Multi-access networks are increasingly important for reliable end-to-end connectivity and enhanced throughput performance. A scalable multi-access solution is required to roll out multi-access networks at scale. However, existing CPU-based solutions can no longer scale sustainably, as network traffic has outgrown the CPU performance growth. Consequently, hardware accelerators offer a compelling alternative. This paper introduces JUNCTION, a scalable multi-access solution designed using programmable switches. JUNCTION features a multipath protocol tailored to the hardware constraints and optimized for efficient memory utilization, enabling it to handle a large number of multipath sessions. We validate JUNCTION on a 5G-WiFi multi-access testbed. Our analysis demonstrates that it can scale an order of magnitude better than existing solutions.

5G networks are envisioned to support various emerging use cases, such as telemedicine, remote construction, autonomous driving, industrial automation, drone control, and immersive entertainment. These applications demand low latency, high reliability, and in some cases require ultra-high-bandwidths. Specifically, these applications require 5G networks to provide 1ms end-to-end latency with 99.99% reliability [12] for ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC). Various studies [11, 19, 26] have shown that the radio access network (RAN) remains the bottleneck in realizing low-latency communications.