GSM frequency ranges are the radio spectrum frequencies that the GSM system for mobile phones operate under. There are four main versions used
- GSM-900 and GSM-1800 used in most of the world, excluding the United States and Canada. GSM-1800 is also called PCS in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom
- GSM-850 and GSM-1900 used in the United States and Canada. GSM-850 is also sometimes called GSM-800
North American GSM frenquencies
GSM operates on North America's primary mobile communication bands - 850 MHz and 1900 MHz. Initial implementations were exclusivly 1900 MHz, with 850 MHz being added in 2001. In the Canada, GSM-1900 is the primarily frequency used in urban areas with 850 as a backup, and GSM-850 being the primary rural frequency. In the United States, regulatory requirements determine what area can use what frequency.
PCS is an acronym for Personal Communications Service, and merely represents the original name for the 1900 MHz band. Cellular is the term used to describe the 850 MHz band, as the original analog cellular mobile communication system was allocated in this spectrum. In reality, a user cannot tell any difference between either range, and providers commonly operate in one or both frequency ranges.
European/Asian/Australian GSM frequencies
In the rest of the world, the GSM system initially used a frequency of 900 MHz, shortly afterwards the PCN network used the 1800 MHz frequency, nowadays the PCN networks are considered part of the GSM system and many phones are dual-band operating on 900/1800 MHz
In some countries the GSM-900 band has been extended to cover a larger frequency range. The extended GSM, E-GSM, uses frequency range 880 - 915 MHz (uplink) and 925 - 960 MHz (downlink), adding 50 traffic channels to the original GSM-900 band. The GSM specifications also describe railways GSM, R-GSM, which uses frequency range 876 - 915 MHz (uplink) and 921 - 960 MHz (downlink). All these specifications are known as GSM-900.
Another less common GSM version is GSM-400. It uses the same frequency as and can co-exist with old analog NMT systems. NMT is a first generation (1G) mobile phone system which was primarily used in Nordic countries, Eastern Europe and Russia prior to the introduction of GSM. It operates in either 450.4 - 457.6 MHz paired with 460.4 - 467.6 MHz, or 478.8 - 486 MHz paired with 488.8 - 496 MHz
Multi mode phones
Nowadays most phones support multiple frequencies used in different countries. These are typically referred to as multi mode phones. Dual band phones can cover GSM networks in pairs such as 900 and 1800 MHz frequencies (Europe, Asia and Australia) or 850 and 1900 (North America). European triband phones typically cover the 900, 1800 and 1900 bands giving good coverage in Europe and allowing limited use in North America. Just the same, North American tri-band phones utilize 850, 1800 and 1900 for wide-spread North American service but limited world-wide use. A new addition has been the quad-band phone, supporting all four major GSM frequency groups, allowing for widespread usage in North America as well as Europe, Asia and Australia.
Countries requiring GSM-1900 phones:
