Evolution to 5G-Advanced and Beyond: A Blueprint for Mobile Transport

The rapid rollout of 5G technology has marked a historic milestone in the evolution of mobile connectivity. According to research firm Omdia, 5G subscriptions surged from 1.4 billion in the middle of 2023 to a projected 8 billion by 2028, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 40%. Despite this impressive uptake, Omdia’s data also reveals that overall mobile revenue is growing at a modest rate of about 2%, and average revenue per user (ARPU) is experiencing a decline.

Wireless trends and opportunities

Communication service providers (CSPs) are responding by scaling their 5G networks to accommodate the soaring bandwidth demands, foster revenue growth, reduce total cost of ownership (TCO), and enhance network efficiency and agility.

The industry has seen significant investments from CSPs, with tens of billions of dollars spent on 5G spectrum and more on radio access network (RAN) infrastructure to support 5G. CSPs’ current focus is monetizing 5G for both consumer and enterprise services (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. Opportunities and Trends

On the consumer front, fixed wireless access (FWA) has emerged as a leading 5G application. For instance, in 2022, FWA accounted for 90% of net broadband additions in the U.S., surpassing traditional cable and DSL. However, this shift brings its own complexities, including the need for enhanced xHaul transport bandwidth, increased data center resources, and greater demand for spectrum resources.

For businesses, private wireless networks represent a crucial area of growth. These networks are particularly relevant in the manufacturing, transportation, logistics, energy, and mining sectors. The advent of 5G-Advanced technologies could help expand these opportunities further. Network slicing, introduced by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), will be pivotal in deploying private 5G networks and other differentiated services.

Partnerships are becoming increasingly important in network monetization strategies, especially with hyperscalers. Additionally, collaborations with satellite operators are gaining traction due to investment and dramatically reduced launch costs, enabling the deployment of low Earth orbit (LEO) constellations and satellite transition from proprietary silo towards integration with terrestrial and 5G networks. Driven by the need for comprehensive reachability and the development of standardized connectivity, as outlined in 3GPP Release 17, this collaboration allows mobile and fixed operators to expand coverage to remote locations and for satellite operators to tap into new customer bases.

Operators are also focusing on technical advancements to monetize their 5G networks effectively. This includes transitioning from non-standalone (NSA) to standalone (SA) mobile cores, which is essential for enabling advanced 5G capabilities. 5G SA cores are required to launch many capabilities supporting ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC), massive machine-type communications (mMTC), and network slicing.

Preparations are underway for 5G-Advanced (3GPP Release 18), with features like non-terrestrial networks (NTN), extended reality (XR), and advanced MIMO. The investment will be fundamental for advancing to 6G.

Another critical development is RAN decomposition and virtualization, which involves breaking down the RAN into individual components and running functions on commercial off-the-shelf hardware. Benefits include better utilization, greater scalability and flexibility, and cost reductions. Implementing decomposition and virtualization using O-RAN promises these benefits while breaking RAN vendor lock-in due to standardized, open interfaces.

Edge infrastructure investment is increasing to support new enterprise applications, integral to 5G SA and 5G-Advanced, by moving processing closer to end users, thereby reducing latency, and serving as a critical driver for cloud-native technology adoption. This approach requires flexible deployment of network functions either on-premises or in the cloud, leading to a decentralization of network traffic that was once concentrated. This evolving trend has become more pronounced with increasing traffic demands, blending network roles and boundaries, and creating a versatile network “edge” within the CSP’s framework.

Operational savings, including cost reduction and sustainability initiatives, are top priorities for CSPs to meet budgetary and carbon footprint goals.

Preparing your mobile transport for 5G Advanced and beyond

Mobile packet transport is critical in these initiatives and network transformation, leading to rapid changes in CSP transport networks. Traditionally, these networks relied on dedicated circuits and data communication appliances. However, modern transport is shifting toward a logical construct using any accessible hardware and connectivity services. Successful network architecture now hinges on the ability to seamlessly integrate a variety of appliances, circuits, and underlying networks into a unified, feature-rich transport network.

The Cisco converged, cloud-ready transport network architecture is a comprehensive solution designed to meet the evolving demands of 5G-Advanced and beyond. The architecture is particularly important for operators to navigate the complexities of 5G deployment, including the need for greater flexibility, scalability, and efficiency. Here’s a detailed look at its essential components:

• Converged infrastructure: Cisco’s approach involves a unified infrastructure seamlessly integrating various network services across wireline and wireless domains. This convergence is essential for supporting diverse customer types and services, from consumer-focused mobile broadband to enterprise-level solutions. The infrastructure is designed to handle all kinds of access technologies on a single network platform, including 4G, 5G, FWA, and the emerging direct satellite-to-device connectivity outlined in 3GPP’s NTN standards.
• Programmable transport and network slicing services: At the heart of Cisco’s architecture are advanced transport technologies like Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)-based VPNs and segment routing (SR), crucial for a unified, packet-switched 5G transport. These technologies enable a flexible services layer and an efficient underlay infrastructure. This layering provides essential network services like quality of service (QoS), fast route convergence, and traffic-engineered forwarding. Network slicing is also a key feature, allowing operators to offer customized, intent-based services to different user segments. This capability is vital for monetizing 5G by enabling diverse and innovative use cases.
• Cloud-ready infrastructure: Recognizing the shift toward cloud-native applications and services, Cisco’s architecture is designed to support a variety of cloud deployments, including public, private, and hybrid models. This flexibility ensures that the transport network can adapt to different cloud environments, whether workloads are on-premises or colocated. Virtual routers in the public cloud play a significant role here, providing required IP networking functions (including BGP-VPN, SR, and QoS).
• Secure and simplified operations model: Security and operational simplicity with service assurance are essential components in Cisco’s architecture. The network is designed for easy programmability and automation, which is essential for operational efficiency and cost reductions. This includes extensive telemetry and open APIs for easy integration with orchestration tools and controllers. Additionally, AI and machine learning technologies can potentially be used for real-time network visibility and actionable insights for optimizing user experience across both wireline and wireless networks.

The architecture is about current 5G capabilities and future readiness. Preparations for 5G-Advanced and the eventual transition to 6G are integral. The architecture’s design ensures operators can evolve their networks without major overhauls, thereby protecting their investment.

Cisco’s converged, cloud-ready transport network architecture offers a blend of technological innovation, operational efficiency, and flexibility, enabling operators to navigate the challenges of 5G deployment while preparing for the subsequent phases of network evolution.

Source: cisco.com

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Getting to the Core of the Digital Divide with 5G Fixed Wireless Access

Even today, there is a sizeable U.S. population without internet connectivity. The majority of this population are rural households who either lack in-home broadband service or have few options for in-home broadband. And so, for this community, affordable connectivity remains largely out of reach. While fiber broadband would be the ideal solution, developing new infrastructure and even the trenching work required for fiber remains a significant challenge for broadband connectivity providers. A number of promising policies including the Global Connect Initiative and Advancing the Deployment of Broadband Through Dig Once are offering hope. Both were launched to bring cost savings, increase access to reliable broadband, and assist with faster deployment when a conduit is already in place. These policy initiatives are meant to help realize public and economic benefits. Improving access to broadband leads to prosperity and new opportunities where service is affordable and available.

At Cisco, we believe that affordability and connectivity should not be at odds with one another. To change this dynamic, and build towards a more inclusive future, we have been working to change the economics of the internet. The digital divide came to the forefront during the shift to remote work and learning prompted by the 2020 pandemic, exposing under-served communities and their lack of access to broadband. For communities without infrastructure already trenched in the ground, the use of mobile wireless broadband has become a lifeline for remote work, learning, and even telehealth. In this new era of hybrid work, 5G mobile broadband is an effective solution for extending reliable connectivity into underserved rural and suburban areas. While mobile broadband technology has been around awhile, it is just now, at the tail end of the 4G era and the beginnings of 5G with access to new mid-band and high-band spectrum, that mobile wireless broadband is becoming a serviceable reality. Communication Service Providers (CSPs) that have been slowed or even disincentivized by the time and cost of trenching new cable are recalculating and redressing the value of the last mile using Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) service for rural and suburban communities.

Why Fixed Wireless Access?

Fixed Wireless Access is a great tool for reducing the digital divide when it comes to accessibility and affordability. The economics for providing Internet services were in need of a change and FWA offers some good ones – reducing trenching requirements, increasing serviceable area, offering self-install customer equipment (CPE), and even providing a common wireless network architecture that can serve both Fixed Wireless Access and Mobile Access services.

When considering our approach to designing 5G networks, a guiding principle has been to improve through simplification, because managing one network and one core is simpler than managing two. The architectural differences between 4G and 5G are significant and many operators saw 5G NSA as the simplest route to early 5G, where you can introduce some limited 5G functions and features on top of existing 4G infrastructure. But 5G NSA is just a half-measure, affording a small amount of the 5G goodness we hear so much about. The next step, getting to 5G SA, is a significant achievement in network transformation for the few CSPs who have managed to accomplish the task.

Growing Fixed Wireless Access from 4G to 5G

With 5G SA new service capabilities can be explored without the limitations of the legacy architecture. Take 5G Fixed Wireless Access for example, unlike previous generations’ architectures, a 5G SA’s network architecture can flexibly deploy User Plane Function (UPF) nodes to anchor a FWA subscriber’s user plane traffic for peering at the nearest edge aggregation point. Unlike a typical mobile device such as a cell phone, fixed wireless devices are meant to be always-on and connected for serving end user devices. Meaning that the latency and reliability we commonly expect from traditional wireline services is expected from fixed wireless services too.

Even though Fixed Wireless Access isn’t new and 4G LTE FWA services have existed for several years, transitioning into 5G technologies for FWA services is a big step towards achieving the scale that rivals FTTx offerings. As a matter of fact, T-Mobile has already begun scaling up their 5G Fixed Wireless Access services, smoothly transitioning from their initial 4G service offering, using our Cisco Converged Core. The process has been so smooth, that in the 2022, T-Mobile became the fastest growing Internet service provider—doubling their number of FWA customers in the past six months. With over 2 million FWA subscribers and counting, the scalability and flexibility of having a Converged Core has proven invaluable. Being able to deploy UPF nodes for Fixed Wireless Access in remote locations while managing the Session Management Function (SMF) nodes at a central site(s) is effective for scaling the network, optimizing the usage of the transport infrastructure to deliver better end-user latency

Scaling and extending Fixed Wireless Access with the flexible deployment of UPF nodes, optimizing the routing for user plane traffic.

Of course, having a Converged Core is just a piece of the 5G puzzle. A service like Fixed Wireless Access leverages the Radio Access Network (RAN), converged Software Defined Network (SDN) transport, and a whole host of policy, security, management, and automation components. Additionally, managing the spectral efficiency and capacity available on the existing network infrastructure for FWA services are important for delivering wireless broadband. It is estimated that around 70 percent of communication service providers today offer a form of Fixed Wireless Access services, most of them still using 4G LTE which delivers a fraction of the performance of fiber. Upgrading network architectures to meet the needs of new 5G services needs a smooth plan for the transition and at Cisco, we believe that can begin in the core. With a Converged Core, communication service providers can migrate from 4G to 5G without disruption while scaling to serve the needs of millions of new subscribers.

Source: cisco.com

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Supercharge 5G with Converged CRAN Architecture

Communication service providers (CSPs) are being challenged to deploy 5G in dense urban and high traffic environments while trying to optimize for cost and simplify capacity expansions. Centralized radio access network (CRAN) architectures are becoming critical as CSPs adopt mid-band and high-band spectrums to address 5G opportunities. CRAN architecture lowers capital expenditures (CapEx), simplifies operations, and enhances RAN performance with spectrum sharing technologies. CSPs need to look at their existing transport architecture to ensure that they realize these benefits by adopting CRAN.

Evolving the transport network is a first important step in adopting 5G on an existing 4G RAN network. The decision to either stay with distributed RAN (DRAN) architecture by expanding backhaul capacity or migrating to CRAN architecture with fronthaul investment is something every CSP must consider.

Cisco’s Converged SDN Transport architecture and product innovations are addressing these challenges with a unified transport architecture design. This way CSPs can adopt any deployment scenarios (CRAN, DRAN, or both) without changing the underlying transport protocols, management, and infrastructure services definition.

5G CRAN explained

4G is traditionally deployed with DRAN architecture, where radio baseband processing for each site is done locally (figure 1a). In CRAN, a large part of the radio baseband processing is done at a hub for multiple radio sites (figure 1b). In DRAN architecture, the RAN transport toward the mobile core is referred to as backhaul. In CRAN the transport network between the radio antenna and baseband processing units is referred to as fronthaul. Fronthaul has much more stringent latency, jitter, and synchronization requirements compared to backhaul.

Figure 1. 5G RAN architectures – DRAN and CRAN

There are several benefits with CRAN architecture, such as:

◉ Cost optimization: CRAN improves hardware utilization with centralized processing for multiple radio sites. It also reduces radio site footprint and optimizes power and cooling requirements.

◉ Spectrum gains: By processing multiple radio sites from a centralized hub location, it’s easier to process related functions like coordinated multipoint reception to remove inter-signal interference and implement carrier-aggregation techniques.

◉ Expansion and scale: CRAN simplifies capacity expansion, site acquisition, and deployment of heterogeneous networks to meet different business needs.

The benefits of CRAN are realized in dense urban and high traffic scenarios whereas DRAN is often more appropriate for rural and moderate traffic scenarios. CSPs need to consider their networks and traffic patterns in deciding between CRAN and DRAN adoption.

Building efficient RAN transport

CSPs are focused on building an xHaul transport architecture that allows them the flexibility to adopt DRAN or CRAN without worrying about the requirements of fronthaul, midhaul, or backhaul transport. They demand an architecture that meets the latency, jitter, and synchronization requirements of each of these transports – a flexible, programmable, and scalable 5G xHaul transport architecture.

As shown in figure 2, Cisco Converged SDN Transport, with Cisco NCS 540 and NCS 5700 series platforms, allows customers to build a 5G RAN transport that’s both scalable and flexible and can converge Layer 2 and Layer 3 services from the edge of the network. The architecture allows customers to offer various public and private 5G services covering eMBB, FWA, URLLC, and enterprise services.

Figure 2. Converged xHaul architecture

Extending segment routing to the cell site not only simplifies the protocol stack and allows intelligent traffic steering, but also enables service slicing, programmability, and automation capabilities on the architecture. Fronthaul traffic, which is mostly Layer 2, can be carried over an EVPN slice with a low latency path while non-latency sensitive traffic can be carried over a L3VPN slice to meet 5G ORAN specifications. Built using timing best practices, the architecture allows adopting any access topology without impacting time synchronization accuracy.

Cisco’s Converged SDN Transport architecture simplifies adoption of DRAN and CRAN with a deployment that’s independent of network level protocols, infrastructure services, or synchronization architecture.

5G xHaul transport with NCS 540 and NCS 5700 series

Cisco NCS 540 and NCS 5700 series deliver performance, density, and exceptional efficiency to address transport pre-aggregation as well as 5G CRAN deployments. Powered by the IOS XR network operating system, the architecture focuses on simplified operations with programmability, manageability, and automation to meet key characteristics of 5G xHaul transport.

High Density Interfaces for 5G CRAN

NCS 5700 platforms offer high density 10G, 25G, 50G, 100G, and 400G interfaces to aggregate access transport links as well as 5G DU or CU servers at 5G CRAN or far-edge.

At cell sites, NCS 540 platforms offer high density 1G, 10G, and 25G interfaces to connect mid-band and high-band radios over CPRI or eCPRI interfaces with 100G or 400G options for uplink connections.

Optical Support

Broad support of 400G and 100G QSFP-DD ZR/ZR+ optics across the NCS 540 and NCS 5700 portfolio enables CSPs to address bandwidth demand and scale through simplified network architecture.

ORAN Characteristics

The NCS 540 and NCS 5700 portfolio meets 5G xHaul ORAN specifications to support fronthaul, midhaul, or backhaul deployments on a converged architecture.

With consistent performance that meets stringent microsec latency, accurate Class C timing and support of advanced segment routing features, EVPN, and integrated GNSS, the solution helps customers deploy any use case scenario under a single plane of management.

Programmability and Automation

Starting with segment routing v6 and microSIDs-based programmable routing, the solution offers zero-touch provisioning (ZTP) and advanced streaming telemetry as well as YANG model support.

Platforms support modern protocols like gRPC, gNMI, protobuf; and tools based on Chef, Puppet, and Ansible to help customers integrate management layers and simplify operations across access transport and 5G CRAN/far-edge. Network operations teams can take early action, achieve faster remediation, and ensure guaranteed service level agreements (SLAs) for a better end-user experience.

Source: cisco.com

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Scaling the Adoption of Private Cellular Networks

1. Private Networks

Private networks are essential to every enterprise. Enterprises use private networks to integrate information systems into their operations and to continue their digital transformation through technology integration into business processes. Over the past twenty years, Wi-Fi has become an essential component of nearly every private network. Wi-Fi accelerates digital transformation and supports a wide variety of enterprise-specific value propositions.

Back in the early 2000s, Cisco’s own analysis estimated that Wi-Fi adoption by its employees was resulting in staff being 86 minutes more productive per day than their tethered counterparts. More recently, analysis of Wi-Fi adoption by retailers indicates improvements in top and bottom lines, with positive impact on customer loyalty, increased insights through the use of wireless network analytics and increased sales. Other examples include industrial predictive maintenance use cases that are delivering 10-20% increases in equipment uptime and 5-10% decreases in overall maintenance costs. One report indicates that Wi-Fi is being used in 34% of such deployments across different industry sectors. Finally, in sports and entertainment, digitization is transforming the fan experience. At the SoFi stadium, the private network uses a massive deployment of more than 2500 Cisco Access Points to deliver the fastest and most reliable fan experience, that is reported to have resulted in the most digitally engaged set of spectators.

Across all verticals, from carpeted office, through to retail, manufacturing and sports and entertainment, Wi-Fi based private networks have proved themselves adept at supporting the widest range of business needs and value chains.

2. Complementary wide-area cellular technology

In parallel with enterprise adoption of local-area Wi-Fi networks, several industry segments have integrated cellular wide-area technology into their business processes. The earliest use cases adopting wide-area cellular technology have focused on the benefits offered by the wide area coverage offered by public cellular providers. In contrast to the local-area private Wi-Fi networks, public cellular coverage supports nationwide service. Phone based systems that connect vehicle users have always been an important segment for public cellular providers. But now we see integration of cellular modem technologies into the latest utility meter offerings, where the cellular connectivity is able to provide near real time visibility of energy consumption to utility customers. The wide area coverage ensures that a uniform solution can be offered across a particular geography.

Transportation systems that integrate cellular modems leverage the same wide area capability. The latest connected warning signs now benefit from secure connectivity from road-side control cabinets to the central data centre. Fleet management solutions use wide area cellular connectivity to improve vehicle maintenance, lower fuel consumption as well as automated logging of odometers, rev-meters and accelerometers.

Over the years, public cellular providers have adapted their product and services to enable a range of different verticals to integrate cellular modems that benefit from wide area connectivity into their business processes while supporting a range of different business relevant value propositions.

3. The emergence of private metropolitan-area cellular networks

The coverage advantage of public cellular systems has driven adoption by those use cases that necessitate national or international coverage. So called “metropolitan area network” use cases can similarly benefit from this coverage advantage. One of the earliest examples of such is the Australian regulator ACMA that permits use of 3GPP defined 1800 MHz cellular frequencies for supporting point-to-multipoint systems for private networks in regional and remote areas of Australia. This has led to the adoption of private cellular networks by mining and energy companies that have operations that span over significant distances and where the increased range of cellular based point-to-multipoint systems offer clear advantages compared to local Wi-Fi based unlicensed alternatives.

In the US, many utility companies used to operate private metropolitan-area networks based on WiMAX technology. These have now transitioned to private LTE based systems, enabled by the recent innovation in spectrum licensing associated with CBRS. Now airports are using these new licenses to operate private LTE networks, leveraging the extended range offered by cellular frequencies to enable better coverage of the apron where aircraft are parked to support baggage and maintenance use-cases.

In the UK, from 2019, Ofcom took the decision to augment its approach to licensing spectrum for cellular operation, with the introduction of shared access to spectrum for a newly introduced 5G band. The specific 5G band covers 400 MHz of spectrum between 3.8 and 4.2 GHz. Ofcom’s rationale for the novel approach was to “enable the deployment of private networks with greater control over security, resilience and reliability”. Ofcom has made two types of local license available:

◉ a low power license that authorizes the licensee to deploy as many radio access points within a 50 metre radius of a defined reference point. The radio access points have a maximum emitted power of 24 dBm (for a 20 MHz carrier) and an antenna height limited to 10 metres above ground.

◉ a medium power licensed that authorizes the licensee to deploy a single radio access point at a defined rural location where the radio access point has a maximum emitted power of 42 dBm (for a 20 MHz carrier).

Previously businesses wanting to benefit from integrating cellular service into their business operations had to engage with public cellular operators that had been licensed exclusive spectrum. Now, these new regulatory approaches are allowing businesses to deploy local and metropolitan cellular systems independently of public operators.

4. Standardization of 3GPP Non-Public Networks

5G is targeted at fulfilling the requirements from different industrial segments. In order to meet such expectations, 3GPP Release 16 defines enhancements to the 5G system to support Non-Public Networks (NPNs). This introduces two new cellular identifiers, a Non-Public Network Identity (NID) and a Closed Access Group Identity (CAG-ID), enabling devices to perform non-public network identification, discovery and selection as well as enabling the NPN to implement access controls. In release 16, the NPN can be deployed in two different configurations:

◉ “stand-alone” mode (S-NPN) where the NPN is deployed in isolation of a public cellular network, and

◉ in“public network integrated” mode (PNI-NPN) where the NPN leverages 5GS functionality delivered by the public cellular network, including SIM/identity management.

The PNI-NPN deployment can, subject to agreed policies, enable an enterprise device to seamlessly transition between the NPN access network and the public cellular network. In contrast, the Release 16 S-NPN is considered isolated from other networks. However, release 17 has seen further enhancements with the ability for a device to access the S-NPN using credentials owned by a separate credential holder (CH) entity. The credential holder can be a private enterprise, or can be a public cellular operator, enabling a SIM-based public cellular identity to be used to authenticate a device on an S-NPN. Note, whereas such a scenario would conventionally be referred to as “roaming”, 3GPP’s use of roaming is limited to using another public cellular operator’s visited network and hence 3GPP refers to authentication between S-NPN and CH as “interworking”.

These latest NPN capabilities, when coupled with the new approaches to licensing cellular frequencies, are specifically aimed at broadening the applicability of private cellular networks to the widest range of businesses.

5. Operating inter-connected networks

Operating interconnections between networks, be that peering interconnect, an ISP service or roaming, always requires a technical framework and a financial framework that are referenced in terms defined in legal agreements agreed between parties.

The GSM Association came into existence to drive matters essential for the implementation of a pan European roaming service. Since its inception back in the 1990s, GSMA’s remit has since broadened to address services and solutions that underpin interoperability and make mobile work across the world. Serving its operator members, GSMA defines how to operationalize the roaming reference points defined by 3GPP to enable their operator members to support international roaming. This includes defining international roaming agreements, operating systems to enable collecting and sharing roaming related business and technical information, and procedures that enable the exchange of roaming signalling between different operators.

In contrast to the unified inter-operator cellular system operationalized by GSMA, historically the private wireless industry has taken a decentralized approach, with each individual wireless hotspot provider defining their own legal terms and getting end-users to agree to those before being able to access via the private network. This decentralized approach has not inhibited private wireless hotspot adoption, with some estimates of over 500 million Wi-Fi hotspots available worldwide. However, more recently it has inhibited usage, as users avoid the required user engagement necessary to accept the hotspot’s legal terms.

6. Scalability

How to scale interconnect is a significant issue for private networks. While GSMA has been successful in scaling roaming between the 800 public cellular operators, there are still challenges in scaling GSMA interconnect. This requires the use of roaming hub providers to scale operations. Importantly, such hub models are predicated on the use of financially settled service that can be used to pay for the services of the roaming hub provider. In contrast, the businesses that have deployed private wireless networks frequently do not require financial remuneration from another enterprise in exchange for providing access, be that from a third party private enterprise or a public cellular operator. Without financial remuneration to enable conventional hub models, an alternative approach to scaling may be required for private networks.

Another key aspect of scaling private networks is related to the dimensioning of inter-connected signalling that is a function of the geographical coverage of the private wireless access network and the number of subscribers served by a particular credential holder. Public cellular networks provide nationwide coverage to 10s of millions of subscribers. Such scale drives significant roaming signalling traffic between cellular providers that enable assumptions related to longevity of signalling connections to be embedded into technical procedures that support bidirectional signalling between all public cellular operators. In contrast, early data from the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) on adoption of its OpenRoaming federation, a system designed to operate with private wireless networks, indicates that dimensioning in private deployments may be as low as one thousandth of that experienced by a conventional public cellular network.

With some forecasting 1 million private cellular networks by the end of the decade, a thousand times the current number of public cellular networks, we can anticipate the future scalability challenges of being able to support 1000 times more networks, each with 1/1000th of the signalling load.

7. Interconnecting 3GPP Non-Public Networks

The opportunity of being able to interconnect 3GPP Non-Public Networks with third party systems is aimed at fulfilling 5G’s opportunity at serving different industrial segments. The challenges faced include defining the technical framework to simplify adoption of interconnect functionality, agreeing procedures that are amenable to the administrators of information technology (IT) and operation technology (OT) systems in separate businesses while simultaneously supporting the unique scaling attributes of private networks and separate credential holders.

Complementing the technical framework, a legal framework that enables legal teams in private enterprises, individual credential holders and public cellular operators to scale is required. The legal terms need to ensure cellular devices, be that end-user smartphones or embedded cellular modems, experience a great service when using the private wireless networks. Finally, the interconnect systems should not assume that financial remuneration for providing wireless service is going to be available to fund the operation of hubs to scale interconnect across the millions of private networks.

Simplification and scaling of private 5G solutions is going to be critical to ensure the full potential of 5G can be harnessed. The 5G DRIVE (Diversified oRAN Integration & Vendor Evaluation) project led by Virgin Media O2 and part-funded by the UK DCMS, Cisco and co-partners is targeted at defining the use of the new 5G Security Edge Protection Proxy (SEPP) roaming interface to connect public and private 5G networks. Cisco is invested in solving the key problem of how best to integrate private 3GPP Non-Public Networks with established public cellular networks, affordably, securely and at scale. Cisco will use its membership of the 5GDrive project to showcase its 5G-as-a-Service offer that is aimed at lowering the barriers to adoption for 3GPP Non-Public Networks as well sharing key learnings from its incubation of the OpenRoaming systems from an internal Cisco proof-of-concept to an industry standard supporting roaming across over a million private hotspots. Watch out for upcoming blogs where we will be sharing more information about proof of concept demonstrations of how SEPP-based roaming could be adapted to lower barriers to adoption for private enterprises.

Source: cisco.com

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Why Isn’t your 5G RAN Transport Flexible and Efficient?

5G services can’t succeed without flexible, efficient, and programmable transport. To support and capitalize on 5G services, 5G RAN transport architectures have evolved to support virtualization and slicing, strict latency, jitter, stringent synchronization, and multi-cloud interconnect architectures. Recent Cisco innovations have focused on segment routing and IPv6 to improve network reliability with traffic engineering and to simplify network complexity with programmable transport, providing 5G transport operators with more control and the ability to build performance-based service level agreements (SLAs).

SRv6 microSID for converged public and private 5G

A virtualized radio access network (RAN) architecture allows operators to rapidly and flexibly allocate resources across public and private 5G deployments. To accelerate time to market and bridge the skills gap, communication service providers (CSPs) are choosing to deploy their services in partnership with hyperscale cloud providers (HCPs). Additionally, as data centers move from centralized to distributed to increase coverage and reduce potential performance issues with cloud-based services, an agile and scalable transport network is critical as part of a hybrid or multi-cloud strategy.

Figure 1. CSP architecture transition to hybrid or public cloud

Flexible service placement requires traffic engineering and end-to-end service quality assurance from the transport network. As well, transport slicing is critical to maintain guaranteed service quality and offer RAN service differentiation.

Figure 2. Transport slicing awareness for service experience

Slice awareness between the radio and the 5G core network is addressed by 3GPP specifications. To select the most optimal user plane function (UPF) demands, the underlying transport network must also be slice aware. Specific slice characteristics are dependent on the underlay 5G transport and how it allocates resources. The network can inspect slice information like the VLAN or ethernet header, classify the radio traffic to different slices, and allocate transport resources to meet varying levels of service from latency sensitive to best effort.

Figure 3. Enabling multi-service support starting from the edge of the network

SRv6 excels when the network has many interconnected end points and complex traffic engineering requirements. It brings programmability to the 5G transport architecture. The packet processing program is expressed as a list of instructions which are represented as 128-bit segments called segment identifier (SID). In complex traffic engineering, there are scenarios that may require carrying several segments in the IPv6 packet headers. Reducing this overhead is useful to minimize the packet maximum transfer unit (MTU) and enable SRv6 on legacy hardware devices with limited processing capabilities.

The microSID (uSID) introduces extensions to the SRv6 programming model with each 16-byte SID able to carry micro-instructions called uSID. uSID are represented with two bytes, and up to six uSIDs can be carried in a SID.

SRv6 uSID benefits

With SRv6 uSID, the network can be programmed to handle complex scenarios with simplicity. This additional programmability comes with several advantages:

◉ No change to SRv6 control plane, data plane, or segment routing header (SRH)

◉ Any SID in the SID list can carry a uSID

◉ An SID can carry up to six program instructions

◉ No routing extension required to support

The result is an ultra-scalable network able to support multi-domain deployments with minimal MTU overhead.

SRv6 microSID and O-RAN ALLIANCE Plugfest

Cisco partnered with Keysight Technologies to successfully validate O-RAN ALLIANCE-specified 5G RAN traffic on an SRv6 microSID-based programmable 5G xHaul transport network. Traffic characteristics like latency, jitter, synchronization, and network convergence were measured for each service slice over a multihop ring topology architecture.

Figure 4. O-RAN ALLIANCE Plugfest Validation Environment

In the validation test, latency sensitive fronthaul control plane traffic was carried with an SRv6-uSID-based L2 transport slice over EVPN. Non-latency sensitive management traffic was carried with an SRv6 uSID-based L3 transport slice over L3VPN. Synchronization was provided by an aggregation router to all nodes including radio units and distributed units. The Keysight Novus tester was used to simulate multiple radio units and distributed units, while the Keysight Metronome Timing System (MTS) was used to measure synchronization accuracy and relative timing.

SRv6 microSID instructions programmed the network to ensure service assurance for each slice and traffic type with the following results:

◉ Latency sensitive slice: 11us and average jitter of ~600ns

◉ Non-latency sensitive slice: 28us

◉ Relative timing accuracy between radio nodes: <30ns relative |TE|

◉ Service convergence during transport link failure: <22ms

These results confirm that the 5G xHaul architecture with SRv6 microSID meets all characteristics defined by eCPRI, O-RAN, ITU-T, and 3GPP standards for fronthaul, midhaul, and backhaul traffic over converged multihop transport architecture.

Source: cisco.com

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Stop DDoS at the 5G Network Edge

The increase in bandwidth demand and access to engaging online content has led to a rapid expansion of 5G technology deployments. This combination of increased demand from a multitude of user equipment devices (laptops, mobile phones, tablets) and rapid technology deployment has created a diverse threat surface potentially affecting the availability and sustainability of desired low latency outcomes (virtual reality, IoT, online gaming, etc.). One of the newer threats is an attack from rogue or BoT-controlled IoT and user equipment devices designed to flood the network with diverse flows at the access layer, potentially exposing the entire network to a much larger DDoS attack.

With the new Cisco Secure DDoS Edge Protection solution, communication service providers (CSPs) now have an efficient DDoS detection and mitigation solution that can thwart attacks right at the access layer. The solution focuses on 5G deployments, providing an efficient attack detection and mitigation solution for GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP) traffic. This will help prevent malicious traffic from penetrating deeper into a CSP network. To achieve the quality of experience (QoE) targets that customers demand in 5G networks, architectures should include the following features:

◉ Remove access level anomalies at the cell site router (CSR) to preserve QoE for users accessing 5G applications

◉ Remediate user equipment anomalies on the ingress port of the CSR to remove overages in backhaul resources like microwave backhaul

◉ Automate both east-west and north-south attack life cycles to remove collateral damage on the network and to preserve application service level agreements for customers

Figure 1. DDoS attack protection at the 5G network edge

The Cisco Secure DDoS Edge Protection solution offers the ability to detect and mitigate the threats as close to the source as possible – the edge. It features a docker container (detector) integrated into IOS XR and a centralized controller. The system is also air gapped and requires no connectivity outside of the CSP network to operate. The controller performs lifecycle management of the detector, orchestration of detectors across multiple CSRs, and aggregation of telemetry and policy across the network. Having the container integrated into IOS XR allows services to be pushed to the edge to meet availability and QoE requirements for 5G services, while the controller provides a central nervous system for delivering secure outcomes for 5G. Important threats addressed by the Cisco Secure DDoS Edge Protection solution include IoT Botnets, DNS attacks, burst attacks, layer 7 application attacks, attacks inside of GTP tunnels, and reflection and amplification attacks.

Figure 2. Edge protection solution on the Cisco Network Convergence System (NCS) 540

Moving the DDoS attack detection and mitigation agent to the CSR helps speed up the attack response and can lower overall latency. Additionally, efficiency enhancements have been made to the solution in the following ways:

◉ GTP flows are first extracted at the ASIC layer using user-defined filters (UDFs) in IOS XR before they are sampled for NetFlow. This allows more attack bandwidth protection with the same sampling rate.

◉ Tunnel endpoint Identifiers (TEIDs) of GTP flows are extracted and included in the NetFlow data.

◉ Extracted NetFlow data is exported to the detector on the router and formatted using Google Protocol buffers.

Given that the NetFlow data doesn’t need to be exported to a centralized entity and is consumed locally on the router, faster attack detection and mitigation is possible.

Source: cisco.com

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Enhancing Government Outcomes with Integrated Private 5G

Enhancing Government Outcomes with Integrated Private 5G

Private 5G is now ready to be part of your enterprise wireless communications transformation strategy. While there has been extensive focus on ultra-wideband gigabit speeds from public Mobile Network Operators, there are even greater government expectations for 5G capabilities to assure the quality of service and empower new mission-critical use cases. 3GPP standards are enabling delivery of capabilities in three strategic 5G areas: enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communications (URLLC), and massive Machine Type Communications (mMTC). Private 5G is uniquely capable of addressing critical communications requiring interference-free spectrum, high throughput and/or low latency deterministic data delivery, and the ability to transfer terabytes of data without a metered service plan. The result will be a wide range of advanced public and private network wireless capabilities for high-definition video, advanced command and control, autonomous vehicles, and addressing previously overwhelming quantities of sensor data.

Private 5G Fundamentals

Cisco’s Private 5G solution is built on service provider class technology, tailored and optimized for enterprise consumption. For decades, Cisco has powered cellular networks around the world through advanced IP transport and 3GPP standards-based components, including our industry-leading Mobile Packet Core. Our new Private 5G solution delivers Wi-Fi-like simplicity through a cloud-native platform built on a services-based architecture and micro-services infrastructure. The solution offers a zero-touch delivery approach to on-premises elements that provide wireless connectivity between user devices and applications, while ensuring organizational and local data sovereignty. Cisco’s proven IoT platform manages the on-premises elements allowing for rapid turn-up and delivery of services, reducing government 5G learning curves and on-boarding burdens.

Better Together – An Enterprise Wireless Approach

An integrated private wireless strategy for Private 5G and Wi-Fi6 working together can deliver near-term transformative innovation as well as optimal user experiences and new mission-critical capabilities for the next generation of government mobility.

Bringing Private 5G enterprise mobility together with Enterprise IT and existing wireless infrastructures will ensure optimal quality of service, ubiquity of access, and enhanced security for mobile users. This integrated enterprise wireless approach, as depicted in the above picture, also enables the alignment and delivery of enterprise operational and security policies across your entire communications ecosystem. This “better together” story makes even more sense when you consider the vast majority of current 5G connections for voice and data access occur indoors, often where an existing Wi-Fi environment can be leveraged.

Better Together Outcomes – Optimized Experience / Minimized Costs

“Better Together” is a commonsense approach for government organizations that are bringing 5G into existing communications environments and complements the significant wireless investments that most government organizations have already made. And what could be more important in this age of hybrid work? A recent example: working in partnership with Dish Wireless, Cisco has teamed with Internet2 and Duke University to integrate Duke’s campus wireless network with Internet2’s upgraded fifth-generation national research and education network. “Rather than providing two separate infrastructures throughout campuses for cellular and Wi-Fi, the holy grail has always been for a single, common network delivering both cellular and high-speed private Wi-Fi,” said Tracy Futhey, VP and CIO at Duke University.”

This ability to deliver the right wireless technology to optimize overall experience and performance and to ensure enhanced and cost-effective mission and business outcomes are essential for government enterprises focused on user experience and security (and also meeting multiple Executive Orders and President’s Management Agenda requirement mandates).

Key Zero Trust and Security Considerations

Comprehensive, real-time visibility is needed across the wireless enterprise for optimal automation, orchestration, and performance and more importantly, delivering zero trust security. The “better together” approach fully supports Zero Trust mandates to continuously verify trust as called out in both federal mandates and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) Zero Trust Maturity Model. This integrated Private 5G and Wi-Fi 6 approach:

◉ Enables optimal Visibility & Analytics and Automation & Orchestration to better protect workloads, applications, and data;

◉ Ensures access control is as granular as possible to isolate user environments, applications, and data;

◉ Provides richer data for more effective anomalous activity mitigation.

Source: cisco.com

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Private 5G Delivered on Your Terms

Private 5G is a hot topic as enterprises seek industrial wireless IoT solutions to modernize their business for increased productivity and efficiency. In newly emerging cases, wired solutions are not enough, such as in sectors like hospitality where “protected buildings” limit running new cables. For manufacturing and other industries, critical processes like robotic assembly of essential parts (jet turbines, automotive transmissions, or medical devices) and autonomously guided vehicles need a very low-latency, high-reliability solution like private 5G, particularly when those processes co-exist with humans.

On Feb. 3, 2022, we introduced Cisco Private 5G as part of “The Network. Powering Hybrid Work” launch. During this event, we shared our view that the future of hybrid work expands beyond people collaborating with people and now includes people collaborating with things. We now begin to share many attractive use cases for introducing private 5G alongside Wi-Fi into the enterprise networks. As we move towards Mobile World Congress (MWC) at the end of February, we’ll reveal more about our private 5G go-to-market strategies and discuss exciting new opportunities for our global service provider partners.

Connecting everyone and everything

Wireless networking and IoT will transform industries by digitalizing Operational Technology (OT) just as profoundly as the cloud transformed Information Technology (IT). And enterprises are already waiting in anticipation, with a 2021 GSMA Intelligence market report showing that a combination of digital transformation and labor shortages is expected to see enterprise IoT connections quadruple to 23.6 billion by 2030, accounting for 63 percent of total IoT connections. With all the pieces in place, companies with a strategy to converge their IT and OT operations will experience significant gains in productivity and efficiency, creating a major competitive advantage.

With the convergence of IT and OT, hybrid work becomes about connecting everyone and everything. Delivering IoT at scale is just as important as connecting people, allowing hybrid workers to gain access to sensors, monitors, robots, and more. Our vision of the future of work is built on wireless through a combination of private 5G and Wi-Fi, where enterprises can modernize, automate their operations, and benefit from the resulting productivity gains.

But making the change is not easy. There are all kinds of confusing options right now, so where do you begin? We can help by delivering a private 5G solution on your terms.

What separates Cisco Private 5G from the rest?

We believe the competitors are going about it the wrong way. They would have you adopt a complex, carrier-centric 5G solution that’s radically different from what you already know and use. Some even ignore Wi-Fi entirely. As the top enterprise networking, wireless, security, Industrial IoT, and collaboration IT vendor, we know how to build a solution that fits your enterprise needs, where Cisco Private 5G is integrated with Wi-Fi and existing IT operations environments. This makes your transformation easy, and we’re the only vendor to empower enterprise customers to extend what they already own and understand into new possibilities.

We know the many different technology choices and complexity of operating such an environment can make it difficult to start. It’s hard to commit financially to a new technology with so many uncertainties. Even the most visionary business leaders may hesitate to avoid making a wrong decision. With Cisco as your partner, you can feel confident you’ve made the right choice because our private 5G solution is ‘Simple to Start’, ‘Intuitive to Operate’, and ‘Trusted’ for enterprise digital transformation.

Simple to start

◉ The journey begins with a qualified business consultation.

◉ You don’t have to choose between 5G and Wi-Fi – you can use both, protecting your current investments and strategies.

◉ With your business goals in hand, a premium partner will perform a site survey to scope the necessary networking and radio coverage to support the intended IoT use case(s).

◉ Cisco Private 5G networks will be Cisco Validated Designs (CVD).

◉ Our “pay-as-you-use” subscription model means that you and your deployment partners will have minimal up-front infrastructure costs, so no matter how small the start or how massive the goal, costs remain in line with value. By comparison, traditional purchasing models force you to “spend a lot and wait” for productivity or profitability.

Intuitive to operate

◉ A simple management portal integrates and aligns with existing enterprise tools. We handle all the complexities of the 3GPP mobile network stack.

◉ Enterprise IT teams get a complete picture of their network and devices. You can maintain policy and identity across wired and wireless network domains for simplified operations.

◉ AI/ML-based management tools can identify unexpected behavior patterns and potential issues, making it easy to proactively take intelligent actions. Intelligent analytics increase effectiveness, minimize exposure time and reduce damage.

◉ Many problems in the network stem from outdated software, and nearly all are avoidable. As a continuously improving service, our private 5G software releases are automatically maintained from the cloud, ensuring the latest functions and security updates are in place.

Trusted

◉ As the No. 1 provider for connectivity, collaboration, industrial IoT, and IoT-connected cars, enterprises trust our technology, products, and services.

◉ Cloud-native architecture allows Cisco Private 5G to flexibly support different deployment models. Components may reside in the cloud, distributed edge, or on premises depending on needs for extra reliability or data privacy.

Source: cisco.com

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O-RAN Plugfest 2021: Making 5G Adoption Cost-Effective for Brownfield Providers

5G adoption is causing mobile networks to grow at unprecedented rates. This brings with it significant new business opportunities but can also increase the complexity and cost of deployment and operations. An intelligent, programmable network enables communication service providers to take advantage of the growth that 5G offers while streamlining their operations to maximize return on investment.

Cisco is addressing these challenges head-on with our industry-leading NCS 500 portfolio. New enhancements enable simultaneous support of both traditional architectures RAN and open, virtualized RAN, with full interoperability.

Challenges for Brownfield Operators

Using an open architecture provides many cost benefits to service providers, leveraging a Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) based infrastructure, automation features, and an open ecosystem to promote a competitive market.

While it is relatively easy for greenfield service providers to adopt 5G open RAN interfaces and architectures, it is extremely difficult for brownfield operators who have already widely deployed 4G.

One of the main challenges for brownfield operators is the lack of interoperability available when using legacy RAN interfaces with an open RAN solution. Replacing all existing 4G CPRI radios in the network with eCPRI based radios is not feasible, which makes adoption of an open RAN and DU virtualization very difficult.

When 4G and 5G are being deployed in the same cell site but running on two different architectures (proprietary 4G eNB and virtualized open 5G DU), it is cost-prohibitive for the provider.

Brownfield Interoperability

Cisco has been working with various Standard Development Organizations (SDO) to define an open and fully interoperable 5G RAN architecture.

Through collaboration, we were able to create a solution that could seamlessly integrate legacy radios on Cisco’s Converged SDN Transport architecture, while also standardizing the specifications to make it fully interoperable.

As a contribution to the O-RAN ALLIANCE, we drove the creation of an open Fronthaul gateway specification (O-RAN.WG7.FHGW-HRD.0-v02.00) to address deployment challenges for brownfield providers. This specification allows legacy CPRI based radios to communicate with open RAN 7.2x eCPRI based DU.

Cisco NCS 540 Fronthaul Routers, a key element to the Converged SDN Transport architecture, provide an open and programmable solution to host RAN network functions like Fronthaul Gateway (FHGW) and RAN resource configuration.

O-RAN PlugFest in India

We were able to demonstrate this successful integration during the O-RAN Global PlugFest 2021 hosted by Bharti Airtel in India. Through our multivendor demo, Cisco NCS 540 platform hosted the FHGW network function provided by VVDN technologies and verified the solution using Keysight Open RAN Studio and Signal Analyzer.

Fig: O-RAN PlugFest demo setup at Bharti Airtel

Cisco’s solution approach is vendor agnostic, helping service providers to consolidate functions, optimize network inventory, and reduce the cost of deployment.

FHGW allows seamless integration of legacy radios to ORAN 7.2x DU enabling operators to adopt ORAN architecture for existing 4G networks. Although the FHGW is deployed at the cell site, it can provide approximately nine times the optimization to transport bandwidth in a centralized RAN architecture.

Open hardware and API definition helps overcome proprietary dependencies of RAN functions and allows seamless integration in a multi-vendor environment.

A programmable platform promotes innovation and protects investment. The same platform can be programmed to function as a Fronthaul MUX / De-MUX for shared cell deployment.

Joint European O-RAN and TIP PlugFest

Cisco also participated in the O-RAN European PlugFest 2021 hosted by TIM OTIC laboratory in Torino, Italy. We were challenged to build two end-to-end, interoperability solutions leveraging multi-vendor O-DU / O-CU radio software components and O-RU elements for both 4G (LTE B7) and 5G (n3, n78).

In both cases, the NCS 540 Series Router was used to provide packet-based fronthaul to connect O-RU to O-DU and to distribute timing and synchronization taken from the TIM network to O-RU using PTP and SyncE protocols according to the O-RAN LLS-C3 model.

We successfully demonstrated compliance to O-RAN transport characteristics in multivendor environments including time synchronization, packet fronthaul, latency and jitter, telemetry, and packet-based fronthaul network automation.

Powering Open, Virtualized RAN in Brownfield Deployments Today

As service providers continue to deploy 5G, the benefits of adopting a virtualized RAN are becoming increasingly evident. By providing secure and zero-touch infrastructure over a resilient transport architecture, we can simplify the deployment of virtualized DU servers at cell sites.

Virtualized infrastructure requires the following interfaces for management and zero-touch operations:

1. Out of Band (OOB) interface for server management and infrastructure onboarding

2. The management interface for server, radio, and virtual DU OAM

3. Management interfaces for Kubernetes or virtual machine infrastructure and container management.

Secure infrastructure using well-defined quality of service (QoS) is key to ensuring traffic protection and traceability in a multivendor environment. Cisco NCS 540 Series Routers are based on proven hardware and software, which is necessary to provide a secure environment for cell site virtualization.

A mature QoS architecture provides traffic separation and defined service protection. Secure and encrypted algorithms support SSH, AAA, DHCP, ZTP, SNMP, IPv4/IPv6, MACsec, IPsec, gRPC, MPP, and rich access control list features.

Cisco secure zero-touch provisioning enables a secure automation framework not only for the router but also for virtualized DU and open Radio deployment at the cell site.

Programmability and Automation

Cisco offers a flexible and programmable architecture that service providers can begin to take advantage of today. With rich streaming telemetry support, networks can be monitored with streamed configuration and operational telemetry data on a centralized data virtualization tool. The platform provides extensive support for YANG and IETF Models, and OpenConfig.

With open management interfaces and APIs, we can enable end-to-end network management functions through the operational lifecycle of the brownfield cell site. Cisco offers off-the-shelf and customized Cisco Network Services Orchestrator (NSO) function packs to automate the provisioning of each mobile network domain including radio, virtualized functions, and transport.

Committed to Continued Innovation

Cisco continues to focus on technological enhancements that will help brownfield service providers reduce deployment costs. By providing a transport infrastructure that is open, programmable, secure, and verified against standards, we are empowering providers to seamlessly adopt virtualization and open, disaggregated RAN solutions in multivendor environments.

Source: cisco.com

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