Page 129 - Kaleidoscope Academic Conference Proceedings 2024

VALIDATION OF INTEGRATED NETWORK CONTROL ARCHITECTURE FOR FIXED,
MOBILE AND SATELLITE CONVERGENCE

Ved P. Kafle; Mariko Sekiguchi; Hitoshi Asaeda; Hiroaki Harai
National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Japan

ABSTRACT Hence, for beyond-5G and 6G systems to provide global
Future network systems, such as beyond-5G or 6G, are coverage of high-quality communication services, full
expected to integrate non-terrestrial networks (NTN), such integration of NTN segments, such as satellites and high-
as satellite networks, with existing terrestrial networks (TN) altitude platform stations, with the Internet and terrestrial
to provide global access to high-quality communication mobile networks is imperative [2]. This convergence of TN
services and promote digital transformation for everyone. and NTN is crucial for ensuring uninterrupted
Various standard development organizations are actively communication services during natural disasters such as
working on standards for TN-NTN convergence, also earthquakes, tsunamis, forest fires, and floods, which may
known as fixed, mobile, and satellite convergence (FMSC). damage terrestrial base stations and interrupt connectivity
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has [3,4].
recently developed several ITU-T Recommendations The research and development of new technologies for
covering different aspects of FMSC. Notably, ITU-T integrating terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks, also
Recommendation Y.3207 addresses a critical component of known as fixed, mobile, and satellite convergence (FMSC),
the Integrated Network Control Architecture (INCA) of has been progressing rapidly. Standards development
FMSC. This paper describes the implementation of an organizations (SDOs) such as the International
experimental system designed to demonstrate the feasibility Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the 3rd Generation
of INCA. It explains the implementation of the individual Partnership Project (3GPP) have begun creating the
network controller of the TN and NTN segments, the necessary standards. ITU defines FMSC as the capabilities
integrated network controller, and the interfaces enabling service and application delivery to end users,
connecting them. We experimentally verify that INCA can irrespective of their location or the fixed, mobile, or
configure network services with the desired quality of satellite access technologies used [5].
service (QoS) levels over both TN and NTN segments. In this paper, we review the ITU Telecommunication
Additionally, we validate INCA's capability to monitor and Standardization Sector (ITU-T) Recommendations of
dynamically control computing and bandwidth resources in FMSC in the related work section. Among them,
both segments to maintain consistent QoS levels. Recommendation ITU-T Y.3207 [6] addresses a critical
Keywords— Integrated network control architecture; aspect of the integrated network control architecture (INCA)
terrestrial and non-terrestrial network convergence; fixed, for the convergence of FMSC. To demonstrate the
mobile, satellite convergence; digital transformation. feasibility and functionality of INCA components specified
1. INTRODUCTION in ITU-T Y.3207, we have developed an experimental
system in our lab.
Beyond-5G or 6G networks aim to seamlessly integrate We describe the implementation of the INCA functional
non-terrestrial network (NTN) segments, such as satellites, components and interfaces, along with the individual
with terrestrial network (TN) systems such as the Internet controllers for fixed, mobile, and satellite network segments.
and mobile networks. This integration is intended to Our experimental system comprises the data network (DN),
provide universal access to high-quality communication 5G core (5GC) network, 5G radio access network (RAN),
services worldwide and foster equitable opportunities for and NTN segment. The DN is configured using OpenStack
digital transformation. 5G mobile network systems can and the Open-Source MANO (OSM) platform, while the
seamlessly connect a vast number of handheld devices and 5GC and RAN are based on open-source software:
Internet of Things (IoT) devices, providing enhanced Free5GC (https://free5gc.org) and UERANSIM
mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine-type (https://github.com/aligungr/UERANSIM), respectively.
communication (mMTC), and ultra-reliable and low- The NTN includes a satellite network simulator in the
latency communication (URLLC) services over a shared, control plane and a bandwidth and latency emulator in the
virtualized infrastructure [1]. However, terrestrial mobile data plane, both developed in our lab.
network services primarily serve densely populated urban Through experimentation, we validate the INCA’s
areas, leaving gaps in global coverage due to economic and capability to effectively create network services on both TN
geographical challenges. Operators hesitate to deploy 5G and NTN segments with desired levels of quality of service
base stations in remote or rural regions due to high costs (QoS). Additionally, we validate INCA’s capability to
and low revenue per user. Furthermore, deploying 5G continuously monitor computing and bandwidth resource
infrastructure in deserts, seas, and mountainous areas usage on TN and NTN segments. It dynamically adjusts
presents additional challenges.
resources to maintain required end-to-end QoS levels, even
amidst fluctuations in user numbers or data traffic volume.

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