S-TMSI usage and allocation process

During which procedure the S-TMSI  (SAE-Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity) is allocated?

Answer could be put as a one-liner, during the Attach procedure.

Going little bit deeper into the details..
At the time of initial attach (so I would say IMSI not GUTI attach, what is the difference? Check here What is GUTI and IMSI attach) procedure, the UE sends Att Req with IMSI to the Network to process the Request. If it's successful the MME will reply with Attach Accept message which contain the GUTI as one of the IE (Information Element).

Based on article IMSI, TMSI and GUTI - how they are created (and 3GPP Specs) we know that GUTI consist from MCC, MNC, MME Group ID, MME Code and M-TMSI.

What is M-TMSI (MME-Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity)?
M-TMSI represents a TMSI in MME area.


Last statement on allocation topic is left to say that S-TMSI is being created from MME Code and M-TMSI. The S-TMSI represents the TMSI in MME pool area.

During the Attach process MME creates the UE Context and assigns the S-TMSI to it. Later this UE Context holds user subscription information fetched from HSS in Authentication process. The local (in MME) storage of subscription allows faster execution of procedures such as bearer establishment because it removes the need to consult the HSS each time.

Source(s):

own experience,

3GPP Spec

IMSI, TMSI and GUTI - how they are created

Last time, in article about Network Attach, many times I was using IMSI, P-TIMSI, GUTI and few more numbers. This time I will try to explain most of them. It's good to know what consist on them, how they are created, and what's the purpose of using them.

As always is good to start with a big picture, that this time, we will start with general description of mentioned above.

Mobile subscribers identification

General information

A unique International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) shall be allocated to each mobile subscriber in every (GSM, UMTS, and EPS) system. In order to support the subscriber identity confidentiality service the VLRs, SGSNs and MMEs may allocate Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identities (TIMSI) to visiting mobile subscribers. The VLR, SGSN, and MME must be capable of correlating an allocated TIMSI with the IMSI of the Mobile Station (MS) to which it is allocated.

An MS may be allocated three TMSIs, one for services provided through the MSC, one for services provided through the SGSN (P-TIMSI for short) and one for the services provided via the MME (M-TIMSI which is part of GUTI).

For addressing on resources used for GPRS, a Temporary Logical Linkt Identity (TLLI) is used. The TLLI to use is built by the MS either on the basis of the P-TIMSI (local or foreign TLLI), or directly (random TLLI).

In order to speed up the search for subscriber data in the VLR a supplementary Local Mobile Station Identity (LMSI) is defined. The LMSI may be allocated by the VLR at location updating and is sent to the HLR together with the IMSI. The HLR makes no us of it but includes it together with the IMSI in all messages sent to the VLR concerning that MS.