Why do we need C-band for 5G ?

 



The 5G situation in the United States is currently very difficult. For 5G to deliver a better experience than 4G, it needs a wide, dedicated channel, preferably 50 MHz or more. For 5G to cover the whole country, it needs to be running below around 6 GHz, so you can get a good range from the tower. Currently, AT&T and Verizon do not use wireless networks to match these fees. Verizon may have something to gain by using the new CBRS wireless network below C-band, but the jury is still out. So in general, AT&T and Verizon offer 5G that is not faster than LTE at the same time or without limits.


C band can solve this problem. The government has released 280 MHz of airwaves in the main C-band and an additional 100 MHz in the 3.45 band, which can extend up to 800 meters from each tower, leaving enough bandwidth for many airwave carriers. and benefited. through 5G is strong. mainly existing cell sites.

 

Leaving the cellular is a terrible thing. This 2006 article estimates that the 3.5 GHz network can extend up to 2 km from any site in urban areas and up to 6.2 km in rural areas. According to CellMapper.net, there is about 2.5 miles between T-Mobile's 2.6 GHz sites in downtown Dallas, but only 0.6 miles between sites where I live in Queens, New York. So I say half a mile for a 3.5GHz network is fine.

Our first test of Verizon's c band shows a range of about 0.37 miles in populated Queens, New York. This, however, appears to be limited not by the power of the airwaves, but by the fact that Verizon doesn't want its cell sites to interfere with each other.

 

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