FCC Clarifies Narrowbanding Rules Post Deadline                

The FCC released another narrowbanding advisory Public Notice last week covering a variety of topics associated with the narrowbanding mandate. One of the first suggestions included a recommendation that licensees should delete non-compliant wideband emission designators on their licenses, even if that license also reflects a compliant emission designator.  For those licensees who have had their systems programmed to operate in compliance, but who have somehow failed to update their licenses, of which there shouldn't be too many incidences, they were encouraged to update their licenses. If such licenses migrated from analog to analog, license changes may be accommodated directly online through new ULS capabilities. And not surprisingly, the FCC advised non-compliant system operators to either cease operations immediately or seek a waiver seeking an extension of the narrowbanding deadline. Of course, now that the deadline is almost three months behind us, the FCC stated that there are no guarantees that waivers will be granted), and such licenses may still face an enforcement action which may include fines.  MORE   

Narrowbanding Waiver Recipient List Extensive               

In response to a request submitted by the Land Mobile Communications Council (LMCC), the FCC provided a list of call signs for which narrowband waiver requests have been granted.  There are 4,053 public safety call signs representing 514 licensees, and 1,635 industrial/business call signs representing 274 licensees on the list. This information is important to the frequency advisory committees as they need to recognize the operation of these permitted wideband systems during frequency selection analyses.  MORE  

T-Band Relocation Costs - Easily More than 800 MHz Rebanding

In a report that covers the "extraordinary complexities" of moving systems, the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) released last week its comprehensive T-Band report detailing public safety (PS) use of the 470-512 MHz spectrum in each of the 11 markets, the availability of alternative spectrum in each market to accommodate relocated licensees, the amount of equipment being used by PS T-Band licensees in each market, and the estimated cost/time involved in relocation.  MORE 

Manufacturer's Receive 6.25 kHz Efficiency Delay       

Way back in 1995, the FCC made it abundantly clear that new applications for equipment type acceptance in the 150-174 MHz and 421-512 MHz bands were to operate in 6.25 kHz mode or with an equivalent efficiency. The date for this requirement was extended once to January 1, 2013. So it was somewhat surprising when Ritron, a manufacturer of wireless products, asked the FCC this past September to indefinitely delay this requirement.  In support of their petition, and in an argument that missed entirely the strategic spectrum efficiency benefits associated with narrowbanding, Ritron argued that "the equipment authorization process does not motivate licensees to adopt narrowbanding technology because they gain no advantage from doing so."   MORE 

Sprint Continues Effort to Simplify Rebanding Processes          

Sprint Nextel submitted the only set of Reply Comments responding to industry support and questions associated with its earlier Petition for Declaratory Ruling that would commence a general relaxation of the current administrative processes associated with the 800 MHz rebanding effort. EWA had previously commented that there certainly is no risk of Sprint receiving an economic windfall with actual and projected expenditures exceeding $3.1B, and the need to maintain an $850M Letter of Credit also seems unnecessary at this point.  MORE

FCC Remains Involved Regarding FirstNet      

LMCC Annual Meeting