5G NR Capacity Calculator
Work out 5G NR cell capacity from bandwidth, spectral efficiency, MIMO layers, control overhead and the TDD split.
Inputs
Downlink Cell Capacity
1,419.0Mbps
Uplink Cell Capacity
473.0Mbps
Raw Peak Before Overhead
2,200.0Mbps
Usable Capacity After Overhead
1,892.0Mbps
Step by step
Values used
Channel bandwidth = 100 MHz; Average spectral efficiency per layer = 5.50 bps/Hz; MIMO layers = 4 layers; Control and reference-signal overhead = 14 %; Downlink share of the TDD frame = 75 %
5G NR Capacity
usable = bandwidth × spectral efficiency × layers × (1 − overhead); downlink = usable × DL share of the TDD frame.
Downlink Cell Capacity
= 1,419.0 Mbps
Uplink Cell Capacity
= 473.0 Mbps
Raw Peak Before Overhead
= 2,200.0 Mbps
Usable Capacity After Overhead
= 1,892.0 Mbps
How it works
The 3GPP throughput formula reduces to bandwidth × spectral efficiency × layers once modulation order and coding rate are folded into the efficiency term. Roughly 10–18% of resource elements carry control and reference signals rather than data, and on TDD spectrum the remaining capacity is split between directions by the slot pattern. A 4:1 TDD pattern gives excellent downlink figures and an uplink that quietly caps video conferencing and fixed-wireless upload, so both directions have to be sized explicitly.
Formula
5G NR Capacity
usable = bandwidth × spectral efficiency × layers × (1 − overhead); downlink = usable × DL share of the TDD frame.
- overhead
- PDCCH, SSB, CSI-RS and other non-data resource elements
- DL share
- Downlink slots as a fraction of the TDD pattern
Frequently Asked Questions
How is 5G NR Capacity calculated?
usable = bandwidth × spectral efficiency × layers × (1 − overhead); downlink = usable × DL share of the TDD frame. The 3GPP throughput formula reduces to bandwidth × spectral efficiency × layers once modulation order and coding rate are folded into the efficiency term. Roughly 10–18% of resource elements carry control and reference signals rather than data, and on TDD spectrum the remaining capacity is split between directions by the slot pattern.
Why does 5G NR Capacity matter?
A 4:1 TDD pattern gives excellent downlink figures and an uplink that quietly caps video conferencing and fixed-wireless upload, so both directions have to be sized explicitly.
What values do I need to enter?
This calculator takes 5 inputs: Channel bandwidth, Average spectral efficiency per layer, MIMO layers, Control and reference-signal overhead, Downlink share of the TDD frame. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.