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                Federal Communications Commission
                      Washington, D.C. 20554


                                                                 
                         January 29, 1999

                                       Released: January 29, 1999


BY FACSIMILE AND FIRST CLASS MAIL

Lloyd W. Coward, Esq.
Meyer, Faller, Weisman & Rosenberg, P.C.
4400 Jenifer Street, N.W.
Suite 380
Washington, D.C. 20015

Re:  TE-MCG Consortium

Dear Mr. Coward:

     This letter is in response to a request for waiver of 47 C.F.R.  90.812 filed on behalf
of TE-MCG Consortium (TE-MCG).  On August 16, 1996, the Commission granted TE-
MCG two 900 MHz Specialized Mobile Radio (SMR) licenses for which TE-MCG was the
winning bidder in the auction that concluded on April 15, 1996.  Grant of these licenses was
conditioned upon TE-MCG paying its bids in quarterly installment payments.  At the time of
this grant, section 90.812 of the Commission's rules provided that installment payments for
900 MHz SMR licenses were subject to 47 C.F.R.  1.2110(e).  This section provided that an
entity that was more than 90 days delinquent in any installment payment was in default;
however, upon default or in anticipation of default, licensees were permitted to request a
grace period of three to six months.  47 C.F.R.  1.2110(e)(4) (1997).

     TE-MCG's first installment payment of $17,313.76 was due on November 30, 1996. 
Shortly after the licensee received the loan documents, which included amortization tables
reflecting the payment schedule, TE-MCG contacted the Commission regarding an error in the
interest rate.  As stated in the exhibits to TE-MCG's waiver request, new amortization tables
were provided to the licensee in March 1997.  On December 19, 1997, TE-MCG made a
payment of $86,568.86.  This payment was applied to installment payments due on November
30, 1996; February 28, 1997; May 31, 1997; August 31, 1997; and November 30, 1997. 
Thus, as of December 19, 1997, TE-MCG was current in its payments.  TE-MCG has timely
paid all subsequent installment payments under the Commission's rules. 

Lloyd W. Coward, Esq.
Page 2     

     The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (Bureau) appreciates TE-MCG bringing the
administrative error in the amortization tables to its attention.  The Bureau also acknowledges
that TE-MCG did not have correct amortization schedules in order to submit the payments
due on November 30, 1996, and February 28, 1997.  However, once the amortization tables
were corrected in March 1997, TE-MCG did not make a payment until December 1997, over
eight months later.  Under the Commission's rules in effect at the time, both of TE-MCG's
900 MHz licenses should have automatically cancelled when it failed to submit its installment
payment due on May 31, 1997, within 90 days of the deadline and also failed to submit a
timely grace period request.

     The Bureau recognizes that the acceptance of TE-MCG's December 1997 payment
could have been construed as a waiver of the missed payment deadlines.  The Bureau also
acknowledges that TE-MCG's record of timely payments over the past year is indicative of a
commitment on the part of TE-MCG to meet its payment obligations.  The Bureau therefore
grants TE-MCG a waiver of sections 90.812 and 1.2110(e)(4) with respect to its late
payments.  Nevertheless, TE-MCG should not receive a complete waiver of the payment
deadline, because it possessed corrected loan documents for over eight months prior to
making a payment.  In light of this finding, we assess TE-MCG a late payment fee of 5
percent of the total amount due in one quarterly installment payment.

     Accordingly, TE-MCG will not be deemed in default on its two 900 MHz SMR
licenses if it makes a payment of $865.69, which represents 5 percent of one installment
payment for the two licenses conditionally granted to TE-MCG, no later than 30 days from
the date of this letter.  Failure to timely submit this amount in full by March 1, 1999, will
result in the automatic cancellation of TE-MCG's 900 MHz SMR licenses.  This action is
taken in accordance with delegated authority pursuant to 47 C.F.R.  0.331.  

     Sincerely,
                       


     Thomas J. Sugrue
     Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau