Fast Cell Discovery in mm-wave 5G Networks with Context Information

The exploitation of mm-wave bands is one of the key-enabler for 5G mobile radio networks. However, the introduction of mm-wave technologies in cellular networks is not straightforward due to harsh propagation conditions that limit the mm-wave access availability. Mm-wave technologies require high-gain antenna systems to compensate for high path loss and limited power. As a consequence, directional transmissions must be used for cell discovery and synchronization processes: this can lead to a non-negligible access delay caused by the exploration of the cell area with multiple transmissions along different directions. The integration of mm-wave technologies and conventional wireless access networks with the objective of speeding up the cell search process requires new 5G network architectural solutions. Such architectures introduce a functional split between C-plane and U-plane, thereby guaranteeing the availability of a reliable signaling channel through conventional wireless technologies that provides the opportunity to collect useful context information from the network edge. In this article, we leverage the context information related to user positions to improve the directional cell discovery process. We investigate fundamental trade-offs of this process and the effects of the context information accuracy on the overall system performance. We also cope with obstacle obstructions in the cell area and propose an approach based on a geo-located context database where information gathered over time is stored to guide future searches. Analytic models and numerical results are provided to validate proposed strategies.Comment: 14 pages, submitted to IEEE Transaction on Mobile Computin

IMPLICATIONS FOR LOCATION PRIVACY IN 5G

As cellular technology continues to advance, Fifth Generation (5G) delivers a network capacity and speed to mobile devices unmatched by its predecessors. This heterogeneous network has improved efficiency that connects multiple platforms to create a new experience for its users. The new improvements introduced by 5G also include the increased bands into mmWave and beamforming capabilities that significantly improve the efficiency of 5G. With these improvements, location-based services are more accurate, but also lead to increased vulnerabilities. Location-based attacks via the uplink timing management commands have been studied in previous networks and are susceptible in 5G due to the nearly unchanged timing management structure and increased location accuracy. This thesis comprehensively analyzes cellular positioning, which leverages the 5G timing advance and beamforming for the end user's location. We evaluated the efficiency of varying remote radio heads in an environment to find the most precise location error with the new addition of beamforming. Additionally, we demonstrate how architectural density affects the position estimate in the 5G environment.Lieutenant, United States NavyApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

Location Privacy in the Era of 5G

Fifth Generation (5G) wireless technology is usher- ing in a new age of interconnectivity, and as it does definitions of privacy may well change with it. In this paper we will focus on the changing nature of location privacy, while aspiring to increase community cognizance of vulnerabilities within the 5G network that threaten end-user privacy. To this end, we will address the statistical efficacy of a multilateration attack utilizing timing advance commands within the 5G cloud radio access network, by showcasing that such an attack meets the Cramér-Rao Lower Bound across each subcarrier spacing. We will also demonstrate how position estimates within 5G can be further refined using methods previously shown to be effective in Long Term Evolution Networks. Lastly, we will demonstrate the attack in a simulated environment modeled after the conference grounds, using current real-world deployments of 5G on Kaua