By Targeted News Service
Washington, D.C. — The Federal Communications Commission issued the following news release:

With the January, 1, 2013 narrowbanding compliance deadline approaching for VHF/UHF public safety and commercial licensees in the 150-174 MHz and 421-512 MHz bands, the Federal Communications Commission’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (Bureau) today launched a new webpage dedicated to providing information and assistance to licensees migrating their land mobile radio systems from 25 kHz to 12.5 kHz or narrower channel bandwidth.

Migration of these systems to narrowband operation will ultimately help reduce spectrum congestion, improve communications, and increase access to the spectrum for users of the 150-174 MHz and 421-512 MHz bands.

James Arden Barnett, Jr., Rear Admiral (Ret.), Chief of the Bureau said, “The FCC’s commitment to helping public safety make the migration to narrowband communications by the January 2013 compliance deadline remains strong. We are at a critical juncture in this process, especially with the deadline approaching, state and local governments tightening budgets, and public safety officials working hard to explain their fiscal and technical needs to lawmakers. We will continue to work with the public safety community in the next two years to meet these challenges.”

The Bureau is committed to ensuring that public safety officials have the most current and up-to-date information to make the transition. The new webpage will supplement the Bureau’s ongoing outreach and educational efforts to increase the awareness of state and local public safety officials, lawmakers and policymakers of the benefits of narrowbanding and the importance of meeting the 2013 narrowbanding deadline.

The webpage, www.fcc.gov/narrowbanding, includes the following information:

• Narrowbanding benefits for public safety users;
• Frequently Asked Questions – answering technical and policy-related questions;
• Links to information and resources regarding grant programs;
• FCC Bureau-level contacts for those seeking additional information and assistance;
• FCC News Releases on narrowbanding proceedings and initiatives;
• A list of public safety frequency coordinators; and
• Access to the FCC’s licensing database.

The Bureau has also established a new e-mail box,mailto:narrowbanding @fcc.gov, for licensees and other interested parties to submit narrowbanding-related questions.

For additional information about the 2013 narrowbanding compliance deadline, please contact Roberto Mussenden, Policy Division, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, at 202-418-1428 or via email: [email protected]. Contact: Robert Kenny, 202/418-2668, [email protected]

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