[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 119 (Wednesday, June 19, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 31051-31053]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-15266]



-----------------------------------------------------------------------


FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Parts 22, 90, and 101

[WT Docket No. 95-70; FCC 96-223]


Routine Use of Signal Boosters

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Commission has released a Report and Order that permits 
expanded use of signal boosters by licensees without separate 
authorization from the Commission. The rule amendment is necessary to 
enable licensees to use signal boosters without obtaining a waiver of 
the rules. The effect of this action is to reduce the workload burden 
on both the applicant and the Commission.

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 19, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eugene Thomson, Private Wireless 
Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, (202) 418-0680.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Report 
and Order, WT Docket No. 95-70, FCC 96-223, adopted May 16, 1996, and 
released June 5, 1996. The full text of this Report and Order is 
available for inspection and copying during normal business hours in 
the FCC Reference Center, Room 246, 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 REPORT AND ORDER: The Commission adopted a Notice of 
Proposed Rule Making, 60 FR 33782, June 29, 1995, proposing to expand 
the use of signal boosters under Parts 22 and 90 and allow signal 
booster use under Part 94 (now Part 101) for multiple address systems 
(MAS) operations. This Report and Order permits licensees to use signal 
boosters on Part 22 paging frequencies at 931-932 MHz and the VHF one-
way public paging channels, on Part 90 private land mobile frequencies 
above 150 MHz, and on Part 101 MAS frequencies at 928-960 MHz. It 
establishes a 5 watt effective radiated power limit, and allows 
licensees to use signal boosters to provide fill-in signal coverage 
without a separate authorization. This rule amendment allows licensees 
to improve radio system efficiency at less cost and without imposing an 
additional licensing burden on either the licensee or the Commission.

List of Subjects

47 CFR Part 22

    Communications equipment, Radio.

47 CFR Part 90

    Communications equipment, Radio.

47 CFR Part 101

    Communications equipment, Radio.

Federal Communications Commission.
William F. Caton,
Acting Secretary.

Final Rules

    Parts 22, 90, and 101 of Chapter I of Title 47 of the Code of 
Federal Regulations are amended as follows:

PART 22--PUBLIC MOBILE SERVICES

    1. The authority citation for Part 22 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 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 improving the reliability of existing service by increasing 
the signal strength in dead spots.
* * * * *
    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. 22.527 is added to read as follows:


Sec. 22.527   Signal boosters.

    Licensees may install and operate signal boosters on channels 
listed in Sec. 22.531 only in accordance with the provisions of 
Sec. 22.165 governing additional transmitters for existing systems. 
Licensees must not allow any signal booster that they operate to cause 
interference to the service or operation of any other authorized 
stations or systems.
    5. Section 22.535 is amended by revising the introductory text and 
by adding a new paragraph (f) to read as follows:


Sec. 22.535   Effective radiated power limits.

    The effective radiated power (ERP) of transmitters operating on the 
channels listed in Sec. 22.531 must not exceed the limits in this 
section.
* * * * *
    (f) Signal boosters. The effective radiated power of signal 
boosters must not exceed 5 watts ERP under any normal operating 
condition.
    6. Section 22.537 is amended by adding a new paragraph (h) to read 
as follows:


Sec. 22.537  Technical channel assignment criteria.

* * * * *
    (h) Signal boosters on 931 MHz channels. For the purpose of 
compliance with Sec. 22.165 and notwithstanding paragraphs (e) and (f) 
of this section, signal boosters operating on the 931 MHz channels with 
an antenna HAAT not exceeding 30 meters (98 feet) are deemed to have as 
a service contour a circle with a radius of 1.0 kilometer (0.6 mile) 
and as an interfering contour a circle with a radius of 10 kilometers 
(6.2 miles).

[[Page 31052]]

PART 90--PRIVATE LAND MOBILE RADIO SERVICES

    7. The authority citation for Part 90 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: Sections 4, 303, and 332, 48 Stat. 1066, 1082, as 
amended: 47 U.S.C.154, 303, and 332, unless otherwise noted.

    8. Section 90.7 is amended by revising the definition for ``signal 
booster'' to read as follows:


Sec. 90.7  Definitions.

* * * * *
    Signal booster. A device at a fixed location 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 be retransmitted, or broadband 
(Class B), in which case all signals within the passband of the signal 
booster filter are amplified.
* * * * *
    9. Section 90.75(c)(25) is amended by revising the introductory 
paragraph 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.
* * * * *
    10. A new Sec. 90.219 is added to subpart I 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 at fixed locations 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 normal signal coverage area.
    (b) Class A narrowband signal boosters must be equipped with 
automatic gain control circuitry which will limit the total effective 
radiated power (ERP) of the unit to a maximum of 5 watts under all 
conditions. Class B broadband signal boosters are limited to 5 watts 
ERP for each authorized frequency that the booster is designed to 
amplify.
    (c) Class A narrowband boosters must meet the out-of-band emission 
limits of Sec. 90.209 for each narrowband channel that the booster is 
designed to amplify. Class B broadband signal boosters must meet the 
emission limits of Sec. 90.209 for frequencies outside of the booster's 
design passband.
    (d) Class B broadband signal boosters are permitted to be used only 
in confined or indoor areas such as buildings, tunnels, underground 
areas, etc., or in remote areas, i.e., areas where there is little or 
no risk of interference to other users.
    (e) 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.
    (f) Licensees employing either Class A narrowband or Class B 
broadband signal boosters as defined in Sec. 90.7 are responsible for 
correcting any harmful interference that the equipment may cause to 
other systems. Normal co-channel transmissions will not be considered 
as harmful interference. Licensees will be required to resolve 
interference problems pursuant to Sec. 90.173(b).

PART 101--FIXED MICROWAVE SERVICES

    11. The authority citation for Part 101 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: '47 U.S.C. 154, 303, unless otherwise noted.

    12. Section 101.3 is amended by adding the definition for ``signal 
booster'' in alphabetical order to read as follows:


Sec. 101.3  Definitions.

* * * * *
    Signal booster. A device at a fixed location 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 be retransmitted, or broadband 
(Class B), in which case all signals within the passband of the signal 
booster filter are amplified.
* * * * *
    13. Section 101.151 is added to Subpart C to read as follows:


Sec. 101.151  Use of signal boosters.

    Private operational-fixed 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 at fixed locations 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 normal signal coverage area.
    (b) Class A narrowband signal boosters must be equipped with 
automatic gain control circuitry which will limit the total effective 
radiated power (ERP) of the unit to a maximum of 5 watts under all 
conditions. Class B broadband signal boosters are limited to 5 watts 
ERP for each authorized frequency that the booster is designed to 
amplify.
    (c) Class A narrowband boosters must meet the out-of-band emission 
limits of Sec. 101.111 for each narrowband channel that the booster is 
designed to amplify. Class B broadband signal boosters must meet the 
emission limits of Sec. 101.111 for frequencies outside of the 
booster's design passband.
    (d) Class B broadband signal boosters are permitted to be used only 
in confined or indoor areas such as buildings, tunnels, underground 
areas, etc., or remote areas, i.e., areas where there is little or no 
risk of interference to other users.
    (e) 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

[[Page 31053]]

that all applicable rule requirements are met.
    (f) Licensees employing either Class A narrowband or Class B 
broadband signal boosters as defined in Sec. 101.3 are responsible for 
correcting any harmful interference that the equipment may cause to 
other systems.

[FR Doc. 96-15266 Filed 6-18-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P