Les réseaux mobiles 4G basés sur la norme LTE (Long Term Evolution), sont des réseaux tout IP. Les différents problèmes de transport IP comme le retard, la gigue et la perte despaquets peuvent fortement dégrader la qualité des communications temps réel telles que la téléphonie. Les opérateurs ont mis en oeuvre des mécanismes d’optimisation du transport de la voix dans le réseau afin d'améliorer la qualité perçue. Cependant, les algorithmes propriétaires de gestion de la qualité dans les terminaux ne sont pas spécifiés dans les standards. Dans ce contexte, nous nous intéressons aux mécanismes d'adaptation de média, intégrés dans les terminaux afin d'améliorer la qualité d’expérience (QoE). En particulier, nous évaluons de manière expérimentale des métriques QoE de la voix sur LTE (VoLTE) en utilisant une méthode de test standardisée. Nous proposons d’améliorer la méthode de test et discutons la manière dont cette méthode peut être étendue pour évaluer les performances du buffer de gigue. Nous évaluons également de manière expérimentale la qualité de WebRTC dans différentes conditions radios en utilisant un réseau réel. Nous évaluons l'impact du buffer de gigue et de la variation du débit sur la qualité mesurée. Pour améliorer la robustesse des codecs contre la perte de paquets, nous proposons d’utiliser une redondance simple au niveau applicatif. Nous implémentons cette redondance pour le codec EVS (Enhanced Voice Service) et nous évaluons ses performances. Enfin, nous proposons un protocole de signalisation qui permet d’envoyer des requêtes de redondance au cours d’une communication afin d’activer ou désactiver celle-ci dynamiquement. / Fourth-generation mobile networks, based on the Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard, are all- IP networks. Thus, mobile telephony providers are facing new types of quality degradations related to the voice packet transport over IP network such as delay, jitter and packet loss. These factors can heavily degrade voice communications quality. The real-time constraint of such services makes them highly sensitive to delay and loss. Network providers have implemented several network optimizations for voice transport to enhance perceived quality. However, the proprietary quality management algorithms implemented in terminals are left unspecified in the standards. In this context, we are interested in media adaptation mechanisms integrated in terminals to enhance the overall Quality of Experience (QoE). In particular, we experimentally evaluate Voice over LTE (VoLTE) QoE metrics such as delay and Mean Opinion Score (MOS) sing a standardized test method. We propose some enhancements to the actual test method and discuss how this method can be extended to evaluate de-jitter buffer performance. We also experimentally evaluate WebRTC voice quality in different radio conditions using a realLTE test network. We evaluate the impact of jitter buffer and bit rate variations on the measured quality. To enhance voice codec robustness against packet loss, we propose a simple application layer redundancy. We implemented it for the Enhanced Voice Service (EVS) codec and evaluate it. Finally, we propose a signaling protocol that allows sending redundancy requests during a call to dynamically activate or deactivate the redundancy mechanism.

While the data traffic has increased through the years, the average revenue per user (ARPU) remains flat. Thus, mobile network operators need to find a solution for how to support the growing amounts of traffic at fixed revenue per user. Similarly, the number of roaming users has increased, but according to recent European Union (EU) regulations, mobile network operators have to lower their charges for roaming to zero by June 2017. While this decrease in roaming charges will benefit European roaming users, mobile network operators have to cover their expenses for their own roaming subscribers, thus they have to find a way to lower their operational expenses (OPEX). Additionally, it is important for operators to consider how they might actually benefit from the removal of roaming charges. This project will focus on roaming in 4th generation (4G) mobile networks. A common roaming scenario would include three different networks: the Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN) a transit network, and a Visited Public Land Mobile Network (VPLMN). Normally, both the signaling traffic and the media payloads traverse these networks, thus causing additional latencies and increasing OPEX. However, in recent years, a new mechanism, called local breakout (LBO), was introduced that can lower the costs of roaming and avoid unnecessary traffic while meeting a roaming user's needs. The goal of LBO is to decrease the operator's OPEX when supporting roaming subscribers. A secondary goal of LBO is to reduce the latencies experienced by roaming subscribers during their sessions. Achieving both of these goals will satisfy both operators and consumers. This thesis project analyzes Voice over Long Term Evolution roaming with the aim of presenting the various alternative architectures for Voice over LTE roaming, compare them in different scenarios, and evaluating them based on criteria defined during this project. The conclusion is that the best solution that is applicable to all the mobile network operators for all the possible roaming scenarios does not exist yet. The various VoLTE roaming architectures can be chosen by the mobile network providers according to their needs. / Datatrafiken har ökat genom åren men den genomsnittliga intäkten per användare (ARPU) är fortfarande oförändrad. Mobilnätsoperatörer bör hitta en lösning för att kunna stödja den växande mängden trafik på fasta intäkter per användare. Samtidigt har antalet roaming användare ökat. Enligt de senaste reglerna från Europeiska unionen (EU) måste mobiloperatörer sänka sina roamingkostnader till noll senast juni 2017. Denna minskning av roamingavgifterna kommer att gynna europeiska roaminganvändare, men mobilnätoperatörer måste samtidigt täcka sina kostnader för sina egna roamingabonnenter. Detta medför att mobilnätoperatörer måste hitta ett sätt att sänka sina driftskostnader (OPEX). Dessutom är det viktigt för operatörerna att fundera över hur de faktiskt kan utnyttja denna uteslutning av roamingavgifter. Detta projekt kommer att fokusera på roaming i den 4:e generationens (4G) mobila nät. Ett vanligt roaming scenario skulle omfatta tre olika nätverk: Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN), transitnätverk, och en Visited Public Land Mobile Network (VPLMN). Vanligen är det både signaleringstrafik och media som passerar dessa nätverk. Det leder till ytterligare latenstider och ökande driftskostnader. Under de senaste åren har en ny mekanism som kallas för Local BreakOut (LBO) införts. Detta används för att sänka kostnaderna för roaming och undvika onödig trafik, samtidigt som den bemöter roaming användarens behov. Målet med LBO är att minska Operatörens OPEX när den stödjer roaming abonnenter. Ett sekundärt mål av LBO är att minska latensen för roamingabonnenter under sina sessioner. Uppnående av båda dessa mål kommer att tillfredsställa både operatörer och konsumenter. Detta examensarbete analyserar Voice over Long Term Evolution roaming i syfte att presentera de olika alternativa arkitekturer för Voice over LTE roaming, jämföra dem i olika scenarier, och utvärdera dem utifrån kriterier som fastställs under detta projekt.

Ingeniero Civil Eléctrico / Entel S.A., la mayor empresa de telecomunicaciones móviles de Chile, requería evaluar el impacto que tendría la incorporación del servicio Voice Over LTE (VoLTE) en su red 4G de datos, en Santiago, con el fin de estimar la inversión requerida en caso de que existiera disminución de cobertura del servicio. Dado lo anterior, el objetivo del presente trabajo de título se enfocó en determinar el área de cobertura que tendrá la actual red 4G de Entel al incorporar el servicio VoLTE. Para llevar a cabo esta tarea se diseñó un Link Budget de VoLTE, el cual se utilizó posteriormente para determinar los puntos de corte en simulaciones que se realizaron en el programa Mentum Planet. De esta forma, se comparó la cobertura de la red de datos (Best Effort) con la cobertura VoLTE. La metodología utilizada en el desarrollo de la presente memoria comprendió la investigación y el análisis de redes móviles LTE, desarrollando y plasmando en el segundo capítulo, una base teórica que permite un amplio y fácil entendimiento de éstas para cualquier persona. Posteriormente, comprendió el diseñó del Link Budget de VoLTE, el cuál fue generado en un documento Excel, otorgando de esta forma una herramienta sencilla y útil al área de optimización de redes de acceso de Entel. El trabajo concluyó con la realización de sets de simulaciones en el programa solicitado, con lo que se obtuvo los porcentajes de cobertura asociados tanto a la red Best Effort como al servicio VoLTE, para las bandas de frecuencia de 2600 MHz y 700 MHz. Entre los principales resultados del presente trabajo, cabe destacar: 1. Disminución aproximada de un 7.5% de cobertura para el servicio VoLTE en comparación a la cobertura del servicio de datos Fourth Generation of Wireless Telephone Technology (4G), para la banda 2600 MHz, considerando Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) de corte sin fading. 2. Disminución aproximada de un 19% de cobertura para el servicio VoLTE en comparación a la cobertura del servicio de datos 4G, para la banda 700 MHz, considerando RSRP de corte sin fading. 3. Se confirma la importancia del feature TTI Bundling para mejorar la cobertura del enlace ascendente, estableciendo una mejora entre un 20 y un 25% en la cobertura. Como consecuencia final, el presente trabajo entrega a Entel una cuantificación de la cobertura esperada, así como un conjunto de recomendaciones para la implementación del servicio VoLTE, y de ésta forma, pasar a la etapa de evaluación económica para la implementación definitiva del proyecto.

LTE (Long Term Evolution) a été développé et normalisé par le 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project). C’est un réseau à commutation de paquets. Cela signifie que la voix sur LTE (VoLTE) est un service de VoIP avec les exigences de qualité de service garantis au lieu de transmettre dans un réseau à commutation de circuits tels que les systèmes existants (2G/3G). VoLTE est déployé dans un réseau entièrement IP combinée avec IMS (IP Sous-système Multimédia). De ce fait, le déploiement de VoLTE est assez complexe et comment assurer la qualité de transmission de la voix sur les réseaux LTE est un très grand défi. Ainsi, il faut plusieurs solutions différentes pour renforcer et améliorer la qualité de transmission de la voix sur les réseaux LTE. Dans cette thèse, nous présentons des solutions en vue d’améliorer la qualité de transmission de la voix sur les réseaux LTE pour les services audio à bandes étroites et larges. Pour cela, il nous faudra différents facteurs complets en solutions. L’un d’eux est QoE (Qualité de l’Expérience) qui est une nouvelle tendance. Et afin de déterminer la perception des utilisateurs pour le service en temps réel tel que VoLTE, nous utilisons le E-model étendu et le WB (large bande) E-model pour des services audio à bandes étroites et larges respectivement. Les solutions proposées ici portent principalement sur des éléments clés dans les réseaux LTE, tels que le codage par chaine, MAC (Contrôle d’Accès Moyen) des systèmes de planification et la qualité de voix du moniteur décrits comme suit. Tout d’abord, des algorithmes améliorés pour renforcer le codec de la chaine LTE (codeur et décodeur) ont été proposés. Pour améliorer le codeur de chaine LTE, un algorithme d’adaptation conjointe a été déployé. Le but de cet algorithme est de minimiser la redondance générée par codage en chaine avec une légère réduction de la perception de l’utilisateur. Ensuite, afin d’améliorer le décodeur par chaine LTE, un algorithme amélioré Log-MAP a été présenté. Cet algorithme vise à obtenir la performance BER (Bit Error Rate) qui est le plus proche du Log-MAP avec une complexité de calcul réduite par rapport à l’état de l’art. Deuxièmement, la chaine et les systèmes QoS de planification améliorés de la perception de l’utilisateur et du mode de priorité VoIP ont été proposés. Ces planificateurs sont déployés à la fois pour les utilisateurs d’audio à larges et à étroites bandes. Les résultats numériques montrent qu’ils surpassent plusieurs planificateurs en vedette tels que FLS, M-LWDF et EXP/PF en termes de retard, de taux de perte de paquets, de débit cellulaire, d’indice et de l’équité et d’efficacité spectrale dans presque tous les cas. Enfin, pour assurer la qualité vocale de transmission sur le réseau LTE, la prédiction de la satisfaction des utilisateurs est essentielle. Pour cette raison, nous présentons deux modèles non intrusifs pour mesurer la qualité de la voix sur les réseaux LTE. Ces modèles sont utilisés pour les utilisateurs d’audio à bandes étroites et larges bandes. Les modèles proposés ne se réfèrent pas au signal original. Par conséquent, ils sont très appropriés pour prédire la qualité de l’appel vocal sur les réseaux LTE / LTE (Long Term Evolution) has been developed and standardized by 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project). It is a packet-switched network. This means voice over LTE (VoLTE) is a VoIP service with the guaranteed QoS requirements instead of transmitted in a circuit-switched network such as the legacy system (2G/3G). Since VoLTE is deployed in an All-IP network combined with IMS (IP Multimedia Subsytem), thus, the VoLTE deployment is quite complex and how to ensure voice transmission quality over LTE networks is a very big challenge. Therefore, there needs to be many different solutions to enhance and improve voice transmission quality over LTE networks. In this dissertation, we present solutions to enhance and improve voice transmission quality over LTE networks for both narrowband and wideband audio services. In order to do that, there needs to be many different factors complemented in solutions. One of them is QoE (Quality of Experience) which is a new trend. And in order to determine user perception for real-time service such as VoLTE, we use extended E-model and WB (Wideband) E-model for narrowband and wideband audio services, respectively. The proposed solutions in this thesis mainly focus on key elements in LTE networks such as channel coding, MAC (Medium Access Control) scheduling schemes and monitor voice quality described as follows. First, enhanced/improved algorithms for enhancing LTE channel codec (coder and decoder) have been proposed. In order to enhance LTE channel coder, a joint source-channel code rate adaption algorithm has been deployed. The goal of this algorithm is to minimize redundancy generated by channel coding with a slight reduction of user perception. Next, in order to enhance LTE channel decoder, an improved Log-MAP algorithm has been presented. This algorithm aims at obtaining BER performance that is closest to the LOP-MAP with the computational complexity reduced in comparison with state-of-the-art. Second, channel- and QoS-Aware scheduling schemes with the enhancement of user perception and VoIP priority mode have been proposed. These schedulers are deployed for both narrowband and wideband audio users. The numerical results show that they outperform several featured schedulers such as FLS, M-LWDF, and EXP/PF in terms of delay, packet loss rate, cell throughput, fairness index, and spectral efficiency in almost cases. Last, in order to ensure voice transmission quality over LTE network, prediction of user satisfaction is essential. For this reason, we present two object non-intrusive models for measuring voice quality in LTE networks. These models are used for narrowband and wideband audio users. The proposed models do not refer to the original signal, thus, they are very suitable for predicting voice call quality in LTE networks

The fourth generation cellular mobile broadband, Long-Term Evolution (LTE), provides high speed Internet via Internet Protocol (IP). Today’s wireless infrastructure paves the way to a connected society where high speed Internet is seamlessly available at all times for anyone to use. To achieve this, a mobile service subscriber can no longer be bound to a single network provided by a single operator. Thus, roaming constitutes a key pillar in shaping the connected society Local Breakout (LBO) Voice over Long-Term Evolution (VoLTE) roaming enables a mobile service subscriber to breakout from its home network, and to use network services in a visited network. LBO requires control signalling and user data to be routed over several Public Land Mobile Networks (PLMNs), thus making mobile service subscriber’s the subject of Lawful Intercept (LI) across multiple networks. This thesis project investigates the possibility of using Multimedia Internet KEYing (MIKEY) and Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol (SRTP) to encrypt the payload of VoLTE media packets. More specifically, a Law Enforcement Monitoring Provider (LEMP) is designed, implemented, and evaluated. LEMP is deployed within a cell phone and serves to distribute cryptographic key shares to Trusted Third Parties (TTPs), i.e. multiple escrow agents, entrusted to store these cryptographic key shares. The result preserves the requirements for LI despite the fact that there may be multiple network operators involved. Moreover, the experiments show that the distribution time depends primarily on network latency rather than the time required to split the cryptographic key in chunks; hence the approach is usable in practice. / Den fjärde generationens mobila bredband, Long-Term Evolution (LTE), möjliggör användandet av höghastighetsinternet över Internet Protocol (IP). Dagens trådlösa infrastrukturer banar väg för ett fritt och lättillgängligt digitalt samhälle där alla kan vara uppkopplade samtidigt. För att uppnå global trådlös infrastruktur måste mobilabonnenten ha möjlighet att utnyttja flera andra trådlösa nätverk än det nätverk som teleoperatören binder dem till. Därför utgör fri roaming en viktig del i utvecklingen av framtidens globala trådlösa infrastrukturer. Local Breakout (LBO) Voice over Long-Term Evolution (VoLTE) är en roamingarkitektur som gör det möjligt för en mobilabonnent att kopplas upp från en teleoperatörs nät till en annans. LBO kräver att kontrollsignaler och användardata skickas mellan flera operatörer innan trafiken når sitt mål, och därmed utsätts mobilabonnenten för laglig avlyssning av elektronisk information på flera platser samtidigt. Det här examensarbetet undersöker möjligheten att använda Multimedia Internet KEYing (MIKEY) och Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol (SRTP) för att kryptera mediatrafik i VoLTE. Under arbetets gång utvecklas och utvärderas en Law Enforcement Monitoring Provider (LEMP). LEMP är placerad i en mobiltelefon och distribuerar delar av krypteringsnycklar till flera betrodda tredje parter (till flera escrow agents). Detta gör det möjligt att uppfylla kraven för laglig avlyssning av elektronisk information även när flera teleoperatörer avlyssnar användardata och kontrollsignaler. Resultatet visar att distribueringstiden primärt beror på nätverkslatens, och inte på den tid det tar att fördela krypteringsnyckeln i mindre delar. Därför kan den här metoden användas i praktiken.

In the past few years, new standards of telecommunication networks brought new approaches to the internal architecture and introduced new components. One of them is the PCRF server component which manages an allocation of bandwidth for all user devices, therefore, it is a performance sen- sitive application. Yet there are no suitable smart traffic generators for such server and there is no comprehensive study of implementations. Based on the server provided by one of the major Czech telecommunication providers, the traffic generator for real scenarios and performance testing was designed and implemented. In addition, the statistics collection from the server was realized with the use of instrumentation. Both of these parts were put to- gether in the form of testing framework which was used for measurements of the designed test cases. The results from the measurement were evalu- ated and describe the behavior of the server in a real-life utilization and also under heavy load. Based on the evaluation, the provider can improve the server implementation and perform further analysis. The traffic generator can be extended to support more test cases and even reused by different telecommunication providers. 1

This master’s thesis deals with application of the ITU-T G.107 E-model for objective non-intrusive voice transmission quality measurements in LTE and Wi-Fi networks. The first part presents techniques used for voice quality measurements, particularly algorithm POLQA, analysis of the E-model and overview of the VoLTE and VoWiFi technologies. The main part of this paper consists of design of the R-factor calculation formula using parameters measured by Android OS powered devices. The algorithm design is based on extensive VoLTE measurements and its voice quality prediction successfulness is evaluated by comparison with POLQA measurements. The paper also presents implementation possibilities of the proposed algorithm on devices with Android OS.

Diplomová práce popisuje VoLTE službu, vývoj a nasazení LTE (zaváděcí fázi, skutečný LTE stav a výhledy do budoucna atd.), EPC-IMS architekturu (popis funkce uzlu, rozhraní atd.) Komunikace mezi uzly a funkce, rozhraní a protokoly jsou používány v průběhu signalizace (SIP SDP) a datový tok (RTCP RTP). Práce stručně popisuje základní toky hovorů, typy nosičů (GBR and N-GBR), a to vytvoření / mazaní nosičů během komunikace. Další část diplomové práce o implementaci volte, instalace a konfigurace IMS. Závěrečná část diplomové práce popisuje zkoušky sítě a, analýzu protokolu.

Diplomová práce popisuje VoLTE službu, vývoj a nasazení LTE (zaváděcí fázi, skutečný LTE stav a výhledy do budoucna atd.), EPC-IMS architekturu (popis funkce uzlu, rozhraní atd.) Komunikace mezi uzly a funkce, rozhraní a protokoly jsou používány v průběhu signalizace (SIP SDP) a datový tok (RTCP RTP). Práce stručně popisuje základní toky hovorů, typy nosičů (GBR and N-GBR), a to vytvoření / mazaní nosičů během komunikace. Další část diplomové práce o implementaci volte, instalace a konfigurace IMS. Závěrečná část diplomové práce popisuje zkoušky sítě a, analýzu protokolu.

The master thesis is focused on control procedures in EPS-IMS networks. Firstly the thesis describes systems IMS and EPS. The second part of thesis includes the theory of control procedures in EPS such as cell acquisition, random access procedure, identification of subscriber, authentication of subscriber, security procedures, tracking area procedure, default bearer creation, implementation of CSFB procedure and detach procedure. Processes related to subsystem IMS such as registration to IMS, bearer creation for IMS signalling and voice service VoLTE are the next part of thesis. The next main topic is the VoLTE implementation problematic and VoLTE cooperation with diverse terminals. There is also explained the principle of Circuit Switched Fallback for realization voice services in EPS without VoLTE service. All procedures mentioned above except of procedures which are related to IMS were captured and analyzed using software Wireshark and QualiPoc. The final part of the thesis is lab task creation based of the analyzed messages.