I am a newbie, so please bear with me. I am wondering if anyone knows WHEN the FCC rewrite of the FRS/GMRS service may or may not happen?
I applied for a GMRS license on Thursday. I haven’t heard from them yet. I do know they have my $85.00. Before I spend $500 bucks on an Icom 45 watt GMRS base station I’d like to know the future of the GMRS service.
No one knows. The FCC moves on its own time.
Thanks for the reply. Not what I was hoping to hear (read) but what I was expecting. I just went online to the FCC site. I have my license and call sign.
Now, how about that Icom F6021-51B UHF Base Station Radio . I hope it’s a winner!!!
Sorry I couldn’t give better news 
The last time I spoke with someone from the FCC, they said there was no decision. I have personally been monitoring this for the last two years and watched the FCC practically sweep it under the rug, so to speak.
For a time, the proposed GMRS rule changes were an item on an agenda list on the right sidebar whenever I visited the FCC web site. Then one day it was gone, and nothing has been mentioned about it since. It is as if they just quietly wished it away.
I am still monitoring it and check in periodically with the FCC. As soon as I hear anything I will post it here and on our blog.
We just received an update on the status from an official at the FCC and discussed it in the latest episode of The Two Way Radio Show podcast released this past weekend. Some of this may be rather controversial and you may or may not agree with some or all of the views. Your comments and feedback on the discussion are welcome and may be used in the next episode.
TWRS-56 - Update on the Proposed Changes to the GMRS
Hi, guys.
Sorry for bumping a somewhat older thread here, but as far as I know these issues are still relevant.
I’ve been listening to the podcast (link in above post), and while I agree with a lot of the points that are being presented (or at least can agree somewhat with the rationale behind them), I would rather they leave the regulations as they are for the simple reason of not taking away the functionality and capabilities of the designated GMRS band as it is now.
Not everyone in my family is going to want to get a ham radio license, for example, but could still take advantage of relatively high powered repeaters and base stations while using simple, widely available, and inexpensive handhelds. Amateur radio is a hobby (to say the least), and not everyone is into it, nor do they necessarily want to “join the club.”
While it is unfortunate that GMRS handhelds are being used most times without a license, GMRS as it is now is still providing a good niche service for and through those that do have licenses and know what they’re doing, which is also helping to bring practical radio functionality to a wider segment of the population.
Just my 2¢ worth. 
That right. Remember their first name is “Federal”.