5G secondary node addition 4G-eNB.

pdf

LTE-5GNR UE LTE eNodeB 5G-NR gNodeB 4G Core Network

UE MN-eNB SN-gNB MME SGW

4G-LTE attach procedure

1:Prepare the list of PLMNs that This list will be included in the SIB2 transmission.
support 5G-NR

2:System Information Information Block Type 2 The SIB2 broadcast from the MN-eNB signals the presence of
5G-NR PLMNs via the PLMN-InfoList-r15.
3:Random Access Preamble The terminal initiates a new session with the randomly selected
preamble.
4:PDCCH DCI Format 1A
5:Random Access Response The eNodeB responds to the preamble with the "Random Access
Response" message on the DL-SCH.
6:RRC Connection Request The UE uses a UL-SCH allocation to send the RRC Connection
Request message.
7:RRC Connection Setup (SRB1) eNodeB responds with an RRC Connection Setup message on
the DL-SCH.

8:RRC Connection Setup Complete The UE signals the completion of the RRC connection. The
[NAS Attach Request (DCNR)] message carries the NAS Attach Request. The DCNR bit in the
[PDN Connectivity Request] "UE Network Capability" IE is set. This signals to the 4G Core
Network that the UE supports dual connectivity with 4G-LTE and
5G-NR.

9:S1AP Initial UE Message The NAS messages from the UE are signaled to the Core
[Attach Request (DCNR)] Network via the Initial UE message.
[PDN Connectivity Request]

10:Downlink NAS Transport MME initiates the authentication procedure

[Authentication Request]

11:Uplink NAS Transport Authentication is successfully completed.

[Authentication Response]

12:Downlink NAS Transport MME initiates NAS level security procedure.

[NAS Security Mode Command]

13:Uplink NAS Transport NAS level security procedure is completed. From this point, all
[NAS Security Mode Complete] communication between MME and UE will be encrypted.

14:Initial Context Setup Request MME responds back to the eNodeB with a message containing
[Attach Accept] three messages: S1AP Initial Context Setup Request, NAS Attach
[Activate Default Bearer Request {APN-AMBR IE}] Accept and Activate Default Bearer Request. 5G downlink and
uplink data rates are signaled via Extended UE-AMBR Downlink
and Uplink Information Elements.
15:UE Capability Enquiry MME has not sent UE capabilities so the eNodeB asks the UE for
"UE Capabilities". UE capabilities are requested for 4G-LTE (utra),
EN-DC (eutra-nr) and 5G (nr).
16:UE Capability Information UE reports that it supports the EUTRA-NR radio access
technology. EUTRA-NR specific capabilities are specified in the
UE-MRDC-Capability container. The message also contains
information about the supported 5G frequency bands.

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 5G secondary node addition 4G-eNB.pdf

LTE-5GNR UE LTE eNodeB 5G-NR gNodeB 4G Core Network

UE MN-eNB SN-gNB MME SGW

17:Save UE-MRDC-Capability Extract the dual connectivity capabilities from the UE Capability
container for EUTRA-NR Info message.

18:Save the supported frequency Extract information about the UE supported frequency bands.
bands from the
SupportedBandListNR-r15 field

19:UE Capability Info Indication UE capabilities are also passed to the MME.

20:AS Security Mode Command Setup security between the eNodeB and the UE

21:AS Security Mode Complete Ciphering is enabled in both directions.

22:Prepare a list of 5G NR Prepare a list of 5G NR frequencies for measurement

Measurement Objects

23:RRC Connection Reconfiguration (SRB2, DRB) The RRC Connection Reconfiguration message is sent to activate
[Attach Accept] the default radio bearer. The message also carries the Attach
[Activate Default Bearer Request] Accept message as NAS Payload. The message includes
[MeasObjectNR-r15 (carrierFreq-r15)] measurement objects for 5G NR frequencies.

24:RRC Connection Reconfiguration Complete UE signals the completion of the RRC Connection
Reconfiguration.
25:Initial Context Setup Response eNodeB responds back to the Initial Context Setup message. The
message also contains the GTP TEID that should be used for
sending downlink data to the eNodeB.

26:Uplink NAS Transport UE signals the completion of Attach and default bearer
[Attach Complete] activation.
[Activate Default Bearer Accept]

27:Data Downlink data is flowing on the default bearer.

28:Data Uplink data is flowing on the default bearer.

Measure 5G NR Synchronization Signal Blocks (SSBs)

29:Measurement Report 5G signal quality is reported back to 4G eNB.

RRC Connection Reconfiguration for dual connectivity

with the 5G network
30:Check if the user's
throughput requirements warrant
a 5G connection

31:Check if user's signal quality

and distance from the base
station to determine if 5G
coverage is feasible

32:X2AP SgNB Addition Request The 4G LTE eNodeB decides to add the 5G-NR base station as a
secondary node. The eNodeB sends a Secondary Node Addition
Request to the gNodeB. The message carries the RRC and Radio
Bearer configuration. UE capabilities and security information
are also included in the message.
The network indicates whether the UE shall use either KeNB
(master node key) or S-KgNB (secondary node key) for the 5G
DRB.

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 5G secondary node addition 4G-eNB.pdf

LTE-5GNR UE LTE eNodeB 5G-NR gNodeB 4G Core Network

UE MN-eNB SN-gNB MME SGW

33:X2AP SgNB Addition Request Acknowledge The gNodeB responds with information about the radio
resources and bearers admitted with the 5G network. The NR
RRC configuration message is included in the message.
34:RRC Connection Reconfiguration (SRB3, DRB) The 4G eNodeB sends an RRC Connection Reconfiguration to
the UE. The message assigns 5G radio resources to the UE.
35:RRC Connection Reconfiguration Complete The UE signals the receipt of the RRC Connection
Reconfiguration to the LTE eNodeB. The message carries the
"NR RRC Reconfiguration Complete" message meant for the
SN-gNB.
36:X2AP SgNB Reconfiguration Complete The 4G eNodeB informs the secondary node (gNodeB) about the
reconfiguration complete. The "NR RRC Reconfiguration
Complete" message is delivered to the SN-gNB via the "MeNB to
SgNB" container.

eNodeB starts copying data to the gNodeB

37:SN Status Transfer eNodeB informs the gNodeB about the PDCP SN and HFN for all
the bearers that are being transferred to 5G.
38:Data
38:Data SGW is sending data to the MN-eNB. The MN-eNB keeps
forwarding that data to the SN-gNB.

Path update procedure

39:S1AP E-RAB Modification Indication Notify the MME that the data bearer is being switched from
4G-LTE to 5G-NR.
40:GTPv2 End Marker Packet
40:GTPv2 End Marker Packet Send the End Marker to the eNodeB. This marks the end of data
transmission to the 4G-eNodeB. Subsequent data transmissions
will be towards the 5G-gNodeB.
41:S1AP E-RAB Modification Confirmation MME responds back the eNodeB.

Data flow resumed over 5G

42:MAC PDU [Dual Connectivity PHR MAC CE] Periodically, the UE reports the Power Headroom to the the
MN-eNB. The PHR MAC CE contains the power headroom for the
cells on the MN-eNB and SN-gNB cells.

Periodic reporting between eNB and gNB

43:Measurement Report The UE reports measurements to the MN-eNB. The
measurements include results from 5G NR cells.
44:RRC Container The MN-eNB reports these measurements to the SN-gNB.

45:Secondary RAT Data Usage Report Periodically, the SN-gNB reports the usage statistics for 5G NR
bearers to the MN-eNB.
46:gNB Status Indication The SN-gNB also reports any overload information to the
MN-eNB.

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