NEWSReport No. 96-31                ACTION IN DOCKET CASE       April 10, 1996

                         FCC PROPOSES CHANGES IN 
                    PUBLIC SAFETY ALLOCATIONS AND RULES
                           (WT DOCKET NO. 96-86)

     The Federal Communications Commission proposes to initiate an overall evaluation
and assessment of public safety wireless communications.  Public safety agencies today have
serious problems with communications systems which do not interoperate, have minimal
access to emerging technologies, have limited service feature options, have less than optimal
transmission and reception quality, and have a scarcity of capacity on existing systems. The
goal of this proceeding is to develop the data necessary to evaluate the present and future
needs of public safety agencies, to solicit comment on how best to meet these needs, and to
facilitate a transition to a communications environment in which public safety agencies have
access to the most modern, effective, and efficient wireless communications systems.

     Generally, this Notice seeks comment on:
 
           (1) regulatory approaches that will facilitate the development of interoperable
          equipment and technologies; 
          (2) the service features and system requirements essential to the effective
          performance of public safety functions; 
          (3) technological issues regarding the enhancement and improvement of public
          safety wireless communications; 
          (4) means of allocating spectrum for public safety agencies to ensure that they
          have adequate spectrum to perform their duties; 
          (5) the measures needed to foster an environment that promotes public safety
          wireless communications which are spectrally-efficient, of high quality, and
          effective; and 
          (6) the means to promote competition in the supply of goods and services used
          by public safety agencies. 

     Specifically, the Commission proposes to adopt new definitions for public safety and
public safety services, and requests comment on these definitions.  In other matters, the
Notice concludes that current management and administration of public safety spectrum is
inefficient and too lengthy, and requests comment on how to improve the process. 
     
     Comments on this Notice are due September 20, 1996, with reply comments due
October 18, 1996.
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     Action by the Commission April 5, 1996 by Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 96-
155).  Chairman Hundt and Commissioners Quello, Ness and Chong.

                                  - FCC -

News Media Contact:  Kara Palamaras at (202) 418-0654.
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau contact:  D'wana Speight and David Wye at (202) 418-
0600 or Bob McNamara (202) 418-0680.