What is downlink and uplink? - Definition from Whatis.com

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downlink and uplink

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downlink and uplink

These terms should not be confused with downstream and upstream.

In satellite telecommunication, a downlink is the link from a satellite down to one or more ground stations or receivers, and an uplink is the link from a ground station up to a satellite. Some companies sell uplink

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WiMAX, 3G and Wireless Broadband

and downlink services to television stations, corporations, and to other telecommunication carriers. A company can specialize in providing uplinks, downlinks, or both.

The following table shows the main frequency bands used for satellite links.

Frequency Band	Downlink	Uplink
C	3,700-4,200 MHz	5,925-6,425 MHz
Ku	11.7-12.2 GHz	14.0-14.5 GHz
Ka	17.7-21.2 GHz	27.5-31.0 GHz

The C band is the most frequently used. The Ka and Ku bands are reserved exclusively for satellite communication but are subject to rain attenuation. Some satellites carry transponders for both C and Ku bands.

Related glossary terms: EDGE (Enhanced Data GSM Environment) , 802.11i, 802.16, Wibree (Baby Bluetooth), GPRS (General Packet Radio Services), 802.16c, sniff subrating, 3G (third generation of mobile telephony), Rendezvous, Long Term Evolution (LTE)

This was last updated in August 2000

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- Relay House is an example of a satellite downlink and uplink provider for customers in the upper Midwest U.S.

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