System improvements for Machine-Type Communications (MTC)
This Technical Report studies and evaluates architectural aspects of the System Improvements for Machine Type Communications requirements specified in TS 22.368 [2].
Specifically, the following system improvements are considered:
- Architectural enhancements to support a large number of Machine-Type Communication (MTC) devices in the network;
- Architectural enhancements to fulfil MTC service requirements;
- Support combinations of architectural enhancements for MTC, though not all combinations may by possible.
The end-to-end aspects of communication between MTC devices and MTC servers (which can be located outside or inside the network operator's domain) are out of the scope of this study. However, the transport services for MTC as provided by the 3GPP system and the related optimizations are considered in this study. In addition, the aspects needed to ensure that MTC devices and/or MTC servers and/or MTC applications do not cause peak loads of short duration (e.g. a "busy minute" rather than a "busy hour") are within the scope of this TR.
Even though some provided solutions may be beneficial for communications from a MTC Device towards another MTC Device, this particular type communication has not been explicitly considered in this Technical Report.
This Technical Report analyzes architectural aspects to achieve these objectives and to gather technical content until it can be included in the relevant technical specifications.
NOTE: Some aspects in this feasibility study have led into normative specification in TS 23.682 [20], TS 23.060 [21], TS 23.401 [5], TS 23.221 [22] and TS 23.272 [23]. The text of the present document was not updated to align with normative specifications.