Determining channel state information in 5G wireless communication systems with phase tracking

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by a device comprising a processer, configuration information from network equipment indicating that a phase tracking reference signal protocol has been configured for communications between the device and the network equipment, wherein the phase tracking reference signal protocol involves transmission of phase tracking reference signals to the device by the network equipment, and wherein the configuration information fails to indicate an actual allocation of resource elements for the phase tracking reference signals to be used for the transmission;
• determining, by the device in response to the receiving, channel state information based on a default allocation of the resource elements for the phase tracking reference signals to be used for the transmission, wherein the actual allocation is modifiable from the default allocation;
• and
• reporting, by the device, the channel state information to the network equipment.

A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a device, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

• receiving, from a network equipment, activation information indicating that a phase tracking reference signal protocol has been activated for communication between the device and the network equipment, wherein the phase tracking reference signal protocol specifies that a transmission of phase tracking reference signals to the device by the network equipment, and wherein the activation information does not indicate an actual allocation of resource elements for the phase tracking reference signals to be used for the transmission;
• in response to the receiving, determining channel state information based on a default density of the resource elements for the phase tracking reference signals to be used for the transmission, wherein the actual allocation is changeable from the default allocation;
• and
• sending the channel state information to the network equipment.