5G Cellular Network Testing Based Maritime Radio Channel Characterization

The characterization of radio channel for 5G maritime applications using cellular network testing tools over live mobile operator networks is presented. Measurements specifically carried out in the n78 band, offered by commercial public 5G services, are conducted through a drive test campaign. Scenarios, with effects of near-sea surface and coastal environments, upto distances of around 10km from the shore were covered, capturing the realistic radio channel behavior. The measurement methodology leverages on both the PUSCH path loss parameter as well as base station position estimation, available in commercial drive-test solutions, to estimate large-scale path loss characteristics in live operational network conditions. Data collected is analyzed to assess propagation trends and deviations from both theoretical and empirical path loss models, providing insights into signal attenuation across typical maritime deployment environments. The findings contribute to suitable adoption of empirical radio channel models for 5G maritime applications, particularly for use cases involving coastal and near-shore connectivity, where robust signal coverage and network performance are critical.