5G network Support is one of the factors that many buyers take into account before choosing their new smartphone. Although 5G is not yet available in the country, it is one of the most awaited mobile network technologies in India. Since the next-generation network is already available in many countries, smartphones with 5G connectivity have been in the market for quite some time. Most of the phones launched in India in the last two years support 5G connectivity and this will help in faster adoption of the network. The network speed on the smartphone depends on the 5G band available on the device. But what are 5G bands? To understand this, you first have to know about 5G.
What is 5G?
5G is a global wireless network standard that succeeds 4G. In simple words it can be considered as 5th generation network. The next generation network is not just limited to smartphones but is also used in robots, machines, smart cars and many more. Surprisingly faster than 5G networks 4G Network. The main advantage of 5G network is that it provides more bandwidth, gives higher download speed. It’s worth noting that smartphones with 4G capability alone aren’t able to use the new network, which requires a 5G-capable wireless device.
what are 5g bands
In addition to the low- and medium-band frequencies used in previous cellular networks, additional high-frequency radio waves allow increased speeds to be achieved in 5G networks.
Low-band 5G offered slightly higher download speeds than 4G because it uses the same frequency range as 4G cellphones, 600–900 MHz. For low-band frequencies, cell towers provide the same range and coverage area as 4G towers.
mid-range 5G band The band is the most preferred of the three as it uses microwaves of 2.3–4.7 GHz, allowing speeds of 100–900 Mbit. For mid-band frequencies, cell towers provide a range of up to several kilometers in radius. Since low-band frequencies are already used by 4G and 3G networks, mid-band frequencies are widely available. This band also gives very high download speed as compared to 4G network.
High-band 5G uses a frequency of 24-47 GHz. This band provides maximum speed but high frequency radio waves have less useful physical range.
The 5G band support in a smartphone determines the speed and quality of the 5G network. That’s why most of the smartphones use the mid-range 5G band as they get good connectivity and download speed. Some smartphones also offer mid-range and high-end bands so that buyers can get the best out of 5G networks. The most popular 5G bands in smartphones in India are N77 and N78. Both these bands rest in the mid-range. Having said that, there are phones available in the market that offer around 13 5G bands but you should know that band-frequency matters more than the number of bands offered.