WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUREAU AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU PROVIDE ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE REGARDING POST-NARROWBANDING LICENSE RENEWAL PROCEDURES FOR PRIVATE LAND MOBILE RADIO OPERATIONS IN THE 150-174 MHz AND 421-470 MHz BANDS
“Wideband-Only” Licenses for Facilities Operating Without Waiver Will Not Be Renewed
By this Public Notice, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (the Bureaus) provide supplemental guidance to licensees regarding renewal procedures for private land mobile radio (PLMR) licensees in the 150-174 MHz and 421-470 MHz bands.
Since the Commission’s narrowbanding requirement went into effect on January 1, 2013, all VHF/UHF Industrial/Business and Public Safety Radio Pool licensees in the 150-174 MHz and 421-470 MHz bands are required to operate on channels with a maximum bandwidth of 12.5 kilohertz or equivalent efficiency, unless they are operating under the terms of a waiver granted by the licensing Bureau. Accordingly, wideband-only operation absent a waiver is no longer permitted.
Because wideband operation is no longer permitted the Bureaus will, beginning on April 1, 2014, dismiss applications to renew 150-174 MHz and 421-470 MHz band licenses that list only wideband emission designators unless: (a) the application also proposes to modify the license by replacing the wideband emission designator(s) with narrowband emission designator(s); or (b) the application certifies that the station equipment meets the narrowband efficiency standard.
The Bureaus describe the renewal procedures for licenses with wideband-only designators and licenses with both wideband and narrowband designators. The Bureaus also describe the procedures for filing cancellation and modification applications, and provide guidance on enforcement and violation issues.
To access the Public Notice, click here:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-14-281A1.pdf