5G Network Architecture and Design

Andy Sutton, Principal Network Architect - Chief Architect’s Office, TSO

25th January 2017
Contents

• 5G Network Architecture
– 3GPP logical network architecture
– Functional blocks
– Reference points (interfaces)
– RAN functional split
• Adding 5G to an existing multi-RAT site
– RAT types and base station
configurations
– Scaling mobile backhaul and/or
introducing NGFI
• 5G Architecture Options
– Standalone and non-standalone modes
of operation
– EPC to NGCN migration scenarios and
inter-working
• Summary
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5G Network Architecture
3GPP 5G network architecture

NG9 - between UPFs

AUSF NG13 UDM NG14 - between AMFs

NG12 NG8 NG10

AMF NG11 SMF NG7 PCF NG5 AF

NG15

NG1 NG2 NG4

UE NR air i/f RAN NG3 UPF NG6 DN

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Note: Focus on mobile however Access Network (AN) could be fixed
Functional blocks within 5G network architecture

1. AUSF = Authentication Server Function

2. UDM = Unified Data Management
3. AMF = Core Access and Mobility Management Function
4. SMF = Session Management Function
5. PCF = Policy Control Function
6. AF = Application Function
7. UE = User Equipment
8. ((R)AN) = (Radio) Access Network
9. UPF = User Plane Function
10. DN = Data Network, e.g. operator services, Internet or 3rd party services

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5G interfaces (reference points)

• NG1: Reference point between the UE and the Access and Mobility Management function.
• NG2: Reference point between the (R)AN and the Access and Mobility Management function.
• NG3: Reference point between the (R)AN and the User plane function (UPF).
• NG4: Reference point between the Session Management function (SMF) and the User plane function (UPF).
• NG5: Reference point between the Policy Function (PCF) and an Application Function (AF).
• NG6: Reference point between the UP function (UPF) and a Data Network (DN).
• NG7: Reference point between the Session Management function (SMF) and the Policy Control function (PCF).
• NG7r: Reference point between the vPCF and the hPCF.
• NG8: Reference point between Unified Data Management and AMF.
• NG9: Reference point between two Core User plane functions (UPFs).
• NG10: Reference point between UDM and SMF.
• NG11: Reference point between Access and Mobility Management function (AMF) and Session Management
function (SMF).
• NG12: Reference point between Access and Mobility Management function (AMF) and Authentication Server
function (AUSF).
• NG13: Reference point between UDM and Authentication Server function (AUSF).
• NG14: Reference point between 2 Access and Mobility Management function (AMF).
• NG15: Reference point between the PCF and the AMF in case of non-roaming scenario, V-PCF and AMF in case of
roaming scenario.
• NG16: Reference point between two SMFs, (in roaming case between V-SMF and the H-SMF).

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5G RAN and functional decomposition…

UE NR air i/f RAN NG3 UPF NG6 DN

DU NGFI CU

? ?
CU = Centralised Unit
DU = Distributed Unit
NGFI = Next Generation Fronthaul Interface

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 RAN functional splits and impact on backhaul
Higher layer splits Lower layer splits
RRC

High- Low- High- Low- High- Low-

PDCP RLC RLC MAC MAC PHY PHY RF

Data

Option Option Option Option Option Option Option Option

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

RRC

High- Low- High- Low- High- Low-

PDCP RLC RLC MAC MAC PHY PHY RF

Data

End to end
maximum
latency

Capacity
requirement

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Adding 5G to an existing
multi-RAT macro-site
Adding 5G to an existing multi-RAT macro-site

• Current multi-RAT macro-cell sites

2G/4G typically have backhaul of 1Gbps
SRAN
(1/GE) • Capacity is shared between RATs and
in many cases, between network
3G sharing partners (MNOs)
MORAN 1GE • Note: >1Gbps backhaul is being
100M/1GE
deployed to support certain LTE radio
4G configurations
Net-Share – 1Gbps and beyond on LTE radio
(1GE)
interface

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Adding 5G to an existing multi-RAT macro-site

• 5G deployment to macro-cells is very

2G/4G likely to be <6GHz spectrum bands
SRAN
(1/10GE) • Massive MIMO is a key concept for 5G
– 32/64/128+ antennas
3G • 5G NR channel bandwidths to be
MORAN
100M/1GE
larger than current LTE channels
? • Most spectrum will be unpaired,
4G therefore phase/time synchronisation
Net-Share is required for TDD operation
(1GE)
• Assume eMBB is to be the first use
5G case, the maximum capacity is
gNB required
(10GE)
• Backhaul, or NGFI, will require a
minimum of 10GE local connectivity
with scalable end to end capacity

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Adding 5G to an existing multi-RAT macro-site

• 5G deployment to macro-cells is likely

to be <6GHz spectrum bands
2G/4G
SRAN • Massive MIMO is a key concept for 5G
(1/10GE)
– 32/64/128+ antennas
• 5G NR channel bandwidths to be
3G
MORAN larger than current LTE channels
100M/1GE
• Most spectrum will be unpaired,
therefore phase/time synchronisation
4G
Net-Share ? is required for TDD operation
(1GE) • Assume eMBB is to be the first use
case, the maximum capacity is
5G required
gNB
(10GE) • Backhaul, or NGFI, will require a
minimum of 10GE local connectivity
Sub-tended with scalable end to end capacity
mm-wave
(10GE+) • mm-wave radio backhaul/x-haul will
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support 10Gbps+
5G Architecture Options
5G Architecture Options
12 options identified, not all will be implemented, slides illustrate most likely solutions
(options 5, 6, 8 and 8a considered unlikely and therefore not illustrated (option 1 is legacy))

1: Standalone LTE, EPC connected 2: Standalone NR, NGCN connected

EPC NGC

User plane Control plane User plane Control plane

S1-u S1-c NG3 NG2

eLTE 5G NR

UE UE Release 15 UE

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5G migration scenarios

3: Non-standalone/LTE assisted, 3a: Non-standalone/LTE assisted,

EPC connected EPC connected

EPC NGC EPC NGC

eLTE 5G NR eLTE 5G NR

UE UE

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5G migration scenarios

4: Non-standalone/NR assisted, 4a: Non-standalone/NR assisted,

NGCN connected NGCN connected

EPC NGC EPC NGC

eLTE 5G NR eLTE 5G NR

UE UE

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5G migration scenarios

7: Non-standalone/LTE assisted, 7a: Non-standalone/LTE assisted,

NGCN connected NGCN connected

EPC NGC EPC NGC

eLTE 5G NR eLTE 5G NR

UE UE

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Summary
Summary

• 5G standards are still under development

within 3GPP
• Final technical contributions for the initial 5G
standards are being discussed (Release 15)
• 5G will support enhanced Mobile Broadband
(eMBB), Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency
Communications (URLLC) and massive
Machine Type Communications (mMTC)
• 5G RAN will be different from previous
iteration of C-RAN and D-RAN
• NGFI will likely be implemented for 5G and
eLTE - exact functional splits tbd
• There is significant complexity to manage in
the core network, including inter-working
with and migration to NGCN
• BT is pro-actively developing 5G solutions…
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Questions?

THANK YOU

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