5G-ready: Interoperability of the Fraunhofer FOKUS software-based core network successfully tested

This year, the Bundesnetzagentur will allocate frequencies for local net-works for the first time in Germany. With the fourth version of its ˝Open5GCore˝, Fraunhofer FOKUS offers one of the world's first standards-based and manufacturer-independent 5G core networks.

Thereby enabling Fraunhofer FOKUS to provide a technically mature test infrastructure for private and industrial 5G networks.

5G offers high data rates with minimal latency, made possible by major advances in radio technology. At least as important are the changes in the core network, which facilitate the development of demand-specific and efficient network infra-structures.

This is achieved in 5G through a virtualized, software-based core net-work. The ˝Open5GCore˝ from Fraunhofer FOKUS is a prototypical, licensable software for test environments. By means of virtualization, network functions can be dynamically combined into a customized special network – according to the required latency time, security level and the number of devices to be interconnected.

Parallel, virtual special networks in a physical network can be realized by so-called network slicing, for example, a fail-safe network with low latencies for the machine to machine communication in factory plants or a network with high bandwidth for augmented reality applications for the staff.

Prof. Dr. Thomas Magedanz, director of the business unit Software-based Net-works at the Fraunhofer Institute FOKUS, explains: ˝We support industrial enter-prises in setting up and testing their own campus networks for safety-critical applications.

Especially for security and time-critical applications, the Open5GCore offers edge computing technologies that allow data to be processed in microcomputing centers near the point of use.˝

Dr. Wolfgang Hackenberg, Head of Sales Deutsche Telekom at Nokia, adds: ˝It is important for industrial enterprises to gain their own experience with campus networks, especially with regard to the 5G technology and the productive benefits that they can draw from it.

That's why Nokia supports the test infrastructure of Fraunhofer FOKUS. With our unique end-to-end 5G solution portfolio and strong expertise in secure networks, we are well positioned as a partner for the German industry.˝

The Open5GCore Rel. 4 has the following features:
– is based on the 5G standard 3G PP Rel. 15, which was defined in summer 2018,
– separates control and application data for lower latency and higher throughput,
– Backward compatible: Enables the operation of a network exclusively with 5G base stations (stand-alone) as well as with a combination of 4G and 5G base stations (non-stand-alone).

Further information:
https://www.open5gcore.org/

Press contact:
Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems FOKUS
Mitra Motakef-Tratar
Corporate Communications
Telephone: +49 30 3463-7517
mitra.motakef-tratar@fokus.fraunhofer.de

Fraunhofer FOKUS
Fraunhofer FOKUS researches digital transformation and its impact on society, economics and technology. Since 1988 it supports commercial enterprises and public administration in the shaping and implementation of the digital transformation. For this purpose, Fraunhofer FOKUS offers research services ranging from requirements analysis to consulting, feasibility studies, technology development right up to prototypes and pilots in the business segments Digital Public Services, Future Applications and Media, Quality Engineering, Smart Mobility, Software-based Networks, Networked Security, Visual Computing und Analytics. With about 430 employees in Berlin and an annual budget of 30 million euros, Fraunhofer FOKUS is the largest ICT institute of the Fraunhofer Society. Around 70% of its budget is generated through projects from industry and the public domain.