School of Specs 38.300v19.3.0

3GPP 38.300 v19.3.0 — the document's own text

4.2 Functional Split

Taught in 1. What TSG RAN is, and why the radio gets a group of its own (TSG RAN — the group that specifies the radio, in depth), 4. What NR is — the shape of the 5G radio network (TSG RAN — the group that specifies the radio, in depth), 8. Where the radio network meets the core (TSG RAN — the group that specifies the radio, in depth), 13. Where RAN meets the groups that write the rest of 3GPP (TSG RAN — the group that specifies the radio, in depth), 4. What NR actually is, in the shape its own document gives it (TSG RAN — the group that specifies the radio, overview), 3. What NR is, read off the document itself (TSG RAN — the group that specifies the radio, quick start).

The gNB and ng-eNB host the following functions:

  • Functions for Radio Resource Management: Radio Bearer Control, Radio Admission Control, Connection Mobility Control, Dynamic allocation of resources to UEs in uplink, downlink and sidelink (scheduling);
  • IP and Ethernet header compression, uplink data decompression, encryption and integrity protection of data;
  • Selection of an AMF at UE attachment when no routing to an AMF can be determined from the information provided by the UE;
  • Routing of User Plane data towards UPF(s);
  • Routing of Control Plane information towards AMF;
  • Connection setup and release;
  • Scheduling and transmission of paging messages;
  • Scheduling and transmission of system broadcast information (originated from the AMF or OAM);
  • Measurement and measurement reporting configuration for mobility and scheduling;
  • Transport level packet marking in the uplink;
  • Session Management;
  • Support of Network Slicing;
  • QoS Flow management and mapping to data radio bearers;
  • Support of UEs in RRC_INACTIVE state;
  • Distribution function for NAS messages;
  • Radio access network sharing;
  • Dual Connectivity;
  • Tight interworking between NR and E-UTRA;
  • Maintain security and radio configuration for User Plane CIoT 5GS Optimisation, as defined in TS 23.501 [3] (ng-eNB only).

NOTE 1: BL UE or UE in enhanced coverage is only supported by ng-eNB, see TS 36.300 [2].

NOTE 2: NB-IoT UE is only supported by ng-eNB, see TS 36.300 [2].

The AMF hosts the following main functions (see TS 23.501 [3]):

  • NAS signalling termination;
  • NAS signalling security;
  • AS Security control;
  • Inter CN node signalling for mobility between 3GPP access networks;
  • Idle mode UE Reachability (including control and execution of paging retransmission);
  • Registration Area management;
  • Support of intra-system and inter-system mobility;
  • Access Authentication;
  • Access Authorization including check of roaming rights;
  • Mobility management control (subscription and policies);
  • Support of Network Slicing;
  • SMF selection.
  • Selection of CIoT 5GS optimisations;

The UPF hosts the following main functions (see TS 23.501 [3]):

  • Anchor point for Intra-/Inter-RAT mobility (when applicable);
  • External PDU session point of interconnect to Data Network;
  • Packet routing & forwarding;
  • Packet inspection and User plane part of Policy rule enforcement;
  • Traffic usage reporting;
  • Uplink classifier to support routing traffic flows to a data network;
  • Branching point to support multi-homed PDU session;
  • QoS handling for user plane, e.g. packet filtering, gating, UL/DL rate enforcement;
  • Uplink Traffic verification (SDF to QoS flow mapping);
  • Downlink packet buffering and downlink data notification triggering.

The Session Management function (SMF) hosts the following main functions (see TS 23.501 [3]):

  • Session Management;
  • UE IP address allocation and management;
  • Selection and control of UP function;
  • Configures traffic steering at UPF to route traffic to proper destination;
  • Control part of policy enforcement and QoS;
  • Downlink Data Notification.

This is summarized on the figure below where yellow boxes depict the logical nodes and white boxes depict the main functions.

Figure 4.2-1: Functional Split between NG-RAN and 5GC
Figure 4.2-1: Functional Split between NG-RAN and 5GC