5G RedCap Antenna Guide

5G RedCap Antennas — NR-Light for IoT

5G RedCap (Release 17 Reduced Capability, also called NR-Light) is the 5G standard for mid-tier IoT. Here is what it means for antenna selection.

3GPP R17

Standard definition

100 Mbps

Typical RedCap downlink

Same bands

n78, n28 — same as full 5G

2026

Limited UK network availability

What is 5G RedCap?

5G RedCap (Reduced Capability) is a 3GPP Release 17 standard that defines a simpler 5G modem for devices that do not need the full throughput of standard 5G. It sits between NB-IoT/LTE-M (very low power, very low throughput) and full 5G (high throughput, high power consumption, high modem cost).

RedCap targets: industrial wireless sensors, wearable devices, video surveillance cameras, smart grid nodes. The use case is devices that need more throughput than NB-IoT can provide but for which a full 5G modem is overspecified and too expensive.

Technology	Max Downlink	Latency	Power	Modem Cost
NB-IoT	60 kbps	1-10 sec	Very low	Very low
LTE-M (Cat-M1)	1 Mbps	50-100 ms	Low	Low
5G RedCap (NR-Light)	~150 Mbps	<10 ms	Moderate	Moderate
5G Full (FR1)	>1 Gbps	<5 ms	High	High

Antenna Requirements for RedCap

RedCap operates on the same 5G NR frequency bands as standard 5G. For UK deployments:

n78: 3400-3800 MHz (primary urban 5G)
n28: 700 MHz (rural 5G coverage extension)
n3: 1800 MHz (5G layer on existing EE/Vodafone B3)

An antenna specified for 5G IoT that covers 700-3800 MHz will work with RedCap without modification. RedCap modems support fewer MIMO streams than full 5G (typically 1 or 2 receive antennas vs 4 for full 5G), but the antenna bands remain the same.

For embedded RedCap applications, see embedded IoT antennas for compact antenna options covering these bands.

When to Specify RedCap

If you are designing IoT hardware today for deployment over the next 3-5 years, and your application needs more than 1 Mbps throughput but full 5G is overkill, specify a RedCap-capable modem now. The antenna specification is identical to a standard 5G antenna. The network support will follow.

For existing deployments with 4G LTE-Cat 4 or Cat 1 routers, RedCap is not relevant. There is no upgrade path from existing hardware. RedCap applies to new hardware designs.

Full context on 5G NSA vs SA and UK operator rollout is in the 5G antenna guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a special antenna for 5G RedCap?

No. RedCap uses the same 5G NR bands as full 5G — n78 at 3.5 GHz and n28 at 700 MHz for UK deployments. An antenna that covers these bands for standard 5G also covers RedCap. The difference is in the modem chipset (lower complexity, lower cost, lower power), not the antenna.

Is 5G RedCap available on UK networks in 2026?

Limited deployment. UK operators are rolling out RedCap network support but it is not yet widely available. Check specific operator documentation for postcode-level availability. For new hardware designs specifying a 5-year deployment horizon, RedCap-capable modems are worth specifying now even if the network support comes later.

What is the difference between RedCap and NB-IoT?

NB-IoT is designed for very low throughput (60 kbps max), very low power, and static devices sending tiny packets infrequently. RedCap targets devices needing 10-100 Mbps — wearables, industrial sensors with video capability, smart grid nodes. RedCap has much higher throughput but higher power consumption than NB-IoT. The right choice depends entirely on your application data requirements.

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