Closed-Loop L4S-as-a-Service in 5G-Advanced: NEF-PCF Control with NWDAF-Driven Assurance

Abstract

Ultra-low latency services in 5G-Advanced demand deterministic delay and high-fidelity congestion signaling beyond peak throughput. While the Low Latency, Low Loss, Scalable Throughput (L4S) architecture enables sub-millisecond queuing through ECN-based feedback and Dual-Queue Coupled AQM, its integration within the 5G Core (5GC) remains functionally siloed. Current 3GPP Release 18/19 specifications provide mechanisms for L4S enablement, but they do not define a unified closed-loop framework that links application intent to verified service outcomes. To address this gap, we propose Closed-Loop L4S-as-a-Service (C-L4SaaS), an architectural framework that orchestrates the Network Exposure Function (NEF), Policy Control Function (PCF), and Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) for automated latency assurance. The framework translates high-level intent into enforceable PCC rules and uses NWDAF-driven compliance analytics, derived from User Plane Function (UPF) measurements, to trigger bounded policy adaptations. We model this interaction as a discrete-time feedback system and derive stability conditions and signaling overhead bounds to guide parameter selection under volatile wireless conditions. The proposed core-driven orchestration provides a standards-aligned path to expose, assure, and govern managed low-latency services in 5G-Advanced ecosystems.