Things You Can Do Today to Build a

“5G Ready Network”

Building the Mobile Edge

 Opinion Paper
Things You Can Do Today to Build a
“5G Ready Network”
Building the Mobile Edge
Summary
While 5G network standards are in process, there are
practical steps service providers can take today to evolve
network architectures to support the traffic and use
cases anticipated by 5G standards, speed 5G roll out,
and improve current network performance and
efficiency.
Origins of Today's Wireless Networks
Today, 4G-LTE is prevalent in most urban areas globally,
offering high speed data services – with either VoLTE or
legacy 3G-UMTS CSFB deployed to support voice services.
These networks typically evolved from 2G GSM or CDMA
networks deployed in the 1990’s.
The network architecture for these macro-cell based cellular
networks was originally designed to support the first wireless
“killer app”: voice services. These networks provided
subscribers with the opportunity to make and receive voice
calls “anywhere”. As a result, the design of these networks
was engineered to meet “voice” application requirements to
ensure an acceptable QOE for subscribers and a voice
experience similar to fixed wireline voice.
One of the key voice QOE parameters is delay, or latency. To
ensure that two parties have a good quality voice
conversation, with one party not constantly talking over the
other, an Ear to Mouth Delay (One Way Delay) of less than
200-300 milliseconds is recommended for “satisfactory” voice
quality, from ITU G.114. This latency parameter is used then
to design the cellular network, such that RNC/NodeB/
subscribers are within a relative distance from the wireless
core network elements handling voice calls, to avoid
introducing excessive RAN related latency delays.
As a result, cellular core networks were typically located in a
centralized or regionalized location so that there was easy
access to the PSTN to terminate these calls to wireline
networks. All control plane and user plane traffic is routed
back to a central/regional wireless core network where
subscriber traffic is routed to its intended destination. Again,
this is how 2G and 3G networks were originally designed.
As more subscribers joined these networks, more cell carriers
and cell sites were added to the RAN network to provide
additional coverage and capacity. When high speed wireless
data services were added (like LTE for example), new data
nodes were added to the existing centralized / regionalized
offices to enable these data services.
More recently, many network operators have begun providing
carrier and venue Wi-Fi services (with and without voice
services) that may or may not be integrated into the mobile
packet core networks. In some cases, operators have also
deployed overlay cellular networks to support M2M
applications, typically reusing the same network architecture.
This is where wireless networks are today.
5G is on the Horizon
Network operators today are planning for the networks of
tomorrow. The networks of tomorrow will need to be able to
support “massive” growth. Massive IOT and Enhanced Mobile
Broadband Services will require massive connection
capabilities, massive throughput and densification of wireless
coverage using all available wireless access technologies.
Traditionally, network infrastructure upgrades have been
driven by demand for increased radio coverage or throughput
capacity. 5G introduces a reduced latency requirement that
will force network operators to move user plane resources
closer to their subscribers. In some cases, 5G networks
Readying Networks for 5G
address mission critical services like collision avoidance for
connected cars and mobile health monitoring. In situations
where safety represents the top priority, achieving round trip
delays of 1-2 milliseconds on calls becomes the performance
goal. Remember current cellular core and RAN networks were
originally architected with 250-300 milliseconds of round trip
delay in mind.
To complicate things, 5G is not the only new technology being
introduced into the wireless networks. New technologies like
NFV (Network Function Virtualization), SDN (Software Defined
Networks) and C-RAN (Cloud based RAN) are being developed
along with 5G related changes like Network slicing, Control and
User Plane Separation (CUPS), DÉCOR, 5G NR (New Radio)…all
of which will alter the way we design wireless and wireline
networks in the future.
As the 5G standards are still being defined, it’s not possible to
deploy standards based 5G radio technology today. What is
possible though is to study the 5G network requirements and
begin planning how to evolve existing network architecture so
that it is “5G Ready”.
Network operators need to review their current network
architecture and evaluate their current network coverage with
all their radio access technologies and understand the current
capacity limitations of their mobile core and RAN networks.
The majority of EPC network equipment deployed today is built
on centralized monolithic legacy platforms that will not easily
scale to support the requirements for massive growth driven by
new 5G Use cases. New virtualized orchestrated NFV core
network platforms will need to be studied and introduced.
Understanding the gaps and limitations of existing wireless
networks, is becoming a necessity as existing networks are
enhanced in preparation for the 5G era.
5G Network Requirements
The base 5G network requirements are:
• Support for up to 10Gbps sessions in a live environment
• Support for 1 millisecond round trip delay for mission
critical applications
• Support for denser wireless access usage, up to 1000x
bandwidth per comparable area
• Support for up to 100x wireless attached end terminals
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• Support for High Availability (99.999% up-time)
• Support for coverage everywhere
• Reduced network energy usage
• Support for low power M2M devices with extended
battery life (up to ten-years)
Why are these 5G Network
requirements necessary?
Widespread use of wireless enabled devices and sensors and
related applications is driving expanded demand for all
wireless access technologies, which will eventually also include
5G radios. 3GPP standards for 5G, partially derived from
requirements from the Next Generation Mobile Networks
(NGMN) Alliance, are also driving these new 5G requirements.
Today’s LTE networks cannot support all of the requirements
listed above. An evolutionary change is required in how
wireless networks are designed as the legacy wireless
networks architecture in place today will struggle to manage
the conflicting set of 5G requirements.
An understanding of the 5G use cases that are driving these
new network requirements is necessary before we can begin
designing the mobile network of the future.
5G Use Cases
Support for “Massive Internet of Things” (mIOT)
Most operators have already deployed M2M integrated or
standalone networks. The next evolution of IOT is “massive
IOT”, where tens of thousands of devices are simultaneously
connected in a single cell sector.
Optimized RAN networks with Virtualized Core network
elements will be required to support the Massive IOT use case,
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Readying Networks for 5G 3

which introduces support for massive numbers of low cost -

Higher Higher User
low power devices. These low power devices will be used for
Data Rates Mobility
sensor based smart home and utility grid applications,
handling low bandwidth – “best effort” type data traffic.
Seamless Higher
Other use case examples are: Coverage Density
• Alarm detector monitoring
• Consumer Wearables – fitness monitoring New high bandwidth applications like:
• Transit Service monitoring
• Virtual Reality Gaming
• Inventory level monitoring
• Hologram Technology
• HD Video Conferences and HD Video Surveillance
Support for “Critical Communications”
• HD Video Streaming
The “Critical Communications” use case requires support for will drive the need for high capacity – high performance
“delay sensitive” applications that may also require high wireless networks with seamless user experience no matter
throughput. Critical Communications applications are what the access technology is providing the service.
mission critical and require reliable transport with low Consumers will have the perception that wireless coverage is
latency. virtually everywhere.

Support for “Network Operation”

Examples of Critical Communications are:
• Providing network connectivity for public safety /
emergency personnel devices and their vehicles
• Connected Cities / Automated Utility Services
• Wireless Robotic Medical Services – Remote Surgeries
• Industrial Automated Manufacturing Process
• Support for new Drone Applications – Traffic
Monitoring, Package Delivery, Remote Surveillance.
Support for “Enhanced Mobile Broadband”
Consumers are becoming accustomed to having access to
wireless broadband wherever they are. Everyone is
dependent on their mobile device for everyday
applications like email, texting, sharing media, getting
directions and so on. This demand for mobile broadband
has increased over time, and will continue in the future. As
we move to 5G, new applications will drive the need for
“Enhanced Mobile Broadband”.
Optimized “Network Operation” is required to enable many
of the new 5G use cases. To support new use cases where
low latency or dense connectivity is required at the edge of
the network, requires some traditional wireless core network
functions to be located closer to the network edge. To
enable this network evolution, new low cost hardware and
scalable automated virtual network functions are required.
In turn, this new architecture needs to be managed such that
the network can automatically scale up and down based on
the network load requirements.
Network Inter- Security
Slicing working
Flexible Energy
Functions Saving
. This new network architecture will provide:
• Support for Network Slicing – network resources
dedicated to a specific application
• Enhanced Network Migration capabilities
• Scalable Resource Utilization and Energy Efficient
• Flexible deployment models.

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Readying Networks for 5G
Support for “Enhancement of
Vehicle-to-Everything”
As cars become more sophisticated and autonomous driving
on the horizon, today’s wireless networks will need to be
enhanced to provide the infrastructure required for these new
applications. Autonomous vehicles will enable driverless
vehicles, faster driving speeds and lower accident rates, but
only if the following exist:
• 100% wireless coverage of all roadways
• Reliable wireless networks with very low latency
• High wireless bandwidth to support onboard traffic
management & entertainment systems.
Supporting mission critical applications and massive network
deployments where virtually everything is wirelessly enabled,
requires that current networks need to be carefully evolved in
order to become “5G Ready”.
5G Ready Network Architecture =
Network Preparation for 5G
A “5G Ready” network architecture is an architecture that will
sufficiently support the traffic and use cases expected when
5G is standardized and rolled out in the future. This means
that new investments made today to roll out “5G ready”
network infrastructure are not wasted, and will speed up the
roll out when standardized 5G is available.
5G ready architecture doesn’t necessarily mean specialized
equipment required for 5G, in many cases it’s a network
architecture shift that is required to support 5G in the future.
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One of the key decisions most network operators will have to
evaluate is what aspects of the network are better served
being centralized vs being distributed to the “mobile edge” of
the network.
Upgrade from M2M to IOT”
As 5G IOT standards get sorted out, there are three main
cellular (licensed spectrum) related network options for
supporting M2M/IOT services:
• Extended Coverage GSM for Internet of Things (EC-
GSM-IoT),
• Long Term Evolution Machine Type Communications
Category M1
• Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT)
Mobile network operators (MNOs) are evaluating these
options, that have been standardized in 3GPP Release 13, to
understand which solution best suits their current network
architecture and M2M needs.
Of the three, Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) has gained a lot of
interest from leading mobile network operators. NB-IoT
benefits:
• deployable ‘in-band’ using resource blocks within a
normal LTE carrier, or in unused resource blocks within
a LTE carrier’s guard-band, or ‘standalone’ in dedicated
spectrum
• expected to have lowest power consumption when
operating
• expected lowest component costs – chipset expected
to be cheaper due to simpler design requirements
Deploying NB-IoT combined core elements at the mobile
edge with a co-located analytics and API to monetize the data
collected, will offer a dense intelligent mobile edge IOT
solution.
Densification and more Capacity at the “Mobile
Edge”
To support massive amounts of IOT devices, low latency 5G
applications and new 5G Use cases, optimized use of all
available access technologies will be necessary.
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Readying Networks for 5G
Additionally, traditional centralized gateway functions need
to be migrated to the “mobile edge” of the network to reduce
latency.
• Deploy High Density User Plane Gateways closer to
subscribers (HNB/HeNB GW, PGW, ePDG…)
o Traffic destined to Cellular network is routed
via EPC for billing and unified policy
enforcement
o Traffic destined to internet can be offloaded to
internet (i.e. LIPA) if desired
o Plan for Content to be distributed close to
subscribers
• Densify multi-access radio technology (i.e. HetNet
including future 5G)
o Deploy additional 3G/4G Small Cells, Pico Cells
and Wi-Fi Access points
o Deploy a SON solution to help optimize RAN
resource usage
o Understand device connection managers to
ensure they make optimal use of RAN
resources and maintain sessions during
handover
• Deploy Carrier Aggregation for Licensed spectrum
• Densification through Fixed and Wireless Convergence
o Make use of existing fiber resources for
fronthaul and backhaul where possible
o Deploy 3G/4G and 5G radio access for last mile
coverage
o Deploy CRAN to optimize the existing RAN
network.
Secure the Mobile Edge
As more functions are moved to the “mobile edge”, securing
the edge of the network is a top priority.
• Deploy high density Security GW at “mobile edge”
o Securing fronthaul and backhaul to macro, Pico
and small cell sites
o Securing connectivity to centralized or
distributed core network functions
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o With more connectivity to small cells local
content and interconnect to other operator
RAN/Network sharing security will be important
o Secure Interconnectivity to 3rd party
infrastructure such as roaming partners
o Provide Firewall and IPsec security enterprise
connectivity
o Secure Public Safety and provide Lawful
Intercept (LI) connectivity
o Distributed Security GW solution for other
future 5G Use cases (Secure Xhaul).
Low Latency “Mobile Edge”
The current 2G, 3G and 4G networks will likely continue to
exist and they will support applications that best fit those
networks. The inherent latency of having a centralized core
network and macro cells backhauled many kilometers make
these architectures unsuitable for 5G.
The only way to ensure very low latency is to move at a
minimum, the user plane core network elements closer to
the end user, in a distributed fashion. Mobile Edge
distribution provides the capability to have wireless gateways
at the edge of the network as required. The control plane
elements can continue to be centralized if desired as they do
not impact the latency of an existing data flow.
Deploying content servers in-conjunction with mobile edge
computing systems at the edge of the network is one way to
move towards reducing content delivery latency while
improving mobile connectivity densification.
Use Case Driven Gateways at the “Mobile Edge”
In order to support low latency applications, data plane
related gateways which traditionally were centrally located in
the core network will have to be distributed and located
closer to the end users.
• Trusted and Untrusted Wi-Fi gateways supporting Wi-Fi
Traffic
• S/P-GW providing access to the Mobility Core network
(S5/S8/S2a/S2b) and local internet access (SGi)
• HeNB / HNB GW interconnecting 3G and 4G small cells
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 Readying Networks for 5G
• SeGW securing all traffic at the “mobile edge” (Firewall
and IPsec)
• Small scale Private EPC networks for Enterprises or
Public Safety use case,
Take Advantage of Existing Fiber Transport
where available at the “Mobile Edge”
With the number of small cells growing, the challenge
becomes how to cost effectively provide backhaul to these
locations. Network operators with existing fiber capabilities in
place in these locations will have a definite advantage. Cable
operators for example that are deploying Remote PHY
Distributed access points as part of the fiber deep networks
should consider using this fiber infrastructure for deploying
4G small cells, Pico cells and 5G radio sites.
As network operators deploy more and more radio resources
(small cells, Pico cells and Wi-Fi) there will be significant
implications for OPEX on backhaul and power, since each cell
or hotspot must be powered and all of the additional traffic
being generated must be backhauled.
Future proof by deploying virtual solutions
Network Operators will need to start reviewing their existing
network elements to understand their current capacity and
also review their network architecture plans for future years.
Future network infrastructure builds are moving to SDN/NFV
to provide flexible, scalable distributed networks. The move
from legacy monolithic chassis based networks to virtualized
solutions requires a change in mindset. Network operators
will need to study the different compute and storage options
available and investigate NFV options, hypervisor options and
orchestration solutions for the future network.
This is a process that will take time. Operators should begin
evaluating virtualized solutions for their network and new
additions and upgrades should be virtualized.
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Summary
Some network operators see 5G as a radio technology that
will only be deployed 2-3 years from now. While it’s true that
the 5G radio specifications will take time to emerge from
standards bodies, the network architecture required to
support 5G use cases needs to begin to be deployed today.
Network operators can begin to gradually migrate their
existing cellular networks by:
• Densifying the RAN network by deploying additional
small cells, Pico Cells and WiFi access points.
o higher session capacity
o increased throughput capacity
o increased coverage
o SON for RAN optimization
o C-RAN for more efficient RAN architecture
• Converging any available wireline and wireless fiber
transport links
o Provides multi-radio access (including 5G)
backhaul, fronthaul, Xhaul
• Deploying high capacity security gateways at the mobile
edge for supporting dense small cell and Wi-Fi clusters
o Secure connectivity
• Deploying HNB GW, HeNB GW, S/P-GW, Trusted and
Untrusted Wi-Fi Gateways closer to subscribers at the
“mobile edge
o Lower User plane latency
• Investing in virtual solutions for new infrastructure
purchases (NFV/SDN) so that the equipment will be
ready for new scalable 5G use cases.
o Futureproofing
• Training staff on all of the above
o Skilled staff in place
Focusing on the above areas today will ensure that network
operators are ready for the 5G tsunami of new use cases and
associated sessions and traffic.
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