Personal access communications system: a flexible PCS standard

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has allocated the frequency spectrum between 1850 MHz and 1990 MHz for personal communications services (PCS). The newly available spectrum presents an opportunity for PCS providers to offer a mass market, multi-functional, high quality, mobile communications service. The licensing rules do not mandate a single standard; multiple standards will compete for marketplace acceptance. It is expected that differing PCS market applications will result in several different systems and standards being widely adopted. Applications will exist for both low-tier (microcell) and high-tier (cellular) standards and technologies. Of the seven radio air interface standardized in the TIA/T1 joint Technical Committee, the Personal Access Communication System (PACS) offers some unique features and performance. It is one of only two low-tier radio systems. It is the only radio system standard which specifies both a frequency division duplex (FDD) mode to enable operation in the licensed frequency allocation and a time division duplex (TDD) mode to enable unlicensed isochronous operation in the 1920 to 1930 MHz spectrum.