In today’s society, the importance of critical communications is self-evident. It is like the “nervous system” of social operation. From the stable operation of national infrastructure to the orderly development of daily life, it is inseparable from its support. As the “lifeline” of critical communications, the importance of spectrum is self-evident. Different communication services require different spectrum resources to support. Appropriate spectrum can provide stable communication connections and ensure rapid transmission of information, while inappropriate spectrum may cause communication interruption, signal interference and other problems, seriously affecting the quality of communication.
Why does 400-MHz spectrum stand out among many spectrum resources and become an ideal choice for critical communications? What secrets are hidden behind this? Next, let’s take a deep look at the unique advantages of 400-MHz spectrum and uncover its close connection with critical communications.
400-MHz spectrum: unique advantages create a key position
(I) Wide coverage and easier network maintenance
In the field of critical communications, coverage is one of the important indicators to measure the applicability of spectrum. 400-MHz spectrum has shown significant advantages in this regard. Compared with most commercial LTE bands (above 700MHz) and 5G networks up to 39GHz, the signal attenuation rate of 400-MHz spectrum is slower, which enables it to achieve longer distance transmission.
Take the Netherlands as an example. In this relatively small country, tens of thousands of base stations are needed to achieve full coverage of commercial LTE. In an area of the same size, only a few thousand base stations are needed to achieve similar coverage. This not only greatly reduces the cost of base station construction, but also reduces the workload of network maintenance. This is like a huge communication network with a large number of base stations, just like a dense spider web, which requires a lot of manpower, material resources and financial resources to maintain. The 400-MHz spectrum requires a small number of base stations, just like making this spider web sparse and orderly, and maintenance personnel can more easily inspect, repair and upgrade the base stations to ensure the stable operation of the network.
(II) Strong signal penetration and wider application scenarios
In addition to a wide coverage range, the signal penetration ability of the 400-MHz spectrum is also excellent. It can easily penetrate walls and other solid surfaces. This feature allows it to play a role in various complex environments and has a wider range of application scenarios. When some natural disasters occur, such as earthquakes and floods, buildings may be severely damaged and communication facilities will also be affected. At this time, the strong penetration ability of the 400-MHz spectrum is particularly important. It can penetrate various obstacles in the ruins, provide communication guarantee for rescuers, help them understand the situation in the disaster area in a timely manner, and coordinate rescue operations.
(III) Good base station foundation and lower construction cost
Many countries already have extensive base station infrastructure in areas that support 400-MHz spectrum, which is another important advantage of 400-MHz spectrum. For the construction of critical communication networks, using existing base station infrastructure can greatly reduce construction costs and time costs. There is no need to rebuild a large number of base stations. Only appropriate transformation and upgrading of existing base stations can meet the needs of critical communications. This not only saves a lot of capital investment, but also shortens the network construction cycle, allowing critical communication networks to be put into use faster.
Summary
The 400-MHz spectrum has shown great potential and value in the field of critical communications with its unique advantages. With the continuous development of digital control and safety-critical technologies in modern society, the 400-MHz spectrum will play a more important role in the future critical communication field with its own advantages, help realize more critical communication application scenarios, inject strong impetus into the development of smart cities, smart utilities and other fields, and promote society to move towards a more intelligent and secure direction.
