L1 or L1/L5? How to Choose the Right GPS Module with Antenna in 2026
A few years ago, choosing a GNSS module was simple: almost everything on the market received the L1 band, and the main question was price. In 2026, that has changed. Dual-band L1/L5 modules are now available in tiny packages for trackers and IoT devices. In March 2026, for example, Telit Cinterion launched a dual-band module in the same 7 × 7 mm footprint as its single-band version. So should every new design use dual-band? Not necessarily. This article explains the difference and helps you choose the right GPS module with antenna for your project. What L1 and L5 actually mean Satellite navigation systems transmit on several frequency bands. Two of them matter most for commercial modules: L1 (about 1575 MHz): the classic band, used by GPS, Galileo, GLONASS and BeiDou. Practically every GNSS module supports it. L5 (about 1176 MHz): the newer band, shared by GPS L5, Galileo E5a and BeiDou B2a. A single-band module listens only to L1. A dual-band module re...
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