TR 22.820
Study on Provision of Local Operator Services
V15.0.0 (Wzip)
2017/03 12 p.
- Rapporteur:
- Ms. Covell, Betsy
Nokia UK
Content for TR 22.820 Word version: 15.0.0
1 Scope p. 5
The present document describes the use cases and potential requirements for an optional capability allowing an operator to provide access to restricted local operator services. Based on operator policy, access to these restricted local operator services is allowed for unauthenticated UEs. In such cases, the unauthenticated UE is restricted to only accessing a restricted local operator service. Any other access attempts by the UE are subject to normal 3GPP processing, including authentication.
2 References p. 5
The following documents contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of the present document.
- References are either specific (identified by date of publication, edition number, version number, etc.) or non specific.
- For a specific reference, subsequent revisions do not apply.
- For a non-specific reference, the latest version applies. In the case of a reference to a 3GPP document (including a GSM document), a non-specific reference implicitly refers to the latest version of that document in the same Release as the present document.
3 Definitions, symbols and abbreviations p. 5
3.1 Definitions p. 5
For the purposes of the present document, the terms and definitions given in TR 21.905 and the following apply. A term defined in the present document takes precedence over the definition of the same term, if any, in TR 21.905.
restricted local operator services:
communication services provided by an operator that involve either automated or human assistance (e.g., credit card billing, directory assistance, customer care) for which successful authentication is not necessary.
3.2 Abbreviations p. 5
4 Overview p. 5
Provision of restricted local operator services enables UEs to access operator provided restricted local operator services without being authenticated. This need is based on FCC regulations in the U.S. related to manual roaming as noted in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 47 Chapter 1 Subchapter B Part 20 Section 20.3 and the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 47 Chapter 1 Subchapter B Part 20 Section 20.12 (Resale and Roaming) Subparagraph c [2].
The capability to access restricted local operator services, as mandated by the FCC, can also be used to provide access to other operator specific restricted local operator services. The services themselves are out of scope of 3GPP. Access to any local services is completely under the operator's control; the set of local services can be specified by the operator such that no other service is allowed for these UEs. Three examples of restricted local operator services are provided below.
Restricted local operator services can support a number of use cases. The first example is the temporary manual roaming use case. An end user travels to a region where their home operator does not have a roaming agreement with the local service provider. The end user is able to contact the local service provider's roaming care service and arrange for service in the region on a temporary basis. The end user cannot access any other service until this arrangement is established.
Another example of a restricted local operator service is customer care for subscribers who have questions about their subscription. In this case, an end user can access the operator's customer care center. The customer care center service is able to answer questions for the end user.
A third example of a restricted local operator service is access to a local service by an unlocked UE that contacts a customer subscription center in order to initiate a subscription with the network operator. In this case, the UE is not able to be authenticated in any network until the subscription has been established with the local service provider.
An operator can choose to offer access to a specific set of restricted local operator services. The operator can choose to allow unauthenticated UEs to have access to these restricted local operator services.
The ability to provide access to such restricted local operator services has been available to U.S. operators on a proprietary basis. However, the wide deployment of LTE and corresponding introduction of VoLTE creates demand for a standardized mechanism to allow a UE to access these restricted local operator services (e.g., dialing a particular digit string, accessing a captive portal) without being successfully authenticated for access. The leading provider of these services today processes over 23 million such local service attempts each month, indicating the widespread use of the capability.
Note: In the use cases addressed below, local services are not specific to the access mechanism described. Different access mechanisms can be applied to the local service.
5 Use Cases p. 6
5.1 Access to restricted local operator service for customer care using captive portal p. 6
5.1.1 Description p. 6
An operator has chosen to provide a set of restricted local operator services to their customers. To ensure comprehensive support for their customers, these services are accessible by unauthenticated UEs. In this case, the operator provides a captive portal to which customer UEs that fail authentication can be redirected. To ensure the security of the network, access to this service is restricted to prevent any secondary call attempts. The call must be fully disconnected, ensuring any other service access attempt follows normal access procedures, including authentication.
5.1.2 Pre-conditions p. 6
The operator provides a customer care portal to which customer call attempts that fail to authenticate can be redirected.
5.1.3 Service Flows p. 6
The customer attempts to establish a data session using his UE. When authentication fails, a session is established with the operator's customer care portal.
The customer communicates with the customer service center and is able to resolve the problem with the UE.
5.1.4 Post-conditions p. 7
The UE is disconnected from the network.
The next origination attempt from the customer's UE goes through the normal session set up process, including authentication.
5.1.5 Potential Requirements p. 7
Based on operator policy and regional regulations, the 3GPP system shall support a mechanism to configure set of addresses (e.g., phone number, secure portal) for access to restricted local operator services.
Based on operator policy and regional regulations, the 3GPP system shall support mechanisms to allow access to restricted local operator services by an unauthenticated UE.
5.2 Access to restricted local operator service for manual roaming p. 7
5.2.1 Description p. 7
An operator provides a service to establish temporary manual roaming service. The information on how to access the services (e.g., phone number) is posted on the operator website. A user whose home network operator does not have a roaming agreement with this operator roams into the area. After a failed call attempt, she finds the contact information for the temporary manual roaming service and uses her UE to place a VoLTE call to the temporary manual roaming service. Once the temporary manual roaming capability is activated, the call must be fully disconnected, ensuring any other service access attempt follows normal access procedures.
5.2.2 Pre-conditions p. 7
The operator provides information on their website on how to establish temporary manual roaming service, including a local phone number or URL for a secure portal.
A user who has roamed into the serving network looks up the information on the website.
5.2.3 Service Flows p. 7
The serving network provides an indication to the UE that restricted local operator services are supported.
The user uses her UE to place a VoLTE call to the temporary manual roaming service center. Even though the UE has failed on prior service attempts due to the lack of a roaming agreement, the access attempt is allowed to complete.
The user communicates with the temporary manual roaming service center staff, and establishes a temporary service for the duration of her stay in that network.
5.2.4 Post-conditions p. 7
The UE is disconnected from the network.
The next origination attempt from the customer's UE goes through the normal session set up process.
5.2.5 Potential Requirements p. 7
Based on operator policy and regional regulations, the 3GPP system shall support a mechanism to indicate to UEs that restricted local operator services are available.
Based on operator policy and regional regulations, the 3GPP system shall support a mechanism to configure a set of addresses (e.g., phone number, secure portal) for access to restricted local operator services.
Based on operator policy and regional regulations, the 3GPP system shall support mechanisms to allow access to restricted local operator services by unauthenticated UEs.
5.3 Access to restricted local operator service p. 8
5.3.1 Description p. 8
An operator has chosen to provide a set of restricted local operator services to their customers. A UE manufacturer has pre-provisioned its UEs with information for restricted local operator service access (e.g,, a set of URNs). The operator that chooses to provide restricted local operator services is aware of and uses the pre-provisioned information in the UEs for access to its local services. When the user initiates a call attempt to one of these services, the UE includes an indication in the call origination message that this is for a local service. To ensure comprehensive support for their customers, these services are accessible by unauthenticated UEs.
5.3.2 Pre-conditions p. 8
A user has a UE that has been pre-provisioned with information for restricted local operator services. How the services are presented to the user is not subject to standardization, but as an example, the user may be presented with a list of available local services.
The user selects one of the restricted local operator service offerings from the UE.
5.3.3 Service Flows p. 8
The UE initiates the access attempt, indicating that this is for a restricted local operator service.
The network detects the indicator for a local service and establishes the connection between the UE and the restricted local operator service.
Once the transaction with the service is completed, the UE disconnects.
5.3.4 Post-conditions p. 8
The next access attempt from the UE goes through the normal set up process, including authentication.
5.3.5 Potential Requirements p. 8
Based on operator policy and regional regulations, the 3GPP system shall support a mechanism to indicate a restricted local operator service origination attempt.
Based on operator policy and regional regulations, the 3GPP system shall support mechanisms to allow access to restricted local operator services by unauthenticated UEs.
5.4 Failed access to restricted local operator service p. 8
5.4.1 Description p. 8
An operator has chosen not to provide restricted local operator services to their customers. When a user who is accustomed to restricted local operator services in their home network roams into a network where restricted local operator services are not available, they will not have access to those services.
5.4.2 Pre-conditions p. 9
A user with a UE containing a list of pre-provisioned restricted local operator services roams into a network where restricted local operator services are not supported.
The user selects a restricted local operator service from the list provided on the UE.
5.4.3 Service Flows p. 9
The service network is not providing an indication of support for restricted local operator service.
The UE does not initiate the call attempt to that network.
5.4.4 Post-conditions p. 9
The UE remains disconnected from the network.
5.4.5 Potential Requirements p. 9
No additional requirements are needed in systems that do not support local services.
5.5 Access to restricted local operator service for service establishment p. 9
5.5.1 Description p. 9
An operator provides a restricted local operator service to allow end users to establish a subscription. A user purchases an unlocked UE. The information on how to contact his preferred operator's subscription establishment service is available on the operator's website. He places a VoLTE call to the customer subscription center, establishes a subscription and activates his UE for use with that subscription. The UE must be fully disconnected once the subscription is established, ensuring any other service access attempt follows normal access procedures.
5.5.2 Pre-conditions p. 9
The operator provides information on how to contact the customer subscription center, including a local phone number or URL for a secure portal.
A user with an unlocked UE finds the customer subscription center access information.
5.5.3 Service Flows p. 9
The serving network provides an indication that restricted local operator services are supported.
The user uses his UE to make a VoLTE call to the customer subscription center.
The customer subscription center is able to securely establish a subscription for the user and securely activate the UE for service under that subscription.
5.5.4 Post-conditions p. 9
The UE is disconnected from the network.
The next origination attempt from the customer's UE goes through the normal session set up process, including authentication.
5.5.5 Potential Requirements p. 10
A 3GPP system shall support a mechanism to indicate to UEs that restricted local operator services are available.
Based on operator policy and regional regulations, the 3GPP system shall support a mechanism to configure a set of addresses (e.g., phone number, secure portal) for access to restricted local operator services.
Based on operator policy and regional regulations, the 3GPP system shall support mechanisms to allow access to restricted local operator services by unauthenticated UEs.
6 Considerations p. 10
6.1 Considerations on security p. 10
Security measures to limit network access by unauthenticated UEs are required (e.g., similar or identical measures as provided for unauthenticated access to emergency services).
Security measures to protect from network attacks by unauthenticated UEs are required (e.g., similar or identical measures as provided for unauthenticated access to emergency services).
The level of security should not be less than that which is currently applied to existing equivalent network access methods (e.g., unauthenticated emergency calling).
6.2 Considerations on charging p. 10
Charging information shall be collected for access to a local service, when available.
The operator may choose to provide access to restricted local operator services at no additional charge to the calling party.
7 Potential Requirements p. 10
Based on operator policy and regional regulations, the 3GPP system shall support a mechanism to indicate to UEs that restricted local operator services are available.
Based on operator policy and regional regulations, the 3GPP system shall support a mechanism to configure a set of addresses (e.g., phone number, secure portal) for access to restricted local operator services.
Based on operator policy and regional regulations, the 3GPP system shall support mechanisms to allow access to restricted local operator services by unauthenticated UEs.
Based on operator policy and regional regulations, the 3GPP system shall support a mechanism to indicate a restricted local operator service origination attempt.
8 Conclusion and Recommendations p. 10
The Feasibility Study on Provision of Access to Restricted Local Operator Services by Unauthenticated UEs Technical Report analyses a number of use cases for providing access to restricted local operator services to unauthenticated UEs. The use cases address various ways to access the local services, including dialled digits, secure portals, and captive portals. The potential impact to the network and UEs is also covered in the use cases.
Taking into consideration the use cases in clause 5, the considerations in clause 6 and the potential requirements in clause 7, it is recommended to proceed with normative work.
The text of the present document will not be updated to align with normative specifications.
$ Change history p. 12
