Lojack Gets FCC Approval for Changes

The FCC has finally approved a petition from vehicle tracking company LoJack for technical changes to its system to improve performance and pave the way for new services in the future. The company requested the changes in 2004, asking to increase permitted transmitter power for base stations and tracking devices, to modify the vehicle transmitter cycle when activated, allow use of tracking devices for more than just stolen vehicles, and other technical changes. LoJack operates on a 173 MHz channel non-exclusively, although no other vendors currently use the channel, operates in 26 states and DC, and tracks 3 million vehicles. Download (pdf) the FCC’s 30-page action here, and read how LoJack intends to begin competing with OnStar using these changes, requested under the cover of “narrowbanding.”