Routine Use of Signal Boosters

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