Basic Concept of EPS Bearer and Checking of

Network Registration Status

Chin Gang Wu, Application Engineer locate, communicate, accelerate
15 November, 2015
Confidential
GSM & UMTS Network

CS Core

PS Core

Figure 1: GSM & UMTS Network

Slide 2
GSM, UMTS & LTE Network

2G/3G LTE

GERAN and UTRAN E-UTRAN

SGSN S-GW

GGSN PDN-GW

HLR HSS

VLR MME

E-UTRAN Evolved Packet Core (EPC)

Figure 2: GSM, UMTS & LTE

Network

Slide 3
Default & Dedicated EPS Bearer
Bearer defines how the UE data is treated when it
travels across the network.

Network might treat some data in a special way and

treat others normally. Some flow of data might be
provided guaranteed bit rate while other may face
low transfer. 

For example:
- VoIP packets are prioritized by network compared
to web browser traffic.
- Person A will always get at least 256
kbps download speed on his LTE phone while for
person B there is no guaranteed bit rate and might
face extremely bad download speed at times

In short, bearer is a set of network parameter that

defines data specific treatment.   

Slide 4
Default & Dedicated EPS Bearer
Like in legacy NWs, in LTE, there are two types
of Evolved Packet System (EPS) Bearer, i.e.
dedicated bearer and default bearer.

There must be one default bearer established when

UE is attached to LTE network (AKA initial
default EPS bearer)

Dedicated bearers are established when there is

need to provide QoS to specific service (like VoIP,
video etc). They use the same IP address of the
associated default EPS bearer, like secondary PDP
contexts exploits the associated primary PDP
context.

Related AT Command:
17.31 EPS network registration status
+CEREG

Figure 3: PDN Connection (2G-3G) vs. PDP

Session (4G)

Slide 5
Default & Dedicated EPS Bearer
Default Bearer
In all LTE networks, when LTE UE attaches to the network, it
will be assigned a (initial) default bearer which remains as
long as UE is attached and cannot be deactivated.

 Default bearer is best effort service.

 Each default bearer comes with an IP address . 

 UE can activate additional default bearers via

AT+CGACT=1,x (on same or different APNs according to
MNO – Mobile NW operators restrictions)

Each default bearer will have a separate IP address; only non

Guaranteed Bit Rate (non-GBR) services can be assigned to
default bearer. 

Related AT Command:
18.41 Configure the initial PDP context AT+UCGDFLT

Figure 4: Default Bearer

Slide 6
Default & Dedicated EPS Bearer
Dedicated Bearer
Dedicated bearers provides dedicated tunnel to one or more
specific traffic (i.e. VoIP, video etc).

Dedicated bearer acts as an additional bearer on top of

default bearer. It does not require separate IP address

Dedicated bearer is always linked to one of the default

bearers established previously.
Dedicated bearer can be GBR or non-GBR.
They require port filtering rules and specification QoS

Services like VoLTE (voice via IMS) need to provide better

user experience (no delay). A dedicated bearer is therefore
activated when the VoLTE call is started (for RTP traffic),
like TCH/DCH are assigned in 2G/3G to convey speech
frames.

Related AT Command:
18.29 Define Secondary PDP context +CGDSCONT.
+CGTFT, +CGEQOS
Figure 5: Dedicated Bearer

Slide 7
Default & Dedicated EPS Bearer – Quiz
Base on Figure 6, which of the
following is true?

(A) There are 3 default bearers

(B) There are 6 dedicated bearers

(C) Dedicated bearers defined in

<cid>=2, 6 and 8 are linked to
default bearer defined in
<cid>=1

(D) Dedicated bearers defined in

<cid>=3, 5 and 7 are linked to
default bearer defined in
<cid>=4

(E) Default bearer is defined in

<cid>=3

(F) Default bearers are defined in

<cid>=1 and <cid>=4

Figure 6: Default & Dedicated Bearer Configuration

Slide 8
Default & Dedicated EPS Bearer

AT+UREG?

+UREG: 0,7

OK

AT+CGACT=0,4

+CME ERROR: Last PDN disconnection

not allowed

Initial Default Bearer cannot be

deactivated via +CGACT command

Figure 7: <cid>=4 is defined automatically after module is

powered up and camped to 4G network

Slide 9
Default & Dedicated EPS Bearer
Dedicated bearer can be subdivided into Non-GBR and GBR types.

Non-GBR and GBR can be specified independently for uplink and

downlink  

GBR provides guaranteed bit rate and is associated with parameters

like GBR and MBR
- GBR: The minimum guaranteed bit rate per EPS bearer
- MBR: The maximum guaranteed bit rate per EPS bearer

On the other hand, Non-GBR bearer does not provide guaranteed bit

rate and has parameter like A-AMBR and UE-AMBR
- A-AMBR: APN Aggregate maximum bit rate is the maximum
allowed total non-GBR throughput to a specific APN.
- UE-AMBR: UE Aggregate maximum bit rate is the maximum
allowed total non-GBR throughput among all APN to a specific UE

The default bearer can only be non-GBR type.

Related AT Command:
17.36 Define EPS quality of service +CGEQOS
17.37 EPS quality of service read dynamic parameters
Figure 8: Quality of Service (QoS) in LTE +CGEQOSRDP

Slide 10
Default & Dedicated EPS Bearer

Table 1: LTE QoS Class of Identifier (QCI)

Slide 11
Default & Dedicated EPS Bearer – Usage Example
Usually LTE networks with VoLTE implementations has two default and one dedicated bearer

Default bearer 1:
Used for signalling messages (e.g. Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signalling, a communications
protocol for signalling and controlling multimedia communication sessions) related to IMS network. It
uses QCI 5
Dedicated bearer:
Used for VoLTE VoIP traffic. It uses QCI 1 and is linked to default bearer 1
Default bearer 2:
Used for all other Smartphone traffic (video, chat, email, browser etc.)

Q: Why don’t we use dedicated bearer for IMS signalling as well ?

A: IMS network is separate network from normal internet, and it comes with its own APN. Therefore
we need separate default bearer for IMS network. This also helps in separating IMS traffic from
normal internet traffic as well

Slide 12
Default & Dedicated EPS Bearer - Related AT Commands
18.41 Configure the initial PDP context AT+UCGDFLT
Configures the initial default bearer, i.e. sets the configuration of the PDN activated at attach time in
LTE network.

Once registered, the default bearer will obtain a <cid> context identifier by the rules described in
AT+CGDCONT command. The AT+CGDCONT command cannot be used to define the initial PDP
context even though a valid <cid> is assigned at its activation.

If the module is already registered to a LTE network the user is required to:
• Deregister with AT+CFUN=4
• Change the initial default bearer with AT+UCGDFLT
• Register again with AT+CFUN=1 (the MT is set now to full functionality, the registration will start if
manual or automatic registration was previously set)

18.34 Configure the authentication parameters of a PDP/EPS bearer +UAUTHREQ

Configures the authentication parameters of a defined PDP/EPS bearer.
(Note: Authentication parameters for the initial default bearer should be defined using parameters
under +UCGDFLT, and not +UAUTHREQ)

Slide 13
Recommendation
Always read ALL the sections of a particular AT command THOROUGHLY

Typical sections for an AT command:

- Description
- Syntax
- Defined Values
- Notes

Slide 14
 Thank you!

locate, communicate, accelerate

02/27/2021