{"id":4624,"date":"2023-11-20T07:57:19","date_gmt":"2023-11-20T07:57:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/skynetwave.com\/?p=4624"},"modified":"2023-11-20T07:57:21","modified_gmt":"2023-11-20T07:57:21","slug":"5g-cu-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/skynetwave.com\/5g-cu-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"5G CU Meaning: What is it Exactly?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The following guide will explore <strong>5G CU meaning<\/strong>. While <a href=\"https:\/\/skynetwave.com\/starlink-vs-5g\/\">5G<\/a> produces faster mobile broadband connection speeds, it has some limitations. One of them is that the technology uses millimeter wavelengths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This means that 5G\u2019s wavelengths are shorter than 3G and 4G. One way carriers have overcome this is through innovative network architecture choices &#8211; particularly for base stations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One such architecture design is the centralized unit (CU) design.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The following guide discusses the implications of using this design and how 5G networks implement it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Understanding The Architecture of 5G<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We cannot discuss how or what the 5G CU is without discussing the 5G network design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0A 5G network consists mainly of a <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Node_B\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">gNodeB<\/a> (gNB) base station. The base station can either be standalone, non-standalone or utilize a CU-DU split.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A standalone gNB can implement a centralized\/central unit (CU) or distributed unit (DU).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, the CU-DU is seemingly the most effective and thus common 5G base station architecture. It uses both entities (CU and DU).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Difference Between DU and CU<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The distribution unit is primarily responsible for real-time scheduling functions. It determines when and which device should communicate. Additionally, it dictates which radio resources, such as frequency and time slots, are assigned to each device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other end of the spectrum, the Central Unit (CU) deals with non-real-time functions. It works with the top layers of the network protocol stack, whereas the DU works with the bottom layers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/skynetwave.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1-19.jpg\" alt=\"5G Telecommunications Tower\" class=\"wp-image-4627\" srcset=\"https:\/\/skynetwave.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1-19.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/skynetwave.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1-19-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/skynetwave.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1-19-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>5G Telecommunications Tower<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Supported Protocols&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The lower layers (DU-supported) include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>MAC(<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/MAC_address\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Media Access Control<\/a>)\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>RLC (<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Radio_Link_Control\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Radio Link Control<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>PL (Physical Layer)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The higher layers (CU-supported) include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>SDAP (<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Service_data_adaptation_protocol\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Service Data Adaptation Protocol<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>RRC (Radio Resource Contro)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>PDCP (Package Data Convergence Protocol)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">gNB Locations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When separate, the distribution unit is closer to the base station site than it is to the user. While the CU (as the name implies) is positioned in a centralized location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The DU-CU split allows us to bring the DU closer to the device (phone) user, which can be crucial in use cases like Edge computing. This paradigm brings the data source closer to the connecting device (router, tablet, or phone).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Often, 5G networks contain multiple gNBs. In most cases, each of them shares a single CU. Inversely, all the gNBs are assigned a unique DU.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"307\" src=\"https:\/\/skynetwave.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/2-16.jpg\" alt=\"5G Vector Image\" class=\"wp-image-4626\" srcset=\"https:\/\/skynetwave.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/2-16.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/skynetwave.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/2-16-300x92.jpg 300w, https:\/\/skynetwave.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/2-16-768x236.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>5G Vector Image<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How CU and DU Are Connected<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A single CU tends to control all the DUs in this architecture design. They connect through the F1 interface.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This interface transfers control plane signaling using the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.3gpp.org\/DynaReport\/38473.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">F1 application protocol<\/a> (F1AP). The control plane dictates how networks forward packets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This shared hardware platform is ideal for use cases such as deploying cloud computing and Network Function Virtualization (NFV).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5G CU Meaning: Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The above guide explores the 5G CU meaning. The complexity of 5G architecture is one of the reasons it has yet to surpass the coverage of its two predecessors &#8211; 4G and 3G.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may find that Starlink has more far-reaching <a href=\"https:\/\/skynetwave.com\/is-starlink-available-in-my-area\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">coverage<\/a> than 5G. For now, 5G partially uses 4G network hardware for some of its gNB base stations.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The rollout has been a bit sluggish because, along with network complexity, 5G\u2019s equipment is expensive.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nevertheless, all stakeholders in 5G technology hope to have at least 85% of the world covered by 2028.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The following guide will explore 5G CU meaning. While 5G produces faster mobile broadband connection speeds, it has some limitations. One of them is that the technology uses millimeter wavelengths. This means that 5G\u2019s wavelengths are shorter than 3G and 4G. One way carriers have overcome this is through innovative network architecture choices &#8211; particularly &#8230; <\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more-container\"><a title=\"5G CU Meaning: What is it Exactly?\" class=\"read-more button\" href=\"https:\/\/skynetwave.com\/5g-cu-meaning\/#more-4624\" aria-label=\"More on 5G CU Meaning: What is it Exactly?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4625,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>5G CU Meaning: What is it Exactly?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The following guide will explore 5G CU meaning. 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