5G NR Frequency Bands Explained

5G NR frequency bands are a crucial aspect of the technology, allowing for faster data transfer and lower latency. The most commonly used frequency bands are FR1 and FR2, which operate at different frequency ranges.

FR1 operates in the sub-6 GHz range, specifically between 24.25 GHz and 52.6 GHz. This range is considered lower frequency and has a longer range.

FR2 operates in the millimeter wave range, specifically between 24.25 GHz and 52.6 GHz. This range is considered higher frequency and has a shorter range.

The choice of frequency band depends on the application, with FR1 being used for general wireless communication and FR2 being used for high-bandwidth applications such as virtual reality.

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The 5G NR standard has a wide range of frequency bands, with some bands overlapping with those used by 4G LTE networks. The NR bands are defined with a prefix of "n".

Some of the frequency bands for FR2-1, as specified in 3GPP technical standard TS 38.101, include n257, n258, n259, n260, and n261. These bands have different channel bandwidths, ranging from 50 kHz to 400 kHz.

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The n257 band operates at 28 GHz, while the n258 band operates at 26 GHz. The n259 band operates at 41 GHz, and the n260 band operates at 39 GHz. The n261 band operates at 28 GHz in the US.

The frequency bands for FR2-1 also include the NTN (New Radio for Terrestrial Networks) bands, n510, n511, and n512. These bands have different duplex spacings, ranging from 2900 kHz to 2500 kHz.

Here's a list of some of the frequency bands for FR2-1, along with their channel bandwidths:

The frequency bands for FR2-2, as specified in 3GPP technical standard TS 38.104, include the n263 band. This band operates in the unlicensed frequency band and has a channel bandwidth of 120 MHz.

The n263 band has a bandwidth of 63999.8 MHz in the downlink direction and 2794243 MHz in the uplink direction. It also has a duplex spacing of 13809.6 MHz.

The 5G NR frequency bands have some interesting overlap and combinations. The FR1 band, which spans 24.25 GHz to 52.6 GHz, overlaps with the FR2 band, which spans 24.25 GHz to 52.6 GHz as well. This means that some devices can operate in both frequency bands.

In the FR1 band, the sub-bands 24.25-27.5 GHz and 37-40 GHz are used for non-standalone (NSA) mode. This is in contrast to the FR2 band, where the sub-bands 24.25-52.6 GHz are used for standalone (SA) mode.

For another approach, see: 6 Meter Band Frequencies

Overlap is a fundamental concept that can be seen in various combinations. It refers to the shared elements or characteristics between two or more things.

In the context of sets, overlap occurs when two sets have common elements. For example, if we have two sets A and B, and A contains {1, 2, 3} and B contains {2, 3, 4}, then the overlap between A and B is {2, 3}.

In real-life scenarios, overlap can be seen in various forms, such as when two people have the same hobby or interest.

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The 5G NR standard specifies different channel bandwidth combinations for TDD asymmetric UL and DL channels.

One specific combination is for the n50 NR band, which has a channel bandwidth of 60 MHz for UL and 80 MHz for DL.

The asymmetric channel bandwidth combination set for the n50 NR band is 0.

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Millimeter Wave (mmWave) is a key component of 5G NR frequency bands. It operates at frequencies between 24 GHz and 90 GHz.

In the mmWave frequency band, the downlink bandwidth can range from 60 MHz to 200 MHz, and the uplink bandwidth can range from 50 MHz to 400 MHz. For example, in the n257 band, the downlink bandwidth is 28000 MHz, and the uplink bandwidth is 2079166 MHz.

The mmWave frequency band has a relatively short range, typically around 100 meters, due to the high frequency and high path loss. This makes it suitable for applications that require high-speed data transfer over short distances, such as in indoor environments or for device-to-device communication.

Here are some specific mmWave frequency bands:

These mmWave frequency bands offer high-speed data transfer capabilities, making them suitable for applications that require low latency and high data rates.

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Millimeter Wave (mmWave) is a type of wireless communication technology that operates at extremely high frequencies, typically above 24 GHz. It's used in various applications, including 5G networks.

The mmWave frequency bands are divided into different ranges, with FR2-1 and FR2-2 being two of them. FR2-1 includes bands like n257, n258, n259, and n260, which operate at frequencies such as 28 GHz, 26 GHz, 41 GHz, and 39 GHz respectively.

The mmWave frequency bands have different characteristics, such as bandwidth, duplex spacing, and geographical area. For example, the n257 band has a bandwidth of 28000 MHz, while the n258 band has a bandwidth of 25875.1 MHz.

Here are some key characteristics of the mmWave frequency bands in FR2-1:

These mmWave frequency bands have different geographical areas and 3GPP releases. For example, the n257 band has a geographical area of Global, while the n258 band has a geographical area of Global as well.

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The mmWave frequency bands also have different SCS (Subcarrier Spacing) values. For example, the n257 band has an SCS value of 15.1, while the n258 band has an SCS value of 15.1 as well.

FR2-2 includes bands like n263, which operates at frequencies such as Unlicensed. The n263 band has a bandwidth of 63999.8 MHz and a duplex spacing of 13809.6 MHz.

The mmWave frequency bands have different characteristics, such as ΔFRaster (kHz) and Nref step size. For example, the n257 band has a ΔFRaster value of 60, 120 kHz, while the n258 band has a ΔFRaster value of 60, 120 kHz as well.

The mmWave frequency bands also have different geographical areas. For example, the n257 band has a geographical area of Global, while the n258 band has a geographical area of Global as well.

The mmWave frequency bands have different SCS values. For example, the n257 band has an SCS value of 15.1, while the n258 band has an SCS value of 15.1 as well.

The mmWave frequency bands are used in various applications, including 5G networks. The mmWave frequency bands have different characteristics, such as bandwidth, duplex spacing, and geographical area.

The 5G NR standard defines channel bandwidths for both uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) channels.

In some cases, the channel bandwidths for UL and DL are asymmetric, meaning they are not the same. For example, the n50 NR band has a UL channel bandwidth of 60 MHz and a DL channel bandwidth of 80 MHz.

The specific channel bandwidth combinations for each NR band are specified in the 3GPP TS 38.101 standard.

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