3a Reference architecture

29.2133GPPPolicy and charging control signalling flows and Quality of Service (QoS) parameter mappingRelease 17TS

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

The PCC functionality is provided by the functions of the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF), the Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF), the Bearer Binding and Event Reporting Function (BBERF), the Application Function (AF), the Traffic Detection Function (TDF), the Traffic Steering Support Function (TSSF), the RAN Congestion Awareness Function (RCAF), the Service Capability Exposure Function (SCEF), the Packet Flow Description Function (PFDF), the Online Charging System (OCS), the Offline Charging System (OFCS) and the Subscription Profile Repository (SPR) or the User Data Repository (UDR). UDR replaces SPR when the UDC architecture as defined in 3GPP TS 23.335 [51] is applied to store PCC related subscription data. In this deployment scenario Ud interface as defined in 3GPP TS 29.335 [52] between PCRF and UDR is used to access subscription data in the UDR. 3GPP TS 23.203 [2] specifies the PCC stage 2 functionality.

Figure 3a.1: Overall PCC architecture for non-roaming scenario

Figure 3a.2: Overall PCC architecture for roaming with home routed access scenario

Figure 3a.3: Overall PCC architecture for roaming with visited access scenario

NOTE 1: The Sp reference point is located between PCRF and SPR, The Ud interface is located between PCRF and UDR.

NOTE 2: The UDC Application Informational Model related to the PCRF is not specified in this Release.

NOTE 3: AF can be located in both VPLMN and HPLMN for the visited access.

NOTE 4: The H-PCRF can optionally send the addresses of the OCS to the V-PCRF in the visited access.

NOTE 5: Use of TSSF in roaming scenarios is in this release only specified for the home routed access.

NOTE 6: The SCEF acts as an AF (using Rx) in some service capability exposure use cases as described in 3GPP TS 23.682 [38].

NOTE 7: Gw and Gwn reference points are not supported in the visited access.

NOTE 8: The PCEF and TDF can each be decomposed into a User Plane Function and a Control Plane Function connected via the Sx reference point specified in 3GPP TS 29.244 [65].

The protocols for the Gx reference point, the Gxx reference point and the Sd reference point are specified in 3GPP TS 29.212 [9].

The protocols for the St reference point are specified in 3GPP TS 29.212 [9] and 3GPP TS 29.155 [54].

The protocols for the Rx reference point are specified in 3GPP TS 29.214 [10] and 3GPP TS 29.201 [53].

The protocol for the S9 reference point is specified in 3GPP TS 29.215 [22].

The protocol for the Sy reference point is specified in 3GPP TS 29.219 [28].

The protocol for the Np reference point is specified in 3GPP TS 29.217 [36].

The protocol for the Nt reference point is specified in 3GPP TS 29.154 [56].

The protocol for the Nu reference point is specified in 3GPP TS 29.250 [62].

The protocols for the Gw and Gwn reference points are specified in 3GPP TS 29.251 [63].

More information about the protocols on the Gy reference point, the Gyn refrence point, the Gz refrence point and the Gzn refrence point are provided in 3GPP TS 32.240 [55].

The details associated with the Sp reference point are not specified in this Release. The SPR’s relation to existing subscriber databases is not specified in this Release.

The UDR replaces the SPR when the UDC architecture as defined in 3GPP TS 23.335 [51] is applied to store PCC related subscription data. In this deployment scenario Ud interface as defined in 3GPP TS 29.335 [52] between PCRF and UDR is used to access subscription data in the UDR.