Frequency bands
5G NR uses frequency bands in two broad frequency ranges:
- Frequency Range 1 (FR1), for bands within 410 MHz – 7,125 MHz
- Frequency Range 2 (FR2), for bands within 24,250 MHz – 71,000 MHz
5G NR (5GNew Radio) [1] is a radio access technology (RAT) developed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) for the 5G (fifth generation) mobile network. [1] It was designed to be the global standard for the air interface of 5G networks. [2] It is based on orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM), as is the 4G (fourth generation) long-term evolution (LTE) standard.
The 3GPP specification 38 series [3] provides the technical details behind 5G NR, the successor of LTE.
The study of 5G NR within 3GPP started in 2015, and the first specification was made available by the end of 2017. While the 3GPP standardization process was ongoing, the industry had already begun efforts to implement infrastructure compliant with the draft standard, with the first large-scale commercial launch of 5G NR having occurred in the end of 2018. Since 2019, many operators have deployed 5G NR networks and handset manufacturers have developed 5G NR enabled handsets. [4]
5G NR uses frequency bands in two broad frequency ranges:
Ooredoo was the first carrier to launch a commercial 5G NR network, in May 2018 in Qatar. Other carriers around the world have been following suit.
In 2018, 3GPP published Release 15, which includes what is described as "Phase 1" Pavilash standardization for 5G NR. The timeline for Release 16, which will be "5G phase 2", follows a freeze date of March 2020 and a completion date of June 2020, [6] Release 17 was originally scheduled for delivery in September 2021. [7] but, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was rescheduled for June 2022. [8]
Release 18 work has started in 3GPP. Rel.18 is referred to as "NR Advanced" signifying another milestone in wireless communication systems. NR Advanced will include features such as eXtended Reality (XR), AI/ML studies, and Mobility enhancements. Mobility is in the core of 3GPP technology and has so far been handled on Layer 3 (RRC), now, in Rel-18 the work on mobility is to introduce lower layer triggered mobility.
Initial 5G NR launches will depend on existing LTE infrastructure in non-standalone (NSA) mode, before maturation of the standalone (SA) mode with the 5G core network. Additionally, the spectrum can be dynamically shared between LTE and 5G NR.
To make better use of existing assets, carriers may opt to dynamically share it between LTE and 5G NR. The spectrum is multiplexed over time between both generations of mobile networks, while still using the LTE network for control functions, depending on user demand. Dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS) may be deployed on existing LTE equipment as long as it is compatible with 5G NR. Only the 5G NR terminal needs to be compatible with DSS. [9]
The non-standalone (NSA) mode of 5G NR refers to an option of 5G NR deployment that depends on the control plane of an existing LTE network for control functions, while 5G NR is exclusively focused on the user plane. [10] [11] This is reported to speed up 5G adoption, however some operators and vendors have criticized prioritizing the introduction of 5G NR NSA on the grounds that it could hinder the implementation of the standalone mode of the network. [12] [13] It uses the same core network as a 4G network, but with upgraded radio equipment. [14] [15]
The standalone (SA) mode of 5G NR refers to using 5G cells for both signalling and information transfer. [10] It includes the new 5G Packet Core architecture instead of relying on the 4G Evolved Packet Core, [16] [17] to allow the deployment of 5G without the LTE network. [18] It is expected to have lower cost, better efficiency, and to assist development of new use cases. [12] [19] However, initial deployment might see slower speed than existing network due to the allocation of spectrum. [20] It uses a new core network dedicated to 5G. [21]
 | This section needs to be updated.(June 2024) |
5G NR supports seven subcarrier spacings:
| Sub-Carrier Spacing (kHz) | Slot duration (ms) | Frequency Bands | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 1 | FR1 | Same as LTE |
| 30 | 0.5 | FR1 | |
| 60 | 0.25 | FR1 and FR2 | Both normal cyclic prefix (CP) and extended CP may be used with 60 kHz subcarrier spacing |
| 120 | 0.125 | FR2 | |
| 240 | 0.0625 | FR2 | This is only possible for search and measurement purposes, using the Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) |
| 480 | 0.03125 | FR2 | |
| 960 | 0.01565 | FR2 |
The length of the cyclic prefix is inversely proportional to the subcarrier spacing. It is 4.7 μs with 15 kHz, and 4.7 / 16 = 0.29 μs for 240 kHz subcarrier spacing. Additionally, higher subcarrier spacings allow for reduced latency and increased support for high-frequency bands, essential for the ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC) and enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) applications in 5G.
 | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2024) |
In 5G NR Release 17, the 3GPP introduced NR-Light for reduced capabilities (RedCap) devices. NR-Light, also known as RedCap, is designed to support a wide range of new and emerging use cases that require lower complexity and reduced power consumption compared to traditional 5G NR devices.
NR-Light targets devices in the mid-tier performance category, striking a balance between the high-performance capabilities of standard 5G NR devices and the ultra-low complexity of LTE-M and NB-IoT devices. This makes it ideal for applications such as:
Key features of NR-Light include:
NR-Light enhances the 5G ecosystem by providing a scalable solution that caters to the needs of devices with varying performance requirements, expanding the potential applications and fostering the growth of IoT and other connected technologies.
Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) is a family of wireless broadband communication standards based on the IEEE 802.16 set of standards, which provide physical layer (PHY) and media access control (MAC) options.
4G is the fourth generation of cellular network technology, succeeding 3G and preceding 5G. It is designed to support all-IP communications and broadband services, enabling a variety of data-intensive applications. A 4G system must provide capabilities defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in IMT Advanced. Potential and current applications include enhanced mobile web access, high-definition streaming, mobile TV, and gaming services, as well as IP telephony, video conferencing, 3D television, and fixed wireless access.
GSM frequency bands or frequency ranges are the cellular frequencies designated by the ITU for the operation of GSM mobile phones and other mobile devices.
Orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) is a multi-user version of the popular orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) digital modulation scheme. Multiple access is achieved in OFDMA by assigning subsets of subcarriers to individual users. This allows simultaneous low-data-rate transmission from several users.
Cellular frequencies in the United States are allocated by the US Federal Communications Commission. As cellular mobile telephone technology has evolved over time, periodically bands of frequencies are reassigned from other radio services. Companies wishing to provide cellular services in a geographic region compete for the right to license radio spectrum in spectrum auctions. Different cellular companies in the same region may use different levels of cellular technology and different parts of the radio spectrum. In addition to radio frequencies used to connect handsets with cellular base stations, other parts of the radio spectrum are used to interconnect base stations and the wired telephone network. Some frequency bands may be vulnerable to interference by existing services in adjacent frequency bands, such as UHF television broadcasting.
Mobile broadband is the marketing term for wireless Internet access via mobile (cell) networks. Access to the network can be made through a portable modem, wireless modem, or a tablet/smartphone or other mobile device. The first wireless Internet access became available in 1991 as part of the second generation (2G) of mobile phone technology. Higher speeds became available in 2001 and 2006 as part of the third (3G) and fourth (4G) generations. In 2011, 90% of the world's population lived in areas with 2G coverage, while 45% lived in areas with 2G and 3G coverage. Mobile broadband uses the spectrum of 225 MHz to 3700 MHz.
The Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) is a not-for-profit industry organisation representing suppliers in the mobile communication industry. GSA actively promotes 3GPP technology such as 3G; 4G; 5G. GSA is a market representation partner in 3GPP and co-operates with organisations including COAI, ETSI, GSMA, ICU, ITU, European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT-ECC), other regional regulatory bodies and other industry associations.
LTE Advanced is a mobile communication standard and a major enhancement of the Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard. It was formally submitted as a candidate 4G to ITU-T in late 2009 as meeting the requirements of the IMT-Advanced standard, and was standardized by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) in March 2011 as 3GPP Release 10.
In telecommunications, long-term evolution (LTE) is a standard for wireless broadband communication for mobile devices and data terminals, based on the GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA standards. It improves on those standards' capacity and speed by using a different radio interface and core network improvements. LTE is the upgrade path for carriers with both GSM/UMTS networks and CDMA2000 networks. Because LTE frequencies and bands differ from country to country, only multi-band phones can use LTE in all countries where it is supported.
International Mobile Telecommunications-Advanced are the requirements issued by the ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in 2008 for what is marketed as 4G mobile phone and Internet access service.
In telecommunications, 5G is the fifth generation of cellular network technology, which mobile operators began deploying worldwide in 2019 as the successor to 4G. 5G is based on standards defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) under the IMT-2020 requirements, which outline performance targets for speed, latency, and connectivity to support advanced use cases.
Long-Term Evolution (LTE) telecommunications networks use several frequency bands with associated bandwidths.
The Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) band plan is a type of segmentation of the 612–806 MHz band formalized by the APT in 2022–2023 and 2008-2010 respectively and specially configured for the deployment of mobile broadband technologies. This segmentation exists in two variants, FDD and TDD, that have been standardized by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and recommended by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) as segmentations A5 and A6, respectively. The APT band plan has been designed to enable the most efficient use of available spectrum. Therefore, this plan divides the band into contiguous blocks of frequencies that are as large as possible taking account of the need to avoid interference with services in other frequency bands. As the result, the TDD option includes 100 MHz of continuous spectrum, while the FDD option comprises two large blocks, one of 45 MHz for uplink transmission in the lower part of the band and the other also of 45 MHz for downlink transmission in the upper part. As defined in the standard, both FDD and TDD schemes for the 700 MHz band include guard bands of 5 MHz and 3 MHz at their lower and upper edges, respectively. The FDD version also includes a centre gap of 10 MHz. The guard bands serve the purpose of mitigating interference with adjacent bands while the FDD centre gap is required to avoid interference between uplink and downlink transmissions. The two arrangements are shown graphically in figures 1 and 2.
Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) describes wireless communication between a vehicle and any entity that may affect, or may be affected by, the vehicle. Sometimes called C-V2X, it is a vehicular communication system that is intended to improve road safety and traffic efficiency while reducing pollution and saving energy.
Frequency bands for 5G New Radio, which is the air interface or radio access technology of the 5G mobile networks, are separated into two different frequency ranges. First there is Frequency Range 1 (FR1), which includes sub-7 GHz frequency bands, some of which are traditionally used by previous standards, but has been extended to cover potential new spectrum offerings from 410 MHz to 7125 MHz. The other is Frequency Range 2 (FR2), which includes frequency bands from 24.25 GHz to 71.0 GHz. In November and December 2023, a third band, Frequency Range 3 (FR3), covering frequencies from 7.125 GHz to 24.25 GHz, was proposed by the World Radio Conference; as of September 2024, this band has not been added to the official standard. Frequency bands are also available for non-terrestrial networks (NTN) in both the sub-7 GHz and in the 17.3 GHz to 30 GHz ranges.
Cellular V2X (C-V2X) is an umbrella term that comprises all 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) V2X technologies for connected mobility and self-driving cars. It includes both direct and cellular network communications and is an alternative to 802.11p, the IEEE specified standard for V2V and other forms of V2X communications.
Cellular network standards | |||||||||
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| 0G radio telephones (1946) | |||||||||
| 1G (1979) |
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| 2G (1991) |
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| 2G transitional (2.5G, 2.75G, 2.9G) |
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| 3G (1998) IMT-2000 (2001) |
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| 3G transitional (3.5G, 3.75G, 3.9G) |
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| 4G (2009) IMT Advanced (2013) |
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| 5G (2018) IMT-2020 (2021) |
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| Mobile networks, protocols |
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