The publisher just completed its seventeenth 5G benchmark study, this time with a focus on 5G NR scheduler efficiency with DSS or 5G NR in a dedicated radio channel and how it compares with LTE scheduler efficiency. They tested Ericsson (Verizon DSS in Band n5) and Nokia (T-Mobile dedicated bearer in Band n71). A higher resolution version is available upon request or it can be downloaded from the SRG website.
Highlights of the Report include the following:
Our Thanks
The publisher did this study in collaboration with Sanjole and Spirent Communications. Sanjole (now part of Keysight Technologies) provided us with the use of its WaveJudge and IntelliJudge test platforms as well as engineering support to help them collect the data. The publisher did all the testing and analysis of the data and they are solely responsible for the commentary in the report.
Our Capture Methodology
By leveraging the Sanjole test equipment they were able to collect sector-level performance data in the networks tested, including the LTE anchor bands and the 5G NR bands. The publisher used Spirent Umetrix to push full buffer data traffic to our smartphone, which was locked to the anchor band and the 5G NR band. They captured scheduling information on the LTE anchor band and the 5G NR band. For DSS, they captured both LTE and 5G NR in the band.
Our Analysis Methodology
Since they captured all scheduled resource elements (REs) for all attached mobile devices within the cell sector, the publisher could then precisely determine the percentage of REs used for user plane data traffic, control channel and broadcast channels, signaling, and those REs which went unused. As a frame of reference, in a 5 second capture they analyzed more than 129 million REs between LTE and 5G NR.
A Great DSS Tutorial
Thanks to real-world scheduling of LTE and data traffic, the publisher's able to offer a great tutorial on how DSS works, not only in theory but in practice. It is downright remarkable to see LTE signaling messages alongside 5G NR data traffic, not only in the same radio channel or slot/sub-frame, but sitting side-by-side in adjacent REs (1 RE is 15 kHz wide and lasts for only 0.000071 seconds).
The Results
It is pretty obvious in the data that vendors have been optimizing their LTE schedulers for more than the last decade and that they have only had commercial 5G NR solutions for approximately two years. This outcome is especially true for Nokia. With DSS (Ericsson) there are the inherent challenges of DSS which come into play. LTE schedulers (first place), dedicated 5G NR scheduler (second place) and DSS (third place) with double digit percentage point differences separating them.
Next Steps
This study is hopefully just the beginning. Other likely studies involve Open-RAN vendors versus 500 pound Gorillas, the inclusion of other vendors, and tracking the progress of all vendors in an unfiltered manner over time.
Table of Contents
1.0 Executive Summary
2.0 Key Observations
3.0 A DSS Picture Book
4.0 DSS Scheduling Results and Analysis
5.0 5G NR Scheduling Results and Analysis
6.0 Test Methodology
7.0 Final Thoughts
Index of Figures & Tables
Figure 1. LTE Anchor Band Physical Channels and Signaling - VZ Band 2
Figure 2. LTE Reference Signaling - VZ Band 2
Figure 3. LTE Anchor Band Physical Channels and Signaling - VZ Band 2
Figure 4. LTE Anchor Band by RNTI - VZ Band 2
Figure 5. LTE Anchor Band Subcarrier Power Density - VZ Band 2
Figure 6. LTE Anchor Band Reference Signals - TMO Band 2
Figure 7. LTE Anchor Band Reference Signals Enhanced - TMO Band 2
Figure 8. LTE Anchor Band Physical Channels - TMO Band 2
Figure 9. LTE Anchor Band Reference Signals Enhanced - TMO Band 2
Figure 10. LTE Anchor Band Physical Channels Enhanced - TMO Band 2
Figure 11. LTE Anchor Band Physical and Signaling Channels Enhanced - TMO Band 2
Figure 12. 5G NR Scheduling in a Dedicated Radio Channel - TMO Band n71
Figure 13. 5G NR Scheduling in a Dedicated Radio Channel Enhanced - TMO Band n71
Figure 14. 5G NR Scheduling in a Dedicated Radio Channel Further Enhanced - TMO Band n71
Figure 15. 5G NR Scheduling with DSS - VZ Band n5
Figure 16. LTE Physical and Signaling Channels - VZ Band 5
Figure 17. Subcarrier Power Density - VZ Band 5
Figure 18. 5G NR Scheduling with DSS - VZ Band n5
Figure 19. LTE Physical and Signaling Channels Enhanced View with 1 Frame - VZ Band 5
Figure 20. 5G NR Scheduling with DSS Enhanced View with 1 Frame and ~250 Subcarriers - VZ Band n5
Figure 21. LTE Signaling Channels Enhanced View with 1 Frame and ~250 Subcarriers - VZ Band 5
Figure 22. 5G NR DSS and LTE in the Same Channel Enhanced View with 1 Subframe and ~250 Subcarriers -
VZ Band n5/5
Figure 23. LTE Anchor Band Physical and Signaling Scheduling - Window #1
Figure 24. LTE Band 5 Physical and Signaling Scheduling - Window #1
Figure 25. 5G NR DSS Band 5 Physical and Signaling Scheduling - Window #1
Figure 26. Band 5 Subcarrier Power Density - Window #1
Figure 27. LTE Band 5 and LTE Anchor Band Scheduler Utilization - Window #1
Figure 28. 5G NR DSS Band n5 Scheduler Utilization - Window #1
Figure 29. 5G NR DSS Band n5 and LTE Band 5 Scheduler Utilization - Window #1
Figure 30. 5G NR DSS Band n5 and LTE Band 5 Scheduler Efficiency - Window #1
Figure 31. LTE Anchor Band Physical and Signaling Scheduling - Window #2
Figure 32. LTE Band 5 Physical and Signaling Scheduling - Window #2
Figure 33. 5G NR DSS Band 5 Physical and Signaling Scheduling - Window #2
Figure 34. Band 5 Subcarrier Power Density - Window #2
Figure 35. LTE Band 5 and LTE Anchor Band Scheduler Utilization - Window #2
Figure 36. 5G NR DSS Band n5 Scheduler Utilization - Window #2
Figure 37. 5G NR DSS Band n5 and LTE Band 5 Scheduler Utilization - Window #2
Figure 38. 5G NR DSS Band n5 and LTE Band 5 Scheduler Efficiency - Window #2
Figure 39. LTE Anchor Band Physical and Signaling Scheduling - Window #3
Figure 40. LTE Anchor Band RNTI Scheduling - Window #3
Figure 41. LTE Band 5 Physical and Signaling Scheduling - Window #3
Figure 42. 5G NR DSS Band 5 Anchor Band Physical and Signaling Scheduling - Window #3
Figure 43. Band 5 Subcarrier Power Density - Window #3
Figure 44. LTE Band 5 and LTE Anchor Band Scheduler Utilization - Window #3
Figure 45. 5G NR DSS Band n5 Scheduler Utilization - Window #3
Figure 46. 5G NR DSS Band n5 and LTE Band 5 Scheduler Utilization - Window #3
Figure 47. 5G NR DSS Band n5 and LTE Band 5 Scheduler Efficiency - Window #3
Figure 48. LTE Band 5 Physical and Signaling Scheduling - Window #4
Figure 49. 5G NR DSS Band 5 Anchor Band Physical and Signaling Scheduling - Window #4
Figure 50. Band 5 Subcarrier Power Density - Window #4
Figure 51. LTE Band 5 and LTE Anchor Band Scheduler Utilization - Window #4
Figure 52. 5G NR DSS Band n5 Scheduler Utilization - Window #4
Figure 53. 5G NR DSS Band n5 and LTE Band 5 Scheduler Utilization - Window #4
Figure 54. 5G NR DSS Band n5 and LTE Band 5 Scheduler Efficiency - Window #4
Figure 55. LTE Band 5 Physical and Signaling Scheduling - Window #5
Figure 56. 5G NR DSS Band 5 Anchor Band Physical and Signaling Scheduling - Window #5
Figure 57. Band 5 Subcarrier Power Density - Window #5
Figure 58. LTE Band 5 and LTE Anchor Band Scheduler Utilization - Window #5
Figure 59. 5G NR DSS Band n5 Scheduler Utilization - Window #5
Figure 60. 5G NR DSS Band n5 and LTE Band 5 Scheduler Utilization - Window #5
Figure 61. 5G NR DSS Band n5 and LTE Band 5 Scheduler Efficiency - Window #5
Figure 62. LTE Anchor Band Physical and Signaling Scheduling - Window #1
Figure 63. 5G NR Physical and Signaling Scheduling - Window #1
Figure 64. 5G NR Band n71 Subcarrier Power Density - Window #1
Figure 65. LTE Anchor Band Scheduler Utilization - Window #1
Figure 66. 5G NR Band n71 Scheduler Utilization - Window #1
Figure 67. 5G NR Band n71 Scheduler Efficiency with Adjustments - Window #1
Figure 68. Distribution of Unused 5G NR REs - Window #1
Figure 69. LTE Anchor Band Physical and Signaling Scheduling - Window #2
Figure 70. 5G NR Physical and Signaling Scheduling - Window #2
Figure 71. 5G NR Band n71 Subcarrier Power Density - Window #2
Figure 72. LTE Anchor Band Scheduler Utilization - Window #2
Figure 73. 5G NR Band n71 Scheduler Utilization - Window #2
Figure 74. 5G NR Band n71 Scheduler Efficiency with Adjustments - Window #2
Figure 75. Distribution of Unused 5G NR REs - Window #2
Figure 76. LTE Anchor Band Physical and Signaling Scheduling - Window #3
Figure 77. 5G NR Physical and Signaling Scheduling - Window #3
Figure 78. 5G NR Band n71 Subcarrier Power Density - Window #3
Figure 79. LTE Anchor Band Scheduler Utilization - Window #3
Figure 80. 5G NR Band n71 Scheduler Utilization - Window #3
Figure 81. 5G NR Band n71 Scheduler Efficiency with Adjustments - Window #3
Figure 82. Distribution of Unused 5G NR REs - Window #3
Figure 83. LTE Anchor Band Physical and Signaling Scheduling - Window #4
Figure 84. 5G NR Physical and Signaling Scheduling - Window #4
Figure 85. 5G NR Band n71 Subcarrier Power Density - Window #4
Figure 86. LTE Anchor Band Scheduler Utilization - Window #4
Figure 87. 5G NR Band n71 Scheduler Utilization - Window #4
Figure 88. 5G NR Band n71 Scheduler Efficiency with Adjustments - Window #4
Figure 89. Distribution of Unused 5G NR REs - Window #4
Figure 90. IntelliJudge and WaveJudge Test Platforms
Figure 91. Umetrix Data Architecture
Samples
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Companies Mentioned
Ericsson
Nokia
T-Mobile
Verizon
