5G-Spectrum And Beyond

Introduction

     It is very important that we need to understand  what is mean by spectrum, before going to the discussion on 5G spectrum. It is nothing but a group of signal or carrier which is having a predefined frequency. In a common man language , this group of signals or Carriers are the medium which carries the information from one place to other place. This information may be voice or data in mobile communication.This is similar as the public transport & trucks caries humans & goods respectively from one place to other. Our voice  is a very low frequency signal.The energy of this signal is very low and cannot propagate long distance. So we use high frequency signal as a carrier to transmit the low frequency voice or data . The energy of this high frequency carriers is very high. This helps it to carry the low frequency voice or data to higher distance.In mobile communication the device which generates the desired frequency is known as transmitter. An oscillator within the transmitter generates a sinusoidal alternating current which is having the required carrier frequency. The carrier is modulated with the actual information(voice/data). This modulated alternating current (signal) is fed to the Antenna which converts it to the electro magnetic Waves(EM Waves).This EM waves propagate long distance. The receiver which is tuned to the transmitter carrier frequency can demodulate the actual voice or Data.

Fig1: Electro Magnetic Spectrum

In the wide range of spectrum mentioned in the above fig, we are going to discuss only about the frequency used for mobile communication, in specific about the spectrum used for 5G.

The 1^st & 2^nd generation of mobile communication(1G & 2G) were allotted with a  frequency in the range from 800 to 1800 MHz. The 3^rd generation mobile communication-3G (IMT-2000) were operated around 2100 MHz. Due to the large number of users and applications, this band exploited further in both direction,spanning from 450 MHz to 6 GHz . The new generation of mobile communication (4G & 5G )exploited the unused contiguous frequencies in this spectrum range. Some countries also started using the older generation spectrum for 4G & 5G as the part of technology transition. As the traffic capacity demand is huge in 5G, the spectrum requirement is also high. The spectrum up to 6 GHz is not sufficient to incorporate all the use cases available in 5G. The spectrum even above 80 GHz also considered for 5G deployment.Who identify this spectrum? There is global regulatory and standardization organizations for this. But the final spectrum allocation is fully dependent on the local/country level regulatory & administrations.

An Insight to the spectrum Standardization & Regulatory Body

      In the above introduction we got an idea about frequency spectrum and the band allocated globally for Mobile communication. Next we need to know about the global standardization & regulatory body which allocates these frequency bands & prepare technical specification for mobile communication.We may frequently hear about ITU-R, IMT & 3GPP, whenever we discuss about the mobile communication. The spectrum regulation is handled by National, Regional and Global regulatory bodies. ITU –R (International Telecommunications Union- Radio) the global regulatory body which handle the spectrum regulation on global level.The moto of  this organization is to “ Guarantee Interference free Operations for all Radio Communication Systems in the world”. ITU-R identifies the spectrum for IMT (International Mobile Telecommunication) also. Even-though the ITU-R allocate band for IMT, it is the regional and Country level regulatory & administrations, differentiates the spectrum for various generations of mobile communication in a particular region/Country. 3GPP ( 3^rd generation partnership Project) is the only authorized global organization that develop technical specification for mobile communication.The representative from various country & regional standardization organization represents 3GPP.   As per the latest updates,the region & country level spectrum regulatory body agreed to use all existing IMT bands  for IMT-2020 (that is for 5G) . Do you ever think that what will be the situation if there is no global standardization body ? The device those function  in a country may not work  in other country. This will make the international roaming more tedious.

A World Radio-Communication Conference (WRC) is held every 3 to 4 years. Here the radio regulations  are discussed,revised and updated. Based on this updation, the spectrum usage will be revised and updated across the world.

Spectrum Classification for IMT& 5G

      WRC-15( World Radio Conference-15)  held on 2015 has very importance in setting up the spectrum for 5G. As an outcome of this program a new set of frequency bands were identified for  IMT ( International Mobile Telecommunication) . This bands are shown below:

470-694/698 MHz -(600 MHz Band:) Identified for some countries in America & Asia-pacific

694-790 MHz (700 MHz Band)- Many countries

1427-1518 MHz( L-Band)- Many Countries

3300-3400 MHz - Many Countries uses this band excluding Europe & north America

3400-3700 MHz(C-band)-Many countries globally uses this band especially in Europe. Not available in Africa

4800-4990 MHz : For few countries in Asia -Pacific

  

It is universally accepted that, the frequency bands from 3300 to 4990 MHz are the most suitable spectrum for 5G. As this is a new spectrum range, it is possible to allocate large block of frequency bands for each mobile operators. As the frequency is high the size of the antenna elements in the 5G transmitter will be too small. This will help to incorporate massive amount of small antenna elements in an antenna Array. The deployment of advanced Massive MIMO technology will be much easier in this spectrum range. The high bandwidth and the New Radio (NR : means 5G RAN) access technology easily fulfill the high data demand for various use cases in 5G.  The operators and telecom gear makers putting pressure to global and country regulatory to use this spectrum to realize the actual 5G experience.

 In WRC-15 ,it has planned to identify a new high frequency band above 24 GHz . The ITU-R planned to study about this band till the WRC-19. The same will be discussed during the WRC-19 and will finalize about the usage of this band for IMT. World Radio communication Conference 2019 (WRC-19), happens at Egypt from 28 October to 22 November 2019.

The frequency band below 2 GHz is known as Low frequency bands.The 600 & 700 MHz bands are the important band in this range.  Each operator can get a maximum of 20 MHz bandwidth in this spectrum range.  This band have the advantage of long distance propagation & deep indoor penetration. The disadvantage is the low band width blocks.

The range  3- 6 GHz is the Medium Frequency band.  In this range a block of 200 MHz band width can be allocated to each operator.

The band above 24 GHz is categorized as High Frequency band. This is also known as mm waves as the wave length of the frequency in this bands are in mm. A channel bandwidth upto 400 MHz can be allocate to an operator  . The bandwidth can increase further through Carrier aggregation.

 The 3GPP release 15 has divided the New Radio(NR- 5G RAN) frequency range into 2 category as below:

1.       Frequency Range 1(FR1) : All existing bands below 6 GHz.

2.       Frequency Range 2(FR2) : All existing bands in the range of 24.25 GHz to 52.6 GHz.

Why this frequency range is divided into 2? We will get an idea about this only after studying the New Radio (NR) in detail.NR supports both FDD & TDD duplexing.

  As per the Release 15 there are 26 operating bands in FR1 & 3 in FR2.

Fig2 : FR1 and FR2 Spectrum Range

5G spectrum- A Global Footprint

        In US, the initial 5G commercial deployment has been done using low frequency- 600 MHz band . This helped the major telecom players in the country to enhance the coverage over the rural area. The customers can experience good network quality as the RAN & Core upgrades with new  NR Technology. The operators will use the mid and High band spectrum as the 5G use cases comes in reality. The large amount of bandwidth blocks in this mid and high range will help to accommodate the massive machines, industrial automation, and other industrial changes that are going to happen as part of the 4^th industrial revolution (Industry 4.0).

    The 700 MHz band , 3.4-3.6 GHz , 3.6- 3.8 GHz are planned to use for the initial deployment of 5G in Europe.

  China Unicom said it has been approved to use the 3.5 GHz to 3.6 GHz frequency band for a nationwide 5G trial roll out until June 2020. The band from 3.3-4.9 GHz in the middle frequency band are the frequency spectrum that China planned to use. India telecom regulatory has planned to auction frequency band below 6 GHz for 5G. Japan has allotted with frequency band  3600 - 4200 MHz. Similar middle band frequencies are planned for North America,Latin America, Middle East, Africa,Australia, etc.

The mm frequency range 27.5 – 28.35 GHz has planned for US, 24.25 -27.5 GHz for Europe, 26.5-29.5 GHz for Korea and  27.5-29.5 GHz for Japan . The 40 GHz range has planned in some parts of the world like china & US.

Fig 3:  5G Spectrum- Global Footprint

Conclusion: 5G is a threat to Life ? No..A Big No..

       The frequency used for mobile communication (450 MHz to 100 GHz) are Non Ionizing. The frequency that breaks bonds in human tissues are comes under the Ionizing band in the Electromagnetic Spectrum. The X-Rays & gamma rays comes under this Ionizing category. This rays are harmful to Human tissues . But the frequency used for mobile communication have energy which is 6,00,000 times lower than sun light(Mathematically proven). Hence we can strongly say that the frequency used for mobile communication are not harmful to Human beings, Animals & birds. Even though the  mobile frequency is not harmful to human tissues, there is good regulation in the maximum power a BTS/eNB/gNb/Mobile(Radio Equipment) can transmit. This will further reduce the energy of the mobile communication signals.

There are lot of national and international organization which makes the guidelines for the exposure of electromagnetic waves especially for the  mobile communication. ICNIRP (International Commission on Non Ionizing Radiation Protection) is a global non-governmental organization which makes the limits for radio frequency emission at public and non public area.Most of the countries in the world follow the guidelines of ICNIRP.  USA follows the guidelines of FCC( Federal Communications Commission). India adopted the ICNIRP guidelines, further revised and made effective from 2012 onward. India’s emission limit is 10 times lower than other global countries.

We can conclude that the energy received from standing in the Sun for One Hour is equivalent to Energy received at 20 meters from an antenna for Two years.(Scientifically Proved).

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Thanks 

  Aneesh....