Carrier Frequency: It is the frequency which carries the actual data (modulated or converted frequency). It is un-modulated radio wave which has transmitted by the radio transmitter.
In terms of LTE/UMTS also it has same meaning which has in others. Lemme give one example. Suppose it is a voice over Ip call. I have spoken something. It's got converted in to digital first. Process this data. Do the modulations and call. Convert this data in to Analog form again to throw in to the radio part. Now the actual data which we processed before can not travel by its own. It needs some carrier which can carry it till receiver end. So this is the carrier frequency which will carry the data till other end.
For instance in GSM opted for combination of TDMA/FDMA as its method. The FDMA part involves the division by frequency of the total 25 MHz bandwidth into 124 carrier frequencies of 200 kHz bandwidth. So each carrier frequency was assigned to each Base Station.
Here is the thing when Operators buys the Frequency of some band to operate their functions. There will be some bandwidth allowed to the operator.
