Radio Regulations
Source: the Radio Regulations published by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Frequency Bands
The Table of Frequency Allocations of Article 5, in five editions from 2008 to 2024, with the change each World Radiocommunication Conference made.
VLF / LF
Very Low / Low Frequency
Below 300 kHz
Maritime, navigation beacons, time signals
3 bands
RADIONAVIGATION; METEOROLOGICAL AIDS; FIXED; MARITIME MOBILE; STANDARD FREQUENCY AND TIME SIGNAL (20 kHz); MARITIME RADIONAVIGATION · secondary: Radiolocation
FIXED; MARITIME MOBILE; RADIONAVIGATION; BROADCASTING; MARITIME RADIONAVIGATION; AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION · secondary: Amateur, Radiolocation, Aeronautical mobile
BROADCASTING; AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION; MARITIME RADIONAVIGATION (radiobeacons); RADIONAVIGATION · secondary: Aeronautical mobile
MF
Medium Frequency
300 kHz – 3 MHz
AM broadcasting, maritime distress, amateur radio
4 bands
MARITIME MOBILE; AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION · secondary: Amateur
MARITIME MOBILE; AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION; BROADCASTING; FIXED; LAND MOBILE; RADIOLOCATION; MOBILE; RADIONAVIGATION · secondary: Aeronautical mobile
RADIOLOCATION; AMATEUR; FIXED; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile (R); MARITIME MOBILE; LAND MOBILE; MOBILE (distress and calling); RADIONAVIGATION; MOBILE · secondary: Meteorological aids
FIXED; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile (R); BROADCASTING; STANDARD FREQUENCY AND TIME SIGNAL (2 500 kHz); STANDARD FREQUENCY AND TIME SIGNAL; MARITIME MOBILE; MARITIME RADIONAVIGATION; AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (R); AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (OR); MOBILE · secondary: Space research
HF
High Frequency
3 – 30 MHz
International shortwave, aviation, amateur radio
8 bands
FIXED; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; BROADCASTING; AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (R); AMATEUR; AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (OR); LAND MOBILE; MARITIME MOBILE; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile (R); RADIOLOCATION; STANDARD FREQUENCY AND TIME SIGNAL (5 000 kHz); MOBILE; AERONAUTICAL MOBILE
STANDARD FREQUENCY AND TIME SIGNAL; FIXED; BROADCASTING; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; RADIOLOCATION; AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (OR); LAND MOBILE; AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (R); MARITIME MOBILE; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile (R) · secondary: Space research, Amateur
AMATEUR; AMATEUR-SATELLITE; BROADCASTING; FIXED; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile (R)
FIXED; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile (R); MARITIME MOBILE; AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (R); AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (OR); BROADCASTING; STANDARD FREQUENCY AND TIME SIGNAL (10 000 kHz); STANDARD FREQUENCY AND TIME SIGNAL · secondary: Radiolocation, Space research, Amateur
FIXED; RADIO ASTRONOMY; RADIOLOCATION; BROADCASTING; AMATEUR; AMATEUR-SATELLITE; STANDARD FREQUENCY AND TIME SIGNAL (15 000 kHz); STANDARD FREQUENCY AND TIME SIGNAL; AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (OR); MARITIME MOBILE; AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (R) · secondary: Mobile except aeronautical mobile (R), Space research
FIXED; AMATEUR; AMATEUR-SATELLITE; MARITIME MOBILE; BROADCASTING; STANDARD FREQUENCY AND TIME SIGNAL; STANDARD FREQUENCY AND TIME SIGNAL (20 000 kHz); AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (R); AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (OR) · secondary: Space research, Mobile except aeronautical mobile, Mobile, Mobile except aeronautical mobile (R)
FIXED; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; LAND MOBILE; RADIOLOCATION; AMATEUR; AMATEUR-SATELLITE; STANDARD FREQUENCY AND TIME SIGNAL (25 000 kHz); STANDARD FREQUENCY AND TIME SIGNAL; MARITIME MOBILE; RADIO ASTRONOMY; BROADCASTING · secondary: Space research
METEOROLOGICAL AIDS; FIXED; MOBILE; AMATEUR; AMATEUR-SATELLITE; SPACE OPERATION (satellite identification); SPACE RESEARCH; RADIOLOCATION · secondary: Radio astronomy, Earth exploration-satellite (active)
VHF
Very High Frequency
30 – 300 MHz
FM broadcasting, VHF aviation, maritime comms, weather
8 bands
FIXED; MOBILE · secondary: Earth exploration-satellite (active), Space research, Radiolocation
BROADCASTING; AMATEUR; FIXED; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION; MOBILE; RADIO ASTRONOMY · secondary: Earth exploration-satellite (active)
FIXED; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; BROADCASTING; AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION; AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (R); AERONAUTICAL MOBILE-SATELLITE (R); SPACE OPERATION (space-to-Earth); METEOROLOGICAL-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); MOBILE-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); SPACE RESEARCH (space-to-Earth); MOBILE · secondary: Mobile except aeronautical mobile (R)
SPACE OPERATION (space-to-Earth); METEOROLOGICAL-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); MOBILE-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); SPACE RESEARCH (space-to-Earth); FIXED; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile (R); AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (OR); AMATEUR; AMATEUR-SATELLITE; MOBILE; RADIOLOCATION
FIXED; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile (R); MOBILE-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; RADIO ASTRONOMY; MARITIME MOBILE (distress and calling via DSC); MARITIME MOBILE; MARITIME MOBILE (distress and calling); MOBILE · secondary: Meteorological aids
FIXED; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; MOBILE · secondary: Maritime mobile-satellite
FIXED; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; MOBILE-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); BROADCASTING; MOBILE; AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (OR); MARITIME MOBILE; AMATEUR · secondary: Maritime mobile-satellite (Earth-to-space), Radiolocation
BROADCASTING; FIXED; MOBILE; SPACE OPERATION (space-to-Earth); RADIO ASTRONOMY; AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION; AMATEUR · secondary: Mobile-satellite (Earth-to-space), Radiolocation
UHF
Ultra High Frequency
WRC-27 AI
300 MHz – 3 GHz
Mobile broadband (LTE/5G), satellite, GPS, Wi-Fi
12 bands
FIXED; MOBILE; MOBILE-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); MOBILE-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); STANDARD FREQUENCY AND TIME SIGNAL-SATELLITE (400.1 MHz); METEOROLOGICAL AIDS; METEOROLOGICAL-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); SPACE RESEARCH (space-to-Earth); SPACE OPERATION (space-to-Earth); EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); METEOROLOGICAL-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; RADIO ASTRONOMY
FIXED; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; SPACE RESEARCH (space-to-space); RADIOLOCATION; AMATEUR; MOBILE; MOBILE-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space) · secondary: Earth exploration-satellite (active)
FIXED; MOBILE; BROADCASTING; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; RADIO ASTRONOMY; RADIONAVIGATION · secondary: Meteorological-satellite (space-to-Earth), Mobile-satellite except aeronautical mobile-satellite (Earth-to-space)
FIXED; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; BROADCASTING; RADIOLOCATION; AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (R); AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION; RADIONAVIGATION-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth) (space-to-space); EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (active); SPACE RESEARCH (active); MOBILE · secondary: Amateur
RADIOLOCATION; AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION; RADIONAVIGATION-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); FIXED; MOBILE; EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (passive); RADIO ASTRONOMY; SPACE RESEARCH (passive); SPACE OPERATION (Earth-to-space); MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; BROADCASTING; BROADCASTING-SATELLITE; MOBILE-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth)
SPACE OPERATION (space-to-Earth); FIXED; MOBILE-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION; RADIONAVIGATION-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth) (space-to-space) · secondary: Earth exploration-satellite, Mobile except aeronautical mobile, Mobile
MOBILE-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION; RADIO ASTRONOMY; MARITIME MOBILE-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); RADIODETERMINATION-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space) · secondary: Mobile-satellite (space-to-Earth), Mobile-satellite (space-to-Earth) except maritime mobile satellite (space-to-Earth)
MOBILE-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); RADIO ASTRONOMY; SPACE RESEARCH (passive); FIXED; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; METEOROLOGICAL AIDS; METEOROLOGICAL-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); MOBILE
FIXED; MOBILE; MOBILE-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); SPACE OPERATION (Earth-to-space) (space-to-space); EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space) (space-to-space); SPACE RESEARCH (Earth-to-space) (space-to-space); SPACE RESEARCH (deep space) (Earth-to-space); MOBILE-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth)
FIXED; MOBILE; MOBILE-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); SPACE OPERATION (space-to-Earth) (space-to-space); EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth) (space-to-space); SPACE RESEARCH (space-to-Earth) (space-to-space); MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; SPACE RESEARCH (deep space) (space-to-Earth); RADIOLOCATION; RADIODETERMINATION-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); FIXED-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth) · secondary: Amateur
FIXED; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; BROADCASTING-SATELLITE; EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (passive); RADIO ASTRONOMY; SPACE RESEARCH (passive); FIXED-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space) (space-to-Earth); FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); MOBILE-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space)
AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION; RADIOLOCATION; RADIONAVIGATION; FIXED; FIXED-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); MOBILE except aeronautical mobile · secondary: Earth exploration-satellite (active), Space research (active), Amateur, Mobile
SHF
Super High Frequency (Microwave)
WRC-27 AI
3 – 30 GHz
Fixed satellite, radar, 5G mmWave, microwave backhaul
20 bands
FIXED; FIXED-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; MOBILE; AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (R); AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION · secondary: Radiolocation
FIXED; MOBILE; RADIO ASTRONOMY; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; AERONAUTICAL MOBILE-SATELLITE (R); AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION; RADIONAVIGATION-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); RADIONAVIGATION-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth) (space-to-space); AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (R); FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); AERONAUTICAL MOBILE · secondary: Space research (passive)
EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (active); MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; RADIOLOCATION; SPACE RESEARCH; SPACE RESEARCH (active); AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION; RADIONAVIGATION; MARITIME RADIONAVIGATION
MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; RADIOLOCATION; MARITIME RADIONAVIGATION; FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); FIXED; MOBILE · secondary: Amateur, Space research (deep space), Amateur-satellite (space-to-Earth)
FIXED; FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space) (space-to-Earth); MOBILE; SPACE RESEARCH (deep space) (Earth-to-space); EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); SPACE RESEARCH (Earth-to-space)
FIXED; FIXED-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); MOBILE; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; MARITIME MOBILE-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); METEOROLOGICAL-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); METEOROLOGICAL-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); SPACE RESEARCH (space-to-Earth)
RADIOLOCATION; EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (active); SPACE RESEARCH (active); AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION; MARITIME RADIONAVIGATION; RADIONAVIGATION · secondary: Fixed
EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (active); FIXED; MOBILE; RADIOLOCATION; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (passive); RADIO ASTRONOMY; SPACE RESEARCH (passive) · secondary: Amateur, Amateur-satellite
FIXED; FIXED-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth) (Earth-to-space); MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; FIXED-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth)
FIXED; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; BROADCASTING; BROADCASTING-SATELLITE; FIXED-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth) (Earth-to-space); FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); MOBILE; EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (active); AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION; SPACE RESEARCH (active); FIXED-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth) · secondary: Space research (deep space) (space-to-Earth)
EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (active); FIXED-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); RADIOLOCATION; SPACE RESEARCH; FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space) · secondary: Standard frequency and time signal-satellite (Earth-to-space), Earth exploration-satellite
FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); RADIONAVIGATION; FIXED; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile · secondary: Mobile-satellite (Earth-to-space), Space research, Radionavigation-satellite, Space research (space-to-Earth), Radio astronomy
FIXED; FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); MOBILE; SPACE RESEARCH; EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (passive); RADIO ASTRONOMY; SPACE RESEARCH (passive)
RADIOLOCATION; AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION; FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (active); SPACE RESEARCH (active) · secondary: Aeronautical mobile (OR), Space research (deep space) (Earth-to-space)
FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space) (space-to-Earth); FIXED; FIXED-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth) (Earth-to-space); MOBILE; INTER-SATELLITE; BROADCASTING-SATELLITE; FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space) · secondary: Radiolocation
FIXED; FIXED-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); INTER-SATELLITE; MOBILE; EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (passive); MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; SPACE RESEARCH (passive); FIXED-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth) (Earth-to-space); MOBILE-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); BROADCASTING-SATELLITE · secondary: Standard frequency and time signal-satellite (space-to-Earth)
FIXED; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile (R); MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (passive); RADIO ASTRONOMY; SPACE RESEARCH (passive); MOBILE; INTER-SATELLITE; SPACE RESEARCH (Earth-to-space); AMATEUR; AMATEUR-SATELLITE; RADIOLOCATION; RADIONAVIGATION · secondary: Earth exploration-satellite (active)
FIXED; INTER-SATELLITE; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); RADIONAVIGATION; RADIOLOCATION-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); MOBILE
FIXED; FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; INTER-SATELLITE; MOBILE; EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); SPACE RESEARCH (space-to-Earth); MOBILE-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space) · secondary: Standard frequency and time signal-satellite (Earth-to-space), Earth exploration-satellite (Earth-to-space)
FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); INTER-SATELLITE; MOBILE-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); FIXED; MOBILE; EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (passive); RADIO ASTRONOMY; SPACE RESEARCH (passive); RADIONAVIGATION; SPACE RESEARCH (deep space) (space-to-Earth); RADIOLOCATION · secondary: Earth exploration-satellite (Earth-to-space), Standard frequency and time signal-satellite (space-to-Earth), Space research, Mobile except aeronautical mobile
EHF
Extremely High Frequency (mm-wave / THz)
WRC-27 AI
30 GHz – 3 THz
High-capacity backhaul, satellite, radio astronomy, ISM
14 bands
RADIOLOCATION; SPACE RESEARCH (deep space) (Earth-to-space); METEOROLOGICAL AIDS; EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (active); SPACE RESEARCH (active); EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (passive); FIXED; MOBILE; SPACE RESEARCH (passive); MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; SPACE RESEARCH (space-to-Earth); FIXED-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); MOBILE-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth) · secondary: Space research, Earth exploration-satellite (space-to-Earth)
EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); FIXED; FIXED-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); MOBILE; MOBILE-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); SPACE RESEARCH (Earth-to-space); LAND MOBILE; BROADCASTING; BROADCASTING-SATELLITE; FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; RADIO ASTRONOMY; MOBILE-SATELLITE; RADIONAVIGATION; RADIONAVIGATION-SATELLITE; AMATEUR; AMATEUR-SATELLITE · secondary: Earth exploration-satellite (space-to-Earth), Aeronautical mobile, Maritime mobile
FIXED; FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space) (space-to-Earth); MOBILE; FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (passive); SPACE RESEARCH (passive) · secondary: Mobile-satellite (Earth-to-space)
FIXED; FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); MOBILE; EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (passive); SPACE RESEARCH (passive); INTER-SATELLITE
EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (passive); FIXED; INTER-SATELLITE; MOBILE; SPACE RESEARCH (passive); RADIOLOCATION; MOBILE except aeronautical mobile; EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE; SPACE RESEARCH
INTER-SATELLITE; MOBILE; MOBILE-SATELLITE; RADIONAVIGATION; RADIONAVIGATION-SATELLITE; FIXED; FIXED-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); MOBILE-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); BROADCASTING; BROADCASTING-SATELLITE; RADIO ASTRONOMY; RADIOLOCATION; AMATEUR; AMATEUR-SATELLITE · secondary: Space research (space-to-Earth)
FIXED; FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); MOBILE; MOBILE-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); RADIO ASTRONOMY · secondary: Space research (space-to-Earth)
EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (passive); RADIO ASTRONOMY; SPACE RESEARCH (passive); FIXED; MOBILE; RADIOLOCATION; EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (active); SPACE RESEARCH (active); RADIONAVIGATION; RADIONAVIGATION-SATELLITE
FIXED; MOBILE; RADIO ASTRONOMY; SPACE RESEARCH (passive); EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (passive); INTER-SATELLITE
FIXED; INTER-SATELLITE; MOBILE; AMATEUR; EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (passive); SPACE RESEARCH (passive); FIXED-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); MOBILE-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); RADIONAVIGATION; RADIONAVIGATION-SATELLITE; RADIO ASTRONOMY; EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (active); AMATEUR-SATELLITE; RADIOLOCATION
FIXED; MOBILE; RADIO ASTRONOMY; RADIOLOCATION
FIXED; FIXED-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); MOBILE; MOBILE-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (passive); RADIO ASTRONOMY; SPACE RESEARCH (passive); INTER-SATELLITE; MOBILE-SATELLITE; RADIONAVIGATION; RADIONAVIGATION-SATELLITE
EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (passive); RADIO ASTRONOMY; SPACE RESEARCH (passive); FIXED; FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); MOBILE; RADIOLOCATION; FIXED-SATELLITE (space-to-Earth); RADIONAVIGATION; RADIONAVIGATION-SATELLITE
EARTH EXPLORATION-SATELLITE (passive); RADIO ASTRONOMY; RADIOLOCATION; AMATEUR; AMATEUR-SATELLITE; SPACE RESEARCH (passive); FIXED; MOBILE; MOBILE-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space); RADIONAVIGATION; RADIONAVIGATION-SATELLITE; FIXED-SATELLITE (Earth-to-space)
Source: ITU Radio Regulations, editions of 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024. The English, French and Spanish texts are each taken from the official edition in that language, not translated from one another. Sources and citation.