Integrating 3GPP and Non-3GPP Technologies for Hybrid Positioning in B5G Networks
Viktoria-Maria Alevizaki, Alexandros-Ioannis Manolopoulos, Μάρκος Αναστασόπουλος, Anna Tzanakaki · 2025
Positioning is crucial for Beyond 5G (B5G) networks, enabling applications like industrial automation, autonomous transportation, and augmented reality. Despite 3GPP's progress, seamless integration with non-3GPP technologies for indoor localization remains challenging. This work introduces a hybrid fingerprinting method that combines signal strength from both 3GPP and non-3GPP networks, utilizing a private 5G testbed with integrated Wi-Fi access points. The positioning algorithm operates as an xApp within the near-RT RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC). We also propose a novel scheme to link non-3GPP networks with the RIC, enhancing real-time decision-making and improving localization accuracy. Experimental results confirm the effectiveness of our approach.