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You are here: Home / 5G / What are 5G frequency bands

What are 5G frequency bands

Last Modified: July 31, 2022 by Rajiv 8 Comments

5g-frequency-band

Like any wireless transmission system, 5G – the fifth generation mobile communication network also require to use frequency spectrum to transmit data. In order to support higher bandwidth, 5G require high frequency range of sub 6 GHz and millimeter waves. What are the radio frequency bands used in 5G communication system?

Why 5G requires high frequency spectrum?

Conventional GSM and LTE network uses frequency range below 4 GHz range. It has limitation due to bandwidth. Significant increase of bandwidth is necessary to support enhanced mobile broadband experience. At higher frequency range such as millimeter waves, there are many unused spectrum to utilize efficiently with higher bandwidth.

Relationship between Frequency and Bandwidth

Technologies like 5G have to support higher data rate requirements which traditional GSM or LTE network is not capable of. Bandwidth of a transmitting signal is the distance between the lower and upper cut-off frequency. If higher frequency is used, wider bandwidth can be utilized for data transmission.

In 5G systems, service providers planning to use bandwidth of 500MHz to even up to 1-2 GHz.

Sub 6GHz spectrum

Sub 6GHz spectrum is the candidate for early deployment of 5G networks across the globe. It will use unused spectrum below 6GHz range, it can support higher bandwidth than LTE frequency bands.

Advantages of sub-6GHz spectrum

Compared to millimeter wave spectrum, frequency below 6GHz is less complex in development of infrastructure, deployment and future network enhancements. Modification of existing system at lower frequency (700MHz or 3,GHz range) is possible for earlier deployments of 5G systems.

Moreover, unlicensed spectrum doesn’t require approval (in many countries) from authorities. Network operators can easily develop, test and deploy unlicensed spectrum efficiently than a costly GSM/LTE bands.

5G – NR (New Radio)

5g-new-radio

5G NR – new radio is a new standard for ultra fast 5G networks. It will make use of unlicensed spectrum below 6 GHz and above 6 GHz (millimeter range). 5G NR is designed to support a highly scalable network capable of future enhancements.

Find: What is 5G-NR (New Radio) and how it works?

5G Frequency Bands

The FCC is driving key spectrum initiatives to enable 5G across Low-band, Mid-band and High-Band

 

In many countries, 5G system are still in trial and frequency bands yet to be finalized. We will update once each countries / regions officially announce their spectrum for 5G network deployment.

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Filed Under: 5G

About author

I'm Rajiv, a senior application engineer with 15 years of experience in RF Test & Measurement solutions. Interested in LTE, 5G, IoT, Wireless technologies, LabVIEW and C# coding.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Antone Mubinya says

    June 1, 2019 at 12:44 pm

    correlation on power energy and frequency in 5G

    Reply
  2. Ryan says

    March 27, 2020 at 11:21 am

    5G is killing people, Birds are falling from the sky because it’s killing them, too

    Reply
  3. J GERMAN TORRES A says

    April 26, 2020 at 9:34 pm

    I don’t understand why there are application for the 5G technology in bands such as 600 MHz, and 700 MHz., considering that a fundamental characteristic of 5G is to have networks that can offer data rates wll above 100 Mbps?

    Reply
  4. Mitchum says

    June 20, 2020 at 2:51 pm

    referring to bandWIDTH and not operating frequency re: 600 and 700 MHz

    Reply
  5. Harvey Wills says

    December 5, 2020 at 7:49 pm

    Lower frequencies helps in range and coverage problems in rural areas and when cojoined with microwave bands overcome some interference problems through frequency and space diversity. My question is this much telecommunications worth all of the unforeseen health hazards coming to humans and wildlife alike from 5G? Some of the these upper GHz frequency bands can vaporize living cells. The military has been experimenting with this for years as technologies made working in the 20-300 GHz frequency range possible. Depending on Carrier Provider and frequency bands utilized, 5G could be the new coming “Weapons of Mass Destruction.

    In the mid 70’s, I did a study on 500kKV Power Switching Yards for High Voltage Transmission Lines where the harmonics of 60 hertz reached microwave frequencies at dangerously high power levels. I always wore a microwave detector badge working around microwave transmitters and dishes. I did that also working around and being near Air Force Radars on fighter planes and mountain tops.The first time I walked into a 500KV Switching Yard with it on, my detector went off immediately having me wondering what caused it. Investigation with an HP RF Spectrum Analyzer led me to the culprits. When 4 or 5, 500KV Transmission Lines come into a 500 KV Switching Yard, you are around several thousand megawatts of electrical power. 60 hertz harmonics are there everywhere at extremely high power levels. It is an Unsafe place to be less a lone working.

    Reply
  6. Dan says

    April 2, 2022 at 1:57 pm

    They worked really hard on this and spent more money trying to make this thing work….made Howard Hughes seem like a tight wad. They don’t really care what it does to you. Sorry but that’s the truth. When there is enough scientific evidence that it”s killing you, then they will provide suggestions on how to live longer and still use their awesome service…Faraday shields around your head and body. Special rooms where you will need to go to use that deadly phone of yours, Think about it…Those phones stuck to the side of most junior high students have already caused a lot of concern in the medical community with the emergence of cancerous tumors in and round the brain, ear, neck, and mouth. Keep an eye on those “permissible ex-poser levels, and what they call safe levels of Radiation (non ionizing) (this is no such thing as a safe level of radiation) it don’t exist now and never will. A radiating device stuck to your head all day and night and meandering from one RF hot spot or Microwave oven to the next will kill you.

    Reply
  7. Medhesh Pandey says

    December 15, 2022 at 6:51 am

    These frequencies kills, they should learn to protect what is important(i.e. our ecosystem) and not try to disrupt to natural balance.

    Reply
    • Rajiv says

      December 16, 2022 at 11:56 pm

      Thanks for your comment Medhesh. The transmitting power of 5G base stations is relatively lower than conventional 3G/4G base stations. 5G requires much more base stations to cover a small geographical area.

      Reply

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