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GSM frequency bands
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== GSM frequency usage around the world == A dual-band 900/1800 device is required to be compatible with most networks apart from deployments in [[ITU Region]] 2. === GSM-900, EGSM/EGSM-900 and GSM-1800 === GSM-900 and GSM-1800 are used in most parts of the world (ITU-Regions 1 and 3): [[Africa]], [[Europe]], [[Middle East]], [[Asia]] (apart from [[Japan]] and [[South Korea]] where [[GSM]] has never been introduced) and [[Oceania]]. In common GSM-900 is most widely used. Fewer operators use GSM-1800. [[Mobile phones on aircraft|Mobile Communication Services on Aircraft]] (MCA) uses GSM-1800.<ref>[http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/08/220&format=HTML&aged=1&language=EN&guiLanguage=en EUROPA - PRESS RELEASES - Press release - Commission Decisions on Mobile Communication Services on Aircraft - Frequently Asked Questions]. Europa.eu. Retrieved on 2013-09-18.</ref> In some countries GSM-1800 is also referred to as "Digital Cellular System" (DCS).<ref>{{cite conference |last1=Ramsdale |first1=P.A. |last2=Hadden |first2=A.D. |last3=Gaskell |first3=P.S. |title=DCS1800-the standard for PCN | conference=1991 Sixth International Conference on Mobile Radio and Personal Communications |date=December 1991 |pages=175β181 |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/140234/}}</ref> === GSM-850 and GSM-1900 === GSM-1900 and GSM-850 are used in most of North, South and Central America (ITU-Region 2). In North America, GSM operates on the primary mobile communication bands 850 MHz and 1900 MHz. In [[Canada]], GSM-1900 is the primary band used in urban areas with 850 as a backup, and GSM-850 being the primary rural band. In the [[United States]], regulatory requirements determine which area can use which band. The term ''Cellular'' is sometimes used to describe GSM services in the 850 MHz band, because the original [[analog signal|analog]] cellular mobile communication system was allocated in this spectrum. Further GSM-850 is also sometimes called ''GSM-800'' because this frequency range was known as the "800 MHz band" (for simplification) when it was first allocated for [[Advanced Mobile Phone System|AMPS]] in the United States in 1983. In [[North America]] GSM-1900 is also referred to as [[Personal Communications Service]] (PCS) like any other cellular system operating on the "1900 MHz band". === Frequency mixing between GSM 900/1800 and GSM 850/1900 === Some countries in Central and South America have allocated spectrum in the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands for GSM in addition to the common GSM deployments at 850 MHz and 1900 MHz for ITU-Region 2 (Americas). The result therefore is a mixture of usage in the Americas that requires travelers to confirm that the devices they have are compatible with the bands of the network at their destination. [[Frequency compatibility]] problems can be avoided through the use of multi-band (tri-band or, especially, quad-band) device. The following countries are mixing GSM 900/1800 and GSM 850/1900 bands:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldtimezone.com/gsm.html |title=GSM Bands information by country |publisher=WorldTimeZone.com |date=2016-01-16 |access-date=2016-02-06}}</ref> {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ Countries that mix GSM 900/1800 and GSM 850/1900 bands ! scope="col" | Region !! scope="col" | Country/Territory !! scope="col" | GSM-850 !! scope="col" | GSM-1900 !! scope="col" | GSM-900 !! scope="col" | GSM-1800 |- ! rowspan="14" {{rh|align=right}} class="table-rh" scope="row" | Caribbean ! {{rh2|align=right}} scope="row" | [[Antigua and Barbuda]] | {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Na}} |- ! {{rh2|align=right}} scope="row" | [[Aruba]], [[Bonaire]] and [[Curacao]] || {{Na}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} |- ! {{rh2|align=right}} scope="row" | [[Barbados]] | {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} |- ! {{rh2|align=right}} scope="row" | [[British Virgin Islands]] | {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} |- ! {{rh2|align=right}} scope="row" | [[Cayman Islands]] | {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} |- ! {{rh2|align=right}} scope="row" | [[Dominica]] | {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} |- ! {{rh2|align=right}} scope="row" | [[Dominican Republic]] | {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} |- ! {{rh2|align=right}} scope="row" | [[Grenada]] | {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} |- ! {{rh2|align=right}} scope="row" | [[Haiti]] | {{Ya}} || {{Na}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} |- ! {{rh2|align=right}} scope="row" | [[Jamaica]] | {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Na}} |- ! {{rh2|align=right}} scope="row" | [[Saint Kitts and Nevis]] | {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} |- ! {{rh2|align=right}} scope="row" | [[Saint Lucia]] | {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} |- ! {{rh2|align=right}} scope="row" | [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]] | {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} |- ! {{rh2|align=right}} scope="row" | [[Turks and Caicos Islands]] | {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} |- ! {{rh|align=right}} scope="row" rowspan="3" style="background:#ffb" | Central<br>America ! {{rh2|align=right}} scope="row" | [[Costa Rica]] | {{Ya}} || {{Na}} || {{Na}} || {{Ya}} |- ! {{rh2|align=right}} scope="row" | [[El Salvador]] | {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Na}} |- ! {{rh2|align=right}} scope="row" | [[Guatemala]] | {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Na}} |- ! {{rh|align=right}} scope="row" rowspan="3" style="background:#ffb" | South<br>America ! {{rh2|align=right}} scope="row" | [[Brazil]] | {{Ya}} || {{Na}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} |- ! {{rh2|align=right}} scope="row" | [[Uruguay]] | {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} |- ! {{rh2|align=right}} scope="row" | [[Venezuela]] | {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} || {{Ya}} |} === GSM-450 === Another less common GSM version is GSM-450.<ref>[http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Print.aspx?NewsId=15254 neon lite, Nokia Eye 450 MHz GSM technology]</ref> It uses the same band as, and can co-exist with, old analog [[Nordic Mobile Telephone|NMT]] systems. NMT is a first generation ([[1G]]) mobile system which was primarily used in [[Nordic countries]], [[Benelux]], [[Alpine states|Alpine Countries]], [[Eastern Europe]] and [[Russia]] prior to the introduction of GSM. The [[GSM Association]] claims one of its around 680 operator-members has a license to operate a GSM 450 network in [[Tanzania]]. However, currently all active public operators in Tanzania use GSM 900/1800 MHz. There are no publicly advertised handsets for GSM-450 available. Very few NMT-450 networks remain in operation. Overall, where the 450 MHz NMT band has been licensed, the original analogue network has been closed, and sometimes replaced by [[CDMA2000|CDMA]]. Some of the CDMA networks have since upgraded from CDMA to [[LTE (telecommunication)|LTE]] (LTE band 31).
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