5g band 700 mhz

1. Frequency Band:

The 700 MHz band refers to the radio frequency spectrum that lies between 698 MHz and 806 MHz. This spectrum was traditionally used for UHF television broadcasting. With the digital television transition and subsequent spectrum repurposing efforts in many countries, parts of this spectrum were reallocated for mobile broadband services, including 5G.

2. Characteristics:

• Coverage Area: One of the key characteristics of lower frequency bands like 700 MHz is their ability to provide wide coverage areas. Lower frequency signals travel farther and penetrate buildings and other obstacles better than higher frequencies.
• Propagation: Lower frequencies in the UHF range, such as 700 MHz, have better propagation characteristics. They are less affected by obstacles like buildings and vegetation and can travel longer distances. This makes 700 MHz ideal for rural and suburban coverage and for providing indoor coverage in urban areas.
• Capacity vs. Speed: While lower frequency bands like 700 MHz offer wider coverage, they typically have limited capacity compared to higher frequency bands. This means that while you can cover large areas with a single 700 MHz cell site, the total data throughput or speed might be lower compared to higher frequency bands like 3.5 GHz.

3. 5G Deployment:

• Coverage and Capacity: In the context of 5G, the 700 MHz band is crucial for operators looking to provide both coverage and capacity. While higher frequency bands like millimeter-wave (mmWave) offer ultra-fast speeds in dense urban areas, they have limited coverage due to shorter propagation distances. By deploying 5G in the 700 MHz band, operators can ensure broad coverage while also leveraging higher frequency bands for capacity where needed.
• Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS): To expedite the deployment of 5G services, many operators have been utilizing Dynamic Spectrum Sharing techniques. This allows them to operate 4G LTE and 5G services simultaneously on the same spectrum band, including the 700 MHz band. This means that as user demand for 5G increases, operators can dynamically allocate more spectrum resources to 5G while still serving 4G users.

4. Challenges and Considerations:

• Interference: Since 700 MHz was previously used for television broadcasting and other services in some regions, there might be interference concerns. Proper coordination and transition strategies are essential to ensure interference-free operations.
• Ecosystem: For 5G deployments in the 700 MHz band, it's essential to ensure that devices (smartphones, IoT devices, etc.) support this band. As the ecosystem matures, more devices will become available with 700 MHz support.