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Table of Contents
  • IntroductionQuick introduction explaining the overall structue of the book. We kept it to a minimum so you won't get bord.
  • Market drivers In this chapter we describe the technical and business drivers behind 5G, and how these affect the 5G RAN architecture.
  •       Spectrum5G spectrum forecasting methodology, spectrum usage forecasts based on the methodology adopted by ITU-R and 5G target spectrum identified at WRC-19.
  •       New Spectrum ModelsSpectrum sharing (CBRS and LSA) and localized licensing.
  •       Regulations5G regulatory landscape.
  •       Network Deployment Models New network deployment models (e.g. "Neutral Host").
  •       Technical Requirements IMT-2020 technical requirements for eMBB, URLLC, and MTC.
  •       Business Drivers 5G business drivers shaping operators and vendors 5G development and deployment decisions.
  •       Role of StandardsHow the standards development process (in 3GPP and other SDOs) has changed with 5G.
  •       Role of Open SourceThe rising role of open source in telecom and RAN in particular.
  •       Competition5G is changing the competitive landscape by bringing new players to the 3GPP ecosystem and by explanding the ecosystem into new markets.
  •       Challenges5G challenges in general, and in relation to RAN.
  • 5G System Overview Before diving into the details of NG-RAN architecture, we provide a high-level description of the whole 5G System, with emphasis on what is new compared to 4G.
  •       5G Core Network High-level 5GC overview, covering service-based architecture, control- and user-plane separation, common access-agnostic core, concurrent access to localized and centralized services, slicing and private networks and others.
  •       NG Radio Access Network High-level RAN overview, which is described in greater detial in the remaining chapters of the book.
  •       NR Protocol Stack High-level protocol (RRC, SDAP, PDCP, RLC, and MAC) stack overview, covering QoS, INACTIVE state, mobility, System Information Broadcast and others.
  •       NR Physical Layer High-level PHY overview, covering waveform and numerology, frame structure, synchronization and initial access, downlink and uplink control channels, reference signals, beam management, channel coding and modulation, co-existence with LTE and others.
  • NG-RAN ArchitectureThis is perhaps the main chapter where we describe various 5G RAN architectures defined in 3GPP, O-RAN and Small Cell Forum.
  •       High Level gNB CU/DU SplitHigh-level gNB CU/DU split defined in 3GPP.
  •       Multi-Radio Dual ConnectivityMR-DC architectures including: EN-DC, NGEN-DC, NE-DC and NR-DC.
  •       Control-User Plane Separation Control-user plane separation architecture, in which gNB-CU is further split into gNB-CU-CP and gNB-CU-UP.
  •       Low Layer gNB Split Low-layer split architecture defined in O-RAN (aka split option 7).
  •       Small CellsFAPI and nFAPI architectures defined in Small Cell Forum.
  • NG-RAN EvolutionIn this chapter we describe how 5G RAN evolves in Release-16 and Release-17 with the introduction of wireless relaying (aka IAB) and satellite access.
  •       Wireless Relaying (IAB)Wireless relaying, known as Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB), defined in Release-17.
  •       Non-Terrestrial NetworksNG-RAN support for satellite access.
  • Enabling TechnologiesIn the chapter we describe various technologies which are not alwayd sconsidered as part of the 5G RAN archietcture (when viewed from a purely "academic" perspective), but nontheless are curcial when deploying a 5G network.
  •       VirtualizationApplication of virtualization to NG-RAN, including standards support and implementation aspects.
  •       Open sourceOpen source RAN projects.
  •       MECMulti-Access Edge Computing (MEC) defined in ETSI.
  •       OAMNG-RAN OAM defined in 3GPP SA5.
  •       Transport NetworkTransport network technologies, including PHY and MAC, and their usage on NG-RAN fronthaul, mid-haul and backhaul interfaces.
  • Deployment Considerations This chapter is written from the point of view of an operator facing the challange of selecting the right NG-RAN architecture and features to deploy a network delivering 5G performance in an economically sustainable manner.
  •       Objectives and ChallengesA
  •       Deployment Considerations A
  •       ConclusionsA