Frequencies

This page outlines mobile phone frequency usage by mobile network operators in Aotearoa New Zealand as of August 2023. Data is based on actual observations in the Auckland region.

Band Summary

The following table is a summary of the bands used by each mobile network.

Technology Frequency Band Spark One 2degrees
2G
(GSM)		 900 MHz 8 Not In Use Essential Not In Use
3G
(UMTS)		 850 MHz 5 Closing 2025 Not In Use Not In Use
900 MHz 8 Not In Use Closing 2024 Closing 2025
2100 MHz 1 Not In Use Not In Use Closing 2025
4G
(LTE)		 700 MHz 28 Essential Essential Essential
850 MHz 5 Future? Not In Use Not In Use
900 MHz 8 Not In Use Essential Essential
1800 MHz 3 Essential Essential Essential
2100 MHz 1 Essential Recommended Recommended
2300 MHz 40 Recommended Not In Use Not In Use
2600 MHz 7 Recommended Recommended Not In Use
5G
(NR)		 3500 MHz 78 Recommended Recommended Recommended

Band 28 (700 MHz)

Band 28 is only used for 4G LTE services. Spark operates on Band 28 from most sites. One operates on Band 28 from many sites. 2degrees has less Band 28 usage because some of their older sites haven't had antennas upgraded to support Band 28.

Network Spark One 2degrees
Technology LTE LTE LTE
DL ARFCN 9310 9485 9610
UL ARFCN 27310 27485 27610
DL Frequency 768 MHz 785.5 MHz 798 MHz
UL Frequency 713 MHz 730.5 MHz 743 MHz
Bandwidth 20 MHz 15 MHz 10 MHz

Band 5 (850 MHz)

Band 5 is only used for 3G UMTS services. This band is exclusively used by Spark. This is the only band Spark uses for 3G UMTS services. Spark operates on Band 5 from most sites.

Network Spark
Technology UMTS UMTS UMTS
DL ARFCN 1012 1037 1062
UL ARFCN 787 812 837
DL Frequency 872.5 MHz 877.5 MHz 882.5 MHz
UL Frequency 827.5 MHz 832.5 MHz 837.5 MHz
Bandwidth 5 MHz 5 MHz 5 MHz

Note: The above table shows the situation in the Auckland region where Spark has yet to deploy 5G NR. I am aware that in some areas Spark has started to refarm some of their Band 5 spectrum from UMTS to NR.

Band 8 (900 MHz)

Band 8 is used for 2G GSM, 3G UMTS and 4G LTE services. This band has the distinction of being the only band with three different radio technologies in use.

One operates on Band 8 for 2G GSM and 3G UMTS services from most sites. They have deployed 4G LTE services in some areas—being the only network operator to operate three different radio technologies in the same band.

2degrees operates on Band 8 for 3G UMTS services from most sites as well as 4G LTE services from many sites.

Network 2degrees One
Technology UMTS LTE GSM UMTS UMTS
DL ARFCN 2988 3622 50–70 3065 3086
UL ARFCN 2763 21622 50–70 2840 2861
DL Frequency 937.6 MHz 942.2 MHz 945–949 MHz 953 MHz 957.2 MHz
UL Frequency 892.6 MHz 897.2 MHz 900–904 MHz 908 MHz 912.2 MHz
Bandwidth 5 MHz 5 MHz n/a 5 MHz 5 MHz

Note: The above table shows the situation in the Auckland region where One has yet to deploy LTE. I am aware of One refarming their UMTS 3065 to LTE 3722 in the Wellington region—a strategy that may be in time be extended across the country.

Band 3 (1800 MHz)

Band 3 is only used for 4G LTE services. It had previously been used by One and 2degrees for 2G GSM services. 2degrees, Spark and One all operate on Band 3 from most urban sites. There are also limited deployments in rural areas—typically to provide additional capacity.

Network 2degrees Unused Spark One
Technology LTE n/a LTE LTE LTE
DL ARFCN 1300 n/a 1600 1800 1917
UL ARFCN 19300 n/a 19600 19800 19917
DL Frequency 1815 MHz n/a 1845 MHz 1865 MHz 1876.7 MHz
UL Frequency 1720 MHz n/a 1750 MHz 1770 MHz 1781.7 MHz
Bandwidth 20 MHz 10 MHz 20 MHz 20 MHz 5 MHz

Band 1 (2100 MHz)

Band 1 is used for 3G UMTS and 4G LTE services. This band has the distinction of being the only band with two different radio technologies in use.

2degrees operate 3G UMTS services on Band 1 from most urban sites. There are also limited deployments in rural areas—typically to provide additional capacity. One and Spark no longer operate any 3G UMTS services in Band 1.

2degrees, Spark and One operate 4G LTE services on Band 1 from selected sites—typically to provide additional capacity.

Network One Spark 2degrees Unused
Technology LTE LTE LTE UMTS n/a
DL ARFCN 100 275 400 10787 n/a
UL ARFCN 18100 18275 18400 9837 n/a
DL Frequency 2120 MHz 2137.5 MHz 2150 MHz 2157.4 MHz n/a
UL Frequency 1930 MHz 1947.5 MHz 1960 MHz 1967.4 MHz n/a
Bandwidth 20 MHz 15 MHz 10 MHz 5 MHz 10 MHz

Band 40 (2300 MHz)

Band 40 is only used for 4G LTE services. This band has the distinction of being the only band with LTE-TDD in use. This band is exclusively used by Spark. Spark operates on Band 40 from selected sites around the country—especially in areas where there is high demand for their Wireless Broadband service.

Network Unused Spark Unused
Technology n/a LTE LTE n/a
ARFCN n/a 39052 39250 n/a
Frequency n/a 2340.2 MHz 2360 MHz n/a
Bandwidth 30 MHz 20 MHz 20 MHz 30 MHz

Band 7 (2600 MHz)

Band 7 is only used for 4G LTE services. Spark and One operate 4G LTE services on Band 7 from selected sites—typically to provide additional capacity.

Network Unused Spark One
Technology Unused LTE LTE
DL ARFCN n/a 3200 3375
UL ARFCN n/a 21200 21375
DL Frequency n/a 2665 MHz 2682.5 MHz
UL Frequency n/a 2545 MHz 2562.5 MHz
Bandwidth 35 MHz 20 MHz 15 MHz

Band 78 (3500 MHz)

Band 78 is only used for 5G NR services—and is currently the only band being utilised for 5G NR. 2degrees, Spark and One operate on Band 78 from selected sites.

Network One Spark 2degrees
Technology NR NR NR
ARFCN 633312 643968 648000
Frequency 3499.68 MHz 3659.52 MHz 3720 MHz
Bandwidth 80 MHz 60 MHz 60 MHz