What is SS-RSRQ?
SS-RSRQ (SS Reference Signal Received Quality) is a measurement of the received quality of the NR synchronization signal, defined as the ratio of SS-RSRP to the total received wideband power (RSSI) normalized by the number of resource blocks. SS-RSRQ provides an indication of signal quality that accounts for both signal strength and interference/noise level — making it more useful than SS-RSRP alone for mobility decisions in interference-limited environments.
How Does SS-RSRQ Work?
SS-RSRQ is calculated as: N × SS-RSRP / NR-RSSI, where N is the number of resource blocks in the NR-RSSI measurement bandwidth. NR-RSSI is the total received power (including serving cell, interference, and noise) measured over the OFDM symbols containing the SSS. A high SS-RSRP with low SS-RSRQ indicates strong interference — the serving signal is strong but so is the interference from other cells. SS-RSRQ ranges from -43 to 20 dB with 0.5 dB resolution. It is reported alongside SS-RSRP in measurement reports and used by the gNB for mobility decisions, particularly in dense urban environments where interference levels vary significantly between locations.
Use Cases
5G NR cell reselection in interference-limited areas, handover decision optimization, inter-frequency and inter-RAT measurement reporting, network quality assessment, and load-based mobility management.
3GPP / Standards Reference
3GPP TS 38.215 (NR physical layer measurements), 3GPP TS 38.133 (NR RRM — SS-RSRQ requirements)
Related Terms
SS-RSRP | SS-SINR | NR | QoS | gNB
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This glossary entry is part of the 5GWorldPro Complete 5G Glossary. To go deeper into 5G architecture and technology, explore our 5G Training courses.
