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Integrate with a Third-Party Core

This guide connects Ella SMSC to a 4G or 5G core other than Ella Core, through its HSS (S6c) and its MMEs or SMSFs (SGd).

Prerequisites

  • Ella SMSC: installed and started, as in Install.
  • HSS: supports S6c, in the realm epc.mnc<MNC>.mcc<MCC>.3gppnetwork.org of the core's PLMN.
  • MME or SMSF: supports SGd, and gives the MSISDN of the phone in each short message it forwards. The HSS names it, in its routing answers, by the Diameter identity it connects to Ella SMSC with.

The examples use 10.3.0.7 as Ella SMSC's Diameter address, 001 / 01 as the core's MCC and MNC, and +15550000000 as Ella SMSC's service centre address.

1. Set the Diameter address

In smsc.yaml, set the address the core reaches Ella SMSC on, and restart Ella SMSC:

diameter:
  address: 10.3.0.7

2. Set the operator

In the Ella SMSC UI, go to the Operator page:

  • Click the edit icon next to Operator ID (MCC/MNC), enter the core's MCC and MNC, e.g. 001 / 01, and click Update.
  • Click the edit icon next to Service Centre Address, enter +15550000000, and click Update.
  • Click the edit icon next to Numbering, enter your country code and prefixes, and click Update.

The Diameter page shows Ella SMSC's Host and Realm, e.g. smsc.node.epc.mnc001.mcc001.3gppnetwork.org and epc.mnc001.mcc001.3gppnetwork.org.

3. Add Ella SMSC to the core

Ella SMSC does not connect to its peers: each peer connects to it. In the HSS, and in each MME or SMSF, add Ella SMSC as a Diameter peer:

  • Address: 10.3.0.7
  • Port: 3868
  • Transport: SCTP
  • Host and Realm: those of step 2.
  • Application: S6c in the HSS, SGd in the MME or SMSF.

In each MME or SMSF, route the short messages of service centre address +15550000000 to Ella SMSC.

4. Provision the subscribers

In the HSS, give each subscriber that sends or receives SMS an MSISDN. On each SIM card, set the SMSC number to +15550000000.

5. Verify

In the Ella SMSC UI, go to Diameter:

  • The HSS shows open, with HSS set to yes. If it shows no, its realm differs from Ella SMSC's, or it does not support S6c.
  • Each MME or SMSF shows open, with SGd in Applications.

Send an SMS between two phones. On the Messages page, it shows delivered.

See Connectivity and 3GPP Compliance for the interfaces Ella SMSC supports.