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GPRS Tunneling Protocol Router(GTP-Router)
GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP) is a set of IP-based communication protocols used to carry GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) in GSM, UMTS and LTE networks. It enables an endpoint on a GSM or UMTS network to move its position within the network, while being continuously connected to the Internet via the same GGSN. In order to achieve this, the GTP protocol always transmits user-plane data from the SGSN to which the user’s location belongs to the GGSN on which it is based.
The GPRS core network uses these three GTP protocols:
▫ GTP-U is used to provide one or more tunnels for each PDP context to transmit user data
▫ GTP-C is used for control purposes
▫ GTP is used to transfer billing data from each GGSN to the Charging Gateway Function (CGF)
Key Benefits
Explicit Gateway Endpoint – PGW/GGSN
Multi-Key Subscriber Analyzer to apply specific Session Treatment
Flexible Operator Use Cases
Stateful Geo Redundancy
Simplify Roaming Service
Reduce IPX/GRX Costs
IPLOOK's GTP-Router
- IPLOOK GTP solution acts as a GTP proxy meaning that for GTPv1 and GTPv2 control-plane traffic. IPLOOK’s solution terminates the GTP tunnel and analyses the IMSI. In case the IMSI from the other MNO is recognized by checking a configuration table holding IMSI sub-ranges then IPLOOK opens a new GTP tunnel and sends the request to the known Gateway GPRS Support Node/Packet Gateway (GGSN/PGW) of the real Home MNO and potentially also manipulates the APN name inside the request so it can access the known APN on the own Home MNO’s GGSN/PGW. The configuration table is easily configurable by the VPLMN engineers.
- Based on Network Function Virtualization(NFV) infrastructure, our GTP-Router enables a Roaming Services – Virtualized Network Function(VNF) provides roaming interconnection for MVNOs.
Features
APN Mapping Support
3GPP standards compliant
- Support S5, S8, Gn, Gp GTP interfaces
- Support GTP-CV0, GTP-CV1, GTP-CV2, GTP-UV1 protocols
Muli MNO and MVNO
- Provide interoperation between Multiple MNO and Multiple MVNO
Redundancy
- Single PGW/GGSN node provide 5 Gbps data throughput and 50k+ subscribers
GGSN/PGW selection based on subscriber/session keys
Acts as Proxy for PGW and GGSN nodes
- Enables topology hiding for roaming partners
Supports Offline CDRs (Ga/Local) and Online (Gy) Charging
- Used for CDR reconciliation
Handles 2G, 3G and 4G GTP procedures (including failures)
All GTP IEs will be passed as unchanged where possible
Supports Path Management procedures
Alarms, Protocol Logging
FAQ
What is a GTP-Router?
A GTP-Router is a network element that manages and routes GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP) traffic in 2G, 3G, and 4G mobile networks. It acts as a GTP proxy for control-plane traffic, enabling intelligent routing of subscriber sessions between SGSNs, GGSNs, PGWs, MNOs, and MVNOs while maintaining seamless mobile data connectivity.
What are the main benefits of IPLOOK’s GTP-Router solution?
IPLOOK’s GTP-Router simplifies roaming service management, reduces IPX/GRX interconnection costs, enables topology hiding, and supports flexible roaming architectures for MNOs and MVNOs. It also provides high scalability, geo-redundancy, and intelligent session routing based on subscriber information.
How does the GTP-Router support roaming services?
The solution analyzes IMSI information from roaming subscribers and intelligently routes sessions to the appropriate home GGSN or PGW. It can dynamically create new GTP tunnels, perform APN mapping, and direct traffic to the correct home network infrastructure while maintaining seamless subscriber connectivity.
Which GTP protocols and interfaces are supported?
IPLOOK’s GTP-Router supports GTP-C v0/v1/v2 and GTP-U v1 protocols, along with standard interfaces including S5, S8, Gn, and Gp. It also supports offline charging interfaces (Ga/Local) and online charging (Gy).
Is the solution suitable for MVNO and multi-operator environments?
Yes. The platform is designed for multi-MNO and MVNO deployments, enabling interconnection between multiple operators and roaming partners. It provides flexible routing and subscriber management capabilities for complex wholesale and roaming business models.
How does the solution improve scalability and reliability?
The GTP-Router supports NFV-based deployment, stateful geo-redundancy, and high-performance traffic handling. A single PGW/GGSN node can support up to 5 Gbps throughput and over 50,000 subscribers, ensuring carrier-grade scalability and resilience.
What security and operational capabilities are included?
The solution supports topology hiding for roaming partners, protocol logging, alarms, path management procedures, and session-level analysis. These features improve operational visibility, troubleshooting efficiency, and security for roaming and interconnection environments.
How does IPLOOK’s GTP-Router reduce operational costs?
By centralizing roaming traffic management, optimizing IPX/GRX connectivity, and enabling virtualized deployment on NFV infrastructure, the solution helps operators lower infrastructure expenses, simplify roaming operations, and reduce both CAPEX and OPEX while supporting future service growth.
