Performance assessment of a 5G indoor standalone network in band n77: A case study at Tietotalo, Hervanta Campus

Abstract

This thesis presents a performance assessment of an indoor 5G standalone (SA) network operating in the n77 frequency band. The study focuses on evaluating key performance indicators, including signal strength (SS-RSRP), signal quality (SS-RSRQ and SS-SINR), throughput-related parameters, and link adaptation metrics such as block error rate (BLER), resource block (RB) allocation, and modulation and coding scheme (MCS) index. Measurements were conducted across multiple floors in an indoor environment to capture the impact of propagation conditions on network performance. The results show that signal strength decreases with distance and is significantly affected by obstacles such as walls and floors. In contrast, signal quality metrics exhibit noticeable fluctuations due to multipath propagation and shadowing effects. The analysis reveals that higher signal strength does not necessarily correspond to better performance. Although one floor achieved the highest SS-RSRP, another floor demonstrated superior SS-SINR and SS-RSRQ, indicating more stable and interference-limited conditions. This is further reflected in the link adaptation results, where lower BLER and consistent MCS values contribute to more reliable communication. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of considering both signal strength and signal quality when evaluating indoor 5G performance. The results provide practical insights for optimizing indoor deployments of mid-band 5G networks.