What Spectrum Is Used In 5G?

In the article, you will learn about:

1.      5G frequency range

2.      5G NR spectrum ranges FR1 and FR2

3.      How is the 5G spectrum allocated in various countries?

4.      5G spectrum numbers

The 5G frequency range defined by 3GPP is divided into FR1 and FR2.

The specific ranges of FR1 and FR2 are as follows:

Frequency range name & Corresponding frequency range

FR1: 450 MHz-6000 MHz

FR2: 24250 MHz-52600 MHz

FR1 is what we usually call sub 6GHz, the part below 6GHz, which will be the current mainstream application range of 5G. We know that the lower the frequency, the stronger the coverage, and the better the penetration. However, many frequency bands have been used in previous networks, and the usage conditions of different countries are different. At present, 3.5GHz is the most widely used frequency spectrum for 5G.

600MHz frequency band (470~694/698MHz): Determined to be used in some countries in the Americas and the Asia Pacific.

700MHz frequency band (694~790MHz): 5G frequency band used globally.

L band (1427~1518MHz): A new global band determined for all countries and regions.

3300~3400MHz: The global band determined by many countries and regions, except Europe and North America.

C band (3400~3600MHz): The global band determined for all countries and regions. Europe and South Korea are already in use. In China, it is also allocated to China Telecom and China Unicom.

C Band (3600~3700MHz): The global band determined by many countries and regions, except for some countries in Africa and Asia-Pacific.

2496 MHz-2690 MHz: A global band determined by many countries and regions, but many countries have already used this frequency band for LTE, and this frequency band in China has allocated 160 MHz to China Mobile.

4800~4990MHz: A new frequency band determined by a few countries in the Asia-Pacific region. 100MHz was allocated to China Mobile in China.

The FR2 range is mainly high-frequency, which is what we usually call millimeter waves. It has weak penetration, but the bandwidth is very sufficient, there are no interference sources, the frequency spectrum is clean, and future applications are also very extensive.

How is the 5G spectrum allocated in various countries?

China

In China, on December 6, 2018, the 5G spectrum has been clearly allocated to the three major operators (experimental, but basically represents future authorization, and it is unlikely to change):

China Telecom has obtained 5G test frequency resources with a total bandwidth of 3400MHz-3500MHz of 100MHz;

China Mobile has obtained a total of 260MHz bandwidth 5G test frequency resources in the 2515MHz-2675MHz and 4800MHz-4900MHz frequency bands, of which the 2515-2575MHz, 2635-2675MHz, and 4800-4900MHz frequency bands are newly added frequency bands, and the 2575-2635MHz frequency band is the existing China Mobile TD-LTE (4G) frequency band;

China Unicom has obtained 5G test frequency resources with a total bandwidth of 3500MHz-3600MHz of 100MHz.

As for China Radio and Television, although there is no official allocation at present, it is possible to obtain a spectrum at 4.9GHz with 700MHz in hand.

Americas

The United States has released a spectrum that can be used on a technology-neutral basis (600MHz spectrum can be used for 5G). The United States has also determined that the 28 GHz (27.5-28.35 GHz) and 39 GHz (37-40 GHz) frequency bands can be used for 5G services. These two frequency bands have been allocated many years ago. The United States will also use the 2.5GHz frequency band for 5G. At the same time, Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico, and the United States are all planning to auction/allocate spectrum suitable for 5G services. Argentina and Chile are considering frequency bands, and Canada has announced 600MHz as a technology-neutral licensed spectrum.

European region

Most of them use the 3.5GHz frequency band, as well as 700MHz and 26GHz.

Has completed 5G spectrum auction or commercial use: Ireland, Latvia, Spain (3.5GHz), and the United Kingdom;

Has completed the auction of possible spectrum for 5G: Germany (700MHz), Greece, and Norway (900MHz);

The 5G spectrum auction has been confirmed: Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, and Switzerland;

The planned auction may have frequency bands suitable for 5G: Norway, Slovakia, and Switzerland.

Asia-Pacific

The auction/allocation of the 5G spectrum has been confirmed: Australia, China, Hong Kong region, Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea. Among them, in June 2018, South Korea completed the 5G auction for the 3.42-3.7GHz and 26.5-28.9GHz frequency bands, and it has been commercialized in the 3.5G frequency band.

At the same time, Taiwan, New Zealand, and Singapore are already consulting on the auction of mid-frequency and millimeter-wave frequency spectrum.

In the Middle East and Africa

Saudi Arabia has recently completed a spectrum auction for 5G services. At least 8 countries and regions in the Middle East have carried out 5G trials. Tanzania has allocated 700MHz spectrum for ICT services, and South Africa plans to conduct 800MHz spectrum auctions for IMT services.

5G spectrum numbers

5G frequency band number in FR1

5G NR Frequency

Uplink (UL) band BS reception / UE transmission

Downlink (DL) band BS reception / UE transmission

Duplex mode

n1

1920 MHz - 1980 MHz

2110 MHz - 2170 MHz

FDD

n2

1850 MHz - 1910 MHz

1930 MHz - 1990 MHz

FDD

n3

1710 MHz - 1785 MHz

1805 MHz - 1880 MHz

FDD

n5

824 MHz - 849 MHz

869 MHz - 894 MHz

FDD

n7

2500 MHz - 2570 MHz

2620 MHz - 2690 MHz

FDD

n8

880 MHz - 915 MHz

925 MHz - 960 MHz

FDD

n12

699 MHz - 716 MHz

729 MHz - 746 MHz

FDD

n20

832 MHz - 862 MHz

791 MHz - 821 MHz

FDD

n25

1850 MHz - 1915 MHz

1930 MHz - 1995 MHz

FDD

n28

703 MHz - 748 MHz

758 MHz - 803 MHz

FDD

n34

2010 MHz - 2025 MHz

2010 MHz - 2025 MHz

TDD

n38

2570 MHz - 2620 MHz

2570 MHz - 2620 MHz

TDD

n39

1880 MHz - 1920 MHz

1880 MHz - 1920 MHz

TDD

n40

2300 MHz - 2400 MHz

2300 MHz - 2400 MHz

TDD

n41

2496 MHz - 2690 MHz

2496 MHz - 2690 MHz

TDD

n51

1427 MHz - 1432 MHz

1427 MHz - 1432 MHz

TDD

n66

1710 MHz - 1780 MHz

2110 MHz - 2200 MHz

FDD

n70

1695 MHz - 1710 MHz

1995 MHz - 2020 MHz

FDD

n71

663 MHz - 698 MHz

617 MHz - 652 MHz

FDD

n75

N/A

1432 MHz - 1517 MHz

Supplement down

n76

N/A

1427 MHz - 1432 MHz

Supplement down

n77

3300 MHz - 4200 MHz

3300 MHz - 4200 MHz

TDD

n78

3300 MHz - 3800 MHz

3300 MHz - 3800 MHz

TDD

n79

4400 MHz - 5000 MHz

4400 MHz - 5000 MHz

TDD

n80

1710 MHz - 1785 MHz

N/A

Supplementary upside

n81

880 MHz - 915 MHz

N/A

Supplementary upside

n82

832 MHz - 862 MHz

N/A

Supplementary upside

n83

703 MHz - 748 MHz

N/A

Supplementary upside

n84

1920 MHz - 1980 MHz

N/A

Supplementary upside

n86

1710 MHz - 1780 MHz

N/A

Supplementary upside

5G frequency band number in FR2

5G NR Frequency

Uplink (UL) and Downlink (DL) frequency bands

Duplex mode

n257

26500 MHz - 29500 MHz

TDD

n258

24250 MHz - 27500 MHz

TDD

n260

37000 MHz - 40000 MHz

TDD

n261

27500 MHz - 28350 MHz

TDD

The support for spectrum width in 5G is very extensive. FR1 supports a range from 5MHz to 100MHz, and FR2 can support a maximum of 400MHz, and the sub-transmission bandwidth configuration corresponding to each spectrum bandwidth is different.

There is also a concept of SCS, that is, the sub-carrier spacing. This is 15kHz in 4G networks, but in 5G, 15kHz, 30kHz, 60kHz, 120kHz are introduced.

Among them: 15kHz only supports bandwidth below 60MHz, that is to say, the mainstream 5G networks that use 100MHz bandwidth at least all use 30kHz subcarrier spacing.

In the millimeter-wave frequency band, only 60kHz and 120kHz subcarrier spacing are supported. Among them, the 400MHz bandwidth must use 120kHz.

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