SON World - London, 18-19 October 2016

The 5G evolution:

How will this impact SON integration

and capabilities?

Wireless Access – Radio Propagation and Self Organizing Network

Andrea Buldorini {andrea.buldorini@telecomitalia.it}

2

Outline

• TIM approach for SON

• Some (consolidated) requirements

• Targeting 5G

• First set of SON use cases

• Conclusions

Andrea Buldorini –TIM - The 5G evolution

SON World 2016, London, 18-19 October

3

TIM’s approach for SON

TIMQUAL (Radio Access Optimization)KPI geo-location example

TIMPLAN (Radio Access Design)LTE-A carrier aggregation analysis example

Advanced optimization and network development applications

• Supporting Wireless innovation: simulation of new technologies and features deployment, based on “early vision” mainly derived by research and standards

• Exploiting “in house” development: continuous enhancements and customizations based on feedback and requirements coming from Operations.

• Gaining a competitive advantage: appications based on TIM proprietary algorithms and models

Andrea Buldorini –TIM - The 5G evolution

SON World 2016, London, 18-19 October

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Open SON PoC: ANR control and PCI/RSI optimization

Open SON “Proofs of Concept” were carried out in several areas (with different RAN

technologies and different SON providers).

Focus was on process improvement.

Use case example: ANR control + PCI/RSI Optimization process, involving D-SON, C-SON

(acting as a mediator) and operator’s tools.

PCI/RSI configuration is based on NBR lists

(managed through TI tools)

NBR are automatically optimized (in real-time) by

D-SON ANR feature

Coordination by C-SON providing direct

information exchange between the modules

White lists and black lists configuration can be

used to periodically control ANR behaviour (e.g.

avoiding “long distance” NBRs)

Process target: minimization of failed HOs

(beneficial for VoLTE).

Andrea Buldorini –TIM - The 5G evolution

SON World 2016, London, 18-19 October

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“TIM Tests Virtual Radio Access Network Technology”In Turin, TIM – first in Europe and among the first companies in the world –successfully tested Virtual Radio Access Network (vRAN) technology, which will improve the quality of the current mobile network, increase efficiency and prepare for future 5G.

vRAN solution provided by Altiostar of Massachusetts (USA), was tested in the Turin TILab laboratories, demonstrating the first wireless access implementation providing centralisation and virtualisation of radio signals, even with Ethernet fronthauling […]

In this context, an open architecture was also defined for the development of SON (Self Organising Network) functions for automatic network configuration, which uses innovative operative and working methods with the design tools developed by TIM.

(Press release announced at MWC 2016)

Joint tests on Open SON framework are ongoing, exploiting Altiostar API

Andrea Buldorini –TIM - The 5G evolution

SON World 2016, London, 18-19 October

RAN Virtualization

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Requirement «consolidation» for Open SON

API functionalities

• SON control: Control of SON algorithms

(e.g. start/stop, policies/parameters

configuration)

• Data Management

CM (read/write), PM, TM, FM (read)

NDO API

SON API

NetworkAPI

(Itf-N)

Advanced optimization and network

development applications

SO

N f

ram

ew

ork

EM functions

Radio Access Network

Autonomic management

functions(basic optimisation) Main requirements for SON

• Integration with RAN• Open API availability• Open API use cases support (e.g.

PCI optimization)• Programmability• Virtualization in NFV context (SON

as a VNF)

Andrea Buldorini –TIM - The 5G evolution

SON World 2016, London, 18-19 October

Human Closed Loop

7

e

From SON to 5G Automation: the target…

Andrea Buldorini –TIM - The 5G evolution

SON World 2016, London, 18-19 October

?

CAPEXSelf-x

Efficiency

OPEX

Virtualization

Automation

Orchestration

Multi-domain

Slicing

RAN-as-a-service»

Agility

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5G SON Reference Architecture

RAN

Oth

er

NW

d

om

ain

s

E2E Service M&O

SON RAN M&O

LTEAndrea Buldorini –TIM - The 5G evolution

SON World 2016, London, 18-19 October

Human closed loop

NR

NW API

SON API RAN orchestration

Abstraction

Service API

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The 5G use cases

eMBB (enhanced Mobile BroadBand)mMTC (massive Machine TypeCommunication)URLCC (Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication)

ITU-R «VISION IMT 2020»

3GPP TR 36.913 «Study on Scenarios and Requirements for Next Generation Access Technologies»

Andrea Buldorini –TIM - The 5G evolution

SON World 2016, London, 18-19 October

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5G use case: eMBB

RAN

Requirements

Oth

er

NW

d

om

ain

s

E2E Service M&O

SON RAN Process enhancements

• Flexible LTE/NR spectrum

allocation

• mmW propagation challenges

Abstraction

• Coverage and QoS

characteristics

• Network capacity

• VNF/PNF agnostic

SON RAN M&O

LTE

Andrea Buldorini –TIM - The 5G evolution

SON World 2016, London, 18-19 October

NR

VNF(s)

PNF(s)

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5G use case: Ultra-reliable Low-latency Communications

RAN

Requirements

Oth

er

NW

d

om

ain

s

E2E Service M&O

SON RAN Process enhancements

• Activation of dedicated

functional split

• Load balancing and self

adaptation

• Mobility robustness

Abstraction

• Latency performane for e2e

estimation

• Coverage/reliability maps

Andrea Buldorini –TIM - The 5G evolution

SON World 2016, London, 18-19 October

SON RAN M&O

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5G use case: mMTC

RAN

Requirements

Oth

er

NW

d

om

ain

s

E2E Service M&O

SON RAN Process enhancements

• new network creation and

optimization approach

• Coverage and capacity

optimization

Abstraction

• MTC service characteristics

• Relation with dedicated core

networks

Andrea Buldorini –TIM - The 5G evolution

SON World 2016, London, 18-19 October

SON RAN M&O

13

IoT

eM

BB

UR

LL

C

…

V2

X

5G use case: RAN slice, vertical applications

Requirements

Oth

er

NW

d

om

ain

s

E2E Service M&O

SON RAN Process enhancements

• Dynamic resource allocation

• Different types of UE

populations

Abstraction

• Modeling the NF / slice with

service characteristics

(coverage level, QoS, etc.)

SON RAN M&O

Andrea Buldorini –TIM - The 5G evolution

SON World 2016, London, 18-19 October

SON RAN M&O

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Conclusions

RAN-as-a-service»

e

CAPEXSelf-x

Efficiency

OPEX

Virtualization

Automation

Orchestration

Multi-domain

Slicing

Agility

Radio Access «abstraction» for E2E automation and orchestrationto• Offer control over RAN for

service creation and assurance• Integrate RAN with other

network and service domains

Radio Access processenhancements to• Support network development

and optimization• Improve automation in Radio

Access Domain• Handle 5G technologies and new

architectural options

Andrea Buldorini –TIM - The 5G evolution

SON World 2016, London, 18-19 October

15

Thank you

Andrea Buldorini –TIM - The 5G evolution

SON World 2016, London, 18-19 October