History of free5GC project:

Stage 3: free5GC v3.0.0

  • AMF
    • Support SMF selection at PDU session establishment
    • Fix SUCI handling procedure
  • SMF
    • Feature . ULCL by config . Authorized QoS
    • Bugfix . PDU Session Establishment PDUAddress Information . PDU Session Establishment N1 Message . SMContext Release Procedure
  • UPF:
    • ULCL feature
    • support SDF Filter
    • support N9 interface
  • OAM
    • Get Registered UE Context API
    • OAM web UI to display Registered UE Context
  • N3IWF
    • Support Registration procedure for untrusted non-3GPP access
    • Support UE Requested PDU Session Establishment via Untrusted non-3GPP Access
  • UDM
    • SUCI to SUPI de-concealment
    • Notification
      • Callback notification to NF ( in SDM service)
      • UDM initiated deregistration notification to NF ( in UECM service)

Contributors:

National Chiao Tung University: Chi Chang, Yao-Wen Chang, Jyh-Cheng Chen, Liang-Yu Chen, Te-Chih Chiu, Chia-Tso Chu, Jairus Dah, Wei-Ting Hu, Chia-An Lee, Yan-Jie Lin, Yi-Bing Jason Lin, Jyun-Yu Syu, Sebastian Tan, Fu-Lian Weng, Chi-En Wei, Wei-Chun Yang

National Chung Cheng University: Pai-Chuan Chang, Shao-Yu Lien

Stage 2: free5GC v2.0.2

  • Add debug mode on NFs
  • Auto add Linux routing when UPF runs
  • Add AMF consumer for AM policy
  • Add SM policy
  • Allow security NIA0 and NEA0
  • Add handover feature
  • Add webui
  • Update license
  • Bugfix for incorrect DNN
  • Bugfix for NFs registering to NRF

Contributors:

National Chiao Tung University: Chi Chang, Yao-Wen Chang, Jyh-Cheng Chen, Liang-Yu Chen, Te-Chih Chiu, Yi-Sung Chiu, Chia-Tso Chu, Jairus Dah, Wei-Ting Hu, Chia-Wei Liao, Chia-An Lee, Yan-Jie Lin, Yi-Bing Jason Lin, Fu-chun Joseph Lin, Jyun-Yu Syu, Sebastian Tan, Cheng-Chin Tsai, Chien-Chao Tseng, Fu-Lian Weng, Chi-En Wei, Wei-Chun Yang

National Chung Cheng University: Pai-Chuan Chang, Shao-Yu Lien

Stage 2: free5GC v2.0.1

  • Global
    • Update license and readme
    • Add Paging feature
    • Bugfix for AN release issue
    • Add URL for SBI in NFs' config
  • AMF
    • Add Paging feature
    • Bugfix for SCTP PPID to 60
    • Bugfix for UE release in testing
    • Bugfix for too fast send UP data in testing
    • Bugfix for sync with defaultc config in testing
  • SMF
    • Add Paging feature
    • Create PDR with FAR ID
    • Bugfix for selecting DNN fail handler
  • UPF
    • Sync config default address with Go NFs
    • Remove GTP tunnel by removing PDR/FAR
    • Bugfix for PFCP association setup
    • Bugfix for new PDR/FAR creating
    • Bugfix for PFCP session report
    • Bugfix for getting from PDR
    • Bugfix for log format and update logger version
  • PCF
    • Bugfix for lost field and method

Contributors:

National Chiao Tung University: Chi Chang, Yao-Wen Chang, Jyh-Cheng Chen, Liang-Yu Chen, Te-Chih Chiu, Yi-Sung Chiu, Chia-Tso Chu, Jairus Dah, Wei-Ting Hu, Chia-Wei Liao, Chia-An Lee, Yan-Jie Lin, Yi-Bing Jason Lin, Fu-chun Joseph Lin, Jyun-Yu Syu, Sebastian Tan, Cheng-Chin Tsai, Chien-Chao Tseng, Fu-Lian Weng, Chi-En Wei, Wei-Chun Yang

National Chung Cheng University: Pai-Chuan Chang, Shao-Yu Lien

Stage 2: free5GC v2.0.0

Features implemented:

  • Removed interfaces: S6a and Gx.
  • Supported network functions: Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Network Repository Function (NRF), Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF), Unified Data Management (UDM), Unified Data Repository (UDR), and Authenticate Server Function (AUSF).
  • Added interfaces: SBI N1 (UE - AMF), N2 (AN - AMF), N8 (Namf - Nudm), N10 (Nsmf – Nudm), N11 (Namf - Nsmf), N12 (Namf – Nausf), and N13 (Nausf – Nudm) reference points.
  • Partially implementation: 5GC Orchestrator, Network Repository Function (NRF), and Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF).
  • Added features: 5G Next Generation Application Protocol (NGAP), 5G Non-Access Stratum (NAS), and 5G authentication
  • Features to be patched
    • End of Oct: handover procedure, and paging
    • End of Nov: non-mobile access network (N3IWF), Policy Control Function (PCF), QoS, and UP Uplink Classifier (UL CL)

Feature(s) not implemented:

  • Application services are not supported in this stage.

Contributors:

National Chiao Tung University: Chi Chang, Yao-Wen Chang, Fu-Cheng Chen, Jyh-Cheng Chen, Liang-Yu Chen, Te-Chih Chiu, Yi-Sung Chiu, Chia-Tso Chu, Jairus Dah, Shan-Jung Fu, Wei-Ting Hu, Chia-Wei Liao, Chia-An Lee, Kuan-Ying Lee, Ya-Hsuan Lin, Yan-Jie Lin, Yi-Bing Jason Lin, Fu-chun Joseph Lin, Hsun-Chieh Pan, Jyun-Yu Syu, Sebastian Tan, Cheng-Chin Tsai, Chien-Chao Tseng, Fu-Lian Weng, Chi-En Wei, Yi-Hua Wu, Wei-Chun Yang

National Chung Cheng University: Pai-Chuan Chang, Shao-Yu Lien

National Taichung University of Education: Lin-Huang Chang, Ying-Chian Cheng, Sheng-Hsun Hung, Guan-Yi Jiang, Tsung-Han Lee, Cheng-Wei Su, Chao-Wei Syu, Ching Yeh

Tunghai University: Zhi-Xian Chen, Yu-Cheng Cheng, Wei Chiu, Fang-Yie Leu, Hsuan-Chung Wang, Chao-Tung Yang

Stage 1: free5GC v1.0.0

Features implemented:

  • Migrated the entities of 4G EPC, including Mobile Mobility Entity (MME), Serving Gateway (SGW) and Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW) into 5GC functions of Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF) and User Plane Function (UPF).
  • Migrated interfaces: S1 to N2, S1-U to N3 and SGi to N6
  • Removed interfaces: S5/S8 and S11.
  • Added interfaces: N4 and Service-Based Interface (SBI) N11 reference point.
  • Added features: De-coupled Control Plane (CP) and User Plane (UP), Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP), Go Language (Golang) based SBI communication messages in REST on the N11 reference points.
  • Partially implemented: Next Generation Application Protocol (NGAP).

Feature(s) not implemented:

  • Handover procedure and application services are not supported in this stage.

Note:

  1. The implementation is based on nextEPC, an implementation of 4G EPC R13. That is, the MME, SGW and PGW are migrated into 5GC. However, Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) and Home Subscriber Server (HSS) remain unchanged.
  2. Because commercial 5G User Equipment (UE) and base station (gNB) are not on the market yet, the free5GC uses 4G protocols to communicate with 4G UE and 4G base station (eNB) as shown in Fig. 1. Thus, the authentication protocol is still based on 4G. The protocols for 5G UEs and gNBs will be implemented in Stage 2 release.

Contributors:

National Chiao Tung University: Chi Chang, Fu-Cheng Chen, Jyh-Cheng Chen, Te-Chih Chiu, Chia-Tso Chu, Wei-Ting Hu, Kuan-Ying Lee, Yi-Bing Jason Lin, Hsun-Chieh Pan, Sebastian Tan, Fu-Lian Weng, Yi-Hua Wu