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Cellular Frequency Bands

Frequencies used by cellular phones and cell signal boosters

Cell phone towers on a mountain

Updated

This article explains, in simple terms, which cellular frequencies are being used for 4G and low-band 5G by cellular carriers and devices in the United States, Canada, and many other countries in the Western Hemisphere.

Bands of Cellular Frequency

The cellular spectrum is divided up into different bands of cell phone frequencies. National governments control the allocation of these bands and how they are used. In the United States, the Federal Communications Commissionexternal link icon (FCC) licenses specific bands to cellular carriers and the carriers have exclusive use of those bands in specific regions of the country.

Each cellular band is made up of multiple channels (or blocks). Each cellular channel is divided into an uplink portion that transmits from cell phones to the tower and a downlink portion that transmits from the cell tower to phones. Separating uplink and downlink within a channel allows for simultaneous (and faster) two-way voice and data transmissions.

In the Beginning: 2G/3G Cellular and PCS

In the early days of cellular phones, 850 MHz band 5external link icon was used for voice transmissions. There are only two channels in the 850 MHz band: A and B.

Cellular 850 MHz band 5 channel diagram

U = uplink; D = downlink.

As cell phone usage increased, more bandwidth was needed. 1900 MHz band 2external link icon was licensed to the carriers and named the Personal Communications Service (PCS). Band 2 has six channels, A through F. (Extended PCS band 25 was added later to overlap band 2 with an additional G channel.)

PCS 1900 MHz band 2 channel diagram

PCS was later expanded to include band 25 block G channels.

The Rise of 4G Cellular Data: AWS and 700 MHz

Number of cellular connected devices per person, 2010-2020 (Click to enlarge)

The introduction of the smartphone in 2008 changed the cellular landscape: Cellular phones changed from low-bandwidth voice and text devices to high-bandwidth users of internet data. Web browsing, email, social media, and streaming audio and video took over the mobile space. User loads on cell towers soared. Smartphones have since been joined by cellular-enabled tablets, laptops, smart watches, and routers. As the chart to the rightabove shows, the number of cellular devices per person increased exponentially between 2010 and 2020. This fourth generation (4G) of wireless cellular technology needed much more bandwidth.

In 2006, 1700/2100 MHz band 4external link icon, named Advanced Wireless Services (AWS), debuted to provide high-speed cellular data in the same area of frequency served by PCS. (Extended AWS band 66 was added later to overlap band 4 with additional G, H, I, and J channels.)

AWS 1700/2100 MHz band 4 channel diagram

AWS’s uplink channels use the 1700 MHz spectrum, while its downlink channels reside in the 2100 MHz range.

Four years later, cellular service opened up in the lower 700 MHz bands 12 and 17external link icon and upper 700 MHz band 13external link icon. These longer-range frequencies in the Seven-hundred MHz (SMH) range provide cellular coverage in rural and remote areas as part of 4G’s all-digital Long Term Evolutionexternal link icon (LTE) plan.

SMH 700 MHz bands 12, 17, and 13 channel diagram

The Future Is Now: 5G Networks

Carriers in the U.S. and Canada are now actively deploying 5G NRexternal link icon cellular networks. Always-connected devices and appliances—the Internet of Things (IoT)—are flooding the market, and self-driving vehicles will demand instantaneous data for guidance and control. These new advances will require faster cellular data in more locations.

Cellular carriers have begun expanding their low-band networks into 600 MHz band 71 and 2300 MHz band 30external link icon. 4G frequencies are being converted into 5G, and higher frequencies—3.5 GHz CBRSexternal link icon, 3.7 GHz C bandexternal link icon, all the way up to 29–39 GHz mmWaveexternal link icon bands—will provide cellular connectivity to more devices with higher bandwidth requirements.

Learn more about 5G technology and frequencies.

How to get better cell signal

Cell signal boosters provide cellular reception where today’s networks can’t reach: inside buildings made from concrete, metal, and low-e glass; rural and remote locations; low-lying areas and other places where signal is blocked by natural and man-made obstacles.

Cellular Frequencies by Carrier

U.S. carriers offer cellular service on the following bands within the United States. Not all bands are available in all areas; some bands—especially high-frequency C band and mmWave bands—have limited deployment in urban areas or certain test markets and can only be used by specific phones. Carriers may also have limited areas of deployment for LTE bands that are not reflected in the table below.

Bands that are used for 5G service are preceded by the letter n; for example, 5G band 5 is band n5.

Today’s cellular signal boosters cover many common low-band frequencies (600–2200 MHz) used for 4G and 5G networks. With cellular technology rapidly evolving and expanding, manufacturers are seeking blanket approval from the FCC to cover additional frequencies using consumer (Part 20) cell signal boosters.

Note: The Sprint network was shut down on . 4G Sprint phones with T-Mobile SIM cards now operate on T-Mobile’s network.

4G/LTE bands

Band
Subset of
Common name
Uplink (MHz)
Downlink (MHz)
Bandwidth (MHz)
U.S. carrier(s)
Signal boosters
71
663–698
617–652
36
T-Mobile icon UScellular icon
Yes ¹
29
n/a
717–728
12
AT&T mobility icon
No
12
699–716
729–746
18
AT&T mobility icon T-Mobile icon UScellular icon GCI Alaska icon
Yes
17
704–716
734–746
13
AT&T mobility icon T-Mobile icon UScellular icon
Yes
13
777–787
746–756
11
Verizon Wireless icon T-Mobile icon
Yes
14
788–798
758–768
11
FirstNet icon
Yes ²
5
26
824–849
869–894
26
Verizon Wireless icon AT&T mobility icon T-Mobile icon UScellular icon GCI Alaska icon
Yes
26
814–849
859–894
36
T-Mobile icon
No
4
66
1710–1755
2110–2155
46
Verizon Wireless icon AT&T mobility icon T-Mobile icon UScellular icon GCI Alaska icon
Yes
66
1710–1780
2110–2200
71/91
Verizon Wireless icon AT&T mobility icon T-Mobile icon UScellular icon GCI Alaska icon
Yes ³
2
25
1850–1910
1930–1990
61
Verizon Wireless icon AT&T mobility icon T-Mobile icon UScellular icon GCI Alaska icon
Yes
25
1850–1915
1930–1995
66
T-Mobile icon GCI Alaska icon
Yes
30
2305–2315
2350–2360
11
AT&T mobility icon
No
41
2496–2690
2496–2690
195
T-Mobile icon
No
38
41
IMT-E
2570–2620
2570–2620
50
T-Mobile icon
No
48
77
3550–3700
3550–3700
151
Verizon Wireless icon T-Mobile icon UScellular icon
No
46
5150–5925
5150–5925
776
Verizon Wireless icon AT&T mobility icon T-Mobile icon UScellular icon
No

5G bands

Band
Subset of
Common name
Uplink (MHz)
Downlink (MHz)
Bandwidth (MHz)
U.S. carrier(s)
Signal boosters
n71
663–698
617–652
36
T-Mobile icon UScellular icon GCI Alaska icon Dish Wireless icon
Yes ¹
n29
n/a
717–728
12
Dish Wireless icon
No
n12
699–716
729–746
18
GCI Alaska icon
Yes
n5
n26
824–849
869–894
26
Verizon Wireless icon AT&T mobility icon GCI Alaska icon
Yes
n70
n66
1695–1710
1995–2020
16/26
Dish Wireless icon
No
n4
n66
1710–1755
2110–2155
46
GCI Alaska icon
Yes
n66
1710–1780
2110–2200
71/91
Verizon Wireless icon Dish Wireless icon
Yes ³
n2
n25
1850–1910
1930–1990
61
Verizon Wireless icon AT&T mobility icon GCI Alaska icon
Yes
n25
1850–1915
1930–1995
66
T-Mobile icon
Yes
n40
2300–2400
2300–2400
100
Verizon Wireless icon
No
n41
2496–2690
2496–2690
195
T-Mobile icon UScellular icon
No
n38
n41
IMT-E
2570–2620
2570–2620
50
T-Mobile icon
No
n77
3450–3980
3450–3980
530
Verizon Wireless icon AT&T mobility icon T-Mobile icon UScellular icon Dish Wireless icon
Yes ⁴
n258
K-band (mmWaveexternal link icon)
24250–27500
24250–27500
3250
AT&T mobility icon T-Mobile icon UScellular icon GCI Alaska icon Dish Wireless icon
No
n261
n257
Ka-band (mmWaveexternal link icon)
27500–28350
27500–28350
850
Verizon Wireless icon T-Mobile icon UScellular icon Dish Wireless icon
No
n260
Ka-band (mmWaveexternal link icon)
37000–40000
37000–40000
3000
Verizon Wireless icon AT&T mobility icon T-Mobile icon UScellular icon GCI Alaska icon Dish Wireless icon
No
n262
V-band (mmWaveexternal link icon)
47200–48200
47200–48200
1000
T-Mobile icon GCI Alaska icon Dish Wireless icon
No

¹ The FCC has not yet issued blanket approval for boosters to amplify band 71. The WilsonPro 710i, Nextivity’s CEL-FI QUATRA 4000i, and the HiBoost Industrial 100K 5G amplify band 71; these systems require carrier approval before being commissioned.
² Band 14 is reserved for first responder emergency services. The CEL-FI GO RED amplifies this band.
³ The FCC has not yet issued blanket approval for boosters to amplify band 66, but since band 4 is a subset of band 66, most boosters amplify large portions of band 66.
⁴ The FCC has not yet issued blanket approval for boosters to amplify band n77. The WilsonPro Enterprise 1337R will amplify C band in the 3.7 to 3.8 GHz range; this system requires carrier approval before being commissioned.

Sources: Wikipedia (1,2,3,4,5,6); Tech Point Magazine; T-Mobile; FierceWireless

Relative range of low-band cellular frequencies The lowest cellular frequencies have the longest ranges, while higher frequencies have shorter ranges but faster data rates. (Click to enlarge.)