5/29/2014 LTE UE Categories | Category & Class | Definitions

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LTE UE Category and Class Definitions

- LTE utilises UE or User Equipment categories or classes to define the performance
specifications an enable base stations to be able to communicate effectively with them
knowing their performance levels.

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LTE Introduction (3g-lte-basics.php) OFDM, OFDMA, SC-FDMA (lte-ofdm-ofdma-scfdma.php)

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Frame & subframe (lte-frame-subframe-structure.php)
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Bands and spectrum (lte-frequency-spectrum.php) UE categories (ue-category-categories-classes.php)
SAE architecture (sae-system-architecture-evolution-network.php)
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Security (lte-security-authentication.php)

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In the same way that a variety of other systems adopted different categories for the handsets or user equipments, so
too there are 3G LTE UE categories. These LTE categories define the standards to which a particular handset, dongle or
other equipment will operate.

LTE UE category rationale

The LTE UE categories or UE classes are needed to ensure that the base station, or eNodeB, eNB can communicate
correctly with the user equipment. By relaying the LTE UE category information to the base station, it is able to
determine the performance of the UE and communicate with it accordingly.

As the LTE category defines the overall performance and the capabilities of the UE, it is possible for the eNB to
communicate using capabilities that it knows the UE possesses. Accordingly the eNB will not communicate beyond the
performance of the UE.

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5/29/2014 LTE UE Categories | Category & Class | Definitions

LTE UE category definitions

there are five different LTE UE categories that are defined. As can be seen in the table below, the different LTE UE
categories have a wide range in the supported parameters and performance. LTE category 1, for example does not
support MIMO, but LTE UE category five supports 4x4 MIMO.

It is also worth noting that UE class 1 does not offer the performance offered by that of the highest performance
HSPA category. Additionally all LTE UE categories are capable of receiving transmissions from up to four antenna
ports.

A summary of the different LTE UE category parameters is given in the tables below.

HEADLINE DATA RATES FOR LTE UE CATEGORIES

CATEGORY
LINK 1 2 3 4 5
Downlink 10 50 100 150 300
Uplink 5 25 50 50 75

While the headline rates for the different LTE UE categories or UE classes show the maximum data rates achievable, it
is worth looking in further detail at the underlying performance characteristics.

UL AND DL PARAMETERS FOR LTE UE CATEGORIES

CATEGORY
PARAMETER 1 2 3 4 5
Max number of DL-SCH 10 296 51 024 102 048 150 752 302 752
transport block bits received in
a TTI
Max number of bits of a DL-SCH 10 296 51 024 75 376 75 376 151 376
block received in a TTI
Total number of soft channel 250 368 1 237 248 1 237 248 1 827 072 3 667 200
bits
Maximum number of supported 1 2 2 2 4
layers for spatial multiplexing in
DL
Max number of bits of an UL- 5 160 25 456 51 024 51 024 75 376
SCH transport block received in
a TTI
Support for 64-QAM in UL No No No No Yes

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5/29/2014 LTE UE Categories | Category & Class | Definitions

From this it can be seen that the peak downlink data rate for a Category 5 UE using 4x4 MIMO is approximately 300
Mbps, and 150 Mbps for a Category 4 UE using 2x2 MIMO. Also in the Uplink, LTE UE category 5 provides a peak data
rate of 75 Mbps using 64-QAM.

Note:
DL-SCH = Downlink shared channel
UL-SCH = Uplink shared channel
TTI = Transmission Time Interval

LTE UE category summary

In the same way that category information is used for virtually all cellular systems from GPRS onwards, so the LTE UE
category information is of great importance. While users may not be particularly aware of the category of their UE, it
will match the performance an allow the eNB to communicate effectively with all the UEs that are connected to it.

By Ian Poole (https://plus.google.com/104687638164370436625?rel=author)

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