List of mobile frequency bands in the Philippines
Do you want to know how much frequency bandwidth is allocated to each network provider? Below is a list of GSM, UMTS and LTE frequency bands allocated to Smart, Globe, Sun Cellular, Bayantel and Extelcom. This list is useful for those who want to know if their handset/device is compatible with their chosen network’s frequency bands.
Summary
| Smart | Globe | Sun Cellular | Bayantel | Extelcom | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GSM | 900 | 7.5 MHz | 17.5 MHz | – | – | – |
| 1800 | 20 MHz | 12.5 MHz | 17.5 MHz | 10 MHz | – | |
| 3G (UMTS) |
850 (Band 5) |
10 MHz | – | – | – | 10 MHz (AMPS) |
| 900 (Band 8) |
5 MHz | 5 MHz | – | – | – | |
| 2100 (Band 1) |
15 MHz | 10 MHz | 10 MHz | – | – | |
| 4G (LTE) | 700 (Band 28) | 17.5 MHz | 17.5 MHz | – | – | – |
| 850 | YES | – | – | – | – | |
| 1800 (Band 3) | 7.5 MHz | 7.5 MHz | – | – | – | |
| 2100 | YES | – | – | – | – |
See below for detailed information on each frequency band.
GSM frequency bands for 2G
2G, also known as second-generation wireless telephone technology, allows us to make voice calls, send SMS, picture messages, MMS (via GPRS), and connect to the internet via GPRS/EDGE. In the Philippines, telcos operate in the GSM-900 or GSM-1800 bands to offer 2G services nationwide. Click here for a detailed explanation of 2G technology and how GSM bands work.
GSM-900
| Carrier | Bandwidth | Frequency Assignment | Date Granted | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Globe | 7.5 MHz | 890-897.5/935-942.5 MHz | Sep 30, 1993 | |
| Globe | 10 MHz | 905-915/950-960 MHz | Sep 29, 1993 | |
| Smart | 7.5 MHz | 897.5-905/942.5-950 MHz | May 17, 1993 | |
| Globe | 5 MHz | 880-885/925-930 MHz | May 27, 2016 | re-used for 3G (UMTS) Band 8 |
| Smart | 5 MHz | 885-890/930-935 MHz | May 27, 2016 | re-used for 3G (UMTS) Band 8 |
GSM-1800
| Carrier | Bandwidth | Frequency Assignment | Date Granted | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Globe | 7.5 MHz | 1710-1717.5/1805-1812.5 MHz | May 27, 2016 | re-used for 4G (LTE) Band 3 |
| Smart | 7.5 MHz | 1717.5-1725/1812.5-1820 MHz | May 27, 2016 | re-used for 4G (LTE) Band 3 |
| Smart | 7.5 MHz | 1725-1732.5/1820-1827.5 MHz | Sept 27, 2001 / Sept 1998 |
|
| 5 MHz | 1735-1740/1830-1835 MHz | Jan 2000 | ||
| 5 MHz | 1745-1750/1840-1845 MHz | Mar 2000 | ||
| 2.5 MHz | 1780-1782.5/1875-1877.5 MHz | |||
| Bayantel | 10 MHz | 1750-1760/1845-1855 MHz | May 8, 2000 / Sept 23, 2001 |
|
| Globe | 2.5 MHz | 1732.5-1735/1827.5-1830 MHz | Dec 1998 | |
| 5 MHz | 1740-1745/1835-1840 MHz | Jan 2000 | ||
| 5 MHz | 1775-1780/1870-1875 MHz | Sept 27, 2001 | ||
| Sun Cellular | 15 MHz | 1760-1775/1855-1870 | Sept 23, 2001 / ? | |
| 2.5 MHz | 1782.5-1785-1877.5-1880 |
UMTS frequency bands for 3G
3G, also known as third generation mobile telecommunication, allows us to make video calls, watch mobile TV, connect to the internet via high-speed 3G/HSDPA. In the Philippines, telcos operate in 850 MHz (Band 5), 900 MHz (Band 8), and 2100 MHz (Band 1) to offer 3G services nationwide. Click here for a detailed explanation of 3G technology and how UMTS bands work.
UMTS-band 1 (2100 MHz)
| Carrier | Bandwidth | Frequency Assignment | Date Granted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart | 15 MHz | 1920-1935/2110-2125 MHz | Dec 2005 |
| Sun Cellular | 10 MHz | 1935-1945/2125-2135 MHz | Dec 2005 |
| Globe | 10 MHz | 1945-1955/2135-2145 MHz | Dec 2005 |
| formerly owned by CURE |
10 MHz | 1955-1965/2145-2155 MHz | Dec 2005 |
| (empty) | 15 MHz | 1965-1980/2155-2170 MHz | – |
UMTS-band 5 (850 MHz)
| Carrier | Bandwidth | Frequency Assignment | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| SBI | 1 MHz | 824-825/869-870 MHz | not used for 3G |
| 1.5 MHz | 845-846.5/890-891.5 MHz | not used for 3G | |
| Smart | 10 MHz | 825-835/870-880 MHz | transferred from Piltel to Smart then converted to 3G in 2008. Used for 3G and W-CDMA. |
| Extelcom | 10 MHz | 835-845/880-890 MHz | AMPS (not used for 3G) |
| (empty) | 2.5 MHz | 846.5-849/891.5-894 MHz |
LTE frequency bands for 4G
4G, also known as fourth generation wireless mobile telecommunications technology, provides ultra-broadband internet access for mobile devices. In the Philippines, telcos operate in Band 28 (700 MHz), Band 5 (850 MHz), Band 3 (1800 MHz), and Band 1 (2100 MHz) to offer 4G services nationwide.
LTE-band 28 (700 MHz)
| Carrier | Bandwidth | Frequency Assignment | Date Granted | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Globe | 17.5 MHz | 703-720.5/758-775.5 MHz | May 27, 2016 | ??? |
| Smart | 17.5 MHz | 720.5-738/775.5-793 MHz | May 27, 2016 | |
| (empty) | 10 MHz | 738-748/793-803 MHz |
Frequency bands are assigned to telecommunication companies to offer 2G, 3G, and 4G services in the country. Originally, the frequency bands used in the Philippines were: 1) GSM: 900 MHz and 1800 MHz, 2) UMTS: 2100 MHz and 850 MHz. As our cellular technology upgrades, frequency bands have been reused to accommodate newer technologies (e.g. 4G).
We update this list from time to time, depending on the information submitted to us. If there are any inaccuracies, please let us know in the comments section below. We’ll try to update this as soon as we can.
[Source: COA Regulatory Functions NTC, ABS-CBN News, GMA News]