Nokia Disaggregates Broadband Network Gateway Functions

Nokia Oyj has unveiled a new architecture for its Broadband Network Gateway (BNG) that disaggregates control and user plane functions. This implementation leverages the Control User Plane Separation (CUPS) standard, allowing for independent scaling and deployment of these critical network components.

Traditionally, BNGs integrate subscriber management and traffic forwarding onto a single platform. However, this approach can lead to inefficiencies, as user plane functions scale with bandwidth demands while control plane functions are more influenced by the number of active sessions and connected devices.

The disaggregated BNG (DBNG) architecture separates these elements. Control Plane Functions (CPFs) can be virtualized and centralized in data centers for optimized compute and storage utilization, while User Plane Functions (UPFs) can be distributed closer to end-users to reduce latency and backhaul costs.

Nokia states it led the specification and implementation of this CUPS architecture for BNGs. The company positions this evolution as a key step towards enabling greater flexibility, automation, and convergence of wireline and fixed wireless access within the context of 5G and cloud-native networks.