![](media/image1.png){width="0.6541666666666667in"
height="0.6604166666666667in"}PUBLIC NOTICE

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION News media information 202/418-0500

445 12th St., SW Fax-On-Demand 202/418-2830

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov ftp.fcc.gov

# DA 00-1461

# Released: July 3, 2000

> **DiGiPH PCS, INC. AND ELISKA WIRELESS VENTURES LICENSE SUBSIDIARY I,
> L.L.C. SEEK FCC CONSENT FOR ASSIGNMENT OF EIGHT C BLOCK BROADBAND
> PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES LICENSES AND DECLARATORY RULING
> PURSUANT TO SECTION 310(b)(4) ALLOWING INDIRECT FOREIGN OWNERSHIP**

###### Petitions/Comments due: August 2, 2000

**Oppositions/Responses due: August 14, 2000**

On June 14, 2000, DiGiPH PCS, Inc. ("DiGiPH") and Eliska Wireless
Ventures License Subsidiary I, L.L.C. ("Eliska"), filed applications
under Section 310(d) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended,[^1]
("the Act"), seeking Commission approval to assign eight C Block
broadband personal communications services ("PCS") licenses from DiGiPH
to Eliska. On June 26, 2000, DiGiPH and Eliska filed an amendment
revising the Public Interest Statement of the application.[^2]

DiGiPH acquired the eight C Block licenses in 1996 through its
participation in the original C Block auction (FCC Auction #5).[^3] The
parties have agreed that, upon closing of the proposed transaction, the
eight C Block licenses will be assigned to Eliska, which will assume the
associated installment payment obligations.

Eliska also filed a Petition for Declaratory Ruling under Section
310(b)(4) of the Act stating that it is in the public interest to permit
an indirect ownership interest of up to 49.9 percent in Eliska by Sonera
Holding, B.V. ("Sonera Holding").[^4] Sonera Holding is a corporation
organized under the laws of the Netherlands and is a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Sonera Corporation ("Sonera"), a limited liability company
organized under the laws of Finland.[^5] Sonera, formerly known as
Telecom Finland, Ltd., is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sonera Ltd., a
private holding company of the Government of Finland.[^6] The Finnish
government, as of May 4, 2000, owns 53.3 percent of Sonera Corporation
and is the only shareholder of Sonera whose interest in Eliska will
constitute a 10 percent or greater direct or indirect interest.[^7]
Sonera Holding's total, indirect attributable interest in Eliska will be
31.45 percent.[^8]

The following application for assignment of authorization has been filed
and has been assigned the file number indicated below.

**SECTION 310 APPLICATIONS**

***Assignment by DiGiPH to Eliska of licenses in the Part 24 Personal
Communications Services.***

[File No.]{.underline} [Licensee]{.underline} [Call Signs]{.underline}

0000151639 DiGiPH KNLF618 through KNLF625

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GENERAL INFORMATION

The applications referenced herein have been found, upon initial review,
to be acceptable for filing. The Commission reserves the right to return
any application if, upon further examination, it is determined to be
defective and not in conformance with the Commission's rules or
policies.

Final action will not be taken on these applications earlier than 31
days following the date of this Public Notice. *See* 47 U.S.C. § 309(b).
As indicated above, interested parties may file comments or petitions to
deny no later than **August 2, 2000**. Reply comments and oppositions to
such pleadings may be filed no later than **August 14, 2000**. All
filings concerning matters referenced in this Public Notice should refer
to DA 00-1461, as well as the specific file numbers of the individual
applications or other matters to which the filings pertain.

Pursuant to 47 C.F.R. § 1.2000(a), which permits the Commission to adopt
modified or more stringent *ex parte* procedures in particular
proceedings if the public interest so requires, we announce that this
proceeding will be governed by **permit-but-disclose** *ex parte*
procedures that are applicable to non-restricted proceedings under 47
C.F.R. § 1.1200.

An original and four copies of all comments, petitions to deny,
oppositions and replies must be filed with the Commission's Secretary,
Magalie Roman Salas, 445 12th Street, S.W., TW-B204, Washington, D.C.
20554, in accordance with Section 1.51(c) of the Commission's rules, 47
C.F.R. § 1.51(c). In addition, one copy of each pleading must be
delivered to each of the following locations: (1) the Commission's
duplicating contractor, International Transcription Services, Inc.
("ITS"), 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554;
(2) Office of Public Affairs, Reference Operations Division, 445 12th
Street, S.W., Room CY-A257, Washington, D.C. 20554; (3) Lauren Kravetz,
Policy and Rules Branch, Commercial Wireless Division, Wireless
Telecommunications Bureau, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room 4-A163,
Washington, D.C. 20554; (4) Michael Samsock, Policy and Rules Branch,
Commercial Wireless Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, 445
12th St., S.W., Room 4-B442, Washington, D.C. 20554; and (5) Justin
Connor, Policy and Facilities Branch, Telecommunications Division,
International Bureau, 445 12^th^ St., S.W., Room 6-A832, Washington,
D.C. 20554.

Copies of the applications and any subsequently-filed documents in this
matter may be obtained from ITS. The applications and documents are also
available for public inspection and copying during normal reference room
hours at the following Commission office: Office of Public Affairs,
Reference Operations Division, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY-A257,
Washington, D.C. 20554. In addition, the applications are available
electronically through the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau's
Universal Licensing System, which may be accessed on the Commission's
Internet website.

For further information, contact Lauren Kravetz or Michael Samsock,
Commercial Wireless Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, at
(202) 418-7240 or Justin Connor, Telecommunications Division,
International Bureau, at (202) 418-1476.

\- FCC -

[^1]: 47 U.S.C. § 310(d).

[^2]: *See* Letter from Jonathan Cohen, Esq. and David Judelsohn, Esq.,
    Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP to Lauren Kravetz, Esq., Commercial
    Wireless Division, Federal Communications Commission (dated June 26,
    2000).

[^3]: DiGiPH participated in Auction #5 under the name Mobile Tri-States
    L.P. 130. The eight licenses were subsequently assigned to DiGiPH on
    a *pro forma* basis. *See* FCC File No. 50075-CW-AL-97.

[^4]: *See* *In the Matter of Sonera Holding B.V. and Eliska Wireless
    Ventures License Subsidiary I, L.L.C.*, File No.
    ISP-PDR-20000614-00014, Petition for Declaratory Ruling Under
    Section 310(b)(4) of the Communications Act of 1934, as Amended
    (filed June 14, 2000) ("Petition").

[^5]: *See* Petition at 4.

[^6]: *See* *Id.* at 4; *see also* *In the Matter of Telecom Finland,
    Ltd.*, 12 FCC Rcd 17648 at ¶ 2 (Int'l Bur. 1997) (granting a
    declaratory ruling sought by Telecom Finland that its indirect
    ownership of certain wireless radio licenses in excess of the 25
    percent foreign ownership benchmark serves the public interest).

[^7]: *See* Application for Assignment of Authorization, FCC Form 603,
    File No. 000151639 (filed June 14, 2000) Exhibit 2 at p. 4.

[^8]: *See* Petition at 3.