Efficient handover in 5G networks

A system for efficient handover in a Fifth Generation (5G) communications network, comprising:

• at least one memory that stores computer executable instructions;
• and
• at least one processor that executes the computer executable instructions to cause actions to be performed, the actions comprising:
• responsive to detecting that a user device is located in a geographic area with overlapping 5G coverage from a first Next Generation NodeB (gNB) and a second gNB and that the user device is moving away from the first gNB's coverage toward the second gNB's coverage, determining to perform a light inter-gNB handover of the user device;
• and
• causing execution of the light inter-gNB handover by at least causing a physical switch from a physical Central Unit Control Plane (CU-CP) of the first gNB to a physical CU-CP of the second gNB and at least one of:
• (a) a logical switch from a logical Central Unit User Plane (CU-UP) of the first gNB to a logical CU-UP of the second gNB or (b) a logical switch from a logical Distributed Unit (DU) of the first gNB to a logical DU of the second gBN, wherein the logical switches are performed without transfer of context data associated with the user device.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing contents that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform actions comprising:

• responsive to detecting that a user device is located in a geographic area with overlapping 5G coverage from a first Next Generation NodeB (gNB) and a second gNB and that the user device is moving away from the first gNB's coverage toward the second gNB's coverage, determining to perform a light inter-gNB handover of the user device;
• and
• causing execution of the light inter-gNB handover by at least causing a physical switch from a physical Central Unit Control Plane (CU-CP) of the first gNB to a physical CU-CP of the second gNB and at least one of:
• (a) a logical switch from a logical Central Unit User Plane (CU-UP) of the first gNB to a logical CU-UP of the second gNB or (b) a logical switch from a logical Distributed Unit (DU) of the first gNB to a logical DU of the second gBN, wherein the logical switches are performed without transfer of context data associated with the user device.