An article about the future 5G network, which was told at the Honor Cup 2016.

Content

• A bit of history
• Concept
• Specifications
• Architecture
• Where and when
• Conclusion

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5G history

The main differences between these technologies are: speed, volume of data transfer and number of connections. As stated at the conference, if the concept itself is successfully implemented, then the 6G generation will not.

Concept

The main directions of 5G:

1. Mobile Internet (High-quality coverage [1], hot-spot [2])
2. Internet of Things [3] (Minimum delay, low-power connections [4])

Consider in more detail. The basic concept of 5G networks is to represent it as a convergent technology [5] and to combine everything together in a single system, to a single cloud. It is assumed that the network itself will be a cloud that will be accessed through applications or Telco OS: subscribers, developers, operators, partners.
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How it works? Very simple. You through the application or Telco OS get access to the part of the cloud that is necessary for your task. And the very allocation of this part of the cloud occurs virtually, that is, at the program level.

In addition, the rejection of the current cellular architecture. In short, the old architecture forced network subscribers to “chase” the network, but now 5G wants to do the opposite, “chase” the subscriber. All this is built on the architecture of Massive MIMO, which in turn came from the military and not only the towers that are available now, but also military antennas will be used.

Specifications

• Broadband connection (Work with a very wide frequency range)
• Hot-spot (1 gigabit / second)
• Sensor Network - collecting information from different sensors
• Tactile Internet - instant response (<1 ms)
• Emergency Alerts
• Super Reliable
• Streaming service

All this can be displayed in the following diagram.



Links - number of connections (100 billion)
Throughout - bandwidth or quantity of transmitted data (10 gigabit / sec.)
Delay - delay (<1 ms)

As we see, 5G strives to unite absolutely everything. If before 2G, 3G, 4G were mainly for the mobile Internet, now everything has become much wider.

Architecture

The architecture of such a convergent technology is a “pie”. That is, it is divided into 3 layers:

• Application - access to 5G
• Virtualization (Allocation of specific hardware for the required task)
• Hardware (5G devices, 5G RAT family)

The cloud itself is built on SDN / NFV.
SDN (Software-defined network) - software defined network
NFV (Network function virtualization) - virtualization of network functions

Due to this decision we get the following advantages:

1. Reduces the cost of services, that is, do not need to purchase hardware
2. Mostly software changes, not hardware

Where and when? (Applicable to Russia)

The first launch is planned in 2018 at the World Cup. Megaphone is the implementer.

Conclusion

Personally, I didn’t like the 5G concept for several reasons:

• There was nothing to say about security. Even when I asked the lecturer, he said that he had not wondered.
• The concept of implementing the architecture is similar to the service Gaikai, which at the moment is a Playstation Now
• Considering that access will be provided through applications or Telco OS, no one guarantees that someone in the design (I hint that above companies) will not put little devices that, in accordance with our legislation, will perfectly fulfill it. Actually figs with him.
• The very concept of linking the Internet of Things, that is, no fool devices, can lead to any Hollywood scenario about the uprising of cars, if in the end everything will be brought under AI control
• And a separate item, again about security. Given that the sharing of cloud resources is at the program level, no one guarantees that someone with very “good” intentions will not want to expand his piece or get access to the system or parts of the system.

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PS All information obtained from lecture 5G

[1] - that is, the spread of network operation throughout the territory
[2] - high-speed access point
[3] - “things” that have the ability to communicate with the same “things”
[4] - work with some devices directly.
[5] - representation as a whole.