5G Protocol Stack

5G uses a layered architecture, broadly divided into:

 User Plane (UP) → Carries actual data (IP packets, video, etc.)

 Control Plane (CP) → Carries signaling (connection setup, mobility, etc.)

🧱 Layer-wise Breakdown

🔹 1. SDAP

Full form: Service Data Adaptation Protocol

Job:

 Maps QoS flows to radio bearers

 Handles QoS differentiation (critical in 5G slicing)

 Adds/removes QoS Flow Identifier (QFI)

👉 Think of SDAP as the QoS manager between IP layer and radio layers.

🔹 2. PDCP

Full form: Packet Data Convergence Protocol

Job:

 Header compression (ROHC – Robust Header Compression)

 Ciphering & integrity protection (security)

 Packet reordering and duplicate detection

 Handles handover robustness

👉 PDCP ensures secure and efficient packet delivery.

🔹 3. RLC

Full form: Radio Link Control

Job:

 Segmentation & reassembly of packets

 Error correction via ARQ (Automatic Repeat reQuest)

 Ensures reliable or low-latency delivery (depending on mode)

Modes:

 TM (Transparent Mode)

 UM (Unacknowledged Mode)

 AM (Acknowledged Mode)

👉 RLC is the reliability controller.

🔹 4. MAC

Full form: Medium Access Control

Job:

 Scheduling (who transmits when)

 Multiplexing/demultiplexing logical channels

 HARQ (Hybrid ARQ) for fast retransmissions

 Priority handling

👉 MAC is the real-time traffic scheduler.

🔹 5. PHY

Full form: Physical Layer

Job:

 Modulation (QPSK, 16QAM, 64QAM, 256QAM)

 Coding (LDPC, Polar codes)

 OFDM waveform generation

 MIMO processing, beamforming

 Actual transmission over air

👉 PHY is where bits → radio waves.

🧭 Control Plane Additional Layers

🔹 6. RRC

Full form: Radio Resource Control

Job:

 Connection setup/release (RRC Connected / Idle)

 Mobility management (handover decisions)

 Broadcast system information (SIBs)

 Configures lower layers (PDCP, RLC, MAC, PHY)

👉 RRC is the brain of the radio interface.

🔹 7. NAS

Full form: Non-Access Stratum

Job:

 Communication between UE and 5G Core (5GC)

 Authentication & security (via AMF)

 Session management (PDU sessions)

 Mobility at core level

👉 NAS is the interface to the core network.

🧩 Simplified Stack View

📶 User Plane:

IP
↓
SDAP
↓
PDCP
↓
RLC
↓
MAC
↓
PHY

📡 Control Plane:
 NAS
↓
RRC
↓
PDCP
↓
RLC
↓
MAC
↓
PHY

⚙️Key Design Insights (Important for Exams / Interviews)

 SDAP is new in 5G → introduced for QoS-based slicing

 PDCP handles security, not MAC/PHY

 RLC + MAC split reliability vs scheduling

 PHY is highly flexible → supports massive MIMO & beamforming

 Control plane bypasses SDAP

🧠 TL;DR
 5G stack = SDAP → PDCP → RLC → MAC → PHY

 Control plane adds RRC + NAS

 Each layer has a clear responsibility:

o SDAP → QoS mapping

o PDCP → security + compression

o RLC → reliability

o MAC → scheduling

o PHY → transmission

o RRC → control logic

o NAS → core network interaction

Comparison of 4G LTE & 5G NR

🔍 Key Structural Differences

1. 🆕 Introduction of SDAP (Biggest Change)

 4G: QoS handled via EPS bearers (less flexible)

 5G: Uses QoS flows mapped by SDAP
👉 Result:

 Fine-grained QoS control

 Enables network slicing

2. 📶 QoS Handling Evolution

Feature 4G LTE 5G NR

QoS Unit EPS Bearer QoS Flow

Flexibility Moderate Very high

Mapping Static Dynamic via SDAP

👉 5G enables per-service QoS (e.g., AR vs IoT vs video)

3. ⚙️PHY Layer Evolution

Feature 4G LTE 5G NR

Subcarrier spacing Fixed (15 kHz) Scalable (15–240 kHz)

Latency Higher Ultra-low latency capable

MIMO Limited Massive MIMO + beamforming

👉 PHY is radically more flexible in 5G

4. 🔐 PDCP Enhancements

 4G: Basic header compression + security

 5G:

o Better packet duplication (for reliability)

o Improved mobility handling

o Dual connectivity support

5. 📡 MAC Layer Improvements

 More sophisticated scheduler design

 Supports:

o URLLC (Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communication)

o eMBB (Enhanced Mobile Broadband)

o mMTC (Massive IoT)

👉 MAC is now service-aware

6. 🧠 RRC Complexity Increase

 4G: Cell-based operation

 5G:

o Beam-based operation

o Supports slicing & advanced measurements

o More signaling states

7. 🌐 Core Network Interface

 Feature 4G LTE 5G NR

Core EPC (Evolved Packet Core) 5GC (5G Core)

Architecture Centralized Service-based architecture

Flexibility Limited Cloud-native

🧩 Simplified Stack Difference

📶 4G LTE (User Plane)

IP
↓
PDCP
↓
RLC
↓
MAC
↓
PHY

📡 5G NR (User Plane)

IP
↓
SDAP ← NEW
↓
PDCP
↓
RLC
↓
MAC
↓
PHY

🧠 Conceptual Shift (Very Important)

 Aspect 4G LTE 5G NR

Design philosophy Throughput-oriented Service-oriented

Network model One-size-fits-all Network slicing

Latency ~10–50 ms <1 ms (URLLC)

Device support Smartphones IoT, AR/VR, autonomous systems

🎯 TL;DR

 Only one new layer: → SDAP (QoS mapping)

 Biggest upgrades:

o Flexible PHY (numerology, beamforming)

o Advanced QoS (flows instead of bearers)

o Smarter MAC scheduling

 Core shift: EPC → 5G Core (cloud-native)

 5G is not just faster → it's service-aware and ultra-flexible

If you want, I can next:

 Give a one-page revision sheet (exam ready)

 Or numerical/MCQ questions comparing LTE vs 5G