NEWSReport No. WT 96-5       WIRELESS TELECOM ACTION  March 8, 1996

COMMISSION SPECIFIES PAYMENT TERMS FOR PIONEERS PREFERENCE
LICENSES AWARDED TO APC COMMUNICATIONS, COX CABLE COMMUNICATIONS,
AND OMNIPOINT COMMUNICATIONS ON THE BROADBAND PCS A BLOCK

 The Federal Communications Commission today adopted an Order
which specifies the payment obligations and procedures for the three pioneers' preference
recipients in the Broadband Personal Communications Service ("PCS"):  American Personal
Communications ("APC"), Cox Cable Communications, Inc. ("Cox"), and Omnipoint
Communications, Inc. ("Omnipoint") (collectively, "Pioneers").  The Order implements
Section 801 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade ("GATT") legislation, which
amended Section 309(j) of the Communications Act of 1934 to require that the Commission
recover 85 percent of the adjusted value of the licenses granted to the pioneers preference
recipients.  

       Pursuant to the GATT legislation, the Order establishes a payment formula for
determining the adjusted value of the pioneers' licenses based on the average per population
price paid at auction by the A and B block licensees in the 20 largest MTAs.  Based on the
prescribed formula, the Commission has determined that, for their A block broadband PCS
licenses, APC shall pay $102,343,539 for the Washington-Baltimore MTA; Cox shall pay
$251,918,526 for the Los Angeles-San Diego MTA; and Omnipoint will be required to pay
$347,518,309 for the New York MTA.

       The GATT legislation also provides for the pioneers to make their payments in
installments over five years.  The Commission therefore adopted an installment payment plan
for the pioneers as follows:  (1) the interest rate imposed on the payments will be equal to the
five-year Treasury Note (5.25 percent as of the date of this Order) plus 2.5 percent, for an
interest of 7.75 percent; (2) the payments will be interest-only for the first two years; and (3)
unpaid principal balance and interest will be amortized over the remaining three years.  The
payments will commence 30 days from the adoption date of the Order.  Payments thereafter
will be due on the last day of each financial quarter.  In addition, consistent with our general
bidding rules, the pioneers' licenses will continue to be conditioned upon the full and timely
performance of their respective payment obligations under their installment plans. 


                                    (over)

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       Action by the Commission March 8, 1996, by Order (FCC 96-94).  Chairman Hundt,
Commissioners Quello, Barrett and Ness with Commissioner Chong not participating.  

                                    - FCC -

       News Media Contact:  Kara Palamaras at (202) 418-0654.
       Wireless Telecommunications Bureau contact:  Lisa Warner at (202) 418-0620.