Public Safety Mobile Broadband System: From Shared Network to Logically Dedicated Approach Leveraging 5G Network Slicing

Abstract

The fourth generation (4G) of the mobile broadband system has widely been considered as the basic technology for the evolution of public safety communications system from legacy narrowband technologies. While 4G provides the essential features for the realization of a public safety network, it has limited flexibility and scalability due to its reliance on hardware-based network functions and its lack of intelligent and automated control capabilities. The fifth-generation (5G) standard introduces the sophisticated concept of network slicing as one of its design principles. The concept enables the creation of logical networks on a common infrastructure with appropriate isolation, resources, and optimized topology to serve a particular use case. In this article, studies on network slicing conceptual framework are summarized. Moreover, the characteristics of a public safety network alongside the current solutions in the 4G system to realize such characteristics are discussed. Furthermore, recent literature that proposes enhancements to 5G system functionalities, which are essential for the efficient and agile management of diverse resources, is examined. In conclusion, substantial research efforts are necessary to improve these functionalities to meet the rigid requirements of public safety use cases in terms of network slice reliability, resiliency, and security.