LTE Advanced Pro

12MBB Service – 5G Integration

12.1. Deployment options

Like in previous generations, the 3GPP standard organization defines a 5G core network (5GC) and a 5G radio access network (5G NR).

Unlike previous generations which simultaneously deployed the core network and the radio access network, the fifth generation allows the integration of fourth generation (4G) elements in different configurations:

• – standalone (SA) configuration: the connection of the radio access network to the core network is set up for the user plane and the control plane;
• – non-standalone (NSA) configuration: the connection of the radio access network to the core network is set up only for the user plane.

Option 2 corresponds to an SA configuration, for which the 5G NR connects to the 5GC.

Option 5 corresponds to an SA configuration, for which the evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) connects to the 5GC.

The NSA configuration implements the dual connectivity (DC) architecture, which has the following characteristics:

• – the master radio access network connects to the core network for the control plane and the user plane;
• – the secondary radio access network connects to the core network only for the user plane;
• – the master radio access network controls the secondary radio access network.

Option 3 corresponds to the NSA configuration EN-DC (E-UTRA-NR DC) for which the E-UTRAN is the master radio access network and the 5G NR is the secondary radio access network. The connection ...