5G NR Thresholds. Complete TS 38.133 Tables
3GPP TS 38.133 defines all valid ranges for 5G NR measurements reported by the UE: SS-RSRP, SS-RSRQ, SS-SINR for SSB-based measurements, and CSI-RSRP, CSI-RSRQ, CSI-SINR for CSI-RS-based measurements. This page consolidates all 6 tables in an actionable format, with an interactive converter and field-grade thresholds.
Official source: 3GPP TS 38.133 V17.8.0 (2023-03), sections 10.1.6, 10.1.11 and 10.1.16 · Last HiCellTek review: 2026-04-12
Reported value ↔ Physical value converter
Enter a value in either column, the other updates automatically.
Field quality thresholds
Interpretation conventions used by drive test engineers to quickly qualify a 5G NR sample. These thresholds are aligned with TS 38.133 but are not themselves normative (3GPP does not define textual qualifiers).
| Quality | SS-RSRP (dBm) | SS-RSRQ (dB) | SS-SINR (dB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent | >= -80 | >= -10 | >= 20 |
| Good | -80 to -90 | -10 to -15 | 13 to 20 |
| Acceptable | -90 to -100 | -15 to -20 | 0 to 13 |
| Weak | -100 to -110 | < -20 | < 0 |
| Out of service | < -110 | — | — |
Complete 3GPP tables
SS-RSRP. TS 38.133 Table 10.1.6.1-1
Range: -156 dBm to -31 dBm · Step: 1 dB · Formula (lower bound): SS-RSRP_low (dBm) = reportedValue - 157 for reportedValue in [1,126]
| Reported value | Measured range (dBm) |
|---|---|
| SS-RSRP_0 | SS-RSRP < -156 |
| SS-RSRP_1 | -156 ≤ SS-RSRP < -155 |
| SS-RSRP_2 | -155 ≤ SS-RSRP < -154 |
| ... | ... |
| SS-RSRP_30 | -127 ≤ SS-RSRP < -126 |
| SS-RSRP_61 | -96 ≤ SS-RSRP < -95 |
| SS-RSRP_91 | -66 ≤ SS-RSRP < -65 |
| SS-RSRP_126 | -31 ≤ SS-RSRP < -30 |
| SS-RSRP_127 | -30 ≤ SS-RSRP |
SS-RSRQ. TS 38.133 Table 10.1.11.1-1
Range: -43 dB to +20 dB · Step: 0.5 dB · Formula (lower bound): SS-RSRQ_low (dB) = 0.5 x (reportedValue - 87) for reportedValue in [1,126]
| Reported value | Measured range (dB) |
|---|---|
| SS-RSRQ_0 | SS-RSRQ < -43 |
| SS-RSRQ_1 | -43 ≤ SS-RSRQ < -42.5 |
| SS-RSRQ_87 | 0 ≤ SS-RSRQ < 0.5 |
| SS-RSRQ_126 | 19.5 ≤ SS-RSRQ < 20 |
| SS-RSRQ_127 | 20 ≤ SS-RSRQ |
SS-SINR. TS 38.133 Table 10.1.16.1-1
Range: -23 dB to +40 dB · Step: 0.5 dB · Formula (lower bound): SS-SINR_low (dB) = 0.5 x (reportedValue - 47) for reportedValue in [1,126]
| Reported value | Measured range (dB) |
|---|---|
| SS-SINR_0 | SS-SINR < -23 |
| SS-SINR_1 | -23 ≤ SS-SINR < -22.5 |
| SS-SINR_46 | 0 ≤ SS-SINR < 0.5 |
| SS-SINR_126 | 39.5 ≤ SS-SINR < 40 |
| SS-SINR_127 | 40 ≤ SS-SINR |
CSI-RSRP, CSI-RSRQ, CSI-SINR. TS 38.133 Tables 10.1.6.1-2, 10.1.11.1-2, 10.1.16.1-2
The ranges and formulas for CSI-* measurements (measured on dedicated CSI-RS) are identical to SS-* measurements (measured on SSB). Only the signal source differs.
- · CSI-RSRP:
CSI-RSRP (dBm) = reportedValue - 156, range -156 to -31 dBm, step 1 dB - · CSI-RSRQ:
CSI-RSRQ (dB) = (reportedValue - 87) x 0.5, range -43 to +20 dB, step 0.5 dB - · CSI-SINR:
CSI-SINR (dB) = (reportedValue - 46) x 0.5, range -23 to +40 dB, step 0.5 dB
Understanding 5G NR measurements
The SSB is the synchronization block periodically transmitted by the gNB. It contains PSS, SSS and PBCH and serves as the universal reference for measuring a cell's power and quality. SS-RSRP, SS-RSRQ and SS-SINR are used for cell selection, reselection and intra-frequency handover decisions.
The Channel State Information Reference Signal is transmitted by the gNB specifically for channel measurements. In a massive MIMO network with beamforming, CSI-RSRP and CSI-SINR better reflect the quality of the beam serving the user, which is more accurate than SS-* for link adaptation and scheduling.
Each physical measurement is quantized into a 7-bit integer (128 values) to be carried in RRC MeasurementReport messages. This reported value is what appears in QMDL logs, in HiCellTek PRO captures and in Wireshark dissections. The TS 38.133 conversion formulas let you recover the actual physical value.
Frequently asked questions — 5G NR Thresholds
Where do these 5G NR thresholds come from?
What is the difference between SS-RSRP and CSI-RSRP?
Why does the SS-SINR range start at -23 dB?
What is a good SS-RSRP for 5G SA?
How to convert a reported value to a physical value?
Are these thresholds the same in 5G NSA and 5G SA?
Do SS-* and CSI-* measurements use the same ranges?
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Get the 5G NR Thresholds PDF. TS 38.133 Reference
4 A4 pages: all reportedValue-to-measuredValue tables for SS-RSRP, SS-RSRQ, SS-SINR, CSI-*, conversion formulas, RRC measurement events (A1-A6, B1-B2, C1-C2) and field best practices. Free.
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HiCellTek Free displays 5G NR measurements in real time (SS-RSRP, SS-RSRQ, SS-SINR, PCI, NR-ARFCN, band) with no root and no DIAG port needed. Ideal for verifying reported values in the field.