Comparative Analysis of Open-Source Platforms Used in 5G New Radio Simulations

This study aims to comprehensively examine the open-source platforms used for simulation and testing processes in the field of 5G new radio technology and offer solutions to address diverse needs. In this study, we compare open-source platforms such as Free5GC, OpenAirInterface, Open5GS, IEEE 5G/6G Innovation Testbed, and MATLAB 5G Toolbox based on different factors such as how the network is set up, what versions they support, what hardware they need, how they use databases, if they can emulate in real-time, their simulation capabilities, and other features, as well as the support from the community and documentation. In addition to all these, the platforms have been evaluated for their accuracy, real-world compatibility, accessibility and developability, installation difficulties, and computational load. In addition, the main possible improvements are listed. The analysis determined that the Free5GC and Open5GS platforms are suitable for simulating 5G New Radio (NR) core network functions. The OpenAirInterface platform, in contrast, offers a more powerful and flexible structure at both the core and radio access network (RAN) levels. The IEEE 5G/6G Innovation Testbed provides a physical test environment and more realistic results thanks to its hardware-based structure. MATLAB 5G Toolbox stands out for academic studies with its channel modeling, simulation capability of various layers, and academic prototyping. These evaluations provide findings that contribute to the advancement of next-generation wireless communication systems by assisting researchers and developers in selecting the best simulation environment for their specific needs.