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Chicomm Blog

Top 3 Trends of Two Way Radio in 2013

Posted by Jill McNamara on Monday, January 21, 2013

Top 3 Trends of Radio in 2013

With 2013 finally upon us, it is time to move forward with regard to radio. Last year lead to one of the largest years radio dealers have seen in 20 years, mainly due to the Federal Communications Commission's mandate for Narrowbanding all radio channels below 512 MHz. Narrowbanding created scheduling conflicts and made things hectic for those involved, but overall, it allowed us to revisit with all of our customers. Some abided by the mandate, took the proper steps and have completed narrowbanding. Some have not.  In addition to that, changes occurred with the D Block legislation that left the 470 MHz users on a freeze and rumors of a private LTE network for public safety left many questions unanswered as well. Looking ahead though, the future of two way radio remains to look bright, and here are 3 trends you’re sure to see this year.

Tags: Two Way Radios, MOTOTRBO, Narrowbanding, Digital Two-Way Radios

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Time is Up! Narrowbanding Is Here

Posted by Tom Treichler on Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Well, the narrowbanding countdown is officially over! January 1, 2013, has finally arrived. For those of you who did not complete the licensing modification or still don't have a license, you are in violation and are operating illegally. For all of us here at Chicago Communications, we will be continuing our campaign to inform you and help you get compliant. 

Tags: Two Way Radios, Chicago Communications, Narrowbanding, FCC

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As noted in my previous blog, I moderated a Narrowbanding Panel at the APCO Annual Conference on August 21.  Roberto Mussenden, the FCC Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau point of contact for narrowbanding, pointed out that there has been a lot of progress by licensees. Both the total number and the percent of public safety licensees that are still licensed at 25 kHz-only operation have been more than cut in half over the last two years. However, there are still about 35%, or roughly 37,000, licenses in the FCC database that are 25 kHz emission-only licenses.

     If you are one of these, you need to immediately submit to the FCC either (1) a license modification application to include 12.5 kHz or better emission designators, or (2) a waiver request to continue operating temporarily at 25 kHz beyond the Jan.  1, 2013 deadline.  The only exceptions are 12.kHz or 6.25 kHz equivalent efficient systems that operate on 25 kHz channels. Roberto emphasized that last-minute waiver requests will “be viewed with skepticism and not likely granted.” He also urged licensees to check their license data in the database and advise the FCC licensing bureau if there are any errors.  Finally, he let the attendees know that the FCC Enforcement Bureau will soon issue guidance reminding licensees of their obligation and of the FCC’s intent to aggressively enforce the mandate. That FCC Enforcement Advisory No. 2012-05 was indeed issued on August 22.

Tags: Motorola Solutions, Narrowbanding, FCC

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Why You Should Be Worried If You  Don't Get (Narrowband) Compliant by January 1, 2013

In case you haven’t already heard it several times, we must remind you:

“By January 1, 2013, all VHF/UHF Industrial/Business and Public Safety Radio Pool licensees must operate on 12.5 kHz or narrower channels.” (FCC Public Notice)

So what’s going to happen if you don’t obey the rules and you choose to ignore the FCC mandate? As you may have guessed, it’s not going to be good. But let’s look at some specific penalties that have been set in place and then figure out how you can avoid them.

Tags: Public Safety Communications, Narrowbanding, FCC

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Introduction to Narrowbanding for Two-Way Radios

Here at Chicago Communications LLC, we strive to improve the operational efficiency of our customers through innovative technology and information solutions. Check out our blog for the latest information about Chicago Communications, products and services, and industry news. You'll find new articles posted weekly.

Tags: Two Way Radios, Wireless Communication, Narrowbanding, FCC

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