FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:

August 5, 2005 Chelsea Fallon: (202) 418-7991

**FCC MODIFIES ADVANCED WIRELESS SERVICE RULES**

**TO PROVIDE GREATER FLEXIBILITY AND ACCESS TO SPECTRUM**

**FOR SMALL AND RURAL PROVIDERS**

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In an Order on Reconsideration adopted today, the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) advanced its efforts to make
spectrum available for an array of innovative wireless services and
technologies, including voice, data, video, and other wireless broadband
services offered over Third Generation ("3G") mobile networks. Today's
Order modifies the band plan, and licensing and service rules --
originally adopted in October 2003 -- for the 90 MHz of Advanced
Wireless Service (AWS) spectrum at 1710-1755 MHz and 2110-2155 MHz. The
modifications adopted today respond to Petitions for Reconsideration
filed by five parties in response to the original AWS service rules.

The changes made in the Order adopted today enhance flexibility for
potential AWS licensees and provide additional opportunities for smaller
and rural wireless carriers to access this spectrum. The original band
plan for this spectrum adopted by the FCC in October 2003 included a
mixture of license sizes and geographic areas in order to accommodate
the needs of wireless providers of various sizes serving a range of
different geographic areas. Today's Order maintains such a mixture but
increases the amount of spectrum licensed on a small geographic area
basis (Cellular Market Areas, or CMAs) from 10 MHz to 20 MHz in order to
provide greater opportunities for smaller rural or regional providers to
obtain access to this spectrum at auction. The Order also provides for
an additional 10 MHz of spectrum licensed by Economic Areas (EAs).

The new band plan splits the original 30 MHz E block at 1740-1755 MHz
and 2140-2155 MHz into one 10 MHz block (new block E) and one 20 MHz
block (new block F), in order to facilitate access to the spectrum by a
wider array of new and existing wireless carriers seeking to deploy
advanced services, improve service quality, augment existing networks,
or expand coverage areas. Today's Order also restructures the band plan
by aligning the CMA, EA, and REAG spectrum blocks in order to enable
operators to aggregate similarly-licensed spectrum more easily. For more
information, please see the attached diagram depicting the old and new
band plans for the 1710-1755 MHz and 2120-2155 MHz spectrum.

In addition to the changes made to the AWS band plan and geographic
licensing areas, today's Order modifies one of the original technical
rules by removing a restriction on transmitter output power levels.
Finally, the Commission today affirmed its 2003 decision not to set
aside a portion of the 1710-1755 MHz and 2110-2155 MHz bands exclusively
for small businesses that meet certain eligibility criteria and its 2003
decision to provide two levels of bidding credits to small businesses
that are winning bidders for licenses in those bands. The Commission
declined a request to add a third level of bidding credits and two
proposals that would have amended its rules pertaining to eligibility
for designated entity ("DE") status and DE benefits such as bidding
credits. The Commission also declined a third proposal to amend the DE
rules in this proceeding, but stated that it would examine this issue
further in a separate action.

In December 2004, the FCC announced its intention to auction the
1710-1755 MHz and 2120-2155 MHz AWS spectrum as early as June 2006. The
resolution of the pending petitions on this spectrum and the new rules
adopted today will enable the FCC to move forward expeditiously with its
plans to auction this spectrum. The timely auction and licensing of this
spectrum will in turn provide operators with new resources to provide
advanced and innovative wireless services to the American public.

Action by the Commission on August 5, 2005 by Order on Reconsideration,
(FCC 05-149). Chairman Martin, Commissioners Abernathy, Copps, and
Adelstein, with Commissioners Copps and Adelstein issuing separate
statements. Chairman Martin will issue a separate statement with the
release of the item.

For additional information, please contact Peter Corea, Wireless
Telecommunications Bureau, at (202) 418-7931 or Peter.Corea@fcc.gov; or
Brian Carter, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, at (202) 418-1334 or
Brian.Carter@fcc.gov.

WT Docket No. 02-353

-- FCC --

News and other information about the Federal Communications Commission

is available at [www.fcc.gov](http://www.fcc.gov/).

**PREVIOUS AND NEW BAND PLANS**

**FOR ADVANCED WIRELESS SERVICE SPECTRUM**

**AT 1710-1755 MHz AND 2110-2155 MHz**

**Previous Band Plan, Adopted October 16, 2003**

> [Blocks]{.underline} [Pairings]{.underline} [Amount]{.underline}
> [Area]{.underline} [Licenses]{.underline}
>
> A 1710-1720 and 2110-2120 2x10 EA 176
>
> B 1720-1730 and 2120-2130 2x10 REAG 12
>
> C 1730-1735 and 2130-2135 2x5 REAG 12
>
> D 1735-1740 and 2135-2140 2x5 CMA 734
>
> E 1740-1755 and 2140-2155 2x15 REAG 12

**New Band Plan, Adopted August 5, 2005**

> [Blocks]{.underline} [Pairings]{.underline} [Amount]{.underline}
> [Area]{.underline} [Licenses]{.underline}
>
> A 1710-1720 and 2110-2120 2x10 CMA 734
>
> B 1720-1730 and 2120-2130 2x10 EA 176
>
> C 1730-1735 and 2130-2135 2x5 EA 176
>
> D 1735-1740 and 2135-2140 2x5 REAG 12
>
> E 1740-1745 and 2140-2145 2x5 REAG 12

F 1745-1755 and 2145-2155 2x10 REAG 12

For maps of the geographic areas listed above, please see the FCC's web
site at <http://wireless.fcc.gov/auctions/default.htm?job=maps>.