Regulatory clarity needed for 700 MHz narrowband spectrum

The reasoning behind these extensions is logical, because it doesn’t make a lot of sense to require cash-strapped public-safety agencies to pay for changes to their LMR systems at a time when there is some question when mission-critical voice might be available over broadband. In addition, some have questioned whether the narrowbanding effort that was substantially completed at the beginning of 2013 generated the benefits originally envisioned when the mandate was passed more than a decade earlier.

While the reason for their positions may differ, it appears that virtually everyone in public safety agrees that the 700 MHz narrowbanding rules should be postponed for several years, if not removed altogether. Furthermore, the FCC seems to agree with this stance, based on the waivers it has granted.

But the 700 MHz narrowbanding rules are still on the books. As long as this remains the case, public-safety entities will have to spend money on lawyers to file waiver requests and possibly engineers to initiate planning work to deal with the possibility that a waiver request is not granted—after all, the deadline is just two–and-a-half years away.

Instead of having public-safety entities go through these processes, the FCC should make a clear statement and change its 700 MHz narrowbanding rules to reflect the policy it intends to enforce.