1.

1 Purpose and Organization

5G network planning is mandatory in 5G network construction. Network planning directly
affects 5G network performance and network construction/maintenance costs.
This document consists of the following chapters:
Chapter 2"Procedure"
Chapter 3"5G Spectrum Planning Strategy"
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1.2 Scope
This document is designed for 5G RAN2.0.
5G RAN2.0 network planning includes only eMBB network planning and does not involve
Wireless to the x (WTTx), Internet of Things (IoT), Internet of Vehicles (IoV), or airspace
coverage.
 2 Procedure

2.1 General Procedure

The following figure shows the 5G network planning procedure.

Figure 2.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 5G network planning procedure

 Information is collected at the initial stage of network planning. The collected information is
used for network dimensioning, network plan simulation, and cell parameter planning. The
information includes operators' network construction policies, network construction
objectives, frequency band information, coverage area information, service requirements,
coverage probability, signal quality requirements, and digital maps. For operators that have
legacy 2G/3G/4G networks, 2G/3G/4G network information can be used as input or reference
for network planning. The 2G/3G/4G network information includes drive test (DT) data,
traffic statistics, measurement report (MR) data, site distribution, and engineering parameters.
Networks are dimensioned at early stage of projects, that is, the bidding and RFI/RFP phases
(RFI refers to request for information and RFP refers to request for proposal). To dimension
networks is to roughly plan future networks for the purpose of estimating the site scale and
coverage radius.
5G networks are planned in detail at the project delivery phase. Based on the results of
network dimensioning and site survey, the settings of cell parameters related to radio
frequency (RF) planning and cell planning are determined. Then, the cell parameter settings
and planning effects are verified through simulation. These cell parameter settings can be used
as the reference for network construction.
The purpose of RF planning is to determine the engineering parameters such as site location,
site height, azimuth, downtilt, and power through simulation. For 5G, beam configuration is
also involved in RF planning.
After RF planning, the sites and RF parameter settings are determined. Then, cell planning is
performed, which includes physical cell identifier (PCI) planning, physical random access
channel (PRACH) root sequence planning, neighboring cell planning, and location area (LA)
planning. LA planning mainly involves tracking area (TA) planning. Neighboring cell
planning involves configuring intra-/inter-frequency neighboring cells and inter-RAT
neighboring cells for each cell to ensure proper handovers. PCI planning determines the PCI
of each cell. For TDD, uplink-downlink subframe configuration is also involved in cell
planning.

2.2 Differences Between 4G and 5G Network Planning

5G mobile communications systems use brand new spectrum, air interface, and network
structure to satisfy the requirements for various applications and Internet of Everything (IoE)
services. For example, these requirements are raised by the transition from connections
among people to connections among people and things, from voice-centric services to
exploding data services and then to complex IoT services, and from function availability to
ultra-reliable and low-latency user experience. These transitions also bring great challenges to
radio network planning.

2.2.1 Challenges Raised by 5G New Frequency Bands

To facilitate massive IoE connections and achieve eMBB high data rates (peak rate: 1 Gbit/s),
5G networks use high frequency bands 28/39/60/73 GHz (these high frequency bands have
drawn great attention from the industry) in addition to sub-6 GHz frequency bands. Compared
with low frequency bands, wireless transmission in high frequency bands is more sensitive to
materials, vegetation, rain fade, and oxygen fade along the propagation path. High frequency
bands also feature small coverage. These pose higher accuracy requirements on radio network
planning.
 New frequency bands present the following challenges and research topics to network
planning:
 Research on basic propagation features in high frequency bands, with a view to building
a database of basic propagation features in high frequency bands and a coverage baseline
as well as providing recommended propagation models separately for C-band and
mmWave based on theories and tests
 O2I penetration loss modeling for high frequency bands and separate penetration loss
researches for C-band and mmWave
 Project-based propagation models adaptive to different materials, and scenario
classification based on high-precision electronic map
 Accurate and efficient ray tracing model applicable to high and low frequency bands
 Uplink coverage improvement with the assistance of existing spectrum and uplink and
downlink decoupling because the uplink coverage of new frequency bands is insufficient
 High requirements on simulation accuracy due to small coverage of 5G new frequency
bands. To improve the simulation accuracy, you are advised to use high-precision 3D
models to simulate the impacts of landforms, building shapes and materials, and
vegetation, and use high-precision ray tracing models to improve the accuracy of
propagation path prediction. However, this also poses challenges to simulation efficiency
and engineering costs.
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The network planning guide for uplink and downlink decoupling is described in the
corresponding guide document and is not included in this document.

2.2.2 Challenges Raised by 5G Air Interfaces

5G key air interface technologies involve channel coding, basic waveform, multiple access,
massive MIMO, and flexible duplex/full duplex.

Figure 2.2.2.1.1.1.1.1 Unified 5G air interface

Massive MIMO changes the traditional RF planning which is based on sector-level wide
beams. Flexible duplex/full duplex changes the traditional static configuration of uplink and
downlink frequencies.
1.1.1.1 Massive MIMO
The antenna pattern of massive MIMO is no longer a sector-level fixed wide beam but user-
level dynamic narrow beams. In addition, to significantly improve spectral efficiency, MU-
MIMO is introduced to enable multiple users with low beam correlation to use the same
frequency simultaneously.

Figure 2.2.2.1.1.1.1.2 Antenna pattern of massive MIMO

Traditional network planning cannot meet the massive MIMO requirements on RF parameter
planning and predication of coverage, data rate, and capacity. Therefore, the following
challenging researches are to be made:
 User-level dynamic narrow beam modeling for capacity simulation
The impacts of small-scale channel models on prediction accuracy and simulation
efficiency must be considered.
 Massive MIMO antenna modeling for coverage and data rate simulation
The following factors must be considered: electrical level, inter-cell interference,
mobility speed, and SU-MIMO.
 MU-MIMO modeling for coverage and capacity simulation
The impacts of UE correlation on the pairing probability and link performance must be
considered.
 How to plan the downtilt and beam for the narrow beam sweeping mechanism of
massive MIMO
For details on how to plan and simulate massive MIMO antenna models, see section Error:
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2.2.2.2 Flexible Duplex

To better adapt to the asymmetry of uplink and downlink services in different cells or areas,
5G introduces flexible duplex to support dynamic uplink and downlink slot assignments based
on uplink and downlink service requirements. Flexible duplex significantly improves spectral
efficiency but also poses high requirements for network planning.
 During network planning, the interference between base stations and that between UEs
are predicted, and a high prediction accuracy is required. Deviation of x dB, which is
acceptable in traditional network planning, may be intolerable in 5G network planning
due to its impact on link and system performance.
  In order to fully tap into the commercial value of flexible duplex, algorithms such as
multi-user scheduling and interference cancellation are introduced. This requires that
radio resource management (RRM) algorithms be fully considered in network planning.

Figure 2.2.2.2.1.1.1.1 Interference between cells in the uplink and downlink

5G RAN2.0 does not support dynamic TDD and the network planning guide for dynamic
TDD is not developed. For details on the static TDD slot assignment, see section Error:
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2.2.3 Challenges Raised by 5G Network Architecture

With the growing focus on user experience of network operators, networking planning has
been evolved from network-centric coverage and capacity planning to user-centric experience
planning. The network architecture is also developing towards cloudification and resource
pool construction. In 5G, network slices are used to quickly orchestrate and deploy new
services on the basic network. In addition, resources are configured and allocated in real time
based on user requirements. These pose many new challenges to network planning.
 Network slice-based network planning
 Physical network planning for each logical network slice, and planning of networks
deployed with multiple network slices
 User-centric dynamic network topology design, planning, and simulation
 User-centric channel resource cloudification modeling, and planning of dynamic
topologies and coordination-based features for ultra-dense networks

Figure 2.2.3.1.1.1.1.1 User-centric dynamic network topology design and planning

5G RAN2.0 does not support network slice-based network planning.

2.2.4 Challenges Raised by 5G Services
User experience-centric network construction has become an industry consensus. In LTE era,
user experience-centric network construction methods such as xMbps and Video Coverage
have been widely used for commercial networks. Experience-centric network construction
aims to satisfy user experience requirements. The key functions involved in network planning
are service experience evaluation, gap analysis, planning solution, and simulation prediction.
5G is an Internet of everything. Based on service requirements, 5G service types are classified
into:
 URLLC
This type of services has high requirements on delay (1 ms) and reliability (99.999%).
 mMTC
This type of services has high requirements on the connection quantity, power
consumption, and standby time.
 eMBB
This type of services requires the mobile network to provide favorable user experience
for new services such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).

Figure 2.2.4.1.1.1.1.1 Technical requirement differences brought by diversified 5G services

In terms of the experience requirements of new 5G services in standby, latency, and reliability,
the evaluation method, planning solution, and simulation prediction are currently unavailable
or in the initial stage, facing great challenges.
5G RAN2.0 only supports traditional coverage-based network planning and does not support
coverage-based or user experience-based network planning. It supports only network planning
for eMBB and does not support network planning for mMTC or URLLC.
2.2.5 Challenges Raised by 5G Applications
Since a large number of new services are introduced, the applications of 5G networks have
been extended to a larger extent than traditional mobile communications network. 5G
applications include:
 IoT (with no manual intervention)
New IoT services are provided for various vertical industries, such as smart meter
reading, smart parking, and Industry 4.0. The applications have reached far beyond
human activities.
 IoV
Communication between vehicles, interaction between humans and vehicles, and
communication between vehicles and a control center
 Low-altitude coverage
Many countries have clearly expressed the need for coverage and supervision for low-
altitude unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) through mobile communications networks.
 Airline coverage
5G is required to provide high-speed data services for airlines.
For these applications, propagation characteristics and networking solutions are still
unknown. Therefore, related researches need to be carried out.
 3 5G Spectrum Planning Strategy

The existing spectrum cannot meet users' requirements as users are requiring higher
experience rate, pursuing ultimate peak rate, and requiring massive connections, low latency,
and high reliability. New technologies must be introduced to improve spectral efficiency and
new spectrums must be planned to meet the requirements of 5G application scenarios.
In the future, the 5G spectrum architecture will be classified into above-6 GHz, sub-6 GHz,
and 4G/4.5G and later evolution. Above-6 GHz supports ultra-large bandwidth and its new air
interface adopts mmWave as typical high wave bands. Sub-6 GHz supports a new air interface
with medium and low frequency bands.
5G will be a full-band access network, where sub-6 GHz (C band) has a strong diffraction
capability and can achieve continuous wide coverage, low latency, high reliability, and
massive connections with low power consumption. Sub-6 GHz will be the preferential
frequency band of 5G. Above-6 GHz will act as a supplementary spectrum. It has continuous
and high-bandwidth spectrum, which can achieve the ultimate peak rate experience of 5G and
meet the high-rate requirements of hotspot areas. Currently, most 4G networks are deployed
below the 3 GHz frequency band, which provide users with ubiquitous 100 Mbit/s user
experience and meet the requirements of low power consumption and large connections.

Figure 3.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 5G spectrum architecture

The 3.4 GHz to 3.6 GHz frequency has been planned for 5G tests in China.
The Radio Management Bureau of China will spare 399 MHz spectrum from 3 GHz to 6 GHz
for 5G. The spectrum includes 3.3 GHz to 3.4 GHz, 4.4 GHz to 4.5 GHz, and 4.8 GHz to 4.99
GHz. Related coordination tasks are ongoing. In the future, attention will be paid to above-20
GHz spectrum. However, the specific allocation strategy and pace are to be determined. It has
become consensus in the industry that the spectrum supervision department of each country
collaborates with IMT to unify 5G spectrum to strive for a win-win situation. The current
global 5G spectrum characteristics are as follows:
 C-band (3.4 GHz to 4.2 GHz) is most likely to be globally coordinated. It is the only 100
MHz bandwidth frequency band that operators can obtain from sub-6 GHz in the next
five years.
 28 GHz may become a regional 5G spectrum and will be used in regions such as the US,
Korea, Japan, and other regions.
 39 GHz and 25 GHz are potential global collaborative mmWave spectrums.

Figure 3.1.1.1.1.1.1.2 Full-spectrum access in 5G

To achieve the co-coverage objective of the C-band (3.5 GHz) and existing networks, NR
uplink can use existing FDD frequencies, for example, 1.8 GHz. This is because the uplink of
the existing LTE spectrum is relatively idle. On the one hand, the lower spectrum can
compensate for the uplink gap. On the other hand, the idle FDD spectrum resources can be
fully utilized.

Figure 3.1.1.1.1.1.1.3 Uplink and downlink decoupling in 5G

Up
lin
5G NR k(1
.8 G/
site 2.1
G/
90
0M
Do
w nlin
k(3
.5 G)

3.5 GHz coverage is aligned with 1.8 GHz.

According to analysis, the coverage of FDD PUSCH at 1.8 GHz improves by about 11 dB
compared with that of PUSCH at 3.5 GHz, and the NR downlink at 3.5 GHz and NR uplink at
1.8 GHz can achieve co-coverage with existing networks.

Figure 3.1.1.1.1.1.1.4 Uplink differences between 3.5 GHz and 1.8 GHz

Key Parameters

(Sample UE)

The 5G NR downlink and LTE uplink can be combined to achieve uplink and downlink
decoupling. With the complementary advantages of the two, effective region-level
coordination and flexible and efficient resource allocation can be implemented between
different RATs, frequency bands, sites, and service requirements. This helps maximize
network efficiency.