5 High level requirements

22.1463GPPMultimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS)Release 17Stage 1TS

Tools: ARFCN - Frequency Conversion for 5G NR/LTE/UMTS/GSM

5.1 Broadcast mode

5.1.1 Home environment requirements

– Broadcast services

The PLMN operator shall be able to provision one or more broadcast services within his PLMN.

The operators sharing a network shall be able to provide one or more broadcast services for their own subscribers and inbound roamers from roaming partners only. This shall be applicable for sharing of radio network and for sharing of radio network and the core network entities connected to the radio network.

A broadcast area is configured individually for each broadcast service. Broadcast areas associated with different broadcast services are independent of each other and may overlap.

A broadcast service shall be able to distribute different content data to different locations, i.e. local broadcast areas, within the broadcast service area as shown in figure 3. This allows the user to receive broadcast data depending on his location (e.g. a “nationwide traffic service” with localized traffic reports). Only one location specific version of content data is distributed to each of the individual local broadcast areas, i.e. in any location a user will never receive different content data from a single broadcast service.

It shall be possible to define a broadcast service for only the subscribers and inbound roamers of one of the operators sharing network. The broadcast services transmitted in a broadcast service area of operator A shall only be available to the subscribers and inbound roamers of operator A. The broadcast areas of different sharing operators may cover the same geographical area. This shall be applicable for sharing of radio network and for sharing of radio network and the core network entities connected to the radio network.

Figure 3 Broadcast Service with different content data for different locations

– Quality of service

The PLMN operator shall be able to configure the quality of service for each individual broadcast service. It should be possible to adapt the MBMS data transmission to different RAN capabilities or different radio resource availability.

The home environment shall be able to set priority to select which simultaneous broadcast services are supported when there is a limit on the resources available.-

– Network and radio efficiency

The PLMN operator shall be able to use network and radio resources in an efficient manner.

NOTE: Allocation of resources based on actual need in the broadcast service area is not applicable for the broadcast mode.

The operator shall be able to schedule a certain broadcast service at pre-determined times.

– Types of data services

MBMS in The broadcast mode shall be transparent for the transferred data packets independent of the type of service being transmitted, will support a number of services, and permit support of and therefore transfer all data types e.g. Audio, Data, Video or combinations thereof. A minimum number of data types may need to be identified to enable interoperability.

– Sources of data services

In addition to supporting their own broadcast services the PLMN shall as well support broadcast services from third parties (i.e. HE-VASPs or VASPs or IMS server)

– Broadcast service announcements

The PLMN operator shall be able to provide service announcements for a broadcast service within and outside of the broadcast area defined for the service.

5.1.2 User requirements for MBMS

– User mobility

The user shall be able to continue receiving broadcast services throughout the broadcast service area. For example, in case of handover and presuming that a certain broadcast service is offered in the target cell, it should be possible for the user to continue receiving the service in the target cell.

– User selectivity

The user shall be able to discover what broadcast services are available at the user’s current location and outside of the current location.

The user shall be able to enable/disable the reception of specific broadcast services and can receive simultaneously more than one MBMS service.

The user may be able to define service preference for reception. A priority procedure may be implemented to allow the user to select between simultaneous broadcast services e.g. while receiving commercial broadcast service a new broadcast service may interrupt this.

While receiving one or more broadcast services, it shall be possible for the user to be informed about incoming voice calls or the availability of other MBMS services.

Dependent on terminal capabilities, it shall be possible for the user to participate in other services, while simultaneously participating in MBMS services. For example the user can originate or receive a call or send and receive messages whilst receiving advertisements.

5.2 Multicast mode

5.2.1 Home environment requirements

– Multicast services

The PLMN operator shall be able to provision one or more multicast services. A multicast area is configured individually for each multicast service. Multicast areas associated with different multicast services are independent of each other and may overlap.

Multicast service areas may cover part(s) of one or more PLMNs.

A multicast service shall be able to distribute different content data to different locations, i.e. local multicast areas, within the multicast service area as shown in figure 4. This allows the user to receive multicast data depending on his location (e.g. a “nationwide traffic service” with localized traffic reports) Only one version of location specific content data is distributed to each of the individual local multicast areas, i.e. in any location a user will never receive different content data from a single multicast service.

Figure 4 Multicast Service with different content data for different locations

– Multicast subscription groups and multicast groups

The PLMN operator shall be able to provision one or more multicast subscription groups. The home environment shall be able to make a user a member of a multicast subscription group (subscription).

On receipt of a request to join a multicast group, the PLMN shall check that the user is a member of the applicable multicast subscription group. The home environment shall be able to join users to the multicast group e.g. at the request of the subscriber.

– Quality of service

The PLMN operator shall be able to configure the quality of service for individual multicast services. It should be possible to adapt the MBMS data transmission to different RAN capabilities or different radio resource availability.

As part of the same service, it should be possible for the operator to provide the UEs with multiple successive sessions with different quality-of-service for each session.

The home environment shall be able to set priority to select which simultaneous multicast services are supported when there is a limit on the resources available.

– Network and radio efficiency

The PLMN operator shall be able to use network and radio resources in an efficient manner.

Within the multicast service area, the network may distribute the data across the whole multicast service area or parts of the area. The decision to distribute to only parts of the multicast service area may be based on: a) multicast group members are present in a given part of the multicast area b) resources are not available in parts of the multicast service area.

The operator shall be able to schedule a certain multicast service at pre-determined times.

– Types of services

The multicast mode shall be independent of the type of service being transmitted, will support a number of services, and permit support of all data types e.g. Audio, Data, Video or combinations thereof. A minimum number of data types may need to be identified to enable interoperability

– Sources of services

In addition to supporting their own multicast services the PLMN shall as well support multicast services by third parties (i.e. HE-VASPs or VASPs or IMS server).

– Multicast service announcements

The PLMN operator shall be able to provide service announcements for a multicast service within and outside of the multicast area defined for the service.

5.2.2 User requirements for MBMS

– User mobility

The user shall be able to continue receiving multicast services throughout the multicast service area in which the service is provided. For example, in case of handover and presuming that a certain multicast service is offered in the target cell, it should be possible for the user to continue the session in the target cell. It is possible that data loss will occur due to user mobility.

– User selectivity

The user shall be able to discover what multicast services are available at the user’s current location and outside of the current location. The user shall be able to select between different multicast services provided to the user and can receive simultaneously more than one MBMS service.

The user may be able to define service preference for reception. A priority procedure may be implemented to allow the user to select between simultaneous broadcast/multicast services e.g. while receiving commercial broadcast service a new multicast service may interrupt this.

While receiving PS or CS services, it shall be possible for the user to receive notification of MBMS multicast sessions.

Note: This may depend on the capability of the UE in some access system.

While receiving one or more multicast services it shall be possible for the user to be informed about incoming voice calls or the availability of other MBMS services.

– Multicast subscription groups and multicast groups

The subscriber shall be able to subscribe to or unsubscribe from a multicast subscription group. (The subscription mechanism is outside the scope of this TS.)

The user shall be able to join a multicast group only if he is a member of the applicable multicast subscription group. The user shall be able to leave a multicast group if he is a member of that group.

5.3 Availability

If provided by the network MBMS in broadcast mode shall be available to all users in the broadcast service areas that are registered/attached to a PLMN.

If provided by the network, MBMS in multicast mode shall be available to all users that are registered/attached to a PLMN.

MBMS services (multicast or broadcast mode) shall be available via GERAN, UTRAN, E-UTRAN.

It is possible to prevent access to the content of the MBMS multicast / broadcast data by UEs that do not register to the PLMNs that deliver the MBMS service (including case when these PLMNs and the RPLMN of the UE are part of the same network sharing infrastructure). Access prevention could be done by application layer means (e.g. application layer ciphering).

Within the broadcast or multicast service area, it shall be possible to inform users of up-coming MBMS sessions which they may receive. This may be useful e.g. to initiate UE processes for the reception of MBMS data.

In case of roaming a user should also be able to subscribe and join Multicast Services that are provided in the home network and visited network, as allowed by the user’s home environment.