Designing a diffserv-capable IP-backbone for the UTRAN

Due the growing popularity and availability of IP-devices and IP-transport, and given the evolving standardisation, it is clear that IP-transport will be one of the transport mechanisms in the UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN). Most studies until now have concentrated on studying the impact of IP-transport on the 'last mile', and have demonstrated that is a viable alternative transport on the last mile. Introduction of IP-transport in the UTRAN, however, has a broader scope than the last mile alone. Also the rest of the UTRAN has to be taken into account, and in particular the IP-backbone interconnecting the mobile network elements. This article demonstrates that the mechanisms exist to fulfil the requirements imposed by an IP-based UTRAN backbone with reasonable characteristics of the backbone, the elements it is composed of and the resources this requires.