As we gear up for the subsequent technology of wi-fi connectivity, we’re constructing on every part we’ve discovered
Welcome to the primary installment of 6G foundry, a brand new restricted sequence of OnQ weblog posts the place we discover the subsequent technology of wi-fi connectivity. We’ll share how we will apply the teachings discovered from the present and former generations of cell communication know-how to form a extra environment friendly and versatile community for the long run. In the present day, we begin with a take a look at the evolution of community management and the event of the logical channel used to hold management 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. Knowledge networks had been constructed to scale and serve heterogeneous units for varied providers, whereas mobile networks had been designed for homogeneous units 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 function within the success of 4G. By supporting IP within the consumer airplane, 4G revolutionized how the world communicates by connecting a cell system (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 providers in every 3GPP launch.
As 4G developed, new options had been launched to broaden 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 resembling 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 things (V2X). Nonetheless, different options had been launched to the protocol stack to allow providers to be hosted as a part of the NAS/RRC management airplane protocols, e.g., NAS protocol providers included location whereas RRC protocol providers included information assortment, resembling minimization of drive exams (MDTs).
“Introducing new control-plane providers is difficult as a result of they typically influence varied community entities.”
Additionally, providers on prime of NAS or RRC require specialised data for improvement, introduction, testing and upkeep in comparison with the extra mainstream IP-based providers. Whereas the management airplane characteristic set grew to become richer, their adoption remained restricted partly due to the influence to present community entities. This not solely poses a problem for brand new market entrants eager to develop these providers but additionally to operators eager to deploy these providers, together with the extra price of upgrading of legacy infrastructure.
Taking a step in the proper course, 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 resembling 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 providers 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 grow to be much more advanced. Whereas the characteristic set has grown considerably, the adoption of management airplane providers continues to stay sparse. The restricted success of 5G-based management airplane providers poses obstacles to operators wanting to handle promising new enterprise alternatives.
Development of the management airplane because the 3GPP customary developed.
Important steps in direction of 6G improvement
To beat these challenges, we suggest a consumer plane-first design strategy for 6G to allow unified entry to providers. On the middle of a consumer plane-first design strategy is a lean management airplane that solely addresses the features basic to sustaining connectivity and establishing information providers, resembling safety, mobility and session administration. We are able to then simplify the structure and allow operators to introduce and function providers extra effectively.
“Within the 6G community structure, providers resembling location, information assortment, industrial IoT and different future 6G providers may run as IP-based providers over the consumer airplane.”
This strategy may benefit from the size and ecosystem of Web providers and protocols, increasing the event panorama for community providers. It will additionally simplify the introduction and operation of providers, benefiting each operators and customers.
Moreover, this consumer plane-first design strategy naturally aligns with the brand new cloud-based deployments, eliminating the necessity for extra {hardware}. It additionally permits for “G-agnostic” providers that may work seamlessly throughout totally different generations of mobile networks. Moreover, it opens the potential of backporting providers to earlier generations or cross-porting them to different wi-fi applied sciences resembling Wi-Fi networks and even wired entry applied sciences like fiber and cable.
Prioritizing consumer airplane providers 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 study from the previous and embrace a brand new strategy in community structure design. By adopting a consumer plane-first design technique for community providers and leveraging the design rules of the Web, we will create a extra environment friendly, scalable and revolutionary 6G community.
In our upcoming weblog posts for 6G foundry, we are going to delve deeper into how 6G networks could possibly be deployed and the way they may convey worth to finish customers with new experiences. Be a part of us as we unravel the chances and form the way forward for wi-fi connectivity. Keep tuned for our subsequent installment of 6G foundry.
