Space Regulatory Glossary Spectrum

C-band

/siː bænd/ noun

1. A radio frequency band spanning approximately 4 to 8 GHz, historically the workhorse of satellite communications due to its resilience to rain fade and wide geographic coverage per transponder.
2. The subject of major regulatory reallocation in the U.S., where the FCC cleared a portion of C-band spectrum (3.7-3.98 GHz) for terrestrial 5G services beginning in 2020, requiring satellite operators to migrate to the upper portion of the band and triggering billions in transition payments.

Related terms

Ku-band A radio frequency band spanning approximately 12 to 18 GHz, commonly used for direct broadcast satellite television,… Ka-band A radio frequency band spanning approximately 26.5 to 40 GHz, widely used for high-throughput satellite broadband. FCC The Federal Communications Commission. The U.S. federal agency responsible for regulating interstate and international… interference Unwanted radio frequency energy that disrupts or degrades a satellite communication link. Interference can originate…

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