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Radio-Frequency Channelization
Paired Channels

There are a total of 832 channel pairs allocated per cellular market by the FCC. Since
cellular is a duplex system like IMTS, two radio channels are needed for each cellular
conversation. The channel transmitted from the base station t9 the subscriber's mobile
phone is known as the forward channel or downlink. The channel transmitted from the
mobile phone to the base station is known as the reverse channel or uplink Paired chan-
nels are the combination of the forward channel and the reverse channel that are
necessary for every cellular conversation to take place. The two respective frequencies
of the mobile transmit (base receive) and the base transmit (mobile receive) are
combined to form the duplex channel that is used for every wireless call. See Figure.

Note: Since the cellular industry is a duopoly each wireless carrier in every cellular
market is allocated 416 channel pairs. 416 channels are used for the base
transmit/mobile receive side, and 416 channels are used for the mobile transmit/base
receive side.

Most cellular carriers partition their 416 channel (pairs) into the N = 7 frequency-reuse
format, the de facto industry standard. Other frequency reuse plans exist, but they are not
widely used. Base station transmit and receive bands are separated by 45 MHz of
spectrum to avoid interference between cellular radio transmit and receive channels.

Figure: Representation of downlink and uplink a paired channel.

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Channel Spacing

Channel spacing refers to the actual bandwidth space that is allocated for every cellular
channel out of the total amount of cellular spectrum. In AMPS the channel spacing is 30
kHz. Every uplink and downlink each occupies 30 kHz of bandwidth. This means that
every cellular call actually occupies a total of 60 kHz of cellular spectrum: 30 kHz for
the forward channel and 30 kHz for the reverse channel. In other words, 30 kHz for the
uplink, 30 kHz for the downlink.

Each designated pair of frequencies-paired channel-that will be reused has been assigned
a specific channel number under FCC guidelines and industry standards. This channel
number equates directly to one specific paired channel, and its associated frequencies.
See Table for a sample of how paired channels are assigned in the cellular industry,
using the 30-kHz channel spacing standard.

Control Channel

The control channel, also called the paging channel, is a data signaling channel that
handles the administrative overhead of the cellular system via messaging between
mobile phones, cell base stations, and the MSC. It is used to administer the following
tasks:

TABLE

FCC Base Station Base Station MobileMobile

Channel Receive, Transmit Transmit, Receive
No. MHz(Uplink) MHz(Downlink) MHz(Uplink) MHz(Downlink)
1 825.030 870.030 825.030 870.030
2 825.060 870.060 825.060 870.060
3 825.090 870.090 825.090 870.090
4 825.120 870.120 825.120 870.120
5 825.150 870.150 825.150 870.150

Figure: Sample of Paired Channels (A Band) and their FCC Numbers

Setup of cellular calls, both mobile-originated and mobile-terminated.

Locating (paging) cellular phones before connecting mobile-terminated calls.
Collecting call information such as billing and traffic statistics.
Autonomous mobile registration, i.e., registering phones on the system-both home and
roaming" phones.
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Of the 416 total channel pairs allocated per cellular carrier per market, 21 channel pairs
are control channels. Like the 395 voice channels, the 21 control channels are also
reused over and over again throughout cellular markets. All subscriber units-once they
are powered on and throughout the time they are powered on-"tune" to the control
channel in their assigned band (A or B band) from which they receive the strongest
signal. Each subscriber unit automatically retunes the control channels in its band at
predetermined intervals, based on system and carrier parameters. This interval can range
from every 2 minutes to every 60 minutes'. When a subscriber pushes the "send" button
when placing a call, the phone again rescans for the strongest control channel signal.

Channel Sets

Each cell base station is assigned a particular number of cellular channels. This group of
channels is known as a channel set. In an N = 7 frequency-reuse plan, there are 21
channel sets, with an average of 15 to 20 paired channels assigned per set. Channel sets
are assigned on an alphanumeric basis. There are 21 channel sets because channel sets
are assigned alphanumerically in groups of three, using the N = 7 reuse format. For
example, there is channel set Al, A2, and A3. Then there is channel set Bi, B2, and B3;
and so on. This alphanumeric configuration was developed by AT&T (Bell Labs).

For example:

Channel Set Numbers* (N=7)

I 2 3 4 5 6 7
A1 B1 C1 D1 E1 F1 G1
A2 B2 C2 D2 E2 F2 G2
A3 B3 C3 D3 E3 F3 G3

Each alphanumeric designation equals one channel set.

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Figure: Channel sets and channel reuse (in association with N = 7 frequency-reuse plan).

Channel sets are assigned in this manner up to the letter C, because G is the seventh
letter of the alphabet and this equates to the N = 7 frequency-reuse formula. Seven cell
clusters times 3 channel sets equals 21 total channel sets. See Figure for a depiction of
14 channel sets assigned in two N = 7 "clusters."

Note: The terms frequency and channel are synonymous. Frequency reuse is
synonymous with the term channel reuse because all frequencies in the cellular spectrum
have been divided into discrete channels.

See Table for a sample of several standard channel sets, using FCC channel numbers to
illustrate frequency assignments for each channel set.
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Signal (Control) Channels (One Control Channel per Channel Set)

333 332 331 330 329 328 327 326 325

312 311 310 309 308 307 306 305 304
291 290 289 288 287 286 285 284 283
270 269 268 267 266 265 264 263 262
249 248 247 246 245 244 243 242 241
228 227 226 225 224 223 222 221 220
207 206 205 204 203 202 201 200 199
186 185 184 183 182 181 180 179 178
165 164 163 162 161 160 159 158 157
144 143 142 141 140 139 138 137 136
123 122 121 120 119 118 117 116 115
102 101 100 99 98 97 96 95 94
81 80 79 78 77 76 75 74 73
60 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52
39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31
18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10

Extended Channels (Expanded Spectrum)

1020 1019 1018 1017 1016 1015 1014 1013 1012

919 918 917 916 915 914 913 912 911
711 710 709 708 707 706 705 704 703
690 689 688 687 686 685 684 683 682
669 668 667 666 665 664 663 662 661

* Each 3<1igit number represents a channel pair.