O-RAN Mobility Management: Demonstration of xApp-Orchestrated Handover with OpenAirInterface

Inhalt:
The open radio access network (RAN) paradigm introduces a flexible architecture by disaggregating traditional RAN into multiple nodes with standardized interfaces, enhancing network optimization and management. This paper presents the implementation of xApp-based mobility management and handover capabilities in the O-RAN compliant OpenAirInterface (OAI) and FlexRIC platforms. We significantly extended the RAN control E2 service model and developed a Mobility Control xApp that utilizes this model to monitor the signal quality of users and proactively manage handovers. A software-defined radio based over-the-air demo setup showcases the integration of these features and provides real-time insights into the impact on the network performance. Our implementation introduces essential mobility management features to OAI, providing key enabling mechanisms for practical implementations of enhanced network optimization strategies, such as load balancing and energy efficiency.