Starent Networks’ Mobility Management Entity (MME) is a critical network function for the 4G mobile core network – known as the Evolved Packet Core (EPC). The MME resides in the EPC control plane and manages session states, authentication, paging, mobility with 3GPP 2G/3G nodes, roaming, and other bearer management functions. 

The MME function is supported on Starent’s industry-leading ST-Series multimedia core platforms, delivering unrivaled throughput, call transaction rates, and packet processing, along with significant memory resources.

EPC specifications define a simpler, flatter network architecture. Starent’s MME can be a standalone element or integrated with other EPC elements, including the Serving Gateway (SGW), Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW), and Release 8 Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN). The MME can also be integrated with 2G/3G elements, such as the Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) and Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN). This integration is the key to mobility and session management interworking between 2G/3G and 4G mobile networks.

By combining multiple functions into a single carrier-class platform, like the ST-Series, operators can reduce signaling overhead, distribute session management, and leverage the control and user plane capabilities.

Key Features

• Integration of multiple core network functions
• High transaction rates for attaches, activations, TAUs, handoffs, and paging
• Congestion management, load sharing, and MME pooling
• Intelligent signaling heuristics maximize performance
• Self Optimizing Network (SON) capabilities to the radio and packet core network
• Dynamic optimization of network topology based on usage patterns to reduce latency and backhaul costs
• Circuit Switch (CS) Fallback for voice traffic
• High-availability ensures subscriber satisfaction and 99.999% service uptime