5G Network

Architecture Options
(Updated)

@3g4gUK
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 How did it all start?

• Back in 2016, Deutsche Telekom proposed 5G architecture options that can be used
to move to 5G from LTE
• The option numbers they proposed have been adopted in all discussions
• The above picture from KDDI, summarises them nicely

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 Option 1: SA LTE connected to EPC - Legacy
Option 1
EPC
SA = Standalone
NSA = Non-standalone

S1-C

S1-U

eNB
(4G LTE)

3GPP TS 36.300: Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) and Evolved Universal
Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN); Overall description; Stage 2

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 Option 2: SA NR connected to 5GC
3GPP SA Option 2 • Only option for greenfield 5G
5GC operators
• Full support for new 5G applications
and services including:
NG-C
• Enhanced Mobile Broadband
NG-U (eMBB)
• Massive Machine-Type
Communications (mMTC)
gNB • Ultra-reliable and Low Latency
(5G NR)
Communications (URLLC)
• Needs multiple spectrum to provide
all above cases and also to provide
ubiquitous 5G coverage
3GPP TS 37.340: Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) and NR; Multi-connectivity; Stage 2
3GPP TS 38.300: NR; NR and NG-RAN Overall Description; Stage 2

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 Option 5: SA LTE connected to 5GC
3GPP SA Option 5
5GC
• Long term vision
• Deployed in conjunction with
Option 2
NG-C • Can provide some of the benefits
NG-U
that 5G NR provides in
conjunction with 5G Core.

ng-eNB
(4G eLTE)

3GPP TS 37.340: Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) and NR; Multi-connectivity; Stage 2
3GPP TS 38.300: NR; NR and NG-RAN Overall Description; Stage 2

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 Non-standalone Terminology
• MR-DC: Multi-RAT Dual Connectivity
• 2 RATs (e.g. LTE and/or 5G NR) simultaneously providing connectivity to a
device or UE
• MN: Master Node
3GPP TS 36.300: Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) and Evolved Universal
Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN); Overall description; Stage 2

• SN: Secondary Node

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 Master and Secondary nodes with LTE & NR
3GPP TS 37.340: Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) and NR; Multi-connectivity; Stage 2
3GPP TS 38.300: NR; NR and NG-RAN Overall Description; Stage 2

• Note that while the secondary node control plane goes to the master
node, the secondary node user plane can go via master node or can be
connected directly
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Option 3: NSA LTE assisted NR, connected to EPC
3GPP NSA / “LTE Assisted” Option 3 / 3A / 3X • Leverages existing 4G deployments
a.k.a. EN-DC = E-UTRA-NR Dual Connectivity
• Capable of creating 5G hotspots quickly
EPC • New 5G applications and services creation
possible

Difference between 3/3A/3X

S1-C • In option 3, there is no connection from
gNB to EPC – eNB hardware upgrade is
S1-U S1-U probably required
• In option 3A, gNB has S1-U interface to
X2-C EPC but no X2. New services can be
eNB gNB
X2-U handled by NR and X2 backhaul is easy to
meet
• Option 3X is a combination of 3 & 3A. S1-U
is available from gNB and X2 interface is
available too
3GPP TS 37.340: Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) and NR; Multi-connectivity; Stage 2
3GPP TS 38.300: NR; NR and NG-RAN Overall Description; Stage 2

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 Option 7: NSA LTE assisted NR, connected to 5GC
3GPP NSA / “LTE Assisted” Option 7 / 7A / 7X a.k.a.
NGEN-DC = NG-RAN E-UTRA-NR Dual Connectivity • In this case ng-eNB is the master and gNB is
5GC secondary node.
• Next Generation CN (NGCN) has replaced EPC
• Evolved eNB and gNB connect via Xn interface
• 5G driven by capacity needs, rather than just
NG-C coverage
NG-U NG-U • New 5G applications and services creation
possible

Xn-C Difference between Option 7 / 7A / 7X

gNB
ng-eNB Xn-U
• In option 7, there is no interface between gNB
and 5GC. Information flows via Xn
• In option 7A, there is no Xn interface and gNB is
connected to 5GC via NG-U interface
• Option 7X is a combination of option 7 & 7A
3GPP TS 37.340: Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) and NR; Multi-connectivity; Stage 2
3GPP TS 38.300: NR; NR and NG-RAN Overall Description; Stage 2

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 Option 4: NSA NR assisted LTE, connected to 5GC
3GPP NSA / “NR Assisted” Option 4 / 4A
a.k.a. NE-DC = NR-E-UTRA Dual Connectivity
5GC • Next Generation CN (NGCN) has
replaced EPC
• 5G driven by capacity needs, rather
than just coverage
NG-C
• New 5G applications and services
NG-U NG-U creation possible

Difference between Option 4 & 4A

Xn-C
gNB • In Option 4, there is no direct
ng-eNB Xn-U connectivity between ng-eNB and 5GC.
All information flows via Xn interface
• In Option 4A, there is no Xn interface
between ng-eNB and gNB. ng-eNB is
connected to 5GC via NG-U interface.
3GPP TS 37.340: Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) and NR; Multi-connectivity; Stage 2
3GPP TS 38.300: NR; NR and NG-RAN Overall Description; Stage 2

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5G Deployment Options and Migration Strategy
EPC 5GC (NGCN)

SA
(Standalone)
eNB EPC gNB 5GC ng-eNB 5GC
Option 1: SA LTE connected to EPC Option 2: SA NR connected to 5GC Option 5: SA LTE connected to 5GC

[EN-DC] [NE-DC] [NGEN-DC]

eNB ng-eNB
NSA ng-eNB
(Non-Standalone)
EPC 5GC 5GC
[Dual Connectivity]

Option 3: NSA LTE assisted NR Option 4: NSA NR assisted LTE Option 7: NSA LTE assisted NR
gNB connected to EPC gNB connected to 5GC connected to 5GC
gNB

Migration ↗ Option 2 ↗ Option 7 ↗ Option 3 ↗ Option 4

Option 1 Option 3 Option 3 Option 3
Strategy ↘ Option 3 ↘ Option 5 ↘ Option 2 ↘ Option 2

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More in-depth study of 5G Architecture Options

GSMA: Road to 5G: Introduction and Migration Whitepaper

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KT’s 5G Network Migration Plan, Aug 2018

GSMA: Road to 5G: Introduction and Migration Whitepaper

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LGU+ 5G Migration Strategy, May 2018

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KDDI’s 5G Migration View, May 2018

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Samsung’s 5G Architecture Options, May 2018

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Ericsson’s 5G Architecture Vision, May 2018

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Telefonica’s 5G plan, May 2018

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Andy Sutton, BT, May 2018

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MediaTek view, August 2018

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 Further Reading
• The 3G4G Blog: 5G New Radio (NR), Architecture options and migration
from LTE
• The 3G4G Blog: 5G Architecture Options for Deployments?
• GSMA: Road to 5G: Introduction and Migration Whitepaper
• 3G4G Small Cells Blog: Dual-connectivity, Bearer split and other
Release-12 small cell enhancements

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