Description
The Area of Interest (AOI) is a fundamental construct within the 5G network management framework, specifically defined in the Management Data Analytics (MDA) and Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) contexts. It represents a defined geographical region (e.g., a cell, a tracking area, a set of GPS coordinates) or a logical domain (e.g., a specific network slice instance, a group of User Equipment) that is the target for data collection, analytics, and subsequent management actions. The AOI acts as a scoping parameter, allowing network management functions to focus their intelligence-gathering and decision-making processes on a relevant subset of the entire network infrastructure.
Architecturally, the AOI is primarily utilized by the NWDAF and the management system defined in 3GPP TS 28.552. An analytics consumer, such as a Network Slice Management Function (NSMF) or an Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) system, can request analytics from the NWDAF for a specific AOI. The request includes the AOI definition, which instructs the analytics function on where to source its input data. The NWDAF then collects relevant data, such as performance measurements, load information, or Quality of Service (QoS) flow metrics, specifically from network functions and entities within or associated with that AOI.
The operation involves several key components. First is the AOI definition itself, which can be specified using various identifiers like Cell ID, Tracking Area Code, or geographic coordinates. Second is the analytics consumer that formulates the request with the AOI parameter. Third is the NWDAF, which interprets the AOI, interfaces with the appropriate data repositories (like the Network Repository Function (NRF) for discovery and other Network Functions (NFs) for data), and performs the analysis. Finally, the output is a tailored analytics report (e.g., predicted load, abnormal behavior detection, service experience) applicable only to the defined area, enabling precise, localized network optimization and automation.
In the broader network ecosystem, AOI plays a critical role in enabling granular and efficient network automation. By moving away from network-wide, blanket analytics, operators can implement targeted policies, optimize resource allocation for high-demand zones, pre-emptively manage congestion in specific areas, and guarantee service-level agreements (SLAs) for premium services or slices in designated locations. This granularity is essential for supporting advanced 5G use cases like factory automation, smart stadiums, and vehicular networks, where performance requirements are highly localized.
Purpose & Motivation
AOI was introduced to address the limitations of monolithic, network-wide management and analytics approaches that were inefficient and lacked precision for 5G's diverse service requirements. Previous generations often relied on broad performance indicators that could mask localized issues or opportunities for optimization. As 5G introduced concepts like network slicing, ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), and massive IoT, the need to monitor and manage performance at a granular, context-aware level became paramount. AOI provides the necessary scoping mechanism to achieve this.
The primary problem AOI solves is the inefficient consumption of processing and signaling resources in analytics engines. Collecting and analyzing data for an entire Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) is computationally expensive and often unnecessary when an operator only needs insights for a specific industrial campus, a dense urban cell, or a particular network slice instance. AOI allows analytics requests to be precisely targeted, reducing the load on the NWDAF and the volume of data transferred across management interfaces, leading to more scalable and responsive network intelligence.
Historically, management actions were often reactive and applied broadly. The creation of AOI, alongside the NWDAF in 5G's service-based architecture, was motivated by the shift towards proactive, closed-loop automation and intent-based management. By defining an Area of Interest, operators can express their management 'intent' for a specific domain. This enables automated systems to continuously monitor that area, apply machine learning models to predict trends or anomalies specifically within it, and trigger automated remediation actions (like scaling resources) only where needed, thereby realizing the vision of a truly self-optimizing network (SON) for complex 5G deployments.
Classification
Detected Changes Across Releases
from 3GPP Change RequestsSpecific changes extracted from the „Change history“ tables of 3GPP specifications (84 CRs across 6 releases). Complements the general historical overview above with the evidence-based evolution of this function.
In Release 15, the Area of Interest (AOI) function was newly introduced as a filter criterion for performance measurements and event reporting. Specifically, it allows network data analytics (NWDAF) measurements and event targets to be split into subcounters for "UE(s) located in the AOI." This enables more granular analytics by isolating performance data for a specific geographical area of interest.
- Correct NWDAF resource TS 29.520CR0014
In Release 16, the Area of Interest (AOI) function was enhanced within the NWDAF framework by clarifying the data and data types used for its analytics services. Specifically, it defined that measurements and event reports, such as those for UE mobility, can be split into subcounters specifically for "UE(s) located in the AOI." Additionally, the release introduced performance measurements for the time consumed by the NWDAF to provide these analytics services and expanded the consumer list to include the UDM.
- Clarifications on NWDAF generalities TS 29.520CR0063
- Data used for area of interest TS 29.520CR0127
- Data types used for NWDAF services TS 29.520CR0151
- Adding maxObjectNbr attribute in related feature of NWDAF analytics service TS 29.520CR0153
- Adding UDM as consumer of services provided by NWDAF TS 29.520CR0154
- Corrections on descriptions of NF service consumers offered by NWDAF TS 29.520CR0155
+ 3 more changes
In Release 17, the Area of Interest (AOI) function was enhanced within the NWDAF analytics framework. Specifically, new capabilities were introduced to add visited AOI(s) as a filter for UE mobility analytics and to include NF load over an AOI as part of an analytics subset. These additions allowed for more granular, location-based performance measurements and network function load reporting tied to specific geographical areas.
- Adding NWDAF as NWDAF services consumer due to analytics aggregation TS 29.520CR0271
- Partitioning criteria for applying sampling in specific UE partitions in NWDAF event exposure TS 29.520CR0294
- Adding DCCF as NWDAF events subscription NF service consumer TS 29.520CR0342
- Add visited AOI(s) to analytics filter for UE mobility analytics TS 29.520CR0391
- Adding NF load over AOI to analytics subset TS 29.520CR0474
- Small corrections in NWDAF APIs TS 29.520CR0310
+ 10 more changes
In Release 18, the enhancements for the Area of Interest (AOI) function primarily focused on introducing new performance measurements and monitoring capabilities for the NWDAF. Specifically, this included defining measurements for the time consumption of NWDAF providing analytics service information and adding numerous new counters related to NWDAF service provisioning, failure, and ML model operations. Furthermore, the release added support for NWDAF-assisted URSPs in the Service Experience within key NWDAF APIs and introduced user consent enhancements for NWDAF analytics subscriptions and data management.
- Add use case of time consumption of NWDAF providing analytics service information TS 28.552CR0419
- Add time consumption of NWDAF providing analytics service information TS 28.552CR0420
- Add use case of measurements related to the NWDAF service provisioning TS 28.552CR0423
- Add measurements related to the NWDAF service provisioning TS 28.552CR0424
- Add use case of measurements related to the NWDAF service failure TS 28.552CR0425
- Add measurements related to the NWDAF service failure TS 28.552CR0426
+ 28 more changes
In Release 19, the AOI (Area of Interest) function was enhanced with new measurements and monitoring capabilities for the NWDAF, particularly for roaming analytics and data collection efficiency. Specifically, the release introduced measurements for the number and failure rate of NWDAF roaming analytics service subscriptions, as well as new metrics for the efficiency and transmission rate of data collection from Network Functions. These additions provide more granular performance monitoring, splitting measurements into subcounters for targets like "UE(s) located in the AOI" as defined in the specifications.
- Add measurements related to NWDAF roaming analytics TS 28.552CR0606
- Add use case on NWDAF roaming analytics TS 28.552CR0607
- Update the Use Case description on Monitoring of NWDAF data collection TS 28.552CR0635
- Add new measurements related to the NWDAF Data Collection from one NF TS 28.552CR0636
- Add new measurements related to the NWDAF data collection when DCCF deployed TS 28.552CR0639
- Rel-19 CR 28.552 Add a new measurement related to number of failed NWDAF roaming analytics service subscriptions TS 28.552CR0655
+ 12 more changes
In Release 20, the Area of Interest (AOI) function was enhanced with new performance measurements for the NWDAF, specifically for roaming data collection services and VFL training. These additions include measurements for the number and success rate of roaming data collection service subscriptions received by the RE-NWDAF, as well as the time consumed by the RE-NWDAF to provide that service. Furthermore, a new measurement related to VFL training subscriptions for the NWDAF was introduced.
- Rel-20 CR 28.552 Add a new measurement related to the number of roaming data collection service subscriptions received by RE-NWDAF TS 28.552CR0717
- Rel-20 CR 28.552 Add a new measurement related to the number of roaming data collection service notifications generated by RE-NWDAF TS 28.552CR0718
- Rel-20 CR 28.552 Add new measurements related to the number of successful and failed roaming data collection service subscriptions received by RE-NWDAF TS 28.552CR0719
- Rel-20 CR 28.552 Add a new measurement related to the time consumed by the RE-NWDAF to provide roaming data collection service TS 28.552CR0720
- Rel-20 CR 28.552 Add new measurements related to ADRF storage services when NWDAF hosting ADRF TS 28.552CR0747
- Rel-20 CR 28.552 Add a measurement related to VFL training subcription for NWDAF TS 28.552CR0758
Explore further
Broader topics and technologies where AOI plays a role.
Defining Specifications
3GPP specifications that define or reference AOI, with the latest known release. Sourced from the 3GPP document catalog — see methodology.
| Specification | Title | Release |
|---|---|---|
| TS 28.552 vk10 | 5G Performance Management Measurements | Rel-20 |
| TS 29.520 vj40 | 5G Network Data Analytics Services Stage 3 | Rel-19 |