Towards Reliable and Cost-Effective Backhauling for Private 5G Networks: A Multipath Terrestrial-Satellite Transport Network Leveraging Multi-Armed Bandit Algorithms

With the standardization of 5th generation mobile networks (5G) and the allocation of spectrum for private 5G in many countries, the deployment of private 5G networks has found a favorable environment for broader adoption. These networks are anticipated to be key drivers in the evolution towards 6G. A key factor for the widespread adoption of private 5G networks is the overall deployment cost, which includes expenses for both the hardware and software of primary 5G network components, as well as costs related to transport networks. This paper presents a cost-effective solution for reliable user traffic backhauling system over third-party best-effort transport networks, integrating terrestrial links and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. We implemented a multipath-enabled VPN framework that allows for flexible integration of new dispatching algorithms. Specifically, we introduce an experimental network traffic dispatcher based on the Multi-Armed Bandit (MAB) algorithm. Initial experimental results demonstrate improved performance compared to MPTCP-based solution.