SOLVER for GSM/GPRS

Solver for GSM/GPRS provides the ability to simulate a Radio Access Network for GSM (2G) and GPRS (2,5G) with a large number of connected mobile subscribers providing load to the Core Network.

Solver GSM simulates the RAN sending traffic over the A-Interface (or ATER), between the simulated BSC and the Core Network, an MGW or an MSC.

Solver can generate and terminate calls and SMSs, configure the simulated access network, test network indicators and provide real-time statistics on traffic progress. Various traffic patterns are easily created to run simultaneously or in sequence. You can choose to run with or without User Plane data.

Ater interface

In the Ater-interface, speech transcoders are moved from the BSCs to the MSC, unlike in the more common A-interface where the transcoders remain in the BSCs.

The advantages of the Ater interface are:

• The transcoder units can be more efficiently used
• More speech channels  can be transmitted on the available connection between the BSC and the MSC, because the uncoded speech takes up less bandwidth (16kbit/s channels instead of 64 kbit/s all the way to the MSC)

Solver is able to simulate most of the common bit rate formats between the BSC and the transcoders in the MSC. More bit rates can be added upon customer requests.

Solver connects to the core network over the A-interface using a channelised E1/T1 over STM-1 (SDH) and over IP. The SDH interface gives Solver the possibility to have a large number of channels on one physical port.

Protocol conformance GSM A-interface

Control plane:

• MTP2 (ITU-T Q.703)
• MTP3 (ITU-T Q.704)
• SCCP (ITU-T Q.711-Q.716)
• BSSAP (3GPP 08.08)

User plane:

• PCM Coded G.711 A-Law and µ-Law

Protocol conformance AoIP

Control plane:

• PCM Coded (G.711 A-Law and µ-Law
• SCTP (IETF RFC 2960 & 3309, ETSI TS 102 144)
• SCCP (ITU-T Q.711-Q.716)
• BSSAP (3GPP 08.08)

User plane:

• PCM Coded (G.711 A-Law and µ-Law
• RTP (ETF RFC 1889 (RTCP partly supported), ETSI TS 125 414)
• IPv4 (RFC 2225, RFC 791)
• UDP (RFC 768, RFC 791)

• Originate and terminate calls with Control Plane signaling and User Plane (payload).
• Provides fine-grain control over call set-up rates and parameters.
• Emulates Radio Access Networks – Core Network communication procedures.
• Displays call activity and completion statistics such as set-ups, releases and active calls on-line.
• Generates high traffic load towards the Core Network.
• Supports set-up and release of GTP tunnels over the Packet Switched Core Network.
• Displays Radio Access Network statistics.

Handover

Solver can simulate single or multiple handovers between 2G-2G, 2G-3G, and 3G-3G.

MSC in Pool (MiP)

Solver can distribute traffic load. The MiP functionality is primarily used for load balancing over MSCs or load redistribution, for example removing load from one MSC during maintenance.

PESQ

Verify speech quality by using PESQ measurements on several simultaneous calls, while at the same time generating heavy background traffic.

SMS

With Solver, it is possible to perform SMS generation and termination with user-definable message content.

TFO

In Tandem Free Operation, Solver provides load-testing of end-to-end codec and rate negotiation.