5G Standard Evolution and Key Performance Targets

Why you need 5G as far as 4G/LTE seems capable of fulfilling most of your mobile data demands? Most of us have this question in mind when we think of 5G. And it is true to some extent as several hundreds of Mbps can be achieved via 4G/LTE and it is more than enough for most of the nowadays applications such as basic video streaming.

The objectives of 5G technology is far deeper and wider than what we think. 5G focuses on wide variety of applications related to industry automation and IoT applications, high reliable and low latency applications such as smart and automated, self-driving vehicles, real-time responsive applications such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR).

5G RAN Standard Evolution

As we can see in the picture, there are two phases of 5G RAN (Radio Access Network) standards evolution. Before discussing about standard evolution, we need to have the idea of main three scenarios 5G mainly focuses on.

• eMBB (Enhanced Mobile Broadband): eMBB is the next era of current MBB applications which can provide higher and uniform data throughputs with lower latency. The 5G standard will take mobile computing performance to the next level with high-speed, always-on, always-connected internet links with real-time responsiveness. The high-speed internet with real-time responsiveness is required to provide better virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) experiences. Ultra HD video streaming is another application of eMBB.

• mMTC (Massive Machine-Type Communications): This use case enables the ability to seamlessly connect embedded sensors in virtually everything. Industry related IoT is one of the main objectives of 5G mMTC.

• URLLC (Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communications): This category fulfills the industry requirements with ultra-reliable/available low-latency links, such as remote control of critical infrastructure, self-driving vehicles etc. The level of reliability and latency will be vital to applications like smart-grid control, industrial automation, robotics, and drone control and coordination.

Now we have the basic idea about use cases and main scenarios. Main emphasis of 5G phase 1 is to define standards for NR related to eMBB and which can be further categorized in to non-standalone (NSA) and standalone (NA). I will discuss details about NSA and SA deployments in a separate article. 5G phase 2 will define standards of NR related to URLLC and mMTC other than the enhancements of eMBB.

5G Performance Targets

Different performance targets are defined for eMBB, uRLLC and mMTC based on their target applications. Not like 4G/LTE, 5G defines different parameters, strategies and key technologies to accomplish the targets of each scenarios defined. The picture above displays the eight performance targets and levels to be achieved for eMBB, uRLLC and mMTC.

eMBB: eMBB aims to achieve higher peak rates, user experience rates even for cell edge users, higher spectral efficiency, higher mobility, reduced latency for real-time responsiveness required applications, higher connection density for the capacity, higher energy efficiency and higher traffic density.

mMTC: mMTC requires relatively lower peak rates, mobility, latency requirements as this scenario is more focused on embedded sensor connectivity and industrial IoT applications. Main highlight of this segment of 5G use cases is that it requires higher connection density.

uRLLC: As name implies “Ultra-Reliable and Low latency”, low latency is vital for uRLLC while requirement for higher data rates are not necessary for the applications in this segment. For the applications like self-driving cars, enhanced and reliable mobility requirement might play a major role.

Following table summarizes the performance targets for each scenario.

What are the Absolute Targets?

Let’s get the idea of actual values of performance targeted to achieve in 5G.

Peak Rate: Peak data rates of approximately 20 Gbps in the downlink and 10 Gbps in the uplink are achievable in the standard.

User Experience Rate: Minimum user experience rates can be managed in the range of 100 Mbps in the downlink and 50 Mbps in the uplink in 5G.

Spectral Efficiency: Spectral efficiency is approximately 3 times better when it compares with the spectral efficiency of 4.5G.

Mobility: Mobility targets can be achieved in 5G even the moving speeds are in the range of 500 km/h.

Latency: 10 ms one way latency, 4 ms use plane one way latency for eMBB services and 0.5 ms one way latency for uRLLC services are possible to achieve in 5G.

Connection Number Density: When considering mMTC services, 1 Million connections/ km2 is achievable in 5G.

Traffic Density: Traffic density of approximately 10 Mbps/m2 can be achieved in 5G.

I think now you have the understanding of why we need 5G for the future world where technology evolves and applications like ultra HD videos, self-driving vehicles; which require low latency and high reliable communication technology which is capable of withstanding against higher moving speeds, industry related IoT applications, sensors and automation, remote control critical infrastructure control, transportation of goods using drones; includes emergency medicine transportation, VR/AR applications which require real-time responsiveness; virtual class rooms for education, virtual tours and researches for places/locations for education (eg: virtual tour across solar system), virtual adventure experiences, virtual stadium/ musical show experiences will be widely used in the future smart world.

I will post more technical stuff related to 5G architecture and key technologies in the future; most related to Radio Access Network (RAN).

Thanks for reading!!!