EWA Supports T-Band Frequency Exchange       

EWA has filed comments supporting the Township of Woodbridge, New Jersey in their request to the FCC to approve replacement of seven TV Channel 20 frequencies already authorized for the Township's use with seven TV Channel 19 frequencies, stating that the Township's licensing request should not be subject to the FCC's freeze on virtually all licensing activities in the 470-512 MHz band.  MORE

No and Heck No! 

The FCC denied two waiver requests from public safety applicants who wished to expand currently licensed T-Band systems.  The Town of Sandwich, Massachusetts wanted to add a repeater outside the 50-mile radius of Boston at a site that met all co-channel and adjacent channel TV protection criteria.  MORE

Agreement Executed to Initiate Adjacent Channel Analyses  

A Memorandum of Agreement that has been executed by thirteen frequency advisory committees, all members of the LMCC, has been officially submitted to the FCC for its review and acknowledgement.  MORE

Six More Narrowband Extensions Granted 

The FCC recently granted Narrowband extension requests to King County, WA, First Student, Inc.,  and the New York City Transit Authority.  King County was given until December 31, 2013, to complete its migration to a new 700 MHz system, First Student was given until January 1, 2014, based on the many facilities involved and the work accomplished to date, and the Transit Authority was given until June 30, 2016, to complete the narrowbanding of its very extensive, largely underground VHF/UHF system.  MORE 

"Insufficient Grounds" Basis for First Waiver Denial 

The City of South Lake Tahoe received the FCC's first denial of a narrowbanding waiver request, which cited insufficient grounds.  MORE 

Termination Date Set for 700 MHz PS Early Deployment 

The FCC has established September 2, 2012, as the date certain for the termination of the 21 "early deployment" waivers it had granted to various jurisdictions, allowing them to begin construction of 700 MHz broadband facilities.  This corresponds to the date on which most jurisdictions' spectrum leases with the Public Safety Spectrum Trust (PSST) would expire.  MORE

Microwave Order Will "Remove Regulatory Barriers and Lower Costs" 

Actions intended to "remove regulatory barriers and lower costs" for wireless backhaul have been recently adopted by the FCC. Such actions included authorizing the use of smaller antennas in the 6, 18, and 23 GHz bands, updating efficiency standards, adopting a rural flexibility policy using waivers to facilitate the use of microwave backhaul in rural areas by allowing cost savings in deployment, allowing wider channels in the 6 and 11 GHz bands, and revising the waiver standard for coordination with satellite users.  MORE  

220 MHz Assignments Issued

It took almost three years, but the FCC ruled August 10 in favor of the 220 MHz applications that assign eight 220 MHz licenses from Access 220, LLC to EWA's subsidiary Spectrum Equity, Inc. (SEI).  MORE

Chairman Julius Genachowski this week commented on the first authorization of testing in the 1755 to 1780 MHz band, stating, "Today, we take an important step forward in our effort to enable greater government-commercial spectrum sharing, a new tool that joins clearing and reallocation as part of an 'all-of-the-above' strategy to address our nation's spectrum challenges.  MORE

Tesla Exploration Fined $66,000

Q:  After we convert our radio system and licenses to 12.5 kHz narrowband use, do we keep the 25 kHz spectrum we were once authorized to use?

A:  No. If a licensee chooses to update their system to comply with the narrowbanding mandate and upgrades to either a 12.5 kHz or equivalent analog or digital technology, the amended license will reflect the original channel assignment, but the amount of authorized spectrum will be reduced. There are, however, certain digital technologies that comply with the narrowband spectrum efficiency requirement that will permit the continued use of 25 kHz authorized channels.    

Visit EWA's Narrowbanding FAQ's for more answers to often raised narrowbanding questions. If you don't see your specific question, click on the "Send Us Your Narrowband Questions" link. 

John Self

Self Radio Inc.

"Mark, I want to tell you again what a wonderful group of people you have working for you. They (Ron and Cheryl) go out of their way to help me through the licensing processes for our customers and are always there with a smile to answer my questions. Keep up the good work!"

Ann Rita Ditmore

Central Communications and Electronics Inc.