Mobile Phone Technology

In the UK, there are two variants of 5G: 5G SA (standalone) and 5G NR (new radio). 5G-NR has the 5G radio/wireless infrastructure, but it is connected to the 4G core to send data to the internet. 5G-SA, on the other hand, is a complete end-to-end 5G network that includes a new core.

User equipment (UE) connects wirelessly to a cell tower. This includes all the technology required to manage the equipment connected to the cell tower itself and to pass data on to the core network. The cell tower includes the next-generation NodeB (gNodeB) technology.

The 5G network core (realised in 5G-SA) is split into two planes: the user plane (UP) and the control plane (CP).

The user plane connects the UE to the Internet. This is managed by a UPF (User Plane Function), which is distributed between an edge location and a centre l ocation. This attempts to speed up the network and lower latency. Wherever possible, the edge will manage the UPF functions, thus distributing tasks and putting them nearer the user with connections to an edge data centre.

The control plane has two aspects: firstly, the AMF (Access and Mobility Management Function). The AMF manages access to the network by authenticating the UE and granting access to the 5G network. To perform its task, the AMF needs access to the necessary data. In 5G-SA, this data is stored in a UDR (Unified Data Repository). This will be a distributed data store accessed via various APIs to facilitate distribution and access. The data can be moved to the edge to speed up the AMF's functions further.

The SMF (Session Management Function) manages data sessions for the UE while it is connected to the 5G network. It interfaces with the user plane, which manages data transfer.

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