NEWSReport No. WT 95-5          WIRELESS TELECOM ACTION April 12, 1995
                                                                           
               FCC MOVES TOWARD LICENSING NEW WIRELESS ERA
                                    
    Today, the delivery of the next generation of wireless communications services moved
one step closer.  Having completed the $7.7 billion auction for broadband personal
communications services (PCS), the FCC is now moving with record speed toward licensing
successful bidders.  Today, the FCC announced that it's accepted all of the auction's license
applications, just one week after the wining bidders filed their long form applications.

    "The speed with which the FCC accepted these applications and put them on Public
Notice is unprecedented in the licensing of any new service by the Commission.  This action
demonstrates the FCC's commitment to speeding new competitive services to the public,"
said Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Chief Regina Keeney.  "The sooner the licenses
are granted, the sooner these new services - and the  competition they generate - will reach
the marketplace," she said.

    Broadband PCS is a family of services which will allow consumers and businesses the
opportunity to choose from a growing number of suppliers of phone service. 

    Today's action triggers a 30-day period in which interested parties may oppose any
license application.  Barring any petitions, the Commission can start granting licenses after
the 30-day period ends.

    In addition, the Commission today denied a request filed by Communications One,
Inc. to delay licensing of the A and B blocks for broadband PCS.  In its order denying the
request, the Bureau said "the public interest in rapidly providing new competitive sources of
wireless services outweighs any possible competitive harm that might result from the A and
B block licensees being licensed ahead of auction winners in other PCS blocks."


 -FCC-

News Media Contact:  Stacey Reuben Mesa at (202) 418-0654