CTIA has submitted an ex parte compromise proposal in the FCC’s rulemaking proceeding for transitioning cellular service to geographic market-area licensing. CTIA proposes a two-step plan that would convert cellular service areas in fully-served markets to market-based license areas and retain the unserved area rules in under-served markets until the cellular area is deemed fully served at which time the unserved areas rules would sunset.

CTIA suggests that the advantages of its proposal will result in licensing efficiencies while the preservation of unserved area rules will allow new parties to enter markets. CTIA offers that such a plan removes administrative constraints on the ability of existing licensees to expand into adjacent areas, provides more orderly and useful cellular license records, and places cellular licensing on parity with other commercial wireless services.

Contact James Mardis for a  RTG Briefing on CTIA’s proposal.