Power Class
In relation to 5G and 4G phones, this refers to how strong of a radio signal the phone is allowed to transmit when communicating with the cellular network (the uplink.)
The default is Power Class 3, which is 23 dBm. This is sufficient for most sub-6 GHz frequency bands. However higher frequencies benefit from higher power levels in some situations.
Therefore Power Class 2 allows higher power levels (up to 26 dBm) in certain bands, including bands 41 and 77. In relation to 4G LTE, this is commonly referred to as HPUE.
See: HPUE
There is also an even stronger Power Class 1.5 for 5G, which allows up to 29 dBm for band 41.
Last updated Jan 26, 2024 by Rich Brome
Editor in Chief Rich became fascinated with cell phones in 1999, creating mobile web sites for phones with tiny black-and-white displays and obsessing over new phone models. Realizing a need for better info about phones, he started Phone Scoop in 2001, and has been helming the site ever since. Rich has spent two decades researching and covering every detail of the phone industry, traveling the world to tour factories, interview CEOs, and get every last spec and photo Phone Scoop readers have come to expect. As an industry veteran, Rich is a respected voice on phone technology of the past, present, and future.
