To assist the Nation’s public safety community and government officials in meeting the narrowband mandate, the US Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) has released a guidance document titled, “A Practical Guide to Narrowbanding.”

Designed to provide best practices and recommendations for overcoming the most common challenges agencies may experience when transitioning to narrowband, “A Practical Guide to Narrowbanding” specifically contains the following:

• Step-by-step guide to assist affected VHF and UHF licensees, including recommendations for internal processes ranging from budget considerations to inventory of radio equipment, as well as external processes from coordinating with neighboring jurisdictions to ensuring FCC mandates for licenses and modifications are met
• State case studies that illustrate lessons learned by emergency response communities during the narrowband transition
• Customizable letter template to assist States in raising awareness of the narrowband transition among local stakeholders, and provide background information about the narrowbanding decision

The Guide is available for download on the OEC website, or, for more information, contact OEC at [email protected].

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