Buying a โ5G phoneโ does not automatically mean youโll get 5G everywhere.
Different countries, and even different carriers inside each country, use different 5G bands and frequencies. A phone that works perfectly in one region may only get partial 5G service in another, or fall back to 4G LTE entirely.
To make this simple, we built a Global 5G Band Lookup Tool that lets you:
- pick any country
- see the 5G bands used there
- check frequency ranges
- identify whether the band is FR1 (Sub-6 GHz) or FR2 (mmWave)
- search for specific bands like n78, n77, n41, n258
This article explains how to use the tool and why these differences matter so much.
Global 5G Band Lookup Tool
Select a country or search to see supported 5G bands and spectrum ranges.
| Country | Band | Frequency Range | FR | Notes |
|---|
Table of Contents
๐ Why 5G bands differ across countries
Every country regulates its own radio spectrum.
That means:
- different auctions
- different historical uses of spectrum
- different migration from 2G/3G/4G
- different security and aviation constraints
- different levels of 5G maturity
So while n78 (3.5 GHz) is very common worldwide, others are highly regional, like:
- n41 โ strong presence in the United States and parts of Asia
- n28 โ 700 MHz coverage band used in Europe, India, Brazil, and others
- mmWave bands like n257/n258/n260/n261 used in select countries only
Your 5G experience depends on how many local bands your device supports.
๐ก What the tool shows you
The tool lists, for each country:
- 5G NR band number (like n78, n28, n258)
- frequency range (for example 3.3โ3.8 GHz)
- FR category
- FR1 = Sub-6 GHz (low + mid band)
- FR2 = mmWave (very high frequency)
- notes about common usage and deployment status
You can:
- select a country from the dropdown
- or type into the search box to filter globally
Try searches like:
n783.5 GHzmmWaven258coverage
๐งญ How to use the Global 5G Band Lookup Tool
1. Select a country
Choose the country where you:
- live
- travel
- buy SIM cards
- import devices
The table will immediately show the bands used there.
2. Use the search bar (optional)
The search lets you instantly filter results by:
- band name (n78, n77, etc.)
- frequency (like โ3.5 GHzโ or โ700โ)
- keywords (such as โmmWaveโ or โcoverageโ)
This is useful when comparing across multiple countries at once.
3. Compare with your phoneโs supported bands
Check your device specifications (settings or manufacturer site) and look for:
โ5G NR bandsโ
Match those against:
- the country you are interested in
- the results from the tool
If bands donโt overlap, you wonโt get 5G in that regionโeven if your phone โsupports 5Gโ in general.
๐ถ Quick primer: FR1 vs FR2 (Sub-6 vs mmWave)
FR1 โ Sub-6 GHz (low and mid band)
Includes bands like:
- n1, n3, n5, n28
- n41, n66, n77, n78
Characteristics:
- travels far
- penetrates buildings better
- provides broad coverage
- speeds from tens to hundreds of Mbps
This is the backbone of most global 5G deployments.
FR2 โ mmWave (very high band)
Includes bands like:
- n257
- n258
- n260
- n261
Characteristics:
- extremely fast (gigabit speeds possible)
- very short range
- blocked by walls, hands, trees, rain
- mainly in dense hotspots like stadiums and airports
Not many countries deploy mmWave widely yet, but it is growing.
โ๏ธ Why travelers and import-device buyers should care
This tool is especially useful if you:
- buy phones from another country
- import devices from Asia or Europe
- use eSIMs when traveling
- run IoT or modem hardware globally
Common cases:
- A phone imported from China may not support North American bands.
- A European device may lack US n41 or mmWave support.
- US-market phones sometimes omit n78, heavily used internationally.
Matching bands prevents:
- weak 5G coverage
- 4G fallback
- poor indoor performance
- wasted hardware capability
๐ Final takeaway
5G is not one single technology – it is a collection of spectrum bands, each with unique trade-offs in:
- speed
- range
- coverage
- device compatibility
Our Global 5G Band Lookup Tool helps you quickly see:
- which bands exist in each country
- which frequency ranges they use
- whether theyโre Sub-6 or mmWave
Use it before:
- importing a phone
- traveling internationally
- choosing a carrier
- building global IoT devices
It can save you from disappointment – and help you unlock the best 5G performance available.
