## 6 Mobile Networks
### 5 GS Capabilities
It standardizes the interconnection process and interservice communication in order to enable distributed deployment and access [119]. Finally, a Network Exposure Function (NEF) provides the mechanisms for the network capabilities' (e.g., native CP mechanisms) exposure for integration with external systems. In addition, to tighten the integration, the special AFs, which act as mediators for the Application Plane (AP) services, can be deployed to cooperate with the CP NFs. **Network coverage**: The 3 GPP standardization process of 5 GS has reached maturity and the technology is currently being intensively deployed across the world. In the case of the EU, it is estimated that in total, around 72% of the EU population already has access to 5G network services [120]. With wide network coverage, it is possible to deliver specific services in a cost-efficient manner, i.e., without heavy infrastructural investments. However, as the majority of the population inhabits urbanized areas, the actual network coverage in rural environments can be very limited or non-existent. In such cases, coverage improvements [121] can be carried out, to a certain extent, by MNOs via innate 5 GS Radio Access Network (RAN) mechanisms such as beam management (beamforming, beamsteering) or massive Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO). **Additional support**: 3 GPP defined multiple NFs and CP services that can bring additional benefits by improving the operation of network slices. The major functionalities include:  
* _Data analytics_--An Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) gathers and processes data from all 5 GS NFs to perform analytics and predictions in eight categories [122] related to the slice load level, observed service experience, NF load, network performance, UE, user data congestion, data congestion, and QoS changes. Some examples of the information that can be provided by an NWDAF include predictions of QoS changes in geographical areas, QoS degradation and risk of communication loss, UE mobility, UE abnormal behavior identification, and many more [123]. * _Location services_[124]--Location Services (LCS) enable the provisioning of the location data of specific UE, maintaining data security (UE anonymity, access using codewords, LCS client whitelisting). The location information can be obtained using UE-assisted and network-based (using RAN nodes) mechanisms and can include the velocity and geographic and civic location of the UE. However, the 3 GPP system assumes achieving a maximum location accuracy equal to 0.2 m (horizontal and vertical plane) under very strict conditions regarding the distance between the localized objects and 5 GS positioning nodes [83]. The most common scenario (for rural and urban environments) enables a 1 m horizontal and 2 m vertical accuracy with a 95% confidence level. Therefore, in more demanding use cases, which require centimeter-level accuracy, other localization technologies should be used such as RTK. * _Security_--5 GS provides authentication and authorization capabilities via special dedicated NFs, which enable high-grained control over the admission of individual UEs to the network and specific network slices, also with the involvement of the third parties' ISs through the exposed CP API. Moreover, the 5G-Equipment Identity Register (5G-EIR) entity enables the verification of devices registered on the network and the mitigation of issues caused, e.g., by missing device capabilities, unprivileged access (using stolen equipment), etc. * _Mobility_--The mobility aspects of connected UEs are handled by the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) entity, which is also a signaling proxy for interactions with UEs and New Radio (NR), e.g., to provide location information based on RAN measurements [125]. * _UE energy saving_--5 GS provides multiple mechanisms that enable battery-saving support on the UE side.