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3GPP TS 38.214 · TS 38.306

SINR to MCS to Throughput Calculator

Enter a measured SINR: get the corresponding CQI, MCS (per the selected 3GPP table), modulation, code rate and theoretical throughput under ideal conditions. Supports LTE and 5G NR FR1/FR2, with 3GPP TS 38.306 overheads.

Tables: TS 38.214 §5.1.3.1-1/2/3, TS 36.213 §7.1.7 · Throughput formula: TS 38.306 §4.1.2 · Last reviewed: 2026-04-11

Input Parameters

Selected MCS Table

Highlighted row = MCS achievable with your current SINR. Source: 3GPP TS 38.214.

MCS Modulation Code rate x1024 Spectral efficiency (bits/s/Hz) Est. min SINR (dB)

Understanding the Calculation

The SINR to CQI to MCS to Throughput chain is the Link Adaptation logic used by the gNB or eNB to maximize throughput without exceeding the target error rate.

Step 1: SINR to CQI

The UE measures the SINR on CSI-RS or SSB and reports a CQI (0-15) to the gNB via the uplink control channel. The CQI represents the highest index for which the BLER will not exceed 10% on the first transmission. The higher the SINR, the higher the recommended CQI.

Step 2: CQI to MCS

The gNB translates the CQI into an MCS index (0 to 27 or 28 depending on the table) using the MCS table configured by RRC. Each MCS defines: the modulation order (Q_m: 2=QPSK, 4=16QAM, 6=64QAM, 8=256QAM), the target code rate (quantized on 1024), and the corresponding spectral efficiency.

Step 3: MCS to Throughput

The theoretical throughput follows the 3GPP TS 38.306 formula: R = 10^-6 x v x Qm x f x R_code x 12 x N_PRB / Ts x (1 - OH) where v is the number of MIMO layers, Qm the modulation order, R_code the normalized code rate (x/1024), N_PRB the number of Physical Resource Blocks, Ts the average OFDM symbol duration and OH the overhead (0.14 FR1 DL, 0.18 FR2 DL).

Frequently Asked Questions

How is SINR converted to CQI?
The SINR to CQI conversion uses BLER (Block Error Rate) curves targeting 10% in an AWGN channel. We use an equivalence table widely adopted for downlink (TS 38.214 table 5.2.2.1-2 64QAM and 5.2.2.1-3 256QAM as baseline). The minimum SINR for each CQI varies by vendor implementation (Ericsson, Nokia, Huawei, Samsung), but typical values are stable within +/- 1 dB.
Why is 5G NR overhead different between FR1 and FR2?
3GPP TS 38.306 specifies an overhead (OH) of 0.14 for FR1 DL, 0.08 for FR1 UL, 0.18 for FR2 DL and 0.10 for FR2 UL. These values account for reference signals such as DMRS, PT-RS, CSI-RS, the PDCCH control region, and non-scheduled slots.
How is N_PRB calculated from the bandwidth?
Each bandwidth / SCS combination yields a maximum number of PRBs defined in TS 38.101-1 Table 5.3.2-1 (FR1) and TS 38.101-2 Table 5.3.2-1 (FR2). For example: 100 MHz @ 30 kHz SCS in FR1 gives 273 PRBs. 100 MHz @ 120 kHz SCS in FR2 gives 66 PRBs.
Why are there 3 MCS tables in 5G NR?
TS 38.214 defines three MCS tables for PDSCH: Table 5.1.3.1-1 (64QAM, index 0-28, MCS 29-31 reserved for retransmission), Table 5.1.3.1-2 (256QAM, index 0-27), Table 5.1.3.1-3 (64QAM low spectral efficiency for coverage / URLLC, index 0-28). The network selects the table based on the terminal capability and RRC parameters.
My actual throughput is lower than the calculated throughput, why?
The displayed throughput is a theoretical physical layer throughput under ideal conditions (low cell load, no HARQ retransmission, maximum allocation). The observed application throughput is typically 60 to 80% of the PHY throughput due to TCP slow-start, cell load, retransmissions, L2/IP overhead, and scheduling.
Why do high SINR values not increase throughput beyond 20 dB?
Once the SINR allows the use of the highest available MCS (MCS 27 in 64QAM or MCS 27 in 256QAM), additional SINR does not change the modulation or code rate. The throughput therefore saturates at the maximum throughput for the allocation. To go beyond, you need either more PRBs (bandwidth) or more MIMO layers.

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