5G New Radio (NR) Release 15, introduced in December 2017, lays the foundation for ultra-fast download speeds, reliable low latency connections, and connectivity to billions of new IoT devices coming online in the next few years. With scalable numerology, flexible waveforms, and new spectrum, 5G NR provides a robust framework to address the many different use cases envisioned by the 5G IMT-2020.
Spectrum is a key enabler to meeting these goals. Newly specified operating bands enable higher data throughput and increased capacity. Today’s spectrum, however, is already crowded and introducing new operating bands increases the potential for side-band interference, and in some cases, overlap with previous spectrum allocations such as satellite and military applications. 5G NR needs to operate in spectrum adjacent to existing cellular bands, and sometimes in the same spectrum as other wireless communications systems, creating new coexistence issues.
