These technical requirements form a compatibility standard for a cellular radio telecommunications system. Their purpose is to ensure that a mobile station can obtain service in any cellular system manufactured according to this standard. These requirements do not cover equipment performance or measurement procedures. These issues are addressed for mobile stations in EIA/TIA-690 and TIA/EIA/IS-90 and base stations in ANSI/TIA/EIA-712 and TIA/EIA/IS-89.

All sections marked with a superscript are optional. Sections marked with a superscript "A" provide for the optional narrow analog mode of operation. Sections marked with a superscript "C" provide for optional CAPCS mode of operation. Sections not marked with a superscript may contain optional functionality.