Question: Which of the following physical layer functions is NOT primarily responsible for ensuring reliable data transmission over a noisy channel in a 5G New Radio (NR) network?
Option 1: Hybrid ARQ soft-combining
Option 2: Power weighting of physical channels
Option 3: FEC encoding/decoding of the transport channel
Option 4: Error detection on the transport channel and indication to higher layers
Explanation: Power weighting of physical channels (Option 2) is primarily related to adjusting the power levels of different physical channels, which affects the overall signal quality and interference management but is not directly focused on ensuring reliable data transmission over a noisy channel. In contrast, Hybrid ARQ soft-combining (Option 1), FEC encoding/decoding (Option 3), and Error detection (Option 4) are all mechanisms specifically designed to enhance reliability by correcting errors, detecting errors, or retransmitting flawed data, making them more directly responsible for ensuring reliable data transmission over noisy channels.