[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 156 (Friday, August 11, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 49202-49205]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-20457]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 22

[DA 00-1654]


Amendment of the Geographic Channel Block Layout for Commercial 
Aviation Air-Ground Systems in the Air-Ground Radiotelephone Service

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This document amends the geographical channel block layout for 
commercial aviation air-ground systems licensed in the Air-Ground 
Radiotelephone Service. These systems provide telephone service over a 
wireless air-ground link to the telephones that are installed in 
commercial airliners for use by passengers during flights. The purpose 
of this action is to update the geographic channel block layout set 
forth in the Commission's rules such that it correctly lists the 
reference locations and channel block allotments for currently 
operating ground stations in this service.

DATES: Effective September 11, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: B.C. ``Jay'' Jackson, Jr., Wireless 
Telecommunications Bureau at (202) 418-1309.

[[Page 49203]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The action amends the geographical channel 
block layout for commercial aviation air-ground systems licensed in the 
Air-Ground Radiotelephone Service (47 CFR Part 22, Subpart G). These 
systems provide telephone service to the seat-back and bulkhead 
telephones installed in commercial airliners for use by passengers 
during flights. The wireless link between public telephone networks on 
the ground and an airborne aircraft so equipped is established by these 
systems. Each system comprises 50 or more full-power ground stations. 
Rule 47 CFR 22.859 requires, among other things, that each full-power 
ground station must (1) be located within 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) of 
one of the locations (defined by the geographic coordinates--latitude 
and longitude) listed in the geographic channel block layout set forth 
in that rule section, and (2) operate only on the channel block 
allotted in the geographic channel block layout for that location. As 
an exception, 47 CFR 22.859(b) provides that a full-power ground 
station may be established at a location that is more than 550 miles 
from all other full-power ground station locations on the same channel 
block. In 1993 and 1994, the commercial aviation air-ground system 
licensees filed petitions for rule making requesting various minor 
changes and corrections to a few of the locations and channel block 
allotments listed in 47 CFR 22.859. On various occasions since then, 
the licensees have requested and been granted special temporary 
authorizations waiving 47 CFR 22.859, allowing them to establish ground 
stations at locations that exceed, by a small margin, the 1.6 kilometer 
proximity requirement, and/or to operate on channel block assignments 
other than those listed in the geographic channel block layout. 
However, in each case, the intent of the rule (that all operating 
stations be located in close proximity in order to minimize 
interference due to Doppler frequency shift) continued to be served, 
and furthermore, all of the licensees concurred in the changes. Taking 
into account the accumulated location and channel block changes, this 
action amends 47 CFR 22.859 to conform and update it, so that the 
geographic channel block layout therein will correctly list the 
currently authorized locations and channel block allotments. This 
action was taken by the Deputy Chief, Wireless Telecommunications 
Bureau, FCC, pursuant to delegated authority (47 CFR 0.331), in a 
letter addressed to the commercial aviation air-ground radiotelephone 
system licensees. This letter, dated July 25, 2000 and released to the 
public on July 26, 2000, is available for inspection and copying during 
normal business hours in the FCC Reference Center, 445 Twelfth Street, 
S.W., Washington, D.C. 20554. A copy of the letter may be purchased 
from the Commission's copy contractor, International Transcription 
Service, Inc., 1231 20th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 (202) 
857-3800.

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 22

    Communications common carriers, Communications equipment, Radio.

Federal Communications Commission.
Magalie Roman Salas,
Secretary.

Rule Changes

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal 
Communications Commission amends 47 CFR part 22 as follows:

PART 22--PUBLIC MOBILE SERVICES

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

    Authority: 47 U.S.C. 154, 222, 303, 309, and 332.


    2. Section 22.859 is amended by revising the introductory text 
including the table to read as follows:


Sec. 22.859  Geographical channel block layout.

    Except as provided in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, each 
ground station location must be within 1.6 kilometers (one mile) of one 
of the locations listed in this paragraph. The channel block allotted 
for each location must be used to provide service to airborne mobile 
stations in flight and may be used to provide service to airborne 
mobile stations on the ground.

    Note: All geographic coordinates are referenced to North 
American Datum 1983 (NAD83).


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                                                                                                        Channel
                 Location                           N. latitude                  W. longitude            block
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ALASKA:
    Anchorage............................  61 deg.11'04"...............  149 deg.54'50"..............          8
    Cordova..............................  60 deg.29'38"...............  145 deg.28'17"..............          5
    Ketchikan............................  55 deg.21'10"...............  131 deg.42'20"..............          5
    Juneau...............................  58 deg.21'17"...............  134 deg.34'36"..............          4
    Sitka................................  57 deg.03'03"...............  135 deg.20'23"..............          7
    Yakutat..............................  59 deg.32'22"...............  139 deg.44'10"..............          2
ALABAMA:
    Birmingham...........................  33 deg.23'24"...............  86 deg.39'59"...............          2
ARIZONA:
    Phoenix..............................  33 deg.35'39"...............  112 deg.05'15"..............          4
    Winslow..............................  35 deg.01'17"...............  110 deg.43'04"..............          6
ARKANSAS:
    Pine Bluff...........................  34 deg.10'56"...............  91 deg.56'18"...............          8
CALIFORNIA:
    Burbank..............................  34 deg.11'44"...............  118 deg.21'31"..............          4
    Blythe...............................  33 deg.36'39"...............  114 deg.42'27"..............         10
    Los Angeles..........................  33 deg.56'45"...............  118 deg.23'06"..............          3
    Oakland..............................  37 deg.51'54"...............  122 deg.13'15"..............          1
    Red Bluff............................  40 deg.04'34"...............  122 deg.10'38"..............          8
    San Francisco........................  37 deg.41'15"...............  122 deg.26'05"..............          6
    San Jose.............................  37 deg.20'56"...............  121 deg.54'01"..............          5
    Visalia..............................  36 deg.19'36"...............  119 deg.23'25"..............          7
COLORADO:
    Colorado Springs.....................  38 deg.44'39"...............  104 deg.51'48"..............          8
    Bennet...............................  39 deg.51'24"...............  104 deg.35'53"..............          1
    Hayden...............................  40 deg.29'04"...............  107 deg.13'10"..............          6
FLORIDA:

[[Page 49204]]

 
    Miami................................  25 deg.48'28"...............  80 deg.16'29"...............          4
    Orlando..............................  28 deg.26'54"...............  81 deg.21'59"...............          2
    Tallahassee..........................  30 deg.24'03"...............  84 deg.21'18"...............          7
GEORGIA:
    Atlanta..............................  33 deg.39'05"...............  84 deg.25'54"...............          5
    St Simons Island.....................  31 deg.09'23"...............  81 deg.23'13"...............          6
HAWAII:
    Mauna Kapu...........................  21 deg.24'13"...............  158 deg.05'52"..............          5
IDAHO:
    Blackfoot............................  43 deg.11'34"...............  112 deg.21'00"..............          8
    Caldwell.............................  43 deg.38'45"...............  116 deg.38'47"..............         10
ILLINOIS:
    Chicago..............................  41 deg.46'49"...............  87 deg.45'20"...............          3
    Kewanee..............................  41 deg.12'05"...............  89 deg.57'33"...............          5
    Schiller Park........................  41 deg.57'18"...............  87 deg.52'57"...............          2
INDIANA:
    Fort Wayne...........................  40 deg.59'16"...............  85 deg.11'31"...............          7
IOWA:
    Des Moines...........................  41 deg.31'58"...............  93 deg.38'55"...............          1
KANSAS:
    Garden City..........................  37 deg.59'35"...............  100 deg.54'06"..............          3
    Wichita..............................  37 deg.37'24"...............  97 deg.27'16"...............          7
KENTUCKY:
    Fairdale.............................  38 deg.04'48"...............  85 deg.47'33"...............          6
LOUISIANA:
    Kenner...............................  30 deg.00'28"...............  90 deg.13'49"...............          3
    Shreveport...........................  32 deg.27'10"...............  93 deg.49'39"...............          5
MASSACHUSETTS:
    Boston...............................  42 deg.23'15"...............  71 deg.01'01"...............          7
MICHIGAN:
    Bellville............................  42 deg.12'17"...............  83 deg.29'09"...............          8
    Flint................................  42 deg.58'21"...............  83 deg.44'22"...............          9
    Sault Saint Marie....................  46 deg.28'45"...............  84 deg.21'31"...............          6
MINNESOTA:
    Bloomington..........................  44 deg.51'30"...............  93 deg.13'20"...............          9
MISSISSIPPI:
    Meridian.............................  32 deg.19'11"...............  88 deg.41'33"...............          9
MISSOURI:
    Kansas City..........................  39 deg.18'13"...............  94 deg.41'05"...............          6
    St. Louis............................  38 deg.42'45"...............  90 deg.19'19"...............          4
    Springfield..........................  37 deg.14'28"...............  93 deg.22'55"...............          9
MONTANA:
    Lewistown............................  47 deg.02'56"...............  109 deg.27'30"..............          5
    Miles City...........................  46 deg.25'30"...............  105 deg.52'32"..............          8
    Missoula.............................  47 deg.01'05"...............  114 deg.00'44"..............          3
NEBRASKA:
    Grand Island.........................  40 deg.58'00"...............  98 deg.19'12"...............          2
    Ogallala.............................  41 deg.07'11"...............  101 deg.45'39"..............          4
NEVADA:
    Las Vegas............................  36 deg.05'35"...............  115 deg.10'28"..............          1
    Reno.................................  39 deg.35'13"...............  119 deg.55'56"..............          4
    Tonopah..............................  38 deg.03'43"...............  117 deg.13'27"..............          9
    Winnemucca...........................  41 deg.00'39"...............  117 deg.46'01"..............          3
NEW MEXICO:
    Alamogordo...........................  32 deg.54'46"...............  105 deg.56'43"..............          8
    Albuquerque..........................  35 deg.03'05"...............  106 deg.37'15"..............         10
    Aztec................................  36 deg.48'42"...............  107 deg.53'50"..............          9
    Clayton..............................  36 deg.27'29"...............  103 deg.11'18"..............          5
NEW JERSEY:
    Woodbury.............................  39 deg.50'01"...............  75 deg.09'20"...............          3
NEW YORK:
    E. Elmhurst..........................  40 deg.46'21"...............  73 deg.52'40"...............          1
    Schuyler.............................  43 deg.09'09"...............  75 deg.07'49"...............          2
    Staten Island........................  40 deg.36'05"...............  74 deg.06'34"...............          9
NORTH CAROLINA:
    Greensboro...........................  36 deg.05'54"...............  79 deg.56'41"...............          9
    Wilmington...........................  34 deg.16'11"...............  77 deg.54'23"...............          3
NORTH DAKOTA:
    Dickinson............................  46 deg.51'05"...............  102 deg.47'37"..............          7
OHIO:
    Pataskala............................  40 deg.04'05"...............  82 deg.42'00"...............          1
OKLAHOMA:
    Warner...............................  35 deg.29'31"...............  95 deg.18'26"...............          4

[[Page 49205]]

 
    Woodward.............................  36 deg.24'42"...............  99 deg.28'51"...............          9
OREGON:
    Albany...............................  44 deg.38'23"...............  123 deg.03'40"..............          5
    Klamath Falls........................  42 deg.06'30"...............  121 deg.38'04"..............          2
    Pendleton............................  45 deg.35'44"...............  118 deg.31'06"..............          7
PENNSYLVANIA:
    Coraopolis...........................  40 deg.30'33"...............  80 deg.13'26"...............          4
    New Cumberland.......................  40 deg.11'30"...............  76 deg.52'01"...............          8
SOUTH CAROLINA:
    Charleston...........................  32 deg.54'11"...............  80 deg.01'19"...............          4
SOUTH DAKOTA:
    Aberdeen.............................  45 deg.27'21"...............  98 deg.25'27"...............          6
    Rapid City...........................  44 deg.02'36"...............  103 deg.03'38"..............          5
TENNESSEE:
    Elizabethton.........................  36 deg.26'04"...............  82 deg.08'05"...............          7
    Memphis..............................  35 deg.01'44"...............  89 deg.56'15"...............         10
    Nashville............................  36 deg.08'07"...............  86 deg.41'39"...............          3
TEXAS:
    Bedford..............................  32 deg.'45".................  97 deg.07'20"...............          1
    Houston..............................  29 deg.54'38"...............  95 deg.24'40"...............          2
    Lubbock..............................  33 deg.37'06"...............  101 deg.52'16"..............          7
    Monahans.............................  31 deg.34'58"...............  102 deg.54'20"..............          6
UTAH:
    Abajo Peak...........................  37 deg.50'21"...............  109 deg.27'44"..............          7
    Delta................................  39 deg.23"15'...............  112 deg.30'47"..............          2
    Escalante............................  37 deg.45'19"...............  111 deg.52'30"..............          5
    Green River..........................  38 deg.57'54"...............  110 deg.13'43"..............          3
    Salt Lake City.......................  40 deg.39'11"...............  112 deg.12'09"..............          1
VIRGINIA:
    Arlington............................  38 deg.52'55"...............  77 deg.06'17"...............          6
WASHINGTON:
    Seattle..............................  47 deg.26'07"...............  122 deg.17'39"..............          4
    Cheney...............................  47 deg.33'14"...............  117 deg.43'39"..............          1
WEST VIRGINIA:
    Charleston...........................  38 deg.19'47"...............  81 deg.39'35"...............          2
WISCONSIN:
    Stevens Point........................  44 deg.33'06"...............  89 deg.25'27"...............          8
WYOMING:
    Riverton.............................  43 deg.03'37"...............  108 deg.27'25"..............          9
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[FR Doc. 00-20457 Filed 8-10-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P