6G NTN in C and Q/V Bands: Link Budget Analysis and Waveforms Performance

Abstract

Significant progress in the development, standardization, and enhancement of communication systems for 5G Advanced and 6G is set to deliver unprecedented connectivity and performance, unlocking a wide spectrum of vertical services. The full integration of non-terrestrial components into 6G is instrumental in driving this paradigm shift, paving the way for ubiquitous communication and truly global coverage. However, the native unification of the two components into 6G brings forth a set of challenges, particularly in Radio Access Technologies (RATs). Notably, among the RAT challenges, defining a waveform optimized for terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks (NTN) is crucial. To this end, in this paper, we present an initial selection of candidate waveforms for the NTN components of 6G and evaluate their performance in terms of Block Error Rate (BLER), Peak to Average Power Ratio (PAPR), and Power Spectral Density (PSD), in both the Q/V and C bands, accounting for hardware impairments such as phase noise and the nonlinear effects of high-power amplifiers. Additionally, we conduct a comprehensive link budget analysis for both the C and Q/V-bands to assess overall system performance.