[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 110 (Thursday, June 6, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28864-28865]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-14139]



=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[DA 96-751]


Pioneer's Preference Requests

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Commission's Office of Engineering and Technology has 
announced a filing deadline for submission of amendments to pending 
pioneer's preference requests. This announcement follows approval by 
the Office of Management and Budget of a new information collection 
pertaining to the pioneer's preference program. The intended effect of 
this action is to bring pending pioneer's preference requests into 
compliance with new rules adopted in 1995.

DATES: Amendments are due by June 21, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rodney Small, (202) 418-2452, Office 
of Engineering and Technology, Federal Communications Commission, 
Washington, DC 20554.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

May 14, 1996.

Filing Deadline Announced for Submission of Amendments to Pending 
Pioneer's Preference Requests

    In the Memorandum Opinion and Order (Order) in ET Docket No. 93-
266, FCC 95-493, 61 FR 4916 (February 9, 1996), the Commission stated 
that, subsequent to approval by the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) of a new information collection pertaining to the pioneer's 
preference program, the Chief, Office of Engineering and Technology 
would announce a date for the submission of amendments to pending 
pioneer's preference requests that have not reached the Tentative 
Decision Stage, and publish that date in the Federal Register; see 
para. 14 of Order. OMB has approved this new information collection and 
has assigned it OMB control number 3060-0446. Accordingly, this Public 
Notice establishes the filing deadline as June 21, 1996.
    By that date, a party that has a pending pioneer's preference 
request in a proceeding that has not reached the Tentative Decision 
Stage and that has not previously filed an amended request pertaining 
to the new requirements adopted in the Second Report and Order and 
Third Report and Order in Docket 93-266 (see, respectively, FCC 95-80, 
60 FR 13396 (March 13, 1995); and FCC 95-218, 60 FR 32116 (June 20, 
1995)) must submit an amended request. Specifically, such a party must 
submit a statement that a new allocation of spectrum is necessary for 
its innovation to be implemented. Further, if the party relied on 
experimental results to demonstrate the technical feasibility of its 
innovation, it must submit a summary of those experimental results. 
Additionally, for parties filing pioneer's preference requests after 
September 1, 1994, such parties must submit a showing demonstrating 
that the Commission's public rulemaking process would inhibit the party 
from capturing the economic rewards of its innovation unless it is 
granted a pioneer's preference license; i.e., the party must show that 
it may lose its intellectual property protection because of the 
Commission's public process; that the damage to its intellectual 
property would likely be more significant than in other contexts, such 
as the patent process; and that the guarantee of a license would be a 
significant factor in its ability to capture the rewards from its 
innovation.
    Failure by any party with a pending pioneer's preference request in 
a

[[Page 28865]]

proceeding that has not reached the Tentative Decision Stage to amend 
its request by June 21, 1996, will result in the dismissal of the 
request by the Chief, Office of Engineering and Technology.
    For additional information, contact Rodney Small, (202) 418-2452; 
email [email protected].

Federal Communications Commission.
William F. Caton,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-14139 Filed 6-5-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P