5G Signalling

Who Should Attend?

The course is addressed to network engineers who will deal with 5G optimisation,
configuration, operation, maintenance or support, as well as any technical staff requiring
deeper appreciation of 5G signalling.

Course Scope

1. 5G architecture.
❍ 5G overall architecture (gNB and ng-eNB, AMF, UPF, DN).
❍ NG-RAN.
❍ 5G NFs (SMF, PCF, AF, NEF, AUSF, UDM, NSSF, NRF).
❍ 5G identities.
2. 5G protocol architecture.
❍ Introduction (protocols, SAP, OSI model).
❍ NG-RAN protocol layer.
❍ Strata (ANS, AS).
❍ User plane for 5G protocol stack.
❍ Radio interface structure.
❍ Control plane for 5G protocol stack.
❍ QoS (QoS flow, 5QI, QoS architecture).
❍ 3GPP Technical Specifications for 5G.
3. Non-Access Stratum.
❍ Introduction.
❍ Domain selection (UE’s usage setting, availability of IMS voice, registration mode).
❍ Network slicing.
❍ 5G mobility management procedures.
❍ 5G session management procedures.
4. RRC.
❍ RRC protocol architecture.
❍ RRC functions.
❍ RRC states.
❍ RRC procedure (system information, paging, RRC connection establishment, initial
security activation, RRC reconfiguration, RB configuration, reconfiguration failure,
counter check, RRC connection re-establishment, RRC connection release, radio link
failure).
❍ RRC timers and constants.
5. NGAP.
❍ NGAP protocol architecture.
❍ Elementary Procedure.
❍ PDU session management procedures.
❍ UE context management procedures.
❍ UE mobility management procedures.
❍ Paging procedures.

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❍ Transport of NAS messages procedures.

❍ Interface management procedures.
❍ Configuration transfer procedures.
❍ Warning message transmission procedures.
6. XNAP.
❍ XNAP protocol architecture.
❍ Elementary procedures.
❍ Basic mobility procedures (handover preparation, SN status transfer, handover cancel,
retrieve EU context, RAN paging, data forwarding address indication, UE context
release).
❍ Procedures for dual connectivity (S-NG-RAN node addition preparation, S-NG-RAN node
reconfiguration completion, M-NG-RAN node initiated S-NG-RAN node modification
preparation, S-NG-RAN node initiated S-NG-RAN node modification, M-NG-RAN node
initiated S-NG-RAN node release, S-NG-RAN node initiated S-NG-RAN node release,
S-NG-RAN node counter check, RRC transfer).
❍ Global procedures (Xn setup, NG-RAN node configuration update, cell activation, reset,
error indication).
7. Mobility.
❍ Intra-NR (mobility in RRC_IDLE, mobility in RRC_INACTIVE, mobility in RRC_CONNECTED,
measurements.
❍ Inter RAT (Intra 5GC, from 5GC to EPC).
❍ Roaming and access restrictions.
8. 5G security.
❍ Overview of security architecture (threads, 5G security features, security architecture).
❍ 5G key hierarchy.
❍ Authentication.
❍ NAS security (protection of initial NAS message, NAS security mode command
procedure).
❍ RRC security (AS security mode command procedure).
❍ UP security.
❍ Security for non-3GPP access to the 5G core network (authentication for untrusted
non-3GPP access).
❍ Security of interworking (Handover from/to 5G to/from 4G over N26, idle-mode mobility
from 5G to 4G).
9. SDAP.
❍ SDAP protocol architecture (SDAP entities).
❍ SDAP services.
❍ SDAP functions.
❍ SDAP procedures.
❍ SDAP PDU formats.
10. PDCP.
❍ PDCP protocol architecture.
❍ PDCP services.
❍ PDCP functions.
❍ PDCP procedures (PDCP entity handling, data transfer, SDU discard, status reporting,
data recovery, data volume calculation, header compression and decompression,

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ciphering and deciphering, integrity protection and verification, handling of unknown,

unforeseen, and erroneous protocol data).
❍ PDCP PDU formats.
11. RLC.
❍ RLC protocol architecture (TM, UM and AM entity).
❍ RLC modes.
❍ RLC services.
❍ RLC functions.
❍ RLC procedures (RLC entity handling, data transfer procedures, ARQ procedures, SDU
discard procedures, data volume calculation, handling of unknown, unforeseen and
erroneous protocol data).
❍ RLC parameters.
❍ RLC PDU formats (TM, UM and AM).
12. MAC.
❍ MAC protocol architecture (MAC entity, logical channels, transport channels).
❍ MAC services.
❍ MAC functions.
❍ MAC procedures (random access procedure, maintenance of uplink time alignment,
DL-SCH data transfer, UL-SCH data transfer, PCH reception, BCH reception, DRX,
dynamic scheduling, activation/deactivation of SCells, Activation/deactivation of PDCP
duplication).
❍ MAC parameters.
❍ MAC PDU formats.
13. Physical layer.
❍ OFDM concept (OFDM transmitter, OFDM receiver).
❍ Modulation mapper ([Symbol]/2-BPSK, BPSK, QPSK, 16QAM, 64QAM, 256QAM).
❍ Physical layer functions.
❍ Time domain structure.
❍ Frequency domain structure.
❍ Resource block and resource element.
❍ Channel structure (logical, transport and physical channels, physical signals).
❍ Downlink (PDSCH, PDCCH: CCE, control-resource set, PBCH, synchronisation signals:
P-SS and S-SS).
❍ Uplink (UL reference signals: demodulation reference signals, sounding reference
signals, PUCCH: format 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4, PRACH: sequence generation).
❍ Physical layer procedures (synchronisation procedures, uplink power control, random
access procedure, UE procedure for reporting control information, UE procedure for
receiving control information, physical downlink shared channel related procedures,
physical downlink shared channel related procedures).

Course Objectives

The course offers a complete understanding of signalling protocols implemented in the 5G

system. The course introduces the general architecture of the 5G network, defines

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interfaces and protocol stacks, as well as presents a description of their services, functions
and procedures. The course focuses on details of the radio access network protocols and
NAS signalling. Essential network procedures corresponding to the 5G protocols are
discussed together with controlling parameters and relevant signalling flows. The discussed
procedures include transition from RRC_INACTIVE to RRC_CONNECTED, RNA update,
inner-gNB handover, inner-AMF/UPF handover, AMF instance selection, network slice-aware
initial context setup, network slice-aware PDU session setup/modify/release. The course
also explains the security aspects of the 5G.

The course is based on the 3GPP Technical Specifications and hence it is

vendor-independent.

Prerequisites

Prior to this training participants should attend to the LTE Air Interface course or possess
the relevant knowledge concerning the LTE technology.

Training Structure

Four-day training divided into logical sessions.

Methodology

Instructor-led training.

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