UTC Information Bulletin - FCC Releases Narrowbanding Guidance

On Friday, the FCC's Wireless Telecommunications and Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureaus released a long-awaited Public Notice (DA 09-2589) to answer some questions about the upcoming narrowbanding deadlines in the 150-174 MHz and 450-512 MHz private land mobile frequency bands. Frequency coordinators, including UTC, have been requesting this information for some time to answer our members' questions. The Notice does not answer all issues, but should provide guidance and some flexibility to many licensees. Please note that this Notice is not a decision on the pending NPSTC request for stay of some narrowbanding deadlines. That petition remains pending, meaning that some of the information included in the Notice, which is based on current rules, could change. UTC recommends for planning purposes that licensees assume that this information will remain in effect.

The major points included in the Notice are as follows:

1)       There will be no allowance for secondary operation at 25 kHz after 1/1/13;

2)       There is no need to eliminate 25 kHz emission designators from licenses once transition to narrowbanding is complete; however, the FCC will revise the application form to require certification of compliance after the deadline;

3)       In the meantime, the Commission will begin adding special conditions to new and renewal licenses, reminding licensees about the deadlines;

4)       Multi-mode equipment (25/12.5 kHz) can be manufactured and/or imported after the 2011 deadline, but only if the multi-mode feature is software-enabled and the 25 kHz software is not provided to purchasers.

UTC members concerned about narrowbanding are encouraged to read the Public Notice for additional details (http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-2589A1.pdf).

For more information, please contact the UTC Legal/Regulatory Department. Please click here to access UTC's Information Bulletin that was circulated to all UTC members.