5G networks on AWS

The typical model of 5G network infrastructure is composed of a 4G/5G radio site, a fronthaul/midhaul/backhaul network, a core network site, and a telecom/IT data center. CSPs can use AWS Services to create a scalable, flexible 5G network infrastructure while reducing upfront investment cost. AWS can be used to implement the virtual Network Operation Center (NOC) in the Region that hosts the Operations Support System/Business Support System (OSS/BSS) and the majority of control plane core network functions.

AWS can also be leveraged. to implement the local central office (CO) or distributed data center with a fleet of AWS Outposts instances that host mostly user-plane functions such as UPF (user-plane function), RAN central unit (CU), and Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC). A more detailed explanation of the reference architecture and the benefits of 5G network implementation on AWS is explained in the 5G Network Evolution on AWS whitepaper.

When it’s time to implement the 5G network on AWS, AWS CI/CD tools, which are introduced in the following sections of this whitepaper, can facilitate the full automation of deployment, upgrade, and lifecycle management of 5G network functions.

5G network E2E architecture