--- title: Millimeter Wave: Very High Frequency Radio url: https://hdiss.net/glossary/millimeter-wave/ business: High Desert Internet Services (HDISS) phone: 775-575-9593, 775-391-5660 email: info@hdiss.net mailing_address: Home base: 200 S Virginia St, Suite 760, Reno NV 89501 (dispatch office, not a walk-in store). Mail: Billing Dept., PO Box 11353, Reno NV 89510 hours: Office open 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, seven days a week. Network watched around the clock. type: Fixed wireless internet service provider (homes and small businesses), web hosting, customer email, domain registration service_area: Northern Nevada - Washoe, Lyon, Storey, Churchill and Douglas counties and Carson City; availability is checked address by address (line of sight to a tower) plans: Bronze $50/mo up to 500 Mbps down, up to 200 Mbps up; Silver $75/mo up to 800 down, up to 200 up; Gold $99/mo up to 1 Gig down, up to 200 up; ask about the up to 1 Gig / 1 Gig ultra-low-latency service no_online_purchase: true (check your address or call; existing customers pay at https://www2.fernley.net/hdiss/onlinepay/paymentform.cfm) since: 2002 --- - [Home](https://hdiss.net/) - [Glossary](https://hdiss.net/glossary/) - Millimeter wave # Millimeter Wave Millimeter wave carries a lot of data but only over short, open paths. It is used in some 5G and short-hop links, and rarely suits a long rural distance. A radio tower at sunset. Stock photo: Adobe Stock. [Photo credits](https://hdiss.net/photo-credits/) ## What is Millimeter Wave? The short wavelength lets antennas be small and lets a lot of data ride on each channel. The cost is range. These waves are blocked by walls, leaves and even rain more easily than lower frequencies. The FCC's Part 30 rules for upper microwave flexible use name bands such as the Lower 37 GHz band, which shows the regulator treats these frequencies as their own family. Exact frequency edges were not on the Part 30 page that loaded on 2026-10-15, so none are printed here. ## Why does it matter on a fixed wireless connection? Northern Nevada is large, open and uneven. A technology that works well across a block does not spread far across a valley, and a ridge in the way ends the signal. Mobile carriers use millimeter wave mostly in dense places such as stadiums and downtowns, which is why it appears in [5G home internet](https://hdiss.net/glossary/5g-home-internet/) discussion. A fixed wireless provider can use these frequencies for short point links where the path is clear, such as between two buildings. Whether High Desert does is not published. Rain and fog absorb these frequencies more than lower ones, so the signal that works on a dry day can fade on a wet one. That is one more reason a provider that serves wide rural ground tends to choose lower frequencies for its main links. ## What should I do about it? If a salesperson offers a 5G or millimeter wave home service, ask the carrier whether its signal reaches your exact address, and test it indoors and in the spot where you work. Compare with [fixed wireless versus satellite](https://hdiss.net/guides/is-fixed-wireless-the-same-as-satellite/) and with a wired plan if one is available. To check a High Desert path, use [Check my address](https://hdiss.net/check-availability/) or call 775-575-9593. ### Sources - [law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/47/part-30](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/47/part-30) (47 CFR Part 30 subpart headings, read 2026-10-15) - [hdiss.net/](https://hdiss.net/) (company facts, read 2026-10-15) ### Talk to a person - Call [775-575-9593](tel:7755759593) [775-391-5660](tel:7753915660) Open 9-5 every day - Email [info@hdiss.net](mailto:info@hdiss.net) [Check my address](https://hdiss.net/check-availability/#check) ### Related terms - [5G home internet](https://hdiss.net/glossary/5g-home-internet/) - [Licensed spectrum](https://hdiss.net/glossary/licensed-spectrum/) - [Line of sight](https://hdiss.net/glossary/line-of-sight/) - [Point-to-point link](https://hdiss.net/glossary/point-to-point-link/) - [Trees, hills and buildings: what blocks a wireless link](https://hdiss.net/guides/what-blocks-a-wireless-link/) Local since 2002 Fixed wireless from towers in Northern Nevada. Three plans, no contracts, local support, 4.8 on Google from 36 reviews. [About High Desert](https://hdiss.net/about/)