Aggregator

The Commission has proposed rules to establish a new personal radio service that would permit individuals a very short distance, unlicensed, two-way voice radio service in the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) portion of the radio spectrum. This action is in response to a petition for rule making from the Radio Shack Division of Tandy Corporation (Tandy). Allowing uses of the radio spectrum in this manner would meet a burgeoning public demand for an affordable and convenient means of direct, short-range, two-way voice communication among small groups of persons.

The Commission has proposed rules to allow Interactive Video and Data Service (IUDS) licensees to eliminate the one-year construction ``build-out'' requirement. This action was initiated on our own motion in response to requests by several IUDS licensees that participated in the IUDS auction. Originally crafted in the context of awarding licenses by lottery, the one-year construction benchmark now appears unnecessary. Licensees have sufficient economic incentives to provide service as quickly as possible; eliminating this one-year benchmark will provide licensees with greater flexibility in making financial, equipment, and other construction-related decisions.

The Commission had adopted a Notice of Proposed Rule Making which seeks to permit the shared use of the 216-217 MHz band, on a secondary, non-interference basis, for a new Low Power Radio Service to include law enforcement tracking systems, auditory assistance devices for the hearing-impaired, and health care assistance devices for disabled and ill persons. Further, the Commission seeks to permit Automated Maritime Telecommunications Systems (AMTS) coast stations to also share this band on a secondary, non-interference basis for point- to-point network control communications. This action stems from the Commission's Notice of Proposed Rule Making and Notice of Inquiry in PR Docket 92-257 which sought to compile a record of viable, alternative uses for this one megahertz of maritime mobile spectrum. Thus, the proposed rules should aid law enforcement efforts in the recovery of stolen goods, further the goals of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), increase access to educational and health care opportunities for persons with disabilities and illnesses, increase the number of channels available to the AMTS for operational control communications, and promote the efficient use of maritime spectrum.

This action amends the rules for the amateur service to authorize automatic control of stations transmitting digital emission types on the High Frequency (HF) amateur service bands. This amendment was necessary because, except for temporary authority the Commission issued to permit a feasibility study, automatic control has not been authorized on the HF bands. The intended effect of the final rule is to authorize automatic control of amateur stations transmitting digital emissions subject to two conditions: The automatically controlled station either must be connected to another station that is under manual control, or the automatically controlled station must transmit only within a subband designated for communications between automatically controlled stations.