5G NR Initial Access procedure

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Introduction to 5G NR Initial Access

5G NR Initial access describes a network access mechanism in which a mobile device or user terminal accesses a stand-alone 5G core network located in the vicinity of the user or mobile device using non-standalone 5G NR radio access and transmit mode operations. 5G NR Initial access is aimed at providing a path towards ultra-dense antenna deployments and enabling flexible support of multiple 5G NR frequency bands (700 MHz, 2.6 GHz, 3.5 GHz) to meet diverse service requirements. 5G NR Initial access is the first step to getting started with 5G NR. It includes information about the introduction of new radio access technologies, including the use of novel frequency bands and new networking concepts. 5G initial access is a key part of the 5G standard. It ensures efficient and flexible delivery of services in heterogeneous networks, where different classes of the user equipment may have different uplink/downlink capabilities. It offers functions enabling power-efficient transmission to suit diverse deployment scenarios and can use the same spectrum for multiple purposes. 

5G Initial access is a 5G NR technology required for the initial access to the network. It serves as a means of establishing an initial user context and session setup in the new 5G system. The 5G NR Initial Access covers the initial setup, connection, and security phase of a 5G session. This phase can also be referred to as “fast roaming”. During this phase, a 5G UE/UEs may join a given network or other networks (including static home mode) with many dynamic negotiation and authentication cases between UEs and eNBs. The core objective is to establish shared-medium links between mobile users and base stations while achieving more flexible designs for access interfaces on the radio side. 5G New Radio, also known as 5G NR, is a new radio standard, which features advanced radio technologies offering massive data throughput and low latency. This is the first-release specification of the 5G New Radio standard, containing functional building blocks and general objectives for 5G NR Initial Access, including Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), Sub-6 GHz 5G, and millimeter wave spectrum. 

The 5G Initial Access network is the first step toward a fully-operational 5G NR (Non-standalone) system and can be considered a foundation for future technology growth. The 5G Initial Access system will enable low data rate but reliable connectivity, with a focus on self-optimizing connectivity and significantly improved user experience. 5G NR Initial access is designed to be more efficient and that allows mobile devices to access data sources, but with much lower latency than traditional cellular networks. This makes 5G NR Initial access suitable for many use cases, ranging from browsing to real-time applications such as augmented reality and remote surgery. 5G NR Initial access is a set of procedures that enables an authorized UE to initiate the connection with the network. It consists of two procedures: LTE/LTE-A cell search and the Paging procedure. 

5G NR Initial Access Procedure 

5G NR Initial access procedure is used to access the NR network when a UE is anchored in E-UTRAN and it has capabilities to support 5G mobility. The UE anchors in E-UTRAN as long as its registered location (RL) is within the coverage area of an eNodeB providing an S1-MME interface. A UE may operate in RRC_CONNECTED or RRC_IDLE in E-UTRAN, even if it moves out of the coverage area; different behavior applies to depend on whether the UE was placed under non-roaming or roaming conditions by its home network operator. 5G NR Initial Access procedure is a new feature in 5G specifications for initial access to the network and is a mandatory enhancement to 4G LTE-A. It includes an enhanced configuration server, physical layer capabilities, and MME functionality to support non-standalone scenarios and standalone entities.

 In 5G NR Initial access, the UE initiates the connection by sending an RRC Connection Request message to the E-UTRAN. The UE includes a Random Access Preamble. The eNB responds with an RRC Connection Setup message containing a Random Access Response message. Initial access is the procedure to establish a communication link between two terminals located in different subframes that are not synchronized. In 5GNR, the RN makes an access request (ARQ) to the eNB; The eNB considers a request as successful if it receives new data on its own subframes or related information from the RN. This is a list of tasks necessary to enable a UE to initiate an Initial Access procedure according to 5G NR. This document does not define any protocol or interface for the execution of these actions, but rather describes them as a list of actions that have to be performed. 

The 5G NR Initial access procedure is performed by using the control channel to support UE discovery and initial access. It includes the following procedures: data link layer connection setup, PCell acquisition, eNB selection, and RAAS message transmission. The 5G NR Initial access procedure is defined for two different types of initial accesses: non-standalone (NSA) operation and for standalone operation. In both cases, it involves user equipment (UE) autonomously activating its system access procedure by starting the first downlink synchronization. This initial access procedure is composed of several steps; it may include setting up certain communications parameters, e.g., based on a measurement report sent by the serving cell as part of the system information or based on measured signal characteristics from neighboring cells from which an associated reference signal has been detected.

5G NR Training and Certification

The 5G NR Training and Certification is an online course offered by TELCOMA that provides training on the basics of 5G New Radio (NR) architecture, functionality, and operation.

5G NR Training and Certification will provide a framework for learning and practicing 5G network designs. The courses are designed to help network engineers to design, deploy and operate the 5G New Radio (NR) networks.

5G NR networks are being deployed worldwide, driven by a very large ecosystem of operators, vendors and partners. The people working on this technology have to be trained in order to use it effectively and at the required level. A certification is required for any telecom engineer who wants to work with 5G NR technology.

The 5G NR is a key enabler of the fourth industrial revolution. It is being deployed in several areas including wireless communications, network slicing and edge computing. Organizations should start now to prepare for the new technologies

5G is the next generation of wireless technology. 5G will revolutionize the way we communicate, with applications that include virtual reality, augmented reality and streaming video. 5G is significantly faster than today’s 4G LTE networks, meaning that complex applications like self-driving cars and video conferences could run at a much higher quality. For companies with large amounts of data to transmit, 5G will make it possible for them to analyze their information in real time and make decisions based on that data. This means more efficient manufacturing processes, better autonomous vehicle navigation systems and even more accurate weather forecasts.

This 5G training program is designed to help professionals make the most of new network technologies and to empower you to take advantage of this next generation of wireless development.

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