ASN.1 (Abstract Syntax Notation One) is a powerful language used in 3GPP specifications to define the structure and encoding of data exchanged between different entities in wireless communication systems.
It provides a standardised way to describe the syntax and semantics of messages, enabling interoperability between different vendors and equipment.
ASN.1 is widely adopted due to its flexibility, extensibility, and support for various encoding rules.
When an RRC message is transmitted from a gNB (base station) developed by telecom companies such as Huawei, ZTE, Ericsson, Samsung, etc., to a phone equipped with a cellular modem developed by either Qualcomm, Samsung, MediaTek, Intel, etc., In order to decode the messages first it needs to have a standardized communication language for exchanging signaling. This communication language (ASN.1) enables seamless and interoperable communication between the gNB and the phone, regardless of the specific vendors involved in their development.
What’s the role of ASN.1 in 3GPP?
- ASN.1 plays a vital role in 3GPP specifications by providing a concise and unambiguous representation of complex data structures. RRC Speciation’s for example contains Huge chunks of information that needs to be transmitted between the network and UE
- ASN.1 allows for efficient transmission and processing of data across different systems and platforms
- 3GPP has standardised the use of ASN.1 for transfer of signaling messages , this ensures that various network elements and protocols can seamlessly communicate and interpret information, leading to interoperable and standardised implementations