Why unlicensed spectrum?
Wireless connectivity providers have to make many choices when designing their technology to meet the needs of their partners and customers.
One of those choices is where in the frequency band the wireless signal will operate. The choice for this is based on several different criteria. Wireless providers must balance capacity and coverage area while keeping the technology affordable. Some frequency bands are licensed and are leased to carriers as the sole users within that band. Others are unlicensed and set aside for more generic purpose and are free to use by anyone within the regulations set by the governing body.
Choosing which band to use is a balancing act. This white paper will discuss and compare two of the unlicensed bands: 2.4 GHz and 900 MHz.