Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and may include configuring a slice identity for each of a plurality of virtual radio access network (vRAN) slices, wherein each vRAN slice comprises functionality to perform, at least in part, one or more radio protocol operations on subscriber traffic; configuring an allotment of radio resources that can be utilized by each vRAN slice of the plurality of vRAN slices; receiving, by a slice manager, a subscriber profile identity (SPID) for a subscriber; and mapping the SPID for the subscriber to a particular vRAN slice of the plurality of vRAN slices. The method can further include communicating the mapping for the subscriber to the particular vRAN slice to which the SPID is mapped. The method can further include communicating the allotment of radio resources that can be utilized by the particular vRAN slice to the particular vRAN slice.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and may include monitoring, by a radio access network (RAN) orchestration function, impairments between a plurality of candidate locations interconnected by a transport network, wherein one or more network elements capable of performing one or more operations associated with a RAN are located at the plurality of candidate locations; determining a decomposition of one or more operations associated with the RAN into a plurality of sets of virtualized network functions (VNFs) to execute the operations; determining a distribution of the plurality of sets of VNFs among the one or more network elements associated with the RAN for one or more optimal locations of the plurality of candidate locations based, at least in part, on the monitored impairments; and instantiating the plurality of sets of VNFs at each of the one or more optimal locations.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and may include receiving data associated with a user equipment (UE) at a central baseband unit; determining one or more block time scheduling decisions for a plurality of subframes associated with the data; communicating the data to a remote radio unit; communicating the one or more block time scheduling decisions to the remote radio unit; and communicating the data to the UE from the remote radio unit based, at least in part, on the one or more block time scheduling decisions. In some cases, the method can include communicating the one or more block time scheduling decisions to the remote radio unit at a first rate and communicating the data to the remote radio unit at a second rate.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and may include monitoring, by a radio access network (RAN) orchestration function, impairments between a plurality of candidate locations interconnected by a transport network, wherein one or more network elements capable of performing one or more operations associated with a RAN are located at the plurality of candidate locations; determining a decomposition of one or more operations associated with the RAN into a plurality of sets of virtualized network functions (VNFs) to execute the operations; determining a distribution of the plurality of sets of VNFs among the one or more network elements associated with the RAN for one or more optimal locations of the plurality of candidate locations based, at least in part, on the monitored impairments; and instantiating the plurality of sets of VNFs at each of the one or more optimal locations.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and may include receiving a scheduling command for a subframe at a Remote Radio Unit (RRU), wherein the scheduling command provides a subframe configuration for the subframe; determining whether the subframe configuration comprises at least one resource block gap for the subframe; and if the subframe configuration comprises a resource block gap, utilizing the at least one resource block gap to accommodate one or more previously allocated resource blocks for one or more user equipment served by the RRU for which at least one of a previous downlink transmission has failed or a previous uplink grant has been delayed. In some instances, the subframe configuration can be associated with downlink transmissions and uplink transmissions for one or more user equipment served by the RRU.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and may include monitoring, by a radio access network (RAN) orchestration function, impairments between a plurality of candidate locations interconnected by a transport network, wherein one or more network elements capable of performing one or more operations associated with a RAN are located at the plurality of candidate locations; determining a decomposition of one or more operations associated with the RAN into a plurality of sets of virtualized network functions (VNFs) to execute the operations; determining a distribution of the plurality of sets of VNFs among the one or more network elements associated with the RAN for one or more optimal locations of the plurality of candidate locations based, at least in part, on the monitored impairments; and instantiating the plurality of sets of VNFs at each of the one or more optimal locations.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and may include monitoring, by a radio access network (RAN) orchestration function, impairments between a plurality of candidate locations interconnected by a transport network, wherein one or more network elements capable of performing one or more operations associated with a RAN are located at the plurality of candidate locations; determining a decomposition of one or more operations associated with the RAN into a plurality of sets of virtualized network functions (VNFs) to execute the operations; determining a distribution of the plurality of sets of VNFs among the one or more network elements associated with the RAN for one or more optimal locations of the plurality of candidate locations based, at least in part, on the monitored impairments; and instantiating the plurality of sets of VNFs at each of the one or more optimal locations.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and may include receiving data associated with a user equipment (UE) at a central baseband unit; determining one or more block time scheduling decisions for a plurality of subframes associated with the data; communicating the data to a remote radio unit; communicating the one or more block time scheduling decisions to the remote radio unit; and communicating the data to the UE from the remote radio unit based, at least in part, on the one or more block time scheduling decisions. In some cases, the method can include communicating the one or more block time scheduling decisions to the remote radio unit at a first rate and communicating the data to the remote radio unit at a second rate.

Abstract: An example method is provided in one example embodiment and can include obtaining, within a radio access network, a channel state for a data channel associated with a mobile terminal; including the channel state in a differentiated services (diffserv) marking within an Internet Protocol (IP) header of at least one IP packet associated with the mobile terminal; and transmitting the at least one IP packet including the IP header having the diffserv marking toward a packet data network.