Rainer Liebhart’s research while affiliated with Nokia and other places

Mobile communications have been undergoing a generational change every ten years. While 5G network deployments are maturing, significant efforts are being made to standardize 6G, which is expected to be commercially introduced by 2030. This paper provides unique perspectives on the 6G network (radio and core) architecture(s) from the anticipated 6G use cases to meet the necessary performance requirements. To cater for the key 6G use cases, the 6G architecture must integrate different network-level functions in a multiplicity of virtual cloud environments, leveraging the advancements of distributed processing, artificial intelligence, and securely integrating different sub-networks e.g., terrestrial, and non-terrestrial networks into the overall 6G network. This paper characterizes the impact of 6G architectures from a deployment perspective with backwards compatibility in mind.

Technology innovation for the sixth generation (6G) era should focus on improving quality of life by addressing societal needs, advancing human experience with the fusion of digital and physical worlds, and achieving a sustainable well-being. The 6G networks are expected to bring higher capacity and coverage combined with dependable real-time properties but must additionally be able to control the balance between quality of service (QoS) and quality of experience (QoE). QoS is the ability to offer measurable performance, reliable delivery to connect people and things. QoE is a way to measure the quality of a service as perceived by the end user, enabling a more customer/user-centric network design approach for end user services. To provide excellent QoS, accurate estimation of QoE and corrective measures to adapt QoS to maintain acceptable QoE from the end-user perspective will be needed. In this paper, we propose a linear weighted QoE model in terms of mean opinion score (MOS) and the ability to adapt QoS. We further validate our proposed QoE model with an impairment QoE model and analyze the individual model results with respect to the latency and bit rate metrics which are critical for our target use case; Virtual Reality (VR) gaming. We also propose to use the QoE model to enable adaptive QoS in the 6G radio access network (RAN), including dynamic learning of QoS metrics.

The proliferation of modern mobile devices equipped with several wireless interfaces (multi-homed), along with the increasing demand for high-throughput and ultra-reliable connectivity, motivated 3GPP to specify a solution that enables multi-access communication, called access traffic steering, switching, and splitting (ATSSS). Based on this solution, a mobile device can exchange data traffic with the 5G core network by simultaneously using different access networks (e.g., WiFi and 5G-NR). Consequently, data flows can enjoy aggregated bandwidth and also reduced delay and increased reliability. In this article, we briefly present the key concepts and functionality of ATSSS, and we focus on the ATSSS enhancements considered for 5G Advanced (i.e., in 3GPP Rel-18). In particular, we present a new steering functionality that is based on the QUIC protocol and its multipath extensions. We discuss the motivation for this steering functionality, its features and user-plane operation, and we explain how it can be applied to proxy UDP traffic over HTTP.

Mobile communications have been undergoing a generational change every ten years. Whilst we are just beginning to roll out 5G networks, significant efforts are planned to standardize 6G that is expected to be commercially introduced by 2030. This paper looks at the use cases for 6G and their impact on the network architecture to meet the anticipated performance requirements. The new architecture is based on integrating various network functions in virtual cloud environments, leveraging the advancement of artificial intelligence in all domains, integrating different sub-networks constituting the 6G system, and on enhanced means of exposing data and services to third parties.

This chapter will address the drivers and motivation for 5G. It will also provide insights into 5G use cases, requirements from various sources (i.e. International Telecommunication Union‐Radio Sector (ITU‐R), regional, global requirements) and its ability to enable new services. In addition, it will touch on the business models enabled with the new radio and architecture principles. Furthermore, it will provide insights into the Standards Developing Organization (SDOs) and organizations involved in developing 5G radio and architecture.

This chapter provides a summary and wrap‐up of the book and provides an outlook to new features that can be expected in future 3GPP releases.

This chapter will provide insights on how 5G caters to critical machine type communication and low latency services. Specifically, how it caters to the challenges imposed by relevant use cases such as Public Safety, V2X, Industrial Control, Tactile Internet and Haptic communication. It will also provide an overview of requirements and challenges due to these use cases. It will include a solution overview from architecture, core and radio perspective.

The aim of the book is to educate government agencies, operators, vendors and other regulatory institutions how LTE can be deployed to serve public safety market and offer regulatory / public safety features. It is written in such a way that it can be understood by both technical and non-technical personnel with just introductory knowledge in wireless communication. Some sections and chapters about public safety services offered by LTE network are intended to be understood by anyone with no knowledge in wireless communication.