5G and Beyond Spectrum Bands and Frequencies

- Overview

5G and future wireless (beyond) utilize low, mid, and high-band spectrum, each offering different performance: Low-band (<1 GHz) provides wide coverage but lower speeds, mid-band (1-6 GHz, like C-Band) balances speed and coverage, and high-band (mmWave, 24+ GHz) offers massive speeds with short range. 

These are categorized into Frequency Range 1 (FR1, <7.1 GHz) and Frequency Range 2 (FR2, 24.25-71 GHz) for current 5G, with ongoing exploration into even higher frequencies for 6G and beyond to meet massive capacity demands. 

A. 5G Spectrum Bands & Frequencies: 

1. Low-Band (Sub-1 GHz):

• Frequencies: Around 600 MHz to 1 GHz (e.g., n71, n28).
• Characteristics: Excellent range, good building penetration, foundational for nationwide coverage but lower speeds.

2. Mid-Band (Sub-6 GHz):

• Frequencies: 1 GHz to 6 GHz (e.g., C-Band: n77, n78 around 3.5 GHz).
• Characteristics: The "sweet spot," balancing significant speed with decent coverage, ideal for urban/suburban areas.

3. High-Band (mmWave):

• Frequencies: 24 GHz and above (e.g., 26 GHz, 28 GHz, 39 GHz).
• Characteristics: Ultra-fast multi-gigabit speeds, enormous capacity, but very short range and easily blocked.

B. Beyond 5G (6G & Future):

• Increased mmWave & Terahertz (THz): Exploration into even higher frequencies (above 100 GHz) using millimeter-wave (mmWave) and terahertz bands for unprecedented data rates.
• Intelligent Reflecting Surfaces (IRS): Using surfaces to bend signals around obstacles, improving high-frequency signal reach.
• Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN): Integrating satellites and drones for truly global coverage, utilizing spectrum in sub-6 GHz and higher ranges (e.g., 17.3-30 GHz).
• Massive MIMO & Beamforming: Using massive antenna arrays to focus signals, overcoming high-frequency propagation loss.

C. Key Concepts:

• FR1 vs. FR2: 5G NR defines Frequency Range 1 (sub-7.1 GHz) and Frequency Range 2 (24.25-71 GHz).
• Spectrum Bands vs. Frequencies: Spectrum is the range (e.g., 1-6 GHz), while frequencies are specific channels (e.g., 3.5 GHz).
• Trade-offs: Higher frequencies offer more data (bandwidth) but travel shorter distances; lower frequencies travel further but carry less data.