3GPP Explainer

Law Enforcement & Lawful Interception

Understanding the legal frameworks, technical capabilities, and compliance requirements for lawful interception and law enforcement access in mobile networks.

Legal Compliance Notice

This information is provided for educational purposes. All lawful interception activities must comply with applicable laws and regulations in your jurisdiction.

Lawful Interception (LI)

Legal surveillance capabilities built into mobile network infrastructure

Standards

TS 33.107
TS 33.108
ETSI ES 201 671

Capabilities

  • Call Detail Records (CDR)
  • Real-time Call Interception
  • SMS/MMS Interception
  • Data Session Monitoring
  • Location Information
Retained Data

Data retention requirements for telecommunications operators

Standards

TS 33.107
Local Regulations

Capabilities

  • Traffic Data Retention
  • Location Data Storage
  • Subscriber Information
  • Communication Metadata
  • Access Logs
Emergency Services

Emergency call handling and location services for public safety

Standards

TS 23.167
TS 23.271

Capabilities

  • Emergency Call Routing
  • Location Based Services
  • Priority Access
  • Emergency SMS
  • Public Warning Systems
Security Compliance

Security measures and compliance frameworks for network operators

Standards

TS 33.117
TS 33.501

Capabilities

  • Network Security Monitoring
  • Incident Response
  • Audit Trails
  • Access Control
  • Encryption Management
Lawful Interception Interfaces

X1_1

Interface for Intercept Related Information (IRI)

Purpose

Delivery of call-related metadata and signaling information

Data Types

  • Call setup/release
  • SMS metadata
  • Location updates
  • Service usage

X1_2

Interface for Communication Content (CC)

Purpose

Delivery of actual communication content

Data Types

  • Voice calls
  • SMS content
  • Data sessions
  • Multimedia content

X1_3

Interface for Subscriber and Equipment Identity

Purpose

Delivery of identity information and location data

Data Types

  • IMSI/IMEI
  • Location information
  • Cell ID
  • Timing data

Legal Frameworks

European Union

Data Retention Directive / ePrivacy Regulation

Key Requirements

  • 6-24 months data retention
  • Court order required
  • Operator compliance mandatory
  • Privacy protection measures
United States

CALEA (Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act)

Key Requirements

  • Real-time interception capability
  • Warrant-based access
  • Technical standards compliance
  • Carrier cooperation required
International

ETSI Lawful Interception Standards

Key Requirements

  • Standardized interfaces
  • Interoperability requirements
  • Security specifications
  • Implementation guidelines
Implementation Considerations

Technical Requirements

  • • Standardized interfaces (X1, X2, X3)
  • • Real-time data delivery capabilities
  • • Secure transmission protocols
  • • Audit trail and logging
  • • Scalable architecture design
  • • Integration with existing systems

Privacy & Security

  • • End-to-end encryption for LI data
  • • Access control and authentication
  • • Data minimization principles
  • • Secure key management
  • • Regular security assessments
  • • Compliance monitoring
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