5G • RAN
Xn-C Interface
Xn Control Plane Interface
Control plane interface interconnecting neighboring gNodeBs supporting handover, dual connectivity, and paging.
Technical Explanation
The Xn-C interface runs SCTP and XnAP protocol over IP. It enables direct base-station-to-base-station signaling without routing through the 5G Core, executing Xn handovers in tens of milliseconds, coordinating dual connectivity configurations, managing RAN Notification Area paging, and synchronizing context transfers.
Key Functions
- Carries XnAP signaling directly between neighboring gNodeBs
- Enables low-latency Xn handovers without 5G Core control plane interaction
- Transfers suspended UE contexts during RRC_INACTIVE mobility resume
Specifications
3GPP TS 38.420, TS 38.423
Interfaces
XnXn-C
Related 5G Concepts
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