Paging Load Calculator
Estimate busy-hour paging signaling load on the MME (LTE MME) from subscriber count and paging rate. Includes S1-AP message rate to RAN.
Technology
Active SIMs served by this MME cluster
MT call/SMS delivery triggers a page; typical 0.2–0.5
Pool of active nodes sharing the paging load
S1-AP; default 5,000 msg/s
One S1-AP Paging sent to every eNB in the TA
MME Node Utilization
13.9 msg/s per node / 5,000 msg/s capacity
Total paging load
subs × pagingRate / 3600
Per MME load
Total TPS ÷ 3 nodes
Node utilization
Per-node TPS ÷ 5,000 msg/s capacity
S1-AP messages to RAN
One paging per eNB in TA
Protocol interface
S1-APPaging Load Formula
The paging load on a core node is determined by how many subscribers it serves, how often each subscriber receives a paging attempt during the busy hour, and how many nodes share the load. In 4G and 5G, the total paging rate is further multiplied by the number of RAN nodes in the Tracking Area, since the MME or AMF must send a paging message to each of them.
Paging TPS = (Subscribers × Paging rate/hour) / 3600
Per-node TPS = Total TPS / Number of nodes
RAN paging msg/s = Total TPS × eNBs per TA (4G/5G)
PCH broadcast msg/s = Total TPS × Cells per LA (2G/3G)
| Generation | Core node | Signaling interface | Paging area | Typical capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2G (GSM) | BSC | BSSAP / MAP | Location Area (LA) | ~500 msg/s |
| 3G (UMTS) | RNC | RANAP / MAP | Routing Area (RA) | ~300 msg/s |
| 4G (LTE) | MME | S1-AP | Tracking Area (TA) | 3 000–10 000 msg/s |
| 5G (NR) | AMF | NG-AP | Registration Area (RA) | 10 000+ msg/s |
To see how paging load combines with other core network procedures, use the Signaling Load Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is paging in mobile networks?▾
Paging is the process by which the network locates and alerts a mobile device of an incoming call, SMS, or data session. The core node (BSC in 2G, RNC in 3G, MME in 4G, AMF in 5G) sends a paging message to all base stations in the subscriber's registered area (Location Area in 2G/3G, Tracking Area in 4G/5G), which then broadcast it on the paging channel. The subscriber's device wakes up periodically to check the paging channel based on its DRX (Discontinuous Reception) cycle.
What triggers a paging message?▾
A paging message is triggered whenever the network needs to reach a device that is not in an active session: an incoming voice call, an SMS delivery, a push notification requiring a data connection, or a location update confirmation. The paging rate per subscriber per hour during the busy hour depends on the service mix — voice-heavy networks typically have rates of 0.3–0.8 per subscriber per hour.
How does paging load differ between 4G and 5G?▾
In 4G (LTE), the MME sends an S1-AP Paging message to every eNB in the Tracking Area. In 5G (NR), the AMF sends an NG-AP Paging message to every gNB in the Registration Area. 5G supports a larger NG-AP paging capacity, and devices can use RRC-Inactive state (where the gNB retains the context) to resume without a full paging cycle, reducing AMF load. Both standards support eDRX (extended DRX) to further reduce signaling.
What is a typical MME or AMF paging capacity?▾
Commercial MME platforms typically handle 3 000–10 000 paging messages per second depending on vendor and hardware. AMF in 5G SA supports higher throughput due to HTTP/2 SBI and horizontal scaling. For dimensioning, a target utilization of 70–80% is recommended to leave headroom for signaling bursts during busy periods or failure scenarios.