Empirical Benchmarking of 5G NSA in Mixed Urban–Rural Environments: Latency, Throughput, and Coverage Trade-offs

Abstract

This study presents an empirical benchmarking of 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) networks in mixed urban–rural environments, with a focus on latency, throughput, and coverage trade-offs. Using field measurements combined with simulation-based modeling, the research evaluates key performance metrics including download/upload speeds, signal strength, and packet loss under heterogeneous deployment conditions. Results show that urban environments, enabled by dense small-cell infrastructure and fiber backhaul, consistently deliver higher throughput (often exceeding 900 Mbps) and ultra-low latency (2–5 ms). However, they also face challenges such as interference and high user density. In contrast, rural deployments relying on macro-cell architectures in sub-6 GHz bands achieve moderate throughput (150–250 Mbps), elevated latency (20–35 ms), and noticeable performance degradation in vegetated or topographically complex areas. Hybrid solutions—such as satellite-terrestrial integration, fiber–wireless access, and aerial platforms—demonstrate potential to mitigate these disparities by improving latency and coverage reliability. The study highlights that intelligent spectrum management and AI-driven resource allocation can further reduce packet loss and enhance rural network stability. Overall, this benchmarking reveals persistent urban–rural performance gaps and underscores the need for coordinated infrastructure expansion, hybrid network strategies, and supportive policy frameworks to ensure equitable 5G NSA service delivery.