With the constant development of mobile communication technology, the fifth generation of mobile communication technology—5G—has been the focus of extensive global attention. 5G base stations are the infrastructure for 5G networks, and they differ considerably from 4G base stations in terms of architecture, the range of frequencies covered, antenna technology, energy efficiency, security, and options for deployment. In this paper, a detailed analysis of these differences will be made and some advantages and challenges between 5G base stations and 4G base stations will be discussed.

There are great differences between 5G and 4G base stations in a number of areas, which together empower 5G to offer better speeds, lower latency, and higher connection density. The differences are reflected in the following areas:

Architecture Differences

5G base stations adopt a more flexible architecture that supports network slicing and virtualization technologies. Network slicing can make the network dynamically adjust resource allocation according to the demands of different services, improving the flexibility and efficiency of the network. On the other hand, virtualization technology allows network functions to be deployed on a standardized hardware platform, enhancing network scalability and manageability.

Frequency Range

4G base stations mostly use low frequency bands (below 6 GHz) for wider coverage and better penetration. 5G base stations introduce mid-frequency bands (1-6 GHz) and high-frequency millimeter waves (over 24 GHz), in addition to the low frequency bands. These high-frequency bands can deliver higher data rates but with a limited coverage and penetration.

Antenna technology

While 4G base stations typically have fewer antenna ports, 5G base stations support massive MIMO technology and are capable of having up to 100 ports. That is to say, with the same array, more antennas could be installed and more users could be served simultaneously with increased network capacity.

In addition, 5G base stations utilize beamforming technology, which locates the most effective path to deliver data to a particular user and minimizes interference with other users nearby as a result.

Energy efficiency

5G networks are much more energy-efficient than 4G networks for both data transmission and processing activities. 5G networks, by using advanced technologies and smarter resource allocation, reduce energy consumption per bit of data transmitted.

Safety

Compared to 4G, 5G networks have improved security. The data in 5G networks is better secured during transmission due to the implementation of stronger encryption protocols and security features.

Deployment Options

Two deployment options are defined by 5G networks: non-standalone (NSA) architecture and standalone (SA) architecture. The former allows 5G radio access networks to be used together with existing LTE and EPC infrastructure core networks, while the latter is a complete 5G deployment that does not require any portion of the 4G network. The SA architecture enables the utilization of 5G radio access networks with the prevailing LTE and EPC infrastructure core networks, whereas the SA architecture is a complete 5G deployment without any 4G network components.

5G base stations differ significantly from 4G base stations in terms of architecture, frequency range, antenna technology, energy efficiency, security, and deployment options. These differences allow 5G to provide speeds, latency, and connection density much higher than 4G. However, the deployment and management of 5G base stations will also be burdened with difficulties in terms of increased energy consumption and more complicated requirements for network management. Solving these is expected to happen as the technology of 5G is further developed and matured; hence, 5G will revolutionize the sector of mobile communications.