The Mobility Division of the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau today granted a waiver to Vertex Standard LMR, Inc., of the requirement that all part 90 certification applications in certain VHF and UHF bands include a 6.25 kilohertz operating mode or equivalent efficiency. The division noted that Vertex sought the waiver for equipment certification applications covering two 5-watt 12.5 kHz UHF radios that aren’t capable of operating in a 6.25 kHz operating mode.

The FCC’s narrowbanding deadline for the 150-174 megahertz and 421-512 MHz bands took effect on Jan. 1. “Vertex states that it successfully completed and submitted applications for four out of six products in a new product line, without 6.25 kHz capability, prior to the January 1, 2015 deadline,” the division noted. “With respect to the other two models, it explains that it submitted equipment to the test facility early enough for an application to be submitted before the deadline, but the test facility unexpectedly requested additional material, which delayed the completion of the testing. Because of this delay, Vertex was unable to submit equipment approval applications for these two models before January 1, 2015.”