Modulation in 5G NR – Same Symbol Duration, More Bits per Symbol

5G NR
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In 5G NR, the symbol duration remains the same regardless of the modulation scheme. The difference lies in how many bits each symbol carries:
:small_blue_diamond: QPSK → 2 bits/symbol
:small_blue_diamond: 16-QAM → 4 bits/symbol
:small_blue_diamond: 64-QAM → 6 bits/symbol
:small_blue_diamond: 256-QAM → 8 bits/symbol

Higher-order modulation increases spectral efficiency, Transport Block Size (TBS), and throughput—but it also requires a higher SINR for reliable decoding.

:blue_book: A simple infographic explaining the relationship between Modulation Order, Symbol Duration, Spectral Efficiency, and Transport Block Size (TBS).

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LinkedIn: :backhand_index_pointing_down:

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