Low-band and mid-band 5G offer different advantages for indoor coverage. Low-band 5G, utilizing frequencies below 1 GHz, excels in penetrating walls and providing wider coverage areas, making it suitable for deep indoor coverage in both urban and rural settings[1][2][9]. Mid-band 5G, operating between 1.7 GHz and 6 GHz, delivers a balance of speed and coverage, but its signals do not penetrate walls and windows as effectively as low-band frequencies[3][4][5].
Here's a breakdown of the characteristics:
Low-Band 5G:
* Coverage: Provides excellent coverage and can cover large areas[3]. Its superior propagation characteristics make it suitable for rural and remote areas[2]. Low-band frequencies have longer wavelengths that enable it to travel farther and penetrate through obstacles such as walls or glass[7].
* Speed: Typically offers data speeds around 50-100 Mbps[3].
* Use Cases: It can be used to send small amounts of data from many distributed devices to a network and from a network back to these devices[5]. Low-band spectrum makes it easier for the wireless signal to penetrate windows and walls[6].
Mid-Band 5G:
* Coverage: Signals travel farther than high-band 5G but not as far as low-band 5G[3].
* Speed: Data speeds typically range from 100-400 Mbps, with peaks reaching up to 2 Gbps[3].
* বিলà§à¦¡à¦¿à¦ penetration: The mid-band frequencies (1.8 GHz to 3.5 GHz) used in 5G deployment do not effectively penetrate walls and windows[4].
In summary, low-band 5G is the better option when deep indoor penetration and wide coverage are prioritized, while mid-band 5G offers a compromise between coverage and speed[8]. Businesses that depend on solid 5G signals indoors should look to install midband 5G small cells to be certain[7].
Citations:
[1] https://techjunction.co/tech-question/5g-indoor-coverage-improvement-solutions/
[2] https://www.gsma.com/connectivity-for-good/spectrum/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Socio-Economic-Benefits-of-Low-Band-Spectrum.pdf
[3] https://nybsys.com/5g-bands/
[4] https://www.ookla.com/articles/5g-indoor-coverage-gcc-2023
[5] https://www.trentonsystems.com/en-us/resource-hub/blog/5g-frequency-bands
[6] https://www.nokia.com/thought-leadership/articles/spectrum-bands-5g-world/
[7] https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/Indoor-5G-gets-a-boost-as-small-cells-come-to-the-rescue
[8] https://www.gsma.com/spectrum/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/mid-band-5G-spectrum-benefits.pdf
[9] https://www.gsma.com/connectivity-for-good/spectrum/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Low-Band-Spectrum-for-5G.pdf
[10] https://www.litepoint.com/blog/recognizing-the-challenges-of-indoor-5g-network-deployment/