As a practical matter, 5G core networks will have some features not present in the evolved packet core used by 4G networks.
End user devices will be able to fully use mobile edge computing, which was only partly possible on the 4G network.
End user devices will be able to use multiple network slices, compared to one slice on the 4G evolved packet core, for example. Full-fledged local area network functionality is expected to be available for 5G core networks where they were not, on EPC networks.
Also, the 5G core network will allow internet of things sensors and devices to operate at lower power levels based on new signaling behavior that eliminates much signaling overhead necessary on a 4G network.
5G is more than a different air interface from 4G. 5G also uses a new core network based on virtualization and separation of control and user plane functions.
The 5G core also adds network slicing, the ability to create multiple logical networks on a single physical network platform.
The new core network also is cloud native and distributes cloud infrastructure, according to Ericsson. In some cases compute functions are closer to end users, in other cases abstracted further away.
The 5G core will operate more on the order of a general purpose computing network, compared to legacy approaches. The 5G core loosely couples apps and services, where they had been tightly coupled and embedded in specific network elements in the past.
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