Forward and reverse channels refer to a number of frequencies that are used by a telecommunications broadcast system in order for a telephone tower and a cellular telephone to communicate with each other. A forward channel refers to the frequencies used by a telephone tower to communicate with all nearby cellular phones. Contrastingly, a reverse channel refers to the frequencies used by cellular telephones to communicate with a telephone tower.

 

How Forward and Reverse Channels Work

While some companies may depend on different telephone systems, most rely on the AMPS, or Advanced Mobile Phone Service, which was later upgraded to NAMPS, or Narrowband Advanced Mobile Phone Service. This service uses a system that keeps frequencies of a forward channel 45 MHz higher than frequencies of a reverse channel to ensure that signals from either direction do not interfere with signals from the other direction.

Applications

Forward and reverse channels are used by telephone companies in order for telephone towers and cellular phones to communicate with each other. While virtually any mobile telephone companies implement forward and reverse channels, each company uses different channels in order to distinguish their signals from those broadcast by other mobile telephone companies in the area.

 

Advantages

Forward and reverse channels are advantageous because they allow cellular telephones and telephone towers to communicate with each other without either one interfering with the other’s signal. Forward and reverse channels are also advantageous because they prevent telephone towers owned by other companies from interfering with the signal reception of cellular telephones in an area.