As we gear up for the subsequent era of wi-fi connectivity, we’re constructing on all the pieces we’ve realized
Welcome to the primary installment of 6G foundry, a brand new restricted collection of OnQ weblog posts the place we discover the subsequent era of wi-fi connectivity. We’ll share how we will apply the teachings realized from the present and former generations of cell communication know-how to form a extra environment friendly and versatile community for the long run. Right now, we begin with a take a look at the evolution of community management and the event of the logical channel used to hold management site visitors — the management airplane.
The 4G and 5G consumer airplane stack displays the Web’s “hourglass mannequin.”
The place are we at with 5G now and the way did we get right here?
The evolution in direction of 6G has its origins within the convergence of two separate techniques: information networks (web) and mobile networks (2G). These networks had distinct design paradigms throughout their inception. Information networks had been constructed to scale and serve heterogeneous gadgets for numerous companies, whereas mobile networks had been designed for homogeneous gadgets for a single service — primarily voice communication.
The emergence of smartphones, coupled with the adoption of the Web’s “hourglass mannequin” as a design driver for information connectivity, performed a big position within the success of 4G. By supporting IP within the consumer airplane, 4G revolutionized how the world communicates by connecting a cell gadget (e.g., smartphone) to the Web. Nonetheless, the structure and design philosophy launched in 3G, together with a separate management airplane, had been largely retained in 4G and subsequently 5G.
Whereas 4G adopted the IP mannequin for the consumer airplane, it continued to depend on a separate management airplane as was first launched in 3G. The non-access stratum (NAS) and radio useful resource management (RRC) protocols for the management airplane grew in complexity with extra companies in every 3GPP launch.
As 4G advanced, new options had been launched to develop capabilities of the system that led to the enlargement of the management airplane. Among the complexity was required to help new horizontal options on the hyperlink corresponding to service aggregation and twin connectivity, whereas further help was outlined for brand new verticals together with Web of Issues (IoT) and Car-to-All the pieces (V2X). Nonetheless, different options had been launched to the protocol stack to allow companies to be hosted as a part of the NAS/RRC management airplane protocols, e.g., NAS protocol companies included location whereas RRC protocol companies included information assortment, corresponding to minimization of drive checks (MDTs).
“Introducing new control-plane companies is difficult as a result of they usually impression numerous community entities.”
Additionally, companies on prime of NAS or RRC require specialised data for growth, introduction, testing and upkeep in comparison with the extra mainstream IP-based companies. Whereas the management airplane function set turned richer, their adoption remained restricted partly due to the impression to current community entities. This not solely poses a problem for brand new market entrants desirous to develop these companies but in addition to operators desirous to deploy these companies, together with the extra value of upgrading of legacy infrastructure.
Taking a step in the precise path, one of many key themes of the 5G customary was the service-based structure (SBA). 5G SBA changed advanced and domain-specific protocols like GTP-C with mainstream protocols corresponding to HTTP/2 for transport and JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) because the serialization protocol. Nonetheless, whereas this was a paradigm shift, it solely utilized to core community entities and fell wanting benefitting community companies involving the consumer tools (UE).
As we transition from 4G to 5G, we discover that 5G has largely adopted the identical trajectory as its predecessor. The NAS and RRC protocol stacks in 5G have turn into much more advanced. Whereas the function set has grown considerably, the adoption of management airplane companies continues to stay sparse. The restricted success of 5G-based management airplane companies poses obstacles to operators wanting to handle promising new enterprise alternatives.
Progress of the management airplane because the 3GPP customary advanced.
Important steps in direction of 6G growth
To beat these challenges, we suggest a consumer plane-first design method for 6G to allow unified entry to companies. On the middle of a consumer plane-first design method is a lean management airplane that solely addresses the elements elementary to sustaining connectivity and establishing information companies, corresponding to safety, mobility and session administration. We are able to then simplify the structure and allow operators to introduce and function companies extra effectively.
“Within the 6G community structure, companies corresponding to location, information assortment, industrial IoT and different future 6G companies might run as IP-based companies over the consumer airplane.”
This method may gain advantage from the dimensions and ecosystem of Web companies and protocols, increasing the event panorama for community companies. It could additionally simplify the introduction and operation of companies, benefiting each operators and customers.
Moreover, this consumer plane-first design method naturally aligns with the brand new cloud-based deployments, eliminating the necessity for extra {hardware}. It additionally permits for “G-agnostic” companies that may work seamlessly throughout completely different generations of mobile networks. Moreover, it opens the potential of backporting companies to earlier generations or cross-porting them to different wi-fi applied sciences corresponding to Wi-Fi networks and even wired entry applied sciences like fiber and cable.
Prioritizing consumer airplane companies and a lean management airplane for increased service adoption.
What’s subsequent for 6G know-how?
As we embark on the journey in direction of 6G, it’s important to be taught from the previous and embrace a brand new method in community structure design. By adopting a consumer plane-first design technique for community companies and leveraging the design ideas of the Web, we will create a extra environment friendly, scalable and modern 6G community.
In our upcoming weblog posts for 6G foundry, we are going to delve deeper into how 6G networks might be deployed and the way they may carry worth to finish customers with new experiences. Be part of us as we unravel the probabilities and form the way forward for wi-fi connectivity. Keep tuned for our subsequent installment of 6G foundry.