Industry Canada, the Federal regulating body responsible for radio licensing, has issued a plan that affects two way radio users operating in the commercial VHF and UHF frequency bands.

Two way radio users using this frequency band are encouraged to upgrade their radio equipment to the new "narrowband" standard by January 1, 2004 if they have not done so already. It should be noted that upgrading to "narrowband" equipment by Jan.1, 2004 is usually NOT a requirement. However it is a certainty that at some point after Jan. 1, 2004 use of narrowband equipment will become mandatory. In some cases, where frequency congestion is not a factor, it could take years to be mandated to switch to narrowband.  Please feel free to contact Grover Communications to discuss this issue.

Overview-Industry Canada's Radio Spectrum Redeployment Plan

Intent
The radio spectrum redeployment plan will reduce the bandwidth of all radio channels in the range of 100 to 500MHz to half of their former value. This change will effectively double the number of available channels and thereby assure the continued availability of radio channels to future radio license applicants. 

Dates

• December 15, 1998: Industry Canada issues a notice declaring all "wideband" frequency assignments in the range of 100 to 500MHz to be "non-standard".
  
  
• January 10, 2002: Industry Canada sent out their annual radio license renewal forms with a reminder notice of the proposed changes. 
  
  
• January 1, 2004: Industry Canada will begin enforcing the use of narrowband radio equipment. This will not likely have an immediate effect on most licensees on Vancouver Island. However, as little as 90 days notice may be given for a wideband radio user to convert, or upgrade, to "narrowband" operation. Areas such as Toronto or Vancouver will have a much greater impact in this regard. Many larger clients such as Provincial Government agencies are changing out equipment in advance of this deadline. The primary reason for upgrading prior to a deadline is to allow for budgeting of funds. There are links on this page to Industry Canada's documents outlining their plans for redeployment.
  
  

Virtually all new radio products sold by Grover Communications since September of 1997 are already compliant with the new guidelines. Most portable radios purchased from Grover Communications since April of 1993 are "narrowband" ready. For the customers of Grover Communications, this means that your are probably using "narrowband" capable equipment already. All that is required is a quick reprogramming to bring your equipment into compliance, IF you receive notice from Industry Canada to do so. For older radio equipment, it is likely that you will end up replacing the unit due to old age prior to being ordered to "narrowband" by Industry Canada. Please feel free to contact Grover Communications with any questions or concerns regarding this issue.

Suggested Reading:

• Letter to Radio License Holders
  (pdf file) This letter was sent by Industry Canada to all radio license holders on 
  January 10th, 2002.
  
  
• Industry Canada's Redeployment Plan
  (pdf file) Redeployment Plan for Spectrum Efficient Land Mobile Equipment in the Frequency Range 100-500 MHz.