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Cellular frequencies are the sets of frequency ranges within the ultra high frequency band that have been assigned for cellular-compatible mobile devices, such as mobile phones, to connect to cellular networks.[1] Most mobile networks worldwide use portions of the radio frequency spectrum, allocated to the mobile service, for the transmission and reception of their signals. The particular bands may also be shared with other radiocommunication services, e.g. broadcasting service, and fixed service operation.
Overview[edit]
Radio frequencies used for cellular networks differ in ITU Regions (Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia). The first commercial standard for mobile connection in the United States was AMPS, which was in the 800 MHz frequency band. In Nordic countries of Europe, the first widespread automatic mobile network was based on the NMT-450 standard, which was in the 450 MHz band. As mobile phones became more popular and affordable, mobile providers encountered a problem because they couldn't provide service to the increasing number of customers. They had to develop their existing networks and eventually introduce new standards, often based on other frequencies. Some European countries (and Japan) adopted TACS operating in 900 MHz. The GSM standard, which appeared in Europe to replace NMT-450 and other standards, initially used the 900 MHz band too. As demand grew, carriers acquired licenses in the 1,800 MHz band. (Generally speaking, lower frequencies allow carriers to provide coverage over a larger area, while higher frequencies allow carriers to provide service to more customers in a smaller area.)
In the U.S., the analog AMPS standard that used the cellular band (800 MHz) was replaced by a number of digital systems. Initially, systems based upon the AMPS mobile phone model were popular, including IS-95 (often known as 'CDMA', the air interface technology it uses) and IS-136 (often known as D-AMPS, Digital AMPS, or 'TDMA', the air interface technology it uses). Eventually, IS-136 on these frequencies was replaced by most operators with GSM. GSM had already been running for some time on US PCS (1,900 MHz) frequencies.
And, some NMT-450 analog networks have been replaced with digital networks using the same frequency. In Russia and some other countries, local carriers received licenses for 450 MHz frequency to provide CDMA mobile coverage area.
Many GSM phones support three bands (900/1,800/1,900 MHz or 850/1,800/1,900 MHz) or four bands (850/900/1,800/1,900 MHz), and are usually referred to as tri-band and quad-band phones, or world phones; with such a phone one can travel internationally and use the same handset. This portability is not as extensive with IS-95 phones, however, as IS-95 networks do not exist in most of Europe.
Mobile networks based on different standards may use the same frequency range; for example, AMPS, D-AMPS, N-AMPS and IS-95 all use the 800 MHz frequency band. Moreover, one can find both AMPS and IS-95 networks in use on the same frequency in the same area that do not interfere with each other. This is achieved by the use of different channels to carry data. The actual frequency used by a particular phone can vary from place to place, depending on the settings of the carrier's base station.
See also[edit]
- Bands by technology:
- Deployed networks by technology
- List of mobile network operators (summary)
- Mobile country code - code, frequency, and technology for each operator in each country
Other articles:
References[edit]
- ^Guowang Miao, Jens Zander, Ki Won Sung, and Ben Slimane, Fundamentals of Mobile Data Networks, Cambridge University Press, ISBN1107143217, 2016.
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cellular_frequencies&oldid=868782307'
United States Carrier Frequency Use[edit]
Legend: | in use | partially in use | not in use |
Carrier | 2G Frequency (MHz) Band name | 3G Frequency (MHz) Band name | 4GLTE Frequency (MHz) Band name | 5GNR Frequency (MHz) Band Name | ||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
800 | 850 | 1900 | 850 | 1700 2100 | 1900 | 600 | 700 | 850 | 1700 2100 | 1900 | 2300 | 2500 | 3500 | 5200 | 600 | 2500 | 28000 | 39000 | ||||
SMR | Cellular | PCS | Cellular | AWS | PCS | DD [B 1] | SMH [B 2][B 3][B 4][B 5][B 6] | Cellular [B 7] [B 8] | AWS [B 9] [B 10] | PCS [B 11] [B 12] | WCS [B 13] | BRS [B 14] | CBRS [B 15] | U-NII [B 16] | DD [C 1] | BRS [C 2] | Ka-band [C 3] | Ka-band [C 4] | ||||
AT&T | No | No | No | Yes [A 1] | No | Partial [A 1] | No | Yes [B 2][B 4][B 5][B 6] | Partial [B 7] | Yes | Partial [B 11] | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | Partial | |||
C Spire | No | Yes [A 2] | No | No | No | Yes [A 3] | Partial | Partial [B 2] | No | Yes | Yes [B 11] | No | Partial | No | No | No | No | Partial | No | |||
Sprint | Yes [A 2] | No | Partial [A 2] | No | No | Yes [A 3] | No | No | Yes [B 8] | No | Partial [B 12] | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Partial | No | No | |||
T-Mobile | No | No | Yes [A 4] | No | Partial [A 1] | Yes [A 1] | Yes | Yes [B 2] | Partial | Yes | Partial [B 11] | No | No | No | Yes | Partial | No | Partial | No | |||
U.S. Cellular | No | Yes [A 2] | Partial [A 2] | Partial [A 3] | No | Yes [A 3] | No | Yes [B 2] | Partial [B 7] | Yes | Partial [B 11] | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | |||
Verizon | No | Yes [A 2] | Partial [A 2] | Partial [A 3] | No | Yes [A 3] | No | Yes [B 3] | Partial [B 7] | Yes | Partial [B 11] | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | Partial | No |
|
Distribution and regulation[edit]
The usage of frequencies within the United States is regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). When distributing initial spectrum licenses in a band the FCC divides the US geographically into a number of areas.[1] A mobile operator (or other interested party) must bid on each area individually. A license owner can use any technology within the licensed area and frequency range subject only to the band rules defining various analog limits. A license owner can also partition the license (split geographically) or disaggregate it (split the whole licensed frequency range into two sub-ranges).[2] Whole, partitioned, and disaggregated licenses can be sold to virtually any other entity.
The Cellular band occupies 824–849 MHz and 869–894 MHz ranges. To issue cellular licenses, the FCC divided the U.S. into 734 geographic markets called Cellular Market Areas (CMAs) and divided the 40 MHz of spectrum into two, 20 MHz amounts referred to as channel blocks; channel block A and channel block B. A single license for the A block and the B block were made available in each market. The B block of spectrum was awarded to a local wireline carrier that provided landline telephone service in the CMA. The A block was awarded to non-wireline carriers. In 1986, the FCC allocated an additional 5 MHz of spectrum for each channel block, raising the total amount of spectrum per block to the current total of 25 MHz.[3]
The 1850–1990 MHz PCS band is divided into six frequency blocks (A through F). Each block is between 10 MHz and 30 MHz in bandwidth. License (A or B) is granted for Major Trading Areas (MTAs). License (C to F) is granted for Basic Trading Areas (BTAs). License (G), where issued, is granted for Economic Areas (EAs). There are 51 MTAs, 493 BTAs and 175 EAs in the United States.
- A: 1850–1865 MHz and 1930–1945 MHz (30 MHz)
- B: 1870–1885 MHz and 1950–1965 MHz (30 MHz)
- C: 1895–1910 MHz and 1975–1990 MHz (30 MHz, 15 MHz or 10 MHz)
- D: 1865–1870 MHz and 1945–1950 MHz (10 MHz)
- E: 1885–1890 MHz and 1965–1970 MHz
- F: 1890–1895 MHz and 1970–1975 MHz
- G: 1910–1915 MHz and 1990–1995 MHz [4]
The Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) bands, auctioned in the summer of 2006, were for 1,710–1,755 MHz, and 2,110–2,155 MHz. The spectrum was divided into blocks: A blocks were for Cellular Market Areas, based on existing cellular (1G) licenses, and were 2 × 10 MHz. B and C blocks (2 × 10 MHz and 2 × 5 MHz respectively) were for Basic Economic Areas, larger than CMAs, usually comprising large portions of single states. D, E, and F blocks covered huge areas of the country, typically several states at a time, and covered 2 × 5 MHz for D and E blocks, 2 × 10 MHz for F.[5]
The 700 MHz band was auctioned in early 2008 using spectrum previously used by television stations' analog broadcasts, with Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility winning the majority of available spectrum. Qualcomm and Echostar were winners of a significant amount of broadcast-oriented spectrum. Verizon Wireless will use the upper band of the 700 MHz spectrum to deploy their LTE network starting on Dec 5, 2010.
Initially the SMR band could only be used for narrowband wireless technologies such as iDEN technology. In 2004 the FCC developed a new band plan where narrowband operations are provided in 806–816 and 851–861 MHz ranges while wideband operations are allowed in 817–824 MHz and 862–869 MHz separated from narrowband services by a 1 MHz wide guard band.[6] The wideband services part of the SMR band was called ESMR (Enhanced SMR). The new band plan allowed Sprint Corporation to deploy CDMA and LTE technologies on this band. The transition to the new band plan is still ongoing as of August 2016 although it's reaching its final stages.[7]
Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) is the first shared access band available to the carriers. Unlike other bands listed above carriers do not have to buy exclusive access licenses to use the band. Carriers can acquire optional non-renewable priority access licenses a size of census tract for three years. All network equipment using the band is managed by Spectrum Access System that assigns channels are regulates power levels of the network devices in order to share the spectrum in the most efficient manner.[8] Carriers plan to use the band for indoor small cells in enterprises, hotels, airports, convention centers and stadiums and outdoor small cells serving large campuses, metro areas, downtown areas and suburban areas.[9]
Interference and limitations[edit]
- Professional wireless microphones used the 700 MHz band until 2010 when they were made illegal, but equipment still exists in use that may interfere with 3G and 4G technologies.[10]
- Due to immediate adjacency to channel 51 lower 700 MHz A block license holders were prohibited to use it within channel 51 station service areas. Initially almost one third of US population was in the channel 51 exclusion zones. As of August 2016 T-Mobile US has cleared almost all exclusion zones by either subsidizing relocation of channel 51 stations or by obtaining a permission to use 700 A block while the stations still operate on channel 51.[11]
See also[edit]
Detailed lists:
- Networks by technology:
- Bands by technology:
Other articles:
- 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE)
References[edit]
- ^'FCC Areas'.
- ^'Geographic Partitioning and Spectrum Disaggregation by Commercial Mobile Radio Services Licensees'.
- ^'Cellular Service'. FCC. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
- ^'Broadband Personal Communications Service (PCS)'. Federal Communications Commission. August 1, 2011.
- ^'3G mobile phone coverage in your area (Updated x2) - Slashdot'. slashdot.org.
- ^'Improving Public Safety Communications in the 800 MHz Band'(PDF). FCC. 2004-06-06. Retrieved 2016-08-14.
- ^'Sprint's Status Report on 800 MHz Band Reconfiguration'(PDF). FCC. 2016-08-01. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
- ^'3.5 GHz Band / Citizens Broadband Radio Service'.
- ^'Verizon aims to deploy small cells in 3.5 GHz when practical'.
- ^'Wireless Microphones'. Federal Communications Commission. December 6, 2010.
- ^'Map of T-Mobile's 700 MHz spectrum'. Retrieved 2016-08-07.
External links[edit]
- Spectrum Frequency Chart - most common forward link (base station to mobile) frequencies and channelization
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cellular_frequencies_in_the_US&oldid=895364498'