This paper presents field trial results of innovative air interface technologies: sparse code multiple access (SCMA), filtered orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (f-OFDM), and massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO). To confirm the improvement of the promising technologies, the counterparts in long term evolution (LTE) are selected as the comparison baseline. For each technology, detailed parameter configurations and deployment scenarios are addressed at first, then precise test procedures are described, finally, extensive analysis are provided to testify the high spectral efficiency, flexibility and system capacity introduced by the new technologies. According to the trial results, SCMA can achieve 3 times connection number and throughput than SC-FDMA in uplink, and 90% throughput gains over OFDMA in downlink. Waveform f-OFDM is validated to support flexible resources allocation thus avoiding asynchronous transmission in both uplink and downlink. The large number of antennas in Massive MIMO accommodates more user and offers around 10 times throughput than single user scenario in downlink.

A user-centric no-cell (UCNC) framework has been proposed which enables different level coordination over a large number of TRPs. This paper presents some key technologies in UCNC framework with the focus on PoC of UL grant- free transmissions in UCNC architecture. Massive connectivity support is one of the three important scenarios in 5G networks. The challenges to support massive connectivity lie in the cost of signaling overhead and transmission latency. An uplink grant- free transmission based on SCMA (sparse code multiple access) design is proposed. The proposed scheme can provide different levels of overloading to efficiently meet the massive connectiv- ity requirements. Extensive lab tests have been conducted to verify the performance matrices. Taken LTE as a baseline for comparison purpose, it is shown that the signaling overhead by using uplink grant-free transmission can be reduced by around 80% and the user plane transmission latency in ECO state can be reduced by around 93%. Moreover, massive connectivity is efficiently supported with SCMA scheme that yields around 230% gain over OFDMA in terms of supported active users.

Ultrahigh data rate, massive connectivity, ultralow latency, and high reliability, as well as ultraflexible air interface design to support diversified usage scenarios, are the major targets of 5G radio access network design. To meet these targets, advanced new radio transmission technologies, including new waveform, new channel coding, non-orthogonal multiple access, as well as massive antenna techniques, have been proposed and studied worldwide in both academic and industries. Most of the gains claimed in the literature are from simulations or by small scale lab testing. Instead, this paper elaborates on the first hand results and analysis of the large-scale field trials carried out in China for a selection of key 5G technology components as well as some of their combinations, including filtered-orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) (f-OFDM), polar code, sparse code multiple access, and massive multi-input multi-output (MIMO) for both uplink and downlink cellular networks. Testing results verify the feasibility and benefit of each technology contributing toward the diversified 5G targets, as well as the feasibility for these technologies to work jointly for higher spectrum efficiency, larger connectivity, and lower latency.

A 5G mobile network has evolved from a cell centric radio access network to a user centric one. A user-centric no-cell (UCNC) framework has been proposed, which enables physical layer coordination over a large number of transmission and reception points for each mobile user to always experience cell-center-like communications. This paper presents some key technologies in the UCNC framework. The focus is on proof of concept of UL grant-free transmissions in the UCNC architecture. Massive connectivity supporting a huge number of devices is one of the three important scenarios in 5G networks. The challenges to support massive connectivity lie in the cost of signaling overhead and transmission latency. An uplink grant-free transmission based on sparse code multiple access (SCMA) design is proposed. The proposed scheme can provide different levels of overloading to efficiently meet the massive connectivity requirements. Grant-free transmission conducted in RRC connected state can reduce signaling overhead, while in energy conserved operation (ECO) state, it can significantly reduce the user plane transmission latency. Extensive laboratory testing has been conducted in a collaborative project of Huawei and Telefonica to verify the performance matrices. Taking LTE as a baseline for comparison purposes, it is shown that the signaling overhead by using uplink grant-free transmission can be reduced by around 80% and the user plane transmission latency in ECO state can be reduced by around 93%. Moreover, massive connectivity is efficiently supported with the SCMA scheme that yields around 230% gain over OFDMA in terms of supported active users.