[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 125 (Thursday, June 29, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 33782-33784]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-15673]



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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 22, 90, and 94

[WT Docket No. 95-70; RM-8200, FCC 95-204]


Routine Use of Signal Boosters

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Commission has released a Notice of Proposed Rule Making 
that proposes to permit routine use of signal boosters by licensees 
without separate authorization from the Commission. This action was 
initiated by a petition from TX RX Systems, Inc. and is necessary to 
enable licensees to use signal boosters without obtaining a waiver of 
the rules, thus reducing the workload burden on both the applicant and 
the Commission.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before July 21, 1995, and reply 
comments on or before August 8, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, 1919 M Street N.W., 
Washington, D.C. 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Eugene Thomson, Private Wireless Division, Wireless Telecommunications 
Bureau, (202) 418-0634.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Notice 
of Proposed Rule Making (Notice), in the Matter of Amendment of Parts 
22, 90, and 94 of the Commission's Rules to Permit Routine Use of 
Signal Boosters, WT Docket No. 95-70, FCC 95-204, adopted May 17, 1995, 
and released June 22, 1995. The full text of the Notice is available 
for inspection and copying during normal business hours in the FCC 
Reference Center, Room 239, 1919 M Street N.W. Washington, D.C. The 
complete text may be purchased from the Commission's copy contractor, 
ITS Inc. 2100 M St. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037, telephone (202) 857-
3800.

Summary of Notice of Proposed Rule Making

    1. This proceeding was initiated by a petition for rule making 
filed by TX RX Systems Inc. requesting that Parts 22, 90, and 94 of the 
Rules and Regulations be amended to permit licensees to routinely use 
one-way or two-way signal 

[[Page 33783]]
boosters without specific authorization from the Commission.
    2. Currently, under Part 90 Private Land Mobile Radio Services 
rules, signal boosters may be used only on ten Business Radio Service 
frequency pairs in the 450-470 MHz band for communications related to 
the servicing and supplying of aircraft at certain specified airports. 
Under Part 22 Public Mobile Service rules, a form of signal booster, 
generally called a cellular repeater, may be employed by cellular 
licensees without separate licensing provided that the repeater does 
not extend the licensee's signal beyond the authorized cellular service 
area.
    3. The Notice proposes to expand the use of signal boosters to Part 
22 common carrier paging operations at 931-932 MHz, to Part 90 land 
mobile radio operations in all Part 90 frequency bands above 150 MHz, 
to Part 90 paging operations at 929-930 MHz, and to Part 94 multiple 
address system operations in the 928-960 MHz band.
    4. Additionally, the Notice proposes to define and classify signal 
boosters as narrowband (Class A) or broadband (Class B), limit booster 
transmitter output power to 500 milliwatts, permit licensees to use 
signal boosters without separate authorization, and make licensees 
responsible for correcting any interference caused by the use of signal 
boosters.

Ex-Parte

    5. This is a non-restricted notice and comment rule making 
proceeding. See Section 1.1231 of the Commission's Rules, 47 CFR 
1.1231, for rules governing permissible ex parte contacts.

Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

    6. We certify that the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 does not 
apply to this rule making proceeding because if the proposed rule 
amendments are promulgated, there will not be a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small business entities, as defined 
by Section 601(3) of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.

Paperwork Reduction

    7. The proposals contained herein have been analyzed with respect 
to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 and found to contain no new or 
modified form, information collection and/or recordkeeping, labeling, 
disclosure or record retention requirements, and will not increase 
burden hours imposed upon the public.

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Parts 22, 90, 94

    Communications equipment, Radio.

    Federal Communications Commission.
William F. Caton,
Acting Secretary.
Amendatory Text

    Parts 22, 90, and 94 of chapter I of title 47 of the Code of 
Federal Regulations are proposed to be amended as follows:

PART 22--PUBLIC MOBILE SERVICE

    1. The authority citation for part 22 continues to read as follows:

    Auhority: 47 U.S.C. 154, 303, unless otherwise noted.

    2. Section 22.99 is amended by adding the definition for ``signal 
booster'' in alphabetical order to read as follows:
Sec. 22.99  Definitions.

* * * * *
    Signal booster. A stationary device that automatically reradiates 
signals from base transmitters without channel translation, for the 
purpose of providing service in weak signal areas.
* * * * *
    3. Section 22.377 is amended by revising the first sentence of the 
introductory text to read as follows:


Sec. 22.377  Type-acceptance of transmitters.

    Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, transmitters 
used in the Public Mobile Services, including those used with signal 
boosters, in-building radiation systems and cellular repeaters must be 
type-accepted for use in the radio services regulated under this part. 
* * *
* * * * *
    4. A new Sec. 22.385 is added to read as follows:


Sec. 22.385  Signal boosters.

    Licensees may install and operate signal boosters without applying 
for authorization or notifying the Commission, subject to the 
requirements of this section.
    (a) The location of each signal booster must be within the 
protected service area of the licensee's authorized base transmitter(s) 
on the channel being reradiated.
    (b) Any signal booster used must be designed such that transmitter 
output power cannot exceed 500 milliwatts under any normal operating 
condition.
    (c) Licensees must not allow any signal booster that they install 
and operate to cause interference to the service or operation of any 
other authorized stations and systems.

PART 90--PRIVATE LAND MOBILE RADIO SERVICES

    1. The authority citation for part 90 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: Section 4, 303, and 332, 48 Stat. 1066, 1082, as 
amended: 47 U.S.C. 154, 303, and 332, unless otherwise noted.

    2. Section 90.7 is amended by revising the definition for ``signal 
booster'' to read as follows:


Sec. 90.7  Definitions.

* * * * *
    Signal booster. A device which automatically receives. amplifies, 
and retransmits on a one-way or two-way basis, the signals received 
from base, fixed, mobile, and portable stations, with no change in 
frequency or authorize bandwidth. A signal booster may be either 
narrowband (Class A), in which case the booster amplifies only those 
discrete frequencies intended to be retransmitted, or broadband (Class 
B), in which case all signals within the passband of the signal booster 
filter are amplified.
* * * * *
    3. Section 90.75 is amended by revising the introductory text of 
(c)(25) and paragraphs (c)(25)(i) through (iii), removing paragraphs 
(c)(25)(iv), (v), (vi), and (vii), and redesignating paragraph 
(c)(25)(viii) as (c)(25)(iv), to read as follows:


Sec. 90.75  Business radio service.

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (25) This frequency is available for assignment as follows:
    (i) To persons furnishing commercial air transportation service or, 
pursuant to Sec. 90.179, to an entity furnishing radio communications 
service to persons so engaged, for stations located on or near the 
airports listed in paragraph (c)(25)(iv) of this section. Stations will 
be authorized on a primary basis and may be used only in connection 
with the servicing and supplying of aircraft.
    (ii) To stations in the Business Radio Service for secondary use at 
locations 80 km (50 mi) or more from the coordinates of the listed 
airports at a maximum ERP of 300 watts.
    (iii) To stations in the Business Radio Service for secondary use 
at locations 16 km (10 mi) or more from the coordinates of the listed 
airports at a maximum transmitter output power of 2 watts. Use of the 
frequency is restricted to the confines of an industrial complex or 
manufacturing yard area. Stations licensed prior to April 17, 1986 may 
continue to operate with facilities authorized as of that date.
* * * * *

[[Page 33784]]

    4. A new Sec. 90.219 is added to read as follows:


Sec. 90.219  Use of signal boosters.

    Licensees authorized to operate radio systems in the frequency 
bands above 150 MHz may employ signal boosters in accordance with the 
following criteria:
    (a) The amplified signal is retransmitted only on the exact 
frequency(ies) of the originating base, fixed, mobile, or portable 
station(s). The booster will fill in only weak signal areas and cannot 
extend the system's signal coverage area.
    (b) The booster must be equipped with automatic gain control 
circuitry which will limit the total output power of the unit to a 
maximum of 500 milliwatts under all conditions. Per channel output 
power on broadband (Class B) units is the total output power (500 mw) 
divided by the number of channels amplified. All equipment must meet 
the out-of-band emmission limits of Sec. 90.209.
    (c) Boosters must be installed with sufficient isolation between 
receiving and retransmitting circuits to prevent oscillation.
    (d) The licensee is given authority to operate signal boosters 
without separate authorization from the Commission. Type-accepted 
equipment must be employed and the licensee must ensure that all 
applicable rule requirements are met.
    (e) Licensees employing Class B signal boosters as defined in 
Sec. 90.7 are responsible for correcting any harmful interference that 
the equipment may cause to other systems.

PART 94--PRIVATE OPERATIONAL-FIXED MICROWAVE SERVICE

    1. The authority citation for part 94 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: Secs. 4, 303, 48 Stat., as amended, 1066, 1082: 47 
U.S.C. 154, 303, unless otherwise noted.

    2. Section 94.3 is amended by adding the definition for ``signal 
booster'' in alphabetical order to read as follows:


Sec. 94.3  Definitions.

* * * * *
    Signal booster. A device which automatically receives, amplifies, 
and retransmits on a one-way or two-way basis, the signals received 
from base, fixed, mobile, and portable stations, with no change in 
frequency or authorized bandwidth. A signal booster may be either 
narrowband (Class A), in which case the booster amplifies only those 
discrete frequencies intended to retransmitted, or broadband (Class B), 
in which case all signals within the passband of the signal booster 
filter are amplified.
* * * * *
    3. Section 94.95 is added to read as follows:


Sec. 94.95  Use of signal boosters.

    Licensees authorized to operate multiple address systems in the 
928-929/952-960 MHz and 932-932.5/941-941.5 MHz bands may employ signal 
boosters in accordance with the following criteria:
    (a) The amplified signal is retransmitted only on the exact 
frequency of the originating master or remote station. The booster will 
fill in only weak signal areas and cannot extend the system's signal 
coverage area.
    (b) The booster must be equipped with automatic gain control 
circuitry which will limit the total output of the booster to 500 
milliwatts under all conditions. Boosters must meet the out-of-band 
emmission limits of Sec. 94.71.
    (c) Boosters will be installed with sufficient isolation between 
receiving and retransmitting circuits to prevent oscillation.
    (d) The licensee is given authority to use signal boosters without 
separate authorization from the Commission. Type-accepted equipment 
must be employed and the licensee must ensure that all applicable rule 
requirements are met.
    (e) Licensees employing Class B signal boosters as defined in 
Sec. 94.3 are responsible for correcting any harmful interference that 
the signal booster may cause to other systems.

[FR Doc. 95-15673 Filed 6-28-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-M