Migrating From GSM/GPRS To UMTS
From a GSM/GPRS network, the following network elements can be reused:
- Home Location Register (HLR)
- Visitor Location Register (VLR)
- Equipment Identity Register (EIR)
- Mobile Switching Center (MSC) (vendor dependent)
- Authentication Center (AUC)
- Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) (vendor dependent)
- Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN)
From a GSM/GPRS communication radio network, the following elements cannot be reused:
- Base station controller (BSC)
- Base transceiver station (BTS)
They can remain in the network and be used in dual network operation where 2G and 3G networks co-exist while network migration and new 3G terminals become available for use in the network.
The UMTS network introduces new network elements that function as specified by 3GPP:
- Node B (base transceiver station)
- Radio Network Controller (RNC)
- Media Gateway (MGW)
The functionality of MSC and SGSN changes when going to UMTS. In a GSM system the MSC handles all the circuit switched operations like connecting A- and B-subscriber through the network. SGSN handles all the packet switched operations and transfers all the data in the network. In UMTS the Media gateway (MGW) take care of all data transfer in both circuit and packet switched networks. MSC and SGSN control MGW operations. The nodes are renamed to MSC-server and GSN-server.
Read more about this topic: Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
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