60 GHz Device Classes: IEEE 802.15.3c and ECMA 387

This page covers the 60 GHz device classes as per IEEE 802.15.3c and ECMA 387, specifically Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, Type A, Type B, and Type C.

What is 60GHz?

Introduction: The 60GHz frequency has several notable features:

• It falls within the millimeter wave range (30 GHz to 300 GHz) in the electromagnetic frequency spectrum.
• It’s in the globally used unlicensed band, specifically 57 to 66 GHz, recently adopted worldwide for commercial wireless communication.
• The 60GHz wavelength is approximately 0.5 centimeters.
• It is also known as the V-band frequency.
• It is suitable for low-power, short-distance communication.

• There are four common channels, each with about 2 GHz of bandwidth.

60 GHz Device Classes as per IEEE 802.15.3c

Table 1 outlines the 60 GHz device classes – Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 – as defined by IEEE 802.15.3c.

The IEEE 802.15.3c standard specifies three classes of modulation and coding schemes for SC (Single Carrier) mode in mmWave PHY:

• Class-1: Designed for low power, low-cost mobile applications with data rate requirements up to 1.5 Gbps.
• Class-2: Supports data rates up to 3 Gbps.
• Class-3: Targets high-performance applications, enabling data rates exceeding 5 Gbps.

60 GHz Device Classes as per ECMA 387

Table 2 describes the 60 GHz device classes – Type A, Type B, and Type C – according to ECMA 387.

Also, refer to the advantages and disadvantages of 60 GHz frequency and learn more about what 60 GHz is.