5G Standalone and 4G Multi-Carrier Network-in-a-Box Using a Software Defined Radio Framework

Area of Science:

• * Telecommunications Engineering
• * Wireless Communication Systems
• * Software Defined Radio (SDR)

Background:

• * The need for flexible, scalable, and compatible Radio Access Network (RAN) solutions in cellular communication.
• * Limitations of traditional RAN architectures in supporting diverse wireless technologies and research access.
• * The growing demand for high-speed data transfer and low latency in 4G and 5G networks.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To propose and design a Software Defined Radio (SDR)-based Remote Radio Head (RRH) framework for open RAN.
• * To enable flexible wideband radio solutions deployable in various regions with common management features.
• * To provide researchers with access to non-simulated cellular networks and reduce system development time.

Main Methods:

• * Development of a compatible, scalable, and highly flexible SDR-based RRH framework.
• * Implementation of a Network-in-a-Box (NIB) utilizing the proposed SDR framework.
• * Validation of the NIB's performance in multiband multicarrier 4G and 5G standalone (SA) configurations.

Main Results:

• * Achieved downlink data transfer speeds of up to 883 Mbps (4G) and 765 Mbps (5G) with 100 MHz aggregated bandwidth.
• * Demonstrated a 4G downlink speed of 1062 Mbps using six carriers.
• * Observed maximum uplink speeds of 65.8 Mbps (4G) and 92.6 Mbps (5G) for a single user equipment (UE), with 5G exhibiting up to 45.1% lower average packet latency.
• * Reported lower CPU load for 5G base stations (gNodeB) and core network (5GC) compared to their 4G counterparts under similar conditions.

Conclusions:

• * The proposed SDR-based open RAN framework offers a flexible and high-performance solution for 4G and 5G networks.
• * The Network-in-a-Box (NIB) effectively demonstrates the framework's capabilities in achieving significant data rates and reduced latency.
• * The framework facilitates research, reduces development time, and supports current and future wireless communication technologies.