Evolution of Carrier

Aggregation (CA) for 5G

What’s New in Mobile CA
 5G New Radio Spectral CA
CA is a technology that combines two or more carriers into one data channel to enhance the data capacity of a network. Using existing
spectrum, CA helps mobile network operators (MNOs) provide increased uplink and downlink data rates. CA has been crucial in increasing
user throughput in 4G and it will be just as important for 5G.

For 4G, CA allows MNOs to increase bandwidth and utilize fragmented frequency resources to provide higher data rates for user
equipment. It improves peak data rates up to 2 Gbps as well as optimizes user throughput at low load.

CA in 5G new radio (NR) will provide multi-connectivity with asymmetric upload and download, providing even more bandwidth, to a
single user; up to 700 MHz is available in millimeter wave frequencies. In the sub-7 GHz band, up to 400 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth
can be achieved using four 100 MHz channels.

5G New Radio CA and Dual Connectivity

4G LTE-Advanced Pro supports up to 5 component carriers (CC) as shown in Figure 1. 5G NR CA now supports up to 16 contiguous and
non-contiguous CCs and can aggregate new 5G bands up to approximately 1 GHz of spectrum. Dual connectivity allows a user equipment
to simultaneously transmit and receive data on multiple CCs from cwo cell groups (i.e. a master eNB and secondary eNB). Using EUTRA
+ NR – dual connectivity (EN-DC) allows networks to take advantage of 4G and 5G spectrum to increase user throughput, provide mobile
signal robustness and support load-balancing among eNBs.

Figure 1: LTE and 5G NR carrier aggregation.

LTE Carrier Aggregation

CC1 CC2 CC3 CC4 CC5

LTE Advanced Pro

supports up to 5 CCs

Each CC = Maximum 20 MHz bandwidth

CC1 CC2 CC3 CC4 CC5 CC6 CC7

LTE Carrier Aggregation 5G NR Carrier Aggregation

EUTRA NR Dual Connectivity (EN-DC)

2 www.qorvo.com
As the networks evolve from LTE to 5G, CA must also evolve. To facilitate a quick conversion to 5G, 3GPP presented MNOs with multiple
options as shown in Figure 2 below. These options establish the evolution from LTE to non-standalone (NSA) and finally to 5G NR
standalone (SA). NSA utilizes a scheme very similar to CA, combining an LTE anchor band for control and a 5G NR band to deliver faster
data rates, as shown in option 3x. This option is where EUTRA + NR – dual connectivity (EN-DC) is introduced. In EN-DC, both LTE and 5G
NR carriers are used simultaneously.

Figure 2: Progressive transition of 5G NR deployment.

Non-Standalone (NSA)
LTE Operation LTE+NR Standalone (SA) NR
Option 1 Option 3x Option 2

EPC* EPC* EPC* 5GC**

Core Network

eNodeB LTE eNodeB LTE 5G gNodeB eNodeB LTE 5G gNodeB

Base Station

Control, Data Control, Data Control, Data

Mobile Handset & Voice Traffic Data & & Voice Traffic
Voice
Traffic
LTE 5G LTE 5G LTE 5G
(Anchor)

Chipset Chipset Chipset

Control *Evolved Packet Core Dual Connectivity can be

Data **5G Core used in this option 3x
IMS Services

Design Challenges with EN-DC

With EN-DC, two high power signals are transmitted from Figure 3: EN-DC antenna isolation.
one phone: the LTE anchor signal and the NR data signal.
This configuration requires two complete uplink signal
paths in the small area of a mobile phone, which presents eNodeB LTE 5G gNodeB
major design challenges for engineers, as seen in Figure 3.

High isolation between these two signal paths is critical in Isolation between
limiting intermodulation products and meeting out-of-band Data
emissions specifications. However, there are additional
LTE and 5G NR
considerations related to signal conditioning and RF module signals is
design that are similarly important factors. imperative to
reduce interference
LTE 5G

Chipset

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 © Qorvo, Inc. | 02-2020

For example, Figure 4 shows the spectrum captured in a B41+ n41 EN-DC where the two transmit signals (LTE and NR) were
not properly managed. In this scenario, two antennas were used to support the EN-DC transmit signals and the spectrum below
shows a measurement at one of the two antennas. We see the primary transmit signal at this antenna, the coupled power from
the second transmit signal and the intermodulation products that arise from non-linear components in the transmit path. The low
frequency intermodulation product in this example causes the phone to fail the 3GPP spectral mask requirements.

Engineers must be prudent in their phone designs when EN-DC is used. Qorvo is at the forefront of these difficult RF challenges
and has the expertise to help phone makers solve these complexities.

Figure 4: EN-DC spectral emissions mask considerations.

20 dBm
10 dBm
Spectral Mask
0 dBm Fail
-10 dBm
-20 dBm
-30 dBm
-40 dBm
-50 dBm
-60 dBm
-70 dBm

For more CA help, try our 2 and 3 CA calculators on Qorvo’s Design Hub:
www.qorvo.com/design-tools

Maximum Power Reduction Calculators

Uplink 2 and 3 CA tools that calculate maximum power reduction for two
and three component carriers.

MPR

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