Sunsetting 2G and 3G networks is not an easy step for mobile network operators (MNOs) due to several technical, financial, and social factors. The decision isn’t just about technology—it’s about customers, business strategy, and infrastructure readiness. One of the main challenges is the Legacy Device Support IoT and M2M devices: Many industrial machines, alarm systems, […]

👉Previous generations relied on the SS7 and Diameter protocols. The 5G network core is built on well-known Internet protocols such as HTTP and TLS. 👉 Security threats associated with 3G and 4G will remain after 5G reaches the public and heavily influence NR deployments. However, the main challenge with 5G is that Internet technologies are […]

The Question is Actual 5G or Icon-only 5G! Recently, a new mobile app called SignalTracker showed that nearly 40% of 5G connections are actually 4G, as per PolicyTracker. Actual 5G is about twice as fast as icon-only connections, averaging 49 Mbps compared to 27 Mbps in our tests. In UK tests, when the 5G icon […]

When I started my 5G Journey in 2017, I first explored the 5G network versions: 5G NSA (Non-Standalone) and 5G SA (Standalone). Most MNOs envision starting with 5G NSA and moving towards the full capabilities of 5G SA. However, the reality of 5G SA has so far proved somewhat different from the vision. Here, I […]

Currently, I see some confusion regarding 5G identification and the purpose of each one, such as which network node generates them and the subscriber’s role. I summarized the 3 identifications in one page, and here is the summary: What is SUPI? The Subscription Permanent Identifier (SUPI) is stored within the SIM. The SUPI is the […]

What is NTN? NTN refers to a communication system that transmits data through non-terrestrial platforms, such as satellites, high-altitude platforms (HAPs), drones, or other aerial technologies, instead of relying on traditional terrestrial infrastructure like cell towers and cables. The definition of Release 17, as outlined in 3GPP, includes enhancements to 5G New Radio (NR) to […]

Recently, I read many discussions around 5G SA mainly really on mmWave spectrum which is Unique to 5G technology, as mmWave or millimeter Wave is the most capacity spectrum band so far among all available mobile spectrums. Yes, 5G high bands (mmWave, also referred to as FR2) are found in the range of 24GHz to […]

5G Release 15 was the first release of 5G and its specification was completed in June 2018. Release 16/17 specifications were drafted as extensions to 5G Release 15 with its RAN technology NR or New Radio. Rel-17 provided support for even higher frequency bands and Non-Terrestrial Network NTN systems and added a low-cost NR device […]

SMS stands for Short Message Service and is used both for end-user messages and between the network and the device without any human interaction. There are two options for SMS when the mobile is attached to a 5G network without the need to fallback to a 4G network: • SMS over IP. • SMS over NAS […]

5G standalone (SA) operation, using a new core network, is foundational to mobile operators seeking to offer advanced 5G services with a low cost of production. 5G Service-based architecture (SBA) In a SBA framework, the individual elements are defined as Network Functions (NFs) instead of Network entities. Through Service Based Interface (SBI) each of the […]

5G NR modulation and waveforms have some commonalities with LTE but aim to have much higher spectral efficiency. NR supports QPSK, 16 QAM, and 256 QAM with the same constellation mapping as LTE. An OFDM-based waveform is supported. Some parts of the numerology are flexible, like the SCS, while others are fixed. The subframe duration […]