$//Order,SMR Competitive Bidding,PR 93-144,DA 95-67//$
$/1.46 Motions for extension of time/$
                                Before the
                     FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION DA 95-67  
                          Washington, D.C.  20554

In the Matter of                   )
                                             )
Amendment of Part 90 of the             )       PR Docket No. 93-144
Commission's Rules to Facilitate        )       RM-8117, RM-8030
Future Development of SMR Systems       )       RM-8029
in the 800 MHz Frequency Band           )    

and

Implementation of Section 309(j)        )
of the Communications Act -        )       PP Docket No. 93-253
Competitive Bidding                )
800 MHz SMR                   )    


ORDER
                
                     
                          Adopted:  January 18, 1995                   Released:  January 18, 1995


By the Acting Chief, Commercial Radio Division:

     1.  We have received requests from the American Mobile Telecommunications
Association, Inc. ("AMTA"), Personal Communications Industry Association ("PCIA"), and
SMR WON for an extension of time for filing Reply Comments in response to the Further
Notice of Proposed Rule Making in this proceeding.  AMTA's and SMR WON's motions,
both filed on January 11, 1995, request that the Commission extend the deadline for filing
reply comments (currently January 20, 1995) by 60 days.  PCIA's motion, also filed on
January 11, 1995, requests that the deadline be extended by 30 days.  To date, no opposition
to these requests has been filed.

     2.  AMTA seeks an extension in order to "facilitate continued industry efforts to
resolve certain of the matters on which no consensus has yet been achieved."  In its motion,
SMR WON notes that additional time is necessary to "work out a consensus acceptable to all
major interested parties, even though SMR WON and other trade associations held weekly
meetings and conference calls throughout November and December."  In addition, PCIA
observes that "the number of Comments, the controversial issues discussed, and the
complexity of the proceeding dictate that careful consideration be given to the Comments
filed by all parties."  As a result, AMTA, SMR WON and PCIA agree that an extension of
time would allow interested and affected parties to submit well-reasoned options and
comments on the complex issues addressed in this proceeding.

     3.  Based on the number of comments received and the variety of views expressed in
this proceeding, it appears that an extension of the reply comment period is warranted.  We
agree with both AMTA and SMR WON that the public interest would be served by granting
an extension so that members of the SMR industry can further evaluate, discuss, and attempt
to reach consensus regarding the proposals presented and issues addressed both in the Further
Notice and the initial comments submitted in this proceeding.  Both parties indicate that
discussions among industry members have been ongoing and that the members are continuing
their efforts towards developing consensus positions.  We believe that additional time is
needed to allow this process to continue.  We also agree with PCIA that additional time is
needed to enable industry members to review the extensive comment record filed in this
proceeding (over 80 comments have been filed) and to submit thorough and well-reasoned
reply comments.  We nevertheless remain concerned about avoiding a substantial delay in the
resolution of issues presented in this proceeding.  Thus, we believe that a 40-day extension
of the reply comment period is appropriate.  We emphasize that in granting this extension,
we expect SMR industry representatives to use the additional time productively by continuing
their efforts to find solutions to the issues presented in this proceeding that will be broadly
supported by industry members.

     4.  Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Motions of Extension of Time
filed by the American Mobile Telecommunications Association, the Personal
Communications Industry Association, and SMR WON are hereby GRANTED to the extent
stated herein.

     5.  IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, pursuant to Section 1.46 of the Commission's
Rules, 47 C.F.R.  1.46, that the deadline for filing reply comments in this proceeding is
extended from January 20, 1995 to March 1, 1995.  

                         FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION



                         Rosalind K. Allen
                         Acting Chief, Commercial Radio Division
                         Wireless Telecommunications Bureau