[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 13 (Thursday, January 22, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4036-4037]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-1254]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
[RM No. 11510; DA 09-5]
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Seeks Comment on Petition for
Rulemaking To Transition Part 22 Cellular Services to Geographic
Market-Area Licensing
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In this document, the Federal Communications Commission
(``Commission'') seeks comment on a Petition for Rulemaking
(``Petition'') filed by CTIA--The Wireless Association (``CTIA'') on
October 8, 2008, seeking to transition certain cellular licensing rules
to a geographic market area-based license system.
DATES: Interested parties may file comments on or before February 23,
2009, and reply comments on or before March 9, 2009.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by RM No. 11510, by any
of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Federal Communications Commission's Web Site: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Mail: Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery,
by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S.
Postal Service mail (although we continue to experience delays in
receiving U.S. Postal Service mail). All filings must be addressed to
the Commission's Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal
Communications Commission.
People with Disabilities: Contact the FCC to request
reasonable accommodations (accessible format documents, sign language
interpreters, CART, etc.) by e-mail: [email protected] or phone: 202-418-
0530 or TTY: 202-418-0432.
For detailed instructions for submitting comments and additional
information on the rulemaking process, see the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION section of this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joyce Jones, Mobility Division,
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, at (202) 418-1327 or by e-mail to
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Public
Notice in RM No. 11510, DA 09-5, released on January 5, 2009. The full
text of the Public Notice is available for public inspection and
copying during business hours in the FCC Reference Information Center,
Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554.
It also may be purchased from the Commission's duplicating contractor
at Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-B402, Washington, DC
20554; the contractor's Web site, http://www.bcpiweb.com; or by calling
(800) 378-3160, facsimile (202) 488-5563, or e-mail [email protected].
Copies of the Public Notice also may be obtained via the Commission's
Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) by entering the docket number,
WT Docket No. 08-165. Additionally, the complete item is available on
the Commission's Web site at http://www.fcc.gov.
1. On October 8, 2008, CTIA filed a Petition for Rulemaking,
seeking to transition part 22 cellular licensing to a geographic market
area-based license system.\1\ To effectuate this transition, CTIA
proposes that the Commission re-issue all cellular licenses to
``incumbents'' on a Cellular Market Area (``CMA'') basis in place of
their existing Cellular Geographic Service Area licenses, subject to
two carve outs. First, cellular licensees in a CMA providing service
using unserved area licenses would consult with the CMA license holder
``to determine each license's service area boundaries following the
transition to digital service.'' Second ``incumbent'' cellular
licensees providing service beyond the boundaries of their CMAs ``would
consult with the CMA licensee of the affected market to establish
service area boundaries'' and the ``incumbent's'' license would be
modified to reflect these boundaries. In either instance, if the
parties cannot reach agreement, CTIA proposes that the matter be
referred to the Commission for adjudication. The Commission seeks
comment on CTIA's Petition.
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\1\ Cellular markets initially licensed more than five years ago
are subject to the Commission's Unserved Area licensing rules, which
require prior approval for new cellular systems, and expansions of
existing systems, on a cell site-by-cell site basis. See 47 CFR
22.949 and 22.953.
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2. Pursuant to Sec. Sec. 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission's
rules, 47 CFR 1.415 and 1.419, interested parties may file comments and
reply comments on or before the dates indicated on the first page of
this document. Comments may be filed using: (1) The Commission's
Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), (2) the Federal Government's
eRulemaking Portal, or (3) by filing paper copies. See Electronic
Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121 (1998).
Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically
using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/
or the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Filers
should follow the instructions provided on the website for submitting
comments.
For ECFS filers, if multiple docket or rulemaking numbers
appear in the caption of this proceeding, filers must transmit one
electronic copy of the comments for each docket or rulemaking number
referenced in the caption. In completing the transmittal screen, filers
should include their full name, U.S. Postal Service mailing address,
and the applicable docket or rulemaking number. Parties may also submit
an electronic comment by Internet e-mail. To get filing instructions,
filers should send an e-mail to [email protected], and include the following
words in the body of the message, ``get form.'' A sample form and
directions will be sent in response.
Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must
file an original and four copies of each filing. If more than one
docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of this proceeding,
filers must submit two additional copies for each additional docket or
rulemaking number.
Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial
overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service
mail (although we continue to experience delays in receiving U.S.
Postal Service
[[Page 4037]]
mail). All filings must be addressed to the Commission's Secretary,
Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.
The Commission's contractor will receive hand-delivered or
messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission's Secretary at 236
Massachusetts Avenue, NE., Suite 110, Washington, DC 20002. The filing
hours at this location are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. All hand deliveries must be
held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes must be
disposed of before entering the building.
Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service
Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton
Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743.
U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority
mail must be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW., Washington DC 20554.
People with Disabilities: To request materials in
accessible formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print,
electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to [email protected] or
call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530
(voice), 202-418-0432 (tty).
Parties should also send a copy of their filings to Joyce Jones,
Mobility Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Federal
Communications Commission, Room 6413, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington,
DC 20554, or by e-mail to [email protected]. Parties must also serve
one copy with the Commission's copy contractor, Best Copy and Printing,
Inc. (BCPI), Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-B402,
Washington, DC 20554, (202) 488-5300, or via e-mail to [email protected].
Federal Communications Commission.
Roger S. Noel,
Chief, Mobility Division/Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.
[FR Doc. E9-1254 Filed 1-21-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P