What's different about 5G (NR) in Release 16 (1)?

3GPP introduced LTE in Release 8 and LTE-Advanced in Release 10. As the first version of the 5G specification, Release 15 defined the 5G (NR) air interface and the 5G radio access network and core network. Release 16 (R16) introduced standalone (SA) and non-standalone (NSA) deployments, allowing operators to take advantage of the additional benefits of 5G.

I. Evolution from 4G to 5G In Release 16 (R16), 3GPP enhanced 5G capabilities to support several improvements to the NR air interface, including unlicensed spectrum in the millimeter-wave (mmW) band and improved support for Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC). The network also underwent several enhancements to improve deployment flexibility and performance.

II. R16 Support for 5G Applications 5G was developed to meet the diverse application scenarios of wirelessly connected devices, covering enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive Internet of Things (mIoT), and ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC). Release R15 primarily focused on eMBB, with limited support for other application scenarios. Release R16 enhances URLLC and IoT capabilities and adds support for 5G vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication.

III. Key 5G Application Scenarios include:

1. Ultra-reliable low-latency communication New enhancements provide low-latency communication to support industrial automation, connected cars, and telemedicine applications; specifically:

• The Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) architecture supports redundant transmissions, thus supporting URLLC applications. Furthermore, the TSN service provides time synchronization for packet transmissions through integration with external networks.
• R16 enhances the uplink synchronization (RACH) process by supporting low latency and reducing signaling overhead, enabling two-step RACH compared to the previous four-step approach.
• New mobility enhancements reduce downtime and improve reliability during 5G connected device handover.

2. Internet of Things (IoT): 5G-supported Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) capabilities can meet the service needs of industries such as manufacturing, logistics, oil and gas, transportation, energy, mining, and aviation.

• Cellular Internet of Things (CIoT), now available in 5G, offers similar functionality to that provided in LTE (LTE-M and NB-IoT), allowing IoT traffic to be carried in network signaling.
• Energy-saving features such as enhanced discontinuous reception (DRX), relaxed radio resource management for idle devices, and enhanced scheduling can extend the battery life of IoT devices.

3. Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X): Release 16 goes beyond the V2X service capabilities supported by LTE in Release 14, leveraging 5G (NR) access to enhance V2X in several ways, such as enhanced autonomous driving, accelerated network effects, and energy-saving features.