WASHINGTON-The Industrial Telecommunications Association has bowed to pressure from the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and will support a firm five-year nationwide migration to narrowband equipment.
“The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau strongly encouraged ITA, as an advocacy leader in the private land mobile industry, to file supplemental comments stating we would support a five-year migration period to narrowband equipment in all markets,” said J. Sharpe Smith, ITA director of industry and public affairs.
Previously, ITA supported a tiered approach, where the top 50 markets would migrate by 2003, with all others migrating by 2005. ITA stressed that this does not change its stance on a migration path to 6.25 kilohertz equipment. “ITA still believes a date certain for 6.25 kilohertz equipment is premature,” said Smith.
The Federal Communications Commission and the industry have previously discussed not only establishing a migration plan for 12.5 kilohertz but also for 6.25 kilohertz.
