"Narrowbanding"
BearCom Releases Instructional Video Detailing Sweeping Impact of FCC Narrowbanding Mandate
March 5, 2012March 5, 2012: Dallas, TX—BearCom, a nationwide provider of wireless communications equipment and solutions, today made available an instructional, animated…
Read full articleBearCom Produces Animated Video to Remind Users of Two-Way Radios about FCC Narrowbanding Mandate
December 20, 2011December 20, 2011: Dallas, TX—BearCom, a nationwide provider of wireless communications equipment and solutions, today made available a fun, animated…
Read full articleNorwich Residents Told New Radio Tower Needed
December 15, 2011Norwich — Norwich has a problem, and it isn’t alone. “This problem is being faced right now by every fire, police and public works department in the United States,” interim Town Manager said Neil Fulton.
Read full articleJefferson County 911 Dispatch Adheres to Narrowband Mandate
October 13, 2011Jefferson County 911 Dispatch recently voted to spend $31.4 million to upgrade its radio equipment to meet federal narrowbanding requirements.
Read full articleNarrowbanding Waiver Guidance
October 5, 2011Does your agency operate on radio frequencies below 512 MHz? If so, is your agency already operating on “narrowband” channels (i.e., 12.5 kHz or the equivalent)? If not, are you aware of the FCC requirement that such systems convert to narrowband no later than Jan. 1, 2013? Will your agency be ready?
If not, your agency may want to consider seeking a waiver of the requirements pursuant to recently released FCC guidelines, and you should try to do so before the end of this year.
FCC Releases Public Notice with Guidance for Submission of Requests for Narrowbanding Waivers
July 14, 2011This Public Notice reminds licensees, frequency coordinators, equipment vendors, and other interested parties of the Federal Communications Commission’s Jan. 1, 2013 deadline for private land mobile radio services in the 150-174 MHz and 421-512 MHz (VHF/UHF) bands to migrate to narrowband (12.5 kHz or narrower) technology.
Read full articleFCC Strengthens Enhanced 9-1-1 Location Accuracy Requirements for Wireless Services
July 13, 2011Washington, D.C. — The FCC has enhanced the public’s ability to contact emergency services during times of crisis and to enable public safety personnel to obtain more accurate information regarding the location of the caller. Specifically, the Commission strengthened the E9-1-1 location accuracy rules for wireless carriers and sought comment on improving both 9-1-1 availability and E9-1-1 location determination for VoIP services.
Read full articleNarrowband Now
July 7, 2011By Jan. 1, 2013, all non-federal FCC licensees operating on the VHF and UHF bands must use 12.5 kHz (11.25…
Read full articleOn Your Watch
June 29, 2011It was 1995. I authored a state public safety communications newsletter with background information on narrowbanding from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). At the time, it was called refarming.
Read full articleCheck Your License
June 29, 2011As of Jan. 1, 2013, all FCC Part 90 licensees operating in VHF spectrum 150–174 MHz and UHF spectrum based on location 421–512 MHz must reduce their emission to 12.5 kHz or less or use technology that provides an equivalency to 12.5 kHz in a 25 kHz emission. The FCC’s ultimate goal is for 6.25 kHz or equivalent emission in the future. As of today, the FCC has not set a date for when this must take place.
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