Actually, "2100MHz" is just half of the AWS spectrum...
In Canada, the AWS spectrum has been used in UMTS (by WIND, Mobilicity and Videotron) and LTE networks (by the Big-3). The 2110-2155MHz range channels are for the "downlink" (from the cellsite to the mobile subscriber device) while the 1710-1755MHz channels are the "uplink" (from the mobile subscriber device to the cellsite).
It is quite confusing to call AWS specturm as "2100MHz", "2GHz range" because another spectrum allocated in many countries is also called "2100MHz", just the uplink is not in the 1700MHz range. Look up the UMTS Band I (2100) or LTE Band 1 (2100) for more. So some would refer AWS spectrum as "1700MHz" or "1700/2100MHz" rather. To me, it is still equally confusing.
Back in Canada, as you can see in the AWS band plan, the bigger blocks are 10+10MHz paired spectrum. Meaning, the current allocation can only offer 10MHz of bandwidth unless the licensee has got 2 contiguous / adjacent blocks in a particular service area.
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www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/sm ··· 303.htmlAs for the "2600MHz" for the LTE i.e. LTE Band 7 (2600), it lies in the 2500-2700MHz BRS spectrum...
Currently among the Big-3, only Rogers and Bell have got the BRS spectrum licenses through their Inukshuk Wireless Partnership. Together, they are holding 40+40MHz BRS paired spectrum in many regions. So Rogers and Bell are each entitled half of the BRS spectrum that Inukshuk holds, i.e. 20+20MHz. Then earlier this year, both Bell and Rogers have terminated the WiMAX service and begin to deploy LTE in some areas with their respective 20+20MHz paired spectrum.
The real potential here is about the 20MHz bandwidth that can be utilized for LTE UE Categroy 4 performance with downlink up to 150Mbps. However, there is no LTE UE Category 4 device supporting LTE Band 7 (2600) available yet. All the current devices, mostly modems / hotspots / "smart hubs" which support LTE Band 7 (2600) are still LTE UE Category 3.