frequencyband

A frequency band is a contiguous range of electromagnetic frequencies allocated for a particular purpose or service within the radio spectrum. Bands are defined by lower and upper frequency limits and are used to organize spectrum management, regulation, and equipment design.

The electromagnetic spectrum is divided into commonly recognized bands, each with typical ranges: very low frequency (VLF) 3–30 kHz; low frequency (LF) 30–300 kHz; medium frequency (MF) 300 kHz–3 MHz; high frequency (HF) 3–30 MHz; very high frequency (VHF) 30–300 MHz; ultra high frequency (UHF) 300 MHz–3 GHz; super high frequency (SHF) 3–30 GHz; extremely high frequency (EHF) 30–300 GHz. Actual allocations vary by region and purpose. In practice, bands are reserved for broadcasting, mobile networks, satellite communications, navigation, and other services. For example, the FM broadcast band lies within VHF (roughly 88–108 MHz), while wireless local area networks commonly use 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz in the UHF/SHF ranges.

Regulation and licensing: Bands are allocated by international bodies such as the International Telecommunication Union and by national regulators. Rules cover transmitter power, emissions limits, interference protection, and sharing arrangements between services.

Technical characteristics: A band’s width is the range of frequencies it encompasses, and multiple channels or subbands may exist within a band. Propagation and usable distance depend on the band, with lower bands tending to longer range and higher bands offering higher data rates but shorter reach.

Usage and planning: Spectrum planning aims to maximize efficiency while minimizing interference, often involving reallocations, sharing, or dynamic spectrum access as demand evolves.