5G Mid-Band and C-Band
The middle spectrum layer, or mid-band of 5G is the “capacity layer,” which operates in the 2 GHz to 7 GHz spectrum range balances medium 5G capacity with medium propagation. These characteristics demonstrate why the mid-band spectrum is one of the most widely used globally as 5G networks are rolled out.
The terms C-Band and mid-band are referenced interchangeably, but C-Band is actually a subset of the mid-band range. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), C-Band operates in band n77, band n78, and band n79. Most European and Asian countries currently use n78, which stretches from 3.3 to 3.8 GHz. The U.S. will use n77, a larger band from 3.3 to 4.2 GHz, however U.S. providers using C-Band are currently operating within 3.7 – 3.98 GHz.
Mid-band and C-Band 5G offer a balance of speed, capacity, coverage, and propagation that works with bandwidth intensive and latency-sensitive use cases such as:
- Fixed Locations — Failover beyond critical traffic, primary wireless for larger sites, cellular SD-WAN, fiber replacement, industrial 4.0 with private 5G, and AR-enabled marketing
- Temporary Sites — High-performance pop-up sites, store-in-store connectivity, proximity marketing, AR applications for temporary sites, large event broadcasting, and mobile VR-enabled training
- Vehicles — Multiple in-vehicle applications, HD video streaming, video offload, high-bandwidth command and control, autonomous driving for agriculture, and in-transit healthcare diagnostics
- IoT — Robust Smart City applications, immersive and interactive kiosks, HD video surveillance, proximity marketing or public safety, and AI-enabled video for public safety and marketing
