Aditya Kasaraneni

Marketing Expert - Keysight Technologies

• Brief introduction to 5G NR

• Key differences between LTE and 5G NR

• 5G NR site acceptance testing challenges

• 5G NR site acceptance testing best practices

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Understanding key Finding common issues Identifying potential
differences between and problem areas while site issues using best
LTE and 5G NR that performing 5G NR site practices for 5G NR
affect site acceptance acceptance site acceptance testing

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 COMPONENTS & DEVICES BASE STATIONS HYPERSCALE AND ENTERPRISE
CHIPSETS DATA CENTERS

End-to-End QoE Testing

Layers Mobile Network Test (CN/IP)

2-7 Mobile Device Test Network Test, Visibility, and Security
RAN Field Testing

RAN Field Testing

Layer 1 Electrical, Optical and Wireless Test

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5
 MCG SCG

Pcell + Scells PScell + Scells

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 Beam sweeping: PSS, SSS, PBCH

Beam sweeping: minimum system information

over PBCH

RACH request

UE-specific PDSCH beam: RACH response &

system information, RRC connection setup

qNB requests beam/CSI reporting

Data transmission on beamformed PDSCH

(with DMRS)
UE responds with beam/CSI report
PSS/SSS/PBCH beam switch (handover)
PSS = Primary Synchronization Signal
SSS = Secondary Synchronization Signal
PBCH = Primary Broadcast Channel
PBCH DMRS = PBCH Demodulation Reference Signal
CSI-RS (DL) = Channel State Information Reference Signal
TRS = Tracking Reference Signal
SRS (UL) = Sounding Reference Signal 7
PDSCH = Physical Downlink Shared Channel
1. Attach request: UE indicates support for MR-DC
2. UE capability enquiry: gNB -> eNB -> UE.
Request for NR – eUTRA UE capabilities
3. UE NR measurement event configuration
4. UE measurement report for NR
5. gNB -> eNB -> UE. Secondary node setup
6. UE NR DL synchronization
7. NR RACH

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• Paradigm shift from cell-based
network coverage to beam-
based network coverage
• Major challenge: verify and
understand beam-based
coverage in the field
LTE - cell coverage footprint

5G NR – cell coverage is split into multiple beams with non-continuous coverage footprints
Physical cell id 7, beam index 2 Physical cell id 7, beam index 3 Physical cell id 7, beam index 4

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Site location planning Coverage User experience
Antenna location, path loss Beams, interference MIB, RACH

Handovers Peak throughputs VoLTE + NR concurrency

Intra, inter-site SN changes Modulation, rank utilization

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Site location planning
Antenna location, path loss

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Antenna location

• Identify optimal antenna location for roof-top & light pole

mounted antennas

• Estimate maximum allowed path loss on radio path to

calculate cell range

• Measure indoor signal penetration

gNB
➔ Optimize number of gNB sites - save CAPEX - Alternative for 5G NR
signal transmission
• Inputs are gNB transmission power, receiver sensitivity,
environment, antenna parameters, cable length, etc.

• NR demodulation, phased array antenna based testing FieldFox with

FieldFox & Nemo Outdoor
- FF for reception and Nemo
preamplifier
Outdoor for logging
- for CW signal transfer
measurement data and
in all 5G frequencies
location for post-processing
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Site location planning Coverage
Antenna location, path loss Beams, interference

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• Paradigm shift from cell-based
network coverage to beam-
based network coverage
• Major challenge: verify and
understand beam-based
coverage in the field
LTE - cell coverage footprint

5G NR – cell coverage is split into multiple beams with non-continuous coverage footprints
Physical cell id 7, beam index 2 Physical cell id 7, beam index 3 Physical cell id 7, beam index 4

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 Number of beams Number of strong beams

Number of beams above coverage threshold Number of beams above coverage threshold
by location and within 5 dB of best server

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 Beam sweeping: PSS, SSS, PBCH

Beam sweeping: minimum system information

over PBCH

Measure with scanner

RACH request

UE-specific PDSCH beam: RACH response &

system information, RRC connection setup

qNB requests beam/CSI reporting

Data transmission on beamformed PDSCH

(with DMRS)
UE responds with beam/CSI report
PSS/SSS/PBCH beam switch (handover)
Measure with mobile
PSS = Primary Synchronization Signal
SSS = Secondary Synchronization Signal
PBCH = Primary Broadcast Channel
PBCH DMRS = PBCH Demodulation Reference Signal
CSI-RS (DL) = Channel State Information Reference Signal
TRS = Tracking Reference Signal
SRS (UL) = Sounding Reference Signal
PDSCH = Physical Downlink Shared Channel
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 Measure with scanner • Beam-specific coverage and
quality KPIs require 5G NR signal
demodulation

240 subcarriers, 20 RBs

• SS-RSRP, SS-RSRQ, SS-

127 subcarriers
P P SINR, etc.
P S SSB, 240 subcarriers
B B • KPIs are measured from the
S S Max 7.2 MHz in <6 GHz
C C SSB
S S Max 57.6 MHz in mmWave
H H • Scanner only needs to measure
the SSB, max 7.2 MHz in sub-6
5G NR carrier bandwidth, GHz range, and max 57.6 MHz in
Max 100 MHZ in <6 GHz, mmWave, not the total carrier
4 symbols bandwidth (100 MHz, 400 MHz)
Max 400 MHZ in mmWave

SSB subcarrier SSB BW

spacing
15 kHz 3.6 MHz
30 kHz 7.2 MHz
120 kHz 28.8 MHz
240 kHz 57.6 MHz 17
Site location planning Coverage User experience
Antenna location, path loss Beams, interference MIB, RACH

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RACH failures due to coverage RACH failures due to beam failures

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 State Config. Config. Config. Config.
A B C D
1 (IDLE under or connected
to LTE cell not supporting 4G 4G 4G 4G
NSA)
2 (IDLE under or connected
to LTE cell supporting NSA Tier 1 operator 5G coverage map
and no detection of NR
4G 4G 4G 5G
coverage)
3 (Connected to LTE only
under LTE cell supporting
NSA and detection of NR
4G 4G 5G 5G
coverage)
4 (IDLE under LTE cell
supporting NSA and detection 4G 5G 5G 5G
of NR coverage)
5 (Connected to LTE + NR
under LTE cell supporting 5G 5G 5G 5G
NSA)
6 (IDLE under or connected
to MG-RAN while attached to 5G 5G 5G 5G
5GC) UE state/indicator configuration matrix
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Site location planning Coverage User experience
Antenna location, path loss Beams, interference MIB, RACH

Handovers
Intra, inter-site SN changes

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NR measurement object configuration

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NR report configuration based on B1 event.
NR MeasObject and reportconfig configured to be reported
under MeasID 3 in measurement report.
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Site location planning Coverage User experience
Antenna location, path loss Beams, interference MIB, RACH

Handovers Peak throughputs

Intra, inter-site SN changes Modulation, rank utilization

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Data interruption during beam changes

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Loss of 5G due to retransmissions

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Site location planning Coverage User experience
Antenna location, path loss Beams, interference MIB, RACH

Handovers Peak throughputs VoLTE + NR concurrency

Intra, inter-site SN changes Modulation, rank utilization

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 Loss of 5G due to VoLTE call VoLTE – NR concurrency

UE drops NR due to VoLTE call

UE maintains NR
during VoLTE
call

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Per-cell stationary tests:
• Beam coverage validation
• Peak throughputs
• Latency
• MIMO related issues
• Modulation
• Rank
• LTE + NR bearer utilization
• RACH Inter-site mobility tests:
• Inter-site handover success
• Handover interruption time
• Cell coverage footprint
Intra-site mobility tests: validation
• Intra-site handover success • Average throughput
• Handover interruption time • RACH
• RACH

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 Nemo Cloud

Automation: increases number of sites tested per day &

reduces costs

Minimize tool and human errors: guided workflow

Designed for technically non-skilled users: small

learning curve, easy-to-learn
+
Nemo Handy
Real-time monitoring: identify site issues and rectify in
real-time

Multi-purpose: same measurement equipment to be

used for different testing scenarios

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Key differences How to find common How to identify
between LTE and 5G issues and problem potential site issues
NR that affect site areas while performing using best practices for
acceptance 5G NR site acceptance 5G NR site acceptance
testing

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Resources:

5G NR Physical layer: https://www.keysight.com/upload/cmc_upload/All/Understanding_the_5G_NR_Physical_Layer.pdf

Find Nemo: https://www.keysight.com/en/pc-2767981/nemo-wireless-network-solutions?cc=US&lc=eng

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 AC R O N Y M S

CSI-RS (DL): Channel state information reference signal ​PBCH: Primary broadcast channel
CP: Control plane ​PDSCH: Physical downlink shared channel
DL: Downlink ​PSS: Primary synchronization signal
eNB: LTE base station RACH: Random access channel
ENDC: E-UTRAN NR dual connectivity RRC: Radio resource control
gNB: 5G base station SRS (UL): Sounding reference signal
MIB: Master information block SSS: Secondary synchronization signal
MIMO: Multiple input multiple output ​TRS: Tracking reference signal
MR: Measurement report CPE: Customer premise equipment
MR-DC: Multi radio dual connectivity UE: User equipment
NR: New Radio UL: Uplink
NSA: Non-standalone UP: User plane
​PBCH DMRS: PBCH demodulation reference signal VoLTE: Voice over LTE

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