Changes for Renewals of Wideband and Narrow Band Designators

The January 1, 2013 narrowband mandate required that all VHF/UHF Industrial/Business and Public Safety licensees in the 150-470 MHz bands were to operate on channels with a maximum bandwidth of 12.5 KHz or equivalent efficiency unless operating under the terms of a waiver granted by the FCC. In a Public Notice released this week, the Commission has stated that wideband-only operations without a waiver are no longer permitted.

Further, effective April 1, 2014, the Commission will dismiss applications to renew 150-470 MHz band licenses that list only wideband emission designators unless:

• The application also proposes to modify the license by replacing the wideband emission designators with narrowband emission designators; or,
• The application certifies the station’s equipment meets the narrowband efficiency standard.

Renewal Applications for Wideband-Only Licenses will NOT be dismissed for the following categories:

• Narrowband-equivalent licenses for which the licensee previously certified narrowband equivalence;
• Licenses that operate solely on paging frequencies that are exempt from the narrowbanding requirement; or,
• Licenses for which a waiver of the January 1, 2013, narrowbanding deadline has been granted and has not expired.

Renewal Applications for Licenses with Both Wideband and Narrowband Designators may be returned if a modification request to remove the wideband designator is not included. The FCC strongly encourages licensees to remove the wideband emission designator when any changes are made to their license or by filing a simple narrowband modification.

Licensees no longer operating their radio system are encouraged to cancel their licenses.