CENELEC Frequency Bands: A, B, C, and D Explained

This page outlines the CENELEC frequency bands, specifically Band A, Band B, Band C, and Band D. In Western Europe, the regulations regarding residential powerline circuits (RPC) are defined by the CENELEC standard EN 50065. This standard addresses signaling on low-voltage electrical installations within the frequency range of 3 kHz to 148.5 kHz.

The following table summarizes the different CENELEC frequency bands and their respective characteristics:

CENELEC Frequency BandFrequency Range (kHz)Description
3 to 9Limited to energy providers; with their approval, other parties within the consumer premises may also utilize this band.
Band A9 to 95Restricted to energy providers and their concession holders.
Band B95 to 125Limited to customers of energy providers. No specific access protocol is defined for this band.
Band C125 to 140Limited to customers of energy providers. To enable simultaneous operation of multiple systems, the CSMA protocol using a frequency of 132.5 kHz is defined.
Band D140 to 148.5Limited to customers of energy providers; no access protocol is defined for this band.