The latest data from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reveals that land-mobile-radio (LMR) licensing activity in the business-industrial sector is on track to reach its highest level in five years. As of the latest reports from the FCC’s Universal Licensing System (ULS), business-industrial entities have submitted 9,327 LMR licensing applications, with 9,007 already approved. This marks a significant increase compared to previous years, with the current application total approaching the full-year total of 9,447 from 2020.

If the FCC continues to approve pending applications at the current pace, the total number of business-industrial LMR licenses granted in 2024 is projected to reach 11,047.5, which would represent the highest total since 2016, when the FCC approved 13,945 licenses. Despite this growth, the total number of business-industrial licenses granted in recent years remains historically low. Between 2017 and 2019, the FCC granted between 10,200 and 10,800 business-industrial LMR licenses each year. However, in the past four years, the number of licenses has consistently fallen below 10,000 annually.

Even with all pending applications approved, the projected 2024 licensing total would be significantly lower—down 62.6%—from the 29,569 licenses granted during the narrowbanding-related spike in 2012.

In contrast, the public-safety LMR sector shows a steady and consistent level of licensing activity. As of Monday, the FCC has processed 2,558 public-safety LMR license applications, granting 2,511. With 47 applications still pending, the total number of public-safety LMR licenses for 2024 is projected to reach 3,021.5—comparable to licensing totals seen in most of the past seven years. Public-safety LMR licensing has consistently ranged between 3,000 and 3,200 licenses annually, with a notable dip during the pandemic in 2020, when the number fell to an all-time low of 2,763.

Overall, while business-industrial LMR activity is experiencing a positive upward trend, public-safety LMR licensing remains remarkably stable in comparison to recent years.