NEWSNEWS                                                                   

                                                               May 29, 1998

                                    
         ITU COUNCIL ADOPTS GLOBAL SATELLITE MARK AND REGISTRY--
     COMMISSION TO IMPLEMENT INTERNATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS IN THE U.S.
                                    
     Today the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Council in Geneva formally
adopted a global mark for Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite (GMPCS).
By this action, the Council established a "GMPCS MoU ITU Registry" mark which will
appear on all mobile terminals that are type-approved by a participating Administration and
registered at the ITU. The Council also determined that GMPCS marking and registry
activities will be funded by the industry on a cost-recovery basis. 

     "I am very pleased that the Council acted expeditiously to adopt the Secretary-
General's recommendations for the mark and the ITU terminal registry.  This marking regime
will be a real benefit to consumers as they carry terminals worldwide to access these new
global satellite services," stated Regina M. Keeney, FCC International Bureau Chief. "This is
the culmination of a diligent joint effort by industry and government over the last year and a
half.  Now the FCC can move forward to implement these GMPCS MoU Arrangements here
at home."  

     Later this summer, the FCC's International Bureau will undertake a proceeding to
implement the final GMPCS MoU Arrangements for all GMPCS system-types. GMPCS is
delivered via global or regional satellite systems designed to transmit a combination of voice,
data and video services to customers as they travel internationally. 

     In 1996, the ITU convened a World Telecommunications Policy Forum to focus on
regulatory and technical issues related to the rapidly-developing GMPCS technology. Since
that time, the United States, as a signatory to the international GMPCS MoU, has participated
actively in developing the GMPCS  MoU Arrangements governing terminals in the area of
licensing, type approval, marking, sharing of traffic data and customs recommendations. 




                                  (over)

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     Earlier this month, the Commission proposed the adoption of an interim procedure for
the approval of Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite (GMPCS) terminals
associated with GMPCS systems that are now operating or may be deployed and could
benefit globally from an interim FCC terminal approval procedure.  In that Notice, (FCC
Docket 98-92) the Commission proposed a set of certification criteria in accordance with its
current rules and in conjunction with a set of specific out-of-band emission proposals that are
being evaluated under a separate Commission proceeding. 

     Copies of the GMPCS MoU, MoU Arrangements, Marking Implementation Plan and
recent ITU Council Resolutions will be made available to the public in the International
Bureau's Reference Center, 2000 M Street, N.W., (first floor) Washington, D.C. 20554.   

     News Media contact: Rosemary Kimball at (202) 418-0500. International Bureau
contact: Tracey Weisler at (202) 418-0744.

                                   -FCC-