January 23, 1995   

FCC GRANTS TEN REGIONAL NARROWBAND PCS LICENSES

    Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted 10
of the regional
narrowband licenses from its October narrowband personal
communications services (PCS)
auction. The auction, which began October 26, 1994 and ended
November 8, 1994 offered
30 licenses - six in each of five regions -- and raised
$490,901,787.  The remaining 20
licenses will be granted shortly.  The licenses are expected to
be used to provide the next
generation of mobile communications services, including advanced
paging, data messaging
and fascimile services.

    "These licenses were granted in record time," said Regina
Keeney, Bureau Chief of
the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.  "Before, when the
Commission granted licenses
under the lottery system, it took more than a year from initial
application to license grant. 
When licenses were granted by comparative hearings, it often took
several years.  Awarding
licenses through auctions will greatly expedite the introduction
of new competitive services to
the marketplace by rapidly awarding licenses to the parties who
value them the most highly."
she noted.

    The Regional Narrowband PCS auction was the third of the
FCC's auctions of the
electromagnetic spectrum.  In this auction, the FCC offered
incentives, including bidding
credits, tax certificates and installment payment options, to
reduce entry barriers faced by
small businesses and minority and woman-owned businesses.  As a
result, small businesses,
minority and women-owned businesses won 11 of the 30 licenses in
this auction.  

    The licenses granted today were conditioned upon full payment
of the remaining
balance of the winning bid amount no later than five business
days from the date of the
license grant.  Small businesses and minority or women-owned
businesses however, may
elect to pay the remaining balance in installments over the term
of the license.


News Media Contact:  Stacey Reuben Mesa at (202)418-0654
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Contact:  Rita Cookmeyer at
(202) 418-0434