N-GEN Communications Web-based Seminars ©NGCS

Seminar - An Overview of Communications Technologies

Module 9 - Wireless Systems and Technologies                                                                                 Slide 47 of 80                                                                                                    _______________

                                                History of MMDS

                                    A Service Distributing Commercial Television Channels

                                    Bandwidth Allocated by FCC in the U.S.

                                    MDS Precursor to MMDS

                                    FCC Assigned Channels

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The United States used microwave frequencies to provide a low cost means of delivering educational programs to schools and non-profit organizations in 1961 under the establishment of Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS) project. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) set aside the frequency band between 2.500 and 2.600 G Hz for 31 educational channels. in 1982, 124 ITFS operators were using 808 channels. 1n 1974, the FCC authorized a new service, called Multi-point Distribution Service (MDS) for transmission of business data. 11 channels were created in the 2.150 to 2.644 G Hz frequency range. In 1982, 239 MDS operators were providing services to 700,000 households. In 1983, the FCC allowed multi-channel service known as Multi-channel Multi-point Distribution Service (MMDS). Other countries also made the frequency spectrum available for the MMDS.