ESMR
(SMR)
Enhanced Specialized Mobile Radio
The radio frequency band historically used for a type of wireless network that blends walkie-talkie (push-to-talk) functionality with a cellular phone network. The most prominent implementation in the US was iDEN technology used by Nextel and branded Direct Connect.
Nextel was bought by Sprint, and Sprint now uses the ESMR band for CDMA service.
The ESMR band is near 800 MHz. The precise frequencies include 806 - 825 MHz and 851 - 869 MHz.
Nextel uses other bands closer to 900 MHz as well, the largest of which is called the ISM band. These have a range of roughly 896 - 927 MHz.
The ESMR band is also known as BC10, which stands for band class 10. BC10 was used in the context of 3G CDMA service.
See: BC10
For 4G LTE service, it's part of band 26.
See: Band 26
It is important not to confuse the ESMR "800" band with the Cellular "800" band, as they are different radio bands with a different, non-overlapping range of specific radio frequencies.
See: Cellular
(To make the distinction, Phone Scoop refers to the ESMR band as 800, and the Cellular band as 850.)
Last updated May 29, 2018 by Rich Brome
Editor in Chief Rich became fascinated with cell phones in 1999, creating mobile web sites for phones with tiny black-and-white displays and obsessing over new phone models. Realizing a need for better info about phones, he started Phone Scoop in 2001, and has been helming the site ever since. Rich has spent two decades researching and covering every detail of the phone industry, traveling the world to tour factories, interview CEOs, and get every last spec and photo Phone Scoop readers have come to expect. As an industry veteran, Rich is a respected voice on phone technology of the past, present, and future.
