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3GPP and LTE Evolution To 5G and Beyond

5G Evolution To 6G_070922A
[5G Evolution To 6G - Rohde & Schwarz]

  

5G - Powering the New Digital Economy

 

 

- Overview

The evolution from 3GPP LTE to 5G and beyond involves a continuous process of improvement through new 3GPP releases, moving from the Evolved Packet System (EPS) to the new 5G Core Network (5GC). 

While 5G introduces new technologies like the NR (New Radio) air interface, it also builds on and enhances LTE with features like LTE-Advanced Pro, which serves as a bridge to 5G, and continues to evolve with releases like 16, 17, and the upcoming 5G-Advanced and 6G. 

A. LTE to 5G evolution:

  • Incremental improvements: The transition is as much an evolution of LTE as it is a revolution, with many 5G features built upon LTE technology through various 3GPP releases (8-14).
  • LTE-Advanced Pro: This is the official term for the set of advanced LTE technologies that serves as a bridge to 5G, with features developed in releases 13 and 14.
  • Phase 1 of 5G: Initial 5G deployments (around 2020) were based on a combination of new 5G New Radio (NR) features and the existing, enhanced LTE network.
  • Backward compatibility: 5G was designed to integrate with the existing LTE ecosystem to maximize the benefits of the established infrastructure and economies of scale.


B. 5G and beyond: 

1. 5G New Radio (NR): This new air interface is a core component of 5G, designed to handle a wider range of services beyond just mobile broadband.
2. 5G Core (5GC): 5G introduces a new, cloud-native core network architecture, though initial deployments can still use the older EPC (EPS).
3. Release 15 and beyond:

  • Release 15: Incorporated the initial set of NR features for 5G, along with control plane steering of roaming.
  • Release 16: Included features for enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine-type communications (mMTC), and ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC).
  • Release 17: Introduced support for verticals like asset tracking, critical medical applications, and the Reduced Capability (RedCap) IoT standard.

4. 5G-Advanced (Release 18 and beyond):

  • This is the next phase of 5G development, focusing on enhanced capabilities like extended reality (XR), integrated sensing and communication (ISAC), and AI/ML integration into networks.
  • It is also laying the groundwork for the eventual development of 6G.
 

Please refer to the following for more information:

 

- Smartphones Have Become Indispensable 

Smartphones have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. The average consumer spends nearly three hours a day on their smartphones for streaming media, sharing, communication, searching, and more, all relying on high-speed mobile network access provided by technologies such as 3G, 4G LTE, and the upcoming 5G. 

This highlights the significant challenges that the massive growth in data traffic presents to the industry, as network investment struggles to keep pace with demand. Standards developed by organizations like 3GPP aim to alleviate this problem. 

5G promises to bring further improvements and expand cellular technology into more application areas. 

1. How smartphones have become indispensable:
  • Communication: Smartphones allow for constant connection with friends and family through calls, messages, photos, and video sharing, which helps in coordinating daily life and reinforcing bonds.
  • Information access: They serve as a primary source of information, enabling quick searches for directions, answers, and news from virtually anywhere.
  • Entertainment: Mobile devices provide on-the-go entertainment through streaming services and games, keeping users occupied.
  • Organization: A wide range of apps helps users manage schedules, track expenses, and plan their lives.

2. The challenge of network capacity:
  • Data demand: The exponential growth of smartphone use and the data traffic they generate has created a significant challenge for the wireless industry.
  • Investment lag: Network investments have not kept pace with the increasing data demand, leading to potential issues with performance and reliability.
  • Industry response: Organizations like the 3GPP are working to develop new wireless standards, such as 5G, to address this challenge.

3. The future with 5G:
  • Enhanced mobile broadband: 5G is expected to provide even faster and more immersive mobile experiences.
  • Expanded applications: It will extend cellular technology beyond mobile phones to a vast range of other industries, objects, and connections.
 
 

[More to come ...]


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