SOC 2.0 Building 5G Core Networks That Contribute to Business Success

SOC 2.0 Building 5G Core Networks That Contribute to Business Success

[Shenzhen, China, April 12, 2017] After Huawei released the first 5G core network solution Service Oriented Core (SOC) 2.0 that is oriented to 5G commercial scenarios at MWC2017, Jason Yin, the Principle Marketing Expert of Huawei Packet Core Product Line gave an in-depth interpretation about this solution to global MBB industry analysts at HAS 2017.

In the upcoming 5G era, telecom networks will not only provide users with communication services, but also information connectivity and services for various industries, such as autonomous driving, industrial controlling, AR/VR, and smart city. As a next-generation 5G core solution, SOC2.0 has the following features:

Enabling all access: supports multiple network access modes and provides connectivity for a multitude of terminals from various industries.

Enabling all services: provides on-demand services for vertical industries.

Huawei SOC 2.0 uses the following techniques to implement a future core network enabling all access and all services:

• Control and User Plane Separation (CUPS): The control plane and user plane are separated with distributed deployment. This is an important basis for SOC 2.0 to implement an agile architecture. Network functions are deployed at the central DCs and local DCs based on service requirements or deployed at edge DCs that are closer to subscribers through the Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) technology.
• Service Based Architecture (SBA): Network elements are decoupled according to their functions to form independent and modularized functions. Through on-demand service methods, these functions are organized in the unified architecture according to the service requirements. Multiple access modes and service requirements are agilely supported. Every function can be independently iterated and updated to quickly meet new service requirements.
• Network slicing: To enable all services, a network must provide mutually isolated pipes to serve each vertical industry. Cloud-based network slicing is the precondition for intelligent allocation of service-oriented pipe resources and capabilities. In this way, operators can provide differentiated services in various scenarios.
• Access Agnostic: It allows operators to use multiple access modes to provide excellent service experience. For example, when the network bandwidth is insufficient in hotspot areas, operators can bind mobile networks and Wi-Fi signals to enable high-speed Internet access.

5G core network evolution has three stages:

First, build a DC-centric cloud platform, deploy cloud-based VNFs, introduce inter-DC deployment and stateless design, and migrate traditional core network services to the cloud platform.

Second, introduce CUPS and use MEC to build distributed networks to ensure low latency.

Last, introduce SBA, network slicing, and access agnostic to provide on-demand 5G services.
Currently, more than 70% global operators have started cloud-based network reconstruction. Huawei cloud core network have obtained more than 170 commercial contracts in this large-scale reconstruction. Meanwhile, more operators are using CUPS and MEC to enable better user experience. In the future, Huawei will still actively invest in the technological innovation of 5G core networks, and engage in driving the technology and standardization development of 5G core networks. Huawei will work closely with the world's leading operators, vertical industry partners, and open source organizations to better develop 5G core networks and better connect the world.