📡
Frequency
1809 MHz
Frequency
1809 MHz
🧭
Range
1805–1850 MHz
Range
1805–1850 MHz
🧩
Band Group
1800 MHz Cellular (DCS / Band 3)
Band Group
1800 MHz Cellular (DCS / Band 3)
🌐 Summary
The 1809 MHz allocation is part of the 1800 MHz Cellular (DCS / Band 3) 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: DCS-1800 / 3GPP Band 3 downlink (1805-1880 MHz, this file covers 1805-1850 MHz). One of the most widely deployed cellular bands globally, supporting 2G GSM, 3G UMTS, 4G LTE, and 5G NR. Base stations transmit to user equipment. Paired with 1710-1785 MHz uplink via 20 MHz guard band (1785-1805 MHz). Extensive deployment in Europe, Asia, Africa, and parts of Americas..
DCS-1800 / Band 3 downlink – one of the most important global cellular bands; widespread deployment in Europe, Asia, Africa
🔍 Explore the full RF Spectrum database
📡 Band & Geometry key
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Wavelength (m) | 0.16572275179657 |
| Waveforms | BPSK(1), BOC(1,1), MBOC – per system specs |
| Antenna Form Factor (Typical) | Base station: panel/sector antennas; UE: internal PIFA/monopole/slot antennas |
| Band Family | DCS-1800 (Band 3 downlink 1805-1880 MHz) |
| Band | L‑Band |
| Primary Common Name | Mobile Downlink (Band 3) |
| FSPL @ 1 km [dB] | 97.6 |
| FSPL @ 10 km [dB] | 117.6 |
| Fresnel Radius @ 1 km (m) | 6.437 |
| Band Group | 1800 MHz Cellular (DCS / Band 3) |
| Tax Band Family | Cellular (DCS 1800 / IMT, downlink) |
| Tax Band Class | 1805 to 1850 MHz Cellular (DCS 1800 / IMT, downlink) (Mobitex) |
🧩 Applications & Usage
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Primary Application | LTE/5G NR base‑station transmissions to user equipment |
| Lower Neighbor Use | FDD transition guard 1781–1804 MHz; uplink 1710–1755 MHz (paired) |
| Upper Neighbor Use | Adjacent mobile/region‑specific allocations above 1850 MHz |
| Typical Services Devices | Base stations: macro/micro/small cells; UE: GSM/UMTS/LTE/5G smartphones, IoT devices |
| Market Common Devices | Cellular base stations (transmit); LTE/5G smartphones, feature phones, IoT modules (receive) |
| Refarming Use | Ongoing – 2G GSM-1800 being refarmed for LTE/5G NR; some markets completed |
| Device Ecosystem Size | Very large – billions of devices globally support Band 3 |
| Device Hotspots (MHz) | 1842.5 (center of Band 3 DL); carrier-specific frequencies vary |
| Device Category | Cellular base stations (eNodeB, gNB transmit); smartphones, tablets, IoT modules (receive) |
| Typical Use Cases | Mobile broadband downlink (2G/3G/4G/5G), voice services, video streaming, IoT, private cellular networks |
| Modulation (Device) | GSM: GMSK/8PSK; UMTS: QPSK/16QAM; LTE: OFDMA (QPSK/16/64/256QAM); 5G NR: OFDM with up to 256QAM |
| Channel Width (Device) [kHz] | GSM: 200 kHz; UMTS: 5000 kHz; LTE: 1400-20000 kHz; NR: 5000-100000 kHz |
| Device Region Profiles | Europe (primary), Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Africa, Latin America |
| Per-Region EIRP Or Duty (Device) | Base station EIRP: 43-49 dBm (macro); regional variations in power limits |
| Allocation Relevance (Device) | High – primary downlink band for Band 3 devices globally |
| Adjacent-Band Collision Risks (Device) | Adjacent channel interference between operators; guard band at 1785-1805 MHz prevents uplink interference |
| Example Devices Or Skus | iPhone 15, Samsung Galaxy S24, Pixel 8, Huawei P60 (all support Band 3); most global smartphones |
| Common Protocols | GSM-1800 (2G), UMTS-1800 (3G), LTE Band 3 (4G), 5G NR n3 |
🗒️ Notes
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Receiver Selectivity Notes | UE receiver adjacent channel selectivity (ACS): ≥33 dB (LTE Band 3); blocking characteristics per 3GPP TS 36.101 |
| Interference Notes | Strong downlink transmissions from base stations; ensure emission-mask compliance and coordination near the duplex-gap/adjacent allocations (region-specific) |
| Compatibility Risk Notes | 0 |
| Notes | DCS-1800 / Band 3 downlink – one of the most important global cellular bands; widespread deployment in Europe, Asia, Africa |
| Propagation Notes | Good balance of coverage and capacity at 1.8 GHz; better penetration than 2.6 GHz, more capacity than 900 MHz |
⚙️ Technical Rules
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Lower Band Frequency Limit | 1805 |
| Upper Band Frequency Limit | 1850 |
| EIRP Indoor Limits | Base station: 24-37 dBm (small cells, indoor); UE receives (no UE transmit in DL) |
| EIRP Outdoor Limits | Base station: 43-49 dBm (macro cells); 61 dBm EIRP typical with antenna gain |
| PSD Limit | Not applicable – receive-only band |
| Emission Mask Class | 3GPP base station emission masks (GSM/LTE/NR), per regional regulations |
| Guardband Minimum [kHz] | N/A – receive-only band |
| Typical Bandwidths | 12.5 kHz–5 MHz (system‑dependent) |
| Autocalculated Bandlimits | 0 |
| Typical Bandwidths (Estimated) | 12.5 kHz–5 MHz (system‑dependent) |
| Max EIRP [dBm] | Base station EIRP: 43-49 dBm (macro); regional variations in power limits |
| Power Source Or Duty Profile (Typical) | Base station: continuous AC power; UE: battery (3-5 days typical smartphone use) |
| Channelization Plan | GSM: 200 kHz carriers; LTE: 180 kHz RBs (15 kHz subcarriers); NR: flexible SCS (15/30/60 kHz) |
| Channelization | GSM: 200 kHz channels; LTE: 1.4-20 MHz (RB-based); 5G NR: flexible numerology 5-100 MHz |
| Guard Band Requirement | 1785-1805 MHz (20 MHz guard band between uplink and downlink) |
| OOB Emission Limit [dBm/MHz] | Per 3GPP/ETSI/regional emission mask requirements (depends on channel bandwidth and equipment class) |
| Spurious Emission Limit (dBm) | Per regional spurious emissions limits for base stations and user equipment |
| RX Blocking Min [dBm] | UE blocking: -43 dBm (in-band blocking); -15 dBm (out-of-band blocking) per 3GPP TS 36.101 |
| Duplexing | FDD downlink (Base → UE) |
| Duplexing Information | Downlink (space‑to‑Earth) |
| Uplink Pairing | Paired with 1710–1785 MHz uplink (Band 3); duplex gap 1785-1805 MHz |
| Downlink Pairing | |
| Paired Band Info | Paired uplink: 1710–1785 MHz (Band 3). Duplex gap: 1785–1805 MHz (usage varies by region). |
| Max EIRP [dBm] | N/A – receive-only band |
| Channelization Block Size | Operator carriers (kHz–MHz) |
| 3GPP Band Number | |
| Example 3GPP Bands | Band 3 (DCS 1800: DL 1805-1880, UL 1710-1785 MHz) |
| LTE Uplink Bands | Paired with Band 3 UL (1710-1785 MHz) |
| LTE Downlink Bands | Band 3 (1805-1880 MHz DL) |
| NR Uplink Bands | Paired with n3 UL (1710-1785 MHz) |
| NR Downlink Bands | n3 (1805-1880 MHz DL) |
| Guard Bands | 1785–1805 MHz is the Band 3 duplex gap (not a passive guard band); compliance with emission masks and adjacent-service coordination required |
| Protocol Or Standard | 3GPP GSM/UMTS/LTE/5G NR (downlink); ETSI DCS-1800 standards |
🌎 Country Overrides
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Tax Service Category | Mobile (IMT) |
| Tax License Type | Licensed IMT spectrum (operator-assigned), region-specific band plans and coordination |
| Tax Regions | Widely used worldwide for GSM/UMTS/LTE/5G in the 1800 MHz band; exact allocations and channel blocks vary by country |
| ITU Region 1 (Europe, Africa, Middle East (west of Persian Gulf), Western Russia & Mongolia) | Mobile / Fixed |
| ITU Region 2 (North America, South America, Central America, Caribbean, Greenland, Eastern Pacific Islands (Americas region)) | Mobile / Fixed |
| ITU Region 3 (Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands, Oceania, Indian Subcontinent, East Asia & Southeast Asia) | Mobile / Fixed |
| License Type | Licensed / auctioned (region‑specific) |
| Primary Application | LTE/5G NR base‑station transmissions to user equipment |
| Primary Services | Mobile broadband, IoT, private cellular |
| Spurious Emission [dBm] | Per regional spurious emissions limits for base stations and user equipment |
| Lower Neighbor Use | FDD transition guard 1781–1804 MHz; uplink 1710–1755 MHz (paired) |
| Upper Neighbor Use | Adjacent mobile/region‑specific allocations above 1850 MHz |
| Licensing Model | Licensed (mobile network operators); DCS-1800/Band 3 widely deployed globally |
| Typical Services Devices | Base stations: macro/micro/small cells; UE: GSM/UMTS/LTE/5G smartphones, IoT devices |
| US FCC Alloc | MOBILE (primary); FIXED – DCS/PCS bands (region-specific licensing)– |
| CA IC Alloc | MOBILE (primary); FIXED – DCS/PCS bands– |
| UK Ofcom Alloc | MOBILE (primary) – DCS-1800 widely deployed in UK– |
| US Ref | 47 CFR Part 27 (PCS); 3GPP TS 36.101 (Band 3); ETSI EN 301 502 (DCS-1800) |
| Typical Bandwidths | 12.5 kHz–5 MHz (system‑dependent) |
| Market Licensing Model | Licensed spectrum – mobile network operators via government auctions (DCS-1800/PCS) |
| Market Common Devices | Cellular base stations (transmit); LTE/5G smartphones, feature phones, IoT modules (receive) |
| Fresnel Radius (1st, 1 km) [m] | 6.437 |
| Typical Bandwidths (Estimated) | 12.5 kHz–5 MHz (system‑dependent) |
| Auction Status | Auctioned in various countries; some legacy assignments from GSM era |
| Refarming Use | Ongoing – 2G GSM-1800 being refarmed for LTE/5G NR; some markets completed |
| Typical Site Spacing km | 0.5–2 km (typical macro) / 2–10 km (typical macro) |
| Device Ecosystem Size | Very large – billions of devices globally support Band 3 |
| Traffic Load Share | High – Band 3 carries significant mobile data traffic in deployment regions |
| Device Hotspots (MHz) | 1842.5 (center of Band 3 DL); carrier-specific frequencies vary |
| Device Category | Cellular base stations (eNodeB, gNB transmit); smartphones, tablets, IoT modules (receive) |
| Typical Use Cases | Mobile broadband downlink (2G/3G/4G/5G), voice services, video streaming, IoT, private cellular networks |
| Typical Center Frequencies [MHz] | 1827.5, 1842.5 (common carrier center frequencies for Band 3 DL) |
| Rule Part (Fcc Or Region) | ETSI EN 301 502 (Europe); regional variations; not FCC regulated (not widely used in US) |
| Modulation (Device) | GSM: GMSK/8PSK; UMTS: QPSK/16QAM; LTE: OFDMA (QPSK/16/64/256QAM); 5G NR: OFDM with up to 256QAM |
| Channel Width (Device) [kHz] | GSM: 200 kHz; UMTS: 5000 kHz; LTE: 1400-20000 kHz; NR: 5000-100000 kHz |
| Device Region Profiles | Europe (primary), Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Africa, Latin America |
| Per-Region EIRP Or Duty (Device) | Base station EIRP: 43-49 dBm (macro); regional variations in power limits |
| Allocation Relevance (Device) | High – primary downlink band for Band 3 devices globally |
| Adjacent-Band Collision Risks (Device) | Adjacent channel interference between operators; guard band at 1785-1805 MHz prevents uplink interference |
| Example Devices Or Skus | iPhone 15, Samsung Galaxy S24, Pixel 8, Huawei P60 (all support Band 3); most global smartphones |
| Antenna Form Factor (Typical) | Base station: panel/sector antennas; UE: internal PIFA/monopole/slot antennas |
| Power Source Or Duty Profile (Typical) | Base station: continuous AC power; UE: battery (3-5 days typical smartphone use) |
🛡️ Regulatory & Neighbors
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Lower Band Frequency Limit | 1805 |
| Upper Band Frequency Limit | 1850 |
| Rx Blocking Min dBm | UE blocking: -43 dBm (in-band blocking); -15 dBm (out-of-band blocking) per 3GPP TS 36.101 |
| Lower Neighbor Use | FDD transition guard 1781–1804 MHz; uplink 1710–1755 MHz (paired) |
| Upper Neighbor Use | Adjacent mobile/region‑specific allocations above 1850 MHz |
| Lower Neighbor Band | FDD Guard / Mobile Uplink |
| Lower Neighbor Range | 1781–1804 MHz / 1710–1755 MHz (paired uplink) |
| Upper Neighbor Label | Next Mobile / Regional |
| Upper Neighbor Range | 1850+ MHz (varies by region) |
| Adjacent-Band Collision Risks (Device) | Adjacent channel interference between operators; guard band at 1785-1805 MHz prevents uplink interference |
| Real-World Range (Indoor/Outdoor) | Urban: 0.5-2 km; Suburban: 2-10 km; Rural: up to 35 km (macro cells) |
| US FCC Alloc | MOBILE (primary); FIXED – DCS/PCS bands (region-specific licensing)MOBILE (primary); FIXED – DCS/PCS bands (region-specific licensing) |
| CA IC Alloc | MOBILE (primary); FIXED – DCS/PCS bandsMOBILE (primary); FIXED – DCS/PCS bands |
| UK Ofcom Alloc | MOBILE (primary) – DCS-1800 widely deployed in UKMOBILE (primary) – DCS-1800 widely deployed in UK |
| Regulatory References | US: 47 CFR Part 27 (PCS); 3GPP TS 36.101 (Band 3); ETSI EN 301 502 (DCS-1800); CA: ISED Canada SRSP-512/513; 3GPP TS 36.101 (Band 3); UK: Ofcom IR 2007; 3GPP TS 36.101 (Band 3); ETSI EN 301 502 |
| Global Harmonization | Widespread but not universal – deployed in Europe, Asia, Africa, parts of Americas; less common in North America |
| Crossborder Coordination | Important in border regions – DCS-1800/Band 3 coordination between operators in adjacent countries |
| Sharing Mechanism | Licensed exclusive use per operator; frequency coordination between adjacent licensees |
| Auction Status | Auctioned in various countries; some legacy assignments from GSM era |
| Guard Or Pair | Paired FDD downlink |
📈 Market & Measurements
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Noise Floor | Thermal noise floor ~-174 dBm/Hz + device noise figure (typical -110 to -100 dBm in bandwidth) |
| Interference Cases | Adjacent-channel interference, intermod from nearby transmitters, and duplex-gap/adjacent-service coordination (region-specific) |
| Lower Neighbor Range | 1781–1804 MHz / 1710–1755 MHz (paired uplink) |
| Upper Neighbor Range | 1850+ MHz (varies by region) |
| Interference Notes | Strong downlink transmissions from base stations; ensure emission-mask compliance and coordination near the duplex-gap/adjacent allocations (region-specific) |
| Market Licensing Model | Licensed spectrum – mobile network operators via government auctions (DCS-1800/PCS) |
| Market Commercial Value | Very high – Band 3 is one of the most widely deployed cellular bands globally |
| Market Common Devices | Cellular base stations (transmit); LTE/5G smartphones, feature phones, IoT modules (receive) |
| Market Deployment Density | Very high – dense urban/suburban cellular deployments; macro, micro, and small cells |
| Noise Floor (Estimated) | Thermal noise floor ~-174 dBm/Hz + device noise figure (typical -110 to -100 dBm in bandwidth) |
| Market Commercial Value (Estimated) | Very high – Band 3 is one of the most widely deployed cellular bands globally |
| Ecosystem Maturity | Mature – Band 3 widely deployed since 1990s (GSM) and 2000s (UMTS/LTE) |
| Indoor Penetration | Good – 1.8 GHz provides better indoor penetration than higher frequencies (2.6 GHz+) |
| Known Interference | Adjacent channel interference between operators; cross-border interference in border regions |
| Device Ecosystem Size | Very large – billions of devices globally support Band 3 |
| Real-World Range (Indoor/Outdoor) | Urban: 0.5-2 km; Suburban: 2-10 km; Rural: up to 35 km (macro cells) |
| Antenna Form Factor (Typical) | Base station: panel/sector antennas; UE: internal PIFA/monopole/slot antennas |
| Ecosystem Maturity | Mature – Band 3 widely deployed since 1990s (GSM) and 2000s (UMTS/LTE) |
| Device Ecosystem Size | Very large – billions of devices globally support Band 3 |
| Chipset Availability | Universal – all major chipset vendors support Band 3 (Qualcomm, MediaTek, Samsung, Apple, etc.) |
| Operator Deployments | Deployed by hundreds of operators globally across 150+ countries |
| Technology Generations Deployed | 2G (GSM-1800), 3G (UMTS-1800), 4G (LTE Band 3), 5G (NR n3) |
| Roaming Support | Extensive – Band 3 is a primary international roaming band |
| Traffic Load Share | High – Band 3 carries significant mobile data traffic in deployment regions |
| Indoor Penetration | Good – 1.8 GHz provides better indoor penetration than higher frequencies (2.6 GHz+) |
| Known Interference | Adjacent channel interference between operators; cross-border interference in border regions |
| Occupancy | Very high – dense cellular deployments globally (Europe, Asia, Africa, Americas) |
| Occupancy Bucket Pct | Very High (>80%) – heavily utilized cellular downlink band |
| Latency Profile | LTE: 10-20 ms round-trip; 5G NR: <10 ms (sub-10 ms with enhancements) |
| Common Channels Or Profiles | GSM: 200 kHz ARFCNs; LTE: 5/10/15/20 MHz carriers; 5G NR: flexible bandwidth |
| Security Features | 3GPP security: authentication (SIM/USIM), encryption (A5/1-3, SNOW 3G, AES), integrity protection |
| Lbt Or Fhss Requirement | N/A – licensed exclusive use (no LBT/FHSS required) |
| Popularity (Installed Base) | Very high – billions of Band 3 devices in use globally |
| Coexistence Tips | Coordinate with adjacent operators; use guard band at 1785-1805 MHz; manage out-of-band emissions |
| Latency Class | LTE: 10-20 ms; 5G NR: <10 ms (sub-10 ms possible with NR enhancements) |
| Device Hotspots (Scoped && Tagged) | Band 3 downlink carriers; operator-specific frequency assignments |