TS 38.521 – UE Conformance Specification
3GPP TS 38.521 is the 3GPP Technical Specification for UE Conformance Specification. Its official 3GPP title is “User Equipment (UE) conformance specification”. It is published in 2 releases (Rel-18 to Rel-19); the latest version is 19.4.0 in Rel-19.
Defines UE conformance requirements, test points, operating bands, channel arrangements, and transmitter power for 5G NR.
Releases and versions of TS 38.521
| Release | Latest version | Links |
|---|---|---|
| Rel-19 | 19.4.0 | Read · Download (3GPP) |
| Rel-18 | 18.9.0 | Read · Download (3GPP) |
Scope of TS 38.521
Primary function: Requirements and Test Definition. Category: Radio Access (User Equipment (UE)). Technology generation: 5G. Network layer: UE.
Who should read this specification?
- Device manufacturers
- Regulators and standards bodies
- Network operators
Protocols and interfaces
Protocols: NAS, RRC, NGAP, GTP-U, PDCP
Interfaces: Uu, N1, N2, N3, Xn
Key use cases
- VoNR
- Network Slicing
- eMBB
Implementation notes
Complexity level: Expert. Implementation difficulty: High.
Key technologies
Specifications referenced by TS 38.521
- TS 36.101 LTE UE Radio Transmission and Reception
- TS 36.521 E-UTRA UE Conformance Testing for Satellite Access
- TS 36.508 Common Test Environments for UE
- TS 38.508 5G NR UE ICS Proforma
- TS 36.133 LTE Radio Resource Management Requirements
- TS 36.211 E-UTRA Physical Layer Specifications
- TS 38.306 NR UE Radio Access Capability Parameters
- TS 38.522 UE Conformance Specification for NR
- TS 38.214 NR Physical Layer Data Channel Procedures
- TS 36.331 E-UTRA Radio Resource Control (RRC) Protocol
- TS 38.211 NR Physical Channels and Signals
- TR 38.811 Study on NR Support for Non-Terrestrial Networks
Specifications that reference TS 38.521
- TS 38.101 UE Radio Transmission and Reception
- TS 38.508 5G NR UE ICS Proforma
- TS 38.509 UE Special Conformance Testing Functions
- TS 38.174 NR Integrated Access and Backhaul Requirements
- TS 38.176 IAB Conformance Testing
- TS 38.522 UE Conformance Specification for NR
- TR 38.903 Derivation of Measurement Uncertainties and Test Tolerances for UE Conformance Tests
- TS 38.115 Repeater Conformance Testing Part 1: Conducted
- TS 38.161 UE TRP and TRS Requirements
- TR 38.834 NR FR1 TRP/TRS Test Methodology
- TR 38.905 NR RF Test Points Derivation Specification
- TS 38.551 NR MIMO OTA Performance Requirements
Other specifications in the 38 series
- TS 38.508 5G NR UE ICS Proforma
- TS 38.508-1 NR Test Frequencies and Band Configurations
- TS 38.508-2 5G NR UE ICS Proforma for Conformance Testing
- TS 38.509 UE Special Conformance Testing Functions
- TS 38.521-1 NR UE Radio Transmission and Reception
- TS 38.521-2 NR UE Conformance: TX/RX Part 2
- TS 38.521-3 NR;User Equipment (UE) conformance specification;Radio transmission and reception;Part 3: Range 1 and Range 2 Interworking operation with other radios
- TS 38.521-4 NR UE Conformance: Demodulation Performance
Related glossary terms
Related topics
Related technologies
Frequently asked questions
What is 3GPP TS 38.521?
3GPP TS 38.521 is the 3GPP Technical Specification for UE Conformance Specification. Defines UE conformance requirements, test points, operating bands, channel arrangements, and transmitter power for 5G NR.
Which 3GPP releases include TS 38.521?
TS 38.521 is published in 2 releases, from Rel-18 to Rel-19. The latest version on 3GPP Explorer is 19.4.0 (Rel-19).
What does TS 38.521 specify?
Requirements and Test Definition.
What category does TS 38.521 belong to?
TS 38.521 belongs to the Radio Access (User Equipment (UE)) category of 3GPP specifications. It applies to 5G networks.
View the full specification with interactive table of contents, version history, and AI analysis.
Read Full Specification →