In the United States, the business band is the colloquial name used by radio users who utilize and scanner hobbyists who listen to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Industrial/Business pool frequencies. The regulations listing frequencies in this pool are contained in Subpart C of Part 90, Title 47 of the CFR.
The pool describes a series of frequencies on the VHF and UHF two-way radio bands. They are reserved for use by companies and individuals operating commercial activities; educational, philanthropic, or ecclesiastical institutions; clergy activities; or hospitals, clinics, or medical associations.[1] In the United States, use of these frequencies requires a license issued by the U.S. FCC. The exceptions to this are five specific frequencies that are also part of the Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS), which permits unlicensed operation on these frequencies, provided the output power does not exceed 2 watts. Other frequency bands, such as Citizens Band Radio (CB radio) and Family Radio Service (FRS), may also be used without a license.
Channels are available in several frequency ranges to suit the users' requirements for propagation and protection from interference. The electromagnetic spectrum between approximately 450 and 470 MHz is used largely for UHF business communications, although this spectrum is not exclusively for business use. In some large metropolitan areas, such as New York, the UHF-T band (between 470 and 512 MHz) is also used due to congestion on the standard VHF or UHF bands. There are also a number of specific frequencies, in both the VHF and UHF spectrums, that are for business use; some of these have color-coded names, such as Red Dot or Blue Star.
In 2004, the FCC required all CFR 47 Part 90 VHF (150–174 MHz) and UHF (421–470 MHz) PLMR (Private Land Mobile Radio) licensees operating legacy wideband (25 kHz bandwidth) voice or data/SCADA systems to migrate to narrowband (12.5 kHz bandwidth or equivalent) systems by January 1, 2013.[2]
The Private Land Mobile Radio Service (47CFR90, or Part 90 of the FCC Rules) was established in the US in 1927[3] to permit commercial and public safety uses of two-way radio by commercial entities and non-Federal government agencies. Similar allocations are available in other countries. The available frequencies in the US have traditionally been separated into two pools. One is for industrial and business users, including some special categories such as petroleum, manufacturing, and forestry; the other is for public safety[4] including medical, police, fire, and others. The industrial and business frequencies, sometimes also known as "business band radio," and the eligibility requirements are listed in 47CFR90.35. Frequencies are licensed on a non-exclusive basis, although fixed stations and mobiles operating in a defined area are issued licenses only following frequency coordination[5] to assure equitable sharing of bandwidth. Anyone conducting commercial business or a number of other activities is eligible for a license.
Other general-purpose two-way radio services with simplified licensing requirements have also been established over the years in the US, including GMRS and CB, the latter now being licensed by rule so that users don't need individual licenses. FRS and MURS are similar pools of frequencies that do not require individual licenses in the US.
Although the term "business band" refers to several discrete frequencies that are not grouped into a single band, examples of some of the frequencies are grouped by band and listed below. These charts also list other frequencies that are not specifically part of the "business band" but are commonly used by businesses. An individual license is still required under GMRS rules. A few manufacturers added these DOT frequencies to Business radios in the 1990s to have more "channels" and aid in selling radios. Part 90 (Business) and Part 95 (GMRS) frequencies are not interchangeable and are not to be used under the same guidelines. Each has different criteria for licensing. Part 95 GMRS frequencies are not "Itinerant", nor business band frequencies.[6]
Note: the 27.555 MHz, 27.615 MHz, 27.635 MHz, 27.655 MHz, 27.765 MHz and 27.860 MHz frequencies have no active licenses for any of them. No expired, canceled or terminated licenses exist in the FCC database, indicating that legal users have abandoned the 27.555 MHz - 27.86 MHz frequencies for at least 30 years.
27.430 MHz, 27.450 MHz, 27.470 MHz and 27.490 MHz all are actively used by current business radio license holders, however.
The 25.6 MHz to 28 MHz spectrum is heavily used for unlicensed out of band CB radio communications within the U.S.
Outside of the U.S., numerous additional CB radio allocations exist, including CB radio services that overlap with the 27.54 MHz to 28 MHz allocation, paging systems, land mobile services (outside the U.S.) and additional CB radio allocations exist in the 26 MHz portion as well.
| Frequency or range | Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| 25.020-25.320 MHz | 20 kHz channel steps, primarily assigned to oil spill cleanup operations | |
| 27.430–27.530 MHz | 20 kHz channel steps | |
| 27.555 MHz | Authorized only in certain areas for forestry and logging operations | |
| 27.615 MHz | Authorized only in certain areas for forestry and logging operations | |
| 27.635 MHz | Authorized only in certain areas for forestry and logging operations | |
| 27.655 MHz | Authorized only in certain areas for forestry and logging operations | |
| 27.765 MHz | Authorized only in certain areas for forestry and logging operations | |
| 27.860 MHz | Authorized only in certain areas for forestry and logging operations | |
| 29.710–29.790 MHz | 20 kHz channel steps | |
| 30.580–31.960 MHz | 20 kHz channel steps, shared with State Forestry in some areas | |
| 33.120–33.400 MHz | 20 kHz channel steps, some low-power frequencies | |
| 35.020–35.980 MHz | 20 kHz channel steps, some low-power frequencies | |
| 37.440–37.880 MHz | 20 kHz channel steps, often used for power and water company communications | |
| 42.960–44.600 MHz | 20 kHz channel steps, some low-power or itinerant frequencies | |
| 47.440–49.580 MHz | 20 kHz channel steps |
| Frequency | Name | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 151.505 MHz | Itinerant | ||
| 151.5125 MHz | Itinerant (narrow band) | ||
| 151.625 MHz | Red Dot | Itinerant | |
| 151.700 MHz | Itinerant | ||
| 151.760 MHz | Itinerant | ||
| 151.820 MHz | MURS
| ||
| 151.880 MHz | MURS; 2 watts, 11.25 kHz bandwidth | ||
| 151.940 MHz | MURS; 2 watts, 11.25 kHz bandwidth | ||
| 151.955 MHz | Purple Dot | ||
| 154.515 MHz | |||
| 154.5275 MHz | Itinerant (narrow band) | ||
| 154.540 MHz | |||
| 154.570 MHz | Blue Dot[7] | MURS; 2 watts, 20 kHz bandwidth | |
| 154.600 MHz | Green Dot | MURS; 2 watts, 20 kHz bandwidth | |
| 158.400 MHz | Itinerant | ||
| 158.4075 MHz | Itinerant (narrow band) |
VHF Bands
Note: Businesses may be licensed for numerous additional frequencies, 6.25 kHz channel spacing in the following bands
In repeater systems, +5 MHz offset (split) is used, repeater output frequency on the lower frequency. The 5 MHz offset is standard for 450-470 MHz. Many business users operate simplex on either frequency, this is legal if the license specifies mobile operation on the given frequency. Other frequencies are designated for low power simplex operation only.
In certain urban areas, additional UHF allocations in the 422-430 MHz band (areas: Buffalo, New York, Detroit, Michigan and Cleveland, Ohio) and/or the 470-512 MHz UHF-T band are also available. These allocations are assigned to other services in the vast majority of the United States.
| Frequency | Name | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 462.575 MHz | White Dot | GMRS | |
| 462.625 MHz | Black Dot | GMRS | |
| 462.675 MHz | Orange Dot | GMRS | |
| 464.500 MHz | Brown Dot | Itinerant | |
| 464.550 MHz | Yellow Dot | Itinerant | |
| 467.850 MHz | Silver Star | ||
| 467.875 MHz | Gold Star | ||
| 467.900 MHz | Red Star | ||
| 467.925 MHz | Blue Star | ||
| 469.500 MHz | (Brown dpx) | Itinerant | |
| 469.550 MHz | (Yellow dpx) | Itinerant |