902 MHz – Frequency Band & Applications

πŸ“‘

Frequency
902 MHz
🧭

Range
902–928 MHz
🧩

Band Group
UHF (300–1000 MHz)

🌐 Summary

The 902 MHz allocation is part of the UHF (300–1000 MHz) spectrum. This range is used worldwide for critical applications that keep our communications and infrastructure running smoothly. On this page we highlight how each band is applied in real systems, from regulatory assignments to everyday devices. Our goal is to make spectrum data clear and practical for engineers, regulators, and enthusiasts alike.

Key uses of this band include: 902 MHz: Upper portion of GSM/LTE/NR Band 8 uplink; paired with 935–960 MHz downlink; ISM (902–928): LoRa/IoT, FHSS, WiFi variants; LTE/NR/GSM handsets; LPWAN sensors/meters/trackers; inventory, access control, asset tracking; utility metering, AMI backhaul.

902–928 MHz ISM band (Region 2): unlicensed SRD/IoT (LoRa/FSK/ FHSS, Zigbee), RFID; 33‑cm amateur secondary use.

900 MHz GSM/ISM (896–960) (Mobitex)
900 MHz GSM/ISM (896–960) Overview

πŸ” Explore the full RF Spectrum database

πŸ“‘ Band & Geometry key

Field Value
Wavelength (m) 0.333
Waveforms GSM, UMTS, LTE Band 8, 5G NR n8
Antenna Form Factor (Typical) ΒΌ-wave β‰ˆ 8.31 cm
Band Family ISM/IoT
Band ISM (915 MHz)
Primary Common Name ISM band (915 MHz center)
FSPL @ 1 km [dB] 91.544130750839
FSPL @ 10 km [dB] 111.54413075084
Fresnel Radius @ 1 km (m) 9.1183156728386
Band Group UHF (300–1000 MHz)
Tax Band Family UHF
Tax Band Class 900 MHz GSM/ISM (896–960)

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🧩 Applications & Usage

Field Value
Primary Application Upper portion of GSM/LTE/NR Band 8 uplink; paired with 935–960 MHz downlink
Lower Neighbor Use 900 MHz (Band 8) β€” Uplink segment
Upper Neighbor Use 900 MHz (Band 8) β€” Downlink segment
Typical Services Devices ISM (902–928): LoRa/IoT, FHSS, WiFi variants
Market Common Devices LTE/NR/GSM handsets
Refarming Use Yes (GSM→LTE→NR)
Device Ecosystem Size High (>1000 models)
Device Hotspots (MHz) 903.9–927.5 (US plan)
Device Category LoRa / LoRaWAN; UHF RFID (EPC Gen2); Smart Meter / RFLAN
Typical Use Cases LPWAN sensors/meters/trackers; inventory, access control, asset tracking; utility metering, AMI backhaul
Modulation (Device) LoRa (CSS); Reader: ASK/PR-ASK; Tag: backscatter; FSK/O-QPSK (802.15.4g)
Channel Width (Device) [kHz] 125–500; 200–500; 50–200
Device Region Profiles EU: 868; US: 902–928; AU/NZ: 915–928; AS923 variants; EU 865–868; US 902–928; US 902–928; EU 868
Per-Region EIRP Or Duty (Device) EU ≀14 dBm; US up to 30 dBm class (gateway); EU ≀33 dBm EIRP; US up to 36 dBm EIRP (typical); Region-specific; low duty at endpoints
Allocation Relevance (Device) ISM LPWAN allocations; SRD/ISM allocations; ISM allocations enable fixed network
Adjacent-Band Collision Risks (Device) 915 MHz overlaps Z-Wave/RFID/smart meters; Collision with LoRa/Z-Wave/smart meters in 915 band; 915 MHz congestion with LoRa/RFID/Z-Wave
Example Devices Or Skus LoRaWAN Gateways, RFID Readers, Smart Meters
Common Protocols LoRa (915 MHz); FHSS ISM; UHF RFID (EPC Gen2); LTE; 5G NR; GSM/EDGE; UMTS (legacy)

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πŸ—’οΈ Notes

Field Value
Receiver Selectivity Notes
Interference Notes Crowded; duty cycle/regulatory constraints
Compatibility Risk Notes High congestion (unlicensed)
Notes 902–928 MHz ISM band (Region 2): unlicensed SRD/IoT (LoRa/FSK/ FHSS, Zigbee), RFID; 33‑cm amateur secondary use.
Propagation Notes Strong coverage, good indoor penetration

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βš™οΈ Technical Rules

Field Value
Lower Band Frequency Limit 902
Upper Band Frequency Limit 928
EIRP Indoor Limits ≀36 dBm EIRP typical (US tech‑dependent)
EIRP Outdoor Limits ≀36 dBm EIRP typical (US tech‑dependent)
PSD Limit FHSS/DTS per rule
Emission Mask Class ISM unlicensed / SRD
Guardband Minimum [kHz] 1000
Typical Bandwidths 200 kHz–20 MHz
Autocalculated Bandlimits No
Typical Bandwidths (Estimated) 200 kHz–20 MHz
Max EIRP [dBm] EU ≀14 dBm; US up to 30 dBm class (gateway); EU ≀33 dBm EIRP; US up to 36 dBm EIRP (typical); Region-specific; low duty at endpoints
Power Source Or Duty Profile (Typical) Battery sensors; mains gateways; Mains readers; passive tags; Mains-powered endpoints and relays
Channelization Plan 200 kHz–20 MHz
Channelization GSM 200 kHz; LTE/NR 1.4–10 MHz
Guard Band Requirement 1–5 MHz typical
OOB Emission Limit [dBm/MHz] -13 (baseline)
Spurious Emission Limit (dBm) -30 (baseline)
RX Blocking Min [dBm] -15 (planning)
Duplexing FDD
Duplexing Information FDD UL paired with 925–960
Uplink Pairing 880–915 MHz (UL)
Downlink Pairing 925–960 MHz (DL)
Paired Band Info Band 8 (900 GSM/IMT): 880.0-915.0 MHz ↔ 925.0-960.0 MHz
Max EIRP [dBm] UE: 23 dBm, BS: up to 64 dBm
Channelization Block Size 200 kHz GSM / LTE flexible
3GPP Band Number
Example 3GPP Bands Band 8 (n8) UL
LTE Uplink Bands Band 8
LTE Downlink Bands
NR Uplink Bands n8
NR Downlink Bands
Guard Bands Guard bands at 915/925
Protocol Or Standard LoRaWAN; EPC Gen2 / ISO 18000-6C; Proprietary FHSS / IEEE 802.15.4g

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🌎 Country Overrides

Field Value
Tax Service Category Other / Various
Tax License Type Licensed / Service-Specific
Tax Regions Global / Varies
ITU Region 1 (Europe, Africa, Middle East (west of Persian Gulf), Western Russia & Mongolia) Fixed, Mobile
ITU Region 2 (North America, South America, Central America, Caribbean, Greenland, Eastern Pacific Islands (Americas region)) Fixed, Mobile
ITU Region 3 (Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands, Oceania, Indian Subcontinent, East Asia & Southeast Asia) Fixed, Mobile
License Type Licensed mobile (Band 8)
Primary Application Upper portion of GSM/LTE/NR Band 8 uplink; paired with 935–960 MHz downlink
Primary Services
Spurious Emission [dBm] -30 (baseline)
Lower Neighbor Use 900 MHz (Band 8) β€” Uplink segment
Upper Neighbor Use 900 MHz (Band 8) β€” Downlink segment
Licensing Model Unlicensed (ISM, US)
Typical Services Devices ISM (902–928): LoRa/IoT, FHSS, WiFi variants
US FCC Alloc (Not standard US allocation)–

CA IC Alloc IMT/GSM 900 Uplink (regional)–

UK Ofcom Alloc GSM/LTE Band 8 Uplink–

US Ref 47 CFR Part 15 (ISM)
Typical Bandwidths 200 kHz–20 MHz
Market Licensing Model Auctioned (IMT)
Market Common Devices LTE/NR/GSM handsets
Fresnel Radius (1st, 1 km) [m] 9.1183156728386
Typical Bandwidths (Estimated) 200 kHz–20 MHz
Auction Status
Refarming Use Yes (GSM→LTE→NR)
Typical Site Spacing km 2 / 8
Device Ecosystem Size High (>1000 models)
Traffic Load Share Coverage-heavy, low capacity share
Device Hotspots (MHz) 903.9–927.5 (US plan)
Device Category LoRa / LoRaWAN; UHF RFID (EPC Gen2); Smart Meter / RFLAN
Typical Use Cases LPWAN sensors/meters/trackers; inventory, access control, asset tracking; utility metering, AMI backhaul
Typical Center Frequencies [MHz] EU 868 (125 kHz); US 915 (125/500 kHz); EU 433; EU 865–868; US 902–928; 902–928 (US); 868 (EU)
Rule Part (Fcc Or Region) FCC Part 15.247; ETSI EN 300 220; FCC Part 15.247; ETSI EN 302 208
Modulation (Device) LoRa (CSS); Reader: ASK/PR-ASK; Tag: backscatter; FSK/O-QPSK (802.15.4g)
Channel Width (Device) [kHz] 125–500; 200–500; 50–200
Device Region Profiles EU: 868; US: 902–928; AU/NZ: 915–928; AS923 variants; EU 865–868; US 902–928; US 902–928; EU 868
Per-Region EIRP Or Duty (Device) EU ≀14 dBm; US up to 30 dBm class (gateway); EU ≀33 dBm EIRP; US up to 36 dBm EIRP (typical); Region-specific; low duty at endpoints
Allocation Relevance (Device) ISM LPWAN allocations; SRD/ISM allocations; ISM allocations enable fixed network
Adjacent-Band Collision Risks (Device) 915 MHz overlaps Z-Wave/RFID/smart meters; Collision with LoRa/Z-Wave/smart meters in 915 band; 915 MHz congestion with LoRa/RFID/Z-Wave
Example Devices Or Skus LoRaWAN Gateways, RFID Readers, Smart Meters
Antenna Form Factor (Typical) ΒΌ-wave β‰ˆ 8.31 cm
Power Source Or Duty Profile (Typical) Battery sensors; mains gateways; Mains readers; passive tags; Mains-powered endpoints and relays

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πŸ›‘οΈ Regulatory & Neighbors

Field Value
Lower Band Frequency Limit 902
Upper Band Frequency Limit 928
Rx Blocking Min dBm -15 (planning)
Lower Neighbor Use 900 MHz (Band 8) β€” Uplink segment
Upper Neighbor Use 900 MHz (Band 8) β€” Downlink segment
Lower Neighbor Band 900 MHz (Band 8) β€” Uplink segment
Lower Neighbor Range 895.000–901.000 MHz
Upper Neighbor Label 900 MHz (Band 8) β€” Downlink segment
Upper Neighbor Range 929.000–960.000 MHz
Adjacent-Band Collision Risks (Device) 915 MHz overlaps Z-Wave/RFID/smart meters; Collision with LoRa/Z-Wave/smart meters in 915 band; 915 MHz congestion with LoRa/RFID/Z-Wave
Real-World Range (Indoor/Outdoor) Urban 1–3 km; Suburban 2–10 km; Rural 10–20+ km; Gates/portals up to several meters; handheld shorter; Urban street-scale mesh; hub range hundreds of meters
US FCC Alloc (Not standard US allocation)(Not standard US allocation)

CA IC Alloc IMT/GSM 900 Uplink (regional)IMT/GSM 900 Uplink (regional)

UK Ofcom Alloc GSM/LTE Band 8 UplinkGSM/LTE Band 8 Uplink

Regulatory References US: 47 CFR Part 15 (ISM); CA: ISED RSS‑247 (LE‑LAN / DTS / FHSS); UK: Ofcom IR 2030 (SRD)
Global Harmonization Global
Crossborder Coordination High
Sharing Mechanism
Auction Status
Guard Or Pair

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πŸ“ˆ Market & Measurements

Field Value
Noise Floor -110 dBm (est.)
Interference Cases
Lower Neighbor Range 895.000–901.000 MHz
Upper Neighbor Range 929.000–960.000 MHz
Interference Notes Crowded; duty cycle/regulatory constraints
Market Licensing Model Auctioned (IMT)
Market Commercial Value High-value IMT band
Market Common Devices LTE/NR/GSM handsets
Market Deployment Density Dense urban/suburban
Noise Floor (Estimated) -110 dBm (est.)
Market Commercial Value (Estimated) High-value IMT band
Ecosystem Maturity Mature
Indoor Penetration Good
Known Interference No major interference issues noted
Device Ecosystem Size High (>1000 models)
Real-World Range (Indoor/Outdoor) Urban 1–3 km; Suburban 2–10 km; Rural 10–20+ km; Gates/portals up to several meters; handheld shorter; Urban street-scale mesh; hub range hundreds of meters
Antenna Form Factor (Typical) ΒΌ-wave β‰ˆ 8.31 cm
Ecosystem Maturity Mature
Device Ecosystem Size High (>1000 models)
Chipset Availability Qualcomm, MediaTek, HiSilicon
Operator Deployments Global Tier-1 operators
Technology Generations Deployed 2G GSM
Roaming Support Yes
Traffic Load Share Coverage-heavy, low capacity share
Indoor Penetration Good
Known Interference No major interference issues noted
Occupancy High
Occupancy Bucket Pct 30–70%
Latency Profile <10 ms
Common Channels Or Profiles EU868: 863–870; US915: 902–928; EU433: 433.05–434.79; Reader channels regional; listen-before-talk in EU; FHSS sub-bands; utility-specific profiles
Security Features AES-128 network/app keys; Reader–tag security varies by generation; AES-128 or stronger (utility)
Lbt Or Fhss Requirement EU: LBT/duty-cycle; US: hopping/dwell; EU: LBT; US: hopping/dwell; FHSS/LBT as region requires
Popularity (Installed Base) High
Coexistence Tips Use sub-band plans; ADR; avoid continuous beacons; Directional antennas; duty limits; channel planning; Antenna height; avoid same sub-band as neighbors
Latency Class Not critical / ALOHA; Low/Interactive (reader-driven); Not critical / scheduled
Device Hotspots (Scoped &&AMP; Tagged) –

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