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5G/6G AcademyEst. 2009
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Level 2

5G Fundamentals

This is where your core 5G journey begins. Understand the vision behind 5G, explore spectrum and bands, master the SA and NSA architectures, and learn the new identifier framework — SUPI, SUCI, S-NSSAI, and more.

18 interactive0 simulation5 labs4 quizzes
0/27 lessons

5G Vision & Use Cases

0/6

Understand the business and technical drivers behind 5G, the ITU IMT-2020 requirements, the three service pillars, and 3GPP release evolution.

Why 5G — the business and technical drivers
Explore the key drivers pushing the industry from 4G to 5G — from IoT explosion to ultra-low latency demands.
interactive3 min
ITU IMT-2020 requirements and KPIs
Visualize the 8 key performance indicators that define 5G: 20 Gbps peak rate, 1 ms latency, 1M devices/km², and more.
interactive3 min
Three pillars: eMBB, URLLC, mMTC
Understand the three core use case categories — Enhanced Mobile Broadband, Ultra-Reliable Low Latency, and Massive Machine-Type Communication.
interactive3 min
3GPP release timeline: Rel-15 through Rel-18
Walk through the 3GPP release roadmap — from the first 5G NR spec (Rel-15) through 5G-Advanced (Rel-18).
interactive3 min
Real-world: 5G deployments worldwide
See which countries and operators are leading 5G deployments — from South Korea and China to the US and Europe.
lab3 min
Quiz: 5G vision
Test your understanding of 5G drivers, IMT-2020 KPIs, the three service pillars, and 3GPP releases.
quiz3 min

5G Spectrum & Bands

0/7

Master 5G NR spectrum — Sub-6 GHz vs mmWave tradeoffs, key frequency bands, FDD vs TDD, and Dynamic Spectrum Sharing.

Sub-6 GHz vs mmWave: trade-offs explained
Compare low/mid/high band spectrum — how frequency affects range, throughput, penetration, and antenna size.
interactive3 min
Key 5G NR bands: n1 through n261
Explore the most important 5G bands worldwide — n77, n78, n41, n257, n258 — and where they are deployed.
interactive3 min
FDD vs TDD in 5G NR
Visualize how Frequency Division Duplex and Time Division Duplex work in 5G NR and when each is used.
interactive3 min
Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS)
See how DSS lets LTE and NR share the same carrier frequency dynamically — enabling faster 5G rollouts.
interactive3 min
Spectrum auctions: how operators get spectrum
Understand the spectrum auction process — how governments allocate spectrum and operators bid for it.
interactive2 min
Lab: Plan 5G coverage with available bands
Given a coverage scenario, select the right 5G bands and predict coverage range and capacity.
lab5 min
Quiz: Spectrum & bands
Test your knowledge of 5G spectrum, band characteristics, FDD/TDD, and spectrum allocation.
quiz3 min

5G Architecture Overview

0/8

Master both NSA and SA architectures — understand option 3x, the target SA architecture, all key interfaces, and the migration path.

5G system architecture at a glance
See the complete 5G system — NG-RAN (gNB) plus 5G Core (AMF, SMF, UPF, etc.) — and how they interconnect.
interactive3 min
NSA: Option 3/3a/3x explained
Understand Non-Standalone architecture options — how 5G NR uses the existing LTE EPC as an anchor.
interactive3 min
SA: the target architecture
Explore the clean Standalone architecture with gNB, AMF, SMF, UPF and all N-interfaces.
interactive3 min
NSA vs SA: feature comparison
Compare NSA and SA side-by-side — which features require SA, and why operators migrate.
interactive3 min
Migration path: NSA → SA
Follow the step-by-step migration from NSA to SA — deploying the 5GC, moving users, and retiring the EPC anchor.
interactive3 min
Lab: Build NSA Option 3x architecture
Drag eNB, gNB, EPC, and 5GC elements onto the canvas and connect them correctly for Option 3x.
lab5 min
Lab: Build 5G SA architecture
Place gNB, AMF, SMF, UPF, UDM, AUSF and connect them with N1, N2, N3, N4, N8, N12 interfaces.
lab5 min
Quiz: 5G architecture (Level Gate)
10 questions covering NSA vs SA, architecture options, interfaces, and migration — pass to progress.
quiz5 min

5G Identifiers & Terminology

0/6

Learn the new 5G identity framework — SUPI, SUCI, 5G-GUTI, S-NSSAI, DNN — and how they differ from LTE.

SUPI, SUCI, 5G-GUTI, PEI — subscriber identifiers
Understand how 5G protects subscriber identity — SUPI is encrypted into SUCI, and temporary 5G-GUTI is used over the air.
interactive3 min
PLMN, TAI, TAC — network identifiers
Break down network identity — how PLMN (MCC+MNC), Tracking Area Identity, and Tracking Area Code work in 5G.
interactive2 min
DNN, S-NSSAI, PDU Session ID — session identifiers
Learn how 5G identifies data sessions — Data Network Name, Single-NSSAI (SST+SD), and PDU Session IDs.
interactive3 min
RNTI types in 5G NR
Explore the Radio Network Temporary Identifiers used in NR — C-RNTI, RA-RNTI, SI-RNTI, P-RNTI, and more.
interactive2 min
Lab: Decode a 5G identity from a log capture
Parse real-format SUPI, SUCI, and 5G-GUTI values from a simulated protocol log and validate their structure.
lab5 min
Quiz: 5G identifiers
Test your knowledge of 5G subscriber, network, and session identifiers.
quiz3 min