Understanding 5G New Radio: An Experimental Approach

This open access book is a practical guide to experimentally understand, analyze, and optimize the performance of 5G networks. It is organized as a series of simulation projects supplemented with the underlying theory, to help readers learn various aspects of 5G through hands-on simulations using NetSim. It therefore accomplishes two things simultaneously: It explains 5G networking and shows how to unlock the power of the NetSim simulation environment.

Commercial deployments of 5G are well underway, covering at least a third of the world’s population. With such widespread use, engineers and researchers need tools for design and development of the 5G protocols, rapid prototyping, scalability testing, and research into complex network interactions. Simulators are often their first choice; they are cost effective, flexible, and easy to use. 

NetSim is an industry‑leading network simulation software used by over 400 organizations in more than 25 countries. Researchers and engineers worldwide rely on NetSim for R&D and for developing 5G‑related products. This book builds on that ecosystem by providing readers with structured, hands‑on projects that demonstrate exactly how NetSim can be used to model, test, and optimize real‑world 5G scenarios. By working through these simulations, readers gain both a deeper understanding of 5G technologies and practical experience using one of the most widely adopted tools in the field.

Yashvanth L. received his B.Tech (Hons.) degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Trichy, India, graduating with a gold medal in 2020, and his Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, in 2025. He is currently a Research Fellow at University College London, U.K. His broad research interests include statistical signal processing and its applications to 5G and next‑generation wireless communication systems. He is a recipient of the DAAD‑WISE Fellowship (2019), the Qualcomm Innovation Fellowship (2021 and 2022), and the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF), Government of India (2022). He also received the Best Poster Presentation Award at the PMRF Symposium (2024) and the Prof. Satish Dhawan Research Award (2025) for impactful research in the EECS Division at IISc.

Pranav Viswanathan is the Co‑founder and CEO of TETCOS LLP (est. 2005) and the chief architect of NetSim, a leading network simulator used by 500+ organizations across 30+ countries. His expertise spans simulation of 5G/6G networks, satellite communications, Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs), military radios, Wi‑Fi, and the Internet of Things (IoT). His current focus areas within NetSim include AI/ML in the RAN, non‑terrestrial networking, and MANET military radio networks. Pranav is known for his strong customer‑centric approach, translating user requirements into software solutions. With over 20 years of experience in wireless network modeling and simulation, he has traveled globally to support and implement NetSim‑based solutions. He earned his B.Tech from IIT Madras in 2003.

Chandra R. Murthy is a Professor in the Department of Electrical Communication Engineering at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, India. His research interests include sparse signal recovery, energy‑harvesting‑based communication, performance analysis, and optimization of 5G and beyond communication systems. His papers have received Best Paper Awards at NCC 2014 and NCC 2023, and papers co‑authored with his students have won Student Best Paper Awards at IEEE ICASSP 2018, IEEE ISIT 2021, and IEEE SPAWC 2022. He currently serves as a Senior Area Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Information Theory and has previously served on the editorial boards of several IEEE journals as well as various IEEE technical committees. He is a Fellow of the IEEE and the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE).