C- band is a specific range of frequencies in the radio frequency (RF) spectrum, which is divided among ranges from very low frequencies (vlf) to extremely high frequencies (ehf). Each band has a set upper and lower frequency limit. Because a band is valuable, it is regulated by national agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the US.
C-band, a radio frequency band between 3.7 and 4.2GHz. “C-band is not a new frequency, but a part of mid-band,” Pulkit Pandey, Associate Principal Analyst at Gartner, told. “Every country has their own set of rules in accordance to which the spectrum rollout is planned.”C-band is already in use across the world, making it the most popular 5G band. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), C-band is divided into three subsets: band n77, band n78, and band n79. While the EU uses n78 which is in the range of 3.3 to 3.8GHz, the US will use n77, a larger band stretches from 3.3 to 4.2GHz. Japan already uses band n77. All major flagship smartphones including the Galaxy S21 series, Galaxy Fold lineup, iPhone 13 and Google Pixel 6 support C-band in the US.
What are Airlines Concerned About?
Other aircraft models with approved altimeters are:
- Boeing 717, 737, 747, 757, 767
- MD-10/-11
- Airbus A300, A310, A319, A320, A321, A330, A340, A350, A380
The FAA estimates that 62% of the US commercial fleet will operate without 5G interference. Aircraft not mentioned in this list are yet to be cleared by the authority. In most countries, the 5G band occupies a lower range than in the US. For instance, in the European Union 5G frequencies sit in the 3.4 – 3.8 GHz range, while in Korea they occupy the range of 3.42 – 3.7 GHz.
