diff --git a/src/core/devices/wifi/nm-wifi-ap.c b/src/core/devices/wifi/nm-wifi-ap.c
index e22795acc7..3e7589721b 100644
--- a/src/core/devices/wifi/nm-wifi-ap.c
+++ b/src/core/devices/wifi/nm-wifi-ap.c
@@ -621,7 +621,7 @@ nm_wifi_ap_check_compatible(NMWifiAP *self, NMConnection *connection)
 
     band = nm_setting_wireless_get_band(s_wireless);
     if (band) {
-        const char *ap_band = nm_utils_wifi_freq_to_band(priv->freq);
+        const char *ap_band = nm_wifi_freq_to_band_prop(priv->freq);
 
         if (!nm_streq(band, ap_band))
             return FALSE;
diff --git a/src/core/devices/wifi/nm-wifi-utils.c b/src/core/devices/wifi/nm-wifi-utils.c
index 332352ab06..3b59170655 100644
--- a/src/core/devices/wifi/nm-wifi-utils.c
+++ b/src/core/devices/wifi/nm-wifi-utils.c
@@ -639,7 +639,7 @@ nm_wifi_utils_complete_connection(GBytes       *ap_ssid,
                 chan_valid = FALSE;
             }
 
-            band = nm_utils_wifi_freq_to_band(ap_freq);
+            band = nm_wifi_freq_to_band_prop(ap_freq);
             if (band) {
                 g_object_set(s_wifi, NM_SETTING_WIRELESS_BAND, band, NULL);
             } else {
@@ -1929,3 +1929,19 @@ nm_wifi_utils_wfd_info_eq(const NMIwdWfdInfo *a, const NMIwdWfdInfo *b)
     return a->source == b->source && a->sink == b->sink && a->port == b->port
            && a->has_audio == b->has_audio && a->has_uibc == b->has_uibc && a->has_cp == b->has_cp;
 }
+
+const char *
+nm_wifi_freq_to_band_prop(guint32 freq)
+{
+    switch (nm_utils_wifi_freq_to_band(freq)) {
+    case NM_WIFI_BAND_2_4_GHZ:
+        return "bg";
+    case NM_WIFI_BAND_5_GHZ:
+        return "a";
+    case NM_WIFI_BAND_6_GHZ:
+        return "6GHz";
+    default:
+    case NM_WIFI_BAND_UNKNOWN:
+        return NULL;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/core/devices/wifi/nm-wifi-utils.h b/src/core/devices/wifi/nm-wifi-utils.h
index 1d46a9000f..7406e5b7f7 100644
--- a/src/core/devices/wifi/nm-wifi-utils.h
+++ b/src/core/devices/wifi/nm-wifi-utils.h
@@ -56,4 +56,6 @@ bool    nm_wifi_utils_parse_wfd_ies(GBytes *ies, NMIwdWfdInfo *out_wfd);
 GBytes *nm_wifi_utils_build_wfd_ies(const NMIwdWfdInfo *wfd);
 bool    nm_wifi_utils_wfd_info_eq(const NMIwdWfdInfo *a, const NMIwdWfdInfo *b);
 
+const char *nm_wifi_freq_to_band_prop(guint32 freq);
+
 #endif /* __NM_WIFI_UTILS_H__ */
diff --git a/src/libnm-client-impl/libnm.ver b/src/libnm-client-impl/libnm.ver
index 3e65c08bbf..5bd2cef243 100644
--- a/src/libnm-client-impl/libnm.ver
+++ b/src/libnm-client-impl/libnm.ver
@@ -2097,4 +2097,6 @@ global:
 libnm_1_58_0 {
 global:
 	nm_utils_wifi_6ghz_freqs;
+	nm_utils_wifi_freq_to_band;
+	nm_wifi_band_get_type;
 } libnm_1_56_0;
diff --git a/src/libnm-core-impl/nm-utils.c b/src/libnm-core-impl/nm-utils.c
index 33667aa67b..fea2822dd8 100644
--- a/src/libnm-core-impl/nm-utils.c
+++ b/src/libnm-core-impl/nm-utils.c
@@ -3797,21 +3797,24 @@ nm_utils_wifi_freq_to_channel(guint32 freq)
  * nm_utils_wifi_freq_to_band:
  * @freq: frequency
  *
- * Utility function to translate a Wi-Fi frequency to its corresponding band.
+ * Translates a Wi-Fi frequency to its corresponding band.
  *
- * Returns: the band containing the frequency or NULL if freq is invalid
+ * Returns: the band containing the frequency or %NM_WIFI_BAND_UNKNOWN if
+ * the frequency does not belong to a known band.
+ *
+ * Since: 1.58
  **/
-const char *
+NMWifiBand
 nm_utils_wifi_freq_to_band(guint32 freq)
 {
     if (freq >= _NM_WIFI_FREQ_MIN_2GHZ && freq <= _NM_WIFI_FREQ_MAX_2GHZ)
-        return "bg";
+        return NM_WIFI_BAND_2_4_GHZ;
     else if (freq >= _NM_WIFI_FREQ_MIN_5GHZ && freq <= _NM_WIFI_FREQ_MAX_5GHZ)
-        return "a";
+        return NM_WIFI_BAND_5_GHZ;
     else if (freq >= _NM_WIFI_FREQ_MIN_6GHZ && freq <= _NM_WIFI_FREQ_MAX_6GHZ)
-        return "6GHz";
+        return NM_WIFI_BAND_6_GHZ;
 
-    return NULL;
+    return NM_WIFI_BAND_UNKNOWN;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/libnm-core-intern/nm-core-internal.h b/src/libnm-core-intern/nm-core-internal.h
index b8df4d2e9d..f1fc76a563 100644
--- a/src/libnm-core-intern/nm-core-internal.h
+++ b/src/libnm-core-intern/nm-core-internal.h
@@ -1135,8 +1135,6 @@ gboolean nm_utils_base64secret_normalize(const char *base64_key,
 
 gboolean nm_utils_connection_is_adhoc_wpa(NMConnection *connection);
 
-const char *nm_utils_wifi_freq_to_band(guint32 freq);
-
 gboolean _nm_utils_iaid_verify(const char *str, gint64 *out_value);
 
 gboolean
diff --git a/src/libnm-core-public/nm-utils.h b/src/libnm-core-public/nm-utils.h
index 7095085d05..04398459b6 100644
--- a/src/libnm-core-public/nm-utils.h
+++ b/src/libnm-core-public/nm-utils.h
@@ -135,10 +135,30 @@ const char *nm_utils_file_search_in_paths(const char                       *prog
                                           gpointer                          user_data,
                                           GError                          **error);
 
-guint32  nm_utils_wifi_freq_to_channel(guint32 freq);
-guint32  nm_utils_wifi_channel_to_freq(guint32 channel, const char *band);
-guint32  nm_utils_wifi_find_next_channel(guint32 channel, int direction, char *band);
-gboolean nm_utils_wifi_is_channel_valid(guint32 channel, const char *band);
+/**
+ * NMWifiBand:
+ * @NM_WIFI_BAND_UNKNOWN: the band is unknown
+ * @NM_WIFI_BAND_2_4_GHZ: the 2.4 GHz band
+ * @NM_WIFI_BAND_5_GHZ: the 5 GHz band
+ * @NM_WIFI_BAND_6_GHZ: the 6 GHz band
+ *
+ * Describes a Wi-Fi radio frequency band.
+ *
+ * Since: 1.58
+ */
+typedef enum {
+    NM_WIFI_BAND_UNKNOWN,
+    NM_WIFI_BAND_2_4_GHZ,
+    NM_WIFI_BAND_5_GHZ,
+    NM_WIFI_BAND_6_GHZ,
+} NMWifiBand;
+
+guint32 nm_utils_wifi_freq_to_channel(guint32 freq);
+NM_AVAILABLE_IN_1_58
+NMWifiBand nm_utils_wifi_freq_to_band(guint32 freq);
+guint32    nm_utils_wifi_channel_to_freq(guint32 channel, const char *band);
+guint32    nm_utils_wifi_find_next_channel(guint32 channel, int direction, char *band);
+gboolean   nm_utils_wifi_is_channel_valid(guint32 channel, const char *band);
 NM_AVAILABLE_IN_1_2
 const guint *nm_utils_wifi_2ghz_freqs(void);
 NM_AVAILABLE_IN_1_2