9/14/2011 Page 1APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

APCO NENA Annual Training Conference

2011

9/14/2011 Page 2APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

Agenda

• Narrowbanding Regulatory Overview

• Practical Impact to Dispatch

• Transition Planning

• Future – Ultranarrowband

• Icom Solutions

9/14/2011 Page 3APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

History and Background• More efficient use of Part 90 spectrum

– VHF (150 – 174 MHz)– UHF (421-512 MHz)

• Licensees– Reduce operations from 25 kHz channels to 12.5 kHz or less– January 1, 2013– FCC recommends migration to 6.25 kHz – No date licensees must operate 6.25 kHz

• MFG’s – Prohibited from new 25 kHz radios now– Must include 6.25 kHz after 1/1/2013

9/14/2011 Page 4APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

NPSTC Petition &FCC Order June 30, 2010

• Extended to 1/1/2013 the manufacture/import of 25 kHz equipment

• But…no new applications for new 25 kHz

equipment

• Extended to 1/1/2013 6.25 kHz in all new radios

• No new 25 kHz system licenses

9/14/2011 Page 5APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

Not Included• Part 22 Frequencies

• Paging-Only Frequencies Are Excluded: – VHF Public Safety – 152.0075 and 157.4500 MHz; – VHF and UHF Business/Industrial Paging Only Frequencies;

• 800/900 MHz Public Safety/Business/Industrial Pool Channels;

• 700 MHz Public Safety channels (handled in another proceeding);

• Important Notes: – 163.250 MHz MUST be narrowbanded – See Detroit Medical Center, DA 07-1075,

released March 7, 2006; Report and Order, ET Docket No. 04-243, released March 11, 2005.

– Paging systems operating on voice channels must narrowband!

• Marine Operations • Amateur Radio Service

9/14/2011 Page 6APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

12.5 kHz Equivalent Efficiency• Voice Operations

– One Voice Channel Per 12.5 kHz of Bandwidth

– Two Voice Channels Per 25 kHz of Bandwidth

• Data Operations – 4800 Bits Per Second Per 6.25 kHz of

Bandwidth – 9600 BPS Per 12.5 kHz of Bandwidth – 19,200 BPS Per 25 kHz of Bandwidth

9/14/2011 Page 7APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

6.25 kHz Equivalent Efficiency• Voice Operations

– One Voice Channel Per 6.25 kHz of Bandwidth

– Two Voice Channels Per 12.5 kHz of Bandwidth

– Four Voice Channels Per 25 kHz of Bandwidth

• Data Operations – 4800 Bits Per Second Per 6.25 kHz of Bandwidth

– 9600 BPS Per 12.5 kHz of Bandwidth

– 19,200 BPS Per 25 kHz of Bandwidth

9/14/2011 Page 8APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

Q – If I don’t narrowband my system, can I operate on a secondary basis after 1/1/2013

A – No. The FCC has stated that failure to narrowband “… may subject licensees to enforcement action, including admonishments, monetary forfeitures, and/or license revocation, as appropriate.”

9/14/2011 Page 9APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

Q – I’m about to narrowband my system, and now I need to fix my FCC license. What should I do?

• Currently 25 kHz– File an FCC application for the proper

narrowband emission designator– Provide a certification to the FCC of

narrowband operation prior to 1/1/2013

• Currently 12.5 kHz– Update your license for the correct emission

designator (if not done already)

9/14/2011 Page 10APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

Q – Do applications which only add, amend or delete an emission designator have to go to the Frequency

Advisory Committee (FAC)?

• Narrowband a wideband analog emission designator…No– Emission Designator greater than 11K, need

to change your emission designator

• Changing your emission type (i.e. going from analog to digital)…Yes

9/14/2011 Page 11APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

Q – Must I buy new equipment?

• Not necessarily

• Equipment purchased after 1998 is likely dual mode

• Able to operate both 25 kHz and 12.5 kHz

• Enable the 12.5 kHz mode

• Disable the 25 kHz mode in each radio

9/14/2011 Page 12APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

Q – Must I obtain digital equipment to meet the

narrowbanding mandate?

• No

• Analog equipment is acceptable

9/14/2011 Page 13APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

Q – I am a public safety licensee. Must I put in P25 equipment as part of my narrowband project?

• No FCC requirement to utilize P25 equipment for your narrowband project

• P25 is an interoperability decision, not an FCC mandate

• Note: some grants require P25 capability

9/14/2011 Page 14APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

Q – When I reduce my bandwidth from 25 kHz to 12.5 kHz, will I automatically double my channels?

• No

• Narrowbanding from 25 kHz to 12.5 kHz enables full power, non-interfering use of adjacent 12.5 kHz channels

• But…you are not automatically licensed for those adjacent channels

9/14/2011 Page 15APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

Q – Do I need to change my channel centers when I narrowband?

• No

• You maintain your existing channel centers

• FCC approval of the LMCC request to split a 12.5 kHz channel into 2 ea. 6.25 kHz channels is imminent

9/14/2011 Page 16APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

Q- Will I lose coverage area when I narrowband?

• It depends…• May be a 3 dB loss simply going from 25

kHz to 12.5 kHz analog• If…no consideration of static or faded

sensitivity• If… no consideration of the Receiver’s IF

bandwidth• Consult with your manufacturer and/or

your consulting engineer

9/14/2011 Page 17APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

Q – I am interested in moving directly to 6.25 kHz equipment, but I’d like to also go P25.  Is such

equipment available?

• P25 Phase 2

• 12.5 kHz TDMA equipment

• Manufacturers are now designing radios

9/14/2011 Page 18APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

Q – My repeaters are not dual mode. There are third party “kits” that I’ve heard about which could alter the repeaters to operate at 12.5 kHz. Is such an alteration

permissible?

• “… using these kits to modify the radio entails a hardware modification..”

• “…requires a new equipment certification and a new FCC ID (See 2.1043(a).”

• Reducing deviation and frequency stability is insufficient

• Must be narrowband type certified

9/14/2011 Page 19APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

Q – I am going from wideband (25 kHz) to narrowband data (12.5 kHz). Will I still need to meet the FCC's data

equivalency rule?

• Yes

• Even operating at 12.5 kHz

• Need a data speed of at least 9600 bps per each 12.5 kHz of occupied spectrum

9/14/2011 Page 20APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

Q- What can happen if we don't move to narrowband operation?

• License will be in violation of FCC Rules

• Subject to FCC enforcement action– Monetary fine– Admonishment – Loss of license

• FCC Public Notice 7/13/2011– Must request a waiver for extension in 2011– Subject to a high level of scrutiny

9/14/2011 Page 21APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

Practical Impact to Dispatch

9/14/2011 Page 22APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

• Budget – One more budget cycle

• Grant applicationshttp://www.safecompro-gram.gov/SAFECOM/library/grant/1638_fy2011.htm

• Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC)

• Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program (IECGP)

9/14/2011 Page 23APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

Audio Quality

• Transition• Wideband talking to Narrowband (Audio Samples)• Narrowband talking to Wideband (Audio Samples)

• Long Term• Narrowband Audio Quality vs. P25 (Audio

Samples)• Coverage Issues (Audio Samples)

9/14/2011 Page 24APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

Transition Planning

9/14/2011 Page 25APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

• Impacts all radios in fleet• Mobiles• Portables• Repeaters/Base Stations

• Not all radios/repeaters can be narrowbanded• Inventory

– Identify Wideband only equipment– List of radio types that will need to be reprogrammed

• Radio Sites may not be accessible year round

• Limited Resources for Reprogramming• Supply of Radio Technicians is limited

– Supplement in-house resources with dealers– Don't wait until the last minute!

• Plan reprogramming to minimize wideband/narrowband mismatches

9/14/2011 Page 26APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

The Future

9/14/2011 Page 27APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

• No FCC Mandate – Yet

• 6.25kHz willl require digital

9/14/2011 Page 28APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011

9/14/2011 Page 29APCO NENA Annual Training Conference 2011