Uplink End-to-End Latency Characterization of a 5G NSA Access
Azuaje, O.
;
Aguiar, A.
; Steenkiste, P.
Uplink End-to-End Latency Characterization of a 5G NSA Access, Proc ACM/SPEC International Conference on Performance Engineering, Toronto, Canada, Vol. , pp. - , May, 2025.
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Abstract
5G networks offer significant advancements over its predecessor, 4G Long-Term Evolution (LTE). Low latency network access, a key requirement enabling near real-time responsiveness as required by applications such as autonomous driving, factory automation and virtual reality, is one of 5G’s key features, In this paper, we present the results of a long-term measurement campaign of the uplink end-to-end (e2e) latency experienced by a 5G-capable device using a commercial sub-6Ghz 5G non-standalone (NSA) network. Our results show an average uplink e2e latency of 12ms, with a 95th percentile of 21ms. This compares favorably with an average uplink e2e latency of 35ms and a 95th percentile of 53ms using 4G LTE to reach the same destination. We also characterize and define, through real-world network parameters in the uplink data transmission process, an unexpected latency pattern that impacts the performance of latency-sensitive applications, even in 5G standalone (SA) networks, such as edge computing or ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC)—a new class of applications targeted in 5G networks.
