The telecommunications industry heavily relies on various protocols to facilitate the exchange of information between different network elements. One of the most important protocols in this context is the SS7 protocol. What is SS7? The SS7 protocol (Signaling System 7) is a set of signaling protocols used to control the setup, management, and teardown of […]

No doubt that Saudi Arabia is moving faster towards digital transformation including Connectivity for everyone. For that reason, you can see many trials in the NTN program. This is a summary of each trial and a simple definition for it in Airborne What is 5G NTN? 5G NTN will enable seamless roaming between terrestrial and […]

I read many papers during this year about the capabilities of microwave as a backhaul technology of 5G. I see also some claims that fiber is a mandatory technology for #5G backhauling due to the huge amount of data growth with the wider bandwidth in the spectrum in Sub-6GHz and mmWave which can exceed the 1Gpbs […]

Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), a wireless link that provides connectivity to objects that are stationary or nomadic, will receive a boost thanks to improved 5G capabilities. The first 5G use case we highlight is FWA. The demand for high-speed broadband connectivity continues to grow exponentially, driven by the increasing reliance on digital technologies and the […]

The 5GC architecture relies on a “Service-Based Architecture” (SBA) framework, where the architecture elements are defined in terms of “Network Functions” (NFs) rather than by “traditional” Network Entities. Via interfaces of a common framework, any given NF offers its services to all the other authorized NFs and/or to any “consumers” that are permitted to make […]

Nokia goes further into this OpenRAN game by opening its fronthaul interface with three 3rd party vendors now. Nokia has already integrated third-party TDD RRH from three suppliers with its Baseband, and the solution is available today. Nokia AirScale Baseband is qualified for commercial Open RAN deployments for both TDD RRH (FR1) and mmWave (FR2) […]

My telecom journey started 13 years ago in the access domain which more specifically we can call it RAN or Radio Access Network which mainly focuses is more towards Air interfaces including spectrum, RF elements, site components, RAN features, interfaces, protocols, …etc. However, in the last 7 years, I have seen a huge shift from […]

The fact of Sustainability in mobile networks starts with power reduction and meeting net-zero goals, and as we know wireless networks consume large amounts of resources, from electricity to raw materials. 📃 GSMA Intelligence published a report looking at network energy efficiency. It found that the RAN consumes 73% of the energy network operators use. 📃 Also, […]

This is not the first time we discussed the 3G Shutdown or Sunset topic, however, this time the numbers will talk 🙂 All UK mobile network operators have committed to closing their 3G networks. Vodafone UK, like EE, is planning to switch off its 3G network in early 2024. Three UK is planning to sunset […]

If you’re a Telecom Engineer and Hungry, this article is for you 🙂 During my discussion with my non-telecom friend, he was asking about the Telecom tower’s radiation and how it’s radiating the signals to the mobile equipment and then asked about the radiation of MicrowaveOven! Here, I remembered when I searched for this topic 13 […]

At a conceptual level, the SIM identifies the subscriber to the network and enables this identity to be securely authenticated. When a device connects to a network, the SIM in the device sends the network its IMISI, and then it passes the network a key. On the network side, there is a list of IDs and a […]

5G has made it possible for wireless networks to compete against fiber, satellite, xDSL, and cable in delivering high-speed broadband service to residences and businesses at attractive prices through FWA. What is FWA? Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) is a method of connecting subscribers to broadband Internet access using a wireless alternative to traditional copper cables and/or fiber. How does 5G […]

5G defines the use of wide radio channels. Whereas 4G is limited to a maximum radio channel size of 20 MHz, 5G standards specify the use of radio channels up to 100 MHz in frequency bands below 7 GHz and up to 400 MHz in mmWave radio channels at 24 GHz and higher. Beyond these […]

From the perspective of global network coverage, more than 80% of land areas and 95% of sea areas are not covered by ground cellular networks. The 5G network was built not only to provide high network speeds, but also ubiquitous mobile network access. However, in remote areas such as mountainous areas, deserts, and the ocean, […]

5G delivers higher data speeds, and lower latency, and supports more users, devices, and services while simultaneously improving network efficiency. As defined by the Third-Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), the 5G core (5GC) network is a cloud-aligned, service-based architecture (SBA) and covers all 5G functions and interactions. The converged 5GC lays the foundation for a single […]

📕 5G network comprises a remote radio unit (RRU), distributed unit (DU), a centralized unit (CU), and a core network. The terms fronthaul, midhaul, and backhaul are describing the 5G transport network support for the interfaces between these nodes. 📕 A Fronthaul transport network supports the low-layer functional split point of 3GPP NG-RAN (e.g., Option […]

📗 In 5G SA, NR will enable the service provisioning through gNB (gNodeB) which connects to the new core 5GC (5G Core Network) using NG Interface. 📗 According to GSMA, by 2025, 5G networks will cover a third of the population (measuring 1.8 billion connections) and as per GSA, 116 operators are identified as investing in […]

Mobile communication network sharing refers to the sharing of infrastructure or communication equipment among multiple operators. The infrastructure includes towers, buildings, and equipment rooms used for deploying base stations, whilst the communication equipment includes RAN, transport network, and CN equipment. Network resource sharing includes active sharing and passive sharing. Passive sharing refers to the sharing […]

When we’re discussing vRAN and Open RAN topics, we’ll find ourselves facing some questions about the performance and cost. The highly common question is ” Can virtualized RAN deliver the same performance as traditional RAN? ” I see it’s a valid and logical question especially since no one will invest with at least a guaranteed […]

SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) is a reliable method of identifying users, checking the authenticity of endpoint devices, and securing their data. 📗 Over the years, SIMs have shrunk from the original plastic card to Mini-SIM, Micro SIM, and finally Nano-SIM. Regardless of the packaging, all SIMs are built on smart card (UICC) technology similar to […]

As we know that RAN, Radio Access Network, is divided into two main components: -> Baseband Unit (BBU). -> Radio Unit (RU). The move from D-RAN to C-RAN then v-RAN and O-RAN depends on how to deploy these two RAN components. MNOs want to #centralize the RAN control functions to improve overall performance, gain efficiencies, and reduce […]

All notes you should know about 5G mmWave Band. 🔋 5G mmWave refers to the higher range of radio frequencies (above about 24 GHz) supported by 5G. Also, it’s called FR2 or Frequency Range 2. 🔋 5G mmWave provides a significant capacity increase with an additional spectrum. 🔋 5G mmWave FR2 Frequency rand is FR2-1 […]

SMS, Short Message Service, is a secure system that helps protect your customers’ and employees’ data and allows you to contact all users who have a mobile phone. 📕 In 2G and 3G, MAP protocols have been defined to support the SMS. MAP interface is built on top of SS7 (TDM or SIGTRAN) using the following layers […]

The open radio access network or Open RAN can be broadly divided into the following three elements: Open interfaces that combine RAN equipment from a variety of vendors. Virtualization (i.e., virtualized RAN (vRAN) that enables hardware and software inside RAN equipment to be separated. Intelligent control that optimizes and automates RAN operation. Open RAN can […]

3GPP consists of three Technical Specifications Groups (TSGs) where TSG RAN (Radio Access Network) is responsible for the definition of functions, requirements, and interfaces of the Radio Access. TSG RAN consists of six working groups (WGs): RAN WG1, dealing with the physical layer specifications. RAN WG2, dealing with the layer 2 and layer 3 radio […]

The increase in data rates in 5G makes it impractical to continue with the conventional CPRI fronthaul implementation. Moving towards a higher layer split would relax the latency and bandwidth requirements, but then fewer processing functions can be centralized. It is thus critical that the new functional-split architecture takes into account technical and cost-effective trade-offs […]

As I received many messages during the last week about the eCPRI topic in 5G and OpenRAN, I prepared some notes about this. eCPRI is replacing the CPRI protocol in 5G to reduce the bandwidth BW requirements of CPRI transport and making Fronthaul affordable and available for all mobile network operators. It improves transport efficiency to match the Speed and […]

There’re many factors that impact the energy consumption in the mobile network operators, some of them related to climate, population density, and data consumption levels, while others are related to the network operators themselves or under its control. So there’re two groups as per GSMA benchmarking: Non-network-related variables – those outside the operator’s control (e.g. […]

Security is a driving factor in how 5G networks are built and operated – every element of a 5G network is required to have security controls in place for the purpose of delivering confidentiality, integrity, and availability so that the network can provide users with a secure communications platform. What is HSM? ​HSM (Hardware Security […]

Recently, I received many questions and inquiries about the meaning of Roaming and some interesting questions: What is Roaming? What is the difference between National Roaming and International Roaming? First, all of us know that mobile communication networks and services have become an integral part of everyday life. People are now more and more reliant […]