700 MHz Band Channel Propagation Model

The conversion from analog television in the United States, combined with the appeal for broadband public safety communications, has generated a lot of interest in the so-called 700 MHz band. Thus, the 764-776 MHz and 794-806 MHz blocks have been dedicated to public safety while the others have been auctioned off to vendors for commercial services, and some blocks for joint use between the two. This 700 MHz band offers excellent penetration through buildings, which is particularly useful for emergency responders and Enhanced 911 services. For commercial vendors, the investment is motivated by the favorable propagation characteristics which extend coverage significantly for the same transmission power, translating into less infrastructure.

However before any network technology can be developed and deployed in this band, there is a need to characterize and understand the propagation environment in which it must operate. In this effort we have derived such models, reduced from measurement campaigns conducted in eight different environments relevant to most usage scenarios, ranging from subterranean mine tunnels to an oil refinery, from mid-size to high-rise buildings, and also the urban-canyon environment.

The models are based on measurements collected by the NIST Radio Frequency Fields Group. Details of the measurements can be found in the following reports:

• C.L. Holloway, W.F. Young, G. Koepke, K.A. Remley, D. Camell, Y. Becquet, "Attenuation of Radio Wave Signals Coupled Into Twelve Large Building Structures," Natl. Inst. Stand. Technol. Note 1545, Apr. 2008.

• K.A. Remley, G. Koepke, C.L. Holloway, C. Grosvenor, D. Camell, J. Ladbury, D. Novotny, W.F. Young, G. Hough, M.D. McKinley, Y. Becquet, J. Korsnes, "Measurements to Support Broadband Modulated-Signal Radio Transmissions for the Public-Safety Sector," Natl. Inst. Stand. Technol. Note 1546, Apr. 2008.

• W.F. Young, K.A. Remley, J. Ladbury, C.L. Holloway, C. Grosvenor, G. Koepke, D. Camell, S. Floris, W. Numan, A. Garuti, "Measurements to Support Public Safety Communications: Attenuation and Variability of 750 MHz Radio Wave Signals in Four Large Building Structures," Natl. Inst. Stand. Technol. Note 1552, Aug. 2009.

The measurements were conducted in a large number of structures of varying dimension, shape, and function throughout the United States. The following table summarizes the environments: