Abstract: The unprecedented growth in smart device usage has accelerated demand for ultra-reliable, high-speed wireless connectivity. Fifth-Generation (5G) mobile communication systems address this demand by delivering multi-gigabit throughput, ultra-low latency, and massive device connectivity. Achieving these stringent requirements relies heavily on advanced Digital Signal Processing (DSP) techniques. This paper investigates the fundamental and advanced roles of DSP in the development and realization of 5G standards, highlighting its contributions to Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), Massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO), and digital beam forming. Further emphasis is placed on adaptive channel estimation, signal detection, and interference mitigation strategies that enable robust operation in dynamic environments. Hardware design considerations involving DSP-ASIC co-integration are examined, alongside the emerging synergy between DSP and Machine Learning (ML) for adaptive, intelligent signal processing. The findings demonstrate that DSP forms the backbone of 5G physical layer design, ensuring scalability, efficiency, and adaptability, while laying the foundation for beyond-5G (B5G) and 6G networks.

Keywords: 5G networks, digital signal processing (DSP), OFDM, massive MIMO, beamforming, channel estimation, LDPC, ASIC, machine learning (ML), adaptive signal processing.

Downloads: | DOI: 10.17148/IJIREEICE.2025.13910