The FCC met with land mobile frequency coordinators on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013,  to discuss how to handle licenses for systems in the VHF and UHF band that have not complied with the Jan. 1, 2013, narrowband deadline. In late 2012, the Land Mobile Coordination Council (LMCC) had recommended ignoring 25 KHz (wideband) systems when coordinating the new systems after Feb. 1, 2013. 

At the meeting, the FCC said most licenses are now narrowband compliant and that the FCC is still getting waiver requests for the narrowband deadline. The Commission staff urged licensees that may have narrowbanded but did not file an application to file it now.  FCC will consider an audit of non-compliant systems, giving those licensees one last chance to comply or cancel their licenses. The FCC would also like to establish a single point of contact at its Enforcement Bureau related to narrowband compliance issues, but has yet to do so. 

In the meantime, frequency coordinators must provide protection to these non-compliant systems as if they are operating in narrowband mode.  FCC will be releasing another Public Notice soon to provide further guidance to licensees and land mobile coordinators.