Band – definition – Its A specific range of frequencies (for example those between 1850 MHz and 1995 MHz) are called a band.
MHz (Megahertz) – definition
Herz is a measure of frequency per unit of time, or the number of cycles per second. The most common uses for hertz are to describe radio and audio frequencies. It`s abbreviated as Hz. 1 Megahertz, or 1 MHz, is equal to 1 million Hz.
Base Station – definition
A fixed station that uses radio waves to communicate with mobile devices. It serves as the link between the user’s device and the carrier’s network.
Base stations range in size and area of coverage. Some may cover a radius of several kilometers while others cover only a few city blocks. Most stations transmit in all directions but there are also directional antennas aimed at a specific direction.
Usually base stations are owned by a single carrier but may offer roaming coverage for other networks.
Dual-band – definition
Mobile phone networks work using signals on specific frequency bands and a phone must support those bands in order to work with the network. Dual-band refers to the phones ability to work with two different bands. It is important to specify which bands exactly.
Networks in different geographical locations work on different bands – GSM networks in the Americas use the 850 MHz and 1900 MHz bands while networks in Europe, Brazil, Asia and Africa use the 900/1800 MHz bands.
For example an 900/1800 dual-band phone won’t work in the US and an 850/1900 phone won’t work in Europe. A 900/1900 phone should work on at least one network in most countries around the world.
Tri-band – definition
A Tri-band GSM phone is one that supports three of the four major GSM frequency bands, allowing it to work in most parts of the world. The two most common kinds of tri-band GSM phones are the European type, which support the 900, 1800 and 1900 frequencies and the American type, which cover the 850, 1800 and 1900 frequencies.
Quad-band – definition
Refers to a mobile phone that supports the four major GSM frequency bands (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), making it compatible with all the major GSM networks in the world. The 850/1900 MHz bands are mainly used in the US, while the 900/1800 MHz ones are available in most other countries worldwide.
