Question: What happens to the F1 connection of a collocated IAB-DU when an IAB-MT enters the RRC INACTIVE state in a Next Generation Radio Access Network (NG-RAN)?
Option 1: The F1 connection is always released to conserve resources.
Option 2: The decision to keep or release the F1 connection is left up to the implementation.
Option 3: The F1 connection is automatically kept to ensure seamless handover preparation.
Option 4: The IAB-MT does not support RRC INACTIVE state, thus this scenario does not apply.
Explanation: In NG-RAN, when an IAB-MT enters the RRC INACTIVE state, the specification provides flexibility regarding the management of the F1 connection for a collocated IAB-DU. This flexibility allows implementations to choose based on specific network requirements or optimizations, such as resource conservation versus maintaining connectivity for quicker reactivation.