5G for Absolute Beginners

Part 6: Standalone and Non-Standalone 5G

ZAHID GHADIALY
APRIL 2020
@3g4gUK
Standalone vs Non-Standalone
Standalone 4G Non-Standalone 5G
(LTE Master)

EPC EPC

LTE LTE NR

Based on original by Ericsson

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Standalone vs Non-Standalone
Standalone 5G Non-Standalone 5G
(NR Master)

5GC 5GC

NR NR LTE

Based on original by Ericsson

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5G Deployment Options and Migration Strategy
EPC 5GC (NGCN)

SA
(Standalone)
eNB EPC gNB 5GC ng-eNB 5GC
Option 1: SA LTE connected to EPC Option 2: SA NR connected to 5GC Option 5: SA LTE connected to 5GC

[EN-DC] [NE-DC] [NGEN-DC]

eNB ng-eNB
NSA ng-eNB
(Non-Standalone)
EPC 5GC 5GC
[Dual Connectivity]

Option 3: NSA LTE assisted NR Option 4: NSA NR assisted LTE Option 7: NSA LTE assisted NR
en-gNB connected to EPC gNB connected to 5GC connected to 5GC
gNB

Migration ↗ Option 2 ↗ Option 7 ↗ Option 3 ↗ Option 4

Option 1 Option 3 Option 3 Option 3
Strategy ↘ Option 3 ↘ Option 5 ↘ Option 2 ↘ Option 2

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5G Deployment Options and Migration Strategy
EPC 5GC (NGCN)

SA
(Standalone)
eNB EPC gNB 5GC ng-eNB 5GC
Option 1: SA LTE connected to EPC Option 2: SA NR connected to 5GC Option 5: SA LTE connected to 5GC

Today – 4G Networks
[EN-DC] [NE-DC] [NGEN-DC]

eNB ng-eNB
NSA ng-eNB
(Non-Standalone)
EPC 5GC 5GC
[Dual Connectivity]

Option 3: NSA LTE assisted NR Option 4: NSA NR assisted LTE Option 7: NSA LTE assisted NR
en-gNB connected to EPC gNB connected to 5GC connected to 5GC
gNB

Migration ↗ Option 2 ↗ Option 7 ↗ Option 3 ↗ Option 4

Option 1 Option 3 Option 3 Option 3
Strategy ↘ Option 3 ↘ Option 5 ↘ Option 2 ↘ Option 2

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5G Deployment Options and Migration Strategy
EPC 5GC (NGCN)

SA
(Standalone)
eNB EPC gNB 5GC ng-eNB 5GC
Option 1: SA LTE connected to EPC Option 2: SA NR connected to 5GC Option 5: SA LTE connected to 5GC

[EN-DC] [NE-DC] [NGEN-DC]

eNB ng-eNB
NSA ng-eNB
(Non-Standalone)
EPC 5GC 5GC
[Dual Connectivity]

Option 3: NSA LTE assisted NR Non-Standalone 5G

Option 4: NSA NR assisted LTE Option 7: NSA LTE assisted NR
en-gNB gNB connected to 5GC
connected to EPC Networks, Release-15,gNB
all 5G connected to 5GC

networks today (SRIT)

Migration ↗ Option 2 ↗ Option 7 ↗ Option 3 ↗ Option 4
Option 1 Option 3 Option 3 Option 3
Strategy ↘ Option 3 ↘ Option 5 ↘ Option 2 ↘ Option 2

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5G Deployment Options and Migration Strategy
EPC 5GC (NGCN)

SA
(Standalone)
eNB EPC gNB 5GC ng-eNB 5GC
Option 1: SA LTE connected to EPC Option 2: SA NR connected to 5GC Option 5: SA LTE connected to 5GC

[EN-DC] [NE-DC] [NGEN-DC]

eNB ng-eNB
NSA ng-eNB Future – Standalone 5G
(Non-Standalone)
EPC 5GC Networks, after
5GC Release-16
[Dual Connectivity]
is finalized (RIT)
Option 3: NSA LTE assisted NR Option 4: NSA NR assisted LTE Option 7: NSA LTE assisted NR
en-gNB connected to EPC gNB connected to 5GC connected to 5GC
gNB

Migration ↗ Option 2 ↗ Option 7 ↗ Option 3 ↗ Option 4

Option 1 Option 3 Option 3 Option 3
Strategy ↘ Option 3 ↘ Option 5 ↘ Option 2 ↘ Option 2

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5G Deployment Options and Migration Strategy
EPC 5GC (NGCN)

SA
(Standalone)

Way out ineNB

the future, EPC gNB 5GC ng-eNB 5GC
probably 2024
Optiononwards
1: SA LTE connected to EPC Option 2: SA NR connected to 5GC Option 5: SA LTE connected to 5GC
(SRIT & RIT)
[EN-DC] [NE-DC] [NGEN-DC]

eNB ng-eNB
NSA ng-eNB
(Non-Standalone)
EPC 5GC 5GC
[Dual Connectivity]

Option 3: NSA LTE assisted NR Option 4: NSA NR assisted LTE Option 7: NSA LTE assisted NR
en-gNB connected to EPC gNB connected to 5GC connected to 5GC
gNB

Migration ↗ Option 2 ↗ Option 7 ↗ Option 3 ↗ Option 4

Option 1 Option 3 Option 3 Option 3
Strategy ↘ Option 3 ↘ Option 5 ↘ Option 2 ↘ Option 2

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 Further Study on this topic
• 5G Terminology (link)
• 5G Network Architecture Options (link)

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3G4G Blog – https://blog.3g4g.co.uk/
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