5G NR base station providing radio interface to UE and connecting to 5GC.
Description
The gNodeB (gNB) is the 5G NR base station that provides the radio interface to User Equipment (UE). It handles functions similar to eNodeB but enhanced for 5G requirements including mmWave, massive MIMO, and flexible numerology.
gNB can be deployed in Standalone (SA) mode with 5GC or Non-Standalone (NSA) mode with LTE EPC (EN-DC). It supports split architecture (CU-DU) for flexible deployment scenarios.
Purpose & Motivation
The gNB was designed to:
- Support wide range of frequencies (sub-6 GHz to mmWave) - Enable flexible numerology for diverse use cases - Provide massive MIMO and beamforming capabilities - Support network slicing at RAN level
Key Features
- ✓Support for FR1 (sub-6 GHz) and FR2 (mmWave)
- ✓Flexible numerology (15-240 kHz SCS)
- ✓CU-DU-RU split architecture
- ✓Massive MIMO support
- ✓Beamforming and beam management
- ✓Network slicing awareness