B5GRoam: A Zero Trust Framework for Secure and Efficient On-Chain B5G Roaming

Abstract

Roaming settlement in 5G and beyond networks demands secure, efficient, and trustworthy mechanisms for billing reconciliation between mobile operators. While blockchain promises decentralization and auditability, existing solutions suffer from critical limitations-namely, data privacy risks, assumptions of mutual trust, and scalability bottlenecks. To address these challenges, we present B5GRoam, a novel on-chain and zero-trust framework for secure, privacy-preserving, and scalable roaming settlements. B5GRoam introduces a cryptographically verifiable call detail record (CDR) submission protocol, enabling smart contracts to authenticate usage claims without exposing sensitive data. To preserve privacy, we integrate non-interactive zero-knowledge proofs (zkSNARKs) that allow on-chain verification of roaming activity without revealing user or network details. To meet the high-throughput demands of 5G environments, B5GRoam leverages Layer 2 zk-Rollups, significantly reducing gas costs while maintaining the security guarantees of Layer 1. Experimental results demonstrate a throughput of over 7,200 tx/s with strong privacy and substantial cost savings. By eliminating intermediaries and enhancing verifiability, B5GRoam offers a practical and secure foundation for decentralized roaming in future mobile networks.