Description
5G RED CAP – Rel-17 | Practical Guide to Reduced Capability NR (NR-Light)
5G RED CAP – Rel-17 is a practical, implementation-focused technical book that provides a complete understanding of 5G Reduced Capability (RedCap / NR-Light) as standardized in 3GPP Release 17. Designed for telecom engineers, testers, R&D teams, and advanced learners, this book bridges the gap between theory and real-world validation of RedCap devices and networks.
Unlike generic 5G overviews, this book dives deep into actual RedCap test setups, configurations, BWPs, UE capability procedures, and protocol-level validation, making it a must-have reference for professionals working on 5G IoT, mid-tier devices, and network optimization.
What You Will Learn
✔ RedCap Fundamentals (3GPP Rel-17)
Understand why RedCap was introduced, how it optimizes cost, complexity, and power consumption, and how it fits between LTE-M / NB-IoT and full 5G NR
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✔ Key RedCap Technical Characteristics
20 MHz bandwidth operation
1×1 / 2×2 MIMO support
Half-Duplex FDD behavior
Reduced protocol complexity and power-efficient operation
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✔ Targeted RedCap Use Cases
Industrial sensors, wearables, smart city & utility devices, video surveillance, and entry-level AR/VR applications are explained with clear positioning against existing technologies
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✔ Real Test Setup & Lab Architecture
Detailed RedCap validation using:
Commercial UE (OnePlus device)
Amarisoft UE-SIM & Callbox
SDR-based OTA and Ethernet connectivity setups
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✔ RedCap Configuration Scenarios
Single BWP with 20 MHz bandwidth
Dual-BWP scenarios (RedCap UE + normal UE)
40 MHz cell bandwidth with dedicated RedCap BWPs
FDD bands, SCS selection, antenna configuration, and half-duplex behavior
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✔ Step-by-Step Validation Using Protocol Logs
The book walks through SIB1 decoding, RedCap-ConfigCommon IEs, UE capability enquiry, PRACH behavior, BWP selection, LCID handling, and scheduling decisions, supported by decoded signaling traces and screenshots
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✔ RedCap UE Capability & Scheduling Behavior
Covers how gNB detects RedCap UEs even before UE capability exchange, how half-duplex assumptions are made, and how scheduling adapts based on declared UE capabilities
Internal Links
External Links
3GPP Release 17 Specifications
👉 https://www.3gpp.org/release-17
Ankit Verma –
This e-book explains 5G RedCap Rel-17 in a very practical way. The test setup, BWP configuration, and validation steps helped me clearly understand NR-Light implementation from a protocol perspective.
Priya Nair –
Excellent technical depth with real configuration examples. The explanation of RedCap UE capability, PRACH behavior, and half-duplex scheduling is extremely useful for 5G testing engineers.
Rohit Sharma –
Unlike theoretical blogs, this book focuses on real lab scenarios. The Amarisoft-based test cases and step-by-step validation make RedCap concepts very easy to grasp.
Neha Gupta –
This e-book bridges the gap between 3GPP specifications and real network behavior. Ideal for protocol testers, validation engineers, and advanced learners.
Rakesh Kumar –
This e-book explains 5G RedCap very clearly with practical configuration and validation scenarios. The BWP and UE capability explanations helped me understand NR-Light behavior in real networks.
Anusha Menon –
Excellent content for engineers working on IoT and mid-tier 5G devices. The comparison of RedCap with LTE-M and NB-IoT is very well explained and easy to relate.
Mohit Agarwal –
The practical test setup and Amarisoft-based validation examples make this book stand out. It bridges the gap between 3GPP Rel-17 specs and actual RedCap deployment.
Swati Kulkarni –
A must-read for anyone exploring NR-Light. The explanation of RedCap BWP configuration, half-duplex operation, and scheduling behavior is very precise and interview-oriented.
Deepak Yadav –
Very structured and easy to follow. The end-to-end RedCap call flow and protocol-level insights helped me gain confidence in RedCap testing and troubleshooting.
Neeraj Singh –
This e-book gives a clear understanding of where RedCap fits in the 5G ecosystem. Ideal for professionals working on IoT, device testing, and 5G evolution topics.
Harsh Vardhan –
This e-book gives a very clear understanding of why 5G RedCap was introduced and how it fits between eMBB and NB-IoT/LTE-M. The comparison tables and use-case mapping are extremely helpful.
Neelam Choudhary –
The explanation of RedCap UE capabilities, bandwidth reduction, and RF complexity trade-offs is excellent. It helped me clearly understand device-side constraints from a standards perspective.
Ajay Prakash –
I really liked how RedCap positioning is explained against LTE Cat-M, NB-IoT, and full NR UEs. This book is very useful for architects working on IoT and industrial 5G solutions.
Shalini Gupta –
The sections on mobility, power saving, latency expectations, and coverage enhancement for RedCap devices are explained in a simple yet technically accurate manner. Very useful for real deployments.
Mohammed Asif –
A concise and well-structured guide to 5G RedCap. The Rel-17 focus, standards references, and practical insights make it an excellent learning resource for both engineers and product managers.