p-NET 5G Facility delivers a cutting-edge private 5G network, serving as a dynamic testing and experimentation environment for technological innovation and tailored deployments. Operating under the Network as a Service (NaaS) model, it offers customized network slices and a programmable network environment that meet the unique demands of various vertical sectors. These network slices enable comprehensive trials for diverse use cases, evaluating and documenting Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) under varying network conditions.
Resource access is streamlined through Openslice, an open-source Operations Support System (OSS) that simplifies interaction with vertical applications via a user-friendly web portal or programmatic API. Key features include:
- Service Catalog: A comprehensive overview of available services and network capabilities.
- Standardized APIs: Integration with TMForum OpenAPIs enables seamless service orchestration, inventory management, user/partner management, and VNF/NS deployments through the OSM NBI.
- Telemetry & Monitoring: Powered by Prometheus and NetData, delivering real-time metrics on infrastructure performance, RAN, user equipment (UEs), and energy consumption sensors.
p-NET testbed spans three core sites within the University of Patras (UoP) campus, featuring:
- Four Indoor Locations: Supporting seamless handover and mobility testing, based on various radio equipment (SDRs, ERICSSON, AMARISOFT and AW2S)
- Hybrid Indoor/Outdoor Setup: Utilizing AW2S and ERICSSON radio units, providing robust 5G connectivity across adjacent outdoor areas, including the campus parking facilities.
This deployment ensures broad accessibility for external users and supports advanced testing scenarios with full mobility coverage.
Next-Generation Network Capabilities
The testbed hosts a pre-commercial next-generation networks site, equipped with:
p-NET 5G facility is equipped with a cloud platform, able to host core network components, as well as NFV and MEC deployments. The cloud platform offers a total computing power of 1082 CPUs and 4,5 TB of RAM and 100 TB of storage.
- Ericsson 5G Release-16 and beyond technology for both indoor and outdoor radios.
- A dedicated Edge User Plane Function (UPF) for enhanced edge computing capabilities.
- A centralized 5G Core, co-located in Athens and hosted by the Greek operator NOVA, providing dedicated slices for p-NET and access to licensed spectrum.
This infrastructure facilitates:
- 5G/6G Cloud-to-Edge Deployments.
- Non-Public Network Configurations, enabling advanced testing and scalability.
Designed for flexibility, p-NET’s infrastructure supports the integration of external services, physical equipment, and containerized workloads. Logical and physical interfaces ensure scalable operations, enabling diverse testing requirements and real-world application deployments.