FCC has no idea how to enforce non narrow band licenses
Posted: Sun Sep 01, 2013 6:47 pm
It took the FCC almost 20 years to force narowbanding now they have no idea what to do with licenses that did not convert.
I think they should have canceled all that did not convert or have a waiver in place on 1/1/13
From Radio Resource on line mag
FCC Considers Options for Non-Narrowbanded VHF, UHF Licensees (8/27/13)
By Sandra Wendelken
The FCC is considering various enforcement options against operators of wideband systems who failed to comply with the agency’s Jan. 1, 2013, narrowbanding deadline. David Furth, deputy chief of the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB), asked for public safety’s help for actions that need to be taken.
“It’s important to deal with it, because narrowbanding benefits public safety and frees up channels for licensees that need them,” Furth said. “We are looking at all our options, including enforcement.”
Speaking at the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International conference last week, Furth said the FCC plans to track down licensees who aren’t compliant with the VHF and UHF mandate during the license renewal process.
“One thing we will look at is whether the license is in compliance,” Furth said.
Furth said coordinators are holding up applications if there is a wideband license next to a narrowband license. Coordinators are not required to protect the noncompliant wideband licensee from interference. “Unless there is a waiver, they shouldn’t be operating in wideband mode,” Furth said.
According to the FCC’s licensing database, about 85 percent of licensees met the narrowbanding deadline or secured extensions of the deadline, according to law firm Keller and Heckman. Private land mobile 150 – 174 MHz and 421 – 470 MHz systems were required to transition from wideband operation or 25-kilohertz channels to narrowband operations or 12.5-kiohertz channels at the beginning of the year.
“There is work to be done, but we’ve made an enormous amount of progress,” Furth said.
I think they should have canceled all that did not convert or have a waiver in place on 1/1/13
From Radio Resource on line mag
FCC Considers Options for Non-Narrowbanded VHF, UHF Licensees (8/27/13)
By Sandra Wendelken
The FCC is considering various enforcement options against operators of wideband systems who failed to comply with the agency’s Jan. 1, 2013, narrowbanding deadline. David Furth, deputy chief of the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB), asked for public safety’s help for actions that need to be taken.
“It’s important to deal with it, because narrowbanding benefits public safety and frees up channels for licensees that need them,” Furth said. “We are looking at all our options, including enforcement.”
Speaking at the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International conference last week, Furth said the FCC plans to track down licensees who aren’t compliant with the VHF and UHF mandate during the license renewal process.
“One thing we will look at is whether the license is in compliance,” Furth said.
Furth said coordinators are holding up applications if there is a wideband license next to a narrowband license. Coordinators are not required to protect the noncompliant wideband licensee from interference. “Unless there is a waiver, they shouldn’t be operating in wideband mode,” Furth said.
According to the FCC’s licensing database, about 85 percent of licensees met the narrowbanding deadline or secured extensions of the deadline, according to law firm Keller and Heckman. Private land mobile 150 – 174 MHz and 421 – 470 MHz systems were required to transition from wideband operation or 25-kilohertz channels to narrowband operations or 12.5-kiohertz channels at the beginning of the year.
“There is work to be done, but we’ve made an enormous amount of progress,” Furth said.