AWS Band (Advanced Wireless Services)
Understanding AWS Spectrum
The AWS bands were created by the FCC to meet growing demand for mobile broadband capacity in the United States. The first auction (AWS-1, Auction 66 in 2006) sold 90 MHz of paired spectrum for $13.7 billion, establishing the band as a primary capacity layer for 4G LTE. T-Mobile used AWS-1 extensively for its LTE rollout, and the band became synonymous with mid-band coverage in the US market.
AWS-3 (Auction 97 in 2015) added 25 MHz of paired spectrum by relocating federal government users, raising $44.9 billion. This spectrum, combined with AWS-1, created Band 66, which spans 70 MHz of paired bandwidth. The wide duplex gap (355 MHz between uplink at 1710-1780 MHz and downlink at 2110-2200 MHz) simplifies duplexer design in handsets, allowing high transmit-receive isolation without complex filter topologies. AWS-4 added supplemental downlink blocks at 2000-2020 MHz and 2180-2200 MHz for additional capacity.
AWS Band Specifications
UL: 1710 – 1755 MHz (45 MHz)
DL: 2110 – 2155 MHz (45 MHz)
Duplex spacing: 400 MHz
AWS-3 (Band 66, superset):
UL: 1710 – 1780 MHz (70 MHz total)
DL: 2110 – 2200 MHz (90 MHz, includes SDL)
Path Loss at 2 GHz (typical suburban):
PL = 128.1 + 37.6 log(dkm) dB (3GPP model)
At 1 km: PL = 128.1 dB
At 3 km: PL = 146.0 dB
Capacity (20 MHz, 4×4 MIMO, 256-QAM):
Peak DL: ~100 Mbps per carrier
AWS Band Auction History
| Auction | Year | Spectrum | Bandwidth | Revenue | Major Winners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auction 66 (AWS-1) | 2006 | 1710-1755/2110-2155 | 90 MHz paired | $13.7B | T-Mobile, Verizon |
| Auction 97 (AWS-3) | 2015 | 1755-1780/2155-2180 | 50 MHz paired | $44.9B | AT&T, Dish, Verizon |
| Auction 96 (AWS-4) | 2015 | 2000-2020/2180-2200 | 40 MHz SDL | Reassigned | Dish Network |
Frequently Asked Questions
What frequencies do the AWS bands use?
AWS-1 (Band 4) uses 1710 to 1755 MHz uplink and 2110 to 2155 MHz downlink (45 MHz paired). AWS-3 extends to 1780 MHz UL and 2180 MHz DL (Band 66 superset: 70 MHz paired). AWS-4 adds supplemental downlink at 2000 to 2020 MHz and 2180 to 2200 MHz. The 355+ MHz duplex gap makes filter design straightforward for mobile devices.
How do AWS bands compare to other mid-band spectrum?
AWS (1.7 to 2.1 GHz) sits between low-band (600 to 900 MHz, better coverage, less capacity) and C-band (3.5 to 3.7 GHz, more capacity, shorter range). At 2 GHz, cell radius is 1 to 3 km suburban with reasonable building penetration. A 20 MHz carrier delivers ~100 Mbps peak with 4×4 MIMO. C-band offers 200+ Mbps per 40 MHz but with 30 to 40% shorter range. AWS is the workhorse capacity layer for US LTE.
Which operators use AWS spectrum in the United States?
T-Mobile holds the largest AWS portfolio (90+ MHz in many markets). AT&T and Verizon hold significant AWS-1 and AWS-3 licenses. Dish Network acquired AWS-3 in Auction 97 ($44.9B, the highest-grossing US auction at the time). All major operators use AWS for LTE capacity, with T-Mobile also deploying 5G NR via Dynamic Spectrum Sharing.