5G • RAN
16QAM
16 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation
Medium-density modulation mapping 4 bits per symbol, balancing spectral efficiency and noise tolerance.
Technical Explanation
16QAM maps 4 bits per symbol across 16 constellation points in an I/Q grid. It provides double the spectral efficiency of QPSK, commonly scheduled when medium radio channel conditions are reported via CQI tables.
Key Functions
- Encodes 4 bits per complex modulation symbol
- Doubles throughput relative to QPSK in moderate radio conditions
- Scheduled via standard 3GPP MCS table lookups
Specifications
3GPP TS 38.211
Interfaces
Uu
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