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Measurement Reference

5G NR RSRP Measurement Mapping

RSRP (Reference Signal Received Power) is the linear average of the power contributions of the resource elements that carry a dedicated reference signal in a 5G NR cell. RSRP is the primary indicator of downlink received signal strength and is used by the UE for cell selection, reselection, and handover ranking.

In 5G NR, RSRP is derived from the SSS in the SS/PBCH block (SS-RSRP) or from CSI-RS resources (CSI-RSRP). Both quantities are defined in 3GPP TS 38.215 and their measurement requirements are detailed in TS 38.133 Β§10.1.6.

Last verified 2026-04-15 against 3GPP TS 38.133 v18.3.0 Β§10.1.6 and TS 38.215 Β§5.1.1 Β· Release 18

3GPP formula (TS 38.133 Β§10.1.6.1): RSRP_dBm = RSRP_index - 156

Good, index 70 = -86 dBm

RSRP qualitative bands

Quality Range (dBm) Experience
Excellent>= -80Maximum throughput, 256-QAM, aggregated carriers
Good-80 to -90Stable high throughput, occasional 256-QAM
Fair-90 to -100Mid rate, 16-QAM, 64-QAM
Poor-100 to -110QPSK dominant, retransmissions
Very poor< -110Cell edge, frequent handovers

Capturing real RSRP on Android with HiCellTek

A calculated RSRP is a planning value. The value that matters for a field engineer is the live RSRP measured on a real device. HiCellTek RF Monitor reads the serving cell SS-RSRP directly from Qualcomm powered Android devices via the Android Telephony API, together with:

  • Serving NR-ARFCN, band, channel bandwidth
  • PCI and SSB index
  • Instantaneous SS-RSRQ and SS-SINR
  • CSI-RSRP per beam when CSI reporting is enabled
  • Export to Excel, CSV, QMDL, and HLOG
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Frequently asked questions

What does an RSRP of -85 dBm mean in a 5G NR cell?

It indicates a good downlink signal level that allows the UE to decode the PBCH and camp on the cell with a comfortable link margin. In outdoor macro FR1, this is typically achievable within a few hundred meters of a gNB.

What is the difference between SS-RSRP and CSI-RSRP values for the same cell?

SS-RSRP is measured on the SSS inside the SS/PBCH block and is available in any RRC state. CSI-RSRP is measured on CSI-RS and only in RRC_CONNECTED when the gNB configures a CSI-RS resource. CSI-RSRP can be higher than SS-RSRP when the gNB applies beamforming gain on the CSI-RS resource.

Why is the RSRP reported index capped at 126 and not 127?

Per TS 38.133 Β§10.1.6.1 the reported index range for SS-RSRP is 0 to 126, corresponding to 127 discrete values. The value 127 is reserved. CSI-RSRP uses the same convention.

Can RSRP be positive?

No. RSRP is a received power level well below the noise floor of a 0 dBm reference. In practical networks, RSRP is always negative and bounded between -156 dBm and -31 dBm.

How does RSRP relate to throughput?

Throughput depends on SINR and the selected MCS, not directly on RSRP. However, a high RSRP usually correlates with a high SINR when interference is controlled. See the MCS throughput calculator to estimate throughput from SINR.

What replaces CRS for RSRP in 5G NR?

CRS was removed in NR. The UE derives RSRP from the SSS within the SS/PBCH block for SS-RSRP and from CSI-RS resources for CSI-RSRP. Both measurements are specified in 3GPP TS 38.215.

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