7 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT 5G NEW RADIO

New Spectrum and

1
Bandwidth Impact
Signal Quality
5G New Radio (NR) specifies new frequency bands to enable
higher data throughput for applications like streaming HD
video and allow for more network capacity. There are new
bands between 3.5 GHz and 5 GHz, up to 52.6 GHz, and even
up to 100 GHz where more contiguous bandwidth is available.
Implementing air interfaces at millimeter-wave (mmWave)
frequencies with up to 1 GHz bandwidth means that you will
need to correct for signal quality issues like path loss, flatness,
phase noise, and linearity.
USA 600 MHz, 700 MHz, 2.5 GHz, 3.3-3.8 GHz,
Enhanced mobile broadband
4-5 GHz, 24-28 GHz, 37-40 GHz, 47-50 GHz 5G NR, the next-generation wireless standard, Accelerating Innovation
Mexico 2.5 GHz
South Korea 3.3-3.8 GHz, 28 GHz
requires new technologies and performance Across the Wireless Ecosystem
Japan 3.6-5 GHz, 28 GHz improvements that will challenge Gigabytes in a second
To win in 5G, you need to think differently about how you
China 2.5 GHz, 3.3-3.8 GHz, 4.9 GHz, 24-28 GHz
Taiwan, China 3.3-3.8 GHz
the way you design, test, and optimize. 3D video, UHD screens
simulate, design, validate, and optimize new products
and services, from radio propagation and signal quality, to
India 3.3-3.8 GHz
The NR air interface can work in either standalone (SA) or non-standalone (NSA) mode by voice, data, and IoT traffic. Keysight partners with industry
Australia 3.3-3.8 GHz Smart home building Work and play in the cloud
using the existing Long Term Evolution (LTE) network for the control plane. SA specifications leaders to understand and master the complexities of
EMEA 600 MHz, 700 MHz, 3.3-3.8 GHz, 24-27 GHz
for the radio access network (RAN) were introduced in June 2018. The implementable 5G. See how our end-to-end insights and deep technical
Russia 3.3-3.8 GHz Augmented reality
standard for the core network will emerge with Release 16 planned for June 2020. expertise can help you master the complexities so you
Source: GSA Report July 2019 Voice
NR supports three emerging use cases: enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable can innovate, transform, and win in 5G.
Industry automation
and low-latency communications (URLLC), and massive machine-type communications
Smart city Mission-critical applications
(mMTC). The first NR specification (Release 15) supports increased data throughput and
greater capacity for eMBB. It also establishes the foundation for supporting URLLC mission- Self-driving cars
critical use cases such as autonomous vehicles.

Advanced Beamforming Techniques Massive machine-type Ultra-reliable and low-latency RF Automation Toolset

2
communications communications
Require System-Level Design
E7515B UXM 5G Wireless Test Platform

Easily emulate new 5G beamforming

mmWave Frequencies Network Changes and mmWave spectrum protocols and

4 6
accelerate time to market.
Synchronization and
Are Inevitable
5G Protocol R&D Toolset

gNB broadcast signals Require OTA Test

(beam sweeping)
5G NR uses advanced beamforming
to overcome path loss and multipath
5G NR will drastically increase network traffic. Supporting 5G
signal propagation issues that come with gNB At mmWave frequencies, small-size
NR use models, while minimizing cost, requires new network
mmWave frequencies. Beamforming can Beam acquisition for UE antennas require over-the-air (OTA)
technologies. Network slicing makes the network more dynamic,
use steerable antenna arrays that deliver testing — a complex and expensive
Uplink enabling operators to allocate speed, capacity, and coverage. Infiniium UXR-Series Oscilloscopes PathWave System Design
antenna gain and better signal-to-noise approach. A compact antenna test
beam Cloud RAN moves baseband processing into the cloud, making
interference ratio (SNIR) to specified range (CATR) uses a parabolic reflector
mobile connections more efficient.
user equipment (UE). Making the most of system and rotating positioner to
UE Downlink
the technology requires new design and beam eliminate the need for large and 5G network slices

system-level test approaches. expensive chambers.

High bandwidth Wireless broadband

Ultra-low latency Real-time control N9041B UXA Wideband Signal Analyzer

PathWave Signal Generation and
Low energy / low bandwidth IoT / sensors PathWave VSA Software

Ultra-high bandwidth Video streaming

Develop and analyze 5G NR
bandwidth waveforms
from RF to mmWave with precision.
Waveform and
Wideband PXI Source and Analyzer Test Bed

3 Flexible Numerology
Means PAPR Anechoic chamber
Image courtesy of NSI-MI

DUT positioner 7
5G Devices Require
Real-World Testing
Challenges Dual-polarized feed antenna
5G NR provides the physical-layer frame structure, new reference
5G NR Release 15 uses the cyclic prefix orthogonal frequency signals, and new transmission modes to support 5G eMBB data Nemo Outdoor FieldFox Analyzer
division multiplexing (CP-OFDM) waveform in the downlink and the
Multi-Waveform rates. It is essential to understand the 3D beam pattern to ensure

uplink (UL) with flexible numerology. This type of waveform exhibits
a high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR), which increases the
demand on the performance of RF power amplifiers. 3GPP defines
different numerologies for mmWave and sub-6 GHz frequencies,
with larger sub-carrier spacing for higher frequencies. An NR
carrier can also have multiple simultaneous numerologies in
different groups of resource blocks that can change dynamically.
This allows for much more flexibility but increased inter-carrier
interference could result in a slightly higher PAPR. The NR UL can
use the discrete Fourier transform spread OFDM (DFT-s-OFDM)
waveform used in LTE UL to reduce the PAPR for UEs in power or
energy-limited scenarios.
5
the beams can connect to the base station to deliver the desired
Coexistence Presents performance, reliability, and user experience. Devices need 5G Edge to Core Solution
Interference Issues to operate in environments that have signal
Innovate
Transform
Deploy and test 5G networks with precision field
propagation issues. These real-world measurements and optimize your network’s performance.
impairments impact device performance
5G NR must coexist with many existing services, and new and require evaluation. Channel emulation
Where ones that support 5G use cases. Different signals in adjacent Win
enables the characterization of end-to-end
∆ƒ = 2µ x 15 kHz and non-contiguous spectrum make interference a key full-stack data throughput while emulating a
Example: 15 kHz, 30 kHz, 60 kHz to 480 kHz sub-carrier spacing challenge. Reducing the adjacent spectrum interference variety of real-world radio conditions.
requires minimizing in-band and out-of-band emissions. Learn more www.keysight.com/find/5G
Product specifications and descriptions in this document subject to change without notice.
© Keysight Technologies, Inc. 2020 Printed in USA, March 5, 2020 | 5992-2758EN