NG-RAN; F1 Application Protocol (F1AP)
The present document specifies the 5G radio network layer signalling protocol for the F1 interface. The F1 interface provides means for interconnecting a gNB-CU and a gNB-DU of a gNB within an NG-RAN, or for interconnecting a gNB-CU and a gNB-DU of an en-gNB within an E-UTRAN. The F1 Application Protocol (F1AP) supports the functions of F1 interface by signalling procedures defined in the present document. F1AP is developed in accordance to the general principles stated in TS 38.401 [4] and TS 38.470 [2].