Do Most Narrowbanding Projects Include Digital?

 

 

 

  

More than 40 percent of MissionCritical Communications readers will deploy digital technology during their VHF and UHF narrowbanding projects. Private-safety users, including utilities, transportation agencies and business/industry licensees, have a slightly higher digital technology deployment percentage (45 percent) compared with public-safety users surveyed (41 percent).

 

About 10 percent of public-safety readers said they operate hybrid networks that include both analog and digital technology, while nearly 14 percent of private-safety readers have hybrid systems.

 

Several mobile communications digital options are available to licensees looking to upgrade their networks to meet the FCC’s narrowbanding deadline of Jan. 1, 2013. In addition to Project 25 (P25) used mainly by public-safety users, mission-critical communications licensees are also deploying the Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) standard, NXDN systems and other digital technologies. In addition, the FCC recently granted partial approval of a waiver request that will allow products conforming to the TETRA digital standard to be available for U.S. business, industrial and transport sectors in the 450 – 470 MHz band.

 

About 71 percent of respondents are already compliant with the mandate or in the process of upgrading their networks to meet the deadline. For more narrowbanding survey results and an article on narrowbanding coordination, visit the June digital issue of MissionCritical Communications. 

 

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