Understanding 5G Internet: Architecture, Speed, and Use Cases

Let’s dive into the world of 5G internet! We’ll explore its architecture, speed capabilities, and coverage range.

Introduction

The internet, as we know it, is a vast network of computers linked through both wired and wireless connections. Wired internet includes dial-up and broadband, while wireless options encompass Wi-Fi, Li-Fi, 2G, 3G, 4G, and the latest addition, 5G.

The internet facilitates numerous applications, from simple browsing and email to complex mobile apps and streaming services. To access 5G internet, users require a 5G-compatible mobile phone and a 5G service plan from a network operator, whether pre-paid or post-paid.

5G is designed to support both cellular communication and the burgeoning Internet of Things (IoT). It’s poised to revolutionize various industries, including automotive, utilities, public safety, healthcare, finance, media, and manufacturing. 5G supports a wide array of use cases, such as eMBB, mMTC, and URLLC.

5G follows the same 3GPP specification roadmap as its predecessors, 4G LTE, LTE-Advanced, and LTE-Advanced Pro. The technology adhering to these specifications is known as 5G NR (New Radio).

5G Internet Architecture

Figure 1: 5G NR Overall Architecture

As illustrated above, a typical 5G NR network consists of a 5G phone, a 5G Radio Access Network (RAN), and the 5G core network infrastructure. 5G phones come in two main flavors:

• Standalone: These operate independently of legacy wireless networks like 3G and 4G (LTE). A standalone 5G mobile unit handles both control and data signaling using the 5G network.
• Non-Standalone: These rely on legacy systems (LTE) for control signaling while utilizing the 5G network for data transmission.

5G Internet Use Cases

Here are some prominent use cases for 5G internet:

• eMBB (Enhanced Mobile Broadband): Extreme throughput, enhanced spectral efficiency, and extended coverage.
• mMTC (Massive Machine-Type Communications): High connection density, energy efficiency, low complexity, and extended coverage.
• URLLC (Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communications): Low latency, ultra-reliability, and location precision.

To support these use cases, 5G networks incorporate the following features:

• Scalable OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing): Supports diverse coverage regions (outdoor, indoor, small cell, macro cell) in different frequency bands (below 3GHz, above 3 GHz, 5GHz, and 28 GHz (mmWave)).
• Multi-user Massive MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output): Achieves spectral efficiency improvements and desired throughput at cell edges.
• Advanced LDPC (Low-Density Parity-Check) Channel Coding: Along with IR HARQ (Incremental Redundancy Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request) type.
• Self-Contained TDD (Time-Division Duplexing) Subframe
• Low Latency Slot Structure Design
• Advanced Modulation Schemes: e.g., OFDM, FBMC (Filter Bank Multi-Carrier), UFMC (Universal Filtered Multi-Carrier), and GFDM (Generalized Frequency-Division Multiplexing).
• Network Slicing

5G Internet Speed and Coverage

Figure: Network of 5G small cells

The goal of 5G internet is to deliver speeds of around 20 Gbps in the downlink (from the base station to the mobile device) and 10 Gbps in the uplink (from the mobile device to the base station), as claimed by most network operators.

While the cell tower range of 5G is generally shorter than that of 4G LTE, it compensates by penetrating inaccessible areas using various types of 5G small cells, such as femtocells, picocells, microcells, and metrocells. These small cells can cover ranges of up to 250 meters.

Small cells act as repeaters for 5G signals, relayed by 5G eNBs (5G base stations), to provide better signal strength for 5G mobile phone users.