5G – FIFTH GENERATION

Term Paper

NOVEMBER 3, 2021
BY SERTDENGLE SHEWANDAGN
sertseshewa@gmail.com

American College of Technology (ACT)

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Abstract
The world has changed and this era became more connected through digital than ever. One of the
main key engines of this transformation is cellular (mobile) networks. Cellular networks are
radio network, which connects wireless devices using cell station placed in a landscaped area,
each served by at least one fixed-location transceiver. There are many types of cellular networks
like GSM, GPRS, CDMA, MOBITEX, EDGE, etc. For the past half, the century the cellular
network evolved over different network generations starting from 1G the first wireless
communication, to the latest 5G that everyone is working on to make it applicable. These
generations evolved over the past decades with speed, availability, network structure, access
layers, and so on. In this paper, our main focus is an explanation of the latest generation 5G.

5G is a Fifth-generation wireless network that provides NR technology and flexible 5G core with
server-based architecture and network slicing. It is the next-generation cellular network that is
meant to deliver higher multi-Gigabit per second peak data speeds, ultra-low latency, more
reliability, massive network capacity, increased availability, and a more uniform user experience
to more users. 5G uses the orthogonal frequency division multiplex as its modulation format,
similar to LTE but 5G also supports CP-OFDM in the uplink direction. It is used across three
main types of connected services, including enhanced mobile broadband, mission-critical
communications, and the massive IoT. A defining capability of 5G is that it is designed for
forwarding compatibility the ability to flexibly support future services that are unknown today.
5G promised a huge transformation and a better future.

Key Words: Transceiver, GSM, GPRS, CDMA, MOBITEX, EDGE, SBA, 5G NR, 5G core, LTE, CP-
OFDM

Sertsedengle Shewandagn | American College technology

 Table of Contents.
Abstract ............................................................................................................................................ I
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1
Main Concept .................................................................................................................................. 2
Development of 5G ..................................................................................................................... 2
Specification of 5G ..................................................................................................................... 4
Applicability of 5G ..................................................................................................................... 4
Effect of 5G................................................................................................................................. 5
Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 5
References ....................................................................................................................................... 6
Appendix ......................................................................................................................................... 7
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Introduction
Over the last century we have observed a generation evolution of communication technologies,
and especially in the recent decade’s wireless technologies evolved from one generation to
another with better qualities and capabilities. Let's start by answering, what are the
communication technologies? There are two types of communication technologies, wireless and
wired communication. Wired communications is a broad term that is used to describe any type of
communication process that relies on the direct use of cables and wiring to transmit data. A
classic example of wired communications is the traditional home telephone that is connected to
the local telephone switch via wires that are run from the home to the switch, the other example
is broadband internet which transfers data through a cable like coaxial and fiber optic cables. [1]
Wireless communication is a broad term that incorporates all procedures and forms of
connecting and communicating between two or more devices using a wireless signal through
wireless communication technologies and devices. [2] Wireless communication is also called
mobile or cellular communication, and some of the examples are Wi-Fi which is a method of
connection to the internet wirelessly, the other example is the mobile networks which we are
using to connect with our families and friends without a wire just using transceiver on our mobile
phones and nodes in the area.
There are a lot of wireless communication technologies as mentioned above Wi-Fi, cellular
network, satellite network, etc. This paper focuses on cellular networks, specifically 5G
networks. Cellular networks are radio network, which connects wireless devices using cells.
Cells are a network distributed over a land area that consists of at least one fixed-location
transceiver. These base stations provide the cell with network coverage which can be used for the
transmission of voice, data, and other types of content. Cells use a different set of frequencies
from neighbor cells, to avoid interference and provide guaranteed service quality within each
cell. [3]

Over the past half the century, cellular networks evolved over different generations. Starting
from the early generation Zero generation (0G) with a big box of voice call mobile devices,
then to the First generation (1G) analog-based mobile device that can only transfer voice, then
to the second generation (2G) digital communication tool which adds a capability to transfer not
only voice but SMS as well, within a decade an advanced digital communication network Third
generation (3G) developed with the capability to transfer voice, SMS, and data, then a decade
later, the latest and current technology we are using today the Fourth generation (4G) come out
with better quality and speed of transferring data, voice, and SMS, and today engineers are
working towards 5G. [4]

5G is a fifth-generation cellular network that provides NR (New Radio). It provides not only a
new powerful RAN (Radio Access Network) technology, called NR, for very high bit rates, very
low delays (latency), and very high connection densities but also a new, highly modular, and
flexible 5G core with Service Based Architecture (SBA) and Network Slicing. The underlying
technologies used are NFV (Network Functions Virtualization) and SDN (Software Defined

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Networking) in cloud environments. But this is not all. Without changing the core network, 5G
also enables not only NR, non-3GPP WLAN, and 4G access but also fixed lines. [5] A 5G
system can thus implement FMC (Fixed Mobile Convergence) with only one core network
technology. For this reason, 5G can no longer be called a mobile network. If a 5G system is
deployed and used in this general way, it is a new generation converged network.
Who invented 5G?

According to QUALCOMM, No company or person owns 5G, but several companies within the
mobile ecosystem are contributing to bringing 5G to life. [6] Discussions on fifth-generation
(5G) mobile communication began around 2012. In many discussions, the term 5G is used to
refer to specific new 5G radio-access technology. [7] 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership
Project) is the industry organization that defines the global specifications for 3G UMTS, 4G
LTE, and 5G technologies. 3GPP is the one who developed it and introduced it to the world in
the mid of 2016 based on Wikipedia. 3GPP is driving many essential inventions across all
aspects of 5G design, from the air interface to the service layer. [6]

Main Concept
The basic concept of connection-oriented communication is that the subscriber requests to
establish a connection to the public switched network (PSTN) then the PSTN start establishing a
connection between the subscriber and the receiver, then if the user is available and not busy,
will get a request on the form of a ringtone to respond and when it accepts the call direct user
data exchange will be established and the connection stays still, then when the user finished and
hung up, the connection termination will be initiated. This was the circuit switching technique,
where the line made will be occupied by one subscriber until the connection termination is
initiated. But the packet switching technique provided a better solution by providing a method to
transfer the requests and data in a form of separated packets which enables the PSTN network to
handle other requests simultaneously.
The New Generation Network (NGN) is a packet-oriented (core) network for as many services as
possible. It includes real-time services such as telephony, so the network must provide a
guaranteed Quality of Service (QoS). One of the important features of NGN is that the complete
separation of connection and service control from the transport of user data. [5]

Development of 5G
Despite LTE being a very capable technology, there are requirements not possible to meet with
LTE, so 3GPP initiated the development of a new radio-access technology known as NR to
exploit the potential of new technologies. A workshop setting the scope was held in the fall of
2015 and technical work began in the spring of 2016. [7]
NR reuses many of the structures and features of LTE. OFDM is one of the examples, it has
become the standard modulation format for 5G NR. OFDM introduced the possibility that band-
limited orthogonal signals can be combined with significant overlap while avoiding interchannel

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interference. Using OFDM, we can create an array of subcarriers that all work together to
transmit information over a range of frequencies. [9]
OFDM is an efficient modulation format used in modern wireless communication systems
including 5G. OFDM combines the benefits of Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) and
Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM) to produce a high-data-rate communication system.
QAM refers to a variety of specific modulation types: BPSK (Binary Phase Shift Keying), QPSK
(Quadrature Phase Shift Keying), 16QAM (16-state QAM), 64QAM (64-state QAM), etc. [7]
To increase the availability and accessibility of 5G, three electromagnetic waves (EMW)
spectrums are considered, Low band 5G (600-750 MHz), Mid band 5G (1 GHz - 6 GHz), and
High band (mm-Wave) spectrum which uses frequency higher than 24Ghz. Mainly 5G will
operate on sub-6Ghz and sub-3Ghz frequencies. Low band spectrum 5G is best understood as a
blanket layer for nationwide coverage. It operates between 600-750 MHz and will be at a
baseline level of 5G. It is 20% faster than 4G and can serve customers within hundreds of square
miles for rural coverage. Spectrum in the 1GHz - 6GHz range is a mid-band spectrum and it is
considered ideal for 5G because it can carry plenty of data while also traveling significant
distances within several Kilometers. Mid band 5G offers service within smaller areas compared
to low band 5G, and because carriers can allocate more resources in mid-band, data speeds are
higher than for low band 5G between 100–900 Mbit/s peak speed. It is 6x faster than 4G and is
likely to be available in metropolitan areas. [7]
5G high-band spectrum is the ideal spectrum for more widespread use of massive MIMO
because it delivers super-fast speeds over short distances. It is called the third bucket of the
spectrum, where wireless operators are deploying 5G is in the millimeter-wave spectrum. It uses
frequencies of 24–47 GHz, near the bottom of the millimeter-wave band, although higher
frequencies may be used in the future. It often achieves download speeds in the gigabit-per-
second (Gbit/s) range, comparable to cable internet. Typically millimeter-wave communication
is likely to be used for outdoor coverage for dense networks - typically densely used. Its range is
tight, up to 200 or 300 meters. One of the issues of using millimeter-wave signals is that they can
also be affected by natural changes. So, 5G networks operate on a higher mm Wave frequency
with a wider spectrum bandwidth, which enables a higher capacity for transferring data. And the
wider the spectrum, the more devices that can join and operate at a faster rate. [7]
NR primarily uses an orthogonal multiple-access scheme where different devices are separated in
time and frequency. However, non-orthogonal access schemes have the potential to increase
capacity in some scenarios. So three types of multiple access schemes are considered. [10]
1. Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) is a multi-user version of
OFDM enabling concurrent AP communication (uplink & downlink) with multiple
clients by assigning subsets of subcarriers, called Resource Units (RUs) to the individual
clients.
2. Sparse code multiple access (SCMA) is a new frequency domain non-orthogonal
multiple-access technique which can improve the spectral efficiency of wireless radio
access. Multiple SCMA layers share the same time-frequency resources of OFDMA.

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3. Non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) uses superposition coding at the transmitter

such that the successive interference cancellation (SIC) receiver can separate the users
both in the uplink and in the downlink channels.

Specification of 5G
The procedure on the way to 5G differed and still differs significantly from that of previous
generations of mobile networks, including 3G and 4G. While in the past, the focus was on
communication between and services for people, it is now on providing a networked world for
everyone and everything, i.e., not only for people but also for (smart) things and systems. [7] In
2017, 3GPP and its partners gathered around and start formulating standards for 5G and in 2018
the first standard release 15 was announced.
In release 15, communication with fixed infrastructure is provided by the access-link interface
between the base station and the UE. The list of specifications released on release 15 includes
mission-critical (MC) interworking with legacy systems, WLAN and unlicensed spectrum,
Slicing – logical end-2-end networks, API Exposure – 3rd party access to 5G services, service-
based architecture (SBA), etc.
In release 16, the option of the NR side link (PC5) is added, which can operate in-coverage, out-
of-coverage, and partial-coverage scenarios, utilizing all NR frequency bands. The list of
specifications released on release 15 includes enhancement of ultra-reliable low latency
communications, cellular IoT support and evolution, advanced V2X support, 5G location, and
positioning services, etc.

Applicability of 5G
5G networks will be used in many areas of life. But the wide use cases of 5G are summarized in
three major categories based on previous results, experience, and standardization work: [7]
1. Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB): an extension of services first enabled by 4G LTE
networks that allow for a high data rate across a wide coverage area. Examples of use
cases are mobile broad-band communication, UHD television, hologram, augmented
reality, virtual reality, and high mobility in trains or airplanes, virtual presence. Its peak
data rate: 10 to 20 Gbps, 100Mbps whenever needed, 10000 times more traffic, and
supports macro and small cells.
2. Massive Machine-Type Communications (MTC) accommodate emerging services like
Massive Internet of Things (MIoT): use cases in metro or stadium, eHealth, smart city
(eCity), smart farming (eFarm), wearables, inventory control. It also supports a high
density of devices, long-range, and supports low data rate (about 1 to 100 Kbps).
3. Ultra-reliable and low latency communications (URLLC) is a new service category in 5G
to accommodate emerging services and applications having stringent latency and
reliability requirements. It provides ultra-responsive connections, offers less than 1ms air
interface latency, is ultra-reliable (99.999%), and has low to medium data rates.
Examples of use cases are interactive games, sports broadcasts, industrial control, drones,
and robots.

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Effect of 5G
5G will bring a dramatic change in our lives, economy, and living styles, almost everything.
5G’s full economic effect will likely be realized across the globe by 2035, enabling up to $13.1
trillion worth of goods and services, 22.8 Million new jobs will be created and $265B global 5G
CAPEX and R&D annually over the next 15 years. This impact is much greater than previous
network generations. The development requirements of the new 5G network are also expanding
beyond the traditional mobile networking players to industries such as the automotive industry.
5G value chain includes OEMs, operators, content creators, app developers, and consumers.
There will be many emerging and new applications that will still be defined in the future.
5G is designed to do a variety of things that can transform our lives, including giving us faster
download speeds, low latency, and more capacity and connectivity for billions of devices—
especially in the areas of virtual reality (VR), Augmented reality (AR), the IoT, and artificial
intelligence (AI). For example, with 5G, you can access new and improved experiences
including near-instant access to cloud services, multiplayer cloud gaming, shopping with
augmented reality, and real-time video translation and collaboration, and more. [6]

Conclusion
5G is a fifth-generation mobile network. It provides a new powerful radio access network
technology, called New Radio, for very high bit rates, very low delays, and very high connection
densities but also a new, highly modular, and flexible 5G core with service-based architecture
and network slicing. It is a new global mobile network standard that comes after 1G, 2G, 3G, and
4G. It enables a new kind of network that is designed to connect not just everyone but everything
including machines, objects, and devices. It uses orthogonal frequency modulation multiplexing
as its modulation format and it is considering non-orthogonal frequency modulation multiplex
access as its access schemes. Three electromagnetic wave spectrum ranges are considered to
distribute low band for rural area distribution, mid-band for metropolitan distribution, and mm
Wave for short-range but dense areas distribution. It is poised to be faster than any previous
networks, 100x faster than the current generation network 4G. It also provides low latency,
letting applications and communications running on 5G connect and share data in near real-time.
It has three major use case categories, enhanced mobile broadband, massive machine-type
communication, and ultra-reliable and low latency communications. Which will transform the
way of living and satisfy the network need for new emerging technologies like autonomous cars,
robots, AI, AR and VR, and so on. Simply, it is one key of the three lock door to the future,
where the other keys are being Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing.

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References
[1] What are Wired Communications? (with pictures). (2012, July 11). EasyTechJunkie.
Retrieved Nov 8, 2021, from https://www.easytechjunkie.com/what-are-wired-
communications.htm

[2] Wireless Communication - Overview. (n.d.). Tutorials Point. Retrieved Nov 8, 2021, from
https://www.tutorialspoint.com/wireless_communication/wireless_communication_overv
iew.htm

[3] Wikipedia contributors. (2021, October 14). Cellular network. Wikipedia. Retrieved Nov 8,
2021, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellular_network

[4] Singh, J. (2018, April 24). Generations of Wireless Technology. IJERT. Retrieved November
8, 2021, from https://www.ijert.org/generations-of-wireless-technology

[5] Trick, U. (2021). 5G: An Introduction to the 5th Generation Mobile Networks (De Gruyter
STEM). De Gruyter Oldenburg. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110724509

[6] What is 5G? (2021, May 13). Qualcomm. Retrieved November 8, 2021, from
https://www.qualcomm.com/5g/what-is-5g

[7] Dahlman, E., Parkvall, S., & Skold, J. (2018). 5G NR: The Next Generation Wireless Access
Technology (1st ed.). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/C2017-0-01347-2

[8] Releases. (n.d.). 3GPP. Retrieved November 9, 2021, from

https://www.3gpp.org/specifications/67-releases

[9] Witte, B. (2020, April 16). The basics of 5G’s modulation, OFDM. 5G Technology World.
Retrieved November 9, 2021, from https://www.5gtechnologyworld.com/the-basics-of-
5gs-modulation-ofdm/

[10] Notes, E. (n.d.). 5G Multiple Access Schemes » Electronics Notes. Electronic Notes.
Retrieved November 9, 2021, from https://www.electronics-
notes.com/articles/connectivity/5g-mobile-wireless-cellular/multiple-access-scheme.php

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Appendix
Transceiver: An electronic device or circuit that transmits and receives analog or digital signals
either wired or wireless.
GSM: stands for Global System for Mobile Communication, a communication standard for 2G.
GPRS: general packet radio service: a telecommunications system providing very fast internet
connections for mobile phones.
CDMA: stands for “Code Division Multiple Access.” It is a channel access method used in 2G.
MOBITEX: is an OSI based open standard, national public access wireless packet-switched data
network.
EDGE: is a distributed computing paradigm that brings computation and data storage as close to
the point of request as possible in order to deliver low latency and save bandwidth.
SBA: stands for Service-Based Architecture, introduced to improve the modularity of the
network system.
5G NR: (New Radio) is a new radio access technology (RAT) developed by 3GPP for the 5G
(fifth generation) mobile network.
5GC: 5G Core (5GC) is the heart of a 5G mobile network, which establishes reliable, secure
connectivity to the network for end users and provides access to its services.
LTE: stands for Long Term Evolution. It's a term used for the particular type of 4G that delivers
the fastest mobile Internet experience.
OFDM: stands or orthogonal frequency modulation multiplexing, is a type of digital
transmission and a method of encoding digital data on multiple carrier frequencies.
CP-OFDM: stands for cyclic prefix OFDM, is used as the access technology for 5G New Radio.
Its operation is very similar to that of OFDM used in LTE, however CP-OFDM features variable
subcarrier spacing termed “numerology”.
Numerology: is the pseudoscientific belief in the divine or mystical relationship between a
number and one or more coinciding events.
SMS: is a cross platform standard of sending messages, compatible with Android, Apple, and
other platforms, and is compliant with GSM standards.
RAN: stands for radio access network. It is a major component of a wireless telecommunications
system that connects individual devices to other parts of a network through a radio link.
NFV: is a network function virtualization technique which helps service providers or operators
to virtualize functions like load balancing, routing, and policy management by transferring
network functions from dedicated appliances to virtual servers.

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SDN: stands for Software-Defined Networking, an approach to networking that uses software-
based controllers or application programming interfaces (APIs) to communicate with underlying
hardware infrastructure and direct traffic on a network.
API: is the acronym for Application Programming Interface, which is a software intermediary
that allows two applications to talk to each other.
3GPP: 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) unites [Seven] telecommunications standard
development organizations (ARIB, ATIS, CCSA, ETSI, TSDSI, TTA, TTC), known as
“Organizational Partners” and provides their members with a stable environment to produce the
Reports and Specifications that define 3GPP technologies. https://www.3gpp.org/about-3gpp
WLAN: Wireless local area networking, also known as WLAN or wireless LAN, is a term for
using wireless digital signals to connect computers and other devices.
FMC: is an acronym for Fixed-mobile convergence, the trend towards seamless connectivity
between fixed and wireless telecommunications networks.
UMTS: Universal Mobile Telecommunications System is a third generation wireless network
technology which allows speeds of up to 2Mbps.
PSTN: Public Switched Telephone Network, refers to a telecommunications network which
allows subscribers at different sites to communicate by voice.
NGN: Next Generation Network, is a packet-based network able to provide services including
Telecommunication Services and able to make use of multiple broadband, QoS-enabled transport
technologies and in which service-related functions are independent from underlying transport-
related technologies.
QoS: Quality of Service, is a set of technologies that work on a network to guarantee its ability
to dependably run high-priority applications and traffic under limited network capacity.
QAM: Quadrature amplitude modulation, is a modulation scheme used by network operators
when transmitting data.
FDM: Frequency-division multiplexing, is a technique by which the total bandwidth available in
a communication medium is divided into a series of non-overlapping frequency bands, each of
which is used to carry a separate signal.
EMW: Electromagnetic waves are waves that are created as a result of vibrations between an
electric field and a magnetic field.
MM-Wave: Millimeter Wave, also known as millimeter band, is the band of spectrum with
wavelengths between 10 millimeters (30 GHz) and 1 millimeter (300 GHz).
MIMO: Multiple-Input Multiple-Output is a wireless technology that uses multiple transmitters
and receivers to transfer more data at the same time.
V2X: Vehicle-to-Everything Network is an autonomous transaction platform for the mobility
ecosystem.

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