B4 (1700 MHz)

3GPP Band 4, often recognised as the AWS (Advanced Wireless Services) band, played a pivotal role in the 3G UMTS3G UMTS: UMTS is an umbrella term for the third generation radio technologies developed by the 3GPP. UMTS specifies a complete network system, for which the radio access component, known as UTRAN, uses WCDMA technology to offer greater spectral efficiency and bandwidth to mobile network… frequency spectrum, particularly in North America and parts of South America. Operating under the Frequency Division Duplex (FDDFDD: A communication technology that uses separate frequency bands for transmitting and receiving operations. This technique enables simultaneous bi-directional communication by allocating one frequency band for upstream (transmission from the user equipment to the base station) and another distinct…) system, this band allows for dual-way communication: it transmits from cell towers to mobile devices on frequencies 2110 to 2155 MHz and receives signals from mobile devices on frequencies 1710 to 1755 MHz.

Band 4 (1700 MHz) gained prominence due to regulatory decisions in the Americas that allocated the 1700 MHz and 2100 MHz frequencies for expanded wireless services in the mid-2000s. Located towards the lower end of the higher frequency range, Band 4 offers a reasonable balance between signal penetration and coverage area. The typical coverage radius is around 2 to 10 kilometres, varying based on topographical and infrastructural factors.