Versatile mobile communications simulation: the Vienna 5G Link Level Simulator

Abstract

Research and development of mobile communications systems require a detailed analysis and evaluation of novel technologies to further enhance spectral efficiency, connectivity and reliability. Due to the exponentially increasing demand of mobile broadband data rates and challenging requirements for latency and reliability, mobile communications specifications become increasingly complex. For this reason, analytic analysis as well as measurement-based investigations of link-level methods soon encounter feasibility limitations. Therefore, computer-aided numeric simulation is an important tool for investigation of wireless communications standards and is indispensable for analysis and development of future technologies. In this contribution, we introduce the Vienna 5G Link Level Simulator, a Matlab-based link-level simulation tool that facilitates research and development in mobile communications. Our simulator enables standard compliant setups according to 4G LTE, 5G NR and even beyond, making it a very flexible simulation tool. Offered under an academic use license free of charge to fellow researchers, it considerably enhances reproducibility in wireless communications research.