Latest US 800 MHz transition report issued

The United States’ official 800 MHz band Transition Administrator has issued its latest quarterly report updating the communications sector on progress in rebanding efforts, particularly along the Mexican and Canadian borders.

According to the report, “The primary focus of the reconfiguration program during the third quarter of 2016 continued to be the reconfiguration of Mexican border licensees. All of the 127 FRAs anticipated for Mexican border licensees have been submitted to the TA. After FRA approval by the TA, licensees with replacement frequencies that are clear may proceed with implementation activities.”

The report said, “Mexican border licensees retuned, reflashed, or replaced approximately 16,000 radios (first touches) in the third quarter of 2016, raising the total number complete to approximately 144,300 radios as of September 30, 2016.

“As of September 30, 2016, Mexican border licensees in 57 FRAs completed their physical retunes and transitioned to their new channels, which was 45 percent of Mexican border FRAs.”

As far as non-border and Canadian border licensees were concerned, “Non-border Stage 2 (NPSPAC and Expansion Band) licensees retuned, reflashed, or replaced approximately 1,577,100 radios (first touches) as of September 30, 2016.

“Physical retuning was complete for 96.6 percent of non-border Stage 2 FRAs as of September 30, 2016. The few remaining non-border licensees that have not completed physical retuning must expeditiously complete their implementation activities.”

The report said, “Canadian border Stage 2 (NPSPAC and non-NPSPAC Public Safety) licensees retuned, reflashed, or replaced approximately 220,000 radios (first touches) as of September 30, 2016.

“With the completion of physical retuning for the last Canadian border Stage 2 licensee during the third quarter of 2016, physical retuning was complete for 100 percent of Canadian border Stage 2 FRAs as of September 30, 2016.”

The report added, “The reconfiguration program has reached a significant milestone as all Canadian border Stages 1 and 2 licensees have completed their physical retunes and transitioned to their new channels. Some Canadian border Stage 2 licensees are performing a second (or subsequent) touch of their subscriber units to remove the pre-rebanding channels.”

You can read the full report here.