Druid Software is once again taking the lead in bringing a disruptive technology to market by adding an Access Gateway Function (AGF) to our market leading Raemis™ platform. Like I highlighted in my article about NB-IoT over Satellite, Druid strives to uncover key trends in the industry and in close cooperation with our customer base and partners rapidly brings innovative solutions to market.
Let me start with describing AGF and why it is an important step for satellite service providers and equipment vendors in the journey towards 5G Non Terrestrial Networks (NTN).
The Access Gateway Function is a key component in the 5G network architecture that bridges the gap between traditional satellite networks and a 5G Core Network. Initially specified by the Broadband Forum for wireline integration into 5G networks there is a unique and compelling use case to integrate Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) platforms built on proprietary technologies today and in use by most satellite service providers. Over the years millions of VSATs have been deployed by the satellite industry in support of many important use cases such as:
- Residential broadband in underserved areas
- Enterprise communication enabling Point of Sales terminals, Digital signage, VoIP and broadband services
- Disaster recovery and emergency response
- Cellular backhaul
- Maritime and Aero communications
- Military communications
Somewhat unique to the satellite industry and certainly different from the wireless industry is that there is no single standardization body like 3GPP that defines a service architecture end to end. Each VSAT platform has its own way of managing devices, setting up QoS, subscriber databases and authentication of users and terminals. There is also no common standard for roaming between networks or charging interfaces. This combined leads to a number of operational challenges that add complexity and cost and there are few synergies between platforms.
And this is where the AGF comes in to play as a gateway between a world of many bespoke and proprietary systems and the world of 3GPP’s standard way of working. Having traditional VSAT systems integrated with a 5G Core Network invites the satellite industry to the massive 3GPP ecosystem already supporting billions of devices and the available pool of talent and vendors increases exponentially.
Integrating an AGF typically begins with a network transformation to enable a single operational support system (OSS) and business support system (BSS), which can apply the same network policies — regardless of access bearer — on traffic management and quality of service (QoS). The underlying architecture maps Layer 2 VLAN services to N3 user plane interfaces and uses N2 control plane to facilitate communication as the 5G world is so familiar with already. The AGF also handles the N1 messages, allowing the VSAT to register and interact directly with the 5G Core Network.
Druid Software is currently working in close collaboration with VSAT vendors and satellite service providers to integrate AGF based on their unique business requirements and operational challenges. If you are interested in learning more about how AGF can enable your journey towards 5G NTN, or how we can help you leverage these technologies for your business, please contact us today.
Author: Richard Swardh
Title: VP of Sales Non Terrestrial Networks
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