The deadline to narrowband UHF and VHF channels is less than 5 months away and more than 1,000 agencies are still operating in wideband. David Furth, the deputy chief of the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB), says everyone needs to remember one thing: the deadline to narrowband won’t change.

Furth shared this message during a Monday afternoon panel at APCO’s national conference in Minneapolis, alongside PSHCB Chief David Turetsky. Agencies still operating in wideband have two options, at this point: transition to narrowband by Jan. 1, or obtain a waiver to the FCC.

“If you’re going to submit a waiver, you need to make a timely request – that means now,” Furth said. “Requests submitted in the 11th hour will be viewed with skepticism and will, very likely, not be granted.”

If agencies do not comply, Furth said the FCC will enforce the rules. “So get the word out to your friends and neighbors,” he added.

He stressed the importance of narrowbanding, not simply to meet the deadline but to free up scare space along the spectrum and provide opportunities for the use of more efficient technology.
While addressing the same audience, Furth took a moment to speak about the status of 800 MHz rebanding – a process he claims should have been resolved years ago.

Today, 80% of licenses not bordering Canada or Mexico are operating on re-banded channels. 1.5 million radios and 5,000 base stations have been re-tuned. 40% of licenses along the Canadian border have been re-banded, which Furth estimates to reach 95% by the end of 2013.

The FCC signed an agreement to reband licenses along the border with Mexico in June, which is the “last piece of the reband puzzle,” according to Furth.

“We will issue a public notice to solicit comments from the stakeholders in those regions in the next several weeks,” he said.

As for those 13 major cities affected by the loss of the T-Band – the 470-512 MHz portion of the spectrum including television channels 14 through 20 – Furth stressed the FCC and those agencies still have 11 years to realize a solution.

These agencies – including such major cities as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Philadelphia – can plan during the next nine years while the FCC prepares an auction to reallocate that portion of the spectrum. Agencies then have an additional two years from the date the auction ends to move off the T-Band.

“There a lot of difficult challenges posed by this legislation,” Furth acknowledged. “One key variable is for FirstNet to achieve its goals in the Public Safety Broadband spectrum. A public notice will be coming to seek comment about what to do and not do. We also need to get a better idea of the specific systems affected in these areas.”

In the interim, the FCC did waive UHF/VHF re-banding deadlines for those agencies operating in the T-band. However, all new licenses for new or expanded use of the T-band are frozen from this point on, unless agencies appeal through a written waiver.

Turetsky focused a little attention at the end of the session on those users operating in the 4.9 GHz band, which is specifically suited for functions such as transmitting hi-resolution video. He stated the FCC is focusing on ways to use that bandwidth more efficiently.

A recent workshop revealed some of the users didn’t know who else was operating in the 4.9 GHz range, while users like utility companies were interested in gaining access to the high frequency spectrum.

“Now that the D Block has been secured and FirstNet is established, we need to consider how 4.9 can be synergized,” Turetsky said. “We can’t look at any bands or parts of the spectrum in isolation. We need to consider how each can work with the other to make the most efficient use of the spectrum.”

The FCC will seek public comment on how to best use to use 4.9 GHz through Oct. 1st, with reply comments due by Oct. 30th.