📡
Frequency
1979 MHz
Frequency
1979 MHz
🧭
Range
1920–1980 MHz
Range
1920–1980 MHz
🧩
Band Group
PCS 1900 Downlink
Band Group
PCS 1900 Downlink
🌐 Summary
The 1979 MHz allocation is part of the PCS 1900 Downlink 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: REGIONAL ALLOCATION: Americas – Band 2 downlink (towers transmit to mobiles, 1930-1990 MHz, paired with 1850-1910 UL). Europe/Asia/Africa – Band 1 uplink (mobiles transmit to towers, 1920-1980 MHz, paired with 2110-2170 DL). OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS in same frequency. Multi-band global devices support both..
REGIONAL DIFFERENCES: Americas – Band 2 DOWNLINK (towers transmit 1930-1990 MHz, paired with 1850-1910 UL). Europe/Asia/Africa – Band 1 UPLINK (mobile devices transmit 1920-1980 MHz, paired with 2110-2170 DL). OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS: Americas DL vs Europe/Asia UL. Same frequency, opposite use. Multi-band devices support both regions.
🔍 Explore the full RF Spectrum database
📡 Band & Geometry key
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Wavelength (m) | 0.1514868408287 |
| Waveforms | OFDMA (downlink); QPSK, 16-QAM, 64-QAM, 256-QAM modulation schemes |
| Antenna Form Factor (Typical) | Macro: Panel antennas (2-8 ports); Small cell: Omni/integrated; UE: Internal/printed antennas |
| Band Family | PCS 1900 (Band 2 DL 1930-1990) |
| Band | PCS 1900 (1850-1990 MHz) |
| Primary Common Name | PCS 1900 Downlink (Band 2) |
| FSPL @ 1 km [dB] | 98.378915884128 |
| FSPL @ 10 km [dB] | 118.37891588413 |
| Fresnel Radius @ 1 km (m) | 6.1539995293448 |
| Band Group | PCS 1900 Downlink |
| Tax Band Family | IMT / Cellular (PCS 1900 – Americas) |
| Tax Band Class | Americas: Terrestrial Mobile Downlink (Band 2); Europe/Asia: Terrestrial Mobile Uplink (Band 1) (Mobitex) |
🧩 Applications & Usage
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Primary Application | Cellular downlink (base station transmits to mobile devices) |
| Lower Neighbor Use | 1920–1930 MHz PCS guard band |
| Upper Neighbor Use | 1980–1990 MHz PCS downlink continuation |
| Typical Services Devices | PCS 1900 Band 2 Downlink |
| Market Common Devices | Smartphones, tablets, cellular modems, IoT modules, M2M devices |
| Refarming Use | Refarm from GSM/CDMA to LTE (complete); ongoing transition to 5G NR |
| Device Ecosystem Size | Very large (hundreds of millions of devices) |
| Device Hotspots (MHz) | LTE EARFCN 600-1199 (1930-1990 MHz); GSM ARFCN 512-810; 5G NR per TS 38.104 |
| Device Category | Smartphones, tablets, cellular modems, IoT devices, M2M modules |
| Typical Use Cases | Mobile broadband DL, voice, video |
| Modulation (Device) | Downlink: QPSK, 16-QAM, 64-QAM, 256-QAM (LTE/5G) |
| Channel Width (Device) [kHz] | 200 kHz (GSM); 1400-20000 kHz (LTE); flexible (5G NR) |
| Device Region Profiles | US, Canada, Mexico, Latin America (Band 2) |
| Per-Region EIRP Or Duty (Device) | BS: 43-49 dBm conducted (macro); 24-37 dBm (small cells); UE receive-only |
| Allocation Relevance (Device) | Primary allocation for PCS cellular in Americas; critical mid-band spectrum |
| Adjacent-Band Collision Risks (Device) | Low (guard band below; 10 MHz separation from Band 2 continuation above at 1980 MHz) |
| Example Devices Or Skus | Apple iPhone (all LTE/5G models); Samsung Galaxy series; Google Pixel; cellular tablets; LTE modems; IoT devices |
| Common Protocols | 3GPP Band 2, FCC Part 27 |
🗒️ Notes
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Receiver Selectivity Notes | ACS (Adjacent Channel Selectivity): ≥33 dB per 3GPP TS 36.101 |
| Interference Notes | Susceptible to IMD from concurrent transmissions in Band 4 (AWS) and Band 66; potential DAS in-building interference from insufficient isolation |
| Compatibility Risk Notes | Not interchangeable with global Band 1 uplink usage |
| Notes | REGIONAL DIFFERENCES: Americas – Band 2 DOWNLINK (towers transmit 1930-1990 MHz, paired with 1850-1910 UL). Europe/Asia/Africa – Band 1 UPLINK (mobile devices transmit 1920-1980 MHz, paired with 2110-2170 DL). OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS: Americas DL vs Europe/Asia UL. Same frequency, opposite use. Multi-band devices support both regions. |
| Propagation Notes | Good coverage at 1.9 GHz |
⚙️ Technical Rules
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Lower Band Frequency Limit | 1920 |
| Upper Band Frequency Limit | 1980 |
| EIRP Indoor Limits | BS 24-37 dBm (small cells) |
| EIRP Outdoor Limits | BS 43-49 dBm (macro) |
| PSD Limit | -13 dBm/MHz (FCC Part 27.50) |
| Emission Mask Class | Category A (LTE general); FR1 Category A/B (5G NR) |
| Guardband Minimum [kHz] | 200 kHz (GSM edges); varies with channel bandwidth (LTE/5G) |
| Typical Bandwidths | 5, 10, 15, 20 MHz (LTE Band 2); 5-100 MHz flexible (5G NR n2) |
| Autocalculated Bandlimits | PCS 1900 Band 2 Downlink |
| Typical Bandwidths (Estimated) | 5, 10, 15, 20 MHz (LTE Band 2); 5-100 MHz flexible (5G NR n2) |
| Max EIRP [dBm] | BS: 43-49 dBm conducted (macro); 24-37 dBm (small cells); UE receive-only |
| Power Source Or Duty Profile (Typical) | Base stations: Grid power with battery backup; Continuous transmission |
| Channelization Plan | PCS 1900 Band 2 Downlink |
| Channelization | GSM 200 kHz, LTE 1.4-20 MHz, 5G NR flexible |
| Guard Band Requirement | PCS 1900 Band 2 Downlink |
| OOB Emission Limit [dBm/MHz] | -13 dBm/MHz @ ±2.5 MHz; -25 dBm/MHz @ ±5 MHz (3GPP TS 36.104) |
| Spurious Emission Limit (dBm) | -13 dBm (9 kHz – 1 GHz); -30 dBm (1-12.75 GHz) per FCC Part 27.53 |
| RX Blocking Min [dBm] | -43 dBm (in-band blocking); -15 dBm (out-of-band blocking) per 3GPP TS 36.101 |
| Duplexing | FDD (downlink – BS → UE) |
| Duplexing Information | Downlink portion of PCS 1900; paired with 1850–1910 MHz uplink |
| Uplink Pairing | 1850–1910 MHz |
| Downlink Pairing | 1930–1990 MHz (includes 1930–1980 MHz segment) |
| Paired Band Info | 3GPP Band 2 downlink paired with Band 2 uplink |
| Max EIRP [dBm] | BS: 61 dBm EIRP (macro with antenna gain); 43 dBm (small cell) |
| Channelization Block Size | PCS 1900 Band 2 Downlink |
| 3GPP Band Number | |
| Example 3GPP Bands | Band 2 (UL 1850-1910, DL 1930-1990) |
| LTE Uplink Bands | Band 2 UL (1850-1910) |
| LTE Downlink Bands | Band 2 DL (1930-1990) |
| NR Uplink Bands | n2 UL (1850-1910) |
| NR Downlink Bands | n2 DL (1930-1990) |
| Guard Bands | Guard at 1910-1930 MHz |
| Protocol Or Standard | 3GPP TS 36.101 (Band 2), FCC Part 27 (PCS) |
🌎 Country Overrides
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Tax Service Category | Terrestrial Mobile (PCS) |
| Tax License Type | Licensed (FCC/ISED PCS assignments) |
| Tax Regions | Americas (United States, Canada, Latin America) |
| ITU Region 1 (Europe, Africa, Middle East (west of Persian Gulf), Western Russia & Mongolia) | N/A (Region 1 uses Band 1 uplink at these frequencies) |
| ITU Region 2 (North America, South America, Central America, Caribbean, Greenland, Eastern Pacific Islands (Americas region)) | MOBILE – PCS 1900 (Band 2 downlink 1930-1990 MHz) |
| ITU Region 3 (Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands, Oceania, Indian Subcontinent, East Asia & Southeast Asia) | N/A (Region 3 uses Band 1 uplink at these frequencies) |
| License Type | Licensed spectrum (exclusive use rights via FCC/ISED auctions) |
| Primary Application | Cellular downlink (base station transmits to mobile devices) |
| Primary Services | Mobile broadband, voice (VoLTE), video streaming |
| Spurious Emission [dBm] | -13 dBm (9 kHz – 1 GHz); -30 dBm (1-12.75 GHz) per FCC Part 27.53 |
| Lower Neighbor Use | 1920–1930 MHz PCS guard band |
| Upper Neighbor Use | 1980–1990 MHz PCS downlink continuation |
| Licensing Model | Licensed PCS blocks |
| Typical Services Devices | PCS 1900 Band 2 Downlink |
| US FCC Alloc | MOBILE (primary) – PCS Part 27 (downlink)– |
| CA IC Alloc | MOBILE (primary) – PCS SRSP-512 (downlink)– |
| UK Ofcom Alloc | N/A (UK uses different allocation – Band 1 uplink)– |
| US Ref | 3GPP TS 36.101 (Band 2) |
| Typical Bandwidths | 5, 10, 15, 20 MHz (LTE Band 2); 5-100 MHz flexible (5G NR n2) |
| Market Licensing Model | Exclusive licensing via competitive auctions (FCC, ISED) |
| Market Common Devices | Smartphones, tablets, cellular modems, IoT modules, M2M devices |
| Fresnel Radius (1st, 1 km) [m] | 6.1539995293448 |
| Typical Bandwidths (Estimated) | 5, 10, 15, 20 MHz (LTE Band 2); 5-100 MHz flexible (5G NR n2) |
| Auction Status | Fully licensed; initial auctions 1994-1996; renewals ongoing |
| Refarming Use | Refarm from GSM/CDMA to LTE (complete); ongoing transition to 5G NR |
| Typical Site Spacing km | 0.5-2 km (dense urban); 1-3 km (urban) / 5-15 km (rural); up to 35 km (remote areas) |
| Device Ecosystem Size | Very large (hundreds of millions of devices) |
| Traffic Load Share | High: 30-50% of total cellular traffic in many markets (shared with low-band and other mid-band) |
| Device Hotspots (MHz) | LTE EARFCN 600-1199 (1930-1990 MHz); GSM ARFCN 512-810; 5G NR per TS 38.104 |
| Device Category | Smartphones, tablets, cellular modems, IoT devices, M2M modules |
| Typical Use Cases | Mobile broadband DL, voice, video |
| Typical Center Frequencies [MHz] | LTE: 1930-1990 MHz (60 MHz); 5G NR: flexible within 1930-1990 MHz |
| Rule Part (Fcc Or Region) | FCC Part 27 (PCS); ISED SRSP-512 (Canada); ANATEL (Brazil) |
| Modulation (Device) | Downlink: QPSK, 16-QAM, 64-QAM, 256-QAM (LTE/5G) |
| Channel Width (Device) [kHz] | 200 kHz (GSM); 1400-20000 kHz (LTE); flexible (5G NR) |
| Device Region Profiles | US, Canada, Mexico, Latin America (Band 2) |
| Per-Region EIRP Or Duty (Device) | BS: 43-49 dBm conducted (macro); 24-37 dBm (small cells); UE receive-only |
| Allocation Relevance (Device) | Primary allocation for PCS cellular in Americas; critical mid-band spectrum |
| Adjacent-Band Collision Risks (Device) | Low (guard band below; 10 MHz separation from Band 2 continuation above at 1980 MHz) |
| Example Devices Or Skus | Apple iPhone (all LTE/5G models); Samsung Galaxy series; Google Pixel; cellular tablets; LTE modems; IoT devices |
| Antenna Form Factor (Typical) | Macro: Panel antennas (2-8 ports); Small cell: Omni/integrated; UE: Internal/printed antennas |
| Power Source Or Duty Profile (Typical) | Base stations: Grid power with battery backup; Continuous transmission |
🛡️ Regulatory & Neighbors
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Lower Band Frequency Limit | 1920 |
| Upper Band Frequency Limit | 1980 |
| Rx Blocking Min dBm | -43 dBm (in-band blocking); -15 dBm (out-of-band blocking) per 3GPP TS 36.101 |
| Lower Neighbor Use | 1920–1930 MHz PCS guard band |
| Upper Neighbor Use | 1980–1990 MHz PCS downlink continuation |
| Lower Neighbor Band | PCS Guard Band |
| Lower Neighbor Range | 1920–1930 MHz |
| Upper Neighbor Label | PCS Downlink (Band 2) |
| Upper Neighbor Range | 1980–1990 MHz |
| Adjacent-Band Collision Risks (Device) | Low (guard band below; 10 MHz separation from Band 2 continuation above at 1980 MHz) |
| Real-World Range (Indoor/Outdoor) | Urban: 0.5-2 km; Suburban: 2-10 km; Rural: 10-35 km (macro BS); Indoor penetration: moderate (10-20 dB loss) |
| US FCC Alloc | MOBILE (primary) – PCS Part 27 (downlink)MOBILE (primary) – PCS Part 27 (downlink) |
| CA IC Alloc | MOBILE (primary) – PCS SRSP-512 (downlink)MOBILE (primary) – PCS SRSP-512 (downlink) |
| UK Ofcom Alloc | N/A (UK uses different allocation – Band 1 uplink)N/A (UK uses different allocation – Band 1 uplink) |
| Regulatory References | US: 3GPP TS 36.101 (Band 2); CA: 3GPP TS 36.101 (Band 2); UK: N/A in UK (uses Band 1 UL here, not Band 2 DL) |
| Global Harmonization | Not harmonized globally. Americas: Band 2 DL. Other regions: Band 1 UL at same frequencies. |
| Crossborder Coordination | Critical – Americas: US-Canada/Mexico PCS |
| Sharing Mechanism | No sharing – exclusive licensed spectrum per operator |
| Auction Status | Fully licensed; initial auctions 1994-1996; renewals ongoing |
| Guard Or Pair | Paired (FDD) |
📈 Market & Measurements
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Noise Floor | Thermal: -174 dBm/Hz + 10*log10(BW) = -104 dBm (10 MHz); -107 dBm (20 MHz) |
| Interference Cases | PCS 1900 Band 2 Downlink |
| Lower Neighbor Range | 1920–1930 MHz |
| Upper Neighbor Range | 1980–1990 MHz |
| Interference Notes | Susceptible to IMD from concurrent transmissions in Band 4 (AWS) and Band 66; potential DAS in-building interference from insufficient isolation |
| Market Licensing Model | Exclusive licensing via competitive auctions (FCC, ISED) |
| Market Commercial Value | High value mid-band spectrum; ~$0.50-2.00/MHz-pop in major markets |
| Market Common Devices | Smartphones, tablets, cellular modems, IoT modules, M2M devices |
| Market Deployment Density | Very dense in urban areas; moderate suburban; sparse rural |
| Noise Floor (Estimated) | Thermal: -174 dBm/Hz + 10*log10(BW) = -104 dBm (10 MHz); -107 dBm (20 MHz) |
| Market Commercial Value (Estimated) | High value mid-band spectrum; ~$0.50-2.00/MHz-pop in major markets |
| Ecosystem Maturity | Very mature: deployed since 1990s (GSM-1900); evolved through CDMA, UMTS, LTE, 5G NR; extensive chipset and device support |
| Indoor Penetration | Moderate penetration at 1.9 GHz; 10-20 dB building loss |
| Known Interference | IMD products from concurrent Band 4/66 operation; in-building DAS interference; cross-border coordination issues (US-Canada/Mexico) |
| Device Ecosystem Size | Very large (hundreds of millions of devices) |
| Real-World Range (Indoor/Outdoor) | Urban: 0.5-2 km; Suburban: 2-10 km; Rural: 10-35 km (macro BS); Indoor penetration: moderate (10-20 dB loss) |
| Antenna Form Factor (Typical) | Macro: Panel antennas (2-8 ports); Small cell: Omni/integrated; UE: Internal/printed antennas |
| Ecosystem Maturity | Very mature: deployed since 1990s (GSM-1900); evolved through CDMA, UMTS, LTE, 5G NR; extensive chipset and device support |
| Device Ecosystem Size | Very large (hundreds of millions of devices) |
| Chipset Availability | High |
| Operator Deployments | AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Rogers, Telus, Bell, Telcel |
| Technology Generations Deployed | 2G GSM-1900, 3G CDMA2000/UMTS, 4G LTE Band 2, 5G NR n2 |
| Roaming Support | Extensive: Band 2 roaming within Americas (US, Canada, Mexico, Latin America); limited outside Americas |
| Traffic Load Share | High: 30-50% of total cellular traffic in many markets (shared with low-band and other mid-band) |
| Indoor Penetration | Moderate penetration at 1.9 GHz; 10-20 dB building loss |
| Known Interference | IMD products from concurrent Band 4/66 operation; in-building DAS interference; cross-border coordination issues (US-Canada/Mexico) |
| Occupancy | Very high (>90% in urban markets; 70-85% suburban; 40-60% rural) |
| Occupancy Bucket Pct | 85-95% (market and geography dependent) |
| Latency Profile | Low latency: <10 ms (LTE); <1 ms (5G URLLC) |
| Common Channels Or Profiles | LTE: EARFCN per 3GPP TS 36.104 Table 5.7.3-1; GSM-1900 carriers at 200 kHz spacing |
| Security Features | LTE/5G encryption; authentication via SIM/eSIM; network slicing (5G) |
| Lbt Or Fhss Requirement | Not required (licensed spectrum with exclusive use rights) |
| Popularity (Installed Base) | Very high: hundreds of millions of devices; nearly universal Band 2 support in Americas smartphones |
| Coexistence Tips | Coordinate with Band 4/66 to avoid IMD; use proper filtering for DAS systems; manage cross-border interference at US-Canada and US-Mexico borders |
| Latency Class | Low latency: <10 ms (LTE); <1 ms (5G URLLC) |
| Device Hotspots (Scoped && Tagged) | High activity: 1960-1980 MHz (upper channels); Moderate: 1930-1950 MHz (lower channels) |