Integrating Blockchain for Enhanced Subscription Management in B5G and 6G Networks

This paper demonstrates the feasibility of integrating Blockchain with existing cellular network architecture to handle the Subscription Management process. We deploy a LTE-based private cellular network testbed utilizing OpenAirInterface (OAI) and Magma core frameworks. Blockchain technology and the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) are employed to manage subscription and initial registration processes. Our approach leverages Blockchain for secure access control and the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) for decentralized storage of usersensitive data. A hybrid cryptosystem is employed to safeguard this data when sharing through Blockchain to ensure both confidentiality and integrity. We evaluate our system by comparing its performance against a traditional LTE network. For comparison, we focus on latency during initial user registration. Our results show that the Blockchain-based approach maintains comparable latency while enhancing security and decentralization.