Posted by Rourke McCollom on 5/28/2012 to
The FCC has mandated that all radios must be narrowband compliant by Jan 1, 2013. This mandate applies to any radio operating from 150-512 MHz, which includes almost any two-way radio being used for business applications. Previously radios were only required to operate on a 25 kHz efficiency but now they will be required to operate on 12.5 kHz. This decision was made in order to promote more efficient use of highly congested VHF and UHF land mobile radio bands and is being done in order to provide more channels for emergency responders and other public safety uses. Those with a current 25 kHz license will get to keep it if they modify it but only as a 12.5 kHz license, with the same center as the old license. The FCC is very serious about this conversion and encourages people to use this as an opportunity to improve interoperability. They have made multiple statements concerning the extension of this deadline and each time have come up firm against any sort of extensions for it. Potential sanctions for failing to follow the mandate include admonishments, license revocation and monetary fines – up to $16,000 for each violation or each day of continuing violation and up to $112,500 for any single act or failure to act.