UARFCN: UTRAN Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number

UARFCN: Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number is an unique number representing a full 5 MHz carrier in a particular band.

UARFCN are assigned in both in UL and DL which are basically an identifier to the frequency in UL and DL which is used to modulate the baseband signal.

Operating Band	UL Frequencies UE transmit, Node B receive	DL frequencies UE receive, Node B transmit
I	1920 - 1980 MHz	2110 -2170 MHz
II	1850 -1910 MHz	1930 -1990 MHz
III	1710-1785 MHz	1805-1880 MHz
IV	1710-1755 MHz	2110-2155 MHz
V	824 - 849 MHz	869-894 MHz
VI	830-840 MHz	875-885 MHz
VII	2500-2570 MHz	2620-2690 MHz
VIII	880 - 915 MHz	925 - 960 MHz
IX	1749.9-1784.9 MHz	1844.9-1879.9 MHz
X	1710-1770 MHz	2110-2170 MHz
XI	1427.9 - 1452.9 MHz	1475.9 - 1500.9 MHz

As per 3GPP, UTRA FDD is designed to operate in the above paired bands.


Carrie frequency has channel raster of 200kHz, it means one carrier frequency is at least 200kHz apart from another carrier frequency in a particular band.
UE bands are defined. A UE supporting band I will be able to scan all the DL carrier frequency in the Band I.

The channel raster is 200 kHz, which for all bands except Band II means that the centre frequency must be an integer

multiple of 200 kHz. In Band II, 12 additional centre frequencies are specified.

The UARFCN is defined as follows:
N_U = 5 * (F_UL - F_{UL_Offset}), with F_{UL_low} ≤ F_UL ≤ F_{UL_high}

N_D = 5 * (F_DL - F_{DL_Offset}), with F_{DL_low} ≤ F_DL ≤ F_{DL_high}
N_U and N_D are the UARFCN for the uplink and the downlink.

For each operating band, FUL_Offset, FUL_low, FUL_high, FDL_Offset, FDL_low and FDL_high are defined in 3GPP TS 25 101.

Band	DL to UL Frequency Separation (MHz)	Center Frequency Range (MHz)	UARFCN Equation	UARFCN Range	Test Set "DL Channel" Range
I (IMT-2000)	190	2112.4 - 2167.6, increment = 0.2	5 * (center freq in MHz)	10562 - 10838	10562 - 10838
II (U.S. PCS)	80	1932.4 - 1987.6, increment = 0.2	5 * (center freq in MHz)	9662 - 9938	9662 - 9938
		1932.5 - 1987.5, increment = 5	5 * ((center freq in MHz) - 1850.1 MHz)	412, 437, 462, 487, 512, 537, 562, 587, 612, 637, 662, 687	412, 437, 462, 487, 512, 537, 562, 587, 612, 637, 662, 687
III (DCS/PCS)	95	1807.4 - 1877.6, increment = 0.2	5 * ((center freq in MHz) - 1575 MHz)	1162 - 1513	1162 - 1513
IV	400	2112.4 - 2152.6, increment = 0.2	5 * ((center freq in MHz) - 1805 MHz)	1537 - 1738	1537 - 1738 *
		2112.5 - 2152.5, increment = 5	5 * ((center freq in MHz) - 1735.1 MHz)	1887, 1912, 1937, 1962, 1987, 2012, 2037, 2062, 2087	1887, 1912, 1937, 1962, 1987, 2012, 2037, 2062, 2087 *
V (US Cellular)	45	871.4 - 891.6, increment = 0.2	5 * (center freq in MHz)	4357 - 4458	4357 - 4458 #
		871.5, 872.5, 876.5, 877.5, 882.5, 887.5	5* ((center freq in MHz) - 670.1 MHz)	1007, 1012, 1032, 1037, 1062, 1087	1007, 1012, 1032, 1037, 1062, 1087 #
VI (Japan 800)	45	877.4 - 882.6, increment = 0.2	5 * (center freq in MHz)	4387 - 4413	4387 - 4413 +
		877.5, 882.5	5 * ((center freq in MHz) - 670.1 MHz)	1037, 1062	1037, 1062 +
VII	120	2622.4 - 2687.6, increment = 0.2	5 * ((center freq in MHz) - 2175 MHz)	2237 - 2563	2237 - 2563
		2622.5 - 2687.5, increment = 5	5 * ((center freq in MHz) - 2105.1 MHz)	2587, 2612, 2637, 2662, 2687, 2712, 2737, 2762, 2787, 2812, 2837, 2862, 2887, 2912	2587, 2612, 2637, 2662, 2687, 2712, 2737, 2762, 2787, 2812, 2837, 2862, 2887, 2912
VIII	45	927.4 - 957.6, increment = 0.2	5 * ((center freq in MHz) - 340 MHz)	2937 - 3088	2937 - 3088
IX	95	1847.4 - 1877.4, increment = 0.2	5 * (center freq in MHz)	9237 - 9387	9237 - 9387 *
X	400	2112.4 - 2167.6, increment = 0.2	5 * ((center freq in MHz) - 1490 MHz)	3112 - 3388	3112 - 3388 *
		2112.5 - 2167.5, increment = 5	5 * ((center freq in MHz) - 1430.1 MHz)	3412, 3437, 3462, 3487, 3512, 3537, 3562, 3587, 3612, 3637, 3662, 3687	3412, 3437, 3462, 3487, 3512, 3537, 3562, 3587, 3612, 3637, 3662, 3687 *
XI	48	1478.4 - 1498.4, increment = 0.2	5 * ((center freq in MHz) - 736 MHz)	3712 - 3787	3712 - 3787
XII	30	730.4 - 743.6, , increment = 0.2	5 * ((center freq in MHz) + 37 MHz)	3837 - 3903	3837 - 3903
		730.5, 731.5, 736.5, 737.5, 742.5, 743.5	5 * ((center freq in MHz) + 54.9 MHz)	3927, 3932, 3957, 3962, 3987, 3992	3927, 3932, 3957, 3962, 3987, 3992
XIII	31	748.4 - 753.6, , increment = 0.2	5 * ((center freq in MHz) + 55 MHz)	4017 - 4043	4017 - 4043
		748.5, 753.5	5 * ((center freq in MHz) + 64.9 MHz)	4067, 4092	4067, 4092
XIV	30	760.4 - 765.6, , increment = 0.2	5 * ((center freq in MHz) + 63 MHz)	4117 - 4143	4117 - 4143
		760.5, 765.5	5 * ((center freq in MHz) + 72.9 MHz)	4167, 4192	4167, 4192
XIX	45	877.4- 887.6	5 * ((center freq in MHz) - 735 MHz)	712 to 763	712 to 763
		877.5, 882.5, 887.5	5 * ((center freq in MHz) - 720.1 MHz)	787, 812, 837	787, 812, 837
XX	41	793.4 - 818.6	5 * ((center freq in MHz) + 109 MHz)	4512 to 4638	4512 to 4638
XXI	48	1498.4 - 1508.4	5 * ((center freq in MHz) - 1326 MHz)	862 to 912	862 to 912