Understanding the Role of Cellular Frequency Bands in Mobile Connectivity
Written by: Steve Hardy
Published: January 30, 2025
Cellular frequency bands are a fundamental building block of modern mobile networks, determining everything from coverage areas to connection speed. These bands, assigned by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), are ranges of radio frequencies that mobile carriers use to deliver their services.
By understanding how these bands function and which ones your carrier uses, you can make informed choices about which mobile devices to purchase for maximum compatibility in your deployment location.
At a basic level, frequency bands are categorized into three types:
- Low-frequency bands (select frequencies between 600 MHz and 1 GHz) excel at providing wide coverage and penetrating obstacles like walls, making them ideal for rural and indoor environments.
- Mid-frequency bands (select frequencies between 1 GHz and 6 GHz) strike a balance between coverage and data speed, making them useful in urban and suburban areas.
- High-frequency bands (select frequencies between 24 GHz and 100 GHz) enable ultrafast data speeds but have limited range and are easily obstructed by physical barriers.
Here’s an overview of the frequency bands used by major U.S. carriers and how they optimize their networks for performance. Note that bands starting with `n` are 5G only.
Verizon
Low-Frequency Bands:
- 700 MHz (Band 13): Provides broad coverage and excellent signal penetration for rural and indoor environments.
- 850 MHz (Band 5): Extends coverage and improves building penetration, supporting 5G deployment in many areas.
Mid-Frequency Bands:
- 1700/2100 MHz (Band 4): Balances coverage and capacity, offering faster speeds while maintaining a wide coverage area.
- 1900 MHz (Band 2): Focuses on high-density urban areas to provide faster data speeds and reduce congestion.
- 2500 MHz (Band 41): Enhances 5G speeds and capacity, primarily in dense areas with high data demand.
High-Frequency Bands:
- 39 GHz (Band n260): Provides ultrafast 5G speeds but with limited range, ideal for hotspots and urban centers.
- 24 GHz (Band n261): Similar to n260, delivers extremely fast speeds but is restricted to specific zones like city centers.
AT&T
Low-Frequency Bands:
- 700 MHz (Bands 12/17/29): Provides broad coverage and excellent signal penetration for rural and indoor environments.
- 850 MHz (Band 5): Extends coverage and improves building penetration, supporting 5G deployment in many areas.
Mid-Frequency Bands:
- 1700/2100 MHz (Bands 4/66): Balances coverage and capacity, offering faster speeds while maintaining a wide coverage area.
- 1900 MHz (Band 2): Focuses on high-density urban areas to provide faster data speeds and reduce congestion.
- 2300 MHz (Band 30): Offers additional capacity in areas with high data usage.
High-Frequency Bands:
- 39 GHz (Band n260): Provides ultrafast 5G speeds but with limited range, ideal for hotspots and urban centers.
- 24 GHz (Band n261): Similar to n260, delivers extremely fast speeds but is restricted to specific zones like city centers.
T-Mobile
Low-Frequency Bands:
- 600 MHz (Band 71): Provides broad coverage and excellent signal penetration for rural and indoor environments.
- 700 MHz (Band 12): Complements Band 71 by improving coverage and building penetration.
Mid-Frequency Bands:
- 1700/2100 MHz (Bands 4/66): Balances coverage and capacity, offering faster speeds while maintaining a wide coverage area.
- 1900 MHz (Band 2): Focuses on high-density urban areas to provide faster data speeds and reduce congestion.
- 2500 MHz (Band 41): Enhances 5G speeds and capacity, primarily in dense areas with high data demand.
High-Frequency Bands:
- 39 GHz (Band n260): Provides ultrafast 5G speeds but with limited range, ideal for hotspots and urban centers.
- 24 GHz (Band n261): Similar to n260, delivers extremely fast speeds but is restricted to specific zones like city centers.
A Note on Compatibility
Please note that, at the time of this article’s publication, band 5 is not widely used for LTE coverage. Soracom recommends that LTE devices deployed in the United States also have compatibility with bands 2 and 4 to ensure coverage.
Best Practices for Choosing a Frequency Band
When configuring an IoT device or deploying cellular-enabled hardware, it’s generally best to leave all supported frequency bands enabled for the ITU region in which your device is operating. This ensures maximum compatibility with local carrier networks, allowing the device to dynamically select the optimal band based on signal strength, network capacity, and environmental factors such as weather or position changes.
Disabling unused bands can slightly reduce the initial network scan and attach time, but the trade-off is often not worth the potential connectivity issues that may arise if a critical band is unavailable.
By keeping all relevant bands enabled, you allow the device to adapt seamlessly to varying conditions, such as transitioning between urban and rural areas, or during periods of high network congestion. This approach simplifies deployment, ensures reliable performance, and avoids the need for constant manual adjustments as network environments evolve.
Cellular Frequency Bands Matter
By understanding the frequency bands your carrier uses, you can ensure that your mobile device supports the bands necessary for optimal connectivity. Deployments in rural areas should prioritize low-frequency bands to ensure consistent coverage and reliable indoor signals. Urban users, meanwhile, may benefit from mid- and high-frequency bands that provide faster speeds and handle greater data demands.
As cellular networks continue to evolve, carriers are constantly optimizing their frequency allocations. To ensure you’re making the best choice for your needs, consult your carrier’s website or other trusted resources for up-to-date information on band availability in your area.
By staying informed, you can select the right combination of carrier and device to meet your mobile connectivity needs, whether you’re transmitting live video in a crowded metropolitan area or monitoring weather devices in remote locations.
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