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Advanced Wireless Services, also known as AWS-1 or UMTS band IV, is a wireless telecommunications spectrum band used for mobile voice and data services, video, and messaging. AWS-1 is used in the United States and Canada. It replaces the spectrum formerly allocated to Multipoint Multichannel Distribution Service (MMDS), sometimes referred to as Wireless Cable.

The AWS band uses microwave frequencies in two segments: from 1710 to 1755 MHz, and from 2110 to 2155 MHz. The service is intended to be used by mobile devices such as wireless phones for mobile data, video, and messaging services.

Canada

In Canada, Wind Mobile has licensed AWS spectrum in every province except in Quebec, and began offering UMTS voice and data services on this spectrum at the end of 2009. Mobilicity has AWS spectrum covering many of the large urban areas and began offering services in May 2010. Quebecor licensed AWS spectrum throughout the province of Quebec and began offering service with its Videotron brand on September 9, 2010.^[1] Shaw Communications licensed AWS spectrum in western Canada and northern Ontario, and hopes to launch wireless services in late 2011.^[2]

United States

In the USA, the service is administered by the Federal Communications Commission. Bidding for this new spectrum started on August 9, 2006 and the majority of the frequency blocks were sold to T-Mobile USA to deploy their 3G wireless network in the United States. This move effectively kills the former MMDS and/or Wireless Cable service in the United States. ^{[citation needed]} Other networks that use the AWS band for services in the United States are i wireless' UMTS 3g network ^[3], as well as Cricket's and MetroPCS' CDMA networks.