5G Glossary of Terms

Reference Guide

1G: First generation of mobile network technology, offering AF (Application Function): An element offering applications
analog-based voice services. that require dynamic policy and/or charging control over the IP-
CAN user-plane behavior. The AF communicates with the PCRF
2G: Second generation of mobile network technology, offering to transfer dynamic session information, required for PCRF
digital voice and low-speed data services. decisions, as well as receive IP-CAN specific information and
notifications about IP-CAN bearer-level events. One example of
3G: Third generation of cellular network technology, offering
an AF is the P-CSCF of the IMS core network subsystem.
broadband data services.
AMF (Access and Mobility Function): Provides UE-based
4G: Fourth generation of cellular network technology, offering
authentication, authorization, registration, reachability, mobility
high-definition digital voice and better data performance
management, and connection management functions. UE using
speed than 3G.
multiple access technologies could be connected to a single AMF
because the AMF is independent of the access technologies.
5G: Fifth generation of cellular network technology, expected
to surpass 4G access speeds, latency, number of connected
AN (Access Network): One of three major components of a
devices, coverage, availability, and energy consumption.
5G system, defining all equipment within the access part of
the 5G network infrastructure.
5G NR (New Radio): The 3GPP’s fifth-generation radio
standard that leverages millimeter waves, enhanced small
AUSF (Authentication Server Function): Stores data
cells, Massive-Input Massive-Output (MIMO), beamforming,
for authentication of UE; used during the UE attachment
licensed/unlicensed spectrum, and full-duplex wireless
sequence. For 5G, basic security mechanisms for 4G could
technologies.
be reused. However, as 5G enables new service and business
models that will require many different security applications,
3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project): A group of [seven]
AUSF will allow UE authentication using these different security
telecommunications standard development organizations (ARIB,
application(s) in this new framework.
ATIS, CCSA, ETSI, TSDSI, TTA, TTC), known as “Organizational
Partners;” provides its members with a stable environment to
BBU (Base Band Unit): A unit of the telecom systems that
produce the Reports and Specifications that define cellular
processes baseband signals. It connects the core or backhaul
telecommunications network technologies, including radio
network to one or more 4G RRHs. BBUs can be distributed
access, the core transport network, and service capabilities.
(D-RAN) or centrally (C-RAN) deployed.

AAS (Active Antenna System): A 3GPP specified system that

Beamforming: Uses multiple antennas to control the direction
combines an Antenna Array with an Active Transceiver Unit
of a wavefront by appropriately weighting the magnitude
Array and a Radio Distribution Network Unit.
and phase of individual antenna signals such that it become
possible to provide better coverage to specific areas along the
edges of cells. Beamforming algorithms can be used to reduce
transmission interference from massive MIMO antennas by
providing the precisely coordinated pattern through the air
to each user, allowing the exchange of more data for multiple
users at once.
CORD (Central Office Rearchitected as a Data Center):
Transforms traditional central offices using data center
technology for the purpose of virtualizing traditional telecoms
network elements into a software construct.
CN (Core Network): One of three major components of
the 3GPP 5G system defining all equipment within the core
segment of the network.
Control Plane: The signaling function of a 3GPP system; largely
deals with non-packet forwarding functions including mobility
management, connection establishment, QoS control, etc.
With Rel-14 and Rel-15, 3GPP aims to separate the user plane
and control plane functions respectively for the EPC (Evolved
Packet Core) in LTE and the NGC (Next Generation Core) in 5G.
CPRI (Common Public Radio Interface): Is a digitized and
serial internal radio base station interface that establishes
a connection between Radio Equipment Controller (REC),
commonly known as Baseband Units (BBU), to the Radio
Equipment (RE), commonly known as Remote Radio Heads
(RRH), via single-hop and multi-hop topologies.
CU (Centralized Unit): A logical node hosting RRC, SDAP
and PDCP sublayers of the gNB or ng-eNB; or RRC and PDCP
sublayers of the en-gNB. It centralizes and controls the
operation of one or more gNB-DUs, ng-eNB-DUs or en-gNB-
DUs. The CU terminates the Fronthaul High Layer Split (HLS)
interface connected with the DUs.
CUPS (Control and User Plane Split): Refers to the separation
of the Control and User Plane functions of a LTE EPC (Evolved
Packet Core) packet-forwarding elements. These elements are
the Serving Gateway (S-GW), the Packet Data Network (PDN),
Packet Gateway (P-GW), and the Traffic Detection Function
(TDF). With CUPS, a new control signal is also being defined
between the control plane part and the user plane part of the
split elements; this control signal is primarily used for session
management purposes.
C-RAN (Centralized/Cloud-Radio Access Network): The
centralization of Baseband Unit (BBU) or Distributed Unit (DU)
processing, which improves cell coordination, scheduling,
resource pooling, and load balancing.
DN (Data Network): The network hosting operator data-centric
services, Internet, or third-party data-centric services.
D-RAN (Distributed Radio Access Network): A traditional
RAN architecture where a standalone base station has both
the Baseband Unit (BBU) and the Radio Unit (RU) installed
at a cell site. Also, base stations with a D-RAN architecture
are generally installed inside of a medium or large building
for stable power supply and air conditioning needs. The
D-RAN base station will have a backhaul interface into the
core switching center, terminating to circuit-switching and/or
packet-switching core network systems accordingly.
DU (Distributed Unit): A logical node hosting RLC, MAC, and
PHY sublayers of the gNB, en-gNB, or ng-eNB. Its operation is
partly controlled by the CU. One DU supports one or multiple
cells. One cell is supported by only one DU. The DU terminates
the Fronthaul High Layer Split (HLS) interface connected with
the CU.
eCPRI (enhanced Common Public Radio Interface): The
specification of an internal radio base station interface
establishing a connection between eCPRI Radio Equipment
Controller (eREC) and eCPRI Radio Equipment (eRE) via a
packet-based transport network. Three different information
flows are being defined in this specification including eCPRI
User Plane Data, Control and Management Plane data, and
Synchronization.
en-gNB: A node providing NR user plane and control plane
protocol terminations towards the UE, acting as Secondary
Node in EN-DC.
EN-DC: E-UTRA (LTE) to NR Dual Connectivity. An architecture
where both LTE eNodeB and NR gNB will be co-deployed,
allowing the UE to simultaneously establish two radio bearers,
each to the respective NodeBs.
Fronthaul: Defines the network segment connecting
3GPP Distributed Units (DUs) to Centralized Units (CUs) in
a Centralized Radio Access Network (C-RAN) architecture.
Fronthaul is further sub-categorized as Fronthaul HLS and
Fronthaul LLS.
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Fronthaul HLS (Higher Layer Split): Defines the open
interconnection of a gNB-CU or ng-eNB-CU to a gNB-DU
or ng-eNB-DU respectively, allowing the CUs or DUs to be
supplied by different manufacturers. A Fronthaul HLS interface
will have both the control plane part and the user plane part.
3GPP F1 interface is an example of a Fronthaul HLS interface.
Fronthaul LLS (Lower Layer Split): Defines the
interconnection of a DU with that of a RU (Radio Unit). CPRI
and eCPRI are both examples of a Fronthaul Low Layer Split
interface. Specific to the eCPRI specification, the DU is being
referred to as eREC, while the RU is being referred to as eRE.
gNB: A node providing NR user plane and control plane
protocol terminations towards the UE, connected via the NG
interface to the 5GC
IMT-Advanced (International Mobile Telecommunications-
Advanced): Represents a secure all-IP mobile broadband
system for wireless devices, going beyond mobile phones
systems marketed as 3G; referenced as 4G or 4.5G.
IMT-2020 (International Mobile Telecommunications-2020):
A program led by Working Party 5D of ITU’s Radio
Communication Sector (ITU-R) to develop ‘IMT for 2020 and
beyond;’ sets the stage for 5G research activities around the
world. The detailed investigation of the key elements of 5G
are being realized through successful partnerships between
ITU-R and the mobile broadband industry, as well as with key
stakeholders in the 5G community.
IP (Internet Protocol): Internet communications protocol
suite for relaying data across network boundaries to enable
internetworking; essentially establishes the Internet.
LTE (Long-Term Evolution): A 4G mobile communications
standard whereby users of the LTE network should see data
speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G networks.
LTE-A (Long-Term Evolution-Advanced): A mobile
communication standard that brings major enhancements
to the LTE standard; formally submitted to ITU-T in late 2009
as a candidate 4G system meeting the requirements of
IMT-Advanced standard. LTE-A was standardized by the 3rd
Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) in March 2011 as 3GPP
Release 10.
M2M (Machine-to-Machine): Communications between
machines, without human intervention.
MBH (Mobile Back Haul): The process of connecting cell
sites (base stations) to network controller sites over wireline
networks. Traffic engineering on such wireline networks is
typically required to enforce the necessary quality of service.
Massive MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output): Refers to
the large number of antennas in the base-station antenna array
that enables multiple spatially separated users to be catered
for by the antenna array in the same time and frequency
resource.
MEC (Multi-Access Edge Computing): Cloud computing at
the edge of the network, performing necessary tasks closer to
the end-users. This environment is characterized by ultra-low
latency and high bandwidth, as well as real-time access to radio
network information that can be leveraged by applications to
improve the overall end-user experience, man or machine.
MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output): Allows sending and
receiving of more than one data signal on the same channel at
the same time by using more than one antenna, thus improving
the data rates between the transmitter and the receiver.
mmWave (millimeter wave): A high-frequency wave wedged
between microwaves and infrared waves, in the millimeter
band; considered to deliver faster, higher-capacity 5G services.
MNO (Mobile Network Operator): Provides wireless service(s)
to wireless users by owning or leasing all components to sell
and deliver wireless services over licensed wireless spectrum;
MNOs include wireless service providers, wireless carriers,
cellular companies, or mobile network carriers.
MTC (Machine Type Communications): Communications
between machines (things).
mMTC (Massive Machine-Type Communications): Large number
of machines (things) within a specific area and communicating
with application servers residing in a core network.
M-CORD (Mobile-CORD): Focuses on a fully disaggregated and
virtualized RAN and mobile core using open source collaboration,
bringing the value of data center economics and cloud agility.
NEF (Network Exposure Function): A network entity that
exposes 3GPP core network capabilities to third parties, non-
3GPP environments. NEF also provides security when services
or Application Functions (AFs) access 5G Core nodes. It can
be thought of as a proxy, or API aggregation point, or translator
into the Core Network.
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NG (Next Generation): Typically referring to the new 5G
systems or specifications.
NGC (Next Generation Core): Defines the mobile core
elements of a 5G system.
ng-eNB: A node providing E-UTRA (LTE) user plane and control
plane protocol terminations toward the UE, connected via the
NG interface to the 5GC.
Network Slicing: Virtual slices of a physical network
supporting specific performance guarantees.
NR (New Radio): Commonly used term to reference 3GPP 5G
radio system.
PCF (Policy Control Function): A control plane function
responsible for policy control; more specifically, managing the
Quality of Service (QoS) of individual service data flows in a
3GPP 5G NGC. PCF enforces policies, usually based on usage
volume reporting from the UPF (User Plane Function).
PDN-GW or P-GW (Packet Data Network Gateway): Provides
access to Packet Data Networks; responsible for dictating QoS
and BW parameters in LTE, acts as IP router to mobile-specific
tunneling and signaling protocols. This critical function will be
replaced with UPF in 5G.
RAN (Radio Access Network): A combination of wireless
network elements and wireline network elements connecting
end-users, man and machine, to the network core delivering
specific services. The network elements present in this
segment of the network include the base stations, base station
controllers, mobile backhaul transmission equipment, etc.
S-GW (Serving Gateway): The gateway that terminates the
interface toward E-UTRAN. S-GW is responsible for handovers
with neighboring eNodeBs, as well as for data transfer of all
packets across the user plane from the eNodeB to the P-GW.
It is also the mobility anchor point for Inter-RAT handover
between different generations of mobile networks such as
2G/3G. This critical function will be replaced with User Plane
Function (UPF) in 5G.
SMF (Session Management Function): 5G NCG network
entity handling the session establishment, modification, and
release of the tunnel between UPF and AN node. It is also
responsible for UE (User Equipment) IP address allocation and
management; required to configure traffic steering capabilities
at UPF to route traffic to their proper destination.
TSN (Time Sensitive Networking): IEEE 802.1 TSN is a
collection of specifications that enhance the functionalities of
IEEE 802.1Q, IEEE 802.1 and IEEE 802.3. These enhancements
collectively enable the creation of a Deterministic Ethernet
switched network where fixed latency, low packet error loss
rate, zero congestion, and high availability network could be
achieved.
UDM (Unified Data Management): Where all subscriber data,
network service profiles, and network access policies are
stored. The data in the UDM for specific subscribers could be
accessed for verification of the subscriber during the initial
network attachment sequence of the subscriber.
UE (User Equipment): One of three major components of a
mobile network, defining all user devices connected to the
network, man and machine.

UPF (User Plane Function): A core network function, where

Small Cell: Low-powered cellular radio access nodes that
service functions like packet routing, and forwarding can be
operate in licensed and unlicensed spectrum, serving fewer
deployed in various locations or configurations. The UPF is the
users at high access speeds over a small geographic area.
anchor point for any Intra-/Inter-RAT mobility. It also provides
RRH (Remote Radio Head): A remote radio transceiver that the Roaming Interface to a Visited Network UPF.
connects to radio base station unit via electrical or wireless
interface. The RRH is usually installed on a mast-top or tower-
top location and is physically some distance away from the Connect with Ciena now
base station hardware, which is often mounted in an indoor
rack-mounted location.

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