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A Flexible Architecture for Broadcast Broadband Convergence in Beyond 5G

Rashmi Yadav, Rashmi Kamran, Pranav Jha, Abhay Karandikar

TL;DR

The paper tackles inefficiencies in 3GPP 5G multicast/broadcast service delivery and the lack of convergence with non-3GPP broadcast networks. It introduces a Signalling Service-Based Architecture (SSBA) that reinterprets UE signalling as a service, enabling flexible delivery among 3GPP 5G unicast, 3GPP 5G broadcast, and non-3GPP broadcast. Through PEPA-based modelling and Eclipse tooling, the work demonstrates reduced signalling, improved modularity, and higher scalability—SSBA achieving substantially larger saturation points than the standard 3GPP 5G MBS setup (e.g., $b_1$ and $b_2$ configurations yield significantly more concurrent sessions). Additionally, SSBA provides a path to converge 3GPP 5G with N3BNs such as DTT, positioning it as a scalable framework for beyond-5G networks. Overall, the approach offers practical benefits for flexible delivery, resource utilization, and cross-network broadcast convergence in future mobile architectures.

Abstract

There has been an exponential increase in the usage of multimedia services in mobile networks in recent years. To address this accelerating data demand, mobile networks are experiencing a subtle transformation in their architecture. One of the changes in this direction is the support of Multicast/Broadcast Service (MBS) in the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Fifth Generation (5G) network. The MBS has been introduced to enhance resource utilization and user experience in 3GPP 5G networks. However, there are certain limitations in the 3GPP 5G MBS architecture, such as the selection of the delivery method (unicast or broadcast) by the core network (may result in sub-optimal radio resource utilization) and no provision for converging non-3GPP broadcast technologies (like digital terrestrial television) with cellular (3GPP 5G) broadband. In this context, we propose a new architecture for the convergence of cellular broadband and non-3GPP broadcast networks. A novelty of the architecture is that it treats signalling exchange with User Equipment (UE) as data (service) which results in improved scalability of mobile networks. The architecture supports enhanced flexibility in choosing a delivery method (3GPP 5G unicast, 3GPP 5G broadcast, or non-3GPP broadcast) for user data. We evaluate the performance of the proposed architecture using process algebra-based simulations, demonstrating a significant reduction in the number of signalling messages exchanged between the UE and the network for MBS session establishment as compared to the 3GPP 5G network.

A Flexible Architecture for Broadcast Broadband Convergence in Beyond 5G

TL;DR

The paper tackles inefficiencies in 3GPP 5G multicast/broadcast service delivery and the lack of convergence with non-3GPP broadcast networks. It introduces a Signalling Service-Based Architecture (SSBA) that reinterprets UE signalling as a service, enabling flexible delivery among 3GPP 5G unicast, 3GPP 5G broadcast, and non-3GPP broadcast. Through PEPA-based modelling and Eclipse tooling, the work demonstrates reduced signalling, improved modularity, and higher scalability—SSBA achieving substantially larger saturation points than the standard 3GPP 5G MBS setup (e.g., and configurations yield significantly more concurrent sessions). Additionally, SSBA provides a path to converge 3GPP 5G with N3BNs such as DTT, positioning it as a scalable framework for beyond-5G networks. Overall, the approach offers practical benefits for flexible delivery, resource utilization, and cross-network broadcast convergence in future mobile architectures.

Abstract

There has been an exponential increase in the usage of multimedia services in mobile networks in recent years. To address this accelerating data demand, mobile networks are experiencing a subtle transformation in their architecture. One of the changes in this direction is the support of Multicast/Broadcast Service (MBS) in the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Fifth Generation (5G) network. The MBS has been introduced to enhance resource utilization and user experience in 3GPP 5G networks. However, there are certain limitations in the 3GPP 5G MBS architecture, such as the selection of the delivery method (unicast or broadcast) by the core network (may result in sub-optimal radio resource utilization) and no provision for converging non-3GPP broadcast technologies (like digital terrestrial television) with cellular (3GPP 5G) broadband. In this context, we propose a new architecture for the convergence of cellular broadband and non-3GPP broadcast networks. A novelty of the architecture is that it treats signalling exchange with User Equipment (UE) as data (service) which results in improved scalability of mobile networks. The architecture supports enhanced flexibility in choosing a delivery method (3GPP 5G unicast, 3GPP 5G broadcast, or non-3GPP broadcast) for user data. We evaluate the performance of the proposed architecture using process algebra-based simulations, demonstrating a significant reduction in the number of signalling messages exchanged between the UE and the network for MBS session establishment as compared to the 3GPP 5G network.
Paper Structure (7 sections, 8 figures, 1 table)

This paper contains 7 sections, 8 figures, 1 table.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Proposed Signalling Service-Based Architecture
  3. MBS Session Establishment Call flow for the Proposed SSBA
  4. System Model
  5. Performance Evaluation
  6. Convergence of 3GPP 5G and N3BN in SSBA
  7. Conclusion

Figures (8)

  • Figure 1: Proposed signalling service-based mobile network architecture.
  • Figure 2: MBS session establishment call flow in the proposed SSBA.
  • Figure 3: Number of MBS sessions established per unit time for the basic configuration.
  • Figure 4: Number of MBS sessions established per unit time for the scaled configuration.
  • Figure 5: Processor utilization of MBS session establishment for the basic configuration.
  • ...and 3 more figures