View source for V band

{{Short description|Band of frequencies in the microwave portion of the electromagnetic spectrum}}
{{About|the microwave frequency range|the photometric band|UBV photometric system|the music group|V (group)}}
{{MWband
| name = IEEE V band
| freq = 40–75 [[GHz]]
| wave = 7.5–4 [[Meter|mm]]
| bands = {{startplainlist|class=nowrap}}
* [[L band#NATO L band|L]]{{\}}[[M band (NATO)|M]] (NATO)
* [[Extremely high frequency|EHF]] (ITU)
{{endplainlist}}
}}

The '''V band''' ("vee-band") is a standard designation by the [[Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers]] (IEEE) for a band of [[frequency|frequencies]] in the [[microwave]] portion of the [[electromagnetic spectrum]] ranging from 40 to 75&nbsp;[[gigahertz]] (GHz).<ref name="BelovSmolskiy2012">{{cite book |first1=Leonid A. !last1=Belov |first2=Sergey M. |last2=Smolskiy |first3=Victor N. !last3=Kochemasov |title=Handbook of RF, Microwave, and Millimeter-Wave Components |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bHhYjINB6KMC&pg=PA28 |year=2012 |publisher=Artech House |isbn=978-1-60807-209-5 |pages=27–28}}</ref><ref name="Kizer2013">{{cite book |first=George |last=Kizer |title=Digital Microwave Communication: Engineering Point-to-Point Microwave Systems |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JVhGmjQ8TyoC&pg=PA62 |date=22 May 2013 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-1-118-63680-0 |page=62}}</ref> The V band is not heavily used, except for millimeter wave radar research and other kinds of scientific research. It should not be confused with the 600&ndash;1,000&nbsp;MHz range of [[Band V]] (Band Five) of the [[Ultra high frequency|UHF]] frequency range.

The V band is also used for high capacity terrestrial millimeter wave communications systems. In the United States, the [[Federal Communications Commission]] has allocated the frequency band from 57 to 71&nbsp;GHz for unlicensed wireless systems.<ref>FCC Rules, Part 15.255.</ref> These systems are primarily used for high capacity, short distance (less than 1&nbsp;mile or 1.6 km) communications. In addition, frequencies at 70, 80, and 90&nbsp;GHz have been allocated as "lightly licensed" bands for multi-gigabit wireless communications. All communications links in the V band require unobstructed line of sight between the transmit and receive point, and [[rain fade]] must be taken into account when performing [[link budget]] analysis.

== Uses ==
On December 15, 1995 the V band at 60&nbsp;GHz was used by the world's first crosslink communication between satellites in a constellation. This communication was between the U.S. [[Milstar]] 1 and Milstar 2 military satellites.<ref>{{cite web |title=Milstar II at Boeing Integrated Defense Systems |url=http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/bss/factsheets/government/milstar_ii/milstar_ii.html |access-date=2008-04-25 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720072236/http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/bss/factsheets/government/milstar_ii/milstar_ii.html |archive-date=2012-07-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 60&nbsp;GHz is attractive for secure satellite crosslinks because it allows for high data rates, narrow beams and, lying in a strong [[absorption band]] of [[oxygen]], provides protection against intercept by ground-based adversaries.

=== Very short range Wi-Fi ===
The [[WiGig]] standard [[IEEE 802.11ad]] and [[IEEE 802.11ay]] utilize the 60&nbsp;GHz ([[Extremely high frequency|EHF]] microwave) spectrum with data transfer rates of up to 7 Gbit/s for very short ranges of up to {{convert|10|m|ft}}<ref>{{cite web |title=IEEE 802.11ad Microwave Wi-Fi / WiGig Tutorial |url=http://www.radio-electronics.com/info/wireless/wi-fi/ieee-802-11ad-microwave.php |website=Radio-Electronics.com |access-date=16 January 2018 }}</ref>

=== Wireless broadband ===
[[File:CableFree V-band High Gain 20190913 164531.jpg|thumb|right|CableFree V-band high-gain radio for wireless broadband applications]]
[[Internet service provider]]s are looking for ways to expand [[gigabit]] high-speed services to their customers. These can be achieved through [[Fiber to the x|fiber to the premises]] broadband network architecture, or a more affordable alternative using [[fixed wireless]] in the [[Last mile (telecommunications)|last mile]] in combination with the fiber networks in the [[middle mile]] in order to reduce the costs of trenching fiber optic cables to the users. In the United States and several other countries, V band is unlicensed. This makes V band an appealing choice to be used as fixed wireless access for gigabit services to connect to homes and businesses.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Alleven |first1=Monica |title=60 GHz band particularly appealing for fixed wireless: report |url=https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/60-ghz-band-particularly-appealing-for-fixed-wireless-report |access-date=16 January 2018 |work=Fierce Wireless |date=25 October 2017 }}</ref> V-band radios are available in both Point to Point (P2P) and Point to Multipoint (P2MP) configurations.

=== Satellite constellations ===
{{asof|2017|03}}, several US, UK and Canadian companies—[[Boeing]], [[SpaceX]], [[OneWeb]], [[Telesat]], [[O3b Networks]] and [[Theia Holdings]]—have each filed with the [[FCC|US regulatory authorities]] (FCC) "plans to field [[Satellite constellation|constellation]]s of V-band satellites in non-[[geosynchronous orbit]]s to provide communications services", an electromagnetic spectrum that had not previously been "heavily employed for commercial communications services".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://spacenews.com/fcc-gets-five-new-applications-for-non-geostationary-satellite-constellations/ |title=FCC gets five new applications for non-geostationary satellite constellations |date=3 March 2017 |website=SpaceNews.com }}</ref>

In 2020, SpaceX was granted permission by the FCC to launch 12,000 satellites that are able to use these frequencies.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Loughran |first=Jack |date=2020-11-26 |title=Starlink launches 60 more satellites but commercial service faces delays |url=https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2020/11/starlink-launches-60-more-satellites-but-commercial-service-faces-delays/ |access-date=2021-01-14 |website=eandt.theiet.org |language=en-US }}</ref>

In September 2022, Boeing launched a V-band technology demonstrator satellite known as Varuna as a rideshare payload. In November 2021, Boeing had obtained a FCC license to operate a 147-satellite V-band constellation, however in October 2023 Boeing had the license cancelled following a strategic business decisions not to proceed with the constellation.<ref name=avw-20231030>{{cite news |url=https://aviationweek.com/aerospace/commercial-space/boeing-relinquishes-license-leo-broadband-constellation |title=Boeing Relinquishes License For LEO Broadband Constellation |last=Klotz |first=Irene |magazine=Aviation Week |date=30 October 2023 |access-date=6 November 2023}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Radio spectrum}}
{{EMSpectrum}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:V Band}}
[[Category:Microwave bands]]