Editing Personal Communications Service (section)

{{Short description|Type of cellular mobile phone service}}
{{About|the digital cellular mobile phone service type|the [[North American Numbering Plan]] 5XX area codes|Personal communications service (NANP)}}
{{EngvarB|date=February 2021}}{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
A '''personal communications service''' ('''PCS''') is set of communications capabilities that provide a combination of terminal mobility, [[personal mobility]], and service profile management.{{Sfn|Institute for Telecommunication Sciences|2011}}  This class of services comprises several types of wireless voice or wireless data communications systems, typically incorporating digital technology, providing services similar to advanced [[Cellular network|cellular]] mobile or [[Pager|paging]] services. In addition, PCS can also be used to provide other wireless communications services, including services that allow people to place and receive communications while away from their home or office, as well as wireless communications to homes, office buildings and other [[Fixed wireless|fixed]] locations.{{Sfn|Federal Communications Commission|2008}}  Described in more commercial terms, PCS is a generation of wireless cellular-phone technology, that combines a range of features and services surpassing those available in analogue- and first-generation ([[2G]]) digital-cellular phone systems, providing a user with an all-in-one wireless phone, paging, messaging, and data service.{{Sfn|Verizon Communications Inc.|2011}}

The [[International Telecommunication Union]] (ITU) describes personal communications services as a component of the [[IMT-2000]] ([[3G]]) standard.  PCS and the IMT-2000 standard of which PCS is a part do not specify a particular [[air interface]] and [[channel access method]].  Wireless service providers may deploy equipment using any of several air interface and channel access methods, as long as the network meets the service description for [[technical standard|technical characteristics]] described in the standard.{{Sfn|International Telecommunication Union|1997}}

{{missing information|section|"low band" "midband" terminology in mobile contexts|date=August 2023}}
In [[ITU Region]] 2, PCS are provided in the '1900&nbsp;[[MHz]]' band (specifically 1850–1995&nbsp;MHz).{{Sfn|Cellular Networking Perspectives Ltd.|2011}}  This frequency band was designated by the United States [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) and [[Industry Canada]] to be used for new wireless services to alleviate capacity caps inherent in the original [[Advanced Mobile Phone System]] (AMPS) and [[Digital AMPS]] (D-AMPS) cellular networks in the '850&nbsp;MHz' band (specifically 814–894&nbsp;MHz).  Only Region 2 has a PCS band.