Empirical analysis of 5G deployments: A comparative assessment of network performance with 4G

The advent of 5G networks has introduced new challenges for network operators, particularly in terms of coverage, capacity, and service quality. Consequently, it is crucial to monitor and assess network performance to detect irregularities and enhance functionality and deployment efficiency. This is especially important for Non-Standalone (NSA) 5G networks, which rely on existing 4G infrastructure and may not fully utilize the advanced capabilities of 5G technology. This study evaluates wireless system/network performance, focusing on key quality indicators and data throughput within typical town settings featuring various operational scenarios. To achieve this, portable smartphone devices were employed to simultaneously measure real-world data from all 5G and 4G networks, providing a comparative analysis across all (three) cellular network providers in the area.

Results highlight differing 5G rollout strategies and performance across operators, revealing that broad coverage may struggle with congestion issues, while a tailored deployment approach could yield better results. Additionally, the analysis pinpoints performance challenges related to coverage, throughput, resource utilization, and interference, thus guiding enhancements in 5G network deployments and establishing a baseline for tracking the evolution of 5G performance.