Comparison of some key physical parameters between 4G (LTE) and 5G networks

Comparison of some key physical parameters between 4G (LTE) and 5G networks:

1) Frequency bands:
4G: Primarily operates in frequency bands below 6 GHz, including bands like 700 MHz, 850 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, and 2600 MHz.
5G: Utilizes a wider range of frequency bands, including both sub-6 GHz bands (e.g., 600 MHz, 2.5 GHz, 3.5 GHz) and higher frequency mmWave bands (e.g., 24 GHz, 28 GHz, 39 GHz).

2) Bandwidth:
4G: Typically offers up to 20 MHz of bandwidth per carrier.
5G: Provides wider channel bandwidth options, ranging from 5 MHz up to several hundred megahertz (MHz) or even gigahertz (GHz) for mmWave deployments.

3) Modulation schemes:
4G: Utilizes Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) and 16 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (16QAM) for data transmission.
5G: Supports more advanced modulation schemes such as 64 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (64QAM) and 256 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (256QAM), which enable higher data rates.

4) Subcarrier spacing:
4G: Uses subcarrier spacing of 15 kHz.
5G: Offers flexible subcarrier spacing options, including 15 kHz, 30 kHz, 60 kHz, 120 kHz, 240 kHz, and 480 kHz. The flexibility allows for better adaptation to different deployment scenarios and varying bandwidth requirements.

5) Symbol duration:
4G: Has a symbol duration of 71.4 microseconds (µs).
5G: Provides shorter symbol durations, typically around 3.3 µs. This reduction in symbol duration helps to achieve lower latency.

6) Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO):

4G: Supports 2×2 or 4×4 MIMO configurations (two or four transmit/receive antennas).
5G: Introduces Massive MIMO, which can include a much larger number of antennas, often ranging from 64 to 256 or more, significantly increasing capacity and spectral efficiency.

7) Channel coding:
4G: Uses Turbo codes for error correction.
5G: Utilizes advanced coding schemes like low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes and polar codes, providing improved error correction capabilities.