5G NR & LTE Frequency Bands and Terminology Explanation

Spectrum is the most fundamental and valuable resource for wireless communication network, no matter it’s 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G or any other network standards. Spectrum is a scarce resource. While lower frequency bands (mainly from 600MHz to 2600MHz) have been largely occupied by previous wireless network standards from 2G to 4G, 5G can only go higher to C-band (initially refers to 3.7-4.2GHz, roughly corresponding to n77, n78, n79 bands of 5G) or even mmWave. But that’s not meaning that 5G doesn’t touch lower frequency bands. In fact, 5G frequency bands cover all those previously used for 2G, 3G, 4G and up to 5GHz, as well as mmWave.

According to 3GPP, Frequency bands for 5G NR are being separated into two different frequency ranges:

Frequency Range 1 (FR1)

Frequency Range 1 (FR1) includes sub-6GHz frequency bands, some of which are bands traditionally used by previous standards, but has been extended to cover potential new spectrum offerings from 410 MHz to 7125 MHz.

Frequency Range 2 (FR2)

Frequency Range 2 (FR2) includes frequency bands from 24.25 GHz to 52.6 GHz. Bands in this millimeter wave range have shorter range but higher available bandwidth than bands in the FR1.

When we talk about frequency bands, both wireless network infrastructure built by telecom service providers and terminals (such as mobile phone, indoor and outdoor CPE, industrial 5G routers, MIFI mobile hotspot, etc.) should support the same bands so as to function normally.

Here below is the full list of 5G and 4G LTE frequency bands defined by 3GPP.

5G NR Frequency Bands

Frequency Range 1 (FR1)

Band	Duplex mode	ƒ (MHz)	Common name	Subset of band	Uplink (MHz)	Downlink (MHz)	Duplex spacing (MHz)	Channel bandwidths (MHz)
n1	FDD	2100	IMT	n65	1920 – 1980	2110 – 2170	190	5, 10, 15, 20
n2	FDD	1900	PCS	n25	1850 – 1910	1930 – 1990	80	5, 10, 15, 20
n3	FDD	1800	DCS		1710 – 1785	1805 – 1880	95	5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30
n5	FDD	850	CLR		824 – 849	869 – 894	45	5, 10, 15, 20
n7	FDD	2600	IMT‑E		2500 – 2570	2620 – 2690	120	5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50
n8	FDD	900	Extended GSM		880 – 915	925 – 960	45	5, 10, 15, 20
n12	FDD	700	Lower SMH		699 – 716	729 – 746	30	5, 10, 15
n14	FDD	700	Upper SMH		788 – 798	758 – 768	−30	5, 10
n18	FDD	850	Lower 800 (Japan)		815 – 830	860 – 875	45	5, 10, 15
n20	FDD	800	Digital Dividend (EU)		832 – 862	791 – 821	−41	5, 10, 15, 20
n25	FDD	1900	Extended PCS		1850 – 1915	1930 – 1995	80	5, 10, 15, 20
n28	FDD	700	APT		703 – 748	758 – 803	55	5, 10, 15, 20
n29	SDL	700	Lower SMH		N/A	717 – 728	N/A	5, 10
n30	FDD	2300	WCS		2305 – 2315	2350 – 2360	45	5, 10
n34	TDD	2100	IMT		2010 – 2025	N/A	5, 10, 15
n38	TDD	2600	IMT‑E		2570 – 2620	N/A	5, 10, 15, 20
n39	TDD	1900	DCS–IMT Gap		1880 – 1920	N/A	5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40
n40	TDD	2300	S-Band		2300 – 2400	N/A	5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80
n41	TDD	2500	BRS	n90	2496 – 2690	N/A	10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80, 90, 100
n48	TDD	3500	CBRS (US)		3550 – 3700	N/A	5, 10, 15, 20, 40, 50, 60, 80, 90, 100
n50	TDD	1500	L‑Band		1432 – 1517	N/A	5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80
n51	TDD	1500	L‑Band Extension		1427 – 1432	N/A	5
n65	FDD	2100	Extended IMT		1920 – 2010	2110 – 2200	190	5, 10, 15, 20
n66	FDD	1700	Extended AWS		1710 – 1780	2110 – 2200	400	5, 10, 15, 20, 40
n70	FDD	2000	AWS‑4		1695 – 1710	1995 – 2020	300	5, 10, 15, 20, 25
n71	FDD	600	Digital Dividend (US)		663 – 698	617 – 652	−46	5, 10, 15, 20
n74	FDD	1500	Lower L‑Band (Japan)		1427 – 1470	1475 – 1518	48	5, 10, 15, 20
n75	SDL	1500	L‑Band		N/A	1432 – 1517	N/A	5, 10, 15, 20
n76	SDL	1500	Extended L‑Band		N/A	1427 – 1432	N/A	5
n77	TDD	3700	C-Band		3300 – 4200	N/A	10, 15, 20, 40, 50, 60, 80, 90, 100
n78	TDD	3500	C-Band	n77	3300 – 3800	N/A	10, 15, 20, 40, 50, 60, 80, 90, 100
n79	TDD	4700	C-Band		4400 – 5000	N/A	40, 50, 60, 80, 100
n80	SUL	1800	DCS		1710 – 1785	N/A	N/A	5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30
n81	SUL	900	Extended GSM		880 – 915	N/A	N/A	5, 10, 15, 20
n82	SUL	800	Digital Dividend (EU)		832 – 862	N/A	N/A	5, 10, 15, 20
n83	SUL	700	APT		703 – 748	N/A	N/A	5, 10, 15, 20
n84	SUL	2100	IMT		1920 – 1980	N/A	N/A	5, 10, 15, 20
n86	SUL	1700	Extended AWS		1710 – 1780	N/A	N/A	5, 10, 15, 20, 40
n89	SUL	850	CLR		824 – 849	N/A	N/A	5, 10, 15, 20
n90	TDD	2500	BRS		2496 – 2690	N/A	10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80, 90, 100

Frequency Range 2 (FR2)

Band	ƒ (GHz)	Common name	Subset of band	Uplink / Downlink (GHz)	Channel bandwidths (MHz)
n257	28	LMDS		26.50 – 29.50	50, 100, 200, 400
n258	26	K-band		24.25 – 27.50	50, 100, 200, 400
n259	42	V-band		39.50 – 43.50	50, 100, 200, 400
n260	39	Ka-band		37.00 – 40.00	50, 100, 200, 400
n261	28	Ka-band	n257	27.50 – 28.35	50, 100, 200, 400

4G LTE Frequency Bands

Band	Name	Mode	Downlink (MHz)			Bandwidth DL/UL (MHz)	Uplink (MHz)			Duplex spacing (MHz)	Geographical area	3GPP release	Channel bandwidth (MHz)
Band	Name	Mode	Low	Middle	High	Bandwidth DL/UL (MHz)	Low	Middle	High	Duplex spacing (MHz)	Geographical area	3GPP release	1.4	3	5	10	15	20
1	2100	FDD	2110	2140	2170	60	1920	1950	1980	190	Global	8			5	10	15	20
2	1900 PCS	FDD	1930	1960	1990	60	1850	1880	1910	80	NAR	8	1.4	3	5	10	15	20
3	1800+	FDD	1805	1842.5	1880	75	1710	1747.5	1785	95	Global	8	1.4	3	5	10	15	20
4	AWS-1	FDD	2110	2132.5	2155	45	1710	1732.5	1755	400	NAR	8	1.4	3	5	10	15	20
5	850	FDD	869	881.5	894	25	824	836.5	849	45	NAR	8	1.4	3	5	10
7	2600	FDD	2620	2655	2690	70	2500	2535	2570	120	EMEA	8			5	10	15	20
8	900 GSM	FDD	925	942.5	960	35	880	897.5	915	45	Global	8	1.4	3	5	10
9	1800	FDD	1844.9	1862.5	1879.9	35	1749.9	1767.5	1784.9	95	APAC	8			5	10	15	20
10	AWS-1+	FDD	2110	2140	2170	60	1710	1740	1770	400	NAR	8			5	10	15	20
11	1500 Lower	FDD	1475.9	1486	1495.9	20	1427.9	1438	1447.9	48	Japan	8			5	10
12	700 a	FDD	729	737.5	746	17	699	707.5	716	30	NAR	8.4	1.4	3	5	10
13	700 c	FDD	746	751	756	10	777	782	787	-31	NAR	8			5	10
14	700 PS	FDD	758	763	768	10	788	793	798	-30	NAR	8			5	10
17	700 b	FDD	734	740	746	12	704	710	716	30	NAR	8.3			5	10
18	800 Lower	FDD	860	867.5	875	15	815	822.5	830	45	Japan	9			5	10	15
19	800 Upper	FDD	875	882.5	890	15	830	837.5	845	45	Japan	9			5	10	15
20	800 DD	FDD	791	806	821	30	832	847	862	-41	EMEA	9			5	10	15	20
21	1500 Upper	FDD	1495.9	1503.5	1510.9	15	1447.9	1455.5	1462.9	48	Japan	9			5	10	15
22	3500	FDD	3510	3550	3590	80	3410	3450	3490	100	EMEA	10.4			5	10	15	20
24	1600 L-band	FDD	1525	1542	1559	34	1626.5	1643.5	1660.5	-101.5	NAR	10.1			5	10
25	1900+	FDD	1930	1962.5	1995	65	1850	1882.5	1915	80	NAR	10	1.4	3	5	10	15	20
26	850+	FDD	859	876.5	894	35	814	831.5	849	45	NAR	11.0	1.4	3	5	10	15
27	800 SMR	FDD	852	860.5	869	17	807	815.5	824	45	NAR	11.1	1.4	3	5	10
28	700 APT	FDD	758	780.5	803	45	703	725.5	748	55	APAC,EU	11.1		3	5	10	15	20
29	700 d	SDL	717	722.5	728	11	Downlink only				NAR	11.3		3	5	10
30	2300 WCS	FDD	2350	2355	2360	10	2305	2310	2315	45	NAR	12.0			5	10
31	450	FDD	462.5	465	467.5	5	452.5	455	457.5	10	Global	12.0	1.4	3	5
32	1500 L-band	SDL	1452	1474	1496	44	Downlink only				EMEA	12.4			5	10	15	20
33	TD 1900	TDD	1900	1910	1920	20					EMEA	8			5	10	15	20
34	TD 2000	TDD	2010	2017.5	2025	15					EMEA	8			5	10	15
35	TD PCS Lower	TDD	1850	1880	1910	60					NAR	8	1.4	3	5	10	15	20
36	TD PCS Upper	TDD	1930	1960	1990	60					NAR	8	1.4	3	5	10	15	20
37	TD PCS Center gap	TDD	1910	1920	1930	20					NAR	8			5	10	15	20
38	TD 2600	TDD	2570	2595	2620	50					EMEA	8			5	10	15	20
39	TD 1900+	TDD	1880	1900	1920	40					China	8			5	10	15	20
40	TD 2300	TDD	2300	2350	2400	100					China	8			5	10	15	20
41	TD 2600+	TDD	2496	2593	2690	194					Global	10			5	10	15	20
42	TD 3500	TDD	3400	3500	3600	200						10			5	10	15	20
43	TD 3700	TDD	3600	3700	3800	200						10			5	10	15	20
44	TD 700	TDD	703	753	803	100					APAC	11.1		3	5	10	15	20
45	TD 1500	TDD	1447	1457	1467	20					China	13.2			5	10	15	20
46	TD Unlicensed	TDD	5150	5537.5	5925	775					Global	13.2				10		20
47	TD V2X	TDD	5855	5890	5925	70					Global	14.1				10		20
48	TD 3600	TDD	3550	3625	3700	150					Global	14.2			5	10	15	20
49	TD 3600r	TDD	3550	3625	3700	150					Global	15.1				10		20
50	TD 1500+	TDD	1432	1474.5	1517	85						15.0		3	5	10	15	20
51	TD 1500-	TDD	1427	1429.5	1432	5						15.0		3	5
52	TD 3300	TDD	3300	3350	3400	100						15.2			5	10	15	20
53	TD 2500	TDD	2483.5	2489.5	2495	11.5						16.0	1.4	3	5	10
65	2100+	FDD	2110	2155	2200	90	1920	1965	2010	190	Global	13.2	1.4	3	5	10	15	20
66	AWS-3	FDD	2110	2155	2200	90 / 70	1710	1745	1780	400	NAR	13.2	1.4	3	5	10	15	20
67	700 EU	SDL	738	748	758	20	Downlink only				EMEA	13.2			5	10	15	20
68	700 ME	FDD	753	768	783	30	698	713	728	55	EMEA	13.3			5	10	15
69	DL B38	SDL	2570	2595	2620	50	Downlink only					14.0			5	10	15	20
70	AWS-4	FDD	1995	2007.5	2020	25 / 15	1695	1702.5	1710	300	NAR	14.0			5	10	15	20
71	600	FDD	617	634.5	652	35	663	680.5	698	-46	NAR	15.0			5	10	15	20
72	450 PMR/PAMR	FDD	461	463.5	466	5	451	453.5	456	10	EMEA	15.0	1.4	3	5
73	450 APAC	FDD	460	462.5	465	5	450	452.5	455	10	APAC	15.0	1.4	3	5
74	L-band	FDD	1475	1496.5	1518	43	1427	1448.5	1470	48	NAR	15.0	1.4	3	5	10	15	20
75	DL B50	SDL	1432	1474.5	1517	85	Downlink only				NAR	15.0			5	10	15	20
76	DL B51	SDL	1427	1429.5	1432	5	Downlink only				NAR	15.0			5	10	15	20
85	700 a+	FDD	728	737	746	18	698	707	716	30	NAR	15.2			5	10
87	410	FDD	420	422.5	425	5	410	412.5	415	10	EMEA	16.2	1.4	3	5
88	410+	FDD	422	424.5	427	5	412	414.5	417	10	EMEA	16.2	1.4	3	5

To know the LTE/3G/2G frequency bands used in each country and the telecom operators of the country, you can click Frequency check by country

Terminology Explanation

FDD: Frequency division duplexing

TDD: Time division duplexing

SDL: FDD supplemental downlink

SUL: FDD supplemental uplink

Duplex spacing: The separation between the uplink channel and the corresponding downlink channel

Sub-6 GHz: Spectrum frequency less than 6GHz

mmWave:Millimeter wave, also known as millimeter band, is the band of spectrum with wavelengths between 10 millimeters (30 GHz) and 1 millimeter (300 GHz). It’s used to refer frequency bands above 24GHz in 5G NR.

넳 넲

HOME ꄲ Blog ꄲ 5G NR & LTE Frequency Bands and Terminology Explanation

ꄴPrev： Nothing

ꄲNext： Nothing