Top 5 stories: Week of Oct. 27 – 31
Here’s a look at the most popular stories on IWCE’s Urgent Communications from the last week:
Here’s a look at the most popular stories on IWCE’s Urgent Communications from the last week:
1. “FCC eliminates 700 MHz narrowbanding mandate, reserves channels for T-Band, air-to-ground comms” – In a move that has been long anticipated, the FCC decided to scrap a planned deadline to transition 700 MHz public-safety narrowband systems from 12.5 kHz to 6.25 kHz channels. This was certainly welcome news to licensees wanting to prolong the life of their existing systems and others who hope to utilize broadband voice services one day and wanted the flexibility to prepare for that possibility.
2. “Multistate 911 outage could lead to changes in emergency-calling regulations, operations” – Could the federal government eventually play a more prominent role in overseeing next-generation 911? That is increasingly looking like a possibility, as the FCC leads a discussion on how to ensure accountability in 911 services as technologies evolve. IWCE’s Urgent Communications Editor Donny Jackson offers his analysis on the subject in this Urgent Matters column.
3. “LA-RICS helped by 700 MHz narrowband order, set to begin LTE network deployment next week” – The effects of the FCC’s narrowbanding decision were felt immediately, including in Los Angeles. The ruling also allows public-safety licensees with LMR networks on T-Band spectrum to receive priority when applying for 24 reserve channels in the 700 MHz band. LA-RICS will benefit, but more spectrum is needed, says LA-RICS Executive Director Patrick Mallon.
4. “Spot. Find. Fix. Interference Techniques App Note.” – This free white paper on finding and resolving interference continues to be a hot item on our site and a must read for anyone trying to tackle what can be a complex problem.
5. “Motorola Solutions announces new public-safety LTE device, will showcase at IACP.” Motorola Solutions created a buzz with its latest offering, which operates on the 700 MHz Band 14 spectrum licensed to FirstNet. “Our customers are telling us that data is just as mission-critical as voice, but they need to have that data delivered in the right way, to the right person, at the right time,” says Ali Kapada, Motorola Solution’ director of global product marketing. “We designed our LEX L10 to really answer this call.” Read more here.