You’ve never heard of Band 14? It’s the biggest thing to come to cell phones since, well, Band 17 I guess. Seriously though folks, Band 14 is a big deal for cellular technology and it’s even a bigger deal for your local first responders.
There I said it and we can move on. If you were imagining that the nation’s cellular frequencies were arranged in a nice little row with Band 1 at the low end and Band 99 at the high end… sorry it just doesn’t work that way. It actually does make a lot of sense when you realize that each “band” is just one part of a larger frequency range though. Let me explain.
Here in the US there are several different frequency ranges used for cellular. Take a look:
Those are the major frequencies used today in the traditional cellular range. There are also cell frequencies in the C band of about 3000 MHz, and in the Ka band of 26,000-40,000 MHz. But that’s a story for another day. This story is about Band 14, which exists squarely in the middle of the other frequencies used for cellular.
Now technically when we say “Band 5” we mean “850MHz Band 5.” There are lots of tiny little frequency ranges between 800 and 900MHz, this just happens to be number 5. The other ones aren’t used for cellular. But since we’re talking about cellular, we just say “Band 5” and the old-school folks know what we’re talking about.
When we say “Band 14” we actually mean “700MHz Band 14.” It ‘s a chunk of spectrum that has been specifically reserved for first responders and their cell phones. And that is a very, very good thing.
Band 14 is used for FirstNet, a nationwide cellular network open only to our first responders and no one else. FirstNet was created as a response to over a decade of national emergencies. At the dawn of the twenty-first century it became obvious that there was a problem with our first responders. Police, fire, medical, military and other groups had always communicated on their own radios for the sake of security. Often times it took a dedicated dispatcher on each side just to let our military talk to local police, for example.
Of course by 2001 every officer and every soldier on US soil had an easy answer for that: a cell phone. The cell phone became an invaluable tool for first responders but there was always one problem. During a national emergency, what do we do? We get on our phones. We get on our phones a lot. That clogs up the cellular network. All of a sudden, first responders can’t use their phones and neither can anyone else.
That’s why FirstNet was born. The mission was simple. Create phones, and a network to use them, that only first responders could access. That way it would never be clogged. AT&T was tapped to build it, and they’ve been busy doing just that.
Yes, there are a few phones that will work with Band 14. They also work with regular cell phone frequencies, so a first responder doesn’t need two phones if they want just one. Regular folks can’t buy them, although volunteer first responders can. Chances are if you’re a first responder who qualifies for these phones, someone in your organization can help you get the phone you need.
Today’s consumer cell phone signal boosters don’t work with Band 14. However, there are some industrial cell boosters that do. They can be added to an existing setup or used by themselves. This isn’t the sort of hardware you’d choose to have at home. Really this is something for commercial and industrial use.
If you’re looking to improve band 14 cell phone service in your office, headquarters, fire station, or anywhere first responders gather, call Signal Connect. We can help you plan a commercial distributed antenna system to give everyone the cell service they need. At Signal Connect we understand how important communication is to you. It’s important to us too, which is why we offer a direct line to sales professionals in our Detroit-area offices. When you call 888-233-7563, you’ll get connected with a cell phone professional who can help you plan and execute your entire system. We’re here for you! We ask that the first call be during East Coast business hours, but once you connect with the right person they’ll give you a direct line which rings after hours too. Call us, or if you’d prefer just fill out the form below and we’ll get right back to you.
The post What is Band 14? appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
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The band plan makes no sense.
There I said it and we can move on. If you were imagining that the nation’s cellular frequencies were arranged in a nice little row with Band 1 at the low end and Band 99 at the high end… sorry it just doesn’t work that way. It actually does make a lot of sense when you realize that each “band” is just one part of a larger frequency range though. Let me explain.
Here in the US there are several different frequency ranges used for cellular. Take a look:
| Band 17 | 700 MHz |
| Band 13 | 700 MHz |
| Band 5 | 850 MHz |
| Band 4 | 1700-2100 MHz |
| Band 25/2 | 1900 MHz |
Those are the major frequencies used today in the traditional cellular range. There are also cell frequencies in the C band of about 3000 MHz, and in the Ka band of 26,000-40,000 MHz. But that’s a story for another day. This story is about Band 14, which exists squarely in the middle of the other frequencies used for cellular.
Now technically when we say “Band 5” we mean “850MHz Band 5.” There are lots of tiny little frequency ranges between 800 and 900MHz, this just happens to be number 5. The other ones aren’t used for cellular. But since we’re talking about cellular, we just say “Band 5” and the old-school folks know what we’re talking about.
Band 14?
When we say “Band 14” we actually mean “700MHz Band 14.” It ‘s a chunk of spectrum that has been specifically reserved for first responders and their cell phones. And that is a very, very good thing.
Band 14 is used for FirstNet, a nationwide cellular network open only to our first responders and no one else. FirstNet was created as a response to over a decade of national emergencies. At the dawn of the twenty-first century it became obvious that there was a problem with our first responders. Police, fire, medical, military and other groups had always communicated on their own radios for the sake of security. Often times it took a dedicated dispatcher on each side just to let our military talk to local police, for example.
Of course by 2001 every officer and every soldier on US soil had an easy answer for that: a cell phone. The cell phone became an invaluable tool for first responders but there was always one problem. During a national emergency, what do we do? We get on our phones. We get on our phones a lot. That clogs up the cellular network. All of a sudden, first responders can’t use their phones and neither can anyone else.
That’s why FirstNet was born. The mission was simple. Create phones, and a network to use them, that only first responders could access. That way it would never be clogged. AT&T was tapped to build it, and they’ve been busy doing just that.
Are there Band 14-compatible phones?
Yes, there are a few phones that will work with Band 14. They also work with regular cell phone frequencies, so a first responder doesn’t need two phones if they want just one. Regular folks can’t buy them, although volunteer first responders can. Chances are if you’re a first responder who qualifies for these phones, someone in your organization can help you get the phone you need.
Will cell boosters work with Band 14?
Today’s consumer cell phone signal boosters don’t work with Band 14. However, there are some industrial cell boosters that do. They can be added to an existing setup or used by themselves. This isn’t the sort of hardware you’d choose to have at home. Really this is something for commercial and industrial use.
If you’re looking to improve band 14 cell phone service in your office, headquarters, fire station, or anywhere first responders gather, call Signal Connect. We can help you plan a commercial distributed antenna system to give everyone the cell service they need. At Signal Connect we understand how important communication is to you. It’s important to us too, which is why we offer a direct line to sales professionals in our Detroit-area offices. When you call 888-233-7563, you’ll get connected with a cell phone professional who can help you plan and execute your entire system. We’re here for you! We ask that the first call be during East Coast business hours, but once you connect with the right person they’ll give you a direct line which rings after hours too. Call us, or if you’d prefer just fill out the form below and we’ll get right back to you.
The post What is Band 14? appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
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