Core 5G and beyond

Welcome to learn about the future of 5G on the Core 5G and Beyond MOOC!

On this course you will learn the fundamental concepts behind mobile networks, focusing particularly on 5G and the envisioned future 6G networks. The design, deployment, and management of a mobile network are herculean tasks involving numerous techniques and elements. We aim to present the essential principles and elements to provide understanding and insight into how modern and near-future mobile networks work.

Course contents

• Chapter 1: Mobile networks. We give an overview of the structure of mobile networks, their creation and standardisation, and key services provided by mobile networks.
• Chapter 2: 4G networks. To fully understand 5G and beyond, we revisit the 4G architecture that exemplifies crucial design principles and patterns in mobile networks. Many of the mechanisms introduced in 4G can be found in 5G.
• Chapter 3: 5G networks. We present the key principles and design factors for 5G and illustrate how the 5G networks work.
• Chapter 4: Towards 6G networks. After investigating 4G and 5G networks, we discuss the design and standardisation of the next mobile network architecture: 6G. This chapter concludes the course.

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course, the student

• understands the basic high-level concepts including what are the key services of the mobile network.
• can outline mobile network evolution and the role of standardisation.
• can demonstrate knowledge of the key standardisation organisations on the high level.
• understands the basic timeline of mobile networks from 1G to 5G.
• can describe the elementary network functions of 4G architecture.
• can describe the role of tunneling in 4G architecture.
• is familiar with SIM cards.
• understands the concept of a handover.
• understands 5G architecture and its key functions.
• can describe on a high level how network slicing works and how it can be applied in an application domain.
• can describe VNF and MEC and examples of their use.
• understands the evolution of the 5G architecture towards 6G.
• can discuss the performance and efficiency goals of the initial 6G planning.
• can give examples of potential new services that 6G could enable.

Course material

The course material contains text and interactive elements.

Completion methods

Exercises include multiple choice quizzes and numerical exercises. The multiple choice and numerical exercises are automatically checked. The exercises challenge you to re-read the material and access further sources enough to produce an answer.

More information in the University of Helsinki study guide.

You can get a digital badge after completing this course.

5G 6G