SpectrumWiki

Radio spectrum allocations

Look up a frequency or a range.

Examples: 88.5 MHz, 1350–1430 MHz, 2.4 GHz

3.6 GHz (3,600,000,000 Hz)

ITU Region 1 Allocations

3600 – 4200 MHz

FIXED

FIXED-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth)

Mobile

ITU Region 2 Allocations

3600 – 3700 MHz

FIXED

FIXED-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth)

MOBILE except aeronautical mobile 5.434

Radiolocation 5.433

ITU Region 3 Allocations

3600 – 3700 MHz

FIXED

FIXED-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth)

MOBILE except aeronautical mobile

Radiolocation

5.435

Footnotes

  • 5.433   In Regions 2 and 3, in the band 3 400-3 600 MHz the radiolocation service is allocated on a primary basis. However, all administrations operating radiolocation systems in this band are urged to cease operations by 1985. Thereafter, administrations shall take all practicable steps to protect the fixed satellite service and coordination requirements shall not be imposed on the fixed-satellite service.

  • 5.434   In Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, the United States and Paraguay, the frequency band 3 600-3 700 MHz, or portions thereof, is identified for use by these administrations wishing to implement International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT). This identification does not preclude the use of this frequency band by any application of the services to which it is allocated and does not establish priority in the Radio Regulations. At the stage of coordination the provisions of Nos. 9.17 and 9.18 also apply. Before an administration brings into use a base or mobile station of an IMT system, it shall seek agreement under No. 9.21 with other administrations and ensure that the power flux-density (pfd) produced at 3 m above ground does not exceed −154.5 dB(W/(m2 ⋅ 4 kHz)) for more than 20% of time at the border of the territory of any other administration. This limit may be exceeded on the territory of any country whose administration has so agreed. In order to ensure that the pfd limit at the border of the territory of any other administration is met, the calculations and verification shall be made, taking into account all relevant information, with the mutual agreement of both administrations (the administration responsible for the terrestrial station and the administration responsible for the earth station), with the assistance of the Bureau if so requested. In case of disagreement, the calculation and verification of the pfd shall be made by the Bureau, taking into account the information referred to above. Stations of the mobile service, including IMT systems, in the frequency band 3 600-3 700 MHz shall not claim more protection from space stations than that provided in Table 21 4 of the Radio Regulations (Edition of 2004). (WRC 19)

  • 5.435   In Japan, in the band 3 620-3 700 MHz, the radiolocation service is excluded.

  • G59   In the bands 902-928 MHz, 3100-3300 MHz, 3500-3650 MHz, 5250-5350 MHz, 8500-9000 MHz, 9200-9300 MHz, 13.4-14.0 GHz, 15.7-17.7 GHz and 24.05-24.25 GHz, all Federal non-military radiolocation shall be secondary to military radiolocation, except in the sub-band 15.7-16.2 GHz airport surface detection equipment (ASDE) is permitted on a co-equal basis subject to coordination with the military departments.

  • G110   Federal ground-based stations in the aeronautical radionavigation service may be authorized between 3500-3650 MHz when accommodation in the band 2700-2900 MHz is not technically and/or economically feasible.

  • NG169  After December 1, 2000, operations on a primary basis by the fixed-satellite service (space-to-Earth) in the band 3650-3700 MHz shall be limited to grandfathered earth stations. All other fixed-satellite service earth station operations in the band 3650-3700 MHz shall be on a secondary basis. Grandfathered earth stations are those authorized prior to December 1, 2000, or granted as a result of an application filed prior to December 1, 2000, and constructed within 12 months of initial authorization. License applications for primary operations for new earth stations, major amendments to pending earth station applications, or applications for major modifications to earth station facilities filed on or after December 18, 1998, and prior to December 1, 2000, shall not be accepted unless the proposed facilities are within 16.1 kilometers (10 miles) of an authorized primary earth station operating in the band 3650-3700 MHz. License applications for primary operations by new earth stations, major amendments to pending earth station applications, and applications for major modifications to earth station facilities, filed after December 1, 2000, shall not be accepted, except for changes in polarization, antenna orientation or ownership of a grandfathered earth station.

  • US105    In the band 3550-3650 MHz, non-Federal stations in the radiolocation service that were licensed or applied for prior to July 23, 2015 may continue to operate on a secondary basis until the end of the equipment’s useful lifetime.

  • US107   In the band 3600-3650 MHz, the following provisions shall apply to earth stations in the fixed-satellite service (space-to-Earth):

        (a) Earth stations authorized prior to, or granted as a result of an application filed prior to, July 23, 2015 and constructed within 12 months of initial authorization may continue to operate on a primary basis. Applications for modifications to such earth station facilities filed after July 23, 2015 shall not be accepted, except for changes in polarization, antenna orientation, or ownership; and increases in antenna size for interference mitigation purposes.

        (b) The assignment of frequencies to new earth stations after July 23, 2015 shall be authorized on a secondary basis.

  • US109   The band 3650-3700 MHz is also allocated to the Federal radiolocation service on a primary basis at the following sites: St. Inigoes, MD (38° 10' N, 76° 23' W); Pascagoula, MS (30° 22' N, 88° 29' W); and Pensacola, FL (30° 21' 28'' N, 87° 16' 26'' W). The FCC shall coordinate all non-Federal operations authorized under 47 CFR Part 90 within 80 km of these sites with NTIA on a case-by-case basis. For stations in the Citizens Broadband Radio Service these sites shall be protected consistent with the procedures set forth in 47 CFR 96.15(b) and 96.67.

  • US245   In the bands 3600-3650 MHz (space-to-Earth), 4500-4800 MHz (space-to-Earth), and 5850-5925 MHz (Earth-to-space), the use of the non-Federal fixed-satellite service is limited to international inter-continental systems and is subject to case-by-case electromagnetic compatibility analysis. The FCC's policy for these bands is codified at 47 CFR 2.108.

  • US349   The band 3650-3700 MHz is also allocated to the Federal radiolocation service on a non-interference basis for use by ship stations located at least 44 nautical miles in off-shore ocean areas on the condition that harmful interference is not caused to non-Federal operations.

  • US433   In the band 3550-3650 MHz, the following provisions shall apply to Federal use of the aeronautical radionavigation (ground-based) and radiolocation services and to non-Federal use of the fixed and mobile except aeronautical mobile services:

        (a) Non-Federal stations in the fixed and mobile except aeronautical mobile services are restricted to stations in the Citizens Broadband Radio Service and shall not cause harmful interference to, or claim protection from, Federal stations in the aeronautical radionavigation (ground-based) and radiolocation services at the locations listed at: ntia.doc.gov/category/3550-3650-mhz . New and modified federal stations shall be allowed at current or new locations, subject only to approval through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration frequency assignment process with new locations added to the list at: ntia.doc.gov/category/3550-3650-mhz . Coordination of the Federal stations with Citizens Broadband Radio Service licensees or users is not necessary. Federal operations, other than airborne radiolocation systems, shall be protected consistent with the procedures set forth in 47 CFR 96.15 and 96.67.

        (b) Non-federal fixed and mobile stations shall not claim protection from federal airborne radar systems.

        (c) Federal airborne radar systems shall not claim protection from non-Federal stations in the fixed and mobile except aeronautical mobile services operating in the band.

Wiki entries

SPN-43 Shipborne Radar

Current Use
3500–3700 MHz SPN-43 shipborne air traffic control radar
The AN/SPN-43C is a U.S. Navy air traffic control (ATC) radar for large-deck amphibious ships that are capable of supporting flight operations. These vessels include aircraft carriers (CVN) and amphibious assault ships (LHA and LHD) that predominantly carry helicopters.

U.S. homeports for ships that carry the SPN-43 are Norfolk VA, San Diego CA, Bremerton WA, and Newport News VA. The SPN-43 is currently installed on 21 commissioned ships in the U.S. Navy. It may also be installed on some non-U.S. military ships.

Land-based testing and training sites for the SPN-43 are at St. Inigoes (Pax River) MD, Pascagoula MS, and Pensacola FL, per footnote US348.

The SPN-43 possesses the following technical characteristics:

-Modulation P0N (unmodulated pulses, no information transmitted)

-Tuning range 3500-3700 MHz

-Peak tx power into antenna: 1 MW (60 dBW)

-Antenna gain: 32 dBi

-Peak EIRP: 1.6 GW (92 dBW)

-Pulse width: 0.95 microseconds

-Pulse repetition rate: 1 kHz

-Duty cycle: 0.1%

-Transmit bandwidth: 1.6 MHz

-Antenna type: Rotating parabolic

-Beamwidth: 1.75 deg horizontal, 4.4 deg vertical (vertical fan beam, csc2 to 30 deg elevation)

-Polarization: Horizontal

-Antenna rotation rate: One revolution per 4 seconds

In the range 3650-3700 MHz, operation of the radar is only allowed more than 50 miles off shore.

Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS)

Current Use
3550–3650 MHz Citizens Broadband Radio Service (PAL and GAA)
The U.S. FCC has opened the 3550-3700 MHz band for sharing under an innovative three-tiered architecture. The first tier is the incumbents, which consists mainly of the U.S. military for shipborne radars. There is also limited use of the band for fixed-satellite service (FSS) receive-only earth stations above 3625 MHz.

The second tier, created by the FCC, is the Priority Access Licenses (PALs). A Priority Access License consists of a 10 MHz authorization within a single county, and PALs were auctioned by the Commission in Auction 105, which raised more than $4.5 billion in net bids. PALs are limited to the 3550-3650 MHz portion of the band.

The third tier is General Authorized Access (GAA) users, who may operate across the entire band (3550-3700 MHz), but may not cause interference to PALs or to incumbent users.

The PAL and GAA tiers must be controlled by a centralized Spectrum Access System (SAS) that enforces interference policies. Several commercials SASs are in operation.

PAL and GAA operate under a Part 96 of the FCC's rules, titled the Citizens Broadband Radio Service(CBRS). CBRS devices are referred to as CBSDs (Citizens Broadband radio Service Devices).

The WISPs and utilities that occupied the 3650-3700 MHz band under Part 90 of the FCC's rules were required to transition to CBRS (Part 96) (GAA and/or PAL), a process that was completed by 2023.

FCC Proposed Rules for Citizens Broadband Service

Proposed Use
3550–3700 MHz Citizens Broadband Service (proposed)
According to the FCC's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 12-148):

With this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Notice), we propose to create a new Citizens Broadband Service in the 3550-3650 MHz band (3.5 GHz Band) currently utilized for military and satellite operations, which will promote two major advances that enable more efficient use of radio spectrum: small cells and spectrum sharing. The 3.5 GHz Band was identified by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for shared federal and non-federal use in the 2010 Fast Track Report. Our proposal builds on our experience with spectrum sharing in the television white spaces (TVWS), proposes ideas teed up in our recent Notice of Inquiry on Dynamic Spectrum Access technologies, and broadly reflects recommendations made in a recent report by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). We also seek comment on whether to include under these proposed new, flexible rules the neighboring 3650-3700 MHz band, which is already used for commercial broadband services. Together, these proposals would make up to 150 megahertz of contiguous spectrum available for innovative mobile and fixed wireless broadband services without displacing mission-critical incumbent systems.

Standard LTE Bands

Current Use
3600–3800 MHz LTE band 43 TDD
The following bands have been defined by 3GPP as standard LTE bands for Frequency Division Duplex (FDD, where mobile and base stations transmit in separate bands) and Time Division Duplex (TDD, where mobiles and bases transmit and receive on the same frequency). These bands are defined in 3GPP TS 36.101 (link below).

Note that bands 15 & 16 and 30-32 are not defined, and the FDD band 29 is used for downlink-only for carrier aggregation, so it has no corresponding uplink band.

Uplinks refer to the frequencies used for handsets and other user devices to transmit to the base station, and downlinks refer to frequencies used by base stations to transmit to the user devices.

WRC 23 Agenda Item 1.2 IMT identification

Proposed Use
3600–3800 MHz Possible IMT identification
"to consider identification of the frequency bands 3 300-3 400 MHz, 3 600-3 800 MHz, 6 425-7 025 MHz, 7 025-7 125 MHz and 10.0-10.5 GHz for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT), including possible additional allocations to the mobile service on a primary basis, in accordance with Resolution 245 (WRC-19);"

WRC-23 Agenda Item 1.3

Proposed Use
3600–3800 MHz Proposed primary allocation to mobile service in Region 1
"to consider primary allocation of the band 3 600-3 800 MHz to mobile service within Region 1 and take appropriate regulatory actions, in accordance with Resolution 246 (WRC-19);"