5G Frequency Bands

Fifth-generation mobile networks (5G), defined by 3GPP, operate across two broad frequency ranges known as FR1 and FR2.

FR1 covers 410 MHz to 7.125 GHz and is itself divided into low-band (typically below 1 GHz), reused from earlier generations, and mid-band (1 to 6 GHz), where new spectrum has been auctioned in most countries. The mid-band C-band (3.3 to 4.2 GHz in the U.S. and many other markets) is the primary carrier of 5G capacity in most rolled-out networks because it balances range and bandwidth.

FR2 covers 24.25 GHz to 71 GHz and is commonly called millimeter wave (mmWave). FR2 provides very high bandwidth (and therefore data rates) but very short range and poor wall penetration. It is mostly deployed in dense urban areas, stadiums, and fixed wireless access scenarios.

From an exposure standpoint, the same regulatory framework applies as to earlier generations. The FCC's RF exposure rules in the U.S. and ICNIRP's 2020 guidelines internationally cover the entire band up to 300 GHz. Devices and base stations are tested and certified to comply, with SAR used for handset compliance below 6 GHz and incident power density (W/m²) used at higher frequencies where energy deposition is shallow and SAR averaging is less informative.

Shielding considerations vary with frequency. At C-band (around 3.5 GHz, wavelength ≈ 8.5 cm), aperture sizes well under a centimeter are typically required for substantial attenuation. At mmWave (28 GHz, wavelength ≈ 1 cm), apertures must be on the order of a millimeter or smaller, which makes loose-weave fabrics far less effective at high frequencies than at lower ones. Material conductivity and continuity also become more critical at higher frequencies.

RADIHALT designs EMF protection blankets built around woven copper-nickel Faraday fabric. The terminology on this page — from Faraday-cage physics through attenuation figures and ICNIRP exposure limits — is what underpins the engineering and the claims we publish about our products.

We try to keep our marketing language tied to the same vocabulary regulators and physicists use. If a definition on this page conflicts with anything on a RADIHALT product page, the glossary entry is the source we hold ourselves to.