5G Frequency Bands
Comprehensive guide to 5G NR frequency bands, spectrum allocation, and deployment scenarios
FR1
Frequency Range 1 • 410 MHz - 7.125 GHz
Sub-6 GHz
Sub-6 GHz bands for wide area coverage
Characteristics:
Better propagation characteristics
Wide area coverage
Building penetration
Lower data rates compared to FR2
Key Bands:
| Band | Frequency | Duplex | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| n1 | 2110-2170 MHz | FDD | Global |
| n3 | 1805-1880 MHz | FDD | Global |
| n7 | 2620-2690 MHz | FDD | Global |
| n28 | 758-803 MHz | FDD | APAC |
| n78 | 3300-3800 MHz | TDD | Global |
| n79 | 4400-5000 MHz | TDD | China |
FR2
Frequency Range 2 • 24.25 GHz - 52.6 GHz
mmWave
mmWave bands for high-speed, short-range applications
Characteristics:
Very high data rates
Short range coverage
Limited building penetration
Beamforming required
Key Bands:
| Band | Frequency | Duplex | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| n257 | 26.5-29.5 GHz | TDD | Global |
| n258 | 24.25-27.5 GHz | TDD | US |
| n260 | 37-40 GHz | TDD | US |
| n261 | 27.5-28.35 GHz | TDD | Global |
Deployment Scenarios
Optimal frequency band selection for different deployment environments
Urban Dense
High capacity requirements with mmWave for hotspots
n78
n257
n260
Urban
Balanced coverage and capacity using mid-band spectrum
n1
n3
n7
n78
Suburban
Wide area coverage with selective capacity enhancement
n1
n3
n28
n78
Rural
Maximum coverage using low-band spectrum
n28
n1
n3
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