5G NR mmWave and Deployments

- Overview

5G NR (New Radio) mmWave deployments leverage high-frequency bands to provide high-capacity, high-speed wireless connectivity for specific use cases like Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and dense urban areas, often requiring many small cells due to the signal's limited range and penetration. 

These deployments are being used to supplement existing networks and are expanding to include applications like mission-critical industrial controls and indoor office environments. 

1. Key Characteristics of 5G NR mmWave Deployments:

• High bandwidth and speed: Millimeter wave frequencies enable massive data rates and capacity, suitable for applications requiring significant bandwidth.
• Limited range and penetration: mmWave signals are easily blocked by physical objects, so deployments rely on numerous small cells to provide coverage in a given area.
• Directional technology: Beamforming is crucial for directing signals to users and improving performance, especially at longer distances.

2. Common Deployment Scenarios:

• Fixed Wireless Access (FWA): Delivering high-speed internet to homes and businesses, from urban to rural areas, as a competitor to traditional broadband.
• Dense urban areas: Providing high capacity in public spaces like downtowns, stadiums, and shopping malls to handle large crowds.
• Indoor environments: Complementing Wi-Fi by providing enhanced performance in offices, factories, and other indoor venues.
• Mission-critical applications: Enabling low-latency, high-reliability services for industrial automation, autonomous vehicles, and drone communications.

3. Deployment Strategies and Trends:

• Small cell density: Deployments involve a high density of small cells to ensure consistent coverage, as shown in research on urban canyon environments.
• Beam management: Operators are focused on managing the beams to maintain signal quality and performance across different deployment environments.
• Dual connectivity: Combining mid-band and mmWave spectrum through New Radio Dual Connectivity (NR-DC) to leverage the benefits of both for better coverage and capacity.
• Uplink improvements: Advancements include using multiple carriers for the uplink to increase total uplink capacity.
• Augmenting existing networks: mmWave is used to extend and complement existing 5G networks, not replace them entirely.

- Deploying mmWave to Unleash 5G's Full Potential

5G deployment uses two main spectrum types: sub-6 GHz (FR1) for wide-area coverage and improvements over 4G, and millimeter-wave (mmWave) (FR2) for very high speeds in localized areas. 

mmWave offers significantly faster speeds and lower latency but has a short range, while sub-6 GHz provides broader coverage with better signal penetration, though at lower speeds. 

The ongoing deployment will use a mix of these technologies, with mmWave used in dense urban areas and Sub-6 GHz for general coverage, requiring a large number of repeaters and base stations for complete build-out, which could take decades outside of cities.

1. Sub-6 GHz (FR1): 

• Coverage: Wide-area, with longer range and better signal penetration through walls.
• Speed: Moderate improvement over 4G, typically between 100 and 700 Mbps.
• Use Case: General mobile broadband, rural areas, and a balance of performance and range.
• Compatibility: High device compatibility due to overlap with existing 4G LTE bands.

2. Millimeter-Wave (mmWave or FR2):

• Coverage: Short range (less than a kilometer) and poor penetration through obstacles.
• Speed: Very high speeds, up to 1 Gbps or more, and very low latency.
• Use Case: High-capacity, high-demand areas like stadiums, busy city centers, and for applications like AR/VR and smart cities.
• Infrastructure: Requires a dense network of many more small cells and base stations.

3. Deployment Strategy: 

• Mixed Technology: Future 5G networks will be a combination of both technologies.
• Hybrid Approach: Sub-6 GHz will likely provide the primary network coverage, with mmWave deployed strategically to boost capacity in specific, high-traffic zones.
• Long-Term Evolution: While the initial rollout has been relatively quick, widespread 5G coverage, especially outside of cities, may take decades to achieve due to the extensive infrastructure needed for mmWave deployment.

[More to come ...]