5G Network Automation – Latin America
UScellura Technology Advocate and NGMN contributer Sebastian Thalanany will talk about our Network Automation and Autonomy initiative and share key points and actionable recommendations.
Tag Archive for: 5G
FUSECO Forum 2023
Going Beyond 5G
The industry-oriented event mirrors the state of affairs for 5G, lessons learned from the initial 5G operator rollouts, and the standardization refocusing on non-public/campus networks.
In her keynote our CEO Anita Döhler will share NGMN´s actionable recommendations and impactful guidance on requirements and next steps for 6G.
FUSECO Forum 2023
Going Beyond 5G
The Innovation Potential of the Emerging Campus Networks Ecosystem and Present Steps Towards 6G.
The industry-oriented event mirrors the state of affairs for 5G, lessons learned from the initial 5G operator rollouts, and the standardization refocusing on non-public/campus networks.
Definition of the Testing Framework for the NGMN 5G Trial and Testing Initiative Phase 2 V1.8
This White Paper focuses on the definition of the testing framework for Release 16, including the test configurations, the working scope, the trial setup requirements, and the testing methodologies. The scope of testing covers four technology categories: Smart and Effective System, Enhancement of Existing Capabilities, Maximising Spectrum Value, and New Application Enabler. Each category consists of several technology directions, which are broken down to the technology features highlighted from the global operators’ perspective. The corresponding test results will be published in future NGMN deliverables.
Pre-Commercial Network Slicing Trials Major Conclusions
While several documents have already been produced on the network slicing concept, technical details, and business cases, this White Paper tackles a more challenging, complex and practical domain by consolidating the pre-commercial network slicing test results from different chipset platforms and indicates that 5G smartphones and 5G S-modules have been able to support network slicing. Tests were performed based on the published testing framework White Paper, where all test objectives, pre-configurations, procedures, and success criteria were defined. Observations introduced in this White Paper give the insight of some future improvements in network slicing.
5G Mobile Network Sharing Security V1.02
Mobile network sharing could occur on different levels and with various sharing options in the mobile network infrastructure. Usually, these various sharing options require a thorough consideration of levels of protection. However, these levels of protection and security measures might affect the decision of selecting the types of sharing options. Vertical industries are facing a great challenge on selecting the suitable sharing option for their service and the adequate security for the particular mobile network infrastructure sharing option. This White Paper provides a reference for MNOs and vertical industries to identify the adequate security on each mobile network infrastructure sharing option.
NGMN 5G Network Security Capability Framework for Verticals
MNOs leverage their 5G networks and services to provide vertical industries with dedicated solutions, including security services to make vertical applications secure and robust.
However, various vertical industries have different requirements related to security.
They may request customised network security protection from MNOs.
In this paper, the security requirements for 5G verticals in smart grid, UAS, healthcare, automotive and smart city are analysed and a framework of security capabilities is proposed.
A recommendation is provided to guide vertical industries on how to build and deploy appropriate security capabilities to improve the security level.
NGMN 5G Devices SA Migration Scenarios
To ensure the coexistence of 5G and 4G Devices, enabling the use of the new 5G Core Network, operators need to manage a transition period in which both 5G deployment architectures are present.
Taking a devices perspective, this white paper looks specifically at how Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) who currently operate 4G and 5G Non Standalone (NSA) networks can evolve to support 5G Standalone (SA) networks.
This paper presents a way to handle and optimize this transition. The goal is not only to guarantee an effective usage of the most valuable FDD and TDD Sub-6 bands (< 6GHz) but also effective usage of all frequency assets.
The re-farming strategies that can be implemented by Operators will inevitably be influenced by the speed of penetration of 5G Devices and the frequency bands that they support. Accordingly, a potential migration timeline has been defined.
5G TDD Uplink v1.0
This White Paper contemplates the challenges for Vertical Industries to achieve sufficient uplink throughput or cell capacity and low enough latency for their industrial use cases, when using 5G TDD bands for the realization of those use cases. After looking into the problem, various technical solutions are being considered, some of them providing solutions for the management of interference between base stations or mobile handsets, when deviating frame structures are being used to support the industries’ requirements. The document concludes with specific recommendations to regulators and mobile industry partners who want to support the industry with adequate solutions.
NGMN CALLS FOR THE INDUSTRY TO SUPPORT UPLINK PERFORMANCE
Frankfurt, Germany, February 16, 2022: Verticals’ use cases need sufficient uplink throughput or cell capacity and low enough latency, when 5G Time-Division Duplex (TDD) bands are used to successfully realize their industrial use cases. The uplink performance is key to fully unlock the value of 5G. Therefore, the Next Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN) Alliance calls to increase efforts to enhance the uplink performance in its new White Paper “5G TDD UPLINK”. The Alliance formulates specific recommendations to regulators and other mobile industry stakeholders to support the ecosystem with adequate solutions. Also, various technical possibilities are presented – some of them are related to the management of interference, when differing frame structures are used to support the industries’ requirements.
Wolfgang Fleischer, Head of Network Innovation Technology & Business Evolution, A1 Group, NGMN Board Member and project lead, says: “Some of the applications for 5G technology, particularly in industrial settings, have greater requirements on the uplink – both in terms of capacity and shorter latency. This NGMN Initiative puts these into the spotlight and presents features to enable the networks to accommodate the requirements for such uplink dependent use cases.”
NGMN’s recommendations to better support the uplink throughput and latency requirements of Verticals include:
- To use different TDD configurations
- To select frame structure to vary uplink/downlink throughput
- To carefully select more balanced or uplink oriented TDD frame structures in a local network
- To consider the adoption of other uplink enhancing features such as SU-MIMO
- To enhance 3GPP specification to fulfil requirements with respect to UL throughput, latency, and support for the co-existence of different frame structures by enhancements
- To reserve spectrum for certain specific usages
The NGMN project will also reach out to chipset makers, regulators, Standard Developing Organisations and other involved parties to ensure that these NGMN recommendations are considered.-ends-
Further information and NGMN recommendations:
- A number of verticals’ use cases require significantly higher uplink throughput and lower latency than that required by typical Mobile Broadband consumer mobile users. There are solutions available to address this uplink problem (throughput and latency). Using different TDD configurations, as one of the solutions, requires coordination between operators in order to minimize possible interference and support by regulators to achieve sufficient operational flexibility to deliver customer use cases with higher uplink requirements.
- Frame structure selection is an effective way of varying uplink/downlink throughput. Additional balanced or uplink oriented frame structures should be made available and interoperable by ecosystem partners (chipset, user equipment and infrastructure providers). NGMN has identified specific slot formats, DDSUU (balanced) and DSUUU (uplink oriented), as candidates for specific frequency ranges (FR1 and FR2). Ecosystem partners should also support operators in making available and interoperable other possible alternative solutions identified in this White Paper to address this uplink problem.
- Careful selection of more balanced or uplink oriented TDD frame structures in a local network is recommended to limit the interference impact between local and wide-area public networks. However, if isolation between networks is sufficient (through physical separation, indoor with sufficient wall penetration loss, guard bands, etc.), the selection and use of TDD frame structures are less constrained and may be beneficial for services with a more balanced or uplink oriented traffic profile.
- In scenarios where sufficient isolation between networks is not achievable, e.g. local outdoor networks in the same or adjacent spectrum, using different TDD frame structures will be extremely difficult, if not impossible. In such cases, adoption of other uplink enhancing features such as SU-MIMO (Single-User Multiple Input Multiple Output) and MU-MIMO (Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output) should be considered.
- Future 3GPP specification enhancements, including 5G advanced and 6G, should ensure the requirements of verticals’ use cases are fulfilled with respect to UL throughput, latency, and support for the co-existence of different frame structures.
- Spectrum, particularly sub 6 GHz, is a critical and limited resource for mobile communications. Regulators need to carefully consider how it is assigned to ensure it can be used effectively and efficiently. Spectrum fragmentation due to reservation for certain specific usages could undermine the assignments of sufficiently large contiguous frequency blocks for 5G networks, potentially leading to under-utilization and spectrum inefficiency.