5G Architecture, Design, Protocols, Evolution, and Deployment

Course details

Get a comprehensive overview of 5G technology, and discover its fundamental concepts, key service areas, technical capabilities, and architectural evolution from legacy telecom networks. Analyze the 5G radio access network (RAN) and core network (5GC), and explore 5G new radio (NR), transport architecture, and service-based core functions (AMF, SMF, UPF). The course examines 5G physical layer technologies, including spectrum allocation, frame structure, resource grid, modulation schemes, and scheduling mechanisms for optimal resource utilization. Learn how to design and evaluate 5G network performance, calculating coverage, throughput, and latency, while optimizing deployment strategies such as standalone vs. non-standalone, carrier aggregation, and dual connectivity. Additionally, learn to interpret 5G signaling procedures, including initial access, registration, call setup, QoS management, and network slicing, while comparing different deployment scenarios.

Concepts

Introduction

Introduction to 5G

5G Overview

5G fundamentals
5G key service areas
5G technical capabilities

5G Architecture

Telecom network overview
Telecom network architecture
Building blocks of 5G
Network architecture - Traditional vs. 5G
Radio access network (RAN)
5G New Radio (NR) architecture
Transport network architecture
Service-aware transport network
5G core (5GC) network

5G New Radio (NR)

5G spectrum
5G NR frame structure
5G resource grid
NR downlink signals and channels
5G NR initial access
Synchronization signal block
Bandwidth parts (BWP)
Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA)
Modulation
Modulation and coding schemes
Duplex
Scheduler - Resource allocation
Scheduler modes

5G NR Design and Planning

Spectrum - Frequency ranges
Subcarrier selection
SUL and deployment scenarios
5G coverage planning - Downlink (DL)
5G coverage - Link DL budget calculation
5G coverage planning - Uplink (UL)
5G coverage - Detailed uplink budget calculation
5G peak data rate (throughput) planning
5G peak data rate (throughput) calculation
5G peak data rate (throughput) different modes
5G user plane latency
5G user plane latency calculations

5G NR Protocols

5G RAN protocol stack
Physical layer - DL overview
Layer 1 - Physical downlink control channel (PDCCH)
Simulation - PDCCH
Physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)
Simulation - Physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)
Physical uplink control channel (PUCCH)
Physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH)
Simulation - PUCCH and PUSCH
Layer 2 - Data flow
Layer 2 functions - RLC
Layer 2 functions - MAC
Layer 2 - PDCP
Layer 2 - SDAP
Radio protocol architecture
Layer 3 - RRC and its states

5G Core (5GC)

Core network architecture and reference points
Service-based architecture
HTTP 2 protocol
AMF - Access and mobility management function
AMF hierarchy
Session management function (SMF)
User plane function (UPF)
Policy control function (PCF)
Unified data management (UDM)
Network data analytics function (NWDAF)
Network slice selection function (NSSF)
Network repository function (NRF)
5G core (5GC) network protocols
NFV and orchestration overview
5GC NFV management and orchestration

5G Call Flows - Registration, PDU Establishment, and QoS Flow

Initial access and registration
5G call setup flow
Key steps during the call setup
RRC functions
RRC states
UE state transitions
RRC idle and connected modes
Registration messages
NSSAI
Network slice selection during registration
AMF selection and NSSAI handling
Context setups in 5G
Initial context setup flow
PDU session establishment
Quality of service (QoS)
PDU session and QoS flow management
Data radio bearers (DRB)

5G Deployment - SA vs. NSA

FR1 and FR2 comparisons, characteristics, and use cases
5G deployment options
5G deployment options, part two
SA architecture (option two) and its benefits
Applications of SA
NSA architecture (option three) - EN-DC
Key components and interfaces - EN-DC
NSA benefits and limitations, compared to SA

Dual Connectivity

What is dual connectivity
Primary cell (PCell)
PCell roles
Primary secondary cell (PSCell)
Role of PSCell
EN-DC workflow
NR-DC concepts and connectivity
DC deployment scenarios

Carrier Aggregation (CA) in NSA and SA

CA overview
CA deep dive
CA support in NSA and SA
Dual connectivity and carrier aggregation
SCell configuration
EN-DC and CA
DC and CA deployment scenario
Considerations - UE and NW for CA
Scheduling in DC and CA
Mobility management in DC and CA
CA vs. DC

Conclusion

Next steps