Glossary | UKTIN

An alphabetical list of technical terms and abbreviations that may be unfamiliar to some readers.

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5G Core: The core network in 5G is known as 5G Core (5GC). In some of the early literature, before 5GC name was finalised, it was known as Next-Generation Core Network (NGCN).
5G Network Slicing: The ability to deliver multiple network occurrences in software over one shared infrastructure, thus improving flexibility and agility.
5G Pioneer Bands: Frequency bands at 700MHz, 3.5GHz, and 6GHz that are designated for 5G use (in the UK).
6G: the sixth generation of cellular technology. 6G is not yet a functioning technology but 6G networks will be able to use higher frequencies than 5G networks and are anticipated to provide substantially higher capacity and much lower latency.
Antenna: An antenna is a transducer (a device that converts energy from one form to another) that converts a guided wave into a radiated wave and vice versa. The guided wave is generally in the coaxial RF cable while the radiated wave is characterised by the antenna’s radiation pattern.
Antenna Pattern: The radiation pattern or the antenna pattern describes how the antenna radiates or receives energy to/from space. In practice, the radiation would happen in 3D but to make it easier, a 2D representation is used. There are two 2D patterns, azimuth plane pattern and elevation plane pattern.
Augmented Reality / Virtual Reality: Augmented reality is an interactive experience of a real-world environment where the objects that reside in the real world are enhanced by computer-generated perceptual information, sometimes across multiple sensory modalities. 5G Networks will facilitate greater use of this through expanded network bandwidth. Virtual Reality is one step further seemingly taking the viewer into a different world or environment in an immersive way.
Artificial Intelligence (AI): Artificial intelligence is a constellation of many different technologies working together to enable machines to sense, comprehend, act, and learn with human-like levels of intelligence.
Azimuth Pattern: The azimuth plane pattern is the pattern made by the radiated wave horizontally, typically referred to as the x and y direction. It is also referred to as an x-y plane or just an azimuth plane.
Backhaul: The base station is connected to the core network using backhaul. In the case of 4G, the backhaul is the link that connects BBU to EPC. In case of 5G, the backhaul is the link that connects CU to 5G Core (5GC). Typically fibre or microwave links are used for backhaul but many other technologies including satellite communications and laser links could be used for backhaul as well.
Baseband Unit: The Baseband Unit (BBU) is responsible for managing the 2G, 3G and/or 4G base station for a single site. BBU is also known as Radio Equipment Control (REC) as it controls multiple RRUs. BBU contains layers 1, 2 and 3 (L1, L2 and L3) of the protocol stack in addition to RF signal processing capability. It is also responsible for many complex tasks including but not limited to, Inter-cell interference and radio resource management (RRM), mobility control, admission control, measurement configuration and provision, carrier aggregation (CA) and finally, scheduling and dynamic resource allocation.
Cell Site: A cell site or cell tower is a cellular-enabled mobile device site where antennae and electronic communications equipment are placed — typically on a radio mast, tower, or other raised structure — to create a cell in a cellular network
Centralised Unit: In 5G, the functionality handled by BBU is split into a Centralised Unit (CU) and Distributed Unit (DU). CU handles the higher layers of the RAN protocol stack while DU handles the lower layers of the RAN protocol stack. 3GPP defines eight RAN functional splits. Some of these can be split even further, like the split 7.2x adopted by the O-RAN alliance. The exact split of the protocol stack between CU and DU is dependent on the RAN functional split adopted. CU can be disaggregated further into a control plane (CU-CP) and user plane (CU-UP) and these can be connected to each other via the 3GPP E1 interface.
Centralised RAN: A Centralised RAN (C-RAN) centralises part of the infrastructure at a common facility/location. In the case of 4G, the group of BBUs can be collected together to pool the resources in a BBU Hostel or BBC Pool. Multiple BBU Hostels/Pools are typically present in a C-RAN network, each of them serving a small geography. In the case of 5G, C-RAN implies that the DU/CU are co-located in a common facility/location, similar to BBU Hostels/Pools. In this scenario, typically the DU/CU separation is only logical.
Client User Plane Separation (CUPS): CUPS is a 4.5G Pro enhancement to the Evolved Packet Core. It enables flexible, distributed network deployments, and independent scaling between control plane and user plane functions.
Cloud: IT parlance, a data centre where applications are hosted.
Cloud Computing: Cloud computing is a method for delivering information technology (IT) services in which resources are retrieved from the Internet through web-based tools and applications, as opposed to a direct connection to a server.
Cloud Infrastructure: the components needed for cloud computing, including hardware, abstracted resources, storage and network resources.
Cloud RAN: In the case of Cloud RAN (C-RAN – same acronym as Centralised RAN), the BBU in case of 2G/3G/4G and CU/DU in case of 5G is virtualised or containerised. This allows them to be located in a data centre.
Commercial Off-The-Shelf server: Commercial or Commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) server is referred to as using a general purpose processor (GPP) as opposed to custom-built hardware that uses a single purpose processor (SPP), optimised to handle specific functions and/or algorithms.
Control Plane: The Control Plane (C plane or CP) carries the signalling traffic which is used to establish, modify or release the User Plane.
Core Network: The Core Network (CN) provides services to the end users and allows them to connect to the outside world for a voice call, data session, video streaming, gaming session any service they are allowed to use. 2G and 3G networks had two separate CNs for circuit-switched (CS) voice calls & SMS and for packet-switched (PS) data calls. 4G/LTE got rid of CS core by moving to an All-IP Network (AIPN). EPC is used as a core in the 4G network while 5GC is the core in the 5G network.
Common Public Radio Interface: Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI) is the most commonly used digital protocol for fronthaul, used for serial high-speed data transfer between BBU and RRU.
Components and Semiconductors: As a network’s speed increases so does the need for better components and semiconductors in order to keep up with the new demands. These components are the microchips, processors and materials used in transporting signals.
Devices and Sensors: These are the next step in the data or signal journey again being developed to handle the new loads required by faster and increased data signals.
Dipole: A dipole antenna is a simple antenna which is used as a reference to compare against other types of antennas. It is an omnidirectional antenna that radiates its energy out towards the horizon, perpendicular to the antenna. It is a frequency-specific antenna that is designed to be half-wavelength (λ/2 – where λ is known as lambda) in size.
Distributed Unit: See Centralised Unit for details on DU.
Diversification: Diversification of the telecoms supply chain refers to the desire to broaden the use of the equipment and solution providers in the sector—driven by commercial, technical and geopolitical factors. It has two key elements to it: one a desire to increase the number of suppliers in the market, and two a new approach to building mobile networks to move away from proprietary solutions, known as the Open RAN movement. The ambition for Open RAN is to create a multi-supplier RAN solution that allows for the separation—or disaggregation—of hardware and software with open interfaces and virtualisation.
Diversity: Diversity is a mechanism to improve the reliability of the signal being transmitted or received. Different types of diversity techniques exist, the most common being time diversity, spatial diversity and polarisation diversity.
Dynamic Shared Spectrum: Allows spectrum to be shared between multiple users for independent use.
Dynamic spectrum access (DSA): The term given to the technology that enables the efficient re-use of the spectrum.
Elevation Pattern: The elevation plane pattern is the pattern made by the radiated wave vertically, typically referred to as the y and z direction. It is also referred to as the y-z plane or just the elevation plane. The elevation plane is orthogonal to the azimuth plane.
Enhanced CPRI: Enhanced or evolved CPRI (eCPRI) was introduced to remove many of the challenges associated with CPRI. It was designed as a future-proofed fronthaul interface with reduced data rate demands and complexity.
Enhanced Mobile Broadband: Enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) is, in simple terms, an extension of services first enabled by 4G LTE networks that allow for a high data rate across a wide coverage area. eMBB is providing the greater capacity necessary to support peak data rates both for large crowds and for end users who are on the move.
Evolved NodeB (eNB): A base station in an LTE radio network, 3GPP Rel8 to Rel14.
Evolved Packet Core: Evolved Packet Core (EPC) is the name of the 4G core network. It was designed as an evolution of the 2G/3G packet-switched core network.
Fibre: a network of fibre optic cables that can deliver high-speed broadband over greater distance than standard copper cables.
Field Programmable RF Transceivers: Special microchips that radios use to be very versatile across frequencies and modulation methods.
Fixed Wireless Access: Fixed wireless access (FWA) is the process of providing wireless broadband using radio links between two fixed points. In other words, fixed wireless is an alternate method of providing wireless internet access to homes or businesses while eliminating the need for physical connections (phone lines, cable, or fibre)
Frequency Bands: The numbered bands used in spectrum regulator phraseology to define an upper and lower frequency range.
Fronthaul: Fronthaul is the connection in the RAN infrastructure between BBU and RRU. Due to the requirements of high data rates, dark fibre is most often used for fronthaul connectivity.
High Density Demand (HDD) Environments: Locations that require the support of hundreds or even thousands of wireless clients in a given area e.g. sports stadiums, concert halls and auditoriums. Such sites represent the most challenging environments for the technical performance of RAN elements and systems.
Hyperspectral Imaging: Hyperspectral imaging, like other spectral imaging, collects and processes information from across the electromagnetic spectrum. The goal of Hyperspectral imaging is to obtain the spectrum for each pixel in the image of a scene, with the purpose of finding objects, identifying materials, or detecting processes.
Infrastructure: Telecoms infrastructure is a physical medium through which all Internet traffic flows. This includes telephone wires, cables (including submarine cables), satellites, microwaves, and mobile technology such as fifth-generation (5G) mobile networks.
International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI): The IMSI is a unique number, usually around fifteen digits long. Firstly, it identifies the network operator (e.g. 5G RuralFirst) in a specific country with whom the subscriber holds an account. The second part is allocated by the network operator to uniquely identify the subscriber. The IMSI is programmed onto the SIM card and travels between devices when the SIM is moved.
IoT: The Internet of Things (IoT) describes physical objects, that are embedded with sensors, processing ability, software, and other technologies, and that connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the Internet or other communications networks.
IP: Internet Protocol. Technology standard that defines how data traverses the internet.
ISM: The industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) radio bands are radio bands (portions of the radio spectrum) reserved internationally for the use of radio frequency (RF) energy for industrial, scientific and medical purposes other than telecommunications.
LiFi: Just like Wi-Fi, only it uses light.
Lobe: An antenna pattern has portions of the pattern referred to as lobes. The main lobe is the main region of focus for the wave radiation and would have areas of weaker radiation around it. The side lobes may or may not be desirable but are formed depending on the shape of the antenna and the number of elements used to create the beam. The back lobe is generally always undesirable and a major source of interference.

Lobe

Long-Term Evolution (LTE): Advanced, Advanced Pro. LTE can be considered a family of standards associated with 4G/ 4.5G/ 4.5G Pro/ 4.9G and 5GE 'path to 5G' mobile networks.
LoRaWAN: The LoRaWAN specification is a Low Power, Wide Area (LPWA) networking protocol designed to wirelessly connect battery-operated ‘things’ to the internet in regional, national or global networks.
Management Plane: The Management (M) Plane carries administrative tasks traffic, typically the configuration and control commands for the entities involved.
Massive Machine Type Communications: Massive machine type communication (mMTC) also known as massive machine communication (MMC) or massive Machine Machine communication is a type of communication between machines over wired or wireless networks where data generation, information exchange and actuation take place with minimal or no intervention from humans.
Midhaul: The connection between CU and DU is referred to as mid-haul. This interface is also defined by 3GPP as the F1 interface.
MIMO: In radio, multiple-input and multiple-output, or MIMO, is a method for multiplying the capacity of a radio link using multiple transmit and receive antennas to exploit multipath propagation.
mmWave/ mmWave Band Technologies: Millimetre wave (also millimetre band) is the band of spectrum between 30 GigaHertz (GHz) and 300 GHz. Also known as Extremely High Frequency (EHF), it can be used for high-speed wireless broadband communications. Millimetre wave is an undeveloped band of spectrum that can be used in a broad range of products and services like high speed, point-to-point Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) and broadband access.
Mobile Edge Computing (MEC): Edge computing is a distributed information technology architecture in which data is processed at the periphery of the network, as close to the originating source as possible.
Multipath Propagation: In a multipath propagation environment, the radio signal that is transmitted encounters various obstructions and reaches the destination through more than one path. The received signals arrive at different times with different angles. The receiver has to reconstruct the signal from these received multipath components of the original signal.
Network Functions Virtualisation: The process of virtualising the Network Functions (NFs) that are typically located in BBU or DU/CU is known as Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV). These Virtualised Network Functions (VNFs) can then reside on a COTS server or inside a data centre.
Networks of Networks: Essentially networks that are connected to other networks. A popular example is the Internet, a large collection of connected networks.
Network Latencies: Used to indicate any kind of delay that happens in data communication over a network.
Network Operations: The process and activities of monitoring, managing and maintaining network performance to ensure maximum availability and minimum disruption of telecom services. Includes managing functions such as network inventory management, managing provisioning issues, network availability, and fault management.
Neutral Host: Neutral hosts allow public LTE subscribers to connect and strengthen their signal from a private network cell.
Non-Standalone Network: In the 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) network, the 5G NR works in tandem with the 4G radio access network (E-UTRAN) and they are both connected to the 4G Evolved Packet Core (EPC).
Non-Terrestrial Network: any network that involves space or airborne elements, including satellite communication networks, high-altitude platform systems (HAPS), and air-to-ground networks.
Open RAN: O-RAN (Open RAN) is a term used for industry-wide standards for RAN (Radio Access Network) interfaces that support interoperation between vendors’ equipment and offer network flexibility at a lower cost. The main purpose of open RAN is to have an interoperability standard for RAN elements including non-proprietary white box hardware and software from different vendors.
Polarisation Diversity: In the case of Polarisation Diversity, pairs of antennas are combined in a ±45° slant. This kind of arrangement is also known as cross-polarization. This approach not only reduces the size of MIMO antenna but also reduces the signal fade. This works so well that most modern antennas incorporate polarisation diversity.
Private Networks: A private network is any connection within a specified network wherein restrictions are established to promote a secured environment. This type of network can be configured in such a way that devices outside the network cannot access it.
Radio Access Network: The Radio Access Network (RAN) ensures that the UE can access services provided by the core.
Receive Diversity: Receiver Diversity implies the use of more than one antenna at the receiver to capture multipath signals. Multiple copies of the data received will be affected differently by channel fading and this could be used to improve the reliability of the received signal.
RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC): A software-defined component of the Open RAN architecture that's responsible for controlling and optimising RAN functions
SIM card: SIM stands for Smart card Inside a Mobile phone. These have been around since the days of 2G. The SIM card contains a series of important information such as the IMSI, security credentials, and a list of forbidden mobile networks to which the device it is inserted must not try to connect.
Small Cells: Small cells are low-powered cellular radio access nodes that operate in licensed and unlicensed spectrums that have a range of 10 metres to a few kilometres.
Software-Defined Radio (SDR): A radio communication system where components that have been typically implemented in hardware (e.g. mixers, filters, amplifiers, modulators/demodulators, detectors, etc.) are instead implemented by means of software on a personal computer or embedded system.
Spatial Diversity: Spatial Diversity uses more than one antenna that is separated by space. The transmitted or received signal goes through a different path thereby reducing dispersion effects in time and frequency, channel fading, co-channel interference, path loss effect, etc.
Spectrum: Spectrum is the term used to define radio waves from low to high frequencies. In a 5G context Spectrum refers more specifically to 2.1 GHz frequency which enables long-range data transfer at high speed. 3.6 GHz is used for populated areas
Spectrum Sharing: Radio spectrums are usually reserved for a specific use, which has caused them to become scarce assets. Spectrum sharing allows unused frequencies within a band to be usable by other devices. 5G makes the most of sharing both 2.1 GHz and 3.6 GHz
Standalone Network: A Standalone network is one in which the radio and the core network belong to the same generation of technology. 2G, 3G and 4G networks exist only as Standalone networks. 5G networks can exist as a Standalone (SA) or Non-Standalone (NSA) network. In 5G SA, the 5G New Radio (NR) connects directly to the 5G Core (5GC).
Synchronisation Plane: The Synchronisation (S) Plane is responsible for maintaining a timing synchronisation between all the different entities within the network.
System Integration: The process of bringing together components and different systems into one information system to ensure they seamlessly function as one coordinated whole. This may include designing or building a customised architecture or application, integrating it with new or existing hardware, packaged and custom software, and communications.
TV WhiteSpace (TVWS): White Space refers to the unused broadcasting frequencies in the wireless spectrum. Television networks leave gaps between channels for buffering purposes, and this space in the wireless spectrum is similar to what is used for 4G and so it can be used to deliver widespread broadband internet with spectrum-sharing techniques.
UAV: An unmanned aerial vehicle, commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without a human pilot aboard.
UHF Radio: Ultra-high frequency (UHF) is the ITU designation for radio frequencies in the range between 300 MegaHertz (MHz) and 3 GigaHertz (GHz), also known as the decimetre band as the wavelengths range from 10cm to 1m.
Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communications (URLLC): is a set of features that provide low latency (high refresh rate) and ultra-high reliability for mission-critical applications such as industrial internet, smart grids, remote surgery and intelligent transportation systems.
User Equipment (UE): A UE is a piece of end-user hardware such as a smartphone or modem that can connect to the cellular network.
User Plane: The User Plane (U plane or UP) carries the user data traffic.
USRP Devices: Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP) is a range of software-defined radios designed and sold by Ettus Research and its parent company, National Instruments.
Vector Network Analyser: The vector network analyser, VNA is a form of RF network analyser widely used for RF design applications. A vector network analyser is a test system that enables the RF performance of radio frequency (RF) and microwave devices to be characterised in terms of network scattering parameters, or S parameters.
Vector Signal Generator: Vector signal generators or VSG has arisen to meet the need for radio or wireless and cellular systems. These systems utilise very complicated waveforms using digital modulation. As a result, it has been necessary to develop what is termed vector signal generators or digital signal generators to be able to generate the radio frequency waveforms required.