Understanding what goes into the 5G Core Architecture serves as a good starting point when looking forward to leveraging what this newest network technology offers users. The good news is that you no longer have to go through a lot before you finally access this information since the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has already provided complete system specifications for 5G network architecture.
If you have had the chance to go through these specifications, you may already know that the 5G network architecture is much more service oriented than previous generations. With that being said, below are some of the things you need to know about 5G network architecture before deciding on anything.
5G Spectrum and Frequency
There are multiple frequency ranges being dedicated to 5G new radio (NR). First in line is the millimeter wave, a radio spectrum with frequencies between 30 GHz and 300 GHz. You ought to keep in mind that frequencies between 24 GHz and 100 GHz as they are now being allocated to 5G in multiple regions worldwide.
Aside from the millimeter wave, you can also decide to take advantage of the underutilized UHF frequencies between 300 MHz and 3 GHz. With the diversity of frequencies to leverage, it is easy to tailor them to the unique application since the higher frequencies are characterized by higher bandwidth, albeit shorter range.
Beamforming
Beamforming is another breakthrough technology vital to the success of 5G wireless technology. Before beamforming, it was common for conventional base stations to transmit signals in multiple direction with no regard to the current position of targeted devices or users. But with the widespread use of multiple-input, multiple-output (MMO) arrays featuring dozens of small antennas combined in a single formation, you can now use signal processing algorithms to determine the most efficient transmission path to leverage.
The Bottom Line
There you have it, some of the things you need to know about the 5G core network architecture. Other important details worth looking into include the converged charging system; network slicing, NFV and 5G, to mention a few.