5G Technology

5G is the fifth generation cellular

network technology. The industry
association 3GPP defines any system using "5G
NR" (5G New Radio) software as "5G", a definition
that came into general use by late 2018. Others
may reserve the term for systems that meet the
requirements of the ITU IMT-2020. 3GPP will
submit their 5G NR to the ITU.[1] It
follows 2G, 3G and 4G and their respective
associated technologies (such
as GSM, UMTS, LTE, LTE Advanced Pro and
others).

Contents
 1Overview
o 1.1Usage scenario

 2Performance
o 2.1Speed
o 2.2Latency
 3Standards
o 3.15G NR
 3.1.1Pre-standard implementations
o 3.2Internet of Things

 4Deployment
o 4.1Spectrum

 55G devices
 6Availability
o 6.1Argentina
o 6.2Germany
o 6.3India
o 6.4Ireland
o 6.5Italy
o 6.6Pakistan
o 6.7Principality of Monaco
o 6.8Republic of San Marino
o 6.9Romania
o 6.10Russia
 o 6.11South Korea
o 6.12Taiwan
o 6.13United Kingdom
o 6.14United States
o 6.15Uruguay
o 6.16In other countries

 7Technology
o 7.1New radio frequencies
 7.1.1Frequency range 1 (< 6 GHz)
 7.1.2Frequency range 2 (> 24 GHz)
 7.1.2.1Frequency range 2 (> 24
GHz) Network coverage
o 7.2Massive MIMO
o 7.3Edge computing
o 7.4Small cell
o 7.5Beamforming
o 7.6Wifi-cellular convergence
o 7.7NOMA (non-orthogonal multiple
access)
 o 7.8SDN/NFV
o 7.9Channel coding
o 7.10Operation in unlicensed spectrum

 8Concerns
o 8.1Interference issues
o 8.2Surveillance concerns
o 8.3Health concerns
o 8.4Security concerns
o 8.5Marketing
o 8.6Marketing of non-5G services

 9History
 10Other applications
o 10.1Automobiles
o 10.2Automation (factory and process)
o 10.3Public safety
o 10.4Fixed wireless

 11Simulation of 5G Networks
 12References
 13External links
Overview[edit]
5G networks are digital cellular networks, in which
the service area covered by providers is divided
into small geographical areas called cells. Analog
signals representing sounds and images are
digitized in the phone, converted by an analog to
digital converter and transmitted as a stream
of bits. All the 5G wireless devices in a cell
communicate by radio waves with a
local antenna array and low power
automated transceiver (transmitter and receiver) in
the cell, over frequency channels assigned by the
transceiver from a common pool of frequencies,
which are reused in geographically separated
cells. The local antennas are connected with
the telephone network and the Internet by a high
bandwidth optical fiber or wireless backhaul
connection. Like existing cellphones, when a user
crosses from one cell to another, their mobile
device is automatically "handed off" seamlessly to
the antenna in the new cell.
There are plans to use millimeter waves for 5G.
[2]
Millimeter waves have shorter range
than microwaves, therefore the cells are limited to
smaller size; The waves also have trouble passing
through building walls.[3] Millimeter wave antennas
are smaller than the large antennas used in
previous cellular networks. They are only a few
inches (several centimeters) long. Another
technique used for increasing the data rate is
massive MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output).
[3]
Each cell will have multiple antennas
communicating with the wireless device, received
by multiple antennas in the device, thus
multiple bitstreams of data will be transmitted
simultaneously, in parallel. In a technique
called beamforming the base station computer will
continuously calculate the best route for radio
waves to reach each wireless device, and will
organize multiple antennas to work together
as phased arrays to create beams of millimeter
waves to reach the device.[3][4]
The new 5G wireless devices also have 4G LTE
capability, as the new networks use 4G for initially
establishing the connection with the cell, as well as
in locations where 5G access is not available.[5]
5G can support up to a million devices per square
kilometer, while 4G supports only up to 100,000
devices per square kilometer.[6][7]
Usage scenario[edit]
The ITU-R has defined three main uses for 5G.
They are Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB),
Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communications
(URLLC), and Massive Machine Type
Communications (mMTC).[8] Enhanced Mobile
Broadband (eMBB) uses 5G as a progression from
4G LTE mobile broadband services, with faster
connections, higher throughput, and more
capacity. Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency
Communications (URLLC) refer to using the
network for mission critical applications that
requires uninterrupted and robust data exchange.
Massive Machine-Type Communications (mMTC)
would be used to connect to a large number of low
power, low cost devices, which have high
scalability and increased battery lifetime, in a wide
area. Neither URLLC nor mMTC are expected to
be deployed widely before 2021.
Performance[edit]
Speed[edit]
5G NR speed in sub-6 GHz bands can be slightly
higher than the 4G with a similar amount of
spectrum and antennas,[9][10] though some 3GPP
5G networks will be slower than some
advanced 4G networks, such as T-
Mobile's LTE/LAA network, which achieves 500+
Mbit/s in Manhattan[11] and Chicago.[12] The 5G
specification allows LAA (License Assisted Access)
as well but LAA in 5G has not yet been
demonstrated. Adding LAA to an existing 4G
configuration can add hundreds of megabits per
second to the speed, but this is an extension of
4G, not a new part of the 5G standard.[11]
Speeds in the less common millimeter
wave spectrum can be substantially higher.
Latency[edit]
In 5G, the "air latency" target is 1-4 milliseconds,
although the equipment shipping in 2019 has
tested air latency of 8-12 milliseconds.[13][14] The
latency to the server must be added to the "air
latency." Verizon reports the latency on its 5G
early deployment is 30 ms.[15]
Standards[edit]
Initially, the term was associated with
the International Telecommunication Union's IMT-
2020 standard, which required a theoretical peak
download speed of 20 gigabits per second and 10
gigabits per second upload speed, along with
other requirements.[16] Then, the industry
standards group 3GPP chose the 5G NR (New
Radio) standard together with LTE as their
proposal for submission to the IMT-2020 standard.
[17][18]

The first phase of 3GPP 5G specifications in

Release-15 is scheduled to complete in 2019. The
second phase in Release-16 is due to be
completed in 2020.[19]
5G NR can include lower frequencies (FR1), below
6 GHz, and higher frequencies (FR2), above
24 GHz. However, the speed and latency in early
FR1 deployments, using 5G NR software on 4G
hardware (non-standalone), are only slightly better
than new 4G systems, estimated at 15 to 50%
better.[20][21][22]
IEEE covers several areas of 5G with a core focus
in wireline sections between the Remote Radio
Head (RRH) and Base Band Unit (BBU).
The 1914.1 standards focus on network
architecture and dividing the connection between
the RRU and BBU into two key sections. Radio
Unit (RU) to the Distributor Unit (DU) being the
NGFI-I (Next Generation Fronthaul Interface) and
the DU to the Central Unit (CU) being the NGFI-II
interface allowing a more diverse and cost-
effective network. NGFI-I and NGFI-II have defined
performance values which should be compiled to
ensure different traffic types defined by the ITU are
capable of being carried. 1914.3 standard is
creating a new Ethernet frame format capable of
carrying IQ data in a much more efficient way
depending on the functional split utilized. This is
based on the 3GPP definition of functional splits.
Multiple network synchronization standards within
the IEEE groups are being updated to ensure
network timing accuracy at the RU is maintained to
a level required for the traffic carried over it.
5G NR[edit]
Main article: 5G NR
5G NR (New Radio) is a new air
interface developed for the 5G network.[23] It is
supposed to be the global standard for the air
interface of 3GPP 5G networks.[24]
Pre-standard implementations[edit]
 5GTF: The 5G network implemented by
American carrier Verizon for Fixed Wireless
Access in late 2010s uses a pre-standard
specification known as 5GTF (Verizon 5G
Technical Forum). The 5G service provided to
customers in this standard is incompatible with
5G NR. There are plans to upgrade 5GTF to 5G
NR "Once [it] meets our strict specifications for
our customers," according to Verizon.[25]
 5G-SIG： Pre-standard specification of 5G
developed by KT Corporation. Deployed
at Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics.[26]
Internet of Things[edit]
In the Internet of Things (IoT), 3GPP is going to
submit evolution of NB-IoT and eMTC (LTE-M) as
5G technologies for the LPWA (Low Power Wide
Area) use case.[27]
Deployment[edit]
See also: List of 5G NR networks
5G 3,5 GHz Cell Site of Deutsche Telekom in
Darmstadt, Germany

5G 3,5 GHz Cell Site of Vodafone in Karlsruhe,

Germany
Beyond mobile operator networks, 5G is also
expected to be widely used for private networks
with applications in industrial IoT, enterprise
networking, and critical communications.
Initial 5G NR launches will depend on existing LTE
(4G) infrastructure in non-standalone (NSA)
mode (5G NR software on LTE radio hardware),
before maturation of the standalone (SA)
mode (5G NR software on 5G NR radio hardware)
with the 5G core network.
As of April 2019, the Global Mobile Suppliers
Association had identified 224 operators in 88
countries that are actively investing in 5G (i.e. that
have demonstrated, are testing or trialling, or have
been licensed to conduct field trials of 5G
technologies, are deploying 5G networks or have
announced service launches).[28] The equivalent
numbers in November 2018 were 192 operators in
81 countries.[29] The first country to adopt 5G on a
large scale was South Korea, in April 2019.
When South Korea launched its 5G network, all
carriers used Samsung, Ericsson and Nokia base
stations and equipment, except for LG U Plus, who
also used Huawei equipment.[30][31] Samsung was
the largest supplier for 5G base stations in South
Korea at launch, having shipped 53,000 base
stations at the time, out of 86,000 base stations
installed across the country at the time.[32]
The first fairly substantial deployments were in
April 2019. In South Korea, SK Telecom claimed
38,000 base stations, KT Corporation 30,000
and LG U Plus 18,000; of which 85% are in six
major cities.[33] They are using 3.5 GHz (sub-6)
spectrum in non-standalone (NSA) mode and
tested speeds were from 193 to 430 Mbit/s down.
[34]
260,000 signed up in the first month and the
goal is 10% of phones on 5G by the end of 2019.
[35]

Nine companies sell 5G radio hardware and 5G

systems for carriers: Altiostar, Cisco
Systems, Datang
Telecom, Ericsson, Huawei, Nokia, Qualcomm, Sa
msung and ZTE.[36][37][38][39][40][41][42]
Spectrum[edit]
Large quantities of new spectrum (5G NR
frequency bands) have been allocated to 5G[43] in
order to support its increased throughput
requirements. For example, in July 2016, the
U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
freed up vast amounts of bandwidth in underused
high-band spectrum for 5G. The Spectrum
Frontiers Proposal (SFP) doubled the amount of
millimeter-wave unlicensed spectrum to 14 GHz
and created four times the amount of flexible,
mobile-use spectrum the FCC had licensed to
date.[44] In March 2018, European
Union lawmakers agreed to open up the 3.6 and
26 GHz bands by 2020.[45]
As of March 2019, there are reportedly 52
countries, territories, special administrative
regions, disputed territories and dependencies that
are formally considering introducing certain
spectrum bands for terrestrial 5G services, are
holding consultations regarding suitable spectrum
allocations for 5G, have reserved spectrum for 5G,
have announced plans to auction frequencies or
have already allocated spectrum for 5G use.[46]
5G devices[edit]
Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, the world's first
smartphone able to connect to 5G networks[47]
In March 2019, the Global Mobile Suppliers
Association released the industry's first database
tracking worldwide 5G device launches.[48] In it, the
GSA identified 23 vendors who have confirmed the
availability of forthcoming 5G devices with 33
different devices including regional variants. There
were seven announced 5G device form factors:
(phones (×12 devices), hotspots (×4), indoor and
outdoor customer-premises equipment (×8),
modules (×5), Snap-On dongles and adapters
(×2), and USB terminals (×1)).[49]
In the 5G IoT chipset arena, as of April 2019 there
were four commercial 5G modem chipsets and
one commercial processor/platform, with more
launched expected in the near future.[50]
Availability[edit]
Availability by Country or region.
Argentina[edit]
Argentina expects deployment of 5G around the
end of 2019 or the beginning of 2020 according to
some reports[51] or in 2021 or 2022 according to a
different estimate.[52] In late 2017, a lab test of a
5G system achieved a download speed of 20
Gbps.[53] A single terminal in a shopping center in
Buenos Aires was experimentally equipped with
5G in early 2019. Its download speeds were as
high as 700 Mbps.[citation needed]
Germany[edit]
Germany held an auction for 5G spectrum in June
2019. The winning companies are committed to
providing 5G coverage to 98% of households by
2022.[54]
India[edit]
Bharti Airtel and Chinese telecom gear
maker Huawei have successfully conducted India’s
first 5G network trial under a test setup at the
former’s network experience centre
in Manesar, Gurugram.[55]
Ireland[edit]
In August 2019, Vodafone Ireland switched on 5G
connectivity in Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick and
Waterford cities initially, with a view to expending
its network over time.[56]
Italy[edit]
Carrier
Iliad TIM Vodafone Wind Tre
City

Planne
Bari — — —
d

Planne
Bologna — Partial —
d

Florenc Planne
— — —
e d

Planne
Matera — — —
d

Planne
Milan — Partial —
d

Naples — Partial Partial —

Rome — Partial Partial —

 Turin — Partial Partial —

Planne
Verona — — —
d

Sources:[57][58]

Operator Infrastructures

Cisco
Iliad
Systems, CommScope and Nokia

TIM Ericsson

Vodafone Huawei

Wind Tre Ericsson and ZTE

Sources:[59][60][61][62]

Pakistan[edit]
On 22 August 2019, Pakistan became the first
South Asian country to test 5G services. The
successful tests were conducted by Pakistani
telecom company Zong.[63][64][65]

Operator Infrastructures
 Zong (yet to be
Huawei[66][67]
implemented)

Principality of Monaco[edit]
On 9 July 2019, Monaco Telecom launched its 5G
network covering the entire city area in conjunction
with the presentation of the commercial offer.[68][69]
Republic of San Marino[edit]
The Republic of San Marino is covered by the 5G
network of TIM San
Marino using telecommunications
infrastructures produced by Nokia; however no
commercial offer is available yet (July 2019).[70]
Romania[edit]
Starting May 2019, Vodafone Romania offer 5G
connectivity in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca and
Mamaia.[71]
Russia[edit]
In June 2019, "Huawei signed a deal with Russia's
largest telecoms operator MTS to develop 5G
technologies and launch a fifth-generation network
in Russia within the next year."[72]
In July 2019, Moscow announced the opening of
5G demo centres for testing new technologies and
city services. The demo centres provide access to
5G networks for Russian and foreign companies
via 5G laboratories operating on the principle of
vendor neutrality, which means openness to
business, information security and respect for
patent law.[citation needed]
Agreements on launching a 5G network have been
signed with Russia’s main telecom operators. The
operators will deploy segments of permanently
operating 5G zones, test new functionalities of the
5th generation network, and interact with each
other.[citation needed]
Each of the 4 operators will have its own pilot
zone: at the Exhibition of Achievements of National
Economy, Skolkovo, Sparrow Hills and Tverskaya
Street. At the same time, the operators will work
with the regulator independently on frequency bids
and permits.

In 2018, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin and

Sergei Soldatenkov, CEO of MegaFon, Russia’s
second largest mobile phone operator, have
signed a cooperation agreement aimed at
developing communication services and
information and telecommunications technologies
in Moscow.[citation needed]
Beeline has also signed a five-year renewable
agreement with the Moscow authorities under
which it will deploy a pilot 5G network in the capital
next year alongside NB-IoT, Smart City and
virtual/augmented reality (VR/AR) solutions.
Ericsson has been selected by Tele2 Russia to
upgrade its network with the 5G-ready Ericsson
Radio System including software, as part of a five-
year network modernisation deal to enable higher
speeds and capacity and prepare for the 5G
launch.
Tele2 Russia has also entered into a partnership
agreement with Huawei, involving strategic
cooperation in the development of a 5G-oriented
transport and core network, including testing of
ultra-wideband communication networks.[citation needed]
At the Mobile World Congress, Ericsson signed a
5G “roadmap agreement” with MTS. The
agreement outlines the rollout of 5G networks for
the operator in the 2019-2022 timeframe.
The commercial launch of 5G is one of Moscow’s
priority projects. The first pilot zones will be small
areas in key locations across Moscow. These
areas fall into two main categories: crowded
places (parks and central streets), where more
consumer tech 5G tests and demonstrations will
be held; and innovation centres and technoparks,
where technology companies will be able to test
industrial 5G. The project is being implemented in
cooperation with Huawei, Nokia, Ericsson,
Qualcomm and IBM.[citation needed]
During the 2018 World Cup, MegaFon used Nokia
5G equipment to demonstrate VR Broadcast
technology for indoor coverage at a venue for
media representatives and football fans. Fifty
people used VR glasses to watch the VR
broadcast, with 20 VR glasses being used
simultaneously at speeds of up to 35 Mbps per
device.[citation needed]
South Korea[edit]
By the middle of June 2019, South Korea had over
one million 5G subscribers.[73]
Taiwan[edit]
Taiwan is aiming for service availability by January
2020, according to Vice Premier Chen Chi-mai.
[74]
In June 2019, the American tech company
Qualcomm started construction on a 5G center
in Taipei.[75]
United Kingdom[edit]
Carrier Vodafon
EE O2 Three
City e

Planne
Belfast Live — —
d

Birkenhead — — — Planned

Planne
Birmingham Live — Live
d

Blackpool — — — Planned
 Planne
Bolton — — —
d

Planne
Bournemouth — — Planned
d

Planne
Bradford — — —
d

Planne
Brighton — — —
d

Planne Planne
Bristol — Live
d d

Planne Planne
Cardiff Live Live
d d

Planne Planne
Coventry — —
d d

Planne
Derby — — —
d

Planne Planne
Edinburgh Live —
d d
 Guildford — — — Planned

Planne Planne
Glasgow — Live
d d

Planne Planne
Hull — —
d d

Planne Planne
Leeds — —
d d

Planne Planne
Leicester — —
d d

Planne Planne
Liverpool — Live
d d

Planne Planne
London Live Live
d d

Planne
Manchester Live — Live
d

Middlesbroug Planne
— — —
h d
 Milton Planne
— — —
Keynes d

Newbury — — — Planned

Planne
Newcastle — — —
d

Planne Planne
Nottingham — —
d d

Portsmouth — — — Planned

Plymouth — — — Planned

Planne
Reading — — Planned
d

Planne
Rotherham — — —
d

Planne Planne
Sheffield — —
d d

Planne
Slough — — —
d
 Stoke-on-
— — — Planned
Trent

Planne
Sunderland — — —
d

Planne
Walsall Live — Planned
d

Wolverhampt Planne
— — Live
on d

Sources:[76][77][78]

United States[edit]

Video produced by the FCC about 5G in the

United States.
The Four major US carriers have announced plans
to deploy 5G in 2019, beginning with major
metropolitan areas. On July 31, Atlanta became
the first city to have it available on all of them.[79]

Carrier AT&T Sprint T- Verizon

Mobile
City

Atlanta Live Live Live Live

Boston — — — Planned

Charlotte Live — — Planned

Chicago — Live — Live

Cincinnati — — — Planned

Cleveland — — — Planned

Columbus — — — Planned

Dallas–Fort
Live Live Planned Planned
Worth

Denver — — — Live

Des Moines — — — Planned

Detroit — — — Live

Houston Live Live — Planned

Indianapolis Live — — Live

Jacksonville Live — — —

Kansas City — Live — Planned

Las Vegas Live — Live —

Little Rock — — — Planned

Los Angeles Live Live Live —

Louisville Live — — —

Memphis — — — Planned

Minneapolis–
— — — Live
Saint Paul

Nashville Live — — —

New Orleans Live — — —

New York — Live Live —

Oklahoma City Live — — —

Orlando Live — — —

Phoenix — Live — Live

Providence — — — Live

Raleigh Live — — —

Salt Lake City — — — Planned

San Antonio Live — — —

San Diego Live — — Planned

San Francisco Live — — —

San Jose Live — — —

Tampa Live — — —

Waco Live — — —

Washington — Live — Live

 Sources:[80]

Operato
Infrastructures
r

AT&T Samsung and Nokia

Sprint Nokia

T-Mobile Ericsson and Nokia

Verizon Samsung and Nokia

In August 2018, Senators John Thune and Brian

Schatz introduced the Streamlining the Rapid
Evolution and Modernization of Leading-edge
Infrastructure Necessary to Enhance Small Cell
Deployment Act (S. 3157), also known as
the Streamline Small Cell Deployment Act. The
proposed legislation limits local
government involvement in the location of 5G
equipment.[81]
Uruguay[edit]
Uruguay state owned operator Antel with
vendor Nokia launched the first 5G commercial
network in Latin America in April 2019.[82]
In other countries[edit]
 Mexico could begin 5G service in two years or
so, according to José Otero, director for Latin
America and the Caribbean of 5G Américas.[83][84]
[85]

 New Zealand will launch 5G services in

December 2019. Vodafone NZ announced its
intention and 5G deployment plan on August 1,
2019.[86]
Technology[edit]
New radio frequencies[edit]
See also: 5G NR frequency bands
The air interface defined by 3GPP for 5G is known
as New Radio (NR), and the specification is
subdivided into two frequency bands, FR1 (below
6 GHz) and FR2 (mmWave),[87] each with different
capabilities.
Frequency range 1 (< 6 GHz)[edit]
The maximum channel bandwidth defined for FR1
is 100 MHz, due to the scarcity of continuous
spectrum in this crowded frequency range. The
band most widely being used for 5G in this range
is around 3.5 GHz. The Korean carriers are using
3.5 GHz although some millimeter wave spectrum
has also been allocated.
Frequency range 2 (> 24 GHz)[edit]
The minimum channel bandwidth defined for FR2
is 50 MHz and the maximum is 400 MHz, with two-
channel aggregation supported in 3GPP Release
15. In the U.S., Verizon is using 28 GHz and AT&T
is using 39 GHz. 5G can use frequencies of up to
300 GHz.[88] The higher the frequency, the greater
the ability to support high data transfer speeds
without interfering with other wireless signals or
becoming overly cluttered. Due to this, 5G can
support approximately 1,000 more devices per
meter than 4G.[89]
Frequency range 2 (> 24 GHz) Network
coverage[edit]
5G in the 24 GHz range or above use higher
frequencies than 4G, and as a result, some 5G
signals are not capable of traveling large distances
(over a few hundred meters), unlike 4G or lower
frequency 5G signals (sub 6 GHz). This requires
placing 5G base stations every few hundred
meters in order to utilize higher frequency bands.
Also, these higher frequency 5G signals cannot
easily penetrate solid objects, like cars, trees and
walls, because of the nature of these higher
frequency electromagnetic waves.[90]

5G on Deploym Max. Output Max.

FR2 base ent number power distan
station environ of users (mW) ce
types ment from
(cell base
types) statio
 n

Home:
indoors:
Homes, 4−8
Femto 10−100 10s of
business Busines
cell outdoors: meters
es ses:
200−1000
16−32

Public
areas like
shopping indoors:
malls, 100−250
64 to 10s of
Pico cell airports, outdoors:
128 meters
train 1000−500
stations, 0
skyscrap
ers

Urban
few
areas to outdoors:
Micro 128 to hundr
fill 5000−100
cell 256 eds of
coverage 00
meters
gaps

Metro Urban more outdoors: hundr

cell areas to than 250 10000−20 eds of
provide 000 meters
additional
 capacity

Wi-Fi indoors:
Homes, few
(for less than 20−100
business 10s of
comparis 50 outdoors:
es meters
on) 200−1000

Massive MIMO[edit]
See also: Multi-user MIMO
Massive MIMO (multiple input and multiple
output) antennas increases sector throughput and
capacity density using large numbers of antennas
and Multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO). Each antenna
is individually-controlled and may embed radio
transceiver components. Nokia claimed a five-fold
increase in the capacity increase for a 64-Tx/64-
Rx antenna system. The term "massive MIMO"
was coined by Nokia Bell Labs researcher Dr.
Thomas L. Marzetta in 2010, and has been
launched in 4G networks, such as Softbank in
Japan.[91]
Of over 562 separate 5G demonstrations, tests or
trials globally of 5G technologies, at least 94 of
them have involved testing Massive MIMO in the
context of 5G.[92]
Edge computing[edit]
Main article: Mobile edge computing
Edge computing is delivered by cloud computing
servers closer to the ultimate user. It reduces
latency and data traffic congestion.[93][94]
Small cell[edit]
Main article: Small cell
Small cells are low-powered cellular radio access
nodes that operate in licensed and unlicensed
spectrum that have a range of 10 meters to a few
kilometers. Small cells are critical to 5G networks,
as 5G's radio waves can't travel long distances,
because of 5G's higher frequencies.
Beamforming[edit]
Main article: Beamforming
Beamforming, as the name suggests, is used to
direct radio waves to a target. This is achieved by
combining elements in an antenna array in such a
way that signals at particular angles experience
constructive interference while others experience
destructive interference. This improves signal
quality and data transfer speeds. Because of the
improved signal quality 5G uses beamforming.
Beamforming can be accomplished using Phased
array antennas.
Wifi-cellular convergence[edit]
One expected benefit of the transition to 5G is the
convergence of multiple networking functions to
achieve cost, power and complexity reductions.
LTE has targeted convergence with Wi-
Fi band/technology via various efforts, such
as License Assisted Access (LAA; 5G signal in
unlicensed frequency bands that are also used by
Wi-Fi) and LTE-WLAN Aggregation (LWA;
convergence with Wi-Fi Radio), but the differing
capabilities of cellular and Wi-Fi have limited the
scope of convergence. However, significant
improvement in cellular performance specifications
in 5G, combined with migration from
Distributed Radio Access Network (D-RAN) to
Cloud- or Centralized-RAN (C-RAN) and rollout of
cellular small cells can potentially narrow the gap
between Wi-Fi and cellular networks in dense and
indoor deployments. Radio convergence could
result in sharing ranging from the aggregation of
cellular and Wi-Fi channels to the use of a single
silicon device for multiple radio access
technologies.[citation needed]
NOMA (non-orthogonal multiple access)[edit]
Main article: NOMA (5G)
NOMA (non-orthogonal multiple access) is a
proposed multiple-access technique for future
cellular systems via allocation of power.
SDN/NFV[edit]
Main articles: Software-defined networking, SD-
WAN, Network function virtualization, and 5G
network slicing
Initially, cellular mobile communications
technologies were designed in the context of
providing voice services and Internet access.
Today a new era of innovative tools and
technologies is inclined towards developing a new
pool of applications. This pool of applications
consists of different domains such as the Internet
of Things (IoT), web of connected autonomous
vehicles, remotely controlled robots, and
heterogeneous sensors connected to serve
versatile applications.[95] In this context, network
slicing has emerged as a key technology to
efficiently embrace this new market model.[96]
Channel coding[edit]
Main article: Polar code (coding theory)
The channel coding techniques for 5G NR have
changed from turbo in 4G to polar for the control
channel and LDPC for the data channel.[97][98]
Operation in unlicensed spectrum[edit]
Like LTE in unlicensed spectrum, 5G NR will also
support operation in unlicensed spectrum (NR-U).
[99]
In addition to License Assisted Access (LAA)
from LTE that enable carriers to use those
unlicensed spectrum to boost their operational
performance for users, in 5G NR it will support
standalone NR-U unlicensed operation which will
allow new 5G NR networks to be established in
different environments without acquiring
operational license in licensed spectrum, for
instance for localized private network or lower the
entry barrier for providing 5G internet services to
the public.[99]
Concerns[edit]
Interference issues[edit]
Spectrum used by various 5G proposals will be
very near that of passive remote sensing such as
by weather and Earth observation satellites,
particularly for water
vapor monitoring. Interference will occur and will
potentially be significant without effective controls.
An increase in interference already occurred with
some other prior proximate band usages.[100]
[101]
Interference to satellite operations
impairs numerical weather prediction performance
with substantially deleterious economic and public
safety impacts.[102][103] The concerns prompted US
Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and NASA
Administrator Jim Bridenstine in February 2019 to
urge the FCC to delay some spectrum auction
proposals, which was rejected.[104] The chairs of
the House Appropriations Committee and House
Science Committee wrote separate letters to FCC
chair Ajit Pai asking for further review and
consultation with NOAA, NASA, and DoD, and
warning of harmful impacts to national security.
[105]
Acting NOAA director Neil Jacobs testified
before the House Committee in May 2019 that 5G
out-of-band emissions could produce a 30%
reduction in weather forecast accuracy and that
the resulting degradation in ECMWF
model performance would have failed to predict
the track and thus impact of Superstorm Sandy in
2012. The United States Navy in March 2019
wrote a memorandum warning of deterioration and
made technical suggestions to control band bleed-
over limits, for testing and fielding, and for
coordination of the wireless industry and
regulators with weather forecasting organizations.
[106]

Surveillance concerns[edit]
Further information: Concerns over Chinese
involvement in 5G wireless networks
Because of espionage fears on foreign users by
Chinese equipment vendors, several countries
(including Australia, United Kingdom, Netherlands
as of early-2019)[107] have taken actions to restrict
or eliminate the use of Chinese equipment in their
respective 5G networks. Chinese vendors and the
Chinese government have denied these claims.
In 2019, the United States via its FBI, the
British GCHQ, other intelligence agencies and
criminal prosecuting organisations are massively
involved to adjust surveillance standards. The 5G
security architecture should be adjusted so as
much metadata as possible is collected. This
happens via the 3SALI meetings of
the 3GPP standardization organization.[108]