Abstract
Control-plane protocols are complex in cellular networks. They communicate with one another along three dimensions of cross layers, cross (circuit-switched and packet-switched) domains, and cross (3G and 4G) systems. In this work, we propose signaling diagnosis tools and uncover six instances of problematic interactions. Such control-plane issues span both design defects in the 3GPP standards and operational slips by carriers. They are more damaging than data-plane failures. In the worst-case scenario, users may be out of service in 4G, or get stuck in 3G. We deduce root causes, propose solutions, and summarize learned lessons.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 223-234 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Computer Communication Review |
Volume | 44 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 25 Feb 2015 |
Event | ACM SIGCOMM 2014 Conference - Chicago, United States Duration: 17 Aug 2014 → 22 Aug 2014 |
Keywords
- Cellular networks
- Control-plane
- Protocol verification