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 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.
This was last updated in May 2007
Posted by: Margaret Rouse
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