5G Stuff: NR SUL - Supplementary Uplink

To put in simple terms addition of another Uplink to the existing one. As  mentioned in my earlier posts about Sub6 and mmW that operating frequencies for 5G runs until 60 GHz. From the earlier literature, path loss increases with frequency which will cause the Uplink to be lost completely even when closer to the base stations. Hence, to increase the UL coverage another frequency in the lower bands is needed. From the FR1 operating bands table, n80 to n84 are supporting SUL. Based on some studies, as mentioned in 3GPP TR 37872, SUL bands may find their place in reality. Below are the band combos of SUL bands with the normal Bands.

SUL_Band n78_Band n80

SUL Band combination	NR Band	Uplink (UL) band			Downlink (DL) band			Duplex mode
		BS receive / UE transmit			BS transmit / UE receive
		FUL_low – FUL_high			FDL_low – FDL_high
SUL_n78-n80	n78	3300 MHz	–	3800 MHz	3300 MHz	–	3800 MHz	TDD
	n80	1710 MHz	–	1785 MHz				SUL

SUL band combination

SUL Configuration	NR Band	Subcarrier spacing [kHz]	5 MHz	10 MHz	15 MHz	20 MHz	[40 MHz]	50 MHz	[60 MHz]	80 MHz	100 MHz
SUL_n78A-n80A	n78	15		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		30		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
		60		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	n80	15	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Supported bandwidths per SUL band combination

SUL_Band n79_Band n80

SUL Band combination	NR Band	Uplink (UL) band			Downlink (DL) band			Duplex mode
		BS receive / UE transmit			BS transmit / UE receive
		FUL_low – FUL_high			FDL_low – FDL_high
SUL_n79-n80	n79	4400 MHz	–	5000 MHz	4400 MHz	–	5000 MHz	TDD
	n80	1710 MHz	–	1785 MHz				SUL

SUL band combination

SUL Configuration

NR Band

Subcarrier spacing [kHz]

5 MHz

10 MHz

15 MHz

20 MHz

25 MHz

30 MHz

40 MHz

50 MHz

60 MHz

80 MHz

100 MHz

SUL_n79A-n80A

n79

15

Yes

Yes

30

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

60

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

n80

15

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Supported bandwidths per SUL band combination

SUL_Band n78_Band n84

SUL Band combination	NR Band	Uplink (UL) band			Downlink (DL) band			Duplex mode
		BS receive / UE transmit			BS transmit / UE receive
		FUL_low – FUL_high			FDL_low – FDL_high
SUL_n78-n84	n78	3300 MHz	–	3800 MHz	3300 MHz	–	3800 MHz	TDD
	n84	1920 MHz	–	1980 MHz	N/A			SUL

SUL band combination

SUL Configuration

NR Band

Subcarrier spacing [kHz]

5 MHz

10 MHz

15 MHz

20 MHz

25 MHz

30 MHz

40 MHz

50 MHz

60 MHz

80 MHz

100 MHz

SUL_n78A-n84A

n78

15

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

30

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

60

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

n84

15

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Supported bandwidths per SUL band combination

SUL_Band n78_Band n82

SUL Band combination	NR Band	Uplink (UL) band			Downlink (DL) band			Duplex mode
		BS receive / UE transmit			BS transmit / UE receive
		FUL_low – FUL_high			FDL_low – FDL_high
SUL_n78-n82	n78	3300 MHz	–	3800 MHz	3300 MHz	–	3800 MHz	TDD
	n82	832 MHz	–	862 MHz	N/A			SUL

SUL band combination

SUL Configuration

NR Band

Subcarrier spacing [kHz]

5 MHz

10 MHz

15 MHz

20 MHz

25 MHz

30 MHz

40 MHz

50 MHz

60 MHz

80 MHz

100 MHz

SUL_n78A-n82A

n78

15

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

30

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

60

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

n82

15

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Supported bandwidths per SUL band combination

I assume further studies are in progress for other SUL bands which were not covered above and are these 5 SUL bands expected to work with all other TDD bands (n38/n41/n50/n51 and n77-79). It is my FFS to see why FDD bands are not taken here in SUL case. Stay tuned!