Most smartphone users don’t care much about the network frequency of their phone, but it’s important to be sure of the network frequency phone support before you buy it. In Nigeria, we value second-hand used phones from the USA, UK, China, etc. We call them London used phones or US used phones, but sometimes you might experience network problems when using certain mobile network providers in Nigeria.
Before we proceed, I would like to list the network frequency bands support in most countries like the USA, UK, China, Nigeria, and India.
List of some countries and their supported network frequency bands
Nigeria
2G – GSM 900 and 1800
3G – UMTS 2100
4G – LTE bands 3, 7, 8, 20, 28, 40 and 42
5G – Nil
China
2G – GSM 900 and 1800
3G – UMTS 2100
4G – LTE bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 40 and 41
5G – Sub 6GHz (78)
USA
2G – GSM 850 and 1900
3G – UMTS 850, 1700, 1900 and 2100
4G – LTE bands 2, 4, 5, 12, 13, 14, 17, 25, 30, 41, 42, 46, 66 and 71
5G – Sub 6GHz (41 and 71) and mmWave (n260)
India
2G – GSM 900 and 1800
3G – UMTS 900 and 2100
4G – LTE bands 1, 3, 5, 8, 40 and 41
5G – Nil
United Kingdom
2G – GSM 900 and 1800
3G – UMTS 900 and 2100
4G – LTE bands 1, 3, 7, 8, 20, 28, 32, 38 and 40
5G – Sub 6GHz (42 and 78)
Do you know why you experience network problems?
You might be having a network issue because of a hardware or software problem from the phone, but most times, it’s neither hardware nor software problem but something else. You Just Bought a phone designed for another region/country!
It is impossible to overestimate the significance of network frequency bands in smartphones nowadays. It is terrible that many individuals are unaware of network frequency bands and what they can do.
In the context of networks, network frequency bands are the signal frequencies that have been given to network providers. These network providers then use these frequencies to transmit their signals to the rest of the population.
Many countries have a variety of network service providers to choose from. Examples are Airtel, Jio, and Vi India in India; MTN, Airtel, and Glo in Nigeria; and the three major mobile operators in the United Kingdom: 3, EE, O2, and Vodafone. As a result, the network provider that you must use is determined by your geographic location. Because If you live in Nigeria, you cannot use AT&T or China Telecom services.
These various network providers likewise use their assigned network frequency bands to transmit their signals to their users, which is similar to how cable companies do it.
What is the significance of network frequency bands on cellphones, and how do they work?
In today’s market, smartphone OEMs are increasingly producing several variants of the same phone for different markets. Samsung and Xiaomi are two excellent examples of firms that use this approach.
These many variants of the same phone often only support the network frequency bands specific to the locations they are intended for. Phones designed for India that support LTE bands 1, 3, 5, 8, 40, and 41 are excellent examples.
As previously said, I reside in Nigeria, which means I am obligated to utilize Nigerian mobile service providers such as:
- MTN (LTE bands 7 and 20)
- Airtel (LTE band 3)
- Globacom (LTE band 3). (LTE band 3 and 28).
It would make absolutely no sense for anyone living in Nigeria to purchase a phone designed for the Indian market since, except for band 3, it would not support the LTE bands used in Nigeria. If I were to purchase such a phone, I would be compelled to utilize a network provider that supports band 3 (such as Airtel). Otherwise, my phone would be rendered ineffective as a communication device.
If I were to purchase a device from the Chinese region (bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 40, and 41), it would make much more sense because such a phone would be able to handle network signals from the vast majority of Nigerian mobile carriers.
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Conclusion
It is critical that you be aware of the supported network frequency bands in your nation and that you only purchase a phone that can use them. In the long run, this will save you a lot of grief.