) in Satellite GERAN Iu mode . 17
5 Radio Interface Protocol Architecture . 17
5.1 Protocol Structure when connecting through Iu . 17
5.2 Multiplexing Principles . 18
5.2.1 Multiplexing of different types of radio access bearers for one MES . 18
5.2.2 Multiplexing of user plane data from different core network interfaces . 19
5.3 Iu vs A/Gb mode selection . 19
5.3.1 Introduction. 19
5.3.2 PLMN, cell and mode (re-)selection in Satellite GERAN . 20
6 User and Control Plane Protocols . 20
6.1 Identifiers in Satellite GERAN . 20
6.1.1 IMSI, TMSI and P-TMSI . 20
6.1.2 G-RNTI . 20
6.1.3 NSAPI, RAB ID and RB ID . 20
6.1.4 RB Id, RRB Id, and TFI . 21
6.1.5 USF . 21
6.1.6 SAI . 21
6.1.7 BSC-id . 21
6.1.8 LAI for 3G core network . 21
6.1.9 RAI for the 3G core network . 22
6.1.10 GRA Identity . 22
6.1.11 Satellite GERAN internal Cell Identity . 22
6.2 Relay . 22
6.3 Radio Resource Control (RRC) . 22
6.3.1 RRC Functions . 22
6.3.2 RRC Connection Levels . 23
6.3.3 RRC Connection Modes . 24
6.3.4 RRC Connection Mobility . 24
6.3.4.1 RRC Connection mobility in RRC-Idle mode . 24
6.3.4.2 RRC Connection mobility in RRC-Connected mode . 24
6.3.5 RRC protocol and messages . 24
ETSI
GMR-1 3G 43.051 4 ETSI TS 101 376-3-23 V3.3.1 (2012-12)
6.3.6 Support of Radio Bearers in Satellite GERAN . 25
6.4 Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) . 25
6.4.1 Services provided to upper layers . 25
6.4.2 Services expected from RLC layer . 25
6.4.3 PDCP Functions . 25
6.4.3.1 Transparent Mode . 25
6.4.3.2 Non-Transparent Mode . 26
6.5 Radio Link Control (RLC) . 26
6.5.1 Services provided to upper layer . 26
6.5.2 RLC Functions . 27
6.5.2.1 Transparent Mode . 27
6.5.2.2 Non-Transparent Mode . 27
6.5.2.2.1 Acknowledged Mode . 27
6.5.2.2.2 Unacknowledged Mode . 27
6.6 Medium Access Control (MAC) . 27
6.6.1 Services provided to upper layers . 28
6.6.2 MAC Functions . 28
6.6.2.1 Additional functions for RLC transparent mode . 28
6.6.2.2 Additional functions for RLC non-transparent mode . 28
6.6.3 Model of MAC . 29
6.6.4 MAC operation . 30
6.6.4.1 General . 30
6.6.4.1.1 TBF Modes . 31
6.6.4.2 TBF establishment . 31
6.6.4.2.0 General . 31
6.6.4.2.1 Uplink resource request from MAC-Idle state . 32
6.6.4.3 TBF multiplexing and scheduling . 33
6.6.4.3.1 Multiplexing of RLC instances on TBFs . 33
6.6.4.3.2 Scheduling of TBFs on physical-layer resources . 33
6.6.4.4 TBF release . 33
6.6.4.5 TBF reallocation . 34
6.7 RLC/MAC PDU Formats for different protocol modes . 34
6.7.1 Acknowledged RLC mode . 34
6.7.2 Unacknowledged RLC mode . 34
6.7.3 Transparent RLC mode . 34
6.8 Physical Layer (Phy) . 34
6.8.1 Definitions . 34
6.8.2 Services provided to upper layer . 35
6.8.2.1 Specific services of the physical layer in the MES . 35
6.8.3 Logical Channels . 35
6.8.3.1 Traffic channels . 35
6.8.3.2 Control channels . 35
6.8.3.2.1 Broadcast channels . 35
6.8.3.2.2 Common control type channels . 35
6.8.3.2.3 Dedicated control channels . 36
6.8.3.2.4 Cell Broadcast Channel (CBCH) . 36
6.8.4 Physical Channels . 36
6.8.4.1 DCH - Dedicated Physical CHannel . 36
6.8.4.2 PDCH - Packet Data physical CHannel . 36
6.8.5 Mapping of logical channels onto physical channels . 36
6.8.5.1 DCH . 36
6.8.5.2 Void. 36
6.8.5.3 PDCH . 36
6.8.6 Physical Layer Functions . 36
6.8.7 Channel Coding . 37
6.8.8 Void . 37
6.9 Flexible Layer One (FLO) . 37
7 Ciphering . 37
7.1 Location of ciphering in the Satellite GERAN protocol architecture . 37
7.2 Inputs to the ciphering algorithm . 38
7.2.1 Ciphering Key . 38
ETSI
GMR-1 3G 43.051 5 ETSI TS 101 376-3-23 V3.3.1 (2012-12)
7.2.2 Bearer . 38
7.2.3 Direction . 38
7.2.4 Length . 38
7.2.5 Parameter Settings . 38
8 Integrity protection . 39
8.1 Integrity protection on RRC messages . 39
8.2 Integrity protection on RLC/MAC control messages . 39
8.3 Calculation of message authentication code . 39
9 Mobility Management and Session Management (MM and SM) . 39
10 Void . 39
Annex A (informative): Radio Access Bearer Realization . 40
A.1 Conversational Radio Access Bearer . 40
A.2 Streaming, Interactive, Background Radio Access Bearers . 40
Annex B (informative): RLC/MAC Header format Convention . 41
Annex C (informative): RRC States, MAC States and RRC Connection Mobility . 42
C.1 Void . 42
C.2 MAC states . 42
C.3 Mapping between RRC States and MAC States . 42
Annex D (informative): Bibliography . 44
History . 45

ETSI
GMR-1 3G 43.051 6 ETSI TS 101 376-3-23 V3.3.1 (2012-12)
Intellectual Property Rights
IPRs essential or potentially essential to the present document may have been declared to ETSI. The information
pertaining to these essential IPRs, if any, is publicly available for ETSI members and non-members, and can be found
in ETSI SR 000 314: "Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs); Essential, or potentially Essential, IPRs notified to ETSI in
respect of ETSI standards", which is available from the ETSI Secretariat. Latest updates are available on the ETSI Web
server (http://ipr.etsi.org).
Pursuant to the ETSI IPR Policy, no investigation, including IPR searches, has been carried out by ETSI. No guarantee
can be given as to the existence of other IPRs not referenced in ETSI SR 000 314 (or the updates on the ETSI Web
server) which are, or may be, or may become, essential to the present document.
Foreword
This Technical Specification (TS) has been produced by ETSI Technical Committee Satellite Earth Stations and
Systems (SES).
The contents of the present document are subject to continuing work within TC-SES and may change following formal
TC-SES approval. Should TC-SES modify the contents of the present document it will then be republished by ETSI
with an identifying change of release date and an increase in version number as follows:
Version 3.m.n
where:
• the third digit (n) is incremented when editorial only changes have been incorporated in the specification;
• the second digit (m) is incremented for all other types of changes, i.e. technical enhancements, corrections,
updates, etc.
The present document is part 3, sub-part 23 of a multi-part deliverable covering the GEO-Mobile Radio Interface
Specifications (Release 3); Third Generation Satellite Packet Radio Service, as identified below:
Part 1: "General specifications":
Part 2: "Service specifications";
Part 3: "Network specifications";
Sub-part 1: "Network Functions; GMR-1 03.001";
Sub-part 2: "Network Architecture; GMR-1 03.002";
Sub-part 3: "Numbering, addressing and identification; GMR-1 23.003";
Sub-part 4: "Organization of Subscriber Data; GMR-1 03.008";
Sub-part 5: "Technical realization of Supplementary Services; GMR-1 03.011";
Sub-part 6: "Location Registration and Position Identification Procedures; GMR-1 03.012";
Sub-part 7: "Discontinuous Reception (DRX); GMR-1 03.013";
Sub-part 8: "Support of Dual-Tone Multifrequency Signalling (DTMF); GMR-1 03.014";
Sub-part 9: "Security related Network Functions; GMR-1 03.020";
Sub-part 10: "Functions related to Mobile Earth Station (MES) in idle mode; GMR-1 3G 43.022";
Sub-part 11: "Technical realization of the Short Message Service (SMS) Point-to-Point (PP); GMR-1
03.040";
ETSI
GMR-1 3G 43.051 7 ETSI TS 101 376-3-23 V3.3.1 (2012-12)
Sub-part 12: "Technical realization of the Short Message Service Cell Broadcast (SMSCB); GMR-1
03.041";
Sub-part 13: "Technical realization of group 3 facsimile using transparent mode of transmission;
GMR-1 03.045";
Sub-part 14: Transmission Planning Aspects of the Speech Service in the GMR-1 system; GMR-1 03.050";
Sub-part 15: "Line Identification supplementary service - Stage 2; GMR-1 03.081";
Sub-part 16: "Call Barring (CB) supplementary services - Stage 2; GMR-1 03.088";
Sub-part 17: "Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) - Stage 2; GMR-1 03.290";
Sub-part 18: "Terminal-to-Terminal Call (TtT); GMR-1 03.296";
Sub-part 19: "Optimal Routing technical realization; GMPRS-1 03.297";
Sub-part 20: "Technical realization of High-Penetration Alerting; GMR-1 03.298";
Sub-part 21: "Position Reporting services; Stage 2 Service description; GMR-1 03.299";
Sub-part 22: "Overall description of the GMPRS radio interface; Stage 2; GMR-1 3G 43.064";
Sub-part 23: "Radio Access Network; Overall description - Stage 2; GMR-1 3G 43.051";
Part 4: "Radio interface protocol specifications";
Part 5: "Radio interface physical layer specifications";
Part 6: "Speech coding specifications";
Part 7: "Terminal adaptor specifications".
Introduction
GMR stands for GEO (Geostationary Earth Orbit) Mobile Radio interface, which is used for Mobile Satellite
Services (MSS) utilizing geostationary satellite(s). GMR is derived from the terrestrial digital cellular standard GSM
and supports access to GSM core networks.
The present document is part of the GMR Release 3 specifications. Release 3 specifications are identified in the title
and can also be identified by the version number:
• Release 1 specifications have a GMR 1 prefix in the title and a version number starting with "1" (V1.x.x).
• Release 2 specifications have a GMPRS 1 prefix in the title and a version number starting with "2" (V2.x.x).
• Release 3 specifications have a GMR-1 3G prefix in the title and a version number starting with "3" (V3.x.x).
The GMR release 1 specifications introduce the GEO Mobile Radio interface specifications for circuit mode Mobile
Satellite Services (MSS) utilizing geostationary satellite(s). GMR release 1 is derived from the terrestrial digital cellular
standard GSM (phase 2) and it supports access to GSM core networks.
The GMR release 2 specifications add packet mode services to GMR release 1. The GMR release 2 specifications
introduce the GEO Mobile Packet Radio Service (GMPRS). GMPRS is derived from the terrestrial digital cellular
standard GPRS (included in GSM Phase 2+) and it supports access to GSM/GPRS core networks.
The GMR release 3 specifications evolve packet mode services of GMR release 2 to 3rd generation UMTS compatible
services. The GMR release 3 specifications introduce the GEO-Mobile Radio Third Generation (GMR-1 3G) service.
Where applicable, GMR-1 3G is derived from the terrestrial digital cellular standard 3GPP and it supports access to
3GPP core networks.
ETSI
GMR-1 3G 43.051 8 ETSI TS 101 376-3-23 V3.3.1 (2012-12)
Due to the differences between terrestrial and satellite channels, some modifications to the GSM or 3GPP standard are
necessary. Some GSM and 3GPP specifications are directly applicable, whereas others are applicable with
modifications. Similarly, some GSM and 3GPP specifications do not apply, while some GMR specifications have no
corresponding GSM or 3GPP specification.
Since GMR is derived from GSM and 3GPP, the organization of the GMR specifications closely follows that of GSM
or 3GPP as appropriate. The GMR numbers have been designed to correspond to the GSM and 3GPP numbering
system. All GMR specifications are allocated a unique GMR number. This GMR number has a different prefix for
Release 2 and Release 3 specifications as follows:
• Release 1: GMR n xx.zyy
• Release 2: GMPRS n xx.zyy
• Release 3: GMR-1 3G xx.zyy
where:
- xx.0yy (z = 0) is used for GMR specifications that have a corresponding GSM or 3GPP specification. In
this case, the numbers xx and yy correspond to the GSM or 3GPP numbering scheme.
- xx.2yy (z = 2) is used for GMR specifications that do not correspond to a GSM or 3GPP specification.
In this case, only the number xx corresponds to the GSM or 3GPP numbering scheme and the number yy
is allocated by GMR.
- n denotes the first (n = 1) or second (n = 2) family of GMR specifications.
A GMR system is defined by the combination of a family of GMR specifications and GSM and 3GPP specifications as
follows:
• If a GMR specification exists it takes precedence over the corresponding GSM or 3GPP specification (if any).
This precedence rule applies to any references in the corresponding GSM or 3GPP specifications.
NOTE: Any references to GSM or 3GPP specifications within the GMR or 3GPP specifications are not subject to
this precedence rule. For example, a GMR or 3GPP specification may contain specific references to the
corresponding GSM or 3GPP specification.
• If a GMR specification does not exist, the corresponding GSM or 3GPP specification may or may not apply.
The applicability of the GSM or 3GPP specifications is defined in TS 101 376-1-2 [7].
The clause numbering and the table numbering and figure numbering in the present document are aligned to the
corresponding numbering of TS 143 051 [i.1] as far as possible. In several places, this means that the table numbering
and figure numbering is non-continuous in the present document in order to maintain this alignment, the following rules
apply:
• A table that uses the same table number replaces the corresponding table in TS 143 051 [i.1];
• A table that uses a different table number is a new additional table.
ETSI
GMR-1 3G 43.051 9 ETSI TS 101 376-3-23 V3.3.1 (2012-12)
1 Scope
The present document defines the stage 2 service description for the GMR-1 3rd Generation Satellite Radio Access
rd
Network. This 3 Generation Satellite Radio Access Network is functionally equivalent to a GSM/EDGE Radio
rd
Network (GERAN). The term Satellite GERAN is used interchangeably with 3 Generation Satellite Radio Access
Network in the present document.
rd
The present document illustrates how the services requested by a GSM/UMTS Core Network are realized by the 3
Generation Satellite Radio Access Network.
The main focus of the present document is on functionality related to the Iu interfaces. The aim of the present document
is not to describe functionality related to the A and Gb interfaces in details. There is no detailed description of the
interfaces towards the core network and only references are given to the appropriate specifications.
2 References
References are either specific (identified by date of publication and/or edition number or version number) or
non-specific. For specific references, only the cited version applies. For non-specific references, the latest version of the
reference document (including any amendments) applies.
Referenced documents which are not found to be publicly available in the expected location might be found at
http://docbox.etsi.org/Reference.
NOTE: While any hyperlinks included in this clause were valid at the time of publication, ETSI cannot guarantee
their long term validity.
2.1 Normative references
The following referenced documents are necessary for the application of the present document.
In the case of a reference to a 3GPP document (including a GSM document), a non-specific reference implicitly
refers to the latest version of that document in Release 7 or to the latest version of that document in the latest release
less than 7.
In the case of a reference to a GMR-1 3G document, a non-specific reference implicitly refers to the latest version of
that document in the same Release as the present document.
[1] ETSI TS 125 410: "Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); UTRAN Iu interface:
General aspects and principles (3GPP TS 25.410)".
[2] ETSI TS 125 411: "Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); UTRAN Iu interface
layer 1 (3GPP TS 25.411)".
[3] ETSI TS 125 412: "Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); UTRAN Iu interface
signalling transport (3GPP TS 25.412)".
[4] ETSI TS 125 413: "Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); UTRAN Iu interface
Radio Access Network Application Part (RANAP) signalling (3GPP TS 25.413)".
[5] ETSI TS 125 414: "Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); UTRAN Iu interface
data transport and transport signalling (3GPP TS 25.414)".
[6] ETSI TS 125 415: "Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); UTRAN Iu interface
user plane protocols (3GPP TS 25.415)".
[7] ETSI TS 101 376-1-2: "GEO-Mobile Radio Interface Specifications (Release 3); Third Generation
Satellite Packet Radio Service; Part 1: General specifications; Sub-part 2: Introduction to the
GMR-1 family; GMR-1 3G 41.201".
[8] Void.
ETSI
GMR-1 3G 43.051 10 ETSI TS 101 376-3-23 V3.3.1 (2012-12)
[9] ETSI TS 101 376-1-1: "GEO-Mobile Radio Interface Specifications (Release 2) General Packet
Radio Service; Part 1: General specifications; Sub-part 1: Abbreviations and acronyms;
GMPRS-1 01.004".
NOTE: This is a reference to a GMR-1 Release 2 specification. See the introduction for more details.
[10] ETSI TS 101 376-5-1: "GEO-Mobile Radio Interface Specifications (Release 1); Part 5: Radio
interface physical layer specifications; Sub-part 1: Physical Layer on the Radio Path: General
Description; GMR-1 05.001".
NOTE: This is a reference to a GMR-1 Release 1 specification. See the introduction for more details.
[11] ETSI TS 101 376-5-2: "GEO-Mobile Radio Interface Specifications (Release 3); Third Generation
Satellite Packet Radio Service; Part 5: Radio interface physical layer specifications;
Sub-part 2: Multiplexing and Multiple Access; Stage 2 Service Description; GMR-1 3G 45.002".
[12] ETSI TS 101 376-5-3: "GEO-Mobile Radio Interface Specifications (Release 3); Third Generation
Satellite Packet Radio Service; Part 5: Radio interface physical layer specifications;
Sub-part 3: Channel Coding; GMR-1 3G 45.003".
[13] ETSI TS 123 110: "Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2+); Universal Mobile
Telecommunications System (UMTS); UMTS Access Stratum Services and Functions (3GPP TS
23.110)".
[14] ETSI TS 101 376-4-7: "GEO-Mobile Radio Interface Specifications (Release 3); Third Generation
Satellite Packet Radio Service; Part 4: Radio interface protocol specifications; Sub-part 7: Mobile
Radio Interface Signalling Layer 3 General Aspects; GMR-1 3G 24.007".
[15] ETSI TS 123 107: "Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2+); Universal Mobile
Telecommunications System (UMTS); Quality of Service (QoS) concept and architecture
(3GPP TS 23.107)".
[16] ETSI TS 125 323: "Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); Packet Data
Convergence Protocol (PDCP) specification (3GPP TS 25.323)".
[17] ETSI TS 133 102: "Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); 3G security; Security
architecture (3GPP TS 33.102)".
[18] ETSI TS 101 376-4-12: "GEO-Mobile Radio Interface Specifications (Release 3); Third
Generation Satellite Packet Radio Service; Part 4: Radio interface protocol specifications;
Sub-part 12: Mobile Earth Station (MES) - Base Station System (BSS) interface; Radio Link
Control/Medium Access Control (RLC/MAC) protocol; GMR-1 3G 44.060".
[19] ETSI TS 101 376-4-13: "GEO-Mobile Radio Interface Specifications (Release 3); Third
Generation Satellite Packet Radio Service; Part 4: Radio interface protocol specifications;
Sub-part 13: Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol; Iu Mode; GMR-1 3G 44.118".
[20] ETSI TS 101 376-4-14: "GEO-Mobile Radio Interface Specifications (Release 3); Third
Generation Satellite Packet Radio Service; Part 4: Radio interface protocol specifications;
Sub-part 14: Mobile Earth Station (MES) - Base Station System (BSS) interface; Radio Link
Control/Medium Access Control (RLC/MAC) protocol; Iu Mode; GMR-1 3G 44.160".
[21] ETSI TS 101 376-4-8: "GEO-Mobile Radio Interface Specifications (Release 3); Third Generation
Satellite Packet Radio Service; Part 4: Radio interface protocol specifications; Sub-part 8: Mobile
Radio Interface Layer 3 Specifications; GMR-1 3G 44.008".
[22] ETSI TS 101 376-3-10: "GEO-Mobile Radio Interface Specifications (Release 3); Third
Generation Satellite Packet Radio Service; Part 3: Network specifications; Sub-part 10: Functions
related to Mobile Earth Station (MES) in idle mode; GMR-1 3G 43.022".
[23] ETSI TS 101 376-5-5: "GEO-Mobile Radio Interface Specifications (Release 3); Third Generation
Satellite Packet Radio Service; Part 5: Radio interface physical layer specifications;
Sub-part 5: Radio Transmission and Reception; GMR-1 3G 45.005".
ETSI
GMR-1 3G 43.051 11 ETSI TS 101 376-3-23 V3.3.1 (2012-12)
[24] ETSI TS 144 018: "Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2+); Mobile radio interface
layer 3 specification; Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol (3GPP TS 44.018)".
[25] ETSI TS 124 008: "Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2+); Universal Mobile
Telecommunications System (UMTS); LTE; Mobile radio interface Layer 3 specification; Core
network protocols; Stage 3 (3GPP TS 24.008)".
[26] ETSI TS 123 060: "Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2+); Universal Mobile
Telecommunications System (UMTS); General Packet Radio Service (GPRS); Service
description; Stage 2 (3GPP TS 23.060)".
[27] ETSI TS 101 376-5-6: "GEO-Mobile Radio Interface Specifications (Release 3); Third Generation
Satellite Packet Radio Service; Part 5: Radio interface physical layer specifications;
Sub-part 6: Radio Subsystem Link Control; GMR-1 3G 45.008".
[28] ETSI TS 101 376-3-3: "GEO-Mobile Radio Interface Specifications (Release 3); Third Generation
Satellite Packet Radio Service; Part 3: Network specifications; Sub-part 3: Numbering, addressing
and identification; GMR-1 3G 23.003".
[29] ETSI TS 143 064: "Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2+); General Packet Radio
Service (GPRS); Overall description of the GPRS radio interface; Stage 2 (3GPP TS 43.064)".
2.2 Informative references
The following referenced documents are not necessary for the application of the present document but they assist the
user with regard to a particular subject area.
[i.1] ETSI TS 143 051: "Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2+); GSM/EDGE Radio
Access Network (GERAN) overall description; Stage 2 (3GPP TS 43.051)".
[i.2] ITU-R Recommendation M.1035: "Framework for the radio interface(s) and radio sub-system
functionality for International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000)".
[i.3] ETSI TR 121 905: "Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2+); Universal Mobile
Telecommunications System (UMTS); Vocabulary for 3GPP Specifications (3GPP TR 21.905)".
3 Symbols and abbreviations
3.1 Symbols
For the purposes of the present document, the following symbols apply:
A Interface between a Satellite BSS and a 2G MSC
Gb Interface between a Satellite BSS and a 2G SGSN
GMR-1 3G Interface between MES and Satellite BSS
Iu-cs Interface between a Satellite BSS and a 3G MSC
Iu-ps Interface between a Satellite BSS and a 3G SGSN
Iur-g Interface between two Satellite BSSs
3.2 Abbreviations
For the purposes of the present document, the abbreviations given in TS 101 376-1-1 [9], TR 121 905 [i.3],
TS 143 064 [29] and the following apply:
AS Access Stratum
BCCH Broadcast Control CHannel
BSS Base Station Subsystem
CBCH Cell Broadcast CHannel
CC Call Control
ETSI
GMR-1 3G 43.051 12 ETSI TS 101 376-3-23 V3.3.1 (2012-12)
CN Core Network
DC Dedicated Control
DCH Dedicated physical CHannel
EDGE Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution
E-FACCH Enhanced FACCH
E-TCH Enhanced TCH
FACCH Fast Associated Control CHannel
FLO Flexible Layer One
GC General Control
GERAN GSM/EDGE Radio Access Network
GPRS General Packet Radio Service
GRA GERAN Registration Area
G-RNTI GERAN Radio Network Temporary Identity
GSM Global System for Mobile Communications
IETF Internet Engineering Task Force
IMSI International Mobile Subscriber Identity
IP Internet Protocol
MAC Medium Access Control
MM Mobility Management
MES Mobile Earth Station
NAS Non Access Stratum
NSAPI Network layer SAPI
Nt Notification
O-TCH Octal TCH
PBCCH Packet BCCH
PDCH Packet Data physical CHannel
PDCP Packet Data Convergence Protocol
PDP Packet Data Protocol
PDTCH Packet Data TCH
PDU Packet Data Unit
PLMN Public Land Mobile Network
P-TMSI Packet TMSI
QoS Quality of Service
RAB Radio Access Bearer
RANAP Radio Access Network Application Part
RB Radio Bearer
RLC Radio Link Control
RNSAP Radio Network Subsystem Application Part
ROHC RObust Header Compression
RRC Radio Resource Control
RTP Real Time Protocol
SAP Service Access Point
SAPI Service Access Point Identifier
Satellite BSS Satellite Base Station Subsystem
SDU Service Data Unit
Satellite GERAN Satellite GSM/EDGE Radio Access Network
S-RNTI Serving Radio Network Temporary Identity
TB Transport Block
TBF Temporary Block Flow
TCH Traffic CHannel
TCP Transmission Control Protocol
TLLI Temporary Logical Link Identifier
TMSI Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity
UDP User Datagram Protocol
UESBI UE Specific Behaviour Information
UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunication System
USF Uplink State Flag
UTRAN UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network
ETSI
GMR-1 3G 43.051 13 ETSI TS 101 376-3-23 V3.3.1 (2012-12)
4 Satellite GERAN Architecture
4.1 Satellite GERAN Reference Architecture
The reference architecture of the Satellite GERAN is illustrated in figure 1.
The Satellite GERAN connects via Iu-PS interfaces to the core network. Any combination comprising one, two or three
of these 3 interfaces is possible. Two Satellite Base Station Subsystems (Satellite BSS) may be connected to each other
with an Iur-g interface. A Satellite BSS and an RNC may also be connected via an Iur-g interface.
The mobile earth station shall operate using only the Iu mode.

Satellite
GERAN
GMR-1 3G
MES
BTS
Iu-PS
MES BSC
BTS
Satellite BSS
UTRAN
Iu
GSM/UMTS
RNC
Core Network
rd
Figure 1: 3 Generation Satellite Radio Access Network reference architecture
The functional split within a Sat
...