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1. Introduction: Why RLC Still Matters in 5G NR When discussions around 5G performance arise, attention usually gravitates toward massive MIMO, beamforming, or spectrum efficiency. Yet, in real networks, user experience often degrades due to issues far removed from PHY or antennas. One of the most common root causes lies in the Radio Link Control (RLC)  layer. In 5G NR, RLC sits between PDCP and MAC, just like LTE. But assuming it is “unchanged from LTE” is a mistake. While t

1. Introduction Medium Access Control (MAC) scheduling is one of the most critical real-time functions in a 5G NR gNB. It directly determines throughput, latency, fairness, spectral efficiency, and QoS compliance. Unlike LTE, 5G MAC scheduling operates in a much more complex design space due to: Flexible numerology (multiple SCS) Mini-slots and slot aggregation Beam-based transmissions Massive MIMO QoS flows (5QI-driven scheduling) URLLC pre-emption and puncturing Dynamic TDD