TR 38.876
Air-to-ground network for NR
V18.1.0 (Wzip)
2024/03 … p.
- Rapporteur:
- Miss Guo, Chunxia
China Mobile Group Device Co.
full Table of Contents for TR 38.876 Word version: 18.0.0
1 Scope
2 References
3 Definitions, symbols and abbreviations
4 Background
5 ATG bands
6 Co-existence study
7 RF requirements
8 RRM requirements
9 Conclusion
10 Required changes to NR, E-UTRA, UTRA and MSR specifications
A Calibration results of synchronized operation
B Calibration results of non-synchronized operation
C Co-existence scenarios simulation data
D Supplementary simulation results for co-existence synchronized scenarios
$ Change history
1 Scope p. 8
The present document covers the RF, RRM and co-existence aspects of the work item "Air-to-ground network for NR" [2]:
The objectives for the study are the following:
- Study and evaluate adjacent channel co-existence for ATG scenarios.
- Study and specify RF core requirements for ATG network and the ATG UE such that ATG deployment are well supported.
- Study and specify RRM requirement supporting ATG network deployment and ATG UE mobility.
2 References p. 8
3 Definitions, symbols and abbreviations p. 9
4 Background p. 9
Air-to-ground (ATG) network refers to in-flight connectivity technique, using ground-based cell towers that send signals up to an aircraft's antenna(s) of onboard ATG terminal. As a plane travels into different sections of airspace, the onboard ATG terminal automatically connects to the cell with strongest received signal power, just as a mobile phone does on the ground. In this network, a direct radio link will be established between BS on the ground and CPE type of UE mounted in the aircraft.
From the trials and commercial operation [https://inflight.telekom.net/ean/ ] of adapted LTE ATG solutions, some characteristics are considered for ATG network deployment scenarios.
- Extremely large inter-site distance (ISD) and large coverage range: In order to control the network deployment cost and considering the limited number of flights, large ISD is preferred, e.g., about 100km to 200km. At the same time, when the plane is above the sea, the distance between the plane and the nearest base station could be more than 200km and even up to 300km. Therefore, ATG network should be able to provide up to 300km cell coverage range.
- Utilizing non-disjoint frequency for deploying both ATG and terrestrial networks, i.e. same operating band but ATG network and TN use adjacent carriers: Operators are interested to adopt the same frequency for deploying both ATG and terrestrial networks to save frequency resource cost, while interference between ATG and terrestrial networks becomes non-negligible and should be addressed.
- Much powerful on-board ATG terminal capacity: On-board ATG terminal can be much powerful than normal terrestrial UE, e.g., with higher EIRP via much larger transmission power and/or much larger on-board antenna gain.
5 ATG bands p. 10
6 Co-existence study p. 10
6.1 Co-existence simulation scenario p. 10
6.2 Co-existence simulation assumption p. 11
6.2.1 Network layout model p. 11
6.2.1.1 Co-existence between ATG and NR terrestrial network p. 11
6.2.1.2 TN Network Layout p. 13
6.2.1.3 ATG Network Layout p. 13
6.2.1.4 Non-synchronized scenarios network layout p. 14
6.2.2 System parameters p. 17
6.2.3 Antenna and beamforming pattern modelling p. 19
6.2.3.1 ATG BS antenna model p. 19
6.2.3.2 ATG UE antenna model p. 20
6.2.3.3 TN BS antenna model p. 21
6.2.3.4 TN UE antenna model p. 22
6.2.4 ACLR and ACS modelling p. 22
6.2.5 Propagation model p. 23
6.2.5.1 Propagation model between TN UE and ATG UE p. 23
6.2.5.2 Propagation model between TN BS and TN UE p. 24
6.2.5.3 Propagation model between ATG BS and TN BS p. 28
6.2.5.4 Propagation model between ATG BS and TN UE p. 28
6.2.5.5 Propagation model between TN BS and ATG UE p. 28
6.2.5.6 Propagation model between ATG BS and ATG UE p. 28
6.2.6 Transmission power control model p. 28
6.2.7 Received power model p. 29
6.2.8 Performance metric p. 30
6.2.9 Link level performance for NR ATG coexistence p. 30
6.3 Co-existence simulation methodology p. 31
6.4 Co-existence simulation results p. 32
6.4.1 Synchronized Scenarios p. 32
6.4.1.1 `Scenario 1: 4GHz ATG DL interfering TN DL p. 32
6.4.1.1.1 Non-Subarray model p. 35
6.4.1.1.2 Subarray model p. 37
6.4.1.2 Scenario 2: 4GHz ATG UL interfering TN UL p. 38
6.4.1.2.1 Non-Subarray model p. 41
6.4.1.2.2 Subarray model p. 44
6.4.1.3 Scenario 3: 4GHz TN DL interfering ATG DL p. 48
6.4.1.3.1 Non-Subarray model p. 49
6.4.1.3.2 Subarray model p. 51
6.4.1.4 Scenario 4: 4GHz TN UL interfering ATG UL p. 53
6.4.1.4.1 Non-Subarray model p. 54
6.4.1.4.2 Subarray model p. 55
6.4.1.5 Scenario 9: 2GHz ATG DL interfering TN DL p. 56
6.4.1.5.1 Non-Subarray model p. 59
6.4.1.5.2 Subarray model p. 61
6.4.1.6 Scenario 10: 2GHz ATG UL interfering TN UL p. 63
6.4.1.6.1 Non-Subarray model p. 66
6.4.1.6.2 Subarray model p. 70
6.4.1.7 Scenario 11: 2GHz TN DL interfering ATG DL p. 74
6.4.1.7.1 Non-Subarray model p. 75
6.4.1.7.2 Subarray model p. 77
6.4.1.8 Scenario 12: 2GHz TN UL interfering ATG UL p. 79
6.4.1.8.1 Non-Subarray model p. 80
6.4.1.8.2 Subarray model p. 81
6.4.2 Non-synchronized Scenarios p. 82
6.4.2.1 Scenario 5: 4GHz ATG DL interfering TN UL p. 82
6.4.2.1.1 Using FSPL model p. 83
6.4.2.1.2 Using RMa model in TR 38.901 with updating hUT as 30m p. 84
6.4.2.2 Scenario 6: 4GHz TN UL interfering TN DL p. 84
6.4.2.3 Scenario 7: 4GHz TN DL interfering ATG UL p. 84
6.4.2.3.1 Using FSPL model p. 85
6.4.2.3.2 Using RMa model in TR 38.901 with updating hUT as 30m p. 85
6.4.2.4 Scenario 8: 4GHz TN UL interfering TN DL p. 86
6.4.2.5 Scenario 13: 4GHz TN UL interfering TN DL p. 86
6.4.2.6 Scenario 14: 2GHz TN DL interfering ATG UL p. 86
6.5 Summary of co-existence study p. 87
7 RF requirements p. 89
7.1 ATG UE specific p. 89
7.1.1 ATG UE power class and requirement type p. 89
7.1.2 Tx requirements p. 89
7.1.2.1 Frequency error p. 89
7.1.2.2 MOP requirements p. 90
7.1.2.3 MPR/AMPR requirements p. 90
7.1.2.4 Configured transmitted power p. 90
7.1.2.5 Minimum output power p. 90
7.1.2.6 Transmit OFF power p. 91
7.1.2.7 Transmit ON/OFF time mask p. 91
7.1.2.8 Power control p. 91
7.1.2.9 Transmit signal quality p. 91
7.1.2.10 Occupied bandwidth p. 92
7.1.2.11 SEM requirements p. 92
7.1.2.12 ACLR requirements p. 93
7.1.2.13 Spurious emission p. 93
7.1.2.14 Spurious emissions for UE co-existence p. 93
7.1.2.15 Transmit intermodulation p. 93
7.1.3 Rx requirements p. 93
7.1.3.1 General p. 93
7.1.3.2 Diversity characteristics p. 93
7.1.3.3 REFSENS requirements p. 93
7.1.3.4 Maximum input level p. 95
7.1.3.5 Adjacent channel selectivity p. 95
7.1.3.6 In-band blocking requirements p. 96
7.1.3.7 Out-of-Band blocking requirements/ Spurious response p. 98
7.1.3.8 Narrow band blocking requirements p. 98
7.1.3.9 Intermodulation characteristics p. 98
7.1.3.10 Receiver Spurious emissions p. 98
7.2 ATG BS specific p. 98
7.2.1 ATG BS class and BS type p. 98
7.2.2 Tx requirements p. 99
7.2.2.1 ATG Base station power p. 99
7.2.2.2 Transmitted signal quality p. 99
7.2.2.3 Unwanted emission requirements p. 100
7.2.2.4 Transmitter spurious emissions p. 100
7.2.2.5 Transmitter intermodulation p. 101
7.2.3 Rx requirements p. 101
7.2.3.1 Reference sensitivity level p. 101
7.2.3.2 Dynamic range p. 101
7.2.3.3 ACS p. 101
7.2.3.4 In-band blocking p. 101
7.2.3.5 Receiver intermodulation p. 101
7.2.3.6 Out of band blocking p. 102
7.2.3.7 In-channel selectivity p. 102
8 RRM requirements p. 102
8.1 General p. 102
9 Conclusion p. 105
10 Required changes to NR, E-UTRA, UTRA and MSR specifications p. 106
A Calibration results of synchronized operation p. 106
B Calibration results of non-synchronized operation p. 107
C Co-existence scenarios simulation data p. 107
C.1 Synchronized scenarios p. 107
C.2 Non-Synchronized scenarios p. 108
D Supplementary simulation results for co-existence synchronized scenarios p. 108
D.1 Synchronized scenarios p. 108
$ Change history p. 112
