What are the CA bands for LTE?
Carrier Aggregation is a key feature of LTE that allows mobile devices to combine multiple LTE carriers from different frequency bands to increase data throughput and overall network capacity.
Here is a table outlining the Carrier Aggregation (CA) bands for LTE:
| Band Combination | Frequency Bands (MHz) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Band 1 + Band 3 | 2100 (B1) + 1800 (B3) | Common combination in some regions |
| Band 1 + Band 5 | 2100 (B1) + 850 (B5) | Used in some countries for LTE-A |
| Band 1 + Band 8 | 2100 (B1) + 900 (B8) | Found in certain regions for CA |
| Band 3 + Band 5 | 1800 (B3) + 850 (B5) | Common combination in some regions |
| Band 3 + Band 7 | 1800 (B3) + 2600 (B7) | Used for high-capacity LTE-A networks |
| Band 3 + Band 8 | 1800 (B3) + 900 (B8) | Deployed in some countries for additional capacity |
| Band 3 + Band 20 | 1800 (B3) + 800 (B20) | Used for extended coverage in LTE-A networks |
| Band 5 + Band 7 | 850 (B5) + 2600 (B7) | Found in certain LTE-A networks |
| Band 7 + Band 20 | 2600 (B7) + 800 (B20) | Used for extended coverage and capacity |
| Band 38 + Band 40 | 2600 (B38) + 2300 (B40) | TDD LTE bands for CA in some regions |
| Band 41 + Band 41 | 2500 (B41) + 2500 (B41) | TDD LTE bands for intra-band CA |
| Band 1 + Band 3 + Band 5 | 2100 (B1) + 1800 (B3) + 850 (B5) | Tri-band CA for higher throughput |
| Band 3 + Band 7 + Band 20 | 1800 (B3) + 2600 (B7) + 800 (B20) | Tri-band CA for capacity and coverage |
| Band 1 + Band 3 + Band 7 | 2100 (B1) + 1800 (B3) + 2600 (B7) | Tri-band CA for a balanced approach |
| Band 3 + Band 5 + Band 8 | 1800 (B3) + 850 (B5) + 900 (B8) | Tri-band CA for increased capacity |
Note: These are just a few examples of LTE CA band combinations. The availability of specific band combinations can vary by region and depends on the LTE network’s configuration.
| CA Band | Frequency Range |
|---|---|
| Band 1 | 1920 MHz – 1980 MHz (Uplink), 2110 MHz – 2170 MHz (Downlink) |
| Band 2 | 1850 MHz – 1910 MHz (Uplink), 1930 MHz – 1990 MHz (Downlink) |
| Band 3 | 1710 MHz – 1785 MHz (Uplink), 1805 MHz – 1880 MHz (Downlink) |
| Band 4 | 1710 MHz – 1755 MHz (Uplink), 2110 MHz – 2155 MHz (Downlink) |
| Band 5 | 824 MHz – 849 MHz (Uplink), 869 MHz – 894 MHz (Downlink) |
| Band 7 | 2500 MHz – 2570 MHz (Uplink), 2620 MHz – 2690 MHz (Downlink) |
| Band 8 | 880 MHz – 915 MHz (Uplink), 925 MHz – 960 MHz (Downlink) |
| Band 12 | 698 MHz – 716 MHz (Uplink), 728 MHz – 746 MHz (Downlink) |
| Band 13 | 777 MHz – 787 MHz (Uplink), 746 MHz – 756 MHz (Downlink) |
| Band 14 | 788 MHz – 798 MHz (Uplink), 758 MHz – 768 MHz (Downlink) |
| Band 20 | 832 MHz – 862 MHz (Uplink), 791 MHz – 821 MHz (Downlink) |
| Band 28 | 703 MHz – 748 MHz (Uplink), 758 MHz – 803 MHz (Downlink) |
| Band 40 | 2300 MHz – 2400 MHz (Uplink), 2300 MHz – 2400 MHz (Downlink) |
| Band 41 | 2496 MHz – 2690 MHz (Uplink), 2496 MHz – 2690 MHz (Downlink) |
| Band 66 | 1710 MHz – 1780 MHz (Uplink), 2110 MHz – 2200 MHz (Downlink) |
LTE Carrier Aggregation bands:
- Band Numbers: LTE frequency bands are numbered sequentially, such as Band 1, Band 3, Band 5, and so on. Each band corresponds to a specific range of radio frequencies.
- Frequency Bands: The table includes the frequency bands in megahertz (MHz) for each band combination. These frequencies represent the uplink (mobile device to the base station) and downlink (base station to the mobile device) channels used for data transmission.
- Description: The description column provides a brief overview of the common use or purpose of each band combination. This may include whether it’s used for capacity enhancement, extended coverage, or specific regional deployments.
- TDD Bands: Some bands, such as Band 38 and Band 40, are part of the TDD (Time Division Duplex) LTE spectrum. These bands are primarily used for regions where TDD technology is prevalent.
- Tri-band CA: Tri-band Carrier Aggregation involves aggregating three LTE bands to further increase data throughput and network capacity. It’s a strategy often used to achieve a balance between capacity, coverage, and speed.
LTE Carrier Aggregation is a crucial technology in modern cellular networks, as it allows for efficient use of available spectrum and enables faster data speeds. The specific band combinations used by network operators may vary based on their deployment strategies and regional spectrum allocations.