RSRP, RSRQ, SINR: normal values and interpretation for 4G and 5G

Key takeaway: Good RSRP is above -90 dBm, good RSRQ above -10 dB, and good SINR above 10 dB. Below -110 dBm (RSRP), -15 dB (RSRQ), or 0 dB (SINR), service quality degrades significantly. Use the RSRP/RSRQ/SINR calculator to evaluate your signal.

RSRP, RSRQ, and SINR are the three fundamental radio signal quality indicators in 4G LTE and 5G NR. Correctly interpreting them is essential for network diagnostics, RF optimization, and field troubleshooting. This guide presents normal values, alert thresholds, and the concrete impact of each indicator on user experience.

The three indicators explained

RSRP (Reference Signal Received Power)

RSRP measures the reference signal power received by the device. It is the primary coverage indicator: it shows whether the cell site signal reaches the device with sufficient power.

Unit: dBm (decibels relative to 1 milliwatt) 3GPP range: -44 to -140 dBm

RSRP is measured on Resource Elements carrying the reference signal:

• In LTE: on CRS (Cell-specific Reference Signals)
• In 5G NR: on SSB (SS/PBCH Block), hence the notation SSB-RSRP

RSRQ (Reference Signal Received Quality)

RSRQ measures reference signal quality accounting for bandwidth and total interference/noise. It is a combined cell load and quality indicator.

Formula: RSRQ = N x RSRP / RSSI

Where N = number of Resource Blocks and RSSI = total received power (signal + noise + interference).

Unit: dB 3GPP range: -3 to -19.5 dB

SINR (Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio)

SINR measures the ratio between useful signal power and the combined power of interference and noise. It is the indicator most directly correlated with achievable throughput.

Unit: dB Typical range: -10 to 30+ dB

For complete definitions and interactive calculation of these indicators, use our RSRP/RSRQ/SINR calculator.

Normal values table: 4G LTE

RSRP (LTE)

Range (dBm)	Quality	Color	User impact
> -80	Excellent	Dark green	Maximum throughput, VoLTE HD, instant handover
-80 to -90	Good	Green	Normal service, high throughput
-90 to -100	Fair	Yellow	Adequate throughput, beginning of indoor degradation
-100 to -110	Poor	Orange	Reduced throughput, increased latency, possible drops
-110 to -120	Very poor	Red	Minimal service, degraded VoLTE
< -120	No coverage	Gray	No service, cell search

RSRQ (LTE)

Range (dB)	Quality	Color	Interpretation
> -10	Excellent	Dark green	Lightly loaded cell, dominant signal
-10 to -12	Good	Green	Normal load
-12 to -15	Fair	Yellow	Loaded cell or moderate interference
-15 to -17	Poor	Orange	Heavy load or pilot pollution
< -17	Bad	Red	Major interference, overloaded cell

SINR (LTE)

Range (dB)	Quality	Color	Modulation / Throughput
> 20	Excellent	Dark green	256QAM — peak throughput (100+ Mbps/20 MHz)
13 to 20	Good	Green	64QAM — high throughput (50-100 Mbps)
0 to 13	Fair	Yellow	16QAM — moderate throughput (10-50 Mbps)
-5 to 0	Poor	Orange	QPSK — low throughput (< 10 Mbps)
< -5	Bad	Red	No demodulation, retransmissions

Normal values table: 5G NR

SSB-RSRP (NR)

Range (dBm)	Quality	Color	User impact
> -80	Excellent	Dark green	Peak NR throughput, low latency
-80 to -90	Good	Green	Normal NR service
-90 to -100	Fair	Yellow	Reduced NR throughput
-100 to -110	Poor	Orange	Coverage edge, LTE fallback in NSA
< -110	No NR coverage	Red	Return to LTE

SSB-RSRP thresholds are slightly shifted compared to LTE because SSB signals are transmitted via beamforming, which concentrates energy.

SSB-SINR (NR)

Range (dB)	Quality	Color	Modulation / Throughput
> 20	Excellent	Dark green	256QAM — peak throughput (500+ Mbps on 100 MHz)
13 to 20	Good	Green	64QAM — high throughput
0 to 13	Fair	Yellow	16QAM — moderate throughput
-5 to 0	Poor	Orange	QPSK — minimal throughput
< -5	Bad	Red	No NR service

SS-RSRQ (NR)

Range (dB)	Quality	Color
> -10	Excellent	Dark green
-10 to -13	Good	Green
-13 to -15	Fair	Yellow
< -15	Bad	Red

Relationships between RSRP, RSRQ, and SINR

These three indicators are not independent. Understanding their relationships aids diagnosis:

Good RSRP + poor SINR

Diagnosis: interference. The serving cell signal is strong, but neighboring cells (or external sources) create interference.

Possible causes:

• Pilot pollution (too many cells received at comparable levels)
• Distant cell with insufficient downtilt
• External interference (radar, industrial equipment)

Actions: adjust tilts, reduce interfering cell power, check PCI planning.

Poor RSRP + good SINR

Diagnosis: isolated zone. The signal is weak but there is no interference because the area is at the coverage edge of a single cell.

Possible causes:

• Distance from site
• Building attenuation (indoor)
• Natural obstacle (hill, forest)

Actions: densify the network, increase power or adjust tilt to extend coverage.

Good RSRP + poor RSRQ

Diagnosis: loaded cell. The signal is strong but cell load is high, degrading perceived quality.

Possible causes:

• Too many users connected to the same cell
• Intensive data traffic (video streaming, updates)

Actions: balance load between cells, add frequency resources, consider more aggressive carrier aggregation.

Impact on actual throughput

SINR is the best predictor of achievable throughput. Here are typical throughputs observed in the field:

LTE (20 MHz, 2x2 MIMO)

SINR	Modulation	CQI	Typical DL throughput
25 dB	256QAM	15	80-100 Mbps
18 dB	64QAM	12	50-70 Mbps
10 dB	16QAM	8	20-40 Mbps
3 dB	QPSK	4	5-15 Mbps
-2 dB	QPSK	1	1-5 Mbps

5G NR (100 MHz, 4x4 MIMO, FR1)

SINR	Modulation	Typical DL throughput
25 dB	256QAM	500-800 Mbps
18 dB	64QAM	300-500 Mbps
10 dB	16QAM	100-250 Mbps
3 dB	QPSK	30-80 Mbps
-2 dB	QPSK	5-20 Mbps

Measurement tools

In the field

To measure these KPIs in the field with an Android smartphone, a network diagnostic application captures RSRP, RSRQ, and SINR in real time with geolocation. Our diagnostic suite offers this capability with Excel, CSV, and QMDL export.

Automated interpretation

Our RSRP/RSRQ/SINR calculator allows you to enter your measured values and instantly get a diagnosis with color coding and associated recommendations.

Practical diagnostic cases

Case 1: subscriber complaint “slow internet”

Measurements: RSRP = -85 dBm, RSRQ = -16 dB, SINR = 5 dB

Analysis: RSRP is good (adequate coverage) but RSRQ is poor (heavily loaded cell) and SINR is fair. The problem is not coverage but cell capacity.

Case 2: subscriber complaint “no indoor signal”

Measurements: RSRP = -118 dBm, RSRQ = -11 dB, SINR = 12 dB

Analysis: RSRP is very poor (no indoor coverage) but SINR is good (no interference). The solution is to improve indoor coverage (small cell, DAS, or outdoor tilt adjustment).

Case 3: 5G throughput below expectations

Measurements: SSB-RSRP = -78 dBm, SSB-SINR = 3 dB

Analysis: excellent RSRP but mediocre SINR. Interference issue between beams or between neighboring NR cells. Check PCI planning and beamforming optimization.

For a hands-on methodology covering walk tests and drive tests, check out our complete 4G/5G drive test guide. For deeper mobile network diagnostics and available tools, see our technical glossary and product page.