Glossary

A

AAA

Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (Rx Diameter command)

ADC

Application Detection and Control

Policy rules that enable detection and control of application traffic and associated enforcement action.

APN

Access Point Name

The name identifying a general packet radio service (GPRS) bearer service in a GSM mobile network. See also GSM.

application

The telecommunications software that is hosted on the platform. A service provided to subscribers to a network; for example, voice over IP (VoIP), video on demand (VoD), video conferencing, or gaming.

ARP

Allocation and Retention Priority

A mechanism to downgrade lower-priority bearers, or upgrade higher-priority bearers, in cases of network congestion or emergency. Used when a service or bearer is admitted, allocated, or handed over.

AVP

Attribute-Value Pair

The Diameter protocol consists of a header followed by one or more attribute-value pairs (AVPs). An AVP includes a header and is used to encapsulate protocol-specific data (for example, routing information) as well as authentication, authorization or accounting information.

B

bandwidth

The data rate supported by a network connection or interface; most commonly expressed in terms of bytes per second (bps).

BNG

Broadband Network Gateway is an example of a BNG device is a broadband remote access server (B-RAS).

bps

Bits Per Second

BSSID

Basic Service Set Identifier

MAC address of the wireless access point.

C

CCA

Credit Control Answer

The Diameter message that is received from the prepaid rating engine to acknowledge a CCR command.

CCR

Credit Control Request

A Diameter message to be sent to a prepaid rating engine to request credit authorization for an SMS.

Circuit ID

Identifies the relay circuit from which a DHCP client-to-server packet was received.

CS

Circuit Switching

D

DEA

Diameter Edge Agent

Device through which LTE roaming signaling traffic is funneled to protect network element addresses from being exposed to third parties.

Diameter

Protocol that provides an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) framework for applications such as network access or IP mobility. Diameter works in both local and roaming AAA situations. Diameter can also be used as a signaling protocol for mobility management which is typically associated with an IMS or wireless type of environment.

DOCSIS

Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification - An international telecommunications standard for adding high-speed data transfer to an existing cable TV system. Employed by many cable television operators to provide Internet access over their existing infrastructure.

E

EPS

Evolved Packet System

EPS is the core or main component of an LTE (Long-Term Evolution) system.

F

FQDN

Fully Qualified Domain Name

The complete domain name for a specific computer on the Internet (for example, www.oracle.com).

A domain name that specifies its exact location in the tree hierarchy of the DNS.

G

GBR

Guaranteed Bit Rate

A minimum bit rate requested by an application for uplink and downlink traffic.

GUI

Graphical User Interface

The term given to that set of items and facilities which provides you with a graphic means for manipulating screen data rather than being limited to character based commands.

Gx

The Diameter credit control based interface between a PCRF and a PCEF as defined by 3GPP. The interface is used to convey session information from the PCEF to the PCRF, and in reply the PCRF provides rule information for the PCEF to enforce.

H

HRPD

High Rate Packet Data

I

ID

Identity

IMS

IP Multimedia Subsystem

These are central integration platforms for controlling mobile communications services, customer management and accounting for mobile communications services based on IP. The IMS concept is supported by 3GPP and the UMTS Forum and is designed to provide a wide range of application scenarios for individual and group communication.

IP

Internet Protocol - IP specifies the format of packets, also called datagrams, and the addressing scheme. The network layer for the TCP/IP protocol suite widely used on Ethernet networks, defined in STD 5, RFC 791. IP is a connectionless, best-effort packet switching protocol. It provides packet routing, fragmentation and re-assembly through the data link layer.

L

LTE

Long Term Evolution

The next-generation network beyond 3G. In addition to enabling fixed to mobile migrations of Internet applications such as Voice over IP (VoIP), video streaming, music downloading, mobile TV, and many others, LTE networks will also provide the capacity to support an explosion in demand for connectivity from a new generation of consumer devices tailored to those new mobile applications.

M

MAC

Media Access Control Address

The unique serial number burned into the Ethernet adapter that identifies that network card from all others.

MCC

Mobile Country Code

A three-digit number that uniquely identifies a country served by wireless telephone networks. The MCC is part of the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number, which uniquely identifies a particular subscriber. See also MNC, IMSI.

MNC

Mobile Network Code

A number that identifies a mobile phone carrier. Used in combination with a Mobile Country Code (MCC) to uniquely identify a mobile phone operator/carrier. See also MCC.

O

Operator Name

Identifies the TWAN operator when the TWAN is not operated by a mobile operator usually encoded in the form of an Internet domain name.

P

pass

A quota profile that provides a one-time override of a subscriber's default plan.

PCC

Policy and Charging Control

Policy rules that define the conditions and actions used by a carrier network to control how subscribers and applications are treated and how network resources are allocated and used.

PCEF

Policy and charging enforcement function

A system responsible for enforcing policies on network subscriber authentication, authorization, accounting, and mobility. A PCEF device, such as a CMTS or GGSN, communicates with a PCRF device, such as a policy server.

PCRF

Policy and Charging Rules Function

The ability to dynamically control access, services, network capacity, and charges in a network.

Maintains rules regarding a subscriber’s use of network resources. Responds to CCR and AAR messages. Periodically sends RAR messages. All policy sessions for a given subscriber, originating anywhere in the network, must be processed by the same PCRF.

In the Policy Management system, PCRF is located in the MPE device.

Software node designated in real-time to determine policy rules in a multimedia network.

plan

A quota profile that consists of a subscriber's basic, recurring service.

PLMN

Public Land Mobile Network

A wireless communications network that uses land-based radio transmitters or base stations, intended for public use by terrestrial subscribers in vehicles or on foot. A PLMN is identified by its Mobile Country Code (MCC) and Mobile Network Code (MNC).

policy group

An ordered group of policies, organized for ease of administration or deployment.

PS

Packet Switching

Q

QoS

Quality of Service

Control mechanisms that guarantee a certain level of performance to a data flow.

quota

Specifies restrictions on the amount of data volume, active session time, or service-specific events that a subscriber can consume.

quota convention

Specifies the default values for rollovers and enables top-ups. A quota convention is associated with a plan.

quota profile

Defines how quotas are implemented and specifies the default values. Quota profiles consist of passes and plans.

R

RAA

Re-Authorization Answer (Gx or Rx Diameter command)

RADIUS

Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service

A client/server protocol and associated software that enables remote access servers to communicate with a central server to authorize their access to the requested service. The MPE device functions with RADIUS servers to authenticate messages received from remote gateways. See also Diameter.

RAR

Re-Authorization Request (Gx or Rx Diameter command)

RAT

Radio Access Technology

Relay Identity

Identifies the TWAN relay identity type as either IPv4/IPv6 or FQDN.

rollover

A quota convention that allows a subscriber to carry forward unused units from one billing cycle to another.

S

S9

The S9 Diameter interface includes Rx, Gx, and Gxx messages, but when these messages are used between a visited PCRF and the home PCRF, the interfaces are collectively referred to as S9. Defined by 3GPP 29.215 as the interface between a visited PCRF and a home PCRF. There is no difference in processing of Rx over S9 versus. Rx not over S9. The S9 interface is binding capable for Gx and Gxx only. Rx over S9 is binding dependent.

server

In Policy Management, a computer running Policy Management software, or a computer providing data to a Policy Management system.

SIP

Session Initiation Protocol

A peer-to-peer protocol used for voice and video communications.

SMPP

Short Message Peer-to-Peer Protocol

An open, industry standard protocol that provides a flexible data communications interface for transfer of short message data.

SMS

Short Message Service

A communication service component of the GSM mobile communication system that uses standard communications protocols to exchange short text messages between mobile phone devices. See also GSM.

Shared Metric Service

SPC

Service Provisioning over COPS (Common Open Policy Service protocol)

SPR

Subscriber Profile Repository

A logical entity that may be a standalone database or integrated into an existing subscriber database such as a Home Subscriber Server (HSS). It includes information such as entitlements, rate plans, and so on.The PCRF and SPR functionality is provided through an ecosystem of partnerships.

SSID

Service Set Identifier

Used to uniquely identify a wireless LAN.

SSL

Secure Socket Layer (SSL) is an industry standard protocol for clients needing to establish secure (TCP-based) SSL-enabled network connections

T

TDF

Traffic Detection Function

top-up

A quota convention that allows a subscriber to obtain additional units for an existing plan.

TWAN

Trusted Wireless Area Network

V

VoIP

Voice Over Internet Protocol

Voice communication based on the IP protocol competes with legacy voice networks, but also with Voice over Frame Relay and Voice and Telephony over ATM. Realtime response, which is characterized by minimizing frame loss and latency, is vital to voice communication. Users are only prepared to accept minimal delays in voice transmissions.

W

whitelist

Provisioning whitelist.

A list of entities that are granted a particular privilege, service, mobility, access, or recognition. A whitelist is the opposite of a blacklist.

X

XML

eXtensible Markup Language

A version of the Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) that allows Web developers to create customized tags for additional functionality.