Licensed and unlicensed wireless networks are different ways of using the radio spectrum to transmit and receive information. For a licensed spectrum, the government assigns these bands to specific organizations, such as radio stations, television providers, and cellular companies, for a fee; whereas, for the unlicensed spectrum, these bands are open for anyone to use, but are subject to regulations. IEEE 1932.1-2024: IEEE Standard for Licensed/Unlicensed Spectrum Interoperability in Wireless Mobile Networks applies to communications among entities operating in licensed and unlicensed spectrum.
What Is IEEE 1932.1-2024?
IEEE 1932.1-2024 defines the licensed and unlicensed controller (LUC), a virtualized controller aimed at coordinating traffic load transmissions in multi-connectivity modes. The LUC may be initiated at the primary edge cloud or any other cloud within the network and facilitates seamless service management through a unique ID that coordinates with network components. The standard specifies the instantiation and chaining process of the LUC with other fifth generation core (5GC) network functions (NFs).
Furthermore, IEEE 1932.1-2024 defines a mechanism for communications among entities operating in licensed and unlicensed spectrum. The mechanism includes interoperation among media access control/physical layer (MAC/PHY) protocols designed for unlicensed and licensed spectrum operations and a controller for coordination among communicating entities. IEEE 1932.1-2024 outlines the installation of enabling reporting mechanisms at the user equipment (UE) or the 5G new radio (NR) unified media access control (MAC).
LUC-Integrated 5G Architecture
The proposed LUC-integrated 5G architecture in IEEE 1932.1-2024 describes several network functions, including the following:
- Licensed and unlicensed controller (LUC)
- Access and mobility management function (AMF)
- Intermediate access and mobility management function (I-AMF) — User plane function (UPF)
- Intermediate user plane function (I-UPF) — Policy control function (PCF0
- Session management function (SMF) — Unified data management (UDM) — User equipment (UE)
- (Radio) access network ([R]AN) — Application function (AF)
- Network exposure function (NEF)
What Is the Unlicensed Spectrum?
In 1985, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) first authorized the operation of non-licensed spread spectrum systems in the 902-928 MHz, 2400-2483.5 MHz, and 5725-5850 MHs. This decision led to technology, perhaps most notably Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, that we currently cannot imagine living without.
Hence, unlicensed wireless devices (e.g., Wi-fi transmitters, Bluetooth devices, wireless alarm systems, etc.,) are devices that operate on the unlicensed spectrum, which is a free, public portion of the radio spectrum that anyone can use. The radio spectrum refers to the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that ranges from 1 Hz to 3000 GHz (3 THz). Electromagnetic waves in this frequency range are called radio waves; they have become widely used in modern technology, specifically in telecommunication.
Licensed Vs. Unlicensed Frequency Ranges
The main differences between licensed and unlicensed frequency ranges are who can use them. Licensed frequency ranges are used by individual companies or users who pay a licensing fee for exclusive transmitting rights within the licensed band. They are used for cellular services or radio stations, for instance. With limited licenses that are carefully coordinated based on location, a given band stays well managed from the spectrum perspective, giving a radio wave its best chance to succeed. Hence, the benefits of license frequency bands include reliability, performance, and protection.
On the other, unlicensed bands do not have the same rigid requirements that licensed bands do and are open for anyone to use who wants to use them. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), however, still defines maximum power levels allowed and other constraints that guide even the unlicensed bands. As such, any product that will use an unlicensed band still needs to be type-approved by the FCC. This allows consumers to buy those products without being required to get their own individual licenses. Hence, the main benefits of unlicensed bands, besides low-cost access, is fast product development—giving innovators the opportunity to introduce new services and technologies faster than if they had to apply for permission to use licensed spectrum.
IEEE 1932.1-2024: IEEE Standard for Licensed/Unlicensed Spectrum Interoperability in Wireless Mobile Networks is available on the ANSI Webstore.