Need an unlocked USB 4G WiFi router - what bands are required for global use? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Martin F
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 01, 2018, 07:59:25 am
content: Hi all,We're looking to provide our customers with a low-cost SIM-unlocked USB-powered 4G router.The purpose is to offer this as an option when buying our data logger, to allow users to insert it in their car's USB connector and use it as a hotspot for the data logger.We have customers in 50+ countries incl. in particular markets like USA, Europe, India, Asia.An example of the type of product we've looked at is this:https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/D21-3g-LTE-usb-modem-wifi_60579366610.html?spm=a2700.8443308.0.0.2f2a3e5f4poxC0Our challenge is that we want to simply provide a hardware option for end-user convenience.We don't want to mess with also offering a SIM card subscription - but rather let the local user choose a SIM card that they can then insert themselves.What do we need to consider in this regard in terms of band/frequency for our hotspot to enable users across USA, Europe, India, Asia (i.e. as global as possible)?If there are other considerations you think we should account for, please let me know.Thanks a lot!Martin

author: iainwhite
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 01, 2018, 02:26:34 pm
content: I am no expert, but as I understand it, there are two basic sets of frequency bands:European: dual-band 900/2100MHzAmerican: dual-band 850/1900MHzSo if you use a modem that has quad-band (i.e. includes the above 4 bands) you should cover most areas of the world.Hopefully other members with better knowledge will post . . .

author: Qw3rtzuiop
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 01, 2018, 08:30:36 pm
content: For Germany the band 20 (800 MHz) is very important.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 01, 2018, 10:02:00 pm
content: Quote from: iainwhite on July 01, 2018, 02:26:34 pmIn LTE (i.e. 4G, except among US cell carriers, who cheated and called 3.5G “4G”, and then called LTE “LTE” instead of 4G...), the bands are different. You’re thinking of traditional 2-3.5G, where it was mostly 900/1800MHz, except USA which was mostly 850/1900MHz. In both cases, 2100 came along later in 3G. Some US carriers also used 1700MHz.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 01, 2018, 10:24:05 pm
content: You basically need almost all LTE bands supported (except some obscure ones) to ensure that it would work wellanywherewith every carrier possible. Dunno about modems but with phones it does not happen that often. Usually phones support all 2G/3G bands but only select LTE bands. This is not helped by the fact that every country and carrier uses set of different bands. Say your modem might work fine in most of EU but be useless in select EU countries/carriers.So you would need (list based on the phone with AFAIK the best worldwide LTE support):FDD-LTE: Band 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/17/18/19/20/25/26/27/28/29/30TDD-LTE: Band 34/38/39/40/41

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 01, 2018, 10:37:14 pm
content: Also currently B66 and B71 are implemented in north America. You can see where each band is used.https://www.frequencycheck.com/bands/lte-band-66-1700-2100