5G-NR Frequency Bands

5G represents a groundbreaking shift in mobile communications—offering ultra-fast speeds, low latency, and massive connectivity for a wide range of applications. Central to the 5G revolution is its use of a broad spectrum of radio frequency bands, specifically allocated and optimized for new levels of wireless performance. 

Frequency Band Classifications

5G frequency bands are organized under standardized groupings based on their location in the electromagnetic spectrum. These classifications play a significant role in determining network capabilities and deployment strategies around the world.

• FR1 encompasses what is often called low (sub-1GHz) and mid-bands (1–7GHz).
• FR2 covers “millimeter wave” or high bands.
• FR3 was proposed at the 2023 World Radio Conference to cover previously unexploited upper mid-bands, but as of mid-2025, is not yet standard

Band Types

• Low-Band (Sub-1 GHz): Provides broad coverage and excellent indoor penetration. Examples: 600MHz, 700MHz, 800MHz.
• Mid-Band (1–6 GHz): Balances coverage and capacity; includes the key 3.5GHz band.
• High-Band (mmWave, above 24 GHz): Delivers extremely high speeds and very low latency over short distances

Technical Details and Channel Bandwidths

5G New Radio (NR) utilizes advanced technologies such as Massive MIMO and network slicing, with specific channel bandwidths per frequency range:

• Sub-6 GHz (FR1): Up to 100MHz bandwidth per channel.
• Millimeter Wave (FR2): Up to 400MHz or even higher, supporting large data streams

Band Types and Technical Utility

• Low-band (<1GHz, e.g., n71, n28): Exceptional for rural, suburban, and deep indoor coverage. Lower frequency improves penetration and range, ideal for IoT and reliability.
• Mid-band (1–7GHz, e.g., n77, n78, n41): Offers the balance of coverage and capacity; “workhorse” of global 5G.
• High-band (24–71GHz, e.g., n258, n260): Enables data rates exceeding 1Gbps, micro-latency, and support for advanced use cases, but requires dense site deployments due to path loss and limited penetration

Parameter	Sub-6 GHz (FR1)	mmWave (FR2)
Max Bandwidth	100MHz	400MHz (some up to 800–1600MHz in future)
Subcarrier Spacing	15, 30, 60kHz	60, 120kHz
Carrier Aggregation	Yes, up to 1GHz	Yes, up to 1GHz
Duplexing Modes	FDD, TDD, SDL, SUL	TDD (almost exclusively)

• Bandwidth Parts: FR1 supports narrow bandwidth parts for legacy or power-saving devices within a wider overall 5G channel.
• Coding: 5G uses advanced coding—LDPC and polar codes—to maximize efficiency and robustness.
• Carrier Aggregation: Up to 16 component carriers can be combined—totaling ~1GHz of contiguous or non-contiguous spectrum.
• Spectral Efficiency: Guard bands are thinner, and 5G can operate efficiently in mixed, shared, or dynamically reallocated spectrum pools

Regional Variations

Region	Low Bands	Mid Bands	High Bands (mmWave)
Europe	700MHz, 800MHz	3.4–3.8GHz (n78), 2.6GHz	26GHz (24.25–27.5GHz)
US	600MHz, 850MHz	2.5GHz, 3.7–4.2GHz, C-Band	28GHz, 39GHz (n260, n261)
China	700MHz, 800MHz	2.6GHz, 3.3–3.6GHz, 4.9GHz	24.75–27.5GHz, 37–43.5GHz
Japan	700MHz	3.6–4.2GHz, 4.4–4.9GHz	28GHz
Korea	700MHz, 800MHz	3.4–3.7GHz	28GHz

Operating bands

Below is the table showing NR operating bands

Band Type	Coverage	Penetration	Cell Radius	Use Case
Low-band	Wide	Excellent	Up to 30km+	Rural, suburban, IoT
Mid-band	Good	Good	1–5km	Urban, suburban, capacity
High-band	Localized	Poor	<500m (LoS only)	Stadiums, hotspots, FWA

Unlicensed and Shared Spectrum

• 5G NR-U (Unlicensed): Allows 5G deployment in unlicensed spectra (e.g., 5GHz, 6GHz), supporting enterprise and private networks.
• Spectrum Sharing (Dynamic Spectrum Access): Enables adaptive allocation—coexistence with Wi-Fi, LTE, satellite, radar, and legacy systems

The architecture and performance of the global 5G ecosystem depend fundamentally on spectrum agility, depth, and careful engineering—balancing coverage, capacity, and technical innovation. As regulators sunset old network generations and innovate with reframed and shared spectrum, and as FR3 and other bands come into play, 5G will continue to expand its reach and capability. The choices made today in policy and engineering will set the course for everything from rural IoT and smart cities to the fastest immersive experiences in dense urban cores

References:

• 3GPP TS 38.101-1: Technical specifications and band definitions for 5G NR Frequency Range 1 (FR1).
• 3GPP TS 38.101-2: Technical specifications and band definitions for 5G NR Frequency Range 2 (FR2).
• 3GPP TS 38.104: Base Station (BS) radio transmission and reception for NR, defining all bands and parameters.
• 3GPP TS 38.133: Requirements for support of radio resource management in NR, including band-specific performance.
• 3GPP TS 38.101-3: Technical specifications for frequency bands above 52.6 GHz (potential future FR3).
• ITU-R M.1036: Frequency arrangements for implementation of IMT for 5G, providing global harmonization of band allocations.
• ITU-R M.2083: IMT Vision framework and objectives, including 5G frequency spectrum requirements.
• ITU-R M.2012: Detailed technical characteristics for IMT-Advanced, reference for NR coexistence.
• ITU-R M.2290: Spectrum requirements methodology for IMT-2020 (5G).
• ITU-R M.2100: Technical requirements for IMT-2020 radio interfaces, relevant to 5G NR band usage.