Sign in Subscribe

3g 4g 5g frequency band

Last updated on 

1. 3G (Third Generation) Frequency Bands:

a. UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System):

  • Frequency Range: The primary frequency bands used for UMTS are 2100 MHz (or 2.1 GHz) in most parts of the world.
  • Bandwidth: The bandwidth allocation is usually 5 MHz for each paired channel (uplink and downlink).
  • Technology: UMTS uses W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) as its air interface technology.

b. CDMA2000 (1xRTT and EV-DO):

  • Frequency Range: CDMA2000 was designed for various frequency bands, including 800 MHz, 1900 MHz, and 2100 MHz.
  • Bandwidth: Typically, 1.25 MHz channels are used for 1xRTT, while EV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized) uses 1.25 MHz to 5 MHz channels.
  • Technology: CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) is the underlying technology, allowing multiple users to share the same frequency band by assigning different codes to each user.

2. 4G (Fourth Generation) Frequency Bands:

a. LTE (Long-Term Evolution):

  • Frequency Range: LTE operates across various frequency bands globally, including 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2600 MHz, and others, depending on regional allocations.
  • Bandwidth: LTE supports various bandwidth configurations, with common configurations being 1.4 MHz, 3 MHz, 5 MHz, 10 MHz, 15 MHz, and 20 MHz.
  • Technology: LTE employs Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) for downlink and Single Carrier Frequency-Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) for the uplink, enhancing spectral efficiency and data rates.

3. 5G (Fifth Generation) Frequency Bands:

a. Sub-6 GHz Bands:

  • Frequency Range: 5G in the sub-6 GHz range spans from around 3.3 GHz to 6 GHz, including bands like 3.5 GHz (in many regions) and 4.5 GHz.
  • Bandwidth: The bandwidth can vary significantly, with potential configurations up to 100 MHz or more, depending on regional and operator allocations.
  • Technology: 5G in sub-6 GHz bands primarily uses Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) for downlink and uplink, similar to LTE but with enhanced features like more extensive bandwidth support, advanced MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) technologies, and other optimizations.

b. mmWave Bands:

  • Frequency Range: Millimeter wave (mmWave) bands for 5G typically range from 24 GHz up to 40 GHz or higher.
  • Bandwidth: mmWave bands can provide very wide bandwidths, potentially up to several hundred MHz or even wider channels.
  • Technology: Due to the unique propagation characteristics of mmWave frequencies, 5G deployments in these bands use beamforming, advanced MIMO techniques, and other technologies to manage challenges like higher path loss and atmospheric absorption.