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ISM France
Coordination Centre Sub-band 869.4-869.65 MHz, a shared resource
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ISM band · 863-870 MHz

The band, and what shares it

Seven megahertz divided into sub-bands with different rules. Only one suits mesh networks, and other uses surround it.

How the band is divided

The only sub-band at 500 mW and 10% is 250 kHz wide. Here is where the networks transmit in France today; no division has been settled.

Scale diagram of the 863-870 MHz band in three zoom levels. Sub-band P, 869.4-869.65 MHz, is the only one at 500 mW and 10 %. Observed use in France, with no division settled: Meshtastic France in Long Moderate transmits on 869.400-869.525 MHz, MeshCore on 62.5 kHz centred on 869.618 MHz. Paris, in Medium Fast, transmits locally across the whole sub-band.
Sources: ERC Recommendation 70-03 (June 2026), Arcep decision no. 2021-1589, source code of MeshCore and of Meshtastic, settings published by Gaulix (opens in a new tab). Sub-band P also carries the downlink of LoRaWAN and Sigfox networks, on 869.525 MHz: see the technologies. Actual occupancy has not yet been measured.
  • No division settled.Each community has chosen its frequency and its width on its own.
  • Two independent settings.125 and 62.5 kHz, 155 kHz apart, with no common rule.
  • The sub-band is not empty elsewhere.The downlink of infrastructure networks occupies 869.4625-869.5875 MHz.

The other uses of the band

Mesh networks share the band with other uses, each sub-band having its own parameters.

UseSub-bandERC 70-03
Non-specific short range devices863-870 MHzannex 1
Radio frequency identification, RFID865-868 MHzannex 11
Social alarms869.20-869.25 MHzannex 7
Alarms869.65-869.70 MHzannex 7
LoRaWAN and Sigfox downlink, within sub-band P869.4625-869.5875 MHzannex 1

Detailed parameters: see the regulatory references.

The power and duty cycle conditions of each sub-band are set by the texts: see the regulatory references.