Student Transportation Departments Urged to
Prepare for Two-Way Radio Narrowbanding FCC requirement to switch to 12.5-kHz narrowband radios should take effect Jan. 1, 2013 By Michelle Fisher
W ❝
ith airwaves getting ever more crowded in the digital age, the Federal Communications Commission had to step in to find a solution — narrowbanding.
Despite the FCC announcement two decades ago about
changing two-way radio frequencies from 25 kHz to 12.5 kHz, the mandate escaped many operators. Now, the January 2013 deadline is around the corner. Te FCC set the narrowbanding initiative in motion in 1992 to
increase capacity and efficiency for two-way radio users. School bus drivers and other school personnel use these radios daily, and for them, equipment reliability is key to student safety. Al Ittner, senior manager of spectrum strategy for Motorola Solutions, likens the radio spectrum to real estate property. “In early 1990, the FCC was looking for ways to get more
efficient use out of the spectrum, which has a limited quantity, kind of like real estate. It’s getting to be more competitive because of wireless technology,” said Ittner. “One step is to take a channel and get two out of it so there is room for more conversation.”
tomorrow when you switch to narrowbanding.” In November, House Bill H.R. 3430 was introduced to extend
the narrowbanding deadline until 2015, but it is not expected to pass because the mandate was enacted so long ago. At this writing, the legislation was in the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Te Enterprise Wireless Alliance, a national association representing the wireless communications industry, has recommended system users continue to migrate their systems or start as soon as possible. Users who do not make the switch by Jan. 1, 2013 face not only a potential communication breakdown, but also penalties such as fines.
DISTRICTS MUST BE ‘PROACTIVE’ Teresa Anderson of Anderson Consulting worked with three
of Colorado’s largest school districts — Jefferson County, Cherry Creek and Adams 12 — when they converted to a narrowband radio system. “In these cases, it was a districtwide conversion. Even though it’s a districtwide system, it operates independently, from school
I don’t think school districts are nearly as aware as they need to be. ❞ — Theresa Anderson, Student Transportation Consultant
Ittner estimated that, so far, the FCC has received about half
of the new license applications specifying at least 12.5 kHz efficiency (
www.fccforms.com). Many school districts have already converted, including Ohio’s South-Western City School District. More case studies can be found on Motorola’s website (
www.stnonline.com/go/860). “Once they have the proper license, the coordinator can
help them set up their system in terms of operating with other systems — like EMS, fire and government agencies,” Ittner said. “If you have interoperability today, you can have interoperability
24 School Transportation News Magazine January 2012
to school, department to department,” said Anderson, who is a former transportation director. “When I’ve gone into districts and spoken about this, I tell
them that regardless of narrowbanding requirements, you have to get your licenses reissued,” she added. “I don’t think school districts are nearly as aware as they need to be.” School personnel are going to have a “rude awakening” if they
find their equipment is not upgradable and must be replaced, she noted, as it cost one large district about $1 million to switch. Anderson summed up the process in five simple steps: (1) Meet
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