MidBand Spectrum May 2026
Many LTE networks have been launched using mid-band spectrum, and operators and regulators have come to recognise the value of mid-band spectrum for 5G networks, as it serves a combination of coverage and capacity.
This report provides a snapshot of the global status of national usage of mid-band spectrum between 1.71 GHz and 7.125 GHz for LTE and 5G services. It is part of a series that separately also covers spectrum below 1.6 GHz — low-band spectrum — and spectrum above 24.25 GHz — high-band spectrum.
Note that all references to countries and territories in this document can be read as also including special administrative regions, disputed territories and dependencies.
This research reflects the constant evolution of the market and feedback is greatly appreciated to keep the report current.
Please send comments and information to research@gsacom.com.
LTE and 5G in Bands between 1.71 GHz and 7.125 GHz
Several key spectrum ranges between 1.71 GHz and 7.125 GHz are used for LTE and 5G. Many of the same bands are also used for networks based on 2G or 3G technologies, but these are not analysed in this report. The 1800 MHz band is most used, followed by C-band spectrum and spectrum at 2.6 GHz.
1700 MHz (Band 4 AWS)
Spectrum at 1700 MHz is widely used in the Americas for LTE, with much of Northern and Latin America now having assigned licences. GSA has identified 79 operators in 27 countries and territories as holding licences to deploy networks at 1700 MHz; of these, at least 56 have launched or are deploying networks in this spectrum range.
1800 MHz (Bands 3 and n3)
Spectrum at 1800 MHz is widely used worldwide for LTE and to a growing extent is used in a limited way for 5G. In total, 465 operators have been investing in LTE or 5G at 1800 MHz, of which 417 have launched or are deploying networks in this spectrum range, 54 others hold licences or are planning to deploy networks and 10 are known to have been engaging in tests or trials. Spectrum for LTE or 5G in band 3 or n3 has been awarded in 173 countries and territories. Networks are being deployed or have been launched in 166 of these. GSA has catalogued 26 operators investing in 5G in band n3, including 12 that are actively deploying or have launched.
The key spectrum bands licensed or deployed for LTE and 5G are:
• 1700 MHz (band 4 AWS)
• 1800 MHz (bands 3 and n3)
• 1900 MHz frequency-division duplex (FDD) (bands 2 and 25, n2 and n25)
• 2100 MHz (bands 1 and n1)
• 2300 MHz time-division duplex (TDD) (bands 40 and n40)
• 2600 MHz FDD (bands 7 and n7)
• 2600 MHz TDD (bands 38 and 41, n38 and n41)
• 3300-4200 MHz TDD (C-band, bands 42 and 43, and n77 and n78)
• 4400-5000 MHz (band n79)
• 6425-7125 MHz (band n104)
1900 MHz (Bands 2 and 25, n2 and n25)
Spectrum at 1900 MHz is used in some regions for LTE, with 26 countries and territories having assigned spectrum in band 2 or 25. In total, 69 operators have been identified as investing in LTE at 1900 MHz — all hold licences enabling them to deploy networks in this spectrum range. There are 11 countries and territories using spectrum in the n25 band. Since the previous update, GSA has seen an uptick in the number of operators having spectrum in this band. As of April 2026, 29 operators have launched a 5G service using band n25.
2100 MHz (Bands 1 and n1)
Spectrum at 2100 MHz has been widely used for 3G networks worldwide. It has also been deployed in LTE and, more recently, 5G networks. In total, 211 operators have been investing in LTE or 5G at 2100 MHz, of which 135 have launched or are deploying or piloting networks in this spectrum range, 78 hold licences or are planning to deploy networks and 11 are known to have been engaging in tests or trials. There are 43 operators that have been investing in 5G at 2100 MHz and 36 of those are known to have launched. Six operators have licences and one operator has planned a 5G network deployment in band n1.
2300 MHz TDD/FDD (WCS) (Bands 30, 40, n40 and n30)
Networks at 2300 MHz are reasonably common. GSA has identified 98 operators investing in 53 countries and territories worldwide. Of these, 81 operators are understood to have launched networks. Since December 2025, there has been more investment into 5G networks that use bands n40 and n30. GSA has identified 19 operators that have been investing in this band.
2600 MHz (Bands 7, 38, 41, n7, n38 and n41)
Spectrum at 2600 MHz has been widely deployed for LTE and is increasingly being used for 5G. The spectrum has sometimes been licensed in paired ranges for use in FDD networks (band 7 or n7) and sometimes unpaired for use in TDD networks (band 38, 41, or band n38 or n41). In some countries and territories, such as the United States, usage is flexible. LTE or 5G-suitable spectrum between 2500 MHz and 2690 MHz has been assigned in at least 128 countries and territories worldwide. Those assignments are complex because of a mixture of awards for paired FDD spectrum, unpaired TDD spectrum or flexible spectrum assignments.
2600 MHz FDD (Bands 7 and n7)
In total, 256 operators in 100 countries and territories have been investing in LTE and 5G at 2600 MHz using FDD paired spectrum, of which 251 hold licences, have deployed or are planning to deploy networks. An additional 11 operators are engaging in tests and trials, planning to launch or are to be confirmed.
5G networks using band n7 are still very limited, however the growth rate in the band is increasing. GSA has identified 13 operators currently investing in this band, of which six have licences. One operator is in the testing phase.
3300–4200 MHz (C-Band)
Although C-band spectrum has been playing an increasing role in LTE networks, it has also emerged as the most deployed spectrum range for 5G networks. Excluding the more than 200 operators awarded regional PAL licences in the recent CBRS spectrum auction in the United States, GSA has identified 317 operators in 100 countries and territories holding licences to deploy either LTE or 5G networks in C-band spectrum. Of those, 216 operators have been identified as actively deploying, having launched or currently testing 5G networks using bands n77 or n78.
4400-5000 MHz (Band n79)
Not used for LTE, this range is being deployed in selected markets for 5G. GSA has identified 11 operators that have invested in 5G in band n79. Six have launched a 5G service, one is in the process of deploying and four are running tests and trials.
6425-7125 MHz (Band n104)
Not used for LTE, spectrum in this range was identified for IMT at the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) in 2023 and is key for 5G-Advanced and the launch of 6G. GSA has identified four countries — Brazil, Hong Kong, India and the United Arab Emirates — that have already assigned or plan to assign spectrum in this band for mobile services. GSA expects this figure to grow as most countries and territories have identified usage in this band for IMT. Such countries include Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Egypt, Indonesia, Mauritania, Mexico, Oman, Russia, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and members of the African Telecommunications Union.
In the European Union, the Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG)
In the upper 6 GHz band agreed a prioritised use of the spectrum for mobile or fixed communications networks (IMT) [1]. After WRC-27, the RSPG intends to decide the exact use of the 160 MHz in the 6425-6585 MHz range. The RSPG is of the view that, if the 7125-7250 MHz band is identified for IMT, the upper 6 GHz range could be extended.
The more-recent draft RSPG Opinion on the 6G spectrum road map proposes the upper 6 GHz band as the primary band suitable for the introduction of 6G in Europe by 2030. [2]
The CEPT’s response to the European Commission’s mandate[3] targeting the harmonisation of the 6425-7125 MHz band will be delivered by July 2027. The associated ECC Decision will be finalised by November 2028.
[1] RSPG Opinion on Long-term vision for the upper 6 GHz band, November 2025
[2] Draft RSPG Opinion on a 6G spectrum roadmap, February 2026
[3] European Commission Mandate to the CEPT, December 2022
Device Support for Mid-Band Spectrum
GSA’s GAMBoD database shows that the number of devices available with support for key LTE spectrum bands between 1.6 GHz and 7.125 GHz varies widely. The counts range from more than 4,389 for b25 to over 23,000 for b3.
The mid-spectrum bands supported by the most devices are shown in Table 1. This data shows that the key bands for LTE are all very well supported, with thousands of devices on offer.
Table 1: LTE device support for major mid-spectrum bands. (Data correct as of 14th April 2026)
| Band | Number of Devices |
|---|---|
| 1800 MHz (b3) | 23,008 |
| 2100 MHz (b1) | 20,911 |
| 2600 MHz (b7) | 19541 |
| TDD 2300 MHz (b40) | 14,179 |
| TDD 2600 MHz (b41) | 12,792 |
| TDD 2600 MHz (b38) | 12,129 |
| AWS (b4) | 11,805 |
| 1900 MHz (b2) | 11.684 |
| TDD 1900 MHz (b39) | 9,985 |
| 1900 MHz (b25) | 4,389 |
As for 5G, the GAMBoD database now includes 3,479 commercially available devices that explicitly support one or more of the spectrum bands between 1.6 GHz and 7.125 GHz and six pre-commercial devices that are expected to support one or more of these bands when they become available. Table 2 highlights announced 5G devices with support for mid-band spectrum.
Table 2: 5G device support for major mid-spectrum bands. (Data correct as of 14th April 2026)
| Band | Number of Devices |
|---|---|
| TDD 3500 MHz (n78) | 3,289 |
| TDD 2500 MHz (n41) | 3,090 |
| 2100 MHz (n1) | 2,940 |
| TDD 3700 MHz (n77) | 2,917 |
| 1800 MHz (n3) | 2,702 |
| 2600 MHz (n7) | 2,069 |
| TDD 2600 MHz (n38) | 2,033 |
| 1700 MHz (n66) | 1,469 |
| TDD 4700 MHz (n79) | 1,450 |
| 1900 MHz (n2) | 1,388 |
Summary
As the rapid commercial introduction of 5G continues and demand for bandwidth rises rapidly in LTE and 5G networks, telecom regulators around the world are working to free up more spectrum. Operators are choosing to switch off older networks, like 2G and 3G, so that they are able to re-farm the spectrum.
Multiple auctions happened in 2025 in various mid-spectrum bands, and GSA expects many more auctions to take place in 2026. Many countries and territories are still to set out their 5G licensing strategies. GSA will track progress in future updates of this report.
© GSA 2026
WeChat: GSA Express
MidBand Spectrum May 2026
