- handles all non-call related signaling between different mobile network elements, such as registration, authentication, subscriber profile update/query, romaing and mobility management, supplementary service control, operation and maintenance and short message control etc.
- it is designed to govern the interactions between any two of the the following mobile core network elements: MSC, VLR/HLR, AUC, GMSC, EIR, SMS etc.
- it is a query - response type of protocol
- it contains a number of application system elements (ASE)
- Functionally, MAP can be devided into mobile management (MM) and basic service control functionality categories
A list of mobile core network elements using MAP for signaling are
- EIR Equipment Identity Register - usually integrated with HLR
- GCR Group Call Register
- GGSN Gateway GPRS Support Node - for interfacing to IP or other PD networks
- GMLC Gateway Mobile Location Center - for interfacing to Location Services
- GMSC Gateway MSC - for routing calls from visited network
- gsmSCF GSM Service Control Function - IN service control element
- HLR Home Location Register - the key database
- MSC Mobile services Switching Center
- NPLR Number Portability Location Center - for locating an HLR
- SGSN Serving GPRS Support Node - the "MSC/VLR" for PS services
- SIWFS Shared Interworking Function Server - for interfacing CS data services to IP orother PD networks
- SMS GWMSC SMS Gateway MSC - for terminating SMS routing
- SMS IWMSC SMS Interworking MSC - for originating SMS routing
- USSDC USSD Center - part of gsmSCF
- VBS/VGCS Anchor MSC Voice broadcast/group call service Anchor MSC - specified/not implemented
- VBS/VGCS Relay MSC Voice broadcast/group call service relay MSC - specified/not implemented
- VLR Visitor Location Register -in practice integrated with MSC
- VMSC Visited MSC
Accordingly, the core MAP interfaces between any two of the associated network elements are shown in the following figure.
Over all above interfaces, MAP applications accomplish the designated functionalities through the common MAP services listed below:
- MAP-OPEN/MAP-CLOSE services: For establishing and clearingMAP dialogues between peer-MAP service users
- MAP-DELIMETER service: For accessing to functions below the application layer
- MAP-U-ABORT/MAP-P-ABORT services: For reporting abnormal situations
- MAP-NOTICE service: Notification from the provider, not affecting state of the dialogue
MAP services provided to the MAP applications are of the following categories
1. Location management services
- MAP_UPDATE_LOCATION
- MAP_CANCEL_LOCATION
- MAP_SEND_IDENTIFICATION
- MAP_PURGE_MS
- MAP_UPDATE_GPRS_LOCATION
- MAP-NOTE-MM-EVENT
2. Page and search services
- MAP_PAGE
- MAP_SEARCH_FOR_MS
3. Access management services
- MAP_PROCESS_ACCESS_REQUEST
4. Handover services
- MAP_PREPARE_HANDOVER
- MAP_SEND_END_SIGNAL
- MAP_PROCESS_ACCESS_SIGNALLING
- MAP_FORWARD_ACCESS_SIGNALLING
- MAP_PREPARE_SUBSEQUENT_HANDOVER
- MAP_ALLOCATE_HANDOVER_NUMBER
- MAP_SEND_HANDOVER_REPORT
5. Authentication management services
- MAP_AUTHENTICATE
- MAP_SEND_AUTHENTICATION_INFO
- MAP_AUTHENTICATION_FAILURE_REPORT
6. Security management services
- MAP_SET_CIPHERING_MODE
7. International mobile equipment identities management services
- MAP_CHECK_IMEI
- MAP_OBTAIN_IMEI
8. Subscriber management services
- MAP-INSERT-SUBSCRIBER-DATA
- MAP-DELETE-SUBSCRIBER-DATA
9. Identity management services
- MAP-PROVIDE-IMSI
- MAP-FORWARD-NEW-TMSI
10. Fault recovery services
- MAP_RESET
- MAP_FORWARD_CHECK_SS_INDICATION
- MAP_RESTORE_DATA
11. Subscriber Information services
- MAP-ANY-TIME-INTERROGATION
- MAP-PROVIDE-SUBSCRIBER-INFO
- MAP-ANY-TIME-SUBSCRIPTION-INTERROGATION
- MAP-ANY-TIME-MODIFICATION
- MAP-NOTE-SUBSCRIBER-DATA-MODIFIED
12. Operation and maintenance services -- Subscriber tracing services
- MAP-ACTIVATE-TRACE-MODE
- MAP-DEACTIVATE-TRACE-MODE
- MAP-TRACE-SUBSCRIBER-ACTIVITY
13. Other operation and maintenance services
- MAP-SEND-IMSI
14. Call handling services
- MAP_SEND_ROUTING_INFORMATION
- MAP_PROVIDE_ROAMING_NUMBER
- MAP_RESUME_CALL_HANDLING
- MAP_PREPARE_GROUP_CALL
- MAP_PROCESS_GROUP_CALL_SIGNALLING
- MAP_FORWARD_GROUP_CALL_SIGNALLING
- MAP_SEND_GROUP_CALL_END_SIGNAL
- MAP_SEND_GROUP_CALL_INFO
- MAP_SET_REPORTING_STATE
- MAP_STATUS_REPORT
- MAP_REMOTE_USER_FREE
- MAP_IST_ALERT
- MAP_IST_COMMAND
- MAP_RELEASE_RESOURCES
15. Supplementary services related services
- MAP_REGISTER_SS
- MAP_ERASE_SS
- MAP_ACTIVATE_SS
- MAP_DEACTIVATE_SS
- MAP_INTERROGATE_SS
- MAP_REGISTER_PASSWORD
- MAP_GET_PASSWORD
- MAP_PROCESS_UNSTRUCTURED_SS_REQUEST
- MAP_UNSTRUCTURED_SS_REQUEST
- MAP_UNSTRUCTURED_SS_NOTIFY
- MAP_SS_INVOCATION_NOTIFY
- MAP_REGISTER_CC_ENTRY
- MAP_ERASE_CC_ENTRY
16. Short message service management services
- MAP-SEND-ROUTING-INFO-FOR-SM
- MAP-MO-FORWARD-SHORT-MESSAGE
- MAP-REPORT-SM-DELIVERY-STATUS
- MAP-READY-FOR-SM
- MAP-ALERT-SERVICE-CENTRE
- MAP-INFORM-SERVICE-CENTRE
- MAP-SEND-INFO-FOR-MT-SMS
- MAP-SEND-INFO-FOR-MO-SMS
- MAP-MT-FORWARD-SHORT-MESSAGE
- MAP-MT-FORWARD-SM-FOR-VGCS
17. Network-Requested PDP Context Activation services
- MAP_SEND_ROUTING_INFO_FOR_GPRS
- MAP_FAILURE_REPORT
- MAP_NOTE_MS_PRESENT_FOR_GPRS
18. Location Service Management Services
- MAP-SEND-ROUTING-INFO-FOR-LCS
- MAP-PROVIDE-SUBSCRIBER-LOCATION
- MAP-SUBSCRIBER-LOCATION-REPORT
MAP message addressing scheme is shown in the following figure.
