Continued Certification of 25 KHz Equipment for Use in T-band Approved by FCC
The FCC Wireless Bureau said continued certification of 25 kHz equipment for use in the T-band is permissible, granting a request for clarity sought by the Telecommunications Industry Association. In May, TIA asked the FCC to clarify its order waiving the Jan. 1 deadline for private land mobile radio licensees in the 470-512 MHz band (T-band) to migrate to narrowband technology. TIA specifically asked the agency to clarify it’s waiving a ban on 25 kHz technologies in radios for use in the T-Band portion of the Part 90 VHF/UHF in certification applications filed on or after Jan. 1, 2011.
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"TIA argues that continuing to prohibit the certification of new equipment that is capable of wideband operation in the T-Band may prevent licensees from adding or replacing radios as equipment manufactured pursuant to older equipment authorizations ceases to be available, and leaves them unable to utilize new equipment with enhanced features,” the bureau said (http://xrl.us/bn38xh) in an order released Friday. The order noted that the commission committed to issue a public notice on T-Band issues in its September notice of proposed rulemaking on incentive auction rules. “In light of the need to address and resolve these issues in future proceedings involving the T-Band, as announced by the Commission in that Notice, we now agree with TIA that a waiver of the prohibition on certification of new equipment capable of operating with only one voice path per 25 kilohertz of spectrum in the 470-512 MHz band is in the public interest."
The bureau opted to treat the request for clarity as a petition for reconsideration.
"Should public safety entities be unable to replace communications equipment during the interim transition period for the T-Band, these licensees face a dangerous prospect,” TIA said in May. “The Commission’s statement in Footnote 19 of the T-Band Order, while providing that permissive changes may be possible in some circumstances for existing certifications during the transitioning of the T-Band, does not appear to account for the possibility that ‘wideband,’ i.e. 25 kHz technology radios, may not be available in the interim time period. If licensees are unable to replace equipment that requires new certifications, they are at risk of reduced equipment availability and capabilities required for continued protection of the public.”
TIA’s request for clarity was supported by the Association for Public-Safety Communications Officials, Motorola Solutions and Land Mobile Communications Council after the commission sought comment on TIA’s request for clarity (CD June 29 p9).
The FCC, meanwhile, sought comment Friday on a petition from Ritron asking the agency to delay a requirement that after Jan. 1, 2011, the agency would no longer accept applications for certification of Part 90 equipment in the 150-174 MHz and 470-512 MHz bands that cannot operate in a 6.25 kHz mode or with equivalent efficiency. Comments are due Dec. 10, replies Dec. 17.
"Ritron, a manufacturer of wireless products, contends that standards for 6.25 kHz technology are not yet in place and that other issues exist that justify delaying implementation of mandatory 6.25 kHz certification by manufacturers,” said a notice by the Wireless and Public Safety bureaus and the Office of Engineering and Technology (http://xrl.us/bn38zy). It asked for comments on “whether the public interest would be served by further delaying implementation of the requirement that applications for equipment certification demonstrate 6.25 kHz capability. Commenters should also discuss whether any additional waiver should be indefinite, or tied to a specific date, such as January 1, 2015."
"The majority of the analog FM equipment currently operating on the PLMR bands are compatible with each other, even within a mix of product from different manufacturers,” Ritron said in a Sept. 21 filing at the agency (http://xrl.us/bn38yx). “Even 12.5 kHz and 25 kHz equipment are somewhat compatible with each other. But at present, no one standard to support 6.25 kHz equipment exists. Ritron is not advocating that the Commission establish a standard for 6.25 kHz, but rather allow the marketplace itself to do so.”