One EPS bearer/E-RAB is established when the UE connects to a PDN, and that remains established throughout the lifetime

of the PDN connection to provide the UE with always-on IP connectivity to that PDN. That bearer is referred to as the default bearer. Any additional EPS bearer/E-RAB that is established to the same PDN is referred to as a dedicated bearer. The initial bearer level QoS parameter values of the default bearer are assigned by the network, based on subscription data. The decision to establish or modify a dedicated bearer can only be taken by the EPC, and the bearer level QoS parameter values are always assigned by the EPC. An EPS bearer/E-RAB is referred to as a GBR bearer if dedicated network resources related to a Guaranteed Bit Rate (GBR) value that is associated with the EPS bearer/E-RAB are permanently allocated (e.g. by an admission control function in the eNodeB) at bearer establishment/modification. Otherwise, an EPS bearer/E-RAB is referred to as a Non-GBR bearer. A dedicated bearer can either be a GBR or a Non-GBR bearer while a default bearer shall be a Non-GBR bearer.

UE

EUTRAN

MME

S1 Setup Request

S1 Setup Response PSS, SSS MIB (40bits; rept.40ms)

System Info

SIB 1 [even Frame, 5th SF; rept. 80ms] SI {SIB 2 SIB 19} #periodicity SIB1

RA preamble (839 bits)

(RA-RNTI= 1+t_id+10*_id) [PRACH/RACH]

RA Response (48bits)
Mac RAR (T C-RNTI/UL-Grant/TA/R) [RACH /DL-SCH]

RRC Connection Request

(SRB 0/UL-CCCH/TM-RLC/UL-SCH/PUSCH) T-RNTI

Contention Resolution
(If Contention occurred)

RRC Connection Setup

(SRB 0/DL-CCCH/TM-RLC/DL-SCH/PDSCH) C-RNTI

UE

UTRAN

MME

RRC Connection Setup complete

[SRB 1/UL-DCCH/AM-RLC/UL-SCH/PUSCH] (NAS Attach Request/ESM: PDN Connectivity Request)

Initial UE Attach Request

PD/Security Header/NAS Key Set Identifier/NAS container/Att. Msg id/EPS att. type/EPS mobile id/old GUTI/PTMSI/ UE network capability

HSS
Auth Info Request

Auth Info Answer

RRC DL Info Transfer (SRB-2) (UE Id Req) RRC UL Info Transfer (UE Id Resp)

DL NAS Transfer (UE Id Req)

UL NAS Transfer (UE Id Resp) DL Nas Transfer (Authn Req ) RRC DL Info Transfer (Auth Req) RRC UL Info Transfer (Auth Resp)

UL Nas Transfer (Authn Resp) DL Nas Transfer (Security Comnd)

RRC DL Info Transfer (Security Mode Comnd) RRC UL Info Transfer (Security Mode Complete) UL NAS Info Trans (Security Mode)

INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQ RRC Security Mode Command

RRC Security Mode Complete RRC UE CAPABILITY ENQUIRY RRC UE CAPABILITY INFORMATION UE CAPABILITYINFORMATION RRC Connection Reconfiguration (Bearer Setup) (Attach Accept, Activate Default bearer context Req)

RRC Connection Reconfiguration Complete INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP RES (EPS bearer)

RRC UL INFO TRANSFER (Attach Complete) UL NAS TRANSFER (Att Complete)

UE context release command

RRC Connection Release

UE context release complete