This article explains the easiest steps you can take to see which on frequency your phone connects to your network. This is useful information to have, especially if you are looking to purchase a mobile repeater. Knowing your frequency will allow you to select the cheapest repeater for the job.
However, for a professional installation, and to future proof your building, the best solution is to install a system, such as the iR6 iRepeater, which amplifies all of the frequencies in your country for 5G, 4G, 3G and voice. Please see this blog for more information on the advantages of installing a 6 band repeater.
Your phone will use one of these 6 frequencies
- 700Mhz (Band 28)
- 800Mhz (Band 20)
- 900Mhz (Band 8)
- 1800Mhz (Band 3)
- 2100Mhz (Band 1)
- 2600Mhz (Band 7)
(Band numbers are just easy to read labels )
Lets find out which one it is!
Here is how the networks and frequencies relate to each other:
- 5G (aka lte) can be at many frequencies including 700 or 2100MHz
- 4G (aka lte) is either at 800, 1800 or 2600MHz
- 3G (aka wcdma) is either at 900 or 2100MHz
- GSM is always at 900MHz
FIELD TESTING ON SAMSUNG GALAXY
- Ensure mobile data is switched on:
- Ensure WiFi is switched off
2) Type in *#0011# into the area that you would normally use to punch in a telephone number.
You are now in Service Mode:
Here you should be able to see the Band number directly. It’s that easy!
- BAND 1 = 2100MHz.
- BAND 3 = 1800MHz.
- BAND 8 = 900MHz.
- BAND 7 = 2600MHz
- BAND 20 = 800MHz
- BAND 28 = 700MHz
However, sometimes on older phones, the Band is NOT shown and instead, it will just say GSM900 or WCDMA(900) or WCDMA(2100). This is still easy to read.
- GSM900 = 900MHz
- WCDMA(900) = 900MHz
- WCDMA(2100) = 2100MHz
(WCDMA is just 3G)
Below are 2 examples. The first phone is in an area where there is 4G, and the second where there is only 3G.
In the first image, you can see the phone is connected to Band 20. This is 800Mhz, so that’s 4G is at 800Mhz
In the second image, we are connected to (WCDMA(900)). The (900) means 900Mhz. The WCDMA means 3G. So that’s 3G at 900Mhz.
Some phones may only show UARFCN numbers, so in both these images I also highlighted the UARFCN number (in this case, 6300 and 3088 respectively).
If your phone only shows UARFCN values, you can put these numbers into the UARFCN-to-frequency converter above.
Conclusion
Now that you know the frequency / band that your phone connects to outside your house, you can select the cheapest signal booster for you.
If you have any doubts, an you want to future proof your installation, you should choose a repeater that amplifies at least 3 frequencies.
If you see no symbol or the ‘E’ or ‘G’ symbol , we suggest the stellahome900 booster. This one is easy!
If you see the 3G, H, H+ symbol then you must find out by the method above whether you are at 900Mhz or 2100Mhz.
If you see the ‘4G‘ or ‘LTE’ symbol, then you must use the method above to find out are you connected to 800, 1800 or 2600Mhz, and then select the appropriate booster for the list.
If you see the ‘5G‘ symbol, and you want to amplify 5G, you should choose a professional iRepeater which will amplify all services for all operators and future proof the building.