An Experimental Study on 6G Distributed Network Architecture and Technology

With the commercial deployment of the 5G network, the study of the next-generation mobile communication technology, i.e., 6G, has started. It is recognized that becoming highly distributed is a promising tendency of 6G network architecture, and the Service-Based Architecture (SBA) of the 5G Core Network (5GC) still has a deep influence on the 6G Core Network(6GC) design. However, a lack of prototype research has been presented to verify the feasibility of the 6G new architecture and technology. This paper presents our preliminary experiment study of 6G distributed network architecture based on the present software-based 5G project to fill this research gap. Through the smooth upgrade of 5GC SBA, several distributed network technologies for future 6GC, e.g., distributed network-level information synchronization, cross-network service collaboration, and cross-network UE data backup are implemented and verified. Our study indicates some promising directions for the future 6G network evolution from the present 5G architecture.