NEWS Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street, S.W. Washington, D. C. 20554 This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974). News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: June 30, 2010 Robert Kenny, 202-418-2668 Email: robert.kenny@fcc.gov Matthew Nodine, 202-418-1646 matthew.nodine@fcc.gov FCC ACTION ELIMINATES CERTAIN INTERIM NARROWBANDING DEADLINES FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND COMMERCIAL LICENSEES IN THE 150-174 AND 421-512 MHZ BANDS Washington, D.C. -- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) this week took action to eliminate certain interim narrowbanding deadlines for public safety and commercial licensees in the 150-174 MHz and 421-512 MHz Bands (VHF/UHF Bands). This action will ease the transition for licensees in these bands who are required to migrate their land mobile radio systems from 25 kHz bandwidth channels to 12.5 kHz bandwidth channels by January 1, 2013 in order to help reduce congestion, improve communications, and increase user access to the spectrum. The Order partially grants a petition filed by the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) seeking relief from interim narrowbanding requirements that otherwise take effect on January 1, 2011. Specifically, the order gives flexibility to VHF/UHF Band licensees to continue to obtain 25 kHz-capable equipment for their existing systems until January 1, 2013, which previously would have been prohibited as of January 1, 2011. This will make it easier for licensees to manage the transition of their existing systems to 12.5 kHz capability. In granting this relief, however, the Commission reaffirmed its commitment to timely completion of the migration to 12.5 kHz technology by the January 1, 2013 deadline. Jamie Barnett, Chief of the FCC‘s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, stated, “The transition to 12.5 kHz narrowband will result in more spectrum capacity for public safety agencies and commercial users in the VHF and UHF bands by increasing the efficiency of spectrum use. But as today's order indicates, the Commission also appreciates the concerns that NPSTC and others have raised regarding the need for flexibility in the transition. We look forward to continuing to work with NPSTC and the public safety community to support each licensee’s efforts to meet the 2013 compliance deadline.” Ruth Milkman, Chief of the FCC‘s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, said, “Although the Commission took action to eliminate certain interim compliance deadlines related to the use of antiquated radios and other equipment in these lower bands, it is essential for all band-users to continue forward with this transition so that they can maximize the use of their narrowband communications. We envision that voice network capacity could eventually quadruple, enabling users, including public safety agencies in particular, to take full advantage of the capabilities of existing technologies to provide high-quality narrowband voice communications in these lower spectrum bands.” The Commission took the following additional actions in the Order: · Extended the deadline for requiring equipment to be 6.25 kHz-capable until 2013. · Denied the request to allow new or expanded 25 kHz operations beyond January 1, 2011. The Commission remains committed to working with public safety and commercial licensees to meet the January 1, 2013 deadline for completing migration to 12.5 kHz channel bandwidth. The Commission will also continue to work with its Federal partners, such as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Emergency Communications, to make public safety agencies aware of opportunities for public funding to meet this requirement. Action by the Commission, June 29, 2010, by Order (FCC 10-119). Chairman Genachowski and Commissioners Copps, McDowell, Clyburn and Baker. WT Docket No. 99-87. For additional information about the Order, please contact Roberto Mussenden, Policy Division, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, at 202-418-1428 or Roberto.Mussenden@fcc.gov, or Melvin Spann, Mobility Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, at 202-418-1333 or Melvin.Spann@fcc.gov. -FCC- For more news and information about the Federal Communications Commission please visit: www.fcc.gov