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4g 5g frequency bands

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Let's delve into the technical aspects of 4G and 5G frequency bands.

4G Frequency Bands:

  1. Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD):
    • Band 1 (2100 MHz): Used in Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa. It is one of the main bands for 3G services as well.
    • Band 2 (1900 MHz): Primarily used in North America. It's also known as PCS (Personal Communications Service) band.
    • Band 3 (1800 MHz): Commonly used in Europe, Asia, and Australia.
    • Band 4 (AWS-1, 1700/2100 MHz): Used mainly in North and South America.
    • Band 5 (850 MHz): Used in various countries, including the U.S.
    • Band 7 (2600 MHz): Deployed in Europe and parts of Asia.
    • Band 8 (900 MHz): Primarily used in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
    • Band 12 (700 MHz): Used in the U.S. for extended coverage and better indoor penetration.
    • Band 13 (700 MHz): Another U.S. band, mainly for Verizon's LTE.
    • Band 20 (800 MHz): Used across Europe, especially for rural coverage.
    • ... and many more bands up to Band 41.
  2. Time Division Duplexing (TDD):
    • Band 38 (2600 MHz): Common in Europe, parts of Asia.
    • Band 40 (2300 MHz): Used in India and some other regions.
    • Band 41 (2500/2600 MHz): Utilized in various countries including the U.S.

5G Frequency Bands:

5G introduces a broader range of frequency bands, both in terms of sub-6 GHz bands and mmWave bands. Here's a breakdown:

  1. Sub-6 GHz Bands:
    • Band n77 (3.3-4.2 GHz): Used in many regions globally.
    • Band n78 (3.3-3.8 GHz): Another mid-band range.
    • Band n79 (4.4-4.99 GHz): Targeted for 5G use in China.
    • Band n1 (2100 MHz): An extension from 4G to 5G, used in various regions.
    • Band n3 (1800 MHz): Like n1, it extends from 4G and is used in regions where Band 3 is prevalent.
    • Band n28 (700 MHz): To provide better coverage, similar to Band 12/13 in 4G.
    • ... and more.
  2. mmWave Bands:
    • Band n257 (28 GHz): One of the primary mmWave bands used in the U.S. and some other regions.
    • Band n258 (26 GHz): Deployed in Europe and some parts of Asia.
    • Band n260 (39 GHz): Used in some parts of North America.
    • ... and other higher-frequency bands for ultra-fast, but shorter-range communications.

Key Differences:

  • Spectrum Range: 5G uses a broader range of spectrum, including low-band, mid-band, and high-band (mmWave) frequencies. This spectrum diversity allows 5G to offer a mix of coverage and high data rates.
  • Efficiency: 5G technologies are designed to be more efficient in terms of data throughput, latency, and connection density, especially when compared to the 4G LTE standard.
  • Beamforming & MIMO: 5G utilizes advanced technologies like massive MIMO and beamforming to provide faster speeds and better coverage, especially in mmWave bands.
  • Use Cases: While 4G was primarily focused on mobile broadband and IoT applications, 5G aims to support a wider range of applications, including augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), autonomous vehicles, and more.